Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/305

THE PLOT. 2S7 conclusion. The expedition to Homania would require an extension of time for the employment of the fleet chartered from A^enice, and would therefore greatly enricli the rei)ublic. Dandolo knew that its great advantage would lie in its ena- bling him to keep his promise towards the Sultan of Kgypt, since, if the Crusaders ever fought against the infidel, it would be in Syria and not in Egypt. All the Venetians hoped that the republic would thus be enabled to punish Constantinople, and at least to obtain better concessions from the empire than any other Italian state ; while, finally, the desire of Dandolo to be revenged upon the empire would be gratified. The place of meeting was a palace occupied by Dandolo. The messeno^ers were introduced, and explained Definite pro- , -t~»i m- -rr'ii ^ ■> posaisaie that thov had come from ihilip. Villehardouin Bubmitted. -^ . i /• i • /, tit professes to give tlie words of tlieir message: My lords, says the king, I shall send you my wife's brother. I put him in the hand of God and in yours. Since you are fighting for God, for right, and for justice, you ought, if you can, to restore to their inheritance those who have been wrong- fully dispossessed. If you are willing, he, Alexis, will make with you the best agreement that anybody ever made, and will give you the most powerful aid for conquering the Holy Land. In the first place, if God allows you to restore him, he will place the whole of Eomania under obedience to Home. Moreover, he knows that you have exhausted your substance and are poor. He will give you, therefore, two hundred thou- sand silver marks and provisions to all in the army, small and great. He will personally go with you into the land of Baby- lon, or, if you prefer it, will send there ten thousand men at his expense, and will keep them there for a year ; and for the rest of his life he will maintain, at his own expense, five hun- dred knights in the Holy Land as a guard. My lords, we have full powers to conclude an agreement on these terms, provided you are also willing. And remember that so good an arrangement was never offered, and he who refuses it will show that he has no wish for conquest." These are the terms of the proposal as given by Yillehardouin. There were other conditions which regarded the Venetians, and which may on