sword in
battle. The conflict that day was more general and bloody than the day
preceding; the slaughter of the Christian warriors was immense, from their
lack of defensive armour; and as nothing could prevent the flower of the
Gothic chivalry from spurring to the combat, the field was strewed with
the bodies of the youthful nobles. None suffered more, however, than the
warriors of Pelistes. Their leader himself was bold and hardy, and prone
to expose himself to danger; but years and experience had moderated his
early fire; his son, however, was eager to distinguish himself in this,
his first essay, and rushed with impetuous ardor into the hottest of the
battle. In vain his father called to caution him; he was ever in the
advance, and seemed unconscious of the perils that surrounded him. The
cavaliers and vassals of his father followed him with devoted zeal, and
many of them paid for their loyalty with their lives. When the trumpet
sounded in the evening for retreat, the troops of Pelistes were the last
to reach the camp. They came slowly and mournfully, and much decreased in
number. Their veteran commander was seated on his war-horse, but the blood
trickled from the greaves of his armour. His valiant son was borne on the
shields of his vassals; when they laid him on the earth near to where the
king was standing, they found that the heroic youth had expired of his
wounds. The cavaliers surrounded the body and gave utterance to their
grief; but the father restrained his agony, and looked on with the stern
resignation of a soldier.

Don Roderick surveyed the field of battle with a rueful eye, for it was
covered with the mangled bodies of his most illustrious warriors; he saw,
too, with anxiety, that the common people, unused to war, and unsustained
by discipline, were harassed by incessant toils and dangers, and were
cooling in their zeal and courage.

The crafty Bishop Oppas marked the internal trouble of the king, and
thought a favorable moment had arrived to sway him to his purpose. He
called to his mind the various portents and prophecies which had forerun
their present danger. 'Let not my lord the king,' said he, 'make light of
these mysterious revelations, which appear to be so disastrously
fulfilling. The hand of Heaven appears to be against us. Destruction is
impending over our heads. Our troops are rude and unskilful, but slightly
armed, and much cast down in spirit. Better is it that we should make a
treaty wi