apparently remembering nothing save that he was performing that duty in
presence of the imperial court. As the narrative advanced, however, he
appeared to take more interest in what was read. The anxious fears
expressed by the various leaders in the midnight council, he listened
to with a smile of suppressed contempt, and he almost laughed at the
praises bestowed upon the leader of his own corps, Achilles Tatius. Nor
did, even the name of the Emperor, though listened to respectfully,
gain that applause for which his daughter fought so hard, and used so
much exaggeration.
Hitherto the Varangian's countenance indicated very slightly any
internal emotions; but they appeared to take a deeper hold on his mind
as she came to the description of the halt after the main army had
cleared the pass; the unexpected advance of the Arabs; the retreat of
the column which escorted the Emperor; and the account of the distant
engagement. He lost, on hearing the narration of these events, the
rigid and constrained look of a soldier, who listened to the history of
his Emperor with the same feelings with which he would have mounted
guard at his palace. His colour began to come and go; his eyes to fill
and to sparkle; his limbs to become more agitated than their owner
seemed to assent to; and his whole appearance was changed into that of
a listener, highly interested by the recitation which he hears, and
insensible, or forgetful, of whatever else is passing before him, as
well as of the quality of those who are present.
As the historian proceeded, Hereward became less able to conceal his
agitation; and at the moment the Princess looked round, his feelings
became so acute, that, forgetting where he was, he dropped his
ponderous axe upon the floor, and, clasping his hands together,
exclaimed, - "My unfortunate brother!"
All were startled by the clang of the falling weapon, and several
persons at once attempted to interfere, as called upon to explain a
circumstance so unusual. Achilles Tatius made some small progress in a
speech designed to apologize for the rough mode of venting his sorrows
to which Hereward had given way, by assuring the eminent persons
present, that the poor uncultivated barbarian was actually younger
brother to him who had commanded and fallen at the memorable defile.
The Princess said nothing, but was evidently struck, and affected, and
not ill-pleased, perhaps, at having given rise to feelings of interest
so flattering to her as an authoress. The others, each in their
character, uttered incoherent words of what was meant to be
consolation; for distress which flows from a natural cause, generally
attracts sympathy even from the most artificial characters. The voice
of Alexius silenced all these imperfect speakers: "Hah, my brave
soldier, Edward!" said the Emperor, "I must have been blind that I did
not sooner recognise thee, as I think there is a memorandum entered,
respecting five hundred pieces of gold due from us to Edward the
Varangian; we have it in our secret scroll of such liberalities for
which we stand indebted to our servitors, nor shall the payment be
longer deferred." "Not to me, if it may please you, my liege," said the
Anglo-Dane, hastily composing his countenance into its rough gravity of
lineament, "lest it should be to one who can claim no interest in your
imperial munificence. My name is Hereward; that of Edward is borne by
three of my companions, all of them as likely as I to have deserved
your Highness's reward for the faithful performance of their duty."
Many a sign was made by Tatius in order to guard his soldier against
the folly of declining the liberality of the Emperor. Agelastes spoke
more plainly: "Young man," he said, "rejoice in an honour so unexpected,
and answer henceforth to no other name save that of Edward, by which it
hath pleased the light of the world, as it poured a ray upon thee, to
distinguish thee from other barbarians. What is to thee the font-stone,
or the priest officiating thereat, shouldst thou have derived from
either any epithet different from that by which it hath now pleased the
Emperor to distinguish thee from the common mass of humanity, and by
which proud distinction thou hast now a right to be known ever
afterwards?"
"Hereward was the name of my father," said the soldier, who had now
altogether recovered his composure. "I cannot abandon it while I honour
his memory in death. Edward is the title of my comrade - I must not run
the risk of usurping his interest."
"Peace all!" interrupted the Emperor. "If we have made a mistake, we
are rich enough to right it; nor shall Hereward be the poorer, if an
Edward shall be found to merit this gratuity."
"Your Highness may trust that to your affectionate consort," answered
the Empress Irene.
