communicating with him by frequent messengers, and they often
informed each other about what was happening on both sides. As their
friendship grew, kindled by their steady conversations, little by
little Bohemund began to propose that the city, over which the Turk
had significant power, be surrendered to the Christians, and that he
accept Christianity. He promised him, if he did these two things,
that he would receive greater wealth, along with greater honor than
he had ever had. After these offers had been made not once, but many
times, attracted by the reward, he consented, and wrote a letter like
this, "I am in charge of three towers: I shall hand them over to you;
at whatever hour you please, or whatever time is convenient, I shall
gladly permit either you or whomever you wish to enter them." Hope
now began to lift Bohemund's spirit greatly, and while he waited to
enter the city, his handsome face shone with inward pleasure.
Fearing that, at the moment the city was being betrayed, one of our
leaders might seize control of the whole city for himself he cleverly
called the leaders of the army together.

"It is no secret," he said, "O excellent peers, what starvation, what
cold, what harsh vigils you have had to endure while besieging this
city; clearly a deadly weariness, for which there is no known remedy,
has descended equally on all of our people, the highest, the lowest,
and those in between. I ask you to hold a meeting among yourselves,
to consider whether you will give power over this city to one of us,
if he is able to obtain its surrender. It seems to me right, if
someone, whether by force, or in secret, or by bribery, manages to
gain entrance, that everyone categorically agree to grant him rule
over the city." The attitude of the leaders was very much at odds
with Bohemund's; with angry frowns they said, "It is not right that,
after the work and the fear have been shared by all, and undertaken