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368 DESTEUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIEE Christian and Moslem writers agree in stating that the sack of the city continued, as Mahomet had promised, for three days. Khodja Sad-ud-din, after affirming that the soldiers of Islam ' acted in accordance with the precept, " Slaughter their aged and capture their youth," ' adds, with the Oriental imagery of Turkish historians : 'For three days and nights there was, with the imperial permission, a general sack, and the victorious troops, through the richness of the spoil, entwined the arm of possession round the neck of their desires, and by binding the lustre of their hearts to the locks of the damsels, beautiful as houris, and by the sight of the sweetly smiling fair ones, they made the eye of their hopes the participator in their good fortune.' 1 It must, however, not be forgotten that although those who took the principal part in the sack were Mahometans, yet there were also no small numbers of Christian re- negades. 2 Numbers As to the number of persons captured or killed, the captured, estimates do not greatly differ. Leonard states that sixty thousand captives were bound together preparatory to their final distribution. In such cir- cumstances exaggeration is usual and almost unavoidable. But Critobulus, writing some years afterwards, estimates that the number of Greeks and Italians killed during the siege and after the capture was four thousand, that five hundred of the army and upwards of fifty thousand of the rest of the population were reduced to slavery. 3 Such of the Genoese and Venetians as had succeeded in escaping from the city were preparing to get away to sea with all haste. Happily the Turkish ships had been deserted by their crews, who were busy looking after their share of plunder on shore. 4 In their absence a large number of 1 P. 31. Khodja Sad-ud-din, translated by E. J. W. Gibb. 2 Keport of Superior of Franciscans. He was present at the siege and arrived at Bologna July 4, 1453. 3 Crit. lxvii. The Superior of the Franciscans reported that three thousand men were killed on both sides on May 29. Probably we shall not be far wrong in saying that between three and four thousand were killed on May 29 on the Christian side and fifty thousand made prisoners. 4 Barbaro and Ducas.