Bohemond's March to Constantinople

[2.6.2]  Forsitan adhūc ā nostrīs māiōribus saepe dēlūsī erimus. Ad ultimum, quid factūrī erunt? Dīcent quoniam necessitāte compulsī, nōlentēs volentēsque, humiliāvērunt sē ad nēquissimī imperātōris voluntātem. Fortissimō autem virō Boamundō, quem valdē timēbat, quia ōlim eum saepe cum suō exercitū ēiēcerat dē campō, dīxit, quoniam sī libenter eī iūrāret, quīndecim diēs eundī terrae in extēnsiōne ab Antiochīā retrō, daret, et octo in lātitūdine. Eīque tālī modō iūrāvit, ut sī ille fidēliter tenēret illud sacrāmentum, iste suum numquam praeterīret. Tam fortēs et tam dūrī mīlitēs, cūr hōc fēcērunt? Proptereā igitur: quia multā coāctī erant necessitāte.

    (April 1097)  Our author bitterly acknowledges that many of the leaders ultimately agreed to pledge their allegiance to Alexius. He comforts himself that Bohemond must not have had a choice.

    Forsitan … dēlūsī erimus: “Perhaps, however, we are always going to be deceived by our leaders.” 

    adhūc: “however”; in CL adhuc means “furthermore.”

    Ad ultimum: “finally” or “to crown all” (OLD ultimus 5b or 6f).

    quid factūrī erunt?: “what are they going to do?” Our author writes as though he is caught up in the events he is describing.

    nōlentēs volentēsque: “whether they wanted to or not,” “willy-nilly.”

    humiliāvērunt: “humbled themselves” (ML).

    Fortissimō autem virō Boamundō ... dīxit = [imperātor[ autem dīxit fortissimō virō Boamundō, quem valdē timēbat, quia ōlim eum saepe cum suō exercitū ēiēcerat dē campō.  Bohemond, on behalf of his father Roger Guiscard, had fought the Byzantines successfully in the Balkans in 1082–84.

    quoniam: here “that” (ML), introducing an indirect statement depending on dīxit.  In CL quoniam means “because.”

    iūrāret ... daret: = iūrāret (ut) daret.

    quīndecim diēs eundī terrae: i.e., “fifteen days ride” as a measure of distance.

    in extēnsiōne: “in length.”

    ab Antiochiā retrō: “beyond Antioch.”

    iste suum: sc. sacramentum, “this particular oath of his.”

    praeterīret: “violate” (ML); praetereō praeterīre praeteriī (–īvī) praeteritum (CL) can mean “neglect.”

    forsitan: perhaps

    nēquam (nēquior nēquissimus): useless; morally worthless, depraved

    ōlim: previously (OLD 1)

    campus –ī m.: field (CL); battlefield; camp (ML)

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