willing to "slay[] the foes of God by hundreds--nay-- / By tens of hundreds" (SR 50). Virtually all of the Frankish force is vanquished, including Roland's great friend Oliver, then Roland himself, before Charlemagne's forces can return to vanquish the Saracens in turn. Charlemagne's battle victory has divine sanction, illustrated by the appearance of an angel to the king:
From heaven, [the angel] cried to Charles: "Ride on! for day
Shall fail you not. Ay, you have lost the flower
Of France, and God himself enjoins you now
As for the traitor Ganelon, who pleads for his life, the final judgment is that he be drawn and quartered. But even this does not complete Charlemagne's divinely sanctioned task; there is no rest for the Christian weary. The Song of Roland closes with an appearance by the angel Gabriel to Charlemagne and an injunction to go to the aid of another Christian king who is being attacked by the Saracens: "Gird yourself! / The Christians call you--gird yourself, and go!" (SR 101). Christianizing and conquering Euro
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