"His most sacred Highness," said the Princess Anna Comnena, "is so
avariciously desirous to do whatever is good and gracious, that he
leaves no room even for his nearest connexions to display generosity or
munificence. Nevertheless, I, in my degree, will testify my gratitude
to this brave man; for where his exploits are mentioned in this history,
I will cause to be recorded, - 'This feat was done by Hereward the
Anglo-Dane, whom it hath pleased his Imperial Majesty to call Edward.'
Keep this, good youth," she continued, bestowing at the same time a
ring of price, "in token that we will not forget our engagement."
Hereward accepted the token with a profound obeisance, and a
discomposure which his station rendered not unbecoming. It was obvious
to most persons present, that the gratitude of the beautiful Princess
was expressed in a manner more acceptable to the youthful life-
guardsman, than that of Alexius Comnenus. He took the ring with great
demonstration of thankfulness: - "Precious relic!" he said, as he
saluted this pledge of esteem by pressing it to his lips; "we may not
remain long together, but be assured," bending reverently to the
Princess, "that death alone shall part us."
"Proceed, our princely daughter," said the Empress Irene; "you have
done enough to show that valour is precious to her who can confer fame,
whether it be found in a Roman or a barbarian."
The Princess resumed her narrative with some slight appearance of
embarrassment.
"Our movement upon Laodicea was now resumed, and continued with good
hopes on the part of those engaged in the march. Yet instinctively we
could not help casting our eyes to the rear, which had been so long the
direction in which we feared attack. At length, to our surprise, a
thick cloud of dust was visible on the descent of the hill, half way
betwixt us and the place at which we had halted. Some of the troops who
composed our retreating body, particularly those in the rear, began to
exclaim 'The Arabs! the Arabs!' and their march assumed a more
precipitate character when they believed themselves pursed by the enemy.
But the Varangian guards affirmed with one voice, that the dust was
raised by the remains of their own comrades, who, left in the defence
of the pass, had marched off after having so valiantly maintained the
station intrusted to them. They fortified their opinion by professional
remarks that the cloud of dust was more concentrated than if raised by
the Arab horse, and they even pretended to assert, from their knowledge
of such cases, that the number of their comrades had been much
diminished in the action. Some Syrian horsemen, despatched to
reconnoitre the approaching body, brought intelligence corresponding
with the opinion of the Varangians in every particular. The portion of
the body-guard had beaten back the Arabs, and their gallant leader had
slain their chief Jezdegerd, in which service he was mortally wounded,
as this history hath already mentioned. The survivors of the detachment,
diminished by one half, were now on their march to join the Emperor, as
fast as the encumbrance of bearing their wounded to a place of safety
would permit.
"The Emperor Alexius, with one of those brilliant and benevolent ideas
which mark his paternal character towards his soldiers, ordered all the
litters, even that for his own most sacred use, to be instantly sent
back to relieve the bold Varangians of the task of bearing the wounded.
The shouts of the Varangians' gratitude may be more easily conceived
than described, when they beheld the Emperor himself descend from his
litter, like an ordinary cavalier, and assume his war-horse, at the
same time that the most sacred Empress, as well as the authoress of
this history, with other princesses born in the purple, mounted upon
mules in order to proceed upon the march, while their litters were
unhesitatingly assigned for the accommodation of the wounded men. This
was indeed a mark, as well of military sagacity as of humanity; for the
relief afforded to the bearers of the wounded, enabled the survivors of
those who had defended the defile at the fountain, to join us sooner
than would otherwise have been possible.
"It was an awful thing to see those men who had left us in the full
splendour which military equipment gives to youth and strength, again
appearing in diminished numbers - their armour shattered - their shields
full of arrows - their offensive weapons marked with blood, and they
themselves exhibiting all the signs of desperate and recent battle. Nor
was it less interesting to remark the meeting of the soldiers who had
been engaged, with the comrades whom they had rejoined. The Emperor, at
the suggestion of the trusty Acoulouthos, permitted them a few moments
to leave their ranks, and learn from each other the fate of the battle.
