433 ROGER OF WEND-OVER. [A.D. 1009. The lamentation of Admiraviius ; the victory and the xpoils. Admiravisus, scarcely alive and mortally wounded, uttered the following lamentation to the Almighty, " Creator of all things, what cruel destiny is mine ! what indelible disgrace to our arms ! A small and needy body of men has prevailed over our large forces ! I led hither two hundred thousand cavalry,* and infantry surpassing number, able, as we supposed, to conquer the whole world : but now, if I am not mistaken, they have been disgracefully defeated by less than a thousand cavalry and a few thousand infantry. Without doubt their God is almighty and fights for them, or ours is angry with us, and chastens us in his severe displeasure. However this may be, I shall never again meet them in battle, but return with disgrace to my country, whilst I am yet alive." With these words he renewed his tears, and indulged in the most profuse lamentations. The Turks were now meditating flight, when a knight of Lorraine, who had been posted in the rear with duke Godfrey, charging them on the flanks cut off their chance of retreat. Thus, attacked by the duke of Normandy in front, and cut off from retreat by those who were behind them, they Avere cut to pieces at the will of the Christians ; the admiral on a dromedary escaped by a rapid flight. Our army, then, having been blessed with this victory from on high, arrived at the enemy's camp, where they found such abundance of gold, silver, stuffs, precious stones, and riches unknown to our parts of the world, that they were surfeited therewith, and the least of them could say with the poet : f " Plenty hath made me poor." Duke Robert redeemed the standard at twenty marks of silver from those who kept it whilst he pursued the enemy, and carried it to our Lord's sepulchre to be a monument of this memorable victory. Another man bought the sword of the same admiral for forty bezants. In this manner the enemy was put to flight, and our army having, by God's gift, obtained the victory, returned with great joy to Jerusalem, encumbered with an immense quantity of spoil. * This mast be an exaggeration ; it may be doubted whether two hundred thousand cavalry ever yet met together under one commander. t Ovid. Met. lib. iii. v. 466.