NOW FIRST PUBLISHED FROM THE GREEK OF THE PRINCESS COMNENA'S HISTORY OF
HER FATHER.
"The sun had betaken himself to his bed in the ocean, ashamed, it would
seem, to see the immortal army of our most sacred Emperor Alexius
surrounded by those barbarous hordes of unbelieving barbarians, who, as
described in our last chapter, had occupied the various passes both in
front and rear of the Romans, [Footnote: More properly termed the
Greeks; but we follow the phraseology of the fair authoress.] secured
during the preceding night by the wily barbarians. Although, therefore,
a triumphant course of advance had brought us to this point, it now
became a serious and doubtful question whether our victorious eagles
might be able to penetrate any farther into the country of the enemy,
or even to retreat with safety into their own.
"The extensive acquaintance of the Emperor with military affairs, in
which he exceeds most living princes, had induced him, on the preceding
evening, to ascertain, with marvellous exactitude and foresight, the
precise position of the enemy. In this most necessary service he
employed certain light-armed barbarians, whose habits and discipline
had been originally derived from the wilds of Syria; and, if I am
required to speak according to the dictation of Truth, seeing she ought
always to sit upon the pen of a historian, I must needs say they were
infidels like their enemies; faithfully attached, however, to the Roman
service, and, as I believe, true slaves of the Emperor, to whom they
communicated the information required by him respecting the position of
his dreaded opponent Jezdegerd. These men did not bring in their
information till long after the hour when the Emperor usually betook
himself to rest.
"Notwithstanding this derangement of his most sacred time, our imperial
father, who had postponed the ceremony of disrobing, so important were
the necessities of the moment, continued, until deep in the night, to
hold a council of his wisest chiefs, men whose depth of judgment might
have saved a sinking world, and who now consulted what was to be done
under the pressure of the circumstances in which they were now placed.
And so great was the urgency, that all ordinary observances of the
household were set aside, since I have heard from those who witnessed
the fact, that the royal bed was displayed in the very room where the
council assembled, and that the sacred lamp, called the Light of the
Council, and which always burns when the Emperor presides in person
over the deliberations of his servants, was for that night--a thing
unknown in our annals--fed with unperfumed oil!!"
The fair speaker here threw her fine form into an attitude which
expressed holy horror, and the hearers intimated their sympathy in the
exciting cause by corresponding signs of interest; as to which we need
only say, that the sigh of Achilles Tatius was the most pathetic; while
the groan of Agelastes the Elephant was deepest and most tremendously
bestial in its sound. Hereward seemed little moved, except by a slight
motion of surprise at the wonder expressed by the others. The Princess,
having allowed due time for the sympathy of her hearers to exhibit
itself, proceeded as follows:--
"In this melancholy situation, when even the best-established and most
sacred rites of the imperial household gave way to the necessity of a
hasty provision for the morrow, the opinions of the counsellors were
different, according to their tempers and habits; a thing, by the way,
which may be remarked as likely to happen among the best and wisest on
such occasions of doubt and danger.
"I do not in this place put down the names and opinions of those whose
counsels were proposed and rejected, herein paying respect to the
secrecy and freedom of debate justly attached to the imperial cabinet.
