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the　Greeks　stop　up　that　entrance；　they　will　have　no　need　to　fear
the　coming　of　any　force　from　which　ill　may　befall　them。　Nabunal
bids　and　exhorts　that　twenty　of　them　go　to　defend　the　outer
gateway；　for　easily　there　might　they　press　in　that　way　to　attack
and　overwhelm　themfoemen　who　would　do　them　harm　if　they　had
strength　and　power　to　do　so。　〃Let　a　score　of　men　go　to　defend　the
gateway；　and　let　the　other　ten　assail　the　keep　from　without；　so
that　the　count　may　not　shut　himself　up　inside。〃　This　is　what
Nabunal　advises：　the　ten　remain　in　the　melee　before　the　entrance
of　the　keep；　the　score　go　to　the　gate。　They　have　delayed　almost
too　long；　for　they　see　coming　a　company；　flushed　and　heated　with
desire　of　fighting；　in　which　there　were　many　crossbow…men　and
foot…soldiers　of　divers　equipment；　bearing　diverse　arms。　Some
carried　light　missiles；　and　others；　Danish　axes；　Turkish　lances
and　swords；　arrows　and　darts　and　javelins。　Very　heavy　would　have
been　the　reckoning　that　the　Greeks　would　have　had　to　pay；
peradventure；　if　this　company　had　come　upon　them；　but　they　did
not　come　in　time。　By　the　wisdom　and　by　the　prudence　of　Nabunal；
they　forestalled　them　and　kept　them　without。　When　the
reinforcements　see　that　they　are　shut　out；　then　they　remain　idle；
for　they　see　well　that　by　attacking　they　will　be　able　to
accomplish　nought　in　the　matter。　Then　there　rises　a　mourning　and
a　cry　of　women　and　of　little　children；　of　old　men　and　of　youths；
so　great　that　if　it　had　thundered　from　the　sky　those　within　the
castle　would　not　have　heard　aught　of　it。　The　Greeks　greatly
rejoice　thereat；　for　now　they　all　know　of　a　surety　that　never　by
any　chance　will　the　count　escape　being　taken。　They　bid　four　of
them　mount　in　haste　to　the　battlements　of　the　wall　to　see　that
those　without　do　not　from　any　quarter；　by　any　stratagem　or　trick；
press　into　the　castle　to　attack　them。　The　sixteen　have　returned
to　the　ten　who　are　fighting。　Now　was　it　bright　daylight；　and　now
the　ten　had　forced　their　way　into　the　keep；　and　the　count；　armed
with　an　axe；　had　taken　his　stand　beside　a　pillar　where　he　defends
himself　right　fiercely。　He　cleaves　asunder　all　who　come　within
his　reach。　And　his　followers　range　themselves　near　him；　in　their
last　day's　work　they　take　such　good　vengeance　that　they　spare　not
their　strength　at　all。　Alexander's　knights　lament　that　there　were
no　more　than　thirteen　of　them　left　though　even　now　there　were
twenty…and…six。　Alexander　well…neigh　raves　with　fury　when　he　sees
such　havoc　among　his　men　who　are　thus　killed　and　wounded；　but　he
is　not　slow　to　revenge。　He　has　found　at　hand；　by　his　side；　a　long
and　heavy　beam；　and　goes　to　strike　therewith　a　traitor；　and
neither　the　foeman's　shield　nor　hauberk　availed　him　a　whit
against　being　borne　to　the　ground。　After　him　；　he　attacks　the
count；　in　order　to　strike　well　he　raises　the　beam　；　and　he　deals
him　such　a　blow　with　his　square…hewn　beam　that　the　axe　falls　from
his　hands；　and　he　was　so　stunned　and　so　weak；　that　if　he　had　not
leaned　against　the　wall　his　feet　would　not　have　supported　him。

