10.36.2–3 | Dickinson College Commentaries

The March to Jerusalem

[10.36.2] Nōs autem discessimus ab urbe in secundā fēriā mēnsis Māiī, trānsīvimusque per viam artam et arduam tōtā diē et nocte, et pervēnimus ad castrum cui nōmen Bethelon; deinde ad urbem quae dīcitur Zebārī secus mare, in quā passī sumus nimiam sitim, et sīc dēfessī pervēnimus ad flūmen cui nōmen Braym. Deinde trānsīvimus, nocte ac diē Ascēnsiōnis Dominī, per montem, in quō est via nimis angusta, et illīc putāvimus inimīcōs īnsidiantēs nōbīs invenīre, sed, Deō annuente, nūllus eōrum audēbat properāre ante nōs. Nostrī dēnique mīlitēs praecēdentēs nōs līberāvērunt ante nōs viam illam, et applicuimus ad cīvitātem iuxtā mare quae dīcitur Baruth, et inde vēnimus ad aliam urbem quae vocātur Sagitta, dehinc ad aliam, quae dīcitur Sur, et dē Sur ad Acram cīvitātem.

[10.36.3] Dē Acrā vērō vēnimus ad castrum cui nōmen Cayphās, ac deinceps hospitātī sumus iuxtā Caesarēam, ibique celebrāvimus Pentēcostēn, tertiā diē exeunte Māiō. Dēnique vēnimus ad urbem Ramola, quam Saracēnī dīmīserant vacuam propter metum Francōrum. Iuxtā quam erat honōrābilis ecclēsia in quā requiēvit pretiōsissimum sānctī Georgīī corpus, quia illīc ā perfidīs pāgānīs prō Chrīstī nōmine fēlīciter martyrium suscēpit. Ibi cōnsiliātī sunt nostrī māiōrēs ut illīc ēligerent epīscopum, quī hanc cūstōdīret et ērigeret ecclēsiam. Cui suās dedērunt decimās, et aurō argentōque dītāvērunt, et equīs ac animālibus aliīs, quō dēvōtē et honestē vīveret cum illīs quī cum eō essent.

notes

(May 1099) The crusaders make their way down the coast, with some privations but mostly without incident. Arriving at Lydda (modern Lod, in Israel) they install a bishop to rebuild and maintain the shrine of St. George.

10.36.2

secundā fēriā mēnsis Māiī: “on the second Monday in May.”

Bethelon: modern Batroun, in northern Lebanon

Zebārī: ancient Byblos, in Lebanon, now called Djebail.

ad flūmen cui nōmen Braym: the Nahr Ibrahim.

nocte ac diē Ascēnsiōnis Dominī: Ascension Day is celebrated on a Thursday, forty days after Easter Sunday. In the Julian calendar for 1099 Easter was on April 10 and Ascension day on May 19.

Baruth: Beirut.

Sagitta: Sidon, modern Saida, in Lebanon.

Sur: Tyre, in Lebanon.

Acram: Acre (modern Acco/Acca, in Israel.

10.36.3

Cayphās: Haifa, in Israel. It was thought to have been named after the High Priest Caiaphas.

Caesarēam: Caesarea Palestina/Caesare Maritima.

Pentēcostēn: May 19, the Feast of Pentecost (Whit Sunday), commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit. It is 50 days after Easter, counting inclusively.

tertiā diē exeunte Māiō: May 30, though in fact the date was May 29.

Ramola: modern Ramla.

honōrābilis ecclēsia in quā requiēvit pretiōsissimum sānctī Georgīī: The Shrine of St. George was at Lydda (modern Lod); the Byzantine church had been destroyed by the Arabs. George, as a warrior saint, had appeared to the crusaders at Antioch (9.29.4).

ut illīc ēligerent epīscopum: they chose Robert of Rouen.

quō ... vīveret: = ut ... vīveret.

vocabulary

10.36.2

artus –a –um: narrow

secus: alongside, next to (prep. + acc.)

sitis –is, f.: thirst

annuō (adnuō) (3): to nod to, assent

properō (1): to make haste, to hasten, be quick

applicō (1): to tie up at (of ships) (CL); arrive at (ML)

10.36.3

metus –ūs, m.: fear, dread, terror