Gesta Francorum: Liber V

[xii] Cum coepissemus appropinquare ad Pontem Farreum, cursores nostri, qui semper solebant nos precedere, inuenerunt Turcos innumerabiles congregatos obuiam eis, qui dare adiutorium Antiochiae festinabant. Irruentes igitur nostri uno corde et mente super illos, superauerunt Turcos. Consternati sunt barbari dederuntque fugam, et multi mortui sunt ex eis in ipso certamine.

[xii] When we had begun to draw near to the Farreus Bridge, our couriers, who were always accustomed to go before us, found countless Turks gathered to meet those who were hastening to give aid to Antioch. Therefore our men, rushing upon them with one heart and mind, overcame the Turks. The barbarians were dismayed and took to flight, and many of them were slain in the very combat.

Nostri igitur superantes illos Dei gratia, acceperunt spolia multa, equos, camelos, mulos, asinos, honustos frumento et uino. Venientes denique nostri, castrametati sunt super ripam fluminis. Protinus uir sapiens Boamundus cum quatuor milibus militum uenit ante portam ciuitatis, uigilare si forte aliquis nocte latenter exiret aut intraret ciuitatem.

Our men therefore, overcoming them by the grace of God, took many spoils—horses, camels, mules, donkeys—laden with grain and wine. Coming then, our men encamped upon the bank of the river. Straightway the wise Bohemond came with four thousand soldiers before the gate of the city, to keep watch in case perchance someone by night should secretly go out from or enter the city.

Crastina uero die peruenerunt usque ad Antiochiam media die, in quarta feria quae est XII kalendas Novembris, et obsedimus mirabiliter tres portas ciuitatis, quoniam in alia parte deerat nobis locus obsidendi, quia alta et nimis angusta montana nos coartabat. Tantum autem timebant nos undique inimici nostri Turci, qui erant intus in urbe, ut nemo eorum auderet offendere aliquem ex nostris, fere per spatium dierum quindecim. Mox hospitantes nos circa Antiochiam, repperimus illic omnem abundantiam, uidelicet uineas undique plenas, foueas plenas frumento, arbores refertas pomis, et alia multa bona corporibus utilia.

On the next day indeed they arrived as far as Antioch at midday, on Wednesday, which is 12 Kalends of November, and we marvelously besieged three gates of the city, since on the other side a place for besieging was lacking to us, because high and too narrow mountains constrained us. So greatly did our enemies the Turks, who were within the city, fear us on every side, that none of them dared to offend any of ours, for almost the space of fifteen days. Soon, lodging around Antioch, we found there every abundance, namely vineyards everywhere full, pits full of grain, trees laden with fruits, and many other goods useful to the body.

Hermenii et Suriani qui erant intus in urbe exeuntes et ostendentes se fugere, cotidie erant nobiscum, sed eorum uxores in ciuitate. Illi uero ingeniose inuestigabant nostrum esse nostramque qualitatem, referebantque omnia his qui erant in urbe inclusi. Postquam uero Turci fuerunt edocti de nostra essentia, coeperunt paulatim de urbe exire, nostros peregrinos undique coangustare, non solum ex una parte, sed undique erant latentes obuiam nobis ad mare et ad montanam.

The Armenians and Syrians who were inside the city, coming out and showing themselves to be fleeing, were daily with us, but their wives were in the city. They, indeed, ingeniously investigated our being and our quality, and reported everything to those who were enclosed in the city. But after the Turks had been instructed about our essence, they began little by little to go out from the city, to constrict our pilgrims on every side; not only from one side, but on all sides they were lying hidden to meet us, toward the sea and toward the mountain-land.

Erat autem non longe castrum cui nomen Aregh, ubi erant congregati multi Turci fortissimi, qui frequenter conturbabant nostros. Audientes itaque nostri seniores talia, nimis doluerunt, miseruntque ex militibus suis qui diligenter explorarent locum ubi erant Turci. Reperto igitur loco ubi latebant, nostri milites qui quaerebant illos obuiant eis.

There was, moreover, not far off a castle by the name Aregh, where many most valiant Turks had congregated, who frequently disturbed our men. Accordingly, our elders, hearing such things, grieved greatly, and sent out some of their soldiers to explore diligently the place where the Turks were. Therefore, the place having been found where they were lying hidden, our soldiers who were seeking them meet them.

At nostris paulatim retrogredientibus ubi sciebant Boamundum esse cum suo exercitu, statim fuerunt illic mortui duo ex nostris. Hoc audiens Boamundus surrexit cum suis ut fortissimus Christi athleta, et barbari irruerunt contra illos, eo quod nostri erant pauci; tamen simul iuncti inierunt bellum. Mortui sunt uero multi ex nostris inimicis, et capti alii ducti sunt ante portam urbis, ibique decollabantur, ut magis tristes fierent qui erant in urbe.

But as our men were gradually retrograding to where they knew Bohemond to be with his army, immediately two of our men were there slain. Hearing this, Bohemond rose with his own as the very bravest athlete of Christ, and the barbarians rushed against them, because our men were few; nevertheless, joined together, they entered battle. Many indeed of our enemies were killed, and others captured were led before the city gate, and there they were decollated, so that those who were in the city might become more sorrowful.

