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326 DESTEUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIEE the 28th, 1 and makes the sultan remind his leaders, with the usual voluptuous details, of the glories of paradise promised to the true believer who dies in battle. 2 Prepara- Meanwhile, within the city preparation of a different within the kind had been made. After the meeting of the council of Turkish nobles, the besieged, who seem always to have been well informed of what went on in the enemy's camp, learned at once that it had been decided to make a general assault forthwith. All day long during the last day of agony the alarm bell was ringing to call men, women, and children to their posts. Each man had his duty allotted to him for the morrow, while even women and children were employed to carry up stones to the walls to be hurled down upon the Turks. 3 The bailey of the Venetian colony issued a final appeal, calling upon all his people to aid in the defence, and urging them to fight and be ready to die for the love of God, the defence of the country, and ' per honor de tuta la Christianitade.' All honest men, says the Venetian diarist, obeyed the bailey's command, and the Venetians, besides aiding in the defence of the walls, took charge of the ships in the harbour and were guardians of the boom. Barbara and his fellow citizens occupied the day in making mantles for the protection of the soldiers upon the walls. The silence during the Monday before the landward walls was more impressive than the noise of previous war- like preparations. The Turks were keeping their fast. Probably during the afternoon they were allowed to sleep in 1 According to Critobulus, the meeting of the Council was on the 27th. 2 Phrantzes, 269-70. Was the speech as recorded by Critobulus ever delivered ? The answer I am disposed to give is that a speech was delivered which was substantially that reported by Phrantzes and Critobulus. The fashion followed by the Byzantine writers, and their desire to imitate classical models, by putting all speeches in the first person, made it necessary to invent a speech if the substance of what was said were known. Critobulus, writing some years after the capture and having had many opportunities of meeting with the Turkish leaders, was in a position to learn what was said and done by them, and hence his report, wherever it can be tested, almost invariably proves trust- worthy. 3 Barbaro, May 28.