, the Emperor himself
intending to follow in all haste. Warning of this having been brought
secretly to the British camp, King Arthur sent part of his forces
to Sessoigne to occupy the towns and castles before the Romans could
reach him. The rest he posted up and down the country, so as to cut
off every way by which the enemy might escape.

Before long the Emperor entered the valley of Sessoigne, and found
himself face to face with King Arthur's men, drawn up in battle
array. Seeing that retreat was impossible--for he was hemmed in by his
enemies, and had either to fight his way through them or surrender--he
made an oration to his followers, praying them to quit themselves like
men that day, and to remember that to allow the Britons to hold their
ground would bring disgrace upon Rome, the mistress of the world.

Then, at the Emperor's command, his trumpeters sounded their trumpets
so defiantly that the very earth trembled and shook; and the two hosts
joined battle, rushing at one another with mighty shouts. Many knights
fought nobly that day, but none more nobly than King Arthur. Riding up
and down the battle-field, he exhorted his knights to bear themselves
bravely; and wherever the fray was thickest, and his people most
sorely pressed, he dashed to the rescue and hewed down the Romans with
his good sword Excalibur. Among those he slew was a marvelous great
giant called Galapus. First of all, King Arthur smote off this giant's
legs by the knees, saying that made him a more convenient size to deal
with, and then he smote off his head. Such was the hugeness of the
body of Galapus, that, as it fell, it crushed six Saracens to death.

But though King Arthur fought thus fiercely, and Sir Gawaine and all
the other knights of the Round Table did nobly, the host of their
enemies was so great that it seemed as if the battle would never come
to an end, the Britons having the advantage at one moment and the
Romans at another.

Now, among the Romans, no man fought more bravely than the Emperor
Lucius. King Arthur, spying the marvelous feats of arms he performed,
rode up and challenged him to a single combat. They exchanged many a
mighty blow, and at last Lucius struck King Arthur across the face,
and inflicted a grievous wound. Feeling the smart of it, King Arthur
dealt back such a stroke that his sword Excalibur clove the Emperor's
helmet in half, and splitting his skull, passed right down to his
breast-bone.

Thus Lucius,