Roland's sword was Durendart, whose like was never forged. This was indeed an uncommon blade that spread death wherever it was wielded; no smith ever knew how it had been tempered to make the edges so sharp. The sword was dreaded by all who faced it in battle and also those who never saw it. All heathendom was afraid of Durendart, for nothing - bone, horn, steel, or even flint - was proof against it.
[...]
Then he spoke thus to Durendart: "I know well what you are and that you never failed me. Wherever I took you while I was strong, death followed. With you I conquered Anjou, famed Poitou, Provence, and mighty Aquitaine. I won Lombardy for Karl, as well as Apulia, Amalfi, and Palermo. The fierce Sorbs; the quarrelsome Bavarians with their sharp swords; the Saxons, who were often the victors in their many great battles - all were forced to accept him as their lord. Alemannia, Hungary, Brittany, Bohemia, and Poland could not hold out against me, and I did not let the bold Franks rest until they formed a true nation. You helped me defeat the Frisian Islands, Scotland, and Ireland - among many other realms - and make England a crown land of Karl's.
"Your like has never been forged or ever will be; you proved it on this field. You were brought to my lord in the valley of Maurienne by an angel who graciously remembered me by name and said that Emperor Karl should gird you, Durendart, at my side so that I might protect widows and orphans. How could I be so blind! May the Lord of heaven forgive me for wantonly trying to break you! The emperor insisted that great power be sealed in your hilt: St. Peter's blood, relics of St. Blasius, some hair of St. Denys, and a piece of cloth from St. Mary's garment. And now I want no one to fall heir to you but the noble Lord Who was born to redeem sinners, Who sent me on this campaign. Dying, I return all I have from Him and yield myself to His mercy, for no one means so much to me." Taking off his glove, Roland lifted it toward heaven, and God's messenger received it from his hand. This is the reason, so our source tells us, that he is honored by all of Christendom.
