volume one

HISTOEY OF THE CRUSADES. 323
anny to enter the place. To paint the frightful scenes of
this last attack, I must borrow tiie words of a contemporaryauthor
:— " The moment at which the sun began to shine
above the horizon, appeared like a night illumined by the
fires of the storm. As soon as the ramparts and towers
fell, all the city was filled with terror. Nevertheless the
defenders of Edessa thought not, for a moment, of flight,
but all joined in the cry of the brave, conquer or die.
Some employed themselves in propping up the walls, whilst
others boldly flew to meet the enemy ; the clergy, clothed in
helmet and cuirass, marching at their head. The bishops,
bearing each a cross in his hands, bestowed their benedic-
tions on the people and animated them to the fight."
The enemy advanced uttering frightful cries ; even amidst
the din of a general assault, the voices of the Saracen
heralds-at-arms were heard encouraging the soldiers, and
promising the pillage of the city to the conquerors. Then,
to employ the expression of an Armenian poet, the pusillanimous
were seen shedding torrents of tears, whilst the
brave, heedless of the stroke of the sabre, rushed amidst the
ranks of the Mussulmans.
Neither prodigies of valour, nor the last efibrts of despair
could save the city or its inhabitants. A great part of the
Mussulman army was already in the place ; and all who
crossed the steps of the conquerors fell beneath the sword.
Most of those who sought safety in the citadel, found death
under its ramparts, and were trampled upon and stifled by
the crowd. The city of Edessa presented, everywhere, the
most lamentable scenes ; some fell whilst flying, and died,
crushed to death by the feet of the horses ; whilst others,
hastening to the succour of their friends and neighbours,
were themselves slaughtered by the barbarians. Neither
the weakness of a timid sex, nor age on the brink of the
tomb ; neither the cries of infants, nor the screams of young
girls who sought safety in the arms, or beneath the garments
of their parents, coidd abate the rage of the Saracens. They
whom the sword had not yet reached, looked for nothing but
death ; some crept to the churches to await it, and died embracing
the altars of Christ ; whilst others, yielding to their
despair, remained motionless in their houses, where they
were massacred with their families.