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Cligés · 1914

Lines 3395–3424

by Chrétien de Troyes fl. c. 1160–1190

Translated by W. W. Comfort (Everyman's Library, 1914)


The two emperors pursued their journey until they were beyond Regensburg, where one evening they were encamped in a meadow by the Danube. The Greeks were in their tents in the fields bordering upon the Black Forest. Opposite to them the Saxons were lodged, spying upon them. The duke's nephew stood alone upon a hill, whence he could reconnoitre for a chance to inflict some loss or harm on the enemy. From that point of vantage he espied Cligés with three of his young men disporting themselves with lances and shields, eager for a conflict and shock of arms. If he could get the chance the duke's nephew would gladly attack them and do them harm. Starting out with five companions he concealed them in a valley close by a wood, so that the Greeks never saw them until they emerged from the valley; then the duke's nephew made an attack, and striking Cligés, wounded him slightly in the back. Cligés, bending over, avoids the lance which passed him, inflicting only a slight hurt.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Troyes, Chrétien de. Cligés, Lines 3395–3424. Translated by W. W. Comfort. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/cliges-comfort/52/.

Chicago

Troyes, Chrétien de. Cligés, Lines 3395–3424. Translated by W. W. Comfort. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/cliges-comfort/52/.

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