communications and other ecclesiastical
penalties. He trimmed the talons of princes while their defenders were
absent. Papal authority rose as secular authority went down. It gave the
people peace at home at the expense of national independence.

[Sidenote: _Fear of Eclipse_]

How much science has done for humanity in relieving it of evil signs and
omens we may know by this, that the reddened moon under eclipse and the
waving streamers of the Aurora combined to persuade the people that the
war was of God. The indifferent were stirred by these prodigies, and
joined the Crusade, and Italy was moved as never before. More princes,
knights, and bishops than can be recorded joined in the march. Alexius,
the craven emperor, who had invited Latin help, trembled with good
reason at the hundreds of thousands now headed toward his capital. He
was a true Greek in sending ambassadors to greet them and in hiding his
troops where they could harass them.

[Sidenote: _Confused Tracks_]

[Sidenote: _A Mean Emperor_]

No one can untangle the tracks of the many bands as described by the
annalists of each expedition. Some went the ruggedest way; some the
smoothest. Alexius made a prisoner of a shipwrecked count, only to have
Godfrey shake him into frenzies of fear by attacking one of his
provinces. He purchased allegiance from his prisoner only to make
himself and his prisoner objects of contempt. He tried to starve
Godfrey's army by refusing provisions, only to have that army bring the
fear of famine to his capital through the energy with which it helped
itself. The approach of Christmas was used as a basis of peace. The
foraging ceased, and Alexius provided food.

[Sidenote: _Christians Quarreling_]

The spectacle of disagreement and of growing contempt for each other is
painful to any who this day bear the Christian name. The Greeks had the
same contempt for the Latins which the Chinese have for the foreign
devil. Unable to resist their arms, they took refuge in the futilities
of philosophy as their proof of superiority, and in the trickery which,
at some periods, had helped them well. But nothing could meet or
restrain the skill, courage, and discipline of the forces pledged to the
cross, and no complacency was proof against the contempt of the Latins
for the Greeks, who, calling themselves Christians, were indifferent to
the cry of the oppressed city of the Savior's passion.

[Sidenote: _Alexius Deceives Godfrey_]

Alexius d