Kerbogah Tries to Retake Antioch
[9.28.4] Tunc Curbaram, prīnceps mīlitiae Soldānī Persīdis, cum omnibus aliīs, plēnī superbiā, ferōcī respondērunt sermōne: “Deum vestrum et vestram chrīstiānitātem nec optāmus nec volumus, vōsque cum illīs omnīnō respuimus. Hūc usque iam vēnimus eō quod valdē mīrāmur quamobrem seniōrēs ac māiōrēs, quōs memorātis, cūr terram—quam abstulimus effēminātīs gentibus—illī vocant esse suam. Vultis namque scīre quid vōbīs dīcimus? Revertiminī ergō quantōcius, et dīcite vestrīs seniōribus, quia sī per omnia cupiunt efficī Turcī, et deum vestrum—quem vōs inclīnī colitis—abnegāre volunt et lēgēs vestrās spernere, nōs illīs hanc et satis plūs dabimus dē terrā, et cīvitātēs et castella, adhūc autem quod nēmō vestrōrum remanēbit pedēs, sed erunt omnēs mīlitēs sīcut et nōs sumus; et habēbimus semper eōs in summā amīcitiā. Sīn autem, sciant sē per omnia capitālem subīre sententiam, aut, dēductī in vinculīs Corrozanam, in captīvitāte perpetuā servient nōbīs nostrīsque īnfantibus per sempiterna tempora.”
notes
(June 1098) Kerbogah rejects the ambassadors' suggestions. Instead, he invites the crusaders to convert to Islam, and promises them land, cities, and horses (for the foot soldiers) if they do so.
plēnī superbiā: plēnī (nom. pl.) is in agreement with Curbaram ... cum omnibus aliīs. Presumably a constructio ad sensum.
cum illīs: = cum Deo vestro et vestra chrīstiānitāte.
effēminātīs gentibus: The Byzantines, from whom the Turks had taken the territory.
sī per omnia cupiunt efficī Turcī: “if they wish to be become Turks no matter what”; CL would be cupiant. "Become Turks" means "convert to Islam."
quem vōs inclīnī colitis: “whom you worship on bended knee.” Apparently we are to understand inclīnī as genu inclini.
et cīvitātēs et castella: sc. dabimus.
adhūc autem quod nēmō vestrōrum remanēbit pedēs: “but (in fact) to such an extent that none of your people will remain a foot soldier.” Grants of castles, etc., would allow all the foot soldiers to be equipped as mounted warriors.
Sīn autem: “If (they decide) otherwise.”
sciant sē per omnia capitālem subīre sententiam: “they should know that they will absolutely suffer capital punishment”; CL would subitūrōs esse.
Corrozanam: CL would be ad Corrozanam, since Khorasan is a region, not a city.
vocabulary
respuō respuere: to reject
inclīnis inclīne: bending, bowing
abnegō (1): to refuse (CL); to renounce (ML)
