ion of the victors, the slaughter would
in all probability have been much greater.

In many of the bloody wars which defile the page of history, we find that
soldiers, utterly reckless of the works of God, will destroy his
masterpiece, man, with unsparing brutality, but linger with respect round
the beautiful works of art. They will slaughter women and children, but
spare a picture; will hew down the sick, the helpless, and the
hoary-headed, but refrain from injuring a fine piece of sculpture. The
Latins, on their entrance into Constantinople, respected neither the works
of God nor man, but vented their brutal ferocity upon the one, and
satisfied their avarice upon the other. Many beautiful bronze statues,
above all price as works of art, were broken into pieces to be sold as old
metal. The finely-chiselled marble, which could be put to no such vile
uses, was also destroyed with a recklessness, if possible, still more
atrocious.[18]

[18] The following is a list of some of the works of art thus
destroyed, from Nicetas, a contemporary Greek author: 1st. A
colossal Juno, from the forum of Constantine, the head of
which was so large that four horses could scarcely draw it
from the place where it stood to the palace. 2d. The statue
of Paris, presenting the apple to Venus. 3d. An immense
bronze pyramid, crowned by a female figure, which turned with
the wind. 4th. The colossal statue of Bellerophon, in bronze,
which was broken down and cast into the furnace. Under the
inner nail of the horse's hind foot on the left side, was
found a seal wrapped in a woollen cloth. 5th. A figure of
Hercules, by Lysimachus, of such vast dimensions that the
thumb was equal in circumference to the waist of a man. 6th.
The Ass and his Driver, cast by order of Augustus after the
battle of Actium, in commemoration of his having discovered
the position of Anthony through the means of an ass-driver.
7th. The Wolf suckling the Twins of Rome. 8th. The gladiator
in combat with a lion. 9th. The Hippopotamus. 10th. The
Sphinxes. 11th. An Eagle fighting with a Serpent. 12th. A
beautiful statue of Helen. 13th. A group, with a monster
somewhat resembling a bull, engaged in deadly conflict with a
serpent; and many other works of art, too numerous to
mention.