CHAP. VI.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

215

our blood with a truly infidel hate! Constanti-nople, Kegropont, the Morea, tell what you are toexpect. Let every person of common intellect joinin rejecting the false offers of these most irrationalwild beasts! They know neither law, nor reason,nor probity, nor anything good; but only avarice,cruelty, fraud, brute force—to put out and cancelthe very name of Rhodians, which they hate. Sixmonths have they shut us up here; they, like us, areexposed to extreme peril. Yet if we must bend tonecessity, let us at least betake us to exile then;but first, that is now, let us give them another de-feat. After that, we under arms, may bear off theholy banner of the cross from injuries, profanations,and ourselves from slavery and torments. Weshall be free and powerful, as long as we belong toourselves. So shall we acquire eternal glory, pre-pared among the immortals for those who die fortheir country.” Yet a wise Grecian warrior, whowas deeply attended to by both his own nation, andthe Latins, opined otherwise; and observed thatgrief and desperation made many men more elo-quent than prudent, confusing the true with thefalse, increasing bloodshed and useless fury, andpersuading to madness. “ Constantinople, Negro-pont, Modon, were all taken by storm, therefore notin our case. The Turks are not so false, as will