How we cite our quotes: (Stanza.Line)
Quote #1
He summoned ten of his most wicked men. (5.69)
The poet is not subtle about telling us who is good and who is evil. King Marsile could have summoned "ten of his men," but the poet wants to make it clear from the beginning that this is not a story about two medieval rulers who happened to duke it out. This is good fighting wickedness.
Quote #2
"The Franks are most worthy men.
Those dukes and counts do very great harm
To their lord when they counsel him thus." (29.377-79)
Most of the pagans have pretty one-dimensional opinions of the Franks: "blah blah every Frank is wicked blah blah." But Blancandrin presents a more nuanced picture in his conversation with Ganelon: they are well-meaning knights but can give unwise advice. Do we detect some grudging admiration in Blancandrin's voice? Or is he just buttering up Ganelon?
Quote #3
The French say that there is a great battle,
They do not know which one of them will win it.
Charles sleeps, he did not wake up. (57.733-36)
Charlemagne's dreams are often moments when good and evil are not obvious and clear-cut. You might guess immediately that this dream is about Ganelon the treacherous snake, but the Franks in the dream and Charlemagne the dreamer are both confused. They see the battle but they don't know which side is true or which will win. This suggests that the issue of treachery occupies more grey area than religious differences.
Charlemagne and his Franks would understand if they were betrayed by a wicked pagan—what else can you expect from those rascals? But being betrayed by another Frank, (and a good Christian knight!) is a whole different game.