volume one

178
HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES.
opinions Trere at first divided. Some of the leaders thought
that thev ought to take advantage of the terror which the
\ictory of Antioch had created in the Saracens. " Both the
East and the AVest," said they, " have their eves upon us ;
Christ calls us to the deliverance of his tomb ; the Christians
who still gi'oan in the chains of the infidels implore the
assistance of oiu? arms ; we have seen the emir of Jerusalem,
and the soldiers who ought to defend the approach to the
Holy Sepulchre, fly before us ; all the routes are open to us
let us hasten then to comply with the impatience of the
Cnisaders, an impatience which was always so fatal to otK^
enemies ; let us depart from an abode whose pleasures have
several times corrupted the soldiers of Christ ; let us not
wait till discord shall disturb our peace and rob us of the
fruits of our labours."
This ad"\'ice seemed to be dictated by wisdom and prudence,
but the majonty of the leaders were full of blind
security ; they could not resolve stiU to di-ead enemies they
had so often conquered, and the hopes of extending their
conquests in Syria made them forget Jerusalem. Specious
reasons were not wanting wherewith to combat the opinions
they had heard. The Christian army was deficient in horses;
it was exhausted by fatigue, by long miseries, and even by
its own victories. As it was now the height of summer,
though the Crusaders might have no enemies, they had to
dread during a long march the want of water, and the heat
of both the season and the climate. It was well known
that new wariiors from the "West were expected in Asia,
and prudence commanded them to wait for them. By the
beginning of winter everything would be prepared for the
conquest of Jerusalem, and the united Crusaders would then
march without obstacles or dangers towards Palestine. This
opinion obtained a majority of the sufirages.
The Crusaders had soon cause to repent of their determi-
nation. An epidemic disease made fearfid ravages in their
armv. Xothinir was to be seen in Antioch, savs an ancient
chronicle, but buryings and funerals, and death there
reigned, neither more nor less, than in some gi-eat battle
or defeat. Most of the women and the poor who followed
the army were the first victims to this calamity. A great
number of Crusaders who came from Grermany and other
;