Enough it is to say, that some there were who advised a speedy attack
upon the enemy, in the direction of our original advance. Others
thought it was safer, and might be easier, to force our way to the
rear, and retreat by the same course which had brought us hither; nor
must it be concealed, that there were persons of unsuspected fidelity,
who proposed a third course, safer indeed than the others, but totally
alien to the mind of our most magnanimous father. They recommended that
a confidential slave, in company with a minister of the interior of our
imperial palace, should be sent to the tent of Jezdegerd, in order to
ascertain upon what terms the barbarian would permit our triumphant
father to retreat in safety at the head of his victorious army. On
learning such opinion, our imperial father was heard to exclaim,
'Sancta Sophia!' being the nearest approach to an adjuration which he
has been known to permit himself, and was apparently about to say
something violent both concerning the dishonour of the advice, and the
cowardice of those by whom, it was preferred, when, recollecting the
mutability of human things, and the misfortune of several of his
Majesty's gracious predecessors, some of whom had been compelled to
surrender their sacred persons to the infidels in the same region, his
Imperial Majesty repressed his generous feelings, and only suffered his
army counsellors to understand his sentiments by a speech, in which he
declared so desperate and so dishonourable a course would be the last
which he would adopt, even in the last extremity of danger. Thus did
the judgment of this mighty Prince at once reject counsel that seemed
shameful to his arms, and thereby encourage the zeal of his troops,
while privately he kept this postern in reserve, which in utmost need
might serve for a safe, though not altogether, in less urgent
circumstances, an honourable retreat.
"When the discussion had reached this melancholy crisis, the renowned
Achilles Tatius arrived with the hopeful intelligence, that he himself
and some soldiers of his corps had discovered an opening on the left
flank of our present encampment, by which, making indeed a considerable
circuit, but reaching, if we marched with vigour, the town of Laodicea,
we might, by falling back on our resources, be in some measure in
surety from the enemy.
"So soon as this ray of hope darted on the troubled mind of our
gracious father, he proceeded to make such arrangements as might secure
the full benefit of the advantage. His Imperial Highness would not
permit the brave Varangians, whose battle-axes he accounted the flower
of his imperial army, to take the advanced posts of assailants on the
present occasion. He repressed the love of battle by which these
generous foreigners have been at all times distinguished, and directed
that the Syrian forces in the army, who have been before mentioned,
should be assembled with as little noise as possible in the vicinity of
the deserted pass, with instructions to occupy it. The good genius of
the empire suggested that, as their speech, arms, and appearance,
resembled those of the enemy, they might be permitted unopposed to take
post in the defile with their light-armed forces, and thus secure it
for the passage of the rest of the army, of which he proposed that the
Varangians, as immediately attached to his own sacred person, should
form the vanguard. The well-known battalions, termed the Immortals,
came next, comprising the gross of the army, and forming the centre and
rear. Achilles Tatius, the faithful Follower of his Royal Master,
although mortified that he was not permitted to assume the charge of
the rear, which he had proposed for himself and his valiant troops, as
the post of danger at the time, cheerfully acquiesced, nevertheless, in
the arrangement proposed by the Emperor, as most fit to effect the
imperial safety, and that of the army.
"The imperial orders, as they were sent instantly abroad, were in like
manner executed with the readiest punctuality, the rather that they
indicated a course of safety which had been almost despaired of even by
the oldest soldiers. During the dead period of time, when, as the
divine Homer tells us, gods and men are alike asleep, it was found that
the vigilance and prudence of a single individual had provided safety
for the whole Roman army. The pinnacles of the mountain passes were
scarcely touched by the earliest beams of the dawn, when these beams
were also reflected from the steel caps and spears of the Syrians,
under the command of a captain named Monastras, who, with his tribe,
had attached himself to the empire. The Emperor, at the head of his
faithful Varangians, defiled through the passes in order to gain that
degree of advance on the road to the city of Laodicea which was
desired, so as to avoid coming into collision with the barbarians.
