In a short time Tristano had routed King Artu's side and had come to the gate of the castle. When he saw the sixty knights, he looked at them in the manner of a snake and said, "Whoever stationed you here, knights, surely gave you evil advice."

Then he rode through them as a lion might through tiny beasts, and in a little while he killed nine, so that the others gave way before him in terror.

La Tavola Ritonda