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 418 THE DECLINE AND FALL straits of Thermopylae ; occupied the unknown cities of Thebes, Athens,and Argos ;^^ and assaulted the fortifications of Corinth and Napoli,^^ Avhich resisted his arms. The lots of the Latin pilgrims were regulated by chance, or choice, or subsequent exchange ; and they abused, with intemperate joy, the triumph over the lives and fortunes of a great people. After a minute survey of the provinces, they weighed in the scales of avarice the revenue of each district, the advantage of the situation, and the ample or scanty supplies for the maintenance of soldiers and horses. Their presumption claimed and divided the long-lost depen- dencies of the Roman sceptre ; the Nile and Euphrates rolled through their imaginaiy realms ; and happy was the warrior who drew for his prize the palace of the Turkish sultan of Iconium.^" I shall not descend to the pedigree of families and the rent-rolls of estates, but I wish to specify that the counts of Blois and St. Pol were invested with the duchy of Nice and the lordship of Demotica ; ^® the principal fiefs were held by the service of constable, chamberlain, cup-bearer, butler, and chief cook ; and our historian, Jeffrey of Villehardouin, obtained a fair establishment on the banks of the Hebrus, and united the double office of marshal of Champagne and Romania. At the head of his knights and archers each baron mounted on horse- back to secure the possession of his share, and their first efforts were generally successful. But the public force was weakened by their dispersion ; and a thousand quarrels must arise under ^5 [Leo Sguros of Nauplia made himself master of Nauplia, Argos, Corinth, and Thebes. He besieged Athens (see below, p. 484, note 72) ; and the Acropolis, defended by the archbishop Akominatos, defied him. From Thebes he went to Thessaly, and meeting the Emperor Alexius at Larissa married his daughter and received from him the title of Sebastohyperiatos. When Boniface and his knights approached, father- in-law and son-in-law retreated to Thermopylae, but did not await the approach of the enemy. Bodonitza close to the pass was granted by Boniface as a fief to Guy Pallavicini. Before he proceeded against Thebes, Amphissa, which about this time assumes the name Salona (or Sula), was taken, and given with the neigh- bouring districts including Delphi and the port of Galaxidi to Thomas of Stromon- court. For Thebes and Athens see below, p. 484.] ^^Napoli di Romania, or Nauplia, the ancient sea-port of Argos, is still a place of strength and consideration, situate on a rocky peninsula, with a good harbour (Chandler's Travels into Greece, p. 227). [It narrowly escaped becoming the capital of the modern kingdom of Greece.] 1" I have softened the expression of Nicetas, who strives to expose the presump- tion of the Franks. See de Rebus post C. P. expugnatam, p. 375-384. ^* A city surrounded by the river Hebrus, and six leagues to the south of Ha- drianople, received from its double wall the Greek name of Didymoteichos, insen- sibly corrupted into Demotica and Dimot. I have preferred the more convenient and modern appellation of Demotica. This place was the last Turkish residence, of Charles Xn.