Discord, also summoned by Michael to the aid of the Christians, informed
Rodomont on his return to the camp of the capture of Doralice, and the
chief set forth raging, in search of Mandricardo, thoughtlessly abandoning
King Agramant, struggling against the English re-inforcements. As night
fell on a furious battle, the Moors were driven back, and Charlemagne
pitched his tents without the city, opposite those of the Moors.
In the Moorish camp were two youths who loved one another with a love
passing wonderful, Medoro and Cloridan. Both served Dardinello, and had
crossed the sea with him. As they stood on guard that night they talked of
their lord's death on the field that day, and Medoro suggested that they
go in search of his body and bury it. Cloridan agreed, and they crept
through the sleeping lines of the Christians, slaughtering many, found the
body, and were hurrying into the forest when they heard the troops of
Zerbino. Cloridan fled, fancying that Medoro would do the same, but on
finding himself unaccompanied, retraced his footsteps, only to see his
friend surrounded by a troop of horsemen. From his ambush he shot his
arrows at the foe, until Zerbino in wrath seized Medoro by the throat,
exclaiming, "Thou shall die for this!" But when Medoro prayed to be
allowed first to bury his lord, pity touched Zerbino, and he freed the
youth, who fell, however, wounded by a thrust from a churlish horseman, in
pursuit of whom Zerbino at once fled.
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