Sections CLI-CLXII

Roland discovers his closest companion Oliver dead and begins to lament their long friendship and the tragedy of his loss.

Roland regains consciousness and realizes almost all the Franks have been killed, with only the Archbishop and Gualter del Hum surviving.

Gualter del Hum descends from the mountains to seek Roland's aid, revealing he has been fatally wounded by eight lance strikes.

Grief and pride inspire Roland to attack the pagans again, slaying twenty with the Archbishop and Gualter taking additional casualties.

Despite the French fighters' courage, massive pagan forces overwhelm them; Turpin is struck by four spears and his horse falls beneath him.

Though mortally wounded, Turpin rallies and fights on with his sword Almace, striking down hundreds of enemies before falling.

Roland, exhausted and in pain from sounding the horn, blows it again weakly to signal Charlemagne, who hears it and realizes his nephew is dying.

The pagans hear the Frankish horns and understand that the Emperor is coming, threatening their conquest and homeland.

Roland grows bolder upon seeing the pagan attack, resolved never to yield as long as he lives, mounting his horse Veillantif.

Roland affirms his loyalty to the Archbishop, declaring he will stand by him against all pagans and use his sword Durendal to strike back.

The pagans attack Roland with massed arrows and lances, destroying his shield and armor but failing to kill him; his horse Veillantif falls instead.

The pagan forces flee back into Spain, leaving Roland alone and on foot after his horse is slain.

Roland removes Turpin's armor and binds his wounds with strips of cloth, then holds him gently and asks permission to gather the dead peers for burial.

Roland searches the battlefield alone and retrieves the bodies of the twelve dead peers—Gerin, Gerers, Berenger, Otton, Anseis, Sanson, and Gerard—bringing them to the Archbishop.

Turpin blesses the fallen peers, commending their souls to Paradise, but expresses sorrow that he will not survive to see Emperor Charlemagne.