"As the two bands mingled, it seemed a meeting where grief and joy had
a contest together. The most rugged of these barbarians, - and I who saw
it can bear witness to the fact, - as he welcomed with a grasp of his
strong hand some comrade whom he had given up for lost, had his large
blue eyes filled with tears at hearing of the loss of some one whom he
had hoped might have survived. Other veterans reviewed the standards
which had been in the conflict, satisfied themselves that they had all
been brought back in honour and safety, and counted the fresh arrow-
shots with which they had been pierced, in addition to similar marks of
former battles. All were loud in the praises of the brave young leader
they had lost, nor were the acclamations less general in laud of him
who had succeeded to the command, who brought up the party of his
deceased brother - and whom," said the Princess, in a few words which
seemed apparently interpolated for the occasion, "I now assure of the
high honour and estimation in which he is held by the author of this
history - that is, I would say, by every member of the imperial family -
for his gallant services in such an important crisis."
Having hurried over her tribute to her friend the Varangian, in which
emotions mingled that are not willingly expressed before so many
hearers, Anna Comnena proceeded with composure in the part of her
history which was less personal.
"We had not much time to make more observations on what passed among
those brave soldiers; for a few minutes having been allowed to their
feelings, the trumpet sounded the advance towards Laodicea, and we soon
beheld the town, now about four miles from us, in fields which were
chiefly covered with trees. Apparently the garrison had already some
notice of our approach, for carts and wains were seen advancing from
the gates with refreshments, which the heat of the day, the length of
the march, and columns of dust, as well as the want of water, had
rendered of the last necessity to us. The soldiers joyfully mended
their pace in order to meet the sooner with the supplies of which they
stood so much in need. But as the cup doth not carry in all cases the
liquid treasure to the lips for which it was intended, however much it
may be longed for, what was our mortification to behold a cloud of
Arabs issue at full gallop from the wooded plain betwixt the Roman army
and the city, and throw themselves upon the waggons, slaying the
drivers, and making havoc and spoil of the contents! This, we
afterwards learned, was a body of the enemy, headed by Varanes, equal
in military fame, among those infidels, to Jezdegerd, his slain brother.
When this chieftain saw that it was probable that the Varangians would
succeed in their desperate defence of the pass, he put himself at the
head of a large body of the cavalry; and as these infidels are mounted
on horses unmatched either in speed or wind, performed a long circuit,
traversed the stony ridge of hills at a more northerly defile, and
placed himself in ambuscade in the wooded plain I have mentioned, with
the hope of making an unexpected assault upon the Emperor and his army,
at the very time when they might be supposed to reckon upon an
undisputed retreat. This surprise would certainly have taken place, and
it is not easy to say what might have been the consequence, had not the
unexpected appearance of the train of waggons awakened the unbridled
rapacity of the Arabs, in spite of their commander's prudence, and
attempts to restrain them. In this manner the proposed ambuscade was
discovered.
"But Varanes, willing still to gain some advantage from the rapidity of
his movements, assembled as many of his horsemen as could be collected
from the spoil, and pushed forward towards the Romans, who had stopped
short on their march at so unlooked for an apparition. There was an
uncertainty and wavering in our first ranks which made their hesitation
known even to so poor a judge of military demeanour as myself. On the
contrary, the Varangians joined in a unanimous cry of 'Bills'
[Footnote: Villehardouin says, "Les Anglois et Danois mult bien
rombattoint avec leurs _haches_."] (that is, in their language,
battle-axes,) 'to the front!' and the Emperor's most gracious will
acceding to their valorous desire, they pressed forward from the rear
to the head of the column. I can hardly say how this manoeuvre was
executed, but it was doubtless by the wise directions of my most serene
father, distinguished for his presence of mind upon such difficult
occasions. It was, no doubt, much facilitated by the good will of the
troops themselves; the Roman bands, called the Immortals, showing, as
it seemed to me, no less desire to fall into the rear, than did the
Varangians to occupy the places which the Immortals left vacant in
front. The manoeuvre was so happily executed, that before Varanes and
his Arabs had arrived at the van of our troops, they found it occupied
by the inflexible guard of northern soldiers. I might have seen with my
own eyes, and called upon them as sure evidences of that which chanced
upon the occasion. But, to confess the truth, my eyes were little used
to look upon such sights; for of Varanes's charge I only beheld, as it
were, a thick cloud of dust rapidly driven forward, through which were
seen the glittering points of lances, and the waving plumes of turban'd
cavaliers imperfectly visible. The tecbir was so loudly uttered, that I
was scarcely aware that kettle-drums and brazen cymbals were sounding
in concert with it. But this wild and outrageous storm was met as
effectually as if encountered by a rock.
