ABSTRACT
And when all were ready for battle, day was beginning to dawn, and all cried to the admiral: “ Let us attack, for they are all ours.” And then the admiral did a thing which should be counted to him more for madness than for sense ; he said, God forbid he should attack them in their sleep, rather did he wish the trumpets and nakers to be sounded in the galleys to wake them up, and he would let them prepare. He did not wish that any man could say to him that he would not have defeated them if he had not found them asleep. And all cried : “ The admiral says well.” And this the admiral did more especially as it was his first battle since he had been made admiral, and he thus wished to show his boldness and the prowess of the worthy people with him. And he had the trumpets and nakers sounded and they began to enter the harbour, formed in line, and all galleys lashed together. And the Provencals awoke at the evil sound and, at once, the admiral En Roger, raising the oars, let them put on armour and get ready. And there came down from the castle full a hundred men of rank ; and, between Provengals and Frenchmen who went on board the galleys of the Provencals, they were much the stronger, and this appeared clearly in the battle. And when En G. Cornut, the admiral of Marseilles, saw the pride of the admiral En Roger de Luria, who might have killed or taken them all without a battle, he said, so loud that all heard i t : “ Ah, God, what is this ? What people are these ? These are not men, rather are they devils, whose only wish is a battle, for they could have taken us all already if they had wished, but they did not wish it.” And he added : “ Therefore, Lords, consider who you have to fight with ; now seems the time to act. Here is the pride of Catalonia against the honour of Provence, or all dishonour, as long as the world lasts. Therefore be all prepared to do well, for we have arrived at the point that we have sought since leaving Marseilles;
it seems to me that we need not have sought it, for they have come to us. Now let the event go as it may, for there is no holding back.”
