volume one

HISTOltY OF THE CRUSADES. 173
Then tlie battle was renewed with redoubled fury. Kilidj
Arslan, who had to avenge the shame of several defeats as
well as the loss of his states, fought like a lion at the head
of his troops. A squadron of three thousand Saracen horse,
clothed in steel and armed with clubs, carried disorder and
terror through the ranks of the Christians. The standard
of the count de Vermandois was carried away, and retaken,
covered vrith the blood of Crusaders and infidels. Godfrey
and Tancred, who flew to the assistance of Hugh and Bohemond,
signalized their strength and valour by the death of a
great many Mussulmans. The sultan of JNTice, whom no
reverse could overcome, firmly withstood the shock of the
Christians. In the heat of the combat, he ordered lighted
flax to be thrown amongst the low bushes and dried grass
which covered the plain. Immediately a blaze arose which
enveloped the Christians in masses of flame and smoke.
Their ranks were for a moment broken ; they could no longer
either see or hear their leaders. The sultan of jSTice was
about to gather the fruits of his stratagem, and victory was
on the point of escaping from the hands of the Crusaders.
At this moment, say the historians, a squadron was seen
to descend from the summit of the mountains, preceded by
three horsemen clothed in white and covered with shinins:
armour. " Behold !" cried Bishop Adhemar,* " the heavenly
succour which was promised to you. Heaven declares for
the Cliristians ; the holy martyrs Greorge, Demetrius, and
Theodore come to fight for you." Immediately all eyes
Avere turned towards the celestial legion. A new ardour
* It is surprising that Raonl de Caen, who describes this battle, and in
epic verse too, lias related no marvellous circumstance. Raymond d'Agiles
makes no mention of the heavenly legion, but he says : Multiplicavit
insuper adeo Dominus exercitum nostrum, ut qui ante pugnam pauciores
eraraus quam hostes, in bello plures eis fuimus. Oderic Vital speaks
thus of the legion which appeared to descend froln heaven : Ecce, Deo
gratias, ab ipsis montanis visus est exire exercitus innumerabiiis, albis
equis insidentes, et in manibus Candida vexilla praeferentes. Hoc multi
viderunt Christianorum, et sicut putant, gentilium, et haesitantes, mirabantur
quidnam esset. Tandem utrique cognoverunt signum de coelo
factum, et duces illius agminis, sanctos martyres Georgium, Demetrium,
et Theodorum sua signa ferentes prsecedere cognoverunt. Sarracenis
multustimor inhaesit, et Christianis spes meliorcrevit. Od. Vital, lib. ix.
Robert the Monk and Baldric relate the same circumstance and the same
details.
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