volume one

142 UISTOEY OF THE CEUSADES.
companions and brothers in arms. A great number of
Saracens fell almost ^Yitbout resistance under the swords of
the Christians, and more than two thousand, who sought
safety in flight, were drowned in the Orontes. " The old
men of Antioch," says William of Tyre, " whilst contemplating
this bloody catastrophe from the height of their
walls, grieyed that the}'' had liyed so long, whilst the women
who "^T-tnessed the death of their children, lamented their
own fecundity." The carnage continued during the whole
day ; and it was not till night-fall that Accien allowed the
gates to be opened for the reception of the miserable remains
of his troops, still hotly pursued by the Crusaders.
The leaders and soldiers of the army had performed prodigies
of yalour. Bohemond, Tancred, Adhemar, Bald^yin
du Bourg, and Eustace had appeared eyerywhere, leading
their warriors in the paths of danger. The whole army
spoke of the lance-thrusts and maryellous feats of arms of
the count de Yermandois and the two [Roberts. The duke
of jS^ormandy sustained a single combat witb a leader of
the infidels, who adyanced towards him surrounded by his
troop. With one blow of his sword he split his head to
the shoulder, and, as the Saracen fell dead at his feet, exclaimed,
"J devote thy impure soul to the poicers of hell.''
Tancred, says Eaoul de Caen, distinguished himself amongst
the most intrepid of the knights. In the heat of the melee
the Christian hero, as modest as he was braye, made his
squire swear to preserve silence upon the exploits of which
he was a witness.* " Godfrey, who, in this memorable day,
had displayed the skill of a great captain, signaHzed his
brayery and yast strength by actions which both history and
poetry haye celebrated. No armour seemed proof against
* Sed est quod stupeam, nee satis valeam stupere : cum homo tarn
pretiosus laudis emptor mox prsesentis ya armigeri silentio concluserit
adjurato.— Gest. Tunc. cap. 52 ; Muratori, vol. id. Tlie historian whom
we have just quoted endeavours to explain the fact which he relates. He
asks himself whether it was from modesty or a religious spirit, or whether
Tancred might fear not to be believed, either upon his own word or that
of his squire, that the Christian hero desired silence to be preserved. In
all these cases the fact appears to him to be a prodigy. He adds that the
squire was faithful to his oath, and that it was not till a long time afterwards
that the feats of Tancred on that day became known. We have
but to compare this with what old Horace says of his heroes.
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