Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/313

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 291 Alexius ; but they cherished a secret hope that, as soon as they trode the continent of Asia, their swords would obliterate their shame, and dissolve the engagement, which on his side might not be very faithfully performed. The ceremony of their homage was grateful to a people who had long since considered pride as the substitute of power. High on his throne, the emperor sat mute and immoveable : his majesty was adored by the Latin princes ; and they submitted to kiss either his feet or his knees, an indignity which their own writers are ashamed to confess and unable to deny."" Private or public interest suppressed the murmurs of the dukes JP°l^^' and counts ; but a French baron (he is supposed to be Robert of Paris ^•') presumed to ascend the throne, and to place himself by the side of Alexius. The sage reproof of Baldwin provoked him to exclaim, in his barbarous idiom, "Who is this rustic, that keeps his seat, while so many valiant captains are standing round him } " The emperor maintained his silence, dissembled his in- dignation, and questioned his interpreter concerning the mean- ing of the words, which he partly suspected from the universal language of gesture and countenance. Before the departure of the pilgrims, he endeavoured to learn the name and condition of the audacious baron. " I am a Frenchman," replied Robert, " of the purest and most ancient nobility of my country. All that I know is, that there is a church in my neighbourhood,"* the re- sort of those who are desirous of approving their valour in single [combat. Till an enemy appears, they address their prayers to [God and his saints. That church I have frequently visited, but 'never have I found an antagonist who dared to accept my defiance." Alexius dismissed the challenger with some prudent ^*The proud historians of the crusades slide and stumble over this humiliating step. Yet, since the heroes knelt to salute the emperor as he sat motionless on his throne, it is clear that they must have kissed either his feet or knees. It is only singular that Anna should not have amply supplied the silence or ambiguity of the Latins. The abasement of their princes would have added a fine chapter to the Ceremoniale Aulae Byzantinre. ^2 He called himself ^pdyyo^ KaOaph^ ti'w eifyevCtv (Alexias, 1. x. p. 301 [c. 11]). What a title of noblesse of the xith century, if any one could now prove his inherit- ance ! Anna relates, with visible pleasure, that the swelling barbarian, .Varrro? TeTu-Jxa^cVos, was killed, or wounded, after fighting in the front in the battle of Dorylasum (1. xi. p. 317). This circumstance may justify the suspicion of Ducange (Not. p. 362) that he was no other than Robert of Paris, of the district most pecu- liarly styled the Duchy or Island of France (JJ Isle de France). ^•* With the same penetration, Ducange discovers his church to be that of St. Drausus, or Drosin, of Soissons, quem duello dimicaturi sclent invocare ; pugiles qui ad memoriam ejus (his tomb) pernoctant invictos reddit, ut et de Burgundii et Italia tali necessitate confugiatur ad eum. Joan. Sariburiensis, epist. 139.