"It was a goodly sight to see the dark mass of northern warriors, who
now led the van of the army, moving slowly and steadily through the
defiles of the mountains, around the insulated rocks and precipices,
and surmounting the gentler acclivities, like the course of a strong
and mighty river; while the loose bands of archers and javelin-men,
armed after the Eastern manner, were dispersed on the steep sides of
the defiles, and might be compared to light foam upon the edge of the
torrent. In the midst of the squadrons of the life-guard might be seen
the proud war-horse of his Imperial Majesty, which pawed the earth
indignantly, as if impatient at the delay which separated, him from his
august burden. The Emperor Alexius himself travelled in a litter, borne
by eight strong African slaves, that he might rise perfectly refreshed
if the army should be overtaken by the enemy. The valiant Achilles
Tatius rode near the couch of his master, that none of those luminous
ideas, by which our august sire so often decided the fate of battle,
might be lost for want of instant communication to those whose duty it
was to execute them. I may also say, that there were close to the
litter of the Emperor, three or four carriages of the same kind; one
prepared for the Moon, as she may be termed, of the universe, the
gracious Empress Irene. Among the others which might be mentioned, was
that which contained the authoress of this history, unworthy as she may
be of distinction, save as the daughter of the eminent and sacred
persons whom the narration chiefly concerns. In this manner the
imperial army pressed on through the dangerous defiles, where their
march was exposed to insults from the barbarians. They were happily
cleared without any opposition. When we came to the descent of the pass
which looks down on the city of Laodicea, the sagacity of the Emperor
commanded the van--which, though the soldiers composing the same were
heavily armed, had hitherto marched extremely fast--to halt, as well
that they themselves might take some repose and refreshment, as to give
the rearward forces time to come up, and close various gaps which the
rapid movement of those in front had occasioned in, the line of march.
"The place chosen for this purpose was eminently beautiful, from the
small and comparatively insignificant ridge of hills which melt
irregularly down into the plains stretching between the pass which we
occupied and Laodicea. The town was about one hundred stadia distant,
and some of our more sanguine warriors pretended that they could
already discern its towers and pinnacles, glittering in the early beams
of the sun, which had not as yet risen high into the horizon. A
mountain torrent, which found its source at the foot of a huge rock,
that yawned to give it birth, as if struck by the rod of the prophet
Moses, poured its liquid treasure down to the more level country,
nourishing herbage and even large trees, in its descent, until, at the
distance of some four or five miles, the stream, at least in dry
seasons, was lost amid heaps of sand and stones, which in the rainy
season marked the strength and fury of its current.
"It was pleasant to see the attention of the Emperor to the comforts of
the companions and guardians of his march. The trumpets from time to
time gave license to various parties of the Varangians to lay down
their arms, to eat the food which was distributed to them, and quench
their thirst at the pure stream, which poured its bounties down the
hill, or they might be seen to extend their bulky forms upon the turf
around them. The Emperor, his most serene spouse, arid the princesses
and ladies, were also served with breakfast, at the fountain formed by
the small brook in its very birth, and which the reverent feelings of
the soldiers had left unpolluted by vulgar touch, for the use of that
family, emphatically said to be born in the purple. Our beloved husband
was also present on this occasion, and was among the first to detect
one of the disasters of the day. For, although all the rest of the
repast had been, by the dexterity of the officers of the imperial
mouth, so arranged, even on so awful an occasion, as to exhibit little
difference from the ordinary provisions of the household, yet, when his
Imperial Highness called for wine, behold, not only was the sacred
liquor, dedicated to his own peculiar imperial use, wholly exhausted or
left behind, but, to use the language of Horace, not the vilest Sabine
vintage could be procured; so that his Imperial Highness was glad to
accept the offer of a rude Varangian, who proffered his modicum of
decocted barley, which these barbarians prefer to the juice of the
grape. The Emperor, nevertheless, accepted of this coarse tribute."
"Insert," said the Emperor, who had been hitherto either plunged in
deep contemplation or in an incipient slumber, "insert, I say, these
very words: 'And with the heat of the morning, and anxiety of so rapid
a march, with a numerous enemy in his rear, the Emperor was so thirsty,
as never in his life to think beverage more delicious.'"
In obedience to her imperial father's orders, the Princess resigned the
manuscript to the beautiful slave by whom it was written, repeating to
the fair scribe the commanded addition, requiring her to note it, as
made by the express sacred command of the Emperor, and then proceeded
thus:--"More had I said here respecting the favourite liquor of your
Imperial Highnesses faithful Varangians; but your Highness having once
graced it with a word of commendation, this _ail_, as they call it,
doubtless because removing all disorders, which they term 'ailments,'
becomes a theme too lofty for the discussion of any inferior person.
