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 MAHOMET'S SPEECH TO HIS AEMY 323 i>o inspect his troops and see that all was ready. He passed before his three great divisions : Europeans, under Caraja ; the select troops, including the Janissaries, before the Myriandrion and the Mesoteichion, and the Asiatic division, between Top Capou and the sea, each of about fifty thousand men, and saw that all was ready. After having thus inspected his fleet ^omet and his army, he summoned the pashas and chief military the and naval officers once more to his tent. Critobulus gives pashaB ' us an account of what was said which probably represents fairly what passed. The decision was taken. The city was to be attacked. Before the assault began it was necessary for Mahomet to explain his plan of assault, give his final orders, and hold out to his followers every possible induce- ment to fight bravely. The sultan began by recalling to his hearers that in the city there was an infinite amount and variety of wealth of all kinds — treasure in the palaces and private houses, churches abounding in furniture of silver, gold, and precious stones. All were to be theirs. There were men of high rank and in great numbers who could be captured and sold as slaves ; there were great numbers of ladies of noble families, young and beautiful, and a host of other women, who could either be sold or taken into their harems. There were boys of good family. There were houses and beautiful gardens. ' I give you to-day,' said Mahomet, 4 a grand and populous city, the capital of the ancient Eomans, the very summit of splendour and of glory, which has become, so to say, the centre of the world. I give it over for you to pillage, to seize its incalculable treasures of men, women, and boys, and everything that adorns it. You will henceforward live in great happiness and leave great wealth to your children/ The chief gain for all the sons of Othman would be the conquest of a city whose fame was great throughout the whole world. The greater its renown, the greater would be the glory of taking it by assault. A great city which had always been their enemy, which had always looked upon them with a hostile eye, which in every way had sought to destroy the Turkish power, would come into their possession. Y 2