Kerbogah Tries to Retake Antioch
[9.29.2] Postquam Curbaram vīdit Francōrum aciēs tam pulchrē ōrdinātās exīre, ūnam post aliam, dīxit: “Sinite eōs exīre, ut melius eōs habeāmus in potestāte nostrā.” Postquam vērō fuērunt forīs dē urbe, vīditque Curbaram ingentem Francōrum gentem, valdē timuit. Mox mandāvit suō ammiraliō, quī omnia habēbat in cūstōdiā, ut sī ille vidēret ignem accēnsum in capite hostis, prōtinus praecōnārī faceret omnem exercitum redīre, sciēns Turcōs āmīsisse bellum.
[9.29.3] Continuō Curbaram coepit paulātim redīre retrō, contrā montāneam; nostrīque paulātim persequēbantur illōs. Dēnique dīvīsī sunt Turcī; ūna pars īvit contrā mare, et aliī stetērunt illīc, putantēs nostrōs inclūdere inter sē. Videntēs hoc, nostrī fēcērunt similiter. Illīc fuit ōrdināta aciēs septēna, ex aciē ducis Godefridī et comitis Nortmanniae, et caput illīus fuit comes Rainaldus. Hanc mīsērunt obviam Turcīs, quī veniēbant ā marī. Turcī autem proeliātī sunt cum illīs, et sagittandō multōs occīdērunt ex nostrīs. Aliae autem turmae ōrdinātae sunt ā flūmine usque ad montāneam, quod distat per duo mīliāria. Coepērunt vērō turmae ex utrāque parte exīre nostrōsque undique circumcingere, iaculandō, sagittandō, vulnerandō.
notes
(June 1098) At first Kerbogah is confident, but he arranges a signal in case his vanguard is defeated. The Turkish army withdraws and divides in two; they hope to surround the crusaders, and despite countermeasures this begins to happen.
9.29.2
ut melius eōs habeāmus: CL would be quō melius.
quī omnia habēbat in cūstōdiā: “who was in charge of the host” (Hill); [perhaps “who held all the things in the protection (of the camp).”]
sī ille vidēret ignem accēnsum in capite hostis: "if he saw a light lit in front of the (Turkish) army." This seems an odd and difficult way to signal a defeat, but it seems to work (9.29.5).
prōtinus praecōnārī faceret: “he should at once order”; in ML “cause to” do something can = “do something.”
9.29.3
et aliī stetērunt illīc: “and the others stayed there.”
putantēs nostrōs inclūdere inter sē: = putantēs (sē) inclūdere nostrōs inter sē. CL would be inclūsūrōs esse.
comes Rainaldus: perhaps Rainald of Beauvais (see Hill).
Aliae autem turmae: “but other squadrons”; these are Turkish cavalry.
iaculandō, sagittandō, vulnerandō: the same words are used at 7.18.6.
vocabulary
9.29.2
forīs: outside
praecōnor praecōnārī praecōnātus sum: to proclaim (ML)
amitto amittere amīsī amissum: to lose (OLD 8)
9.29.3
mīliārium –(i)ī, n: milestone
turma –ae, f.: squadron (of cavalry)