"The Varangians, unshaken by the furious charge of the Arabs, received
horse and rider with a shower of blows from their massive battle-axes,
which the bravest of the enemy could not face, nor the strongest endure.
The guards strengthened their ranks also, by the hindmost pressing so
close upon those that went before, after the manner of the ancient
Macedonians, that the fine-limbed, though slight steeds of those
Idumeans could not make the least inroad upon the northern phalanx. The
bravest men, the most gallant horses, fell in the first rank. The
weighty, though short, horse javelins, flung from the rear ranks of the
brave Varangians, with good aim and sturdy arm, completed the confusion
of the assailants, who turned their back in affright, and fled from the
field in total confusion.
"The enemy thus repulsed, we proceeded on our march, and only halted
when we recovered our half-plundered waggons. Here, also, some
invidious remarks were made by certain officers of the interior of the
household, who had been on duty over the stores, and having fled from
their posts on the assault of the infidels, had only returned upon
their being repulsed. These men, quick in malice, though slow in
perilous service, reported that, on this occasion, the Varangians so
far forgot their duty as to consume a part of the sacred wine reserved
for the imperial lips alone. It would be criminal to deny that this was
a great and culpable oversight; nevertheless, our imperial hero passed
it over as a pardonable offence; remarking, in a jesting manner, that
since he had drunk the _ail_, as they termed it, of his trusty
guard, the Varangians had acquired a right to quench the thirst, and to
relieve the fatigue, which they had undergone that day in his defence,
though they used for these purposes the sacred contents of the imperial
cellar.
"In the meantime, the cavalry of the army were despatched in pursuit of
the fugitive Arabs; and having succeeded in driving them behind the
chain of hills which had so recently divided them from the Romans, the
imperial arms might justly be considered as having obtained a complete
and glorious victory.
"We are now to mention the rejoicings of the citizens of Laodicea, who,
having witnessed from their ramparts, with alternate fear and hope, the
fluctuations of the battle, now descended to congratulate the imperial
conqueror."
Here the fair narrator was interrupted. The principal entrance of the
apartment flew open, noiselessly indeed, but with both folding leaves
at once, not as if to accommodate the entrance of an ordinary courtier,
studying to create as little disturbance as possible, but as if there
was entering a person, who ranked so high as to make it indifferent how
much attention was drawn to his motions. It could only be one born in
the purple, or nearly allied to it, to whom such freedom was lawful;
and most of the guests, knowing who were likely to appear in that
Temple of the Muses, anticipated, from the degree of bustle, the
arrival of Nicephorus Briennius, the son-in-law of Alexius Comnenus,
the husband to the fair historian, and in the rank of Caesar, which,
however, did not at that period imply, as in early ages, the dignity of
second person in the empire. The policy of Alexius had interposed more
than one person of condition between the Caesar and his original rights
and rank, which had once been second to those only of the Emperor
himself.
CHAPTER THE FIFTH.
The storm increases - 'tis no sunny shower,
Foster'd in the moist breast of March or April,
Or such as parched Summer cools his lip with:
Heaven's windows are flung wide; the inmost deeps
Call in hoarse greeting one upon another;
On comes the flood in all its foaming horrors,
And where's the dike shall stop it!
THE DELUGE, _a Poem_.
The distinguished individual who entered was a noble Grecian, of
stately presence, whose habit was adorned with every mark of dignity,
saving those which Alexius had declared sacred to the Emperor's own
person and that of the Sebastocrator, whom he had established as next
in rank to the head of the empire. Nicephorus Briennius, who was in the
bloom of youth, retained all the marks of that manly beauty which had
made the match acceptable to Anna Comnena; while political
considerations, and the desire of attaching a powerful house as
friendly adherents of the throne, recommended the union to the Emperor.
