THE VARANGIANS. 207 



military qualities of Alexius were not contemptible, he felt a just 

 confidence in the superiority of his own. He addressed his warriors 

 in an animating speech, though he did not disguise from them the 

 peril of their situation ; and finally, to dispel all idea of flight, from 

 the minds of those, if such there were, who were disposed to it, he pro- 

 posed to them, (and the proposal was accepted with acclamation,) to 

 burn immediately their vessels and their baggage, and he thus awaited 

 before his lines the attack of the enemy having a rivulet in his 

 rear, a range of hills on his left wing, and on the right the sea. The 

 town was in the rear of the Normans, beyond the river. The garri- 

 son had been directed by Alexius, to aid his operations by a sally, 

 but this had been foreseen by Guiscard, and the enterprise prevented 

 by the destruction of the bridge which crossed the stream. 



With the morning's light the Normans beheld their enemies close 

 upon them, for they had marched in darkness, in the vain hope of 

 surprising the wary Robert. In their van advanced the formidable 

 Varangians, armed with those weighty axes, against which, wielded 

 by English arms, no armour was proof; the cavalry were dispersed 

 on both flanks, and the Greek infantry were somewhat imprudently 

 posted in the rear of the islanders, a disposition which was calculated 

 to render their missiles of no avail, and to entail certain disaster upon 

 them, should the Varangians be defeated. Led by their Acolyth or 

 chief, the latter rushed upon the Norman infantry, with the desperate 

 energy of bull-dogs, and for a short time the contest was terrible, and 

 the ground was speedily heaped with the carcases of the slain, whose 

 wounds indicated the terrible nature of the weapons with which they 

 had been inflicted, for arms, legs, and heads might be seen on every 

 side, lopped from their disfigured trunks. Amongst the numbers of 

 those who bit the dust, lay Michael, the pretended claimant of the 

 Greek crown. But this lasted not long. The Italian infantry, who 

 were opposed to the English warriors, struck with consternation at 

 the fearful slaughter spreading through their ranks, in spite of the 

 gallant exertions of their leaders, gave way, and at length fell into 

 general and irretrievable confusion. But their flight was checked by 

 the river and the sea, and some Venetian vessels which, as allies of 

 the Greek emperor, guarded the coast, plied the unfortunate fugi- 

 tives with showers of missiles. The wife of Robert, in vainly endea- 

 vouring to rally them by a masculine display of courage, was wounded 

 by an arrow. The duke himself, rearing his stately form, which 

 surpassed in height that of his tallest warriors, and snouting, in the 

 most powerful tones of his sonorous voice, reminded them of the 

 hopeless folly of their flight ; but had his hopes rested on the conduct 

 of the men he now addressed, his defeat would have been inevitable. 

 But the impetuosity of the English proved, as he had anticipated, the 

 cause of their own discomfiture. Advancing rapidly, as if the victory 

 was already gained, they outstripped their less ardent allies, and their 

 flank, unprotected by any natural defence, and now deprived of the 

 light Turkish squadrons, by which it had been veiled rather than for- 

 tified, was charged by a reserve of steel-clad Norman knights, which 

 Guiscard, ever provident, had held in readiness for this especial ser- 

 vice. The enemy, suddenly emerging from the tumultous throng, 



