Art of War. Sun TzuЧитать онлайн книгу.
rapidly upon Gaul. Clovis rushed to the rescue, and met them at Tolbiac. There, in the “current of a heady fight,” when he saw his battalions waver beneath the furious charges of the enemy, he cried to the God of Clotilde for help, and vowed to adore Him if he might yet restore the day. He conquered; and he kept his vow.
At Rheims, he received the rite of Christian baptism from its bishop, St Remi, amid more than the usual pageantry and splendour of the Catholic ceremonial. Three thousand of his warriors followed their chief’s example. Thus, says Michelet, did the Church take solemn possession of the Barbarians. The subsequent career of Clovis was a succession of triumphs.
Ary Scheffer, Battle of Tolbiac, 1836.
Oil on canvas, 415 × 465 cm.
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Versailles.
Carl von Steuben, Charles Martel in the Battle of Poitiers, 1834–1837.
Oil on canvas, 542 × 465 cm.
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Versailles.
Carl von Steuben, Charles Martel in the Battle of Poitiers, (details) 1834–1837.
Battle of Tours
(10 October, 732 CE)
In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.
Although three centuries had passed since the Germanic conquerors of Rome had crossed the Rhine, never to repass that frontier stream, no settled system of institutions or government, no amalgamation of the various races into our people, no uniformity of language or habits had been established in the country at the time when Charles Martel was called to repel the Saracenic invasion from the south. Exactly a century passed between the death of Mohammed and the date of the Battle of Tours. During that century the followers of the Prophet had torn away half the Roman Empire; and, besides their conquests over Persia, the Saracens had overrun Syria, Egypt, Africa, and Spain, in an uncheckered and apparently irresistible career of victory. It was under one of their ablest and most renowned commanders, with a veteran army, and with every apparent advantage of time, place, and circumstance, that the Arabs made their great effort at the conquest of Europe north of the Pyrenees.
In addition to his cardinal military virtues, Abderrahman is described by the Arab writers as a model of integrity and justice. The first two years of his second administration in Spain were occupied in severe reforms of the abuses which under his predecessors had crept into the system of government, and in extensive preparations for his intended conquest in Gaul. It was from this formidable host that Gaul and Christendom were at last rescued by the strong arm of Prince Charles; Charles Martel added experienced skill to his natural courage, and he had also formed a militia of veterans among the Franks. But when we remember that Charles had no standing army, and the independent spirit of the Frank warriors who followed his standard, it seems most probable that it was not in his power to adopt the cautious policy of watching the invaders, and wearing out their strength by delay.
Near the River Owar, the two great hosts of the two languages and the two creeds were set in array against each other. The Muslim horsemen dashed fierce and frequent forward against the battalions of the Franks, who resisted manfully, and many fell dead on either side, until the going down of the sun. Their cavaliers had soon hewn their way into the centre of the Christian host. But many of the Muslims were fearful for the safety of the spoil which they had stored in their tents, and a false cry arose in their ranks that some of the enemy were plundering the camp; whereupon several squadrons of the Muslim horsemen rode off to protect their tents. But it seemed as if they fled; and all the host was troubled. And, while Abderrahman strove to check their tumult, and to lead them back to battle, the warriors of the Franks came around him, and he was pierced through with many spears, so that he died. Then all the host fled before the enemy and many died in the flight.
Eight stages of The Song of Roland in one picture, 15th century. From Philip the Good’s copy of the Grandes Chroniques de France.
Illumination.
The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
Battle of Roncevaux Pass
(15 August, 778 CE)
There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.
Composed some time after the Vita Caroli of 830 – most likely in the late 11th century for William the Conqueror – The Song of Roland comprises the narration of the events leading up to and including the Battle of Roncevaux. The written Song includes and embellishes upon what appears to be an already established oral narrative tradition, in which the characters of the geste become stronger, more prolific in battle, and nobler with each re-telling. All of this evidence of successive embellishments points to two things regarding the portrayal of the individual in The Song of Roland. First, the supernumeration and repetition of the heroic qualities of the principals in the tale point to the assumed familiarity of the reading/listening audience with the weltanschauung presented by the author. Second, the addition of mythic figures, especially Charlemagne, into the narrative reveals the structural hieratism of the author’s view of the relationship between the individual and society.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.