Page:Destruction of the Greek Empire.djvu/317

277 CHAPTEE XIII constantine alleged to have sued for peace ; attempt to desteoy turkish ships in the golden horn ; postponed ; made and fails ; murder of captives ; reprisals; operations in lycus valley; bridge built over golden horn ; sending to seek vene- TIAN fleet; PROPOSAL THAT EMPEROR SHOULD LEAVE CITY ; ATTACKS ON BOOM ; JEALOUSY BETWEEN VENE- TIANS AND GENOESE ; NEW ASSAULTS FAIL BOTH AT WALLS AND BOOM ; ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE WALLS ; CONSTRUCTION OF A TURRET ; DESTROYED BY BESIEGED ; FAILURE OF VESSEL SENT TO FIND VENETIAN FLEET; UNLUCKY OMENS. Ducas relates that about this time, when the emperor found Constan- that the walls which had resisted the Arabs and other m- alleged to vaders were not strong enough to support the attack of J^peSe?' Mahomet's cannon, he sent an offer to pay any amount of tribute which might be imposed on condition that the siege should be abandoned. His narrative would imply that the offer was made immediately after the transport of the fleet overland. 1 Mahomet replied to the emperor that it was too late ^ that he meant to obtain the city or die in the attempt. He, however, made a counter proposal. If the emperor would leave it, he would give him the Morea, would appoint his brother to rule over other provinces, and thus sultan and emperor might live at peace with each other. If this counter proposal were rejected, he declared his intention of putting the emperor and all his nobles to the sword, of 1 Ducas, xxviii.