Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1959, Blaðsíða 253
239
for the creation of a whole series of unnecessary contradictions. To create
absurdities by compilation is a different matter, and it is a procedure which
is only too common in the Middle Ages.
XIII
The 12 peers buried. at Arles
The return to France and the funeral of the twelve peers are described
in this way in the saga:
SiSan lét konungr gera barir storar ok vel bunar ok lét leggja å lik beirra Rollants
ok 12 jafningja, ok hofSingja ba er J>ar fellu, ok lét hann leggja Jteirra lik 12 å
borur, ok f6r hann siSan ok alt li5 hans me5 honum meS mikilli pry5i ok vegsemd,
ok hofSu å brott me5 sér bessi 12 lik, ok foru til bess er be'r komu til borgar jieirrar
er Arsis (b Arsers; SI Arlas, S2 Ærlæs; D Arselborg) heitir. Su er hofuSborg å
landi bvi er Proventa (Provincia, Bb) heitir. Par våru kennimenn margir ok goSir
ok gofgir, ok gengu i m6ti bessum likum meS mikilli dyrS ok vegsemd. Par våru
sungnar sålumessur at ollum musterum i borginni. Par lét Karlamagnus konungr
offra at Jteim messum er bar våru sungnar me5 raust mikilli ok stormennzku; bat
er sagt, at bar var offrat 12 hundruS (100, S, 700, D) marka vegins silfrs å3r en
lik beirra væri hulin moldu’1, ok svå lét hann moldskeyta (thus a; keisarinn lagSi
ok, Bb) miklar jarSir til bess staSar, er beir hvila at 12 jafningjar, ok proventur
storar lag5i hann bar til, bær er bar fylgja åvalt siSan. Eptir bat for Karlamagnus
konungr heim til (Frakklands ok kom til, add Bb) sinnar go3u borgar Paris me5
ollu liSi sinu, ok hafSi mikinn hryggleik i hug sinum, bo at fåir fyndi bat å honum
(pp.52927-530^2; S pp. 287, 327; D p. 174).
The awkward phrasing of the first few lines, with the repetition of Hk
peirra, 12 barir, borur, probably means that the saga here follows the
French text closely; cp. the following passage in the version rimée:
C 6126: Colpent cez perches chevalier et serjant,
As bieres faire dont trestot sunt dolant.
Desus leverent Oliver et .R.,
A forz somiers les font porter avant,
C 6130: De Rencevals issirent a itant.
C 6135: Quant Temperere ot sa gent enterrée,
Et la compaigne, qi fu bone eiirée,
71 S adds: Ok K m k offradhe siålff rolandz horn fult aff bisantom, p. 28724-25j
cp. D p. 17426-27 O 3685-86.