The siege of Jerusalem
[10.37.2] Tertiā vērō diē ex nostrīs scīlicet Raimundus Pilētus et Raimundus dē Taurīnā et aliī plūrēs, causā proeliandī, sequestrāvērunt sē ab exercitū, invēnēruntque bis centum Ārabēs, et proeliātī sunt Chrīstī mīlitēs contrā illōs incrēdulōs; et, Deō adiuvante, fortiter illōs superāvērunt, et occīdērunt multōs ex eīs, et apprehendērunt trīgintā equōs. Secundā vērō veniente fēriā, aggredimur fortissimē cīvitātem, tam mīrābiliter, ut sī scālae fuissent parātae, in nostrā fuisset cīvitās manū. Tamen minōrem strāvimus mūrum, et ūnam scālam ērēximus ad māiōrem mūrum. Super quam ascendēbant nostrī mīlitēs, et comminus percutiēbant Saracēnōs suīs ēnsibus et lanceīs, et dēfēnsōrēs cīvitātis. Fuēruntque mortuī multī ex nostrīs, sed plūrēs ex illīs. In illā autem obsidiōne pānēs ad emendum invenīre nōn poterāmus ferē per spatium diērum decem, dōnec vēnit nūntius nostrārum nāvium. Et in nimiā pressūrā sitis dētentī fuimus, ita ut, per nimium terrōrem et pavōrem, per sex mīlia nostrōs pōtārēmus equōs, et alia animālia. Syloa namque fōns, quī est ad rādīcem montis Syōn, sustinēbat nōs; sed tamen cāra vēndēbātur aqua inter nōs.
notes
(June 1099) There is a skirmish with Arabs outside the wall. Then the crusaders assault the city walls, which would have been successful if they had more ladders. Food becomes scarce, and water is six miles away.
Tertiā vērō diē: presumably Thursday, June 9 (see 10.37.1)
Raimundus dē Taurīnā: Raymond of Turenne (called Raimundus vicecomēs dē Tentōriā at 10.34.7)
Secundā vērō veniente fēriā: the second Monday in the month, June 13, 1099.
ut sī scālae fuissent parātae, in nostrā fuisset cīvitās manū: a past contrary-to-fact condition: “if ladders had been prepared...”
nūntius nostrārum nāvium: “a messenger from the ships”; CL would be (e.g.) nūntius dē nostrīs nāvibus. These were English and Genoese ships; significance of this messenger becomes clear in the next section.
per sex mīlia nostrōs pōtārēmus equōs: “we were watering our horses six miles away.”
Syloa ... fōns: “the pool of Siloam.” This was where Jesus healed the blind man (John 9.7)
cāra vēndēbātur aqua: i.e., water was expensive.
vocabulary
sequestrō (1): to separate
scalae –ārum, f.: pl., a ladder
sternō sternere strāvī strātum: to spread out, scatter; overthrow
comminus: in close contest, hand to hand
ēnsis –is, m.: a sword
emō emere ēmī emptum: to buy
pōtō pōtāre pōtāvī pōtum: to drink, cause to drink
pressura –ae, f.: pressure; oppression, affliction.
cārus –a –um: expensive