With　this　blow　the　battle　ceases。　Alexander　leaps　towards　the
count　and　seizes　him　in　such　wise　that　he　cannot　move。　No　need　is
there　to　tell　more　of　the　others；　for　easily　were　they　vanquished
when　they　saw　their　lord　taken。　They　capture　them　all　with　the
count　and　lead　them　away　in　dire　shame　even　as　they　had　deserved。
Of　all　this；　King　Arthur's　host　who　were　without；　knew　not　a
word；　but　in　the　morning　when　the　battle　was　ended　they　had　found
their　shields　among　the　bodies；　and　the　Greeks　were　raising　a
very　loud　lamentation　for　their　lord　but　wrongly。　On　account　of
his　shield　which　they　recognise　they　one　and　all　make　great
mourning；　and　swoon　over　his　shield；　and　say　that　they　have　lived
too　long。　Cornix　and　Nerius　swoon；　and　when　they　come　to
themselves　they　blame　their　lives　for　being　yet　whole　in　them。
And　so　do　Torins　and　Acoriondes；　the　tears　ran　in　streams　from
their　eyes　right　on　to　their　breasts。　Life　and　joy　are　but
vexation　to　them。　And　above　all　Parmenides　has　dishevelled　and
torn　his　hair。　These　five　make　so　great　a　mourning　for　their　lord
that　greater　there　cannot　be。　But　they　disquiet　themselves　in
vain；　instead　of　him；　they　are　bearing　away　another；　and　yet　they
think　that　they　are　bearing　away　their　lord。　The　other　shields
too　cause　them　much　sorrow　by　reason　whereof　they　think　that　the
bodies　are　those　of　their　comrades；　and　they　swoon　and　lament
over　them。　But　the　shields　lie　one　and　all；　for　of　their　men
there　was　but　one　slain　who　was　named；　Neriolis。　Him　truly　would
they　have　borne　away　had　they　known　the　truth。　But　they　are　in　as
great　distress　about　the　others　as　about　him；　and　they　have　borne
and　taken　them　all。　About　all　but　one　they　are　mistaken；　but　even
like　a　man　who　dreams；　who　believes　a　lie　instead　of　truth；　the
shields　made　them　believe　that　this　lie　was　true。　They　are
deceived　by　the　shields。　They　have　set　out　with　the　bodies　of　the
slain；　and　have　come　to　their　tents　where　there　were　many　folk
lamenting；　but　one　and　all　of　the　others　joined　in　the　lament　the
Greeks　were　making。　There　was　a　great　rally　to　their　mourning。
Now　Soredamors；　who　hears　the　wailing　and　the　lament　for　her
friend；　thinks　and　believes　that　she　was　born　in　an　evil　hour。
For　anguish　and　grief　she　loses　memory　and　colour；　and　this　it　is
that　grieves　and　wounds　her　much；　but　she　dare　not　openly　show
her　grief；　she　has　hidden　her　mourning　in　her　heart。　And　yet；　if
any　one　had　marked　it；　he　would　have　seen　by　her　countenance　and
by　her　outer　semblance；　that　she　suffered　great　pain　and　sorrow
of　body；　but　each　one　had　enough　to　do　to　utter　his　own　grief　and
recked　nought　of　another's。　Each　was　lamenting　his　own　sorrow；
for　they　find　their　kinsmen　and　their　friends　in　evil　case；　for
the　river…bank　was　covered　with　them。　Each　lamented　his　own　loss
which　is　heavy　and　bitter。　There　the　son　weeps　for　the　father；
and　here　the　father　for　the　son；　this　man　is　swooning　over　his
cousin；　and　this　other；　over　his　nephew；　thus　in　each　place　they
lament；　fathers　and　brothers　and　kinsmen。　But　conspicuous　above
all　is　the　lament　that　the　Greeks　were　making　although　they
might；　with　justice；　expect　great　joy；　for　the　greatest　mourning
of　all　the　host　will　soon　turn　to　joy。

The　Greeks　are　raising　great　lamentation　without；　and　those　who
are　within　are　at　great　pains　how　to　let　them　hear　that　whereof
they　will　have　much　joy。　They　disarm　and　bind　their　prisoners　who
beg　and　pray　them　to　take　now　their　heads；　but　the　king's　men　do
not　will　or　deign　to　do　this。　Rather；　they　say　that　they　will
keep　them　until　they　deliver　them　to　the　king；　who　then　will　give
them　their　due；　so　that　their　merits　will　be　requited。　When　they
had　disarmed　them　all　they　have　made　them　mount　the　battlements
in　order　to　show　them　to　their　folk　below。　Much　does　this
kindness　displease　them；　since　they　saw　their　lord　taken　and
bound　they　were　not　a　whit　glad。　Alexander；　from　the　wall　above；
swears　by　God　and　the　saints　of　the　world　that　never　will　he　let
a　single　one　of　them　live；　but　will　kill　them　all；　and　none　shall
stay　his　hand　if　they　do　not　all　go　to　yield　themselves　up　to　the
king　before　he　can　take　them。　〃Go；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　bid　you　to　my
lord　without　fail；　and　place　yourselves　at　his　mercy。　None　of　you
save　the　count　here　has　deserved　death。　Never　shall　ye　lose　limb
or　life　if　ye　place　yourselves　at　his　mercy。　If　ye　do　not　redeem
yourselves　from　death　merely　by　crying　'Mercy'；　very　little
confidence　can　ye　have　in　your　lives　or　in　your　bodies。　Issue
forth；　all　disarmed；　to　meet　my　lord；　the　king；　and　tell　him　from
me；　that　Alexander　sends　you。　Ye　will　not　lose　your　pains；　for
the　king；　my　lord；　will　remit　for　you　all　his　wrath　and
indignation；　so　gentle　and　debonair　is　he。　And　if　ye　will　do
otherwise；　ye　will　have　to　die；　for　never　will　pity　for　you　seize
him。〃　All　of　them　together　believe　this　counsel；　they　do　not　stop
till　they　reach　the　king's　tent；　and　they　have　all　fallen　at　his
feet。　Now　is　it　known　throughout　the　host　what　they　have　told　and
related。　The　king　mounts；　and　all　have　mounted　with　him；　and　they
come　spurring　to　the　castle；　for　no　longer　do　they　delay。

Alexander　issues　forth　from　the　castle　towards　the　king　to　whom
his　sight　was　well　pleasing；　and　he　has　yielded　up　to　him　the
count。　And　the　king　has　no　longer　delayed　to　do　justice　on　him
immediately；　but　he　greatly　praises　and　extols　Alexander；　and　all
the　rest　greet　him　with　ceremony　and　praise　and　extol　him　loudly。
There　is　none　who　does　not　manifest　joy。　The　mourning　that　they
were　formerly　making　yields　to　joy；　but　no　joy　can　be　compared
with　that　of　the　Greeks。　The　king　bids　them　give　him　the　cup
which　was　very　magnificent　and　worth　fifteen　marks；　and　he　tells
and　assures　him　that　there　is　nought　however　dear；　save　the　crown
and　the　queen；　that　he　will　not　yield　to　him　if　he　will　to　ask
it。　Alexander　dares　not　utter　his　desire　in　this　matter；　yet
knows　well　that　the　king　would　not　disappoint　him　if　he　asked　for
his　lady…love；　but　he　greatly　fears　that　he　might　displease　her；
who　would　have　had　great　joy　thereat；　for　rather　does　he　wish
grief　for　himself　without　her　than