But the impediments were not to be surmounted; in less than a week it
was formally reported to Byron that Missolonghi could not furnish the
means of undertaking the siege of Lepanto, upon which his Lordship
proposed that Lepanto should be only blockaded by two thousand men.
Before any actual step was, however, taken, two spies came in with a
report that the Albanians in garrison at Lepanto had seized the
citadel, and were determined to surrender it to his Lordship. Still
the expedition lingered; at last, on the 14th of February, six weeks
after Byron's arrival at Missolonghi, it was determined that an
advanced guard of three hundred soldiers, under the command of Count
Gamba, should march for Lepanto, and that Lord Byron, with the main
body, should follow. The Suliotes were, however, still exorbitant,
calling for fresh contributions for themselves and their families.
His troubles were increasing, and every new rush of the angry tide
rose nearer and nearer his heart; still his fortitude enabled him to
preserve an outward show of equanimity. But, on the very day after
the determination had been adopted, to send forward the advanced
guard, his constitution gave way.

He was sitting in Colonel Stanhope's room, talking jestingly,
according to his wonted manner, with Captain Parry, when his eyes and
forehead occasionally discovered that he was agitated by strong
feelings. On a sudden he complained of a weakness in one of his
legs; he rose, but finding himself unable to walk, called for
assistance; he then fell into a violent nervous convulsion, and was
placed upon a bed: while the fit lasted, his face was hideously
distorted; but in the course of a few minutes the convulsion ceased,
and he began to recover his senses: his speech returned, and he soon
rose, apparently well. During the struggle his strength was
preternaturally augmented, and when it was over, he behaved with his
usual firmness. "I conceive," says Colonel Stanhope, "that this fit
was occasioned by over-excitement. The mind of Byron is like a
volcano; it is full of fire, wrath, and combustibles, and when this
matter comes to be strongly agitated, the explosion is dreadful.
With respect to the causes which produced the excess of feeling, they
are beyond my reach, except one great cause, the provoking conduct of
the Suliotes."

A few days after this distressing incident, a new occurrence arose,
which materially disturbed the tranquillity of Byron. A