The Siege of Nicaea

[2.8.2]  Hic itaque invēnit contrā nōs venientēs Turcōs. Quī, undique signō crucis armātus, vehementer irruit super illōs atque superāvit. Dedēruntque fugam, et fuit mortua maxima pars illōrum. Quī rūrsus vēnērunt, auxiliō aliōrum gaudentēs et exultantēs ad certum bellum, trahentēs sēcum fūnēs, quibus nōs ligātōs dūcerent Corosānum. Venientēs autem laetantēs, coepērunt ex cacūmine montis paulātim dēscendere. Quotquot dēscendērunt, illīc, caesīs capitibus ā manibus nostrōrum, remānsērunt. Prōiiciēbant autem nostrī capita occīsōrum fundā in urbem, ut inde Turcī magis terrērentur.

[2.8.3]  Dēnique comes sānctī Egidīī et epīscopus Podiēnsis cōnsiliātī sunt in ūnum quāliter facerent subfōdī quandam turrim, quae erat ante tentōria eōrum. Ōrdinātī sunt hominēs quī hanc suffodiant, et arbalistae et sagittāriī quī eōs undique dēfendant. Fōdērunt namque illam usque ad rādīcēs mūrī, summīsēruntque postēs et ligna, ac deinde mīsērunt ignem. Sērō autem factō, cecidit turris iam in nocte, sed quia nox erat, nōn potuērunt proeliārī cum illīs. Nocte vērō illa surrēxērunt festīnanter Turcī, et restaurāvērunt mūrum tam fortiter, ut, veniente diē, nēmō posset eōs laedere ex illā parte.

(May–June 1097)  The Turkish troops coming to help the besieged Nicaeans are soundly defeated by Raymond of Toulouse. The crusaders launch the heads of their slain enemies into the city. Then the Provençal troops try to undermine a tower in the city wall.

2.8.2

Hic itaque invēnit: the subject is the comes, Raymond of Toulouse.

Quī: the antecedent is hic, i.e. Raymond.

undique signō crucis armātus: he presumably had a cross sewn on his clothing, here seen as providing divine protection.

mortua: CL would be mortua est. Our author has constructed an equivalent using the adjective mortuus –a –um.

Quī rūrsus vēnēruntur: "but they came back"; CL would be Sed illi.

Corosānum: Khorasan, the region of Persia mentioned in Book 1; CL would be ad Corosanum.

ā manibus nostrōrum: a manibus nostrorum = a nostris.

remānsērunt: “they lay there.”

Prōiiciēbant autem nostrī capita occīsōrum fundā in urbem: a dramatic escalation in terroristic warfare. They probably used a trebuchet (see media).

 

2.8.3

ūnum: “together.”

eōrum: CL would be sua.

arbalistae: “crossbowmen.”

Sērō: neut. sing. > sērus –a –um, “late” can mean “at a late hour.”

cum illīs = cum Turcis.

2.8.2

fūnis –is m.: rope, cable

cacūmen –inis, n.: peak

quotquot: however many

funda –ae, f.: sling (CL); catapult (ML)

inde: in consequence of that, therefore (OLD 10)

 

2.8.3

quāliter: How? (OLD 1), here introducing an indirect question.

suffodiō (subfodiō) suffodere suffodī suffosum: to dig under, tunnel under, undermine (OLD 1).

turris –is, f.: tower (for the declension see AG § 67.)

ordinō (1): to draw up on formation, organize (as military force; OLD 2)

arbalista –ae, m.: arbalist; crossbow man

surgō surgere surrēxī surrēctum: to rise, get up

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