9.21.2

Kerbogah Tries to Retake Antioch

[9.21.2] Istī omnēs vēnērunt in obsidiōnem Antiochīae, ad dispergendum Francōrum collēgium. Et cum appropinquāssent urbī, vēnit obviam illīs Sensadolus fīlius Cassiānī ammiraliī Antiochīae, et continuō cucurrit ad Curbaram lacrimābiliter rogāns eum et dīcēns: “Invictissime prīnceps, tē supplex precor, quātinus modo mihi succurrās, quoniam Francī undique obsident mē in Antiochēnō oppidō, urbemque in suō tenent imperiō; nōsque aliēnāre ā regiōne Romāniae sīve Syriae, adhūc autem et Chorosānī, cupiunt. Omnia patrāvēre quae voluērunt: patrem occīdere meum; nihil aliud superest nisi ut mē et tē et omnēs aliōs ex genere nostrō interficiant. Ego namque iamdūdum tuum exspectō auxilium, ut mihi succurrās in hōc perīculō.”

notes

(June 1098) As Kerbogah approaches Antioch he is asked for help by Shems-ed-Daula, the son of the slain Yaghi Siyan, whose troops are besieged by the crusaders in the citadel of Antioch.

in obsidiōnem Antiochiae: “to (relieve) the siege of Antioch.”

vēnit obviam illīs Sensadolus fīlius Cassiānī ammiraliī Antiochīae: Shems-ed-Daula, son of Cassianus/Yaghi Siyan, whose death was described at 8.20.9. Shems-ed-Daula was in the citadel, and presumably surrounded. His conversation with Kerbogah is likely an invention of our author, though it could reflect an actual exchange of messages.

precor, quātinus ... succurrās: CL would be precor ut ... succurrās.

in Antiochēnō oppidō: "in the citadel," as opposed to the rest of the city (see media).

Rōmaniae: Romania (Rum) was the territory in Asia Minor taken by the Turks from Byzantines.

adhūc: “and besides that” (ML).

autem et Chorosānī: “and even from Khorasan.”

patrāvēre = patrāvērunt.

occīdēre = occīdērunt.

vocabulary

collēgium –iī, n: gathering, collection (CL); army (ML)

modo: just

aliēnō (1): to transfer (CL); to expel (ML)

adhūc: and besides that (ML)