They found him among the fallen, bebled with
blood, and gashed with many a grisly wound. Afterwards they carried the
hurt to the surgeons, and the dead they laid in their graves. As for
Peredur and his companions they committed them afresh to those whom
Arthur had charged with their keeping, and sent them on their way to
Paris. The rest of the prisoners they bound straitly, and carrying them
before Arthur, delivered them to his hand. They rehearsed to the king
the tale of this adventure, and not a man of them all but pledged
his word that so the Romans made offer of battle, without doubt they
should be utterly destroyed.
The tidings of this heavy discomfiture were brought to the emperor
Lucius learned of the capture of Evander, and of the others who
were slain. He saw his men had no more spirit in them, and that the
beginning of the war went very ill. Lucius considered the failure of
his hopes, that in nothing was he conqueror. He was passing heavy,
being altogether cast down and dismayed. He thought and thought and
feared. He knew not whether to give Arthur battle without delay, or to
await the coming of the rearward of his host. He doubted sorely that
which he should do, for wondrously affrighted was he of this battle,
by reason of the losses he had known.
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