volume one

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IlISTOllY OE TUE CRUSADES. 221
besieged. In vain tlie bravest exposed themselves to the
greatest dangers to prevent the destruction of the wooden
towers and the rams ; tliej fell, buried under the ruins, and
the flames consumed e\en. their bucklers and vestments.
Many of the most intrepid warriors had met with death at
the foot of the ramparts ; a great number of those who were
upon the towers had been disabled ;
whilst the rest, covered
with sweat and dust, fatigued by the weight of their arms
and the heat, began to lose courage. Tiie Saracens, who
perceived this, uttered loud cries of joy. Among their
blasphemies they reproached the Christians with worshipping
a God who was not able to defend them. The assailants
deplored their fate, and, believing themselves abandoned by
Jesus Christ, remained motionless on the field of battle.
But the combat was destined soon to change its appearance.
All at once the Crusaders saw a knight appear upon
the Mount of Olives, waving his buckler, and giving the
Christian army the signal for entering the city.* Grodfrey
and Eaymond, who perceived him first and at the same time,
cried out aloud that St. George was come to the help of the
Christians !
The tumult of the fight allowed neither reflection
nor examination, the sight of the celestial horseman
fired the besiegers with new ardour ; and they returned to
the charge. Women, even children and the sick, mingled in
the melee, brmging water, food, and arms, and joined their
eflforts to those of the soldiers to move the rolling towers,
the terror of the enemy, nearer the ramparts.f That of
Godfrey, in spite of a terrible discharge of stones, arrows,
and Greek fire, advanced near enough to have its drawbridge
lowered upon the walls. Flaming darts flew, at the
same time, in showers against the machines of the besieged,
and against the sacks of straw, and hay, and bags of wool
which protected the last walls of the city. The wind assisted
the fire, and drove the flames upon the Saracens, who, enveloped
in masses of flame and smoke, retreated before the lances
* This is repeated by William of Tyre and some other writers.
Raymond d'Agiles very naively says : Quis autem miles ille fuerit cog-
noscere non potuimus. Raym. d Ag. p. 171, Bongars.
t Matthew of Edessa says that Godfrey used in this assault the sword
of Vespasian, which thus assisted, for the third time, in the destruction of
Jerusalem. No Latin historian mentions it.