Suffice it to say, that thus were we all pleasantly engaged, the ladies
and slaves trying to find some amusement for the imperial ears; the
soldiers, in a long line down the ravine, seen in different postures,
some straggling to the watercourse, some keeping guard over the arms of
their comrades, in which duty they relieved each other, while body
after body of the remaining troops, under command of the
Protospathaire, and particularly those called Immortals, [Footnote: The
[Greek: Athanatoi], or Immortals, of the army of Constantinople, were a
select body, so named, in imitation of the ancient Persians. They were
first embodied, according to Ducange, by Michael Ducas] joined the main
army as they came up. Those soldiers who were already exhausted, were
allowed to take a short repose, after which they were sent forward,
with directions to advance steadily on the road to Laodicea; while
their leader was instructed, so soon as he should open a free
communication with that city, to send thither a command for
reinforcements and refreshments, not forgetting fitting provision of
the sacred wine for the imperial mouth. Accordingly, the Roman bands of
Immortals and others had resumed their march, and held some way on
their journey, it being the imperial pleasure that the Varangians,
lately the vanguard, should now form the rear of the whole army, so as
to bring off in safety the Syrian light troops, by whom the hilly pass
was still occupied, when we heard upon the other side of this defile,
which he had traversed with so much safety, the awful sound of the
_Lelies_, as the Arabs name their shout of onset, though in what
language it is expressed, it would be hard to say. Perchance some in
this audience may enlighten my ignorance."
"May I speak and live," said the Acoulouthos Achilles, proud of his
literary knowledge, "the words are, _Alla illa alla, Mohamed resoul
alla_.[Footnote: i. e. "God is god--Mahomet is the prophet of God."]
These, or something like them, contain the Arabs' profession of faith,
which they always call out when they join battle; I have heard them
many times."
"And so have I," said the Emperor; "and as thou didst, I warrant me, I
have sometimes wished myself anywhere else than within hearing."
All the circle were alive to hear the answer of Achilles Tatius. He was
too good a courtier, however, to make any imprudent reply. "It was my
duty," he replied, "to desire to be as near your Imperial Highness as
your faithful Follower ought, wherever you might wish yourself for the
time."
Agelastes and Zosimus exchanged looks, and the Princess Anna Comnena
proceeded in her recitation.
"The cause of these ominous sounds, which came in wild confusion up the
rocky pass, was soon explained to us by a dozen cavaliers, to whom the
task of bringing intelligence had been assigned.
"These informed us, that the barbarians, whose host had been dispersed
around the position in which they had encamped the preceding day, had
not been enabled to get their forces together until our light troops
were evacuating the post they had occupied for securing the retreat of
our army. They were then drawing off from the tops of the hills into
the pass itself, when, in despite of the rocky ground, they were
charged furiously by Jezdegerd, at the head of a large body of his
followers, which, after repeated exertions, he had at length brought to
operate on the rear of the Syrians. Notwithstanding that the pass was
unfavourable for cavalry, the personal exertions of the infidel chief
made his followers advance with a degree of resolution unknown to the
Syrians of the Roman army, who, finding themselves at a distance from
their companions, formed the injurious idea that they were left thereto
be sacrificed, and thought of flight in various directions, rather than
of a combined and resolute resistance. The state of affairs, therefore,
at the further end of the pass, was less favourable than we could wish,
and those whose curiosity desired to see something which might be
termed the rout of the rear of an army, beheld the Syrians pursued from
the hill tops, overwhelmed, and individually cut down and made
prisoners by the bands of caitiff Mussulmans.
