1.2.4 | Dickinson College Commentaries

The People's Crusade

[1.2.4] Quod cōnfestim Turcī obsēdērunt, eīsque aquam abstulērunt. Fuēruntque nostrī in tantā afflīctiōne sitis, ut flebotomārent suōs equōs et asinōs, quōrum sanguinem bibēbant. Aliī mittēbant zōnās atque panniculōs in piscīnam, et inde exprimēbant aquam in ōs suum. Aliī mingēbant in pugillō alterīus, et bibēbant. Aliī fodiēbant hūmidam terram, et supīnābant sē, terramque sternēbant super pectora sua, prō nimiā āriditāte sītis. Epīscopī vērō et presbitērī cōnfortābant nostrōs et commonēbant nē dēficerent. Haec trībulātiō fuit per octo diēs. Dēnique dominus Alamannōrum concordātus est cum Turcīs, ut trāderet sociōs illīs, et, fingēns sē exīre ad bellum, fugit ad illōs et multī cum eō. Illī autem quī Deum negāre nōluērunt, capitālem sententiam suscēpērunt. Aliōs quōs cēpērunt vīvōs adinvicem dīvīsērunt quasi ovēs. Aliōs mīsērunt ad signum et sagittābant eōs; aliōs vēndēbant et dōnābant quasi animālia. Quīdam condūcēbant suōs in domum suam: aliōs in Chorosānum, aliōs in Antiochīam, aliōs in Aleph, aut ubi ipsī manēbant. Istī prīmō fēlīx accēpērunt martyrium prō nōmine Dominī Iēsū.

notes

(September 1096) Beseiged by the Turks, the crusaders suffer terribly from thirst, and go to extreme measures to get relief. Some go over to the Turks; those left behind are killed or enslaved.

eīsque aquam abstulērunt: dative of separation.

nostrī: “our men”; this usage (CL) is common in our text.

flebotomārent: “they bled.”

mittēbant zōnās atque panniculōs, etc.: they were using belts and rags to soak up water.

in pugillō: into the cupped hands.

fugit ad illōs: to the Turks.

Illī autem: the Franks who remained and were taken by the Turks.

capitālem sententiam: the death penalty, sentence of death.

cēpērunt: the subject now is the Turks.

adinvicem: “among themselves.”

Aliōs mīsērunt ad signum: literally “they sent (them) to the target,” i.e., used them for target practice.

in domum suam: “to their homes.”

Chorosānum: Khorasan refers properly to the NE region of Persia; our author uses it loosely for all the territory controlled by the Seljuk Turks, especially Mesopotamia.

Antiochiam: Antioch on the Orontes, the capital of Roman Syria (modern Antakaya, Turkey).

Aleph: Modern Aleppo.

ubi ipsī manēbant: “where they lived," when they were not on campaign, i.e., “back home." maneō can mean "to dwell" in ML.

vocabulary

cōnfestim: immediately

zōna –ae, f.: belt, girdle

panniculus –ī, m.: rag

piscīna –ae, f.: fishpond (CL); sewer, cistern (ML)

mingō mingere mīnxī (mīxī) mīnctum (mīctum): to urinate

pugillus –ī, m.: a fistful

fodi foder fōdī fossum: (to pierce, prick); to dig up (OLD 4a)

sternō (3): to spread