The Crusaders Besiege Antioch

[6.16.1]  Intereā inimīcus Tetigus, audiēns quod exercitus Turcōrum vēnissent super nōs, ait sē timuisse, arbitrānsque nōs omnēs perisse, atque in manibus inimīcōrum incīdisse, fingēns omnia falsa, dīxit: “Seniōrēs et virī prūdentissimī, vidēte quia nōs sumus hīc in maximā necessitāte, et ex nūllā parte nōbīs adiūtōrium succēdit. Ecce modo: sinite mē in Romāniae patriam revertī, et ego absque ūllā dubitātiōne faciam hūc multās nāvēs venīre per mare, onustās frūmentō, vīnō, hordeō, carne, farīnā et cāseīs, omnibusque bonīs quae sunt nōbīs necessāria. Faciam et equōs condūcī ad vēndendum, et mercātum per terram in fidēlitāte imperātōris hūc advenīre faciam. Ecce haec omnia vōbīs fidēliter iūrābō, et attendam. Adhūc quoque et domesticī meī et pāpiliō meus sunt in campō, unde et firmiter crēdite quia quantōcius redībō.”

[6.16.2]  Sīc itaque fēcit fīnem dictīs. Fuit ille inimīcus: omnia sua dīmīsit in campō, et in periūriō manet et manēbit. Itaque tālī modō inerat nōbīs maxima necessitās, quia Turcī undique prestringēbant nōs, ita ut nūllus nostrōrum audēret iam exīre extrā tentōria. Nam illī cōnstringēbant nōs ex ūnā parte, et famēs cruciābat ex aliā. Succursus vērō et adiūtōrium nōbīs dēerat; gēns minūta et pauperrima fugiēbat Cyprum, Romāniam, et in montāneās. Ad mare utique nōn audēbāmus īre, propter timōrem pessimōrum Turcōrum; nusquam erat nōbīs via patefacta.

(February 1098)  Tetigus, a Byzantine general, is said by our author to be hostile and a liar. Tetigus says he will go to Constantinople to get provisions, and even leaves his servants and belongings to guarantee his return.  But he does not follow through, and the crusaders are afflicted both by the Turks and by hunger. The humbler and poorer crusaders flee, but warriors like our author are stuck.

6.16.1

Tetigus: Tatikios, who represented the emperor Alexius.  He was of Turkish origin, was possibly a eunuch, and had a mutilated nose and wore a gold cover for it.  He was one of Alexius' most important generals (megas primikerios).

vēnissent: presumably plural despite the singular subject (exercitus) in a constructio ad sensum (synesis), see AG § 280a. Or exercitus could be plural

in manibus: CL would be in manūs.

modo: “just, only.”

in Romāniae: i.e., the Byzantine Empire.

in fidēlitāte imperātōris: “under the emperor’s safe-conduct” (Hill).

in campō: “in camp”; for this ML meaning of campus see Niemeyer (7), who says it is 13th century; the more common ML meaning is “battlefield.”

redībō: CL would be present subjunctive, in primary sequence.

6.16.2

dīmīsit: “left”; see 4.10.5.

Succursus: “help, support” (Niemeyer).

gēns minūta: "the little people."; “the rank and file” (Hill), 

fugiēbat Cyprum, Romāniam, et in montāneās: CL would be fugiebat ad Cyprum, etc.  Cyprus was an important base for supplying the crusaders; Romania here means Byzantine territory on the mainland.

nōn audēbāmus īre: our author is presumably speaking for himself and the other mounted warriors.

6.16.1

absque: (prep. + abl.) apart from, without (OLD 2)

hordeum –ī, n.: barley

cāseus –ī, m.: cheese

attendō attendere attendī attentum: to pay attention (OLD 8)

adhūc: still

pāpiliō –ōnis, m.: (CL) butterfly; (ML) tent

campus –ī, m.: field (CL); battlefield, camp (ML)

 

6.16.2

utīque: without doubt, absolutely

nusquam: nowhere

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