We have already hinted that the royal bride had, though in no great
degree, the very doubtful advantage of years. Of her literary talents
we have seen tokens. Yet it was not believed by those who best knew,
that, with the aid of those claims to respect, Anna Comnena was
successful in possessing the unlimited attachment of her handsome
husband. To treat her with apparent neglect, her connexion with the
crown rendered impossible; while, on the other hand, the power of
Nicephorus's family was too great to permit his being dictated to even
by the Emperor himself. He was possessed of talents, as it was believed,
calculated both for war and peace. His advice was, therefore, listened
to, and his assistance required, so that he claimed complete liberty
with respect to his own time, which he sometimes used with less regular
attendance upon the Temple of the Muses, than the goddess of the place
thought herself entitled to, or than the Empress Irene was disposed to
exact on the part of her daughter. The good-humoured Alexius observed a
sort of neutrality in this matter, and kept it as much as possible from
becoming visible to the public, conscious that it required the whole
united strength of his family to maintain his place in so agitated an
empire.
He pressed his son-in-law's hand, as Nicephorus, passing his father-in-
law's seat, bent his knee in token of homage. The constrained manner of
the Empress indicated a more cold reception of her son-in-law, while
the fair muse herself scarcely deigned to signify her attention to his
arrival, when her handsome mate assumed the vacant seat by her side,
which we have already made mention of.
There was an awkward pause, during which the imperial son-in-law,
coldly received when he expected to be welcomed, attempted to enter
into some light conversation with the fair slave Astarte, who knelt
behind her mistress. This was interrupted by the Princess commanding
her attendant to enclose the manuscript within its appropriate casket,
and convey it with her own hands to the cabinet of Apollo, the usual
scene of the Princess's studies, as the Temple of the Muses was that
commonly dedicated to her recitations.
The Emperor himself was the first to break an unpleasant silence. "Fair
son-in-law," he said, "though it now wears something late in the night,
you will do yourself wrong if you permit our Anna to send away that
volume, with which this company have been so delectably entertained
that they may well say, that the desert hath produced roses, and the
barren rocks have poured forth milk and honey, so agreeable is the
narrative of a toilsome and dangerous campaign, in the language of our
daughter."
"The Caesar," said the Empress, "seems to have little taste for such
dainties as this family can produce. He hath of late repeatedly
absented himself from this Temple of the Muses, and found doubtless
more agreeable conversation and amusement elsewhere."
"I trust, madam," said Nicephorus, "that my taste may vindicate me from
the charge implied. But it is natural that our sacred father should be
most delighted with the milk and honey which is produced for his own
special use."
The Princess spoke in the tone of a handsome woman offended by her
lover, and feeling the offence, yet not indisposed to a reconciliation.
"If," she said, "the deeds of Nicephorus Briennius are less frequently
celebrated in that poor roll of parchment than those of my illustrious
father, he must do me the justice to remember that such was his own
special request; either proceeding from that modesty which is justly
ascribed to him as serving to soften and adorn his other attributes, or
because he with justice distrusts his wife's power to compose their
eulogium."
"We will then summon back Astarte," said the Empress, "who cannot yet
have carried her offering to the cabinet of Apollo."
"With your imperial pleasure," said Nicephorus, "it might incense the
Pythian god were a deposit to be recalled of which he alone can fitly
estimate the value. I came hither to speak with the Emperor upon
pressing affairs of state, and not to hold a literary conversation with
a company which I must needs say is something of a miscellaneous
description, since I behold an ordinary life-guardsman in the imperial
circle."
"By the rood, son-in-law," said Alexius, "you do this gallant man wrong.
He is the brother of that brave Anglo-Dane who secured the victory at
Laodicea by his valiant conduct and death; he himself is that Edmund -
or Edward - -or Hereward - -to whom we are ever bound for securing the
success of that victorious day. He was called into our presence, son-
in-law, since it imports that you should know so much, to refresh the
memory of any Follower, Achilles Tatius, as well as mine own,
concerning some transactions of the day of which we had become in some
degree oblivious."
"Truly, imperial sir," answered Briennius, "I grieve that, by having
intruded on some such important researches, I may have, in some degree,
intercepted a portion of that light which is to illuminate future ages.
