Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/425

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 403 fifty thousand pounds of gold, about two millions sterling ; nor would the conference have been abruptly broken, if the zeal or policy of Mourzoufle had not refused to sacrifice the Greek church to tlie safety of the state.'-'"^ Amidst the invectives of his foreign and domestic enemies, we may discern that he was not unworthy of the character which he had assumed, of the public champion : the second siege of Constantinople was far more laborious than the first ; the treasury was replenished, the discipline was re- stored, by a severe inquisition into the abuses of the former reign ; and Mourzoufle, an iron mace in his hand, visiting the posts and affecting the port and aspect of a warrior, was an object of terror to his soldiers, at least, and to his kinsmen. Before and after the death of Alexius, the Greeks made two vigorous and well-conducted attempts to burn the navy in the harbour ; but the skill and courage of the Venetians repulsed the fire-ships ; and the vagrant flames wasted themselves without injury in the sea.-'* In a nocturnal salh' the Greek emj^eror was vanquished by Heniy, brother of the count of Flanders ; the advantages of number and surprise aggravated the shame of his defeat ; his buckler was found on the field of battle ; and the Imperial stan- dard,^^ a divine image of the Virgin, was presented, as a trophy and a relic, to the Cistercian monks, the disciples of St. Bernard. Near three months, without excepting the holy season of Lent, were consumed in skirmishes and preparations, before the Latins were ready or resolved for a general assault. The land-fortifica- tions had been found impregnable ; and the Venetian pilots re- presented that, on the shore of the Propontis, the anchorage was unsafe, and the ships must be driven by the current far away to the straits of the Hellespont : a prospect not unpleasing to the reluctant pilgrims, who sought every opportunity of breaking the army. From the harbour, therefore, the assault was deter- mined by the assailants and expected by the besieged ; and the emperor had placed his scarlet ])avilions on a neighbouring height, to direct and animate the efforts of his troops, A fearless spec- tator, whose mind could entertain the ideas of pomp and pleasure, ^■'' This negotiation, probable in itself, and attested by Nicetas (p. 365 [in Murz. c. 2]), is omitted as scandalous by the delicacy of Dandolo and Villehardouin. "■* Baldwin mentions both attempts to fire the fleet (Gest. c. 92, p. 534, 535) ; Villehardouin (No. 113-115) only describes the first. It is remarkable that neither of these warriors observe any peculiar properties in the Greek fire. '■>" Ducange (Xo. 119) pours forth a torrent of learning on the Gonf.inon Im- perial. This banner of the Virgin is shown at Venice as a trophy and relic ; if it be genuine, the pious doge must have cheated the monks of Citeaux.