And those who were within the castle had not slept that night,
but had kept guard through the whole night, however sick or wounded
they might be, as men who expected nothing but death.
The emperor saw that the Greeks were close to the walls and about to
assault the city. Now he himself had but few of his people with
him-among them were Geoffry the Marshal in another ship, and Miles the
Brabant, and certain Pisans, and other knights, so that he had some
sixteen ships great and small, while on the other side there were full
sixty. Nevertheless they saw that if they waited for their people, and
suffered the Greeks to assault Cibotos, then those within
125
must be all killed or taken; and when they saw this they decided to
sail against the enemy's ships.
They sailed thitherward therefore in line; and all those on board the
ships were fully armed, and with their helms laced. And when the
Greeks, who were about to attack the castle, saw us coming, they
perceived that help was at hand for the besieged, and they avoided the
castle, and came to meet us; and all this great host, both horse and
foot, drew up on the shore. And the Greeks on ship-board [The meaning
here is a little obscure in the original ] when they saw that the
emperor and his people meant to attack them in any case, drew back
towards those on shore, so that the latter might give them help with
bows and darts.
So the emperor held them close with his seventeen ships, till the
shouts of those coming from Constantinople began to reach him; and
when the night fell so many had come up that the Franks were
everywhere in force upon the sea; and they lay all armed during the
night, and cast anchor.
Pages:
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195