The Battle of Dorylaeum

[3.9.3]  Postquam vērō hōc tōtum factum est, Turcī undique iam erant circumcingentēs nōs, dīmicandō et iaculandō, ac spīculandō, et mīrābiliter longē lātēque sagittandō. Nōs itaque quamquam nequīvimus resistere illīs, neque sufferre pondus tantōrum hostium, tamen pertulimus illūc ūnanimiter gradum. Fēminae quoque nostrae in illā diē fuērunt nōbīs in maximō refugiō, quae afferēbant ad bibendum aquam nostrīs proeliātōribus, et fortiter semper cōnfortābant illōs, pugnantēs et dēfendentēs. 

Vir itaque sapiēns Boamundus prōtinus mandāvit aliīs, scīlicet comitī dē Sānctō Egidīō, et ducī Godefridō, et Hugōnī Magnō, atque Podiēnsī epīscopō, aliīsque omnibus Chrīstī mīlitibus, quō festīnent et ad bellum citius approximent, dīcēns: “Et sī hodiē luctārī volunt, virīliter veniant.” Dux itaque Godefridus audāx et fortis, ac Hugō Magnus simul vēnērunt prius cum suīs exercitibus; epīscopus quoque Podiēnsis prōsecūtus est illōs, ūna cum suō exercitū, et comes dē Sānctō Egidīō iuxtā illōs cum magnā gente.

[3.9.4]  Mīrābantur ergō nostrī valdē unde esset exorta tanta multitūdō Turcōrum, et Arabum et Saracēnōrum, et aliōrum quōs ēnumerāre ignōrō; quia paene omnēs montēs et collēs et vallēs et omnia plāna loca, intus et extrā, undique erant cooperta dē illā excommūnicātā generātiōne. Factus est itaque sermō sēcrētus inter nōs, laudantēs et cōnsulentēs atque dīcentēs: “Estōtē omnimodō ūnanimēs in fidē Chrīstī et Sānctae Crucis victōriā, quia hodiē omnēs dīvitēs, sī Deō placet, effectī eritis."

(July 1097)  Despite the odds, Bohemond's men attack the Turks. Receiving Bohemond’s call for help, the other leaders arrive swiftly with the rest of the army. The soldiers marvel at the size of the Turkish force, but reassure themselves with promises of great riches.

3.9.3

erant circumcingentēs nōs: CL would probably be circumcingēbant. Circling the enemy on horseback, and firing arrows from a distance, was a key Turkish tactic; also 9.29.3.

dīmicandō et iaculandō: "fighting and (by) throwing (javelins)."

ac spīculandō: "and throwing (spears)." 

tantōrum: CL would be tot.

tamen pertulimus illūc ūnanimiter gradum: "nevertheless we stepped forward as one man." gradum perferro means "to advance," and can presumably apply to soldiers on horseback. Note that our author appears to have taken part in this attack.

fuērunt nōbīs in maximō refugiō: "they were a great resource for us"; CL would use a dative of purpose (AG § 382), with no preposition. Despite the attack just mentioned, our author and his fellow horsemen seem to have retreated back to camp.

quō festīnent: "that they should hurry." quō for ut is CL, but would use an imperfect subjunctive in secondary sequence. 

volunt: We would expect vultis ... viliter veniatis, but Boamund is portrayed speaking to his allies in the 3rd person plural. 

cum magnā gente: "with a large army." The Provençal troops of Raymond of Toulouse formed the largest of the crusader contingents.

 

3.9.4

Saracēnōrum: Our author regularly refers to Saraceni, sometimes along with Turci and Arabi. He presumably means non-Turkish, and perhaps non-Arab, Muslims; see 5.13.2.

paene omnēs montēs et collēs et vallēs: the battle took place at a spot where two valleys came together, and the area also contained glacial drumlins (small hills).

intus et extrā: i.e., there were flat places between the drumlins and beyond them.

excommūnicātā: “accursed” (ML; Hill)

laudantēs: sc. deum.

cōnsulentēs: "taking council (among themselves)."

omnēs dīvitēs: pred. nom.; these are real, worldly, riches, not spiritual ones; see 3.9.6.

3.9.3

undique: on all sides, from everywhere

circumcingō circumcingere circumcīnxī circumcīnctum: to surround

dīmicō (1): fight, struggle

spīculō (1): to sharpen (CL); to throw a spear (ML)

pondus ponderis, n.: weight

illūc: to that place, there

prōtinus: at once, immediately

mandō (1): to command, order (OLD 5)

luctor (1): contend, struggle

ūnā: together; regularly combined with cum in CL (OLD 1)

 

3.9.4

sermō sermōnis, m.: conversation (OLD 3)

sēcrētus –a –aum: private, confidential (OLD 5)

omnimodō: in every way

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