Kerbogah Tries to Retake Antioch
[9.23.1] Tertiā vērō diē armāvit sē Curbaram et maxima pars Turcōrum cum eō, vēnēruntque ad cīvitātem ex illā parte in quā erat castrum. Nōs autem, putantēs resistere posse illīs, parāvimus bellum contrā eōs. Sed tam magna fuit virtūs illōrum quod nequīvimus illīs resistere, sīcque coāctī, intrāvimus in cīvitātem, quibus fuit tam mīrābiliter arta et angusta porta, ut illīc fuerint multī mortuī oppressiōne aliōrum.
notes
(June 1096) Two days after his arrival at Antioch, Kerbogah attacks the crusader army, which apparently had come out to fight. He drives them back into the city, and many are killed in a crush at the gate.
Tertiā vērō diē: "two days later," June 5, 1098 (see 9.21.3).
ex illā parte in quā erat castrum: Hill says it was on the south side, making the castrum Tancred's fort. (Dass says the castrum is the citadel, still in Turkish hands; but the citadel was at the top of a steep mountain, making a pitched battle, and escape through a gate, unlikely.)
tam magna fuit virtūs illōrum quod nequīvimus: CL would be tam magna fuit virtūs illōrum ut nequīrēmus.
oppressiōne aliōrum: i.e., by being trampled on by other people.
vocabulary
mīrābiliter: amazingly
artus –a –um: tight, narrow
angustus –a –um: narrow, small
oppressiō –ōnis, f.: the action of pressing on or against (OLD 1)
