The Song of Roland

 The Song of Roland (1115) by Unknown; translated by Dorothy L. Sayers

Here is Sayers translation of the epic poem that grew out the events of August 15th, 778 when Charlemagne's army was returning home to France after a successful routing of Saracen Spain. It's rearguard was ambushed as they held a pass in the Pyrenees. When the event was recorded, there was a brief mention of the attack: "In the action were killed Eggihard, the king's seneschal, Anselm count of the palace, and Roland duke of the Marches of Brittany, together with a great many more." A later account just says that the names of the fallen are already on record and need not be repeated. Then, after not much mention for 200 hundred years, we suddenly have a full-blown drama with many names and Roland has become the nephew of Charlemagne, his right-hand man. And there are so many details of the battle. So. Many. We get the play-by-play on how this knight of Charlemagne destroyed the armor and shield and lance and helmet of that member of the villainous horde. How the man's head was split open down to his beard. How his wrists or arms or head was lopped off. And blood gushing. And then when the tide turns and Roland and company start getting slaughtered we get all those details too. In verse. In rhyme that doesn't quite work.

I really looked forward to reading this work translated by Sayers. She did an absolutely beautiful job with Dante's Divine Comedy. The verses sang, her word choice was on point, and it was just lovely. This--well, I just don't where the fault is. I don't know if the subject matter turned me off (how many different verses are we going to have with knight so-and-so being split from skull to beard and blood gushing everywhere and all we do is change the knight's name?). I don't know if it was the original work and there was no way to translate it and make it palatable to me. Or...if this time Sayers just didn't bring her A-game and the translation is to blame. Regardless...it just didn't work for me.  I get that it extols the code of chivalry and balances that against the treachery of Ganelon. The themes are good. I just didn't find it as well-executed as I was led to expect. For me--it was just an epic failure. ★★ 

First line: Carlon the King, our Emperor Charlemayn,
                Full seven years long has been abroad in Spain

Last line: Here ends the geste Turoldus would recite.