volume one

HISTORY or THE CEUSADES. 141
his brother Eustace, the two Eoberts, and the count de Yermandois,
he crossed the Orontes, and hastened to seek the
enemy, still engaged in following up their first advantage.
As soon as he came in presence of the Saracens, he commanded
the other chiefs to follow his example, and rushed,
sword in hand, into the thickest of the enemy's ranks. The
latter, accustomed to fight at a distance, and principally to
employ the bow and arrow, could not resist the sword and
lance of the Crusaders. They took to flight, some towards
the mountains, and others towards the city. Accien, w^ho,
from the towers of his palace, had witnessed the victorious
attack of the Crusaders, immediately sent a numerous detachment
to renew the fight. He accompanied his soldiers
as far as the gate of the Bridge, which he caused to be shut
after them, telling them it should only be opened to them
when they returned victorious.
This new body of Saracens were soon beaten and dis-
persed ;
and there remained no hope to them but to endeavour
to regain the city. But Godfrey, who had foreseen everything,
had posted himself upon an eminence between the
fugitives and the gates of Antioch. It was there that the
carnage was renewed ; the Christians were animated by their
victory, and the Saracens by their despair and the cries of
the inhabitants of the city, who were assembled on the ramparts.
JSTothing can paint the frightful tumult of this fresh
conflict. The clashing of arms and the cries of the combatants
would not permit the soldiers to hear the orders of
their leaders. They fought man to man, and without order,
whilst clouds of dust covered the field of battle. Chance
directed the blows of both the conquerors and the conquered,
and the Saracens, heaped as it were together by
their terror, impeded their own flight. The confusion was
so great that several of the Crusaders were killed by their
frey :— " Brave seigneurs, my brothers and companions in Jesus Christ
if the news we hear be true, that for our sins these cruel dogs have thus
killed these valiant men, and of great consideration, I only perceive two
things, that we shall die with them as good and loyal Christians, assured
of receiving our guerdon from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for
whose service we came here and have quitted our native lands and our
kindred; or if it should please him, that he allow us to take vengeance
and obtain victory over these vile dogs who have thus degraded and
weakened Christianity in its valiant men."
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