The Song of Roland

In 778, after years of fierce battle, the army of the Franks is finally on the brink of victory over the Saracens at Saragossa. Having sent one of his knights, Ganelon, to act as an envoy in the negotiations over the surrender of their king Marsile, Roland, the young commander of the rearguard and nephew of Charlemagne, prepares for the retreat of his troops back to France. Little does he suspect Ganelon's treachery and the disaster that is about to unfold at the Pass of Roncesvalles. Probably written around three centuries after the events it describes, The Song of Roland is the earliest and finest example of the French chanson de geste, a verse epic celebrating heroic deeds to be sung or recited by wandering minstrels. Presented here in a sparkling new translation by Anthony Mortimer along with the original Anglo-Norman French, this poetic masterpiece offers the modern reader both an engrossing narrative and a compelling insight into the medieval value system. Alma Classics is committed to make available the widest range of literature from around the globe. All the titles are provided with an extensive critical apparatus, extra reading material including a section of photographs and notes. The texts are based on the most authoritative edition (or collated from the most authoritative editions or manuscripts) and edited using a fresh, intelligent editorial approach. With an emphasis on the production, editorial and typographical values of a book, Alma Classics aspires to revitalize the whole experience of reading the classics.

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