How we cite our quotes: (Stanza.Line)
Quote #1
Ganelon is riding under a tall olive tree.
He has joined up with the Saracen messengers,
But now Blancandrin lags behind to be alone with him;
They speak to each other with great cunning. (28.366-9)
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold. Blancandrin arrives as an enemy messenger but returns as Ganelon's best pal. This spontaneous friendship is not a positive thing though. If Ganelon is willing to get buddy-buddy with the enemy, what else will he stoop to? This is the first step on his slippery slope to treachery.
Quote #2
Roland is worthy and Oliver is wise:
Both have amazing courage. (87.1093-4)
Roland and Oliver are besties, but that doesn't mean they're always on the same page. Yes, they're both first-class knights and honorable guys, happy to chop down hundreds of pagans. But when it comes to thinking about these things and why they should do them, they part ways. Roland wants to do what's right and honorable, for God and country, even if what's right and honorable is also really stupid. Oliver wants to do what is reasonable and sensible, even if that makes him look weak.
Quote #3
"Comrade, you brought it on yourself,
For heroism tempered with common sense is a far cry from madness;
Reasonableness is to be preferred to recklessness.
Frenchmen have died because of your senselessness.
We shall never again be of service to Charles […]
I have come to rue your prowess, Roland!" (131.1723-26, 1731)
Even though Oliver and Roland are the two amigos, Oliver still chews Roland out for his decision not to blow the oliphant. Their friendship is not based on white lies. Oliver could have said, "OMG Roland, I love you so of course I think you're right. It's a really unique idea, fighting a gazillion pagans with 20,000 Franks without calling for help." But real friends don't let friends die fighting stupid wars. Oliver does his best to dissuade Roland precisely because he's such a good friend.