--- title: How Oliver Was Slain — Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of F… · full text with trees description: How Oliver Was Slain, «Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France» by Alfred John Church: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Count Roland looked round on the mountain-sides and on the plains. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75339/33/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75339/) / How Oliver Was Slain # How Oliver Was Slain How Oliver Was Slain of «Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France» by Alfred John Church: the whole text, 70 sentences and 1024 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. Count Roland looked round on the mountain-sides and on the plains.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Alas! how many noble sons of France he saw lying dead upon them! "[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Dear friends," he said, weeping as he spoke, "may God have mercy on you and receive you into His Paradise\![3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") More loyal followers have I never seen.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") How is the fair land of France widowed of her bravest, and I can give you no help.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Oliver, dear comrade, we must not part.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") If the enemy slay me not here, surely I shall be slain by sorrow.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Come, then, let us smite these heathen."[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did Roland again charge the enemy, his good sword Durendal in his hand; as the stag flies before the hounds, so did the heathen fly before Roland. "[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") By my faith," cried the Archbishop when he saw him, "that is a right good knight\![10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Such courage, and such a steed, and such arms I love well to see.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") If man be not brave and a stout fighter, he had better by far be a monk in some cloister where he may pray all day long for our sins."[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") But Roland cried again, "Strike home, men; have no mercy on these heathen dogs."[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying he charged the enemy, and on the other side King Marsilas came out to meet him.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") A great warrior was he, and his horse was fleeter than a falcon.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") First he slew Beuvon of Burgundy, and Ivan, and Gerard and other two: five knights he met, five he slew, but the sixth was the Count Roland himself. "[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Curse upon you!" cried the Count; "you have slain my comrades; verily you shall not go scatheless hence."[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Thereupon with one blow he smote off his right hand, and with another he shore off the head of the king's son Jurfalew. "[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Help us, Mahomet!" cried the heathen. "[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") How these villains fight\![20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") They die rather than fly from the field of battle!"[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") And King Marsilas, throwing down his shield upon the ground, fled from out the battle, and thousands fled with him, crying aloud, "Verily, the nephew of King Charles has won the day."[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") But alas! though the King fled, the Caliph remained.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") He was King of Carthage and of the whole land of Ethiopia.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Chief of the black race was he, and a mighty man of valour.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Fifty thousand warriors followed him; blacker than ink were they all, and with nothing that was white about them save only their teeth. "[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") We have but a short time to live," cried Roland, when he saw the new host advancing to the battle. "[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") But cursed would he be that does not sell his life dearly\![28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Strike, comrades, strike\![29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Let what will befall us, France shall not suffer disgrace.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") When the King shall come to see this field of battle, for one of us that he shall find dead there shall be full fifteen of the Saracens.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") He cannot but bless us for such valour."[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") And Oliver cried aloud, "Ill luck to all laggards!"[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") And the men of France that remained threw themselves upon the enemy.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") But the heathen, when they saw how few they were, took fresh courage.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Caliph, spurring his horse, rode against Oliver and smote him in the middle of his back, making his spear pass right through him. "[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") That is a shrewd blow," he cried; "I have avenged my friends and countrymen upon you."[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Oliver knew he was stricken to death, but he would not fall unavenged.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") With his great sword Hautclere he smote the Caliph on his head and cleft it to the teeth. "[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Curse on you, pagan.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Neither your wife nor any woman in the land of your birth shall boast that you have taken a penny's worth from King Charles!"[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") But to Roland he cried, "Come, comrade, help me; well I know that we two shall part in great sorrow this day."[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Roland came with all speed, and saw his friend, how he lay all pale and fainting on the ground and how the blood gushed in great streams from his wound. "[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") I know not what to do," he cried. "[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") This is an ill chance that has befallen you.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Truly France is bereaved of her bravest son."[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying he went near to swoon in the saddle as he sat. Then there befell a strange thing.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Oliver had lost so much of his blood that he could not any more see clearly or know who it was that was near him.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") So he raised up his arm and smote with all his strength that yet remained to him on the helmet of Roland his friend.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The helmet he cleft in twain to the vizor; but by good fortune it wounded not the head.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") Roland looked at him and said in a gentle voice, "Did you this of set purpose?[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") I am Roland your friend, and have not harmed you." "[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") Ah!" said Oliver, "I hear you speak, but I cannot see you.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Pardon me that I struck you; it was not done of set purpose." "[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") It harmed me not," answered Roland; "with all my heart and before God I forgive you."[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") And this was the way these two friends parted at the last.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") And now Oliver felt the pains of death come over him.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") He could no longer see nor hear.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") He clomb down from his horse, and laid himself upon the ground, and clasping his hands lifted them to heaven and made his confession. "[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") O Lord," he said, "take me into Paradise.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") And do Thou bless King Charles and the sweet land of France."[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") And when he had said thus he died.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") And Roland looked at him as he lay.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") There was not upon earth a more sorrowful man than he. "[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") Dear comrade," he said, "this is indeed an evil day.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") Many a year have we two been together.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Never have I done wrong to you; never have you done wrong to me.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") How shall I bear to live without you?"[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") And again he swooned where he sat on his horse.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") But the stirrup held him up that he did not fall to the ground.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [How Roland Sounded His Horn](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75339/32/) - next →: [How Archbishop Turpin Died](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75339/34/) - ↑ back to [Stories of Charlemagne and the twelve Peers of France](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75339/)