fragile. Armor protected no part of the body; whatever the
barbarians thought firm was weak; whatever the Franks touched
shattered. The field was covered with innumerable corpses, and the
thick pile of dead men disturbed the evenness of the grassy field.
Everywhere the earth, sprinkled with the hateful blood of Gentiles,
grew dark. Those who survived the carnage we inflicted saved their
lives by their speed afoot, and were pleased to unburden themselves
of their spoils, not out of generosity towards us, but to increase
their speed. Our state of mind changed utterly: fear changed into
courage, battle into victory, mourning into joy, hunger into plenty.
He who was naked now had clothing, those who were on foot now had
chariots, the poor man had money, the man who had been cast out now
danced with gratitude and joy. While these things were going on, the
fact that Bohemund and the count of Flanders were not present at the
siege was not hidden from the Turks who were in control of Antioch.
Made more confident by their absence, they came out, though
cautiously, to challenge us in battle more often, trying to find out
where the besiegers were weakest. Finally, seeing day, the third day
of the week, that seemed apt for trying their courage, they made a
sudden assault, and killed many of our foot-soldiers and knights, who
were caught unaware. The magnificent bishop of Puy lost a mainstay
of his court, the man who was his standard-bearer, who was among
those who perished. Had not the the river upon whose banks their
camp was pitched separated them, the carnage among the Christians
would have been very great. Meanwhile, Bohemund was on his way back,
having pillaged the Saracen provinces; he was traveling through the
mountainous area in which Tancred was staying, thinking that there he
might be able to find something to help the men besieging Antioch.
Although some of our men had carried off whatever they could see,
many found nothing at all, and returned empty-handed, that is,