OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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of all who had joined the camp in the blind hopeof plunder and martyrdom. The common im-pulse drove them onwards to the wall: the mostaudacious to climb were instantly precipitated ;and not a dart, not a bullet of the Christians wasidly wasted on the accumulated throng. Buttheir strength and ammunition were exhaustedin this laborious defence; the ditch was filledwith the bodies of the slain; they supported thefootsteps of their companions; and of this de-voted vanguard, the death was more serviceablethan the life. Under their respective bashaws andsanjaks, the troops of Anatolia and Romania were successively led to the charge; their pro-gress was various and doubtful; but, after a con-flict of two hours, the Greeks still maintainedand improved their advantage; and the voice ofthe emperor was heard, encouraging his soldiersto achieve, by a last effort, the deliverance oftheir country. In that fatal moment, the jani-zaries arose, fresh, vigorous, and invincible. Thesultan himself on horseback, with an iron macein his hand, was the spectator and judge of theirvalour: he was surrounded by ten thousand ofhis domestic troops, whom he reserved for thedecisive occasions; and the tide of battle wasdirected and impelled by his voice and eye. Hisnumerous ministers of justice were posted be-hind the line, to urge, to restrain, and to punish;and if danger was in the front, shame and inevit-able death were in the rear of the fugitives. Thecries of fear and of pain were drowned in themartial music of drums, trumpets, and attaballs;and experience has proved, that the mechanical

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