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THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book i.

of 1121, and sent word that he was sure to take thetown he Avas besieging; for that he had reduced itto the state “ of a horse that had lost the use of hisforefeet, and Avhom 1 his master pampers up withbarley, in the hopes of selling him to advantage;the barley all eaten, the horse dies, and the sultanhas neither barley nor horse.” , But Baldwin failed,and the Mussulman autocrat smiled Avith scorn.Yet his was a short-lived exultation; for, eating

mutton, and melon and other fruit, his belly1122 ’ .

swelled and gave him an oppression of the

chest that killed him. 2 But his nepheAv Balac, nearEdessa, surprised Joscelin (to Avhom, as a Christian,the Mahometan deals his usual God curse him), andAvanted him to surrender his country; but theFrank, prisoner as he was, had the courage to reply:“We and our castles are like the camel and hispack-saddle; when the camel dies—but no sooner—his pack-saddle passes to another.” 3 So Balac,spreading terror over both banks, Avent along theriver like the roaring lion of Scripture, seekingwhom he may devour; Avhile he carried JoscelinAvith him to his hold in the north of Mesopotamia. 4Whereat Baldwin II. sallied forth ; yet, insteadof setting Joscelin free, was taken himself, and

1 Arab. Chron., 45. 2 Id.: 46.

3 Id. : 46. 4 Michaud: Hist. Crois., ii. 63.