Exibant quidem alii de ciuitate, et ascendebant in quamdam portam, et sagittabant nos, ita ut sagittae eorum caderent in domini Boamundi plateam; et una mulier occubuit ictu sagittae.

Indeed, some others were going out from the city, and were going up onto a certain gate, and were shooting arrows at us, so that their arrows were falling into Lord Boamund’s street; and one woman died from the blow of an arrow.

[xiii] Congregati sunt itaque omnes maiores nostri, et ordinauerunt concilium dicentes: "Faciamus castrum in uertice montis Maregart, quo securi atque tuti possimus esse a Turcorum formidine." Facto itaque castro atque munito, omnes maiores illud inuicem custodiebant. Iamiam coeperant frumentum et omnia nutrimenta corporum nimis esse cara ante Natale Domini. Foras penitus non audebamus exire, nichilque penitus in terra Christianorum inuenire poteramus ad edendum.

[13] Therefore all our magnates were gathered together, and they ordained a council, saying: "Let us make a castle on the summit of Mount Maregart, whereby we may be safe and secure from the dread of the Turks." When therefore the castle had been made and fortified, all the magnates guarded it in turn. By now grain and all the nourishments of the body had begun to be excessively dear before the Nativity of the Lord. We did not dare at all to go outside, and we could in no wise find anything in the land of the Christians to eat.

In Saracenorum namque terram nemo intrare audebat nisi cum magna gente. Ad ultimum statuerunt nostri seniores concilium, ordinando qualiter regerent tantas gentes. Inuenerunt in consilio, ut una pars nostri iret diligenter attrahere stipendium, et ubique custodire exercitum; alia quoque pars fiducialiter remaneret custodire hostem.

For in the land of the Saracens no one dared to enter unless with a great host. At last our elders set up a council, ordering how they might govern such great multitudes. They found in council that one part of our men should go diligently to draw in stipend and to guard the army everywhere; likewise that the other part should confidently remain to keep watch on the enemy.

Boamundus denique dixit: "Seniores et prudentissimi milites, si uultis et bonum uobis uidetur, ego ero cum Flandrensi comite, iturus cum eo." Celebratis itaque gloriosissimae solempnitatibus Natiuitatis in die lunae secunda scilicet feria egressi sunt illi et alii plus quam uiginti milia militum et peditum, ac sani et incolumes intrauerunt terram Saracenorum. Congregati quippe erant multi Turci et Arabes et Saraceni, ab Hierusalem et Damasco et Aleph, et ab alus regionibus, qui ueniebant fortitudinem Antiochiae dare. Audientes itaque isti Christianorum gentem conductam esse in illorum terram, illico preparauerunt se ad bellum contra Christianos; atque summo diluculo uenerunt in locum ubi gens nostra erat in unum.

Bohemond at length said: "Elders and most prudent soldiers, if you will and it seems good to you, I will be with the Count of Flanders, going with him." The most glorious solemnities of the Nativity having been celebrated, on the day of Monday, namely the second feria, those men set out, and others—more than twenty thousand soldiers and footmen—and they, sound and unharmed, entered the land of the Saracens. For many Turks and Arabs and Saracens had gathered, from Jerusalem and from Damascus and from Aleppo, and from other regions, who were coming to give strength to Antioch. Therefore, hearing that the nation of the Christians had been conducted into their land, they straightway prepared themselves for war against the Christians; and at the very dawn they came to the place where our people were together in one.

Diuiseruntque se barban et fecerunt duas acies, unam ante et aliam retro, cupientes ex omni parte circumcingere nos. Egregius itaque comes Flandrensis undique regimine fidei signoque crucis quam fideliter cotidie baiulabat armatus, occurrit illis una cum Boamundo. Irrueruntque nostri unanimiter super illos.

And they divided themselves into bands and made two battle-lines, one in front and another behind, desiring to encircle us from every side. Therefore the illustrious Count of Flanders, armed on all sides with the regimen of faith and with the sign of the cross, which he faithfully bore daily, met them together with Bohemond. And our men rushed with one mind upon them.

Qui statim arripuerunt fugam, et festinanter uerterunt retro scapulas, ac mortui sunt ex illis plurimi, nostrique coeperunt equos eorum et alia spolia. Alii uero, qui uiui remanserant uelociter fugerunt, et in iram perditionis abierunt. Nos autem reuertentes cum magno tripudio, laudauimus et magnificauimus trinum et unum Deum, qui uiuit et regnat nunc et in aeuum.

Who straightway seized flight, and hastily turned their shoulders back, and very many of them died, and our men began to take their horses and other spoils. But the others, who had remained alive, fled swiftly and went into the wrath of perdition. We, however, returning with great jubilation, praised and magnified the triune and one God, who lives and reigns now and forever.

Amen.

Explicit liber V. Incipit liber VI.

Here ends Book 5. Here begins Book 6.