The Crusaders Besiege Antioch

[6.15.1]  Willelmus igitur Carpentārius et Petrus Heremīta, prō immēnsā īnfēlīcitāte ac miseriā ipsā, latenter recessērunt. Quōs Tancredus persequēns apprehendit, sēcumque redūxit cum dēdecore; quī dextram et fidem illī dedērunt quia libenter ad hostem redīrent et satisfactiōnem seniōribus facerent. Tōtā dēnique nocte Willelmus, utī mala rēs, in tentōriō dominī Boamundī iacuit. Crāstinā vērō diē summō dīlūculō, veniēns ērubēscendō, ante Boamundī presentiam stetit. Quem alloquēns Boamundus dīxit: “Ō īnfēlīx, et īnfāmia tōtīus Franciae, dēdecus et scelus Galliārum,  ō nēquissimē omnium quōs terra suffert, cūr tam turpiter fūgistī? Forsitan ob hoc, quod voluistī trādere hōs mīlitēs et hostem Chrīstī, sīcut trādidistī aliōs in Hispāniā.” Quī omnīnō tacuit, et nūllus sermō ex ēius ōre prōcessit. Adūnāvērunt sēsē omnēs ferē Francigenae, rogāvēruntque humiliter nē dēterius eī facere permitteret. Annuit ille serēnō vultū, et ait: “Hoc prō vestrī amōre libenter cōnsentiam, sī mihi tōtō corde et mente iūrāverit quod numquam recēdet ab Hierosolimītānō itinere, sīve bonō sīve malō. Et Tancredus neque per sē neque per suōs aliquid contrāriī eī cōnsentiet fierī.” Quī, auditīs hīs verbīs, voluntāriē concessit; ipse vērō prōtinus dīmīsit eum. Postmodum vērō Carpentārius, maximā captus turpitūdine, nōn diū morāns fūrtim recessit.

[6.15.2]  Hanc paupertātem et miseriam prō nostrīs dēlictīs concessit nōs habēre Deus. In tōtā namque hoste nōn valēbat aliquis invenīre mīlle mīlitēs quī equōs habērent optimōs.

(January 1098)  The crusaders are in such distress that William the Carpenter and Peter the Hermit try to leave but are caught and brought back. Bohemond berates William for his cowardice, past and present, but William's fellow countrymen successfully plead for mercy. In the end William sneaks away anyhow. The crusaders are terribly short of supplies.

6.15.1

Willelmus igitur Carpentārius: William "the Carpenter." He was Viscount of Melun (near Paris); his nickname was due to his enormous physical strength in battle. Later authors have some colorful stories.

pro: pro + abl. (ML) = propter + acc. (CL).

recessērunt: i.e., they tried to leave the camp.

sēcumque redūxit: understand eos (Williiam and Peter) as direct object.

dextram: dextra can = dextra manus.

quia: quia (ML) = ut (CL).

utī mala rēs: “like a piece of rubbish” (Hill).

in tentōriō dominī Boamundī iacuit: William was apparently in Bohemond's contingent, so that it was Bohemond's forgiveness that was important.

ērubēscendō: CL would be ērubēscens,"blushing for shame.”

sīcut trādidistī aliōs in Hispāniā: He had betrayed fellow Christians during a campaign against the Muslims in Spain.

Quī omnīnō tacuit: the subject is Willelmus.

Francigenae: “Frenchmen,” from the Île-de-France, the region around Paris; William’s fellow countrymen pleaded on his behalf.

nē dēterius eī facere permitteret = nē permitteret (aliquem) facere nē dēterius eī; the subject is Bohemond; ei refers to William.

Et Tancredus ... cōnsentiet fierī: = Et Tancredus consentiet neque per se neque per suos aliquid contrarii fieri ei.

aliquid contrāriī: “anything against his interests”; contrarii is a partitive genitive, AG § 346.3.

Quī ... voluntāriē concessit: the antecedent is Tancred.

ipse ... dīmīsit eum: Bohemond released William the Carpenter.

 

6.15.2

In tōtā namque hoste: "for in the whole army"; this explains pauperitatem et miseriam.

6.15.1

latenter: without being seen, secretly

recēdō recēdere recessī recessum: to withdraw (OLD 7)

dēdecus –oris, n.: disgrace

adūnō (1): to unite (LL)

postmodum: afterwards, later

 

6.15.2

dēlictum –ī, n.: offense, fault.

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