Amadis of Gaul, Vol. 4

by Vasco de Lobeira

such business, and were before the host; but when the two hosts encountered, then was there such uproar that none could understand another, and there might you behold horses without riders, and the riders, some slain, others wounded, and trampled under foot. Floyan, who was now horsed again, and desirous both to gain honour and to revenge the death of Salustanquidio his kinsman, made at Angriote, whom he saw doing great deeds in arms, and struck him in the side so rudely, that he well nigh dismounted him; the blow broke his lance; then drew he his sword, and dealt a blow to Enil, which made the fire flash from his helmet, and rode on between them, so that neither could strike him in requital, and they wondered at his courage and great prowess; and before he joined his own people, he met a Knight of Ireland, one of the servants of Don Quadragante, and cut him on the shoulders to the flesh and bone, so that he was constrained to quit the field.

At this time Amadis, taking with him Balays of Carsante and Gandalin, attacked the flank of the Romans as fiercely as he could, being enraged to see how they defended themselves; his companions followed the path he made, and he smote

such strokes with his sword, that the enemies were astonished and dismayed, and gave way before him, and strove to run back behind their fellows, like a flock of sheep when they are set upon by the wolves. As he was thus making his way without opposition, a bastard brother of Queen Sardamira, by name Flamineo, who was a good Knight, advanced to meet him, and pierced his shield with a brave encounter, but then his lance failed him. Amadis thought to strike him on the helmet as he passed, but he went by so fast that the blow fell upon the horse behind the saddle, and cut away the greater part of his body and of his bowels, so that Flamineo fell with such violence that he thought his shoulders were burst asunder. Mean time Don Quadragante and they who were in his company prest so closely upon the enemies, that they would have destroyed them all, if Arquisil had not come up with the second division. At his coming they took courage, and such a shock was given, that more than a thousand from the two sides were dismounted. Arquisil himself encountered Landin, the nephew of Quadragante, and both were driven to the ground. Floyan, who with fifty Knights had succoured Flamineo and remounted him, now saw Arquisil engaged afoot with Landin, and

cried out, Knights of Rome, help your leader! He himself, with more than five hundred Knights, rode to his succour, and Landin would surely then have been slain if it had not been for Angriote, and Enil, and Gavarte of the Perilous Valley, who called upon Quadragante to support them without delay, and bestirred themselves so bravely, that it was marvellous to behold their prowess. On the other part, Flamineo, who was again on horseback, collected a company, and came to support his friends; the battle then waxed hot, and so many Knights were slain and beaten down, that the field was covered with the dead and wounded. But the Romans were so numerous, that, maugre all their enemies could do, they rescued Arquisil and got him to horse, and Quadragante and his Knights did the same by Landin, for there were horses enow at hand who had no riders.

This while Amadis was doing wonders, and so well had he now made himself known, that the Romans wherever he appeared gave way; great need was there for such prowess, for the enemies were so many, that had it not been for the goodness of the Knights, they would have had it all their own way. But presently Agrayes and Don

Bruneo came up with their division, and as the Romans were now confused, they broke them and divided them, so that they would have had no remedy, if the Emperor himself had not now advanced with five thousand Knights; this succour was so powerful that they presently recovered the ground which they had lost. The Emperor himself, armed as you have heard, led the way on a huge horse, being himself of great stature, and marvellously well did he appear, and was greatly admired. Balays of Carsante was the first whom he found before him; he struck his shield so rudely that the lance broke; their horses encountered, the Emperor's was fresh, but that of Balays could not stand the shock, and fell and his master with him, who was sorely bruised with the fall. At this success the Emperor was greatly elated; he drew his sword, and shouted out, Rome! Rome! at them Knights! let not a man escape! and he thrust forward into the press, dealing about his blows like a good Knight. As he was thus making great havock, he met Don Quadragante, who on his part was laying about him, sword in hand. They seeing each other, both raised their swords, and gave such strokes on each other's helmet, that fire flashed from them; but as Don Quadragante was the stronger, the

Emperor lost his stirrups with that blow, and was constrained to hold round his horse's neck, and was for a while astounded. It so chanced that Constancio, a young Knight and a good, who was brother to Brondajel of the Rock, was hard at hand, and seeing his lord the Emperor in this plight, he pricked forward, and made at Quadragante with an overhand thrust of his lance, which pierced the shield and wounded him a little in the arm. Quadragante turned to strike him, and in that moment the Emperor had time to shelter himself among his own Knights. But Constancio tarrying there no longer, rode away toward the part where Amadis fought, and when he saw what havock he made, that not a man could stand before him, he was so astonished, that he verily thought it was some devil come there to destroy them. While he was looking at him, a good Knight, who governed the Principality of Calabria for Salustanquidio, came forward, and struck the horse of Amadis in the neck: Amadis in requital gave it him on the helmet and head through helmet and head. At this Constancio was greatly grieved for the loss of so good a Knight, and he cried out to Floyan, Here! here! maim or kill this man! for this is he who destroys us without mercy! Both he and Floyan

then rode up to him together, and laid on him with their swords. It was Constancio whom Amadis struck in return; the sword came upon the rim of his raised shield and split it, and went through upon the helmet with such weight that Constancio fell stunned. More than twenty Knights, who were appointed to look to Floyan, now joined, and all at once assailed Amadis, but they could not move him from his horse, and every one was afraid to come too near him, who had no need ever to make a second blow.

Howbeit the Romans were so many, that elsewhere they had somewhat the advantage: they had killed the horses of Agrayes, and Don Bruneo, and Angriote, and surrounded the Knights. Lasindo, and Gandalin, and Gavarte, and Branfil, came to their succour, but the multitude was so great, that though with great danger they had beaten down and slain many Knights, they could not force their way to them. At this time Grasandor and Don Florestan came up: O, Sir Florestan, cried Lasindo, help here, or your friends are lost! Come on then! replied Florestan, and let us attack those who will not dare abide us! then sword in hand he cut his way, and those other Knights with him, to the place where their

friends were so hardly beset. Who can tell the feats which were performed in that succour! but certes what those Knights had wrought, being on foot, and so few, and surrounded by so many enemies, cannot be told. Yet would they even then have been in great danger, if Amadis had not heard the outcry; he had now beaten down six of the twenty who assailed him, and the rest had retired and left him at liberty, so he rode toward that press, and knowing his friends by their arms, called out to his people, and followed by more than four hundred Knights, rode up to them. At the same time Floyan, and Arquisil, and Constancio, came up with the greatest body that they could collect, and there began the fiercest and most perilous battle that ever man beheld. Then might you have seen Amadis do such wonders, as it was never before seen or heard that living man could perform, that both friends and enemies marvelled to behold him, and such an uproar arose then, that the Emperor and the greatest part of the army repaired thither. A cross-bowman rode to Don Quadragante, who was in another part of the field, and told him what was going on; and he took with him a thousand Knights from his division, saying, Now, Sirs, show your worth and follow me, for your succour is needed; and