9.21.1

Kerbogah Tries to Retake Antioch

[9.21.1] Curbaram prīnceps mīlitiae soldānī Persiae: dum adhūc esset Chorosānum, quantōcius Cassiānus ammiralius Antiochiae lēgātiōnem eī mīsit, quō sibi succurreret in tempore oportūnō—quoniam gēns fortissima Francōrum eum impedītum graviter obsīdēbat in Antiochiā—et, sī adiūtōrium eī impendēret, urbem Antiochēnam illī trāderet aut eum maximō mūnere dītāret; cumque iam habuisset maximum exercitum Turcōrum, ex longō collēctum tempore, et licentiam Chrīstiānōs occīdendī accēpisset ā Caliphā—illōrum apostolicō—īlicō inchoāvit iter longae viae Antiochīae.

Hierosolimitānus ammiralius in adiūtōrium cum suō exercitū vēnit. Rēx Damascī illūc vēnit, cum maximā gente. Īdem vērō Curbaram congregāvit innumerās gentēs pāgānōrum, vidēlicet Turcōs, Arabās, Saracēnōs, Pūblicānōs, Azimītās, Curtōs, Persās, Agulānōs, et aliās multās gentēs innumerābilēs. Et Agulānī fuērunt numerō tria mīlia; quī neque lanceās neque sagittās neque ūlla arma timēbant, quia omnēs erant undique coopertī ferrō et equī eōrum, ipsīque nōlēbant in bellum ferre arma nisi sōlummodo gladiōs.

notes

(June 1098) Yaghi Siyan, the emir of Antioch, had asked for help from Kerbogah, atabeg (governor) of Mosul. Kerbogah now arrives, leading a massive army with contingents from a number of different Muslim territories.

Curbaram: nom. sing. An indeclinable Latin version of the name Kerbogah (or Karbuqa). The grammar of what follows is irregular; I have used a colon to indicate an anacolouthon.

soldānī Persiae: “of the sultan of Persia”; i.e., Berkyaruq, Seljuk sultan from 1094 to 1105.

Chorosānum: Khorasan, originally a region Persia/Iran, but here more vaguely "the eastern parts of the Seljuk empire," most of which was in Persia.

Cassiānus ammiralius Antiochīae: Yaghi Siyan, emir of Antioch.

eum impedītum: “him (Cassianus/Yaghi Siyan ) who was blockaded”; CL would be sē impedītum.

obsīdēbat: CL would be subjunctive in implied indirect discourse.

et sī adiūtōrium eī impendēret: “and if he (Curbaram/Kerbogah) would devote assistance to him (Cassianus/Yaghi Siyan). CL would be et sī adiūtōrium sibi impendēret.

urbem Antiochēnam illī trāderet: “he (Cassianus/Yaghi Siyan) would hand Antioch over to him (Curbaram/Kerbogah).

cumque iam habuisset maximum exercitum Turcōrum: the subject is Curbaram/Kerbogah.

licentiam Chrīstiānōs occīdendī accēpisset ā Caliphā—illōrum apostolicō: i.e., Kerbogah's war against Christians had been approved by the Abbasid khalif in Baghdad, spiritual leader of the Sunni Muslims, though he had little military power. Our author speaks of the khalif (which means "successor" in terms appropriate for a pope, who was the successor to St. Peter. This khalif was Al-Mustadhir (1078–1118).

iter longae viae Antiochīae: Antiochae is a dative of place to which. Normally seen only in poetry in CL.

Hierosolimitānus ammiralius: the emir of Jerusalem, Sukman-ibn-Ortuq.

Rēx Damascī: the “King of Damascus”; his name was Duqaq.

innumerās gentēs paganōrum: some of the “pagans” are, in fact, Christian heretics.

Publicānōs: Paulicians, the dualist Christian heretics (see 1.4.4).

Azimītās: “Azimites” (see 8.20.2).

Curtos: Kurds.

Agulānōs: mentioned at 3.9.6 and 8.20.2

omnēs erant undique coopertī ferrō et equī eōrum: heavily armored cavalry (called "cataphracts" in Greek) were rare in Islamic armies, but they did exist. They were not as invulnerable as our author suggests.

vocabulary

soldānus –ī, m.: sultan (ML)

ammiralius –ī, m.: emir

adhūc: still

quantōcius: as quickly as possible

impediō impedīre impedīvī (impendiī) impedītum: to obstruct (CL); to blockade (ML)

adiūtōrium –ii, n.: assistance, support

impendō impendere impendī impensum: to pay out, spend, devote (resources, etc.)

dītō (1): to enrich

īlicō: on the spot, there and then

cooperiō cooperīre coopeuī coopertum: to cover

media