Methinks that in a battle-field, fought under your imperial guidance,
and that of your great captains, your evidence might well supersede the
testimony of such a man as this. - Let me know," he added, turning
haughtily to the Varangian, "what particular thou canst add, that is
unnoticed in the Princess's narrative?"
The Varangian replied instantly, "Only that when we made a halt at the
fountain, the music that was there made by the ladies of the Emperor's
household, and particularly by those two whom I now behold, was the
most exquisite that ever reached my ears."
"Hah! darest thou to speak so audacious an opinion?" exclaimed
Nicephorus; "is it for such as thou to suppose for a moment that the
music which the wife and daughter of the Emperor might condescend to
make, was intended to afford either matter of pleasure or of criticism
to every plebeian barbarian who might hear them? Begone from this
place! nor dare, on any pretext, again to appear before mine eyes -
under allowance always of our imperial father's pleasure."
The Varangian bent his looks upon Achilles Tatius, as the person from
whom he was to take his orders to stay or withdraw. But the Emperor
himself took up the subject with considerable dignity.
"Son," he said, "we cannot permit this. On account of some love quarrel,
as it would seem, betwixt you and our daughter, you allow yourself
strangely to forget our imperial rank, and to order from our presence
those whom we have pleased to call to attend us. This is neither right
nor seemly, nor is it our pleasure that this same Hereward - or Edward -
or whatever be his name - either leave us at this present moment, or do
at any time hereafter regulate himself by any commands save our own, or
those of our Follower, Achilles Tatius. And now, allowing this foolish
affair, which I think was blown among us by the wind, to pass as it
came, without farther notice, we crave to know the grave matters of
state which brought you to our presence at so late an hour. - You look
again at this Varangian. - Withhold not your words, I pray you, on
account of his presence; for he stands as high in our trust, and we are
convinced with as good reason, as any counsellor who has been sworn our
domestic servant."
"To hear is to obey," returned the Emperor's son-in-law, who saw that
Alexius was somewhat moved, and knew that in such cases it was neither
safe nor expedient to drive him to extremity. "What I have to say,"
continued he, "must so soon be public news, that it little matters who
hears it; and yet the West, so full of strange changes, never sent to
the Eastern half of the globe tidings so alarming as those I now come
to tell your Imperial Highness. Europe, to borrow an expression from
this lady, who honours me by calling me husband, seems loosened from
its foundations and about to precipitate itself upon Asia" - -
"So I did express myself," said the Princess Anna Comnena, "and, as I
trust, not altogether unforcibly, when we first heard that the wild
impulse of those restless barbarians of Europe had driven a tempest as
of a thousand nations upon our western frontier, with the extravagant
purpose, as they pretended, of possessing themselves of Syria, and the
holy places there marked as the sepulchres of prophets, the martyrdom
of saints, and the great events detailed in the blessed gospel. But
that storm, by all accounts, hath burst and passed away, and we well
hoped that the danger had gone with it. Devoutly shall we sorrow to
find it otherwise."
"And otherwise we must expect to find it," said her husband. "It is very
true, as reported to us, that a huge body of men, of low rank and
little understanding, assumed arms at the instigation of a mad hermit,
and took the road from Germany to Hungary, expecting miracles to be
wrought in their favour, as when Israel was guided through the
wilderness by a pillar of flame and a cloud. But no showers of manna or
of quails relieved their necessities, or proclaimed them the chosen
people of God. No waters gushed from the rock for their refreshment.
They were enraged at their sufferings, and endeavoured to obtain
supplies by pillaging the country. The Hungarians, and other nations on
our western frontiers, Christians, like themselves, did not hesitate to
fall upon this disorderly rabble; and immense piles of bones, in wild
passes and unfrequented deserts, attest the calamitous defeats which
extirpated these unholy pilgrims."
"All this," said the Emperor, "we knew before; - but what new evil now
threatens, since we have already escaped so important a one?"
"Knew before?" said the Prince Nicephorus. "We knew nothing of our real
danger before, save that a wild herd of animals, as brutal and as
furious as wild bulls, threatened to bend their way to a pasture for
which they had formed a fancy, and deluged the Grecian empire, and its
vicinity, in their passage, expecting that Palestine, with its streams
of milk and honey, once more awaited them, as God's predestined people.