"His Imperial Highness looked upon the scene of battle for a few
minutes, and, much commoved at what he saw, was somewhat hasty in his
directions to the Varangians to resume their arms, and precipitate
their march towards Laodicea; whereupon one of those northern soldiers
said boldly, though in opposition to the imperial command, 'If we
attempt to go hastily down this hill, our rear-guard will be confused,
not only by our own hurry, but by these runaway scoundrels of Syrians,
who in their headlong flight will not fail to mix themselves among our
ranks. Let two hundred Varangians, who will live and die for the honour
of England, abide in the very throat of this pass with me, while the
rest escort the Emperor to this Laodicea, or whatever it is called. We
may perish in our defence, but we shall die in our duty; and I have
little doubt but we shall furnish such a meal as will stay the stomach
of these yelping hounds from seeking any farther banquet this day.'
"My imperial father at once discovered the importance of this advice,
though it made him wellnigh weep to see with what unshrinking fidelity
these poor barbarians pressed to fill up the number of those who were
to undertake this desperate duty--with what kindness they took leave of
their comrades, and with what jovial shouts they followed their
sovereign with their eyes as he proceeded on his march down the hill,
leaving them behind to resist and perish. The Imperial eyes were filled
with tears; and I am not ashamed to confess, that amid the terror of
the moment, the Empress, and I myself, forgot our rank in paying a
similar tribute to these bold and self-devoted men.
"We left their leader carefully arraying his handful of comrades in
defence of the pass, where the middle path was occupied by their
centre, while their wings on either side were so disposed as to act
upon the flanks of the enemy, should he rashly press upon such as
appeared opposed to him in the road. We had not proceeded half way
towards the plain, when a dreadful shout arose, in which the yells of
the Arabs were mingled with the deep and more regular shouts which
these strangers usually repeat thrice, as well when bidding hail to
their commanders and princes, as when in the act of engaging in battle.
Many a look was turned back by their comrades, and many a form was seen
in the ranks which might have claimed the chisel of a sculptor, while
the soldier hesitated whether to follow the line of his duty, which
called him to march forward with his Emperor, or the impulse of
courage, which prompted him to rush back to join his companions.
Discipline, however, prevailed, and the main body marched on.
"An hour had elapsed, during which we heard, from time to time, the
noise of battle, when a mounted Varangian presented himself at the side
of the Emperor's litter. The horse was covered with foam, and had
obviously, from his trappings, the fineness of his limbs, and the
smallness of his joints, been the charger of some chief of the desert,
which had fallen by the chance of battle into the possession of the
northern warrior. The broad axe which the Varangian bore was also
stained with blood, and the paleness of death itself was upon his
countenance. These marks of recent battle were held sufficient to
excuse the irregularity of his salutation, while he exclaimed,--'Noble
Prince, the Arabs are defeated, and you may pursue your march at more
leisure.'
"'Where is Jezdegerd?' said the Emperor, who had many reasons for
dreading this celebrated chief.
"'Jezdegerd,' continued the Varangian, 'is where brave men are who fall
in their duty.'
"'And that is'--said the Emperor, impatient to know distinctly the fate
of so formidable an adversary--
"'Where I am now going,' answered the faithful soldier, who dropped
from his horse as he spoke, and expired at the feet of the
litter-bearers. The Emperor called to his attendants to see that the
body of this faithful retainer, to whom he destined an honourable
sepulchre, was not left to the jackal or vulture; and some of his
brethren, the Anglo-Saxons, among whom he was a man of no mean repute,
raised the body on their shoulders, and resumed their march with this
additional encumbrance, prepared to fight for their precious burden,
like the valiant Menelaus for the body of Patroclus."
The Princess Anna Comnena here naturally paused; for, having attained
what she probably considered as the rounding of a period, she was
willing to gather an idea of the feelings of her audience. Indeed, but
that she had been intent upon her own manuscript, the emotions of the
foreign soldier must have more early attracted her attention. In the
beginning of her recitation, he had retained the same attitude which he
had at first assumed, stiff and rigid as a sentinel upon duty, and
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.