volume one

IIISTOIIY or TUE CllUSADES. 109
on the field of battle, snatclied his white pennon embroidered
with gold from the hand of him wlio bore it, and
rushed into the thickest of the fight, crying nloud, " It is
the will of God I It is the tvill of God)'' He cut down
Avith his sword all who were in his path ;
among the victims
to his valour being one of the principal Turkish emirs.
Tancred, Eichard prince of Salerno, Stephen count of Blois,
and other chiefs, followed Eobert's example and seconded his
valour. Bohemond, who was pursuing the sultan of Nice,
met a troop of soldiers who were flying, and stopped them,
saying, " Whither are you flying, Christian soldiers ? Do
you not see that their horses have more speed than ours ?
I'ollow me, I will show you a safer road than flight!"
Scarcely had he spoken these words, than he rushed with
them into the midst of the Saracens, and renewed the fight.
In the disorder of the melee, the women, who had been
liberated from the hands of the Saracens, and who were
eager to revenge their outraged modesty, went through the
ranks bearing refreshment to the soldiers, and exhorting
them to redouble their courage to save tliem from slavery.
But so many generous efforts were nearly proving useless.
The Crusaders were exhausted with fatigue, and could not
long resist an enemy whose force was being constantly
renewed, and who overwhelmed them with numbers. The
Christian army, surrounded on all sides, w^as compelled to
retreat fighting and to retire to the camp, into which the
Turks were upon the point of entering with them. It is
im.possible to paint the confusion and the despair which
reigned at that moment among the Crusaders. Priests
were seen imploring, by their groans and their prayers, the
assistance of the God of armies ; women filled the air wdth
lamentations for the dead and the wounded ; whilst soldiers
fell on their knees to the priests to obtain absolution for
their sins. Amid this frightful tumult the voices of the
leaders were but little attended to ;
the most intrepid were
covered with wounds, burning with thirst and heat, and
coidd fight no longer. They despaired of seeing Jerusalem,
and were in momentary expectation of death, when all at
once a thousand voices proclaimed the approach of Eaymond
and Grodfrey, who were advancing with the other division
of the Christian army.