Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/417

 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 395 these daring achievements^ a remnant of twenty thousand Latins soHcited the Hcence of besieging a capital which contained above four hundred thousand inhabitants/'' able, though not willing, to bear arms in the defence of their country. Such an account would indeed suppose a population of near two millions ; but, whatever abatement may be required in the numbere of the Greeks, the belief of those numbers will equally exalt the fear- less spirit of their assailants. In the choice of the attack, the French and Venetians were First siege divided by their habits of life and warfare. The former affirmed of constanti- with truth that Constantinople was most accessible on the side Latms. juiy - 7-18 of the sea and the harbour. The latter might assert with honour that they had long enough trusted their lives and fortunes to a frail bark and a precarious element, and loudly demanded a trial of knightliood, a firm ground, and a close onset, either on foot or horseback. After a prudent compromise, of employing the two nations by sea and land in the service best suited to their character, the fleet covering the army, they both proceeded from the entrance to the extremity of the harbour ; the stone-bridge of the river was hastily repaired ; and the six battles of the French formed their encampment against the front of the capital, the basis of the triangle v.-hieh runs about four miles from the port to the Propontis.'^'' On the edge of a broad ditch, at the foot of a lofty rampart, they had leisure to contemplate the dif- ficulties of their enterprise. The gates to the right and left of their nari'ow camp poured forth frequent sallies of cavahy and light infantiy, which cut off their stragglers, swept the country of provisions, sounded the alarm five or six times in the course of each day, and compelled them to plant a palisade, and sink an entrenchnaent, for their immediate safety. In the supplies and convoys the Venetians had been too sparing, or the Franks too voracious ; the usual complaints of hunger and scarcity were heard, and perhaps felt ; their stock of flour would be exhausted in three "'' Quatre cens mil homes ou plus (Villehardouin, No. 134) must be understood of men of a military age. Le Beau (Hist, du Bas Empire, torn. .xx. p. 417) allows Constantinople a million of inhabitants, of whom 60,000 horse, and an infinite number of foot-soldiers. In its present decay the capital of the Ottoman empire may contain 400,000 souls (Bell's Travels, vol. ii. p. 401, 402) ; but, as the Turks keep no registers, and as circumstances are fallacious, it is impossible to ascertain (Niebuhr, Voyage en Arabic, torn. i. p. 18, 19) the real populousness of their cities. "'^ On the most correct plans of Constantinople, I know not how to measure more than 4000 paces. Yet Villehardouin computes the space at three leagues fXo. 86). If his eye were not deceived, he must reckon by the old Gallic league of 1500 paces, which might still be used in Champagne.