The Foraging Battle

[5.13.1]  Congregātī sunt itaque omnēs māiōrēs nostrī, et ōrdināvērunt concilium, dīcentēs: “Faciāmus castrum in vertice montis Maregart, quō sēcūrī atque tūtī possīmus esse ā Turcōrum formīdine.” Factō itaque castrō atque mūnītō, omnēs māiōrēs illud invicem cūstōdiēbant. 

Iamiam coeperant frūmentum et omnia nūtrīmenta corporum nimis esse cāra ante Nātāle Dominī. Forās penitus nōn audēbāmus exīre, nihilque penitus in terrā Chrīstiānōrum invenīre poterāmus ad edendum. In Saracēnōrum namque terram nēmō intrāre audēbat nisi cum magnā gente. Ad ultimum statuērunt nostrī seniōrēs concilium, ōrdinandō quāliter regerent tantās gentēs. Invēnērunt in cōnsiliō, ut ūna pars nostrī īret dīligenter attrahere stīpendium, et ubīque cūstōdīre exercitum; alia quoque pars fīdūciāliter remanēret cūstōdīre hostem. Boamundus dēnique dīxit: “Seniōrēs et prūdentissimī mīlitēs, sī vultis et bonum vōbīs vidētur, ego erō cum Flandrensī comite, itūrus cum eō.”

[5.13.2]  Celebrātīs itaque glōriōsissimae solemnitātibus Nātīvitātis, in Diē Lūnae, secundā scīlicet fēriā, ēgressī sunt illī, et aliī plūs quam vīgintī mīlia mīlitum et peditum, ac sānī et incolumēs intrāvērunt terram Saracēnōrum. Congregātī quippe erant multī Turcī et Ārabēs et Saracēnī, ab Hierusalem et Damascō et Aleph et ab aliīs regiōnibus, quī veniēbant fortitūdinem Antiochīae dare. Audientēs itaque istī Chrīstiānōrum gentem conductam esse in illōrum terram, īlicō praeparāvērunt sē ad bellum contrā Chrīstiānōs; atque summō dīlūculō vēnērunt in locum ubi gēns nostra erat in ūnum. 

(November-December 1097)  The crusaders build a fort facing the St. Paul Gate. Food grows scarce, since attacks by the Turks limit opportunities for foraging. The crusaders decide on an expedition to find provisions, to be led by Bohemond and Robert of Flanders. After Christmas that force sets off "to the land of the Saracens." Meanwhile various Muslim forces come to the relief of the Turks in Antioch.

5.13.1

montis Maregart: The Franks named this mountain “Malregard,” i.e., “Dirty Look Hill.” It overlooked the St. Paul Gate, and was intended to prevent attacks out of that gate against the Franks.

omnēs māiōrēs illud invicem cūstōdiēbant: i.e., each contingent took it in turns to guard the new fort.

Ad ultimum: “finally” (OLD ultimum 5b).

statuērunt … concilium: either “they organized a meeting” or “they came up with a plan.”

ōrdinandō: CL would be ordinantes.

tantās gentēs: CL would be tot gentes.

ūna pars nostrī: = una pars nostri exercitus or una pars nostrorum.

et ubīque cūstōdīre exercitum: “and to protect the flanks of our forces” (Hill).

quoque: “but”; quoque (ML) here = vero (CL).

hostem: “host” (ML). hostis in the Gesta can mean both “enemy” (CL, masc.), and “host” (ML, apparently fem.); thus hostis in our text often means “the Frankish army,” particularly the army along with its camp followers.

sī ... bonum vōbīs vidētur: "if it seems good to you"; for the impersonal use of videor see OLD video 24.

 

5.13.2

Nātīvitātis … fēriā: i.e., Monday, December 28, 1097.

ēgressī sunt illī: sc. Bohemondus et comes Flandrensis.

plūs quam vīgintī mīlia: this number is impossibly high (France, 237)

In Saracēnōrum ... terram: Here we perhaps get a hint at what the author means by “Saracens”; i.e., non-Turkish and non-Arab Muslims in the region.

Congregātī quippe erant multī Turcī, etc.: this army was led by Ridwan of Aleppo.

ab Hierusalem: "from Jerusalem"; Hierusalem is indeclinable.

Aleph: Aleppo, also indeclinable.

Chrīstiānōrum gentem conductam esse: = gentem Christianorum conductam esse.

illōrum: CL would be suam.

summō dīlūculō: “at daybreak”; the author uses this formula nine more times.

in locum: now al-Bara.

5.13.1

forās: outside

regō regere rexī rectum: to direct the activities of (OLD 7); to take care of, provide for

stīpendium –(i)ī, n.: wages, salary (CL); supplies (ML)

hostis –is, f.: host, army (ML)

ubique: everywhere (OLD 2)

 

5.13.2

Nātīvitas –atis, f.: the Birth; Christmas (ML)

īlicō: on the spot; then and there, at once

 

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