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 288 THE DECLINE AND FALL promiscuous multitudes of Peter the Hermit were savage beasts, alike destitute of humanity and reason ; nor was it possible for Alexius to prevent or deplore their destruction. The troops of Godfrey and his peers were less contemptible, but not less suspicious, to the Greek emperor. Their motives might be pure and pious ; but he was equally alarmed by his knowledge of the ambitious Bohemond and his ignorance of the Transalpine chiefs: the courage of the French was blind and headstrong ; they might be tempted by the luxury and wealth of Greece, and elated by the view and opinion of their invincible strength ; and Jerusalem might be forgotten in the prospect of Constantinople. After a long march and painful abstinence, the troops of Godfrey encamped in the plains of Thrace ; they heard with indignation that their brother, the count of Vermandois, was imprisoned by the Greeks ; and their reluctant Duke was compelled to indulge them in some freedom of retaliation and rapine. They were appeased by the submission of Alexius ; he promised to supply their camp ; and, as they refused, in the midst of winter, to pass the Bosphorus, their quarters were assigned among the gardens and palaces on the shores of that narrow sea. But an incurable jealousy still rankled in the minds of the two nations, who de- spised each other as slaves and barbarians. Ignorance is the ground of suspicion, and suspicion was inflamed into daily provocations; prejudice is blind, hunger is deaf; and Alexius is accused of a design to stai've or assault the Latins on a danger- ous post, on all sides encompassed with the waters.*'^ Godfrey sounded his ti'umpets, burst the net, overspread the plain, and insulted the suburbs ; but the gates of Constantinople were strongly fortified ; the ramparts were lined with archers ; and, after a doubtful conflict, both parties listened to the voice of peace and religion. The gifts and promises of the emperor in- sensibly soothed the fierce spirit of the western strangers ; as a Christian warrior, he rekindled their zeal for the prosecution of their holy enterprise, which he engaged to second with his troops and treasures. On the return of spring, Godfrey was persuaded to occupy a pleasant and plentiful camp in Asia ; and no sooner had he passed the Bosphorus, than the Greek vessels 88 Between the Black Sea, the Bosphorus, and the river Barbyses, which is deep in summer, and runs fifteen miles through a flat meadow. Its communication with Europe and Constantinople is by the stone-bridge of the Blachcrnae [close to St. Callinicus], which in successive ages was restored by Justinian and Basil (Gyllius de Bosphoro Thracio, 1. ii. c. 3 ; Ducangc, C, P. Christiana, 1. iv. c. 2, p. 179)-