: "May God save
him through whom joy and gladness come to our court! God save the most
blessed man whom God has ever brought into being!" Thus they bring him
to the court, and strive to show their glee as their hearts dictate.
Breton zithers, harps, and viols sound, fiddles, psalteries, and other
stringed instruments, and all kinds of music that one could name or
mention. But I wish to conclude the matter briefly without too long
delay. The King honours him to the extent of his power, as do all the
others ungrudgingly. There is no one who does not gladly offer to do his
service. Three whole days the Joy lasted, before Erec could get away.
On the fourth he would no longer tarry for any reason they could urge.
There was a great crowd to accompany him and a very great press when it
came to taking leave. If he had wished to reply to each one, he would
not have been able in half a day to return the salutations individually.
The nobles he salutes and embraces; the others he commends to God in
a word, and salutes them. Enide, for her part, is not silent when she
takes leave of the nobles. She salutes them all by name, and they in
turn do the like. Before she goes, she kisses her cousin very tenderly
and embraces her. Then they go and the Joy is over.

(Vv. 6411-6509.) They go off and the others return. Erec and Guivret do
not tarry, but keep joyfully on their way, until they came in nine days
to Robais, where they were told the King was. The day before he had
been bled privately in his apartments; with him he had only five hundred
nobles of his household. Never before at any time was the King found so
alone, and he was much distressed that he had no more numerous suite at
his court. At that time a messenger comes running, whom they had sent
ahead to apprise the King of their approach. This man came in before the
assembly, found the King and all his people, and saluting him correctly,
said: "I am a messenger of Erec and of Guivret the Little." Then he told
him how they were coming to see him at his court. The King replies: "Let
them be welcome, as valiant and gallant gentlemen! Nowhere do I know
of any better than they two. By their presence my court will be much
enhanced." Then he sent for the Queen and told her the news. The others
have their horses saddled to go and meet the gentlemen. In such haste
are they to mount that they did not put on their spurs. I ought to state
briefly that the crowd of common people, including squi