But so wild and disorderly an invasion had no terrors for a civilized
nation like the Romans. The brute herd was terrified by our Greek fire;
it was snared and shot down by the wild nations who, while they pretend
to independence, cover our frontier as with a protecting fortification.
The vile multitude has been consumed even by the very quality of the
provisions thrown in their way, - those wise means of resistance which
were at once suggested by the paternal care of the Emperor, and by his
unfailing policy. Thus wisdom has played its part, and the bark over
which the tempest had poured its thunder, has escaped, notwithstanding
all its violence. But the second storm, by which the former is so
closely followed, is of a new descent of these Western nations, more
formidable than any which we or our fathers have yet seen. This
consists not of the ignorant or of the fanatical - not of the base, the
needy, and the improvident. Now, - all that wide Europe possesses of
what is wise and worthy, brave and noble, are united by the most
religious vows, in the same purpose."
"And what is that purpose? Speak plainly," said Alexius. "The
destruction of our whole Roman empire, and the blotting out the very
name of its chief from among the princes of the earth, among which it
has long been predominant, can alone be an adequate motive for a
confederacy such as thy speech infers."
"No such design is avowed," said Nicephorus; "and so many princes, wise
men, and statesmen of eminence, aim, it is pretended, at nothing else
than the same extravagant purpose announced by the brute multitude who
first appeared in these regions. Here, most gracious Emperor, is a
scroll, in which you will find marked down a list of the various armies
which, by different routes, are approaching the vicinity of the empire.
Behold, Hugh of Vermandois, called from his dignity Hugh the Great, has
set sail from the shores of Italy. Twenty knights have already
announced their coming, sheathed in armour of steel, inlaid with gold,
bearing this proud greeting: - 'Let the Emperor of Greece, and his
lieutenants, understand that Hugo, Earl of Vermandois, is approaching
his territories. He is brother to the king of kings - The King of
France,[Footnote: Ducange pours out a whole ocean of authorities to
show that the King of France was in those days styled _Rex_, by
way of eminence. See his notes on the Alexiad. Anna Comnena in her
history makes Hugh, of Vermandois assume to himself the titles which
could only, in the most enthusiastic Frenchman's opinion, have been
claimed by his older brother, the reigning monarch.] namely - and is
attended by the flower of the French nobility. He bears the blessed
banner of St. Peter, intrusted to his victorious care by the holy
successor of the apostle, and warns thee of all this, that thou mayst
provide a reception suitable to his rank.'"
"Here are sounding words," said the Emperor; "but the wind which
whistles loudest is not always most dangerous to the vessel. We know
something of this nation of France, and have heard more. They are as
petulant at least as they are valiant; we will flatter their vanity
till we get time and opportunity for more effectual defence. Tush! if
words can pay debt, there is no fear of our exchequer becoming
insolvent. - What follows here, Nicephorus? A list, I suppose, of the
followers of this great count?"
"My liege, no!" answered Nicephorus Briennius; "so many independent
chiefs, as your Imperial Highness sees in that memorial, so many
independent European armies are advancing by different routes towards
the East, and announce the conquest of Palestine from the infidels as
their common object."
"A dreadful enumeration," said the Emperor, as he perused the list;
"yet so far happy, that its very length assures us of the impossibility
that so many princes can be seriously and consistently united in so
wild a project. Thus already my eyes catch the well-known name of an
old friend, our enemy - for such are the alternate chances of peace and
war - Bohemond of Antioch. Is not he the son of the celebrated Robert of
Apulia, so renowned among his countrymen, who raised himself to the
rank of grand duke from a simple cavalier, and became sovereign of
those of his warlike nation, both in Sicily and Italy? Did not the
standards of the German Emperor, of the Roman Pontiff, nay, our own
imperial banners, give way before him; until, equally a wily statesman
and a brave warrior, he became the terror of Europe, from being a
knight whose Norman castle would have been easily garrisoned by six
cross-bows, and as many lances? It is a dreadful family, a race of
craft as well as power. But Bohemond, the son of old Robert, will
follow his father's politics. He may talk of Palestine and of the
interests of Christendom, but if I can make his interests the same with
mine, he is not likely to be guided by any other object. So then, with
the knowledge I already possess of his wishes and projects, it may
chance that Heaven sends us an ally in the guise of an enemy. - Whom
have we next? Godfrey [Footnote: Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lower
Lorraine - the great Captain of the first Crusade, afterwards King of
Jerusalem. See Gibbon, - or Mills, _passim_.] Duke of Bouillon -
leading, I see, a most formidable band from the banks of a huge river
called the Rhine. What is this person's character?"
