(Vv. 2681-2706.) When the messengers heard the emperor's reply,
they took leave and departed. They returned to their lord, and
bore him the answer. And the emperor selected a chosen company
of the most experienced knights whom he could find, and took with
him his nephew, in whose interests he had vowed never to marry a
wife, but he will not respect this vow if he can once reach
Cologne. (24) Upon a certain day he leaves Greece and draws near
to Germany, intending to take a wife despite all blame and
reproach; but his honour will be smirched. Upon reaching
Cologne, he found that the emperor had assembled all his court
for a festival. When the company of the Greeks reached Cologne,
there was such a great number of Greeks and Germans that it was
necessary to lodge more than sixty thousand of them outside the
city.
(Vv.2707-2724.) Great was the crowd of people, and great the joy
of the two emperors when they met. When the barons had gathered
in the vast palace, the emperor summoned his charming daughter.
The maiden made no delay in coming straightway into the palace.
She had been made very fair and shapely by the Creator, whose
pleasure it had been to arouse the people's admiration. God, who
had fashioned her, never gave man a word which could adequately
express such beauty as she possessed.
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