"As we hear," replied Nicephorus, "this Godfrey is one of the wisest,
noblest, and bravest of the leaders who have thus strangely put
themselves in motion; and among a list of independent princes, as many
in number as those who assembled for the siege of Troy, and followed,
most of them, by subjects ten times more numerous, this Godfrey may be
regarded as the Agamemnon. The princes and counts esteem him, because
he is the foremost in the ranks of those whom they fantastically call
Knights, and also on account of the good faith and generosity which he
practises in all his transactions. The clergy give him credit for the
highest zeal for the doctrines of religion, and a corresponding respect
for the Church and its dignitaries. Justice, liberality, and frankness,
have equally attached to this Godfrey the lower class of the people.
His general attention to moral obligations is a pledge to them that his
religion is real; and, gifted with so much that is excellent, he is
already, although inferior in rank, birth, and power to many chiefs of
the crusade, justly regarded as one of its principal leaders."
"Pity," said the Emperor, "that a character such as you describe this
Prince to be, should be under the dominion of a fanaticism scarce
worthy of Peter the Hermit, or the clownish multitude which he led, or
of the very ass which he rode upon! which I am apt to think the wisest
of the first multitude whom we beheld, seeing that it ran away towards
Europe as soon as water and barley became scarce."
"Might I be permitted here to speak, and yet live," said Agelastes, "I
would remark that the Patriarch himself made a similar retreat so soon
as blows became plenty and food scarce."
"Thou hast hit it, Agelastes," said the Emperor; "but the question now
is, whether an honorable and important principality could not be formed
out of part of the provinces of the Lesser Asia, now laid waste by the
Turks. Such a principality, methinks, with its various advantages of
soil, climate, industrious inhabitants, and a healthy atmosphere, were
well worth the morasses of Bouillon. It might be held as a dependence
upon the sacred Roman empire, and garrisoned, as it were, by Godfrey
and his victorious Franks, would be a bulwark on that point to our just
and sacred person. Ha! most holy patriarch, would not such a prospect
shake the most devout Crusader's attachment to the burning sands of
Palestine?"
"Especially," answered the Patriarch, "if the prince for whom such a
rich _theme_ [Footnote: These provinces were called _Themes_.] was
changed into a feudal appanage, should be previously converted to the
only true faith, as your Imperial Highness undoubtedly means."
"Certainly - most unquestionably," answered the Emperor, with a due
affectation of gravity, notwithstanding he was internally conscious how
often he had been compelled, by state necessities, to admit, not only
Latin Christians, but Manicheans, and other heretics, nay, Mahomedan
barbarians, into the number of his subjects, and that without
experiencing opposition from the scruples of the Patriarch. "Here I
find," continued the Emperor, "such a numerous list of princes and
principalities in the act of approaching our boundaries, as might well
rival the armies of old, who were said to have drunk up rivers,
exhausted realms, and trode down forests, in their wasteful advance."
As he pronounced these words, a shade of paleness came over the
Imperial brow, similar to that which had already clothed in sadness
most of his counsellors.
"This war of nations," said Nicephorus, "has also circumstances
distinguishing it from every other, save that which his Imperial
Highness hath waged in former times against those whom we are
accustomed to call Franks. We must go forth against a people to whom
the strife of combat is as the breath of their nostrils; who, rather
than not be engaged in war, will do battle with their nearest
neighbours, and challenge each other to mortal fight, as much in sport
as we would defy a comrade to a chariot-race. They are covered with an
impenetrable armour of steel, defending them from blows of the lance
and sword, and which the uncommon strength of their horses renders them
able to support, though one of ours could as well bear Mount Olympus