rs disappeared from the ramparts, so that
there were none left for the defence. Queen Calafia saw this, and, with
a loud voice, she bade the two Sultans, who commanded the troops, send
for the ladders, for the city was taken. At once they all rushed
forward, placed the ladders, and mounted upon the wall. But the
griffins, who had already dropped those whom they had seized before, as
soon as they saw the Turks, having no knowledge of them, seized upon
them just as they had seized upon the Christians, and, flying through
the air, carried them up also, when, letting them fall, no one of them
escaped death. Thus were exchanged the pleasure and the pain. For those
on the outside now were those who mourned in great sorrow for those who
were so handled; and those who were within, who, seeing their enemies
advance on every side, had thought they were beaten, now took great
comfort. So, at this moment, as those on the ramparts stopped,
panic-struck, fearing that they should die as their comrades did, the
Christians leaped forth from the vaults where they were hiding, and
quickly slew many of the Turks who were gathered on the walls, and
compelled the rest to leap down, and then sprang back to their
hiding-places, as they saw the griffins return.

"When Queen Calafia saw this, she was very sad, and she said, 'O ye
idols in whom I believe and whom I worship, what is this which has
happened as favorably to my enemies as to my friends? I believed that
with your aid and with my strong forces and great munition I should be
able to destroy them. But it has not so proved.' And she gave orders to
her women that they should mount the ladders and struggle to gain the
towers and put to the sword all those who took refuge in them to be
secure from the griffins. They obeyed their Queen's commands, dismounted
at once, placing before their breasts such breastplates as no weapon
could pierce, and, as I told you, with the armor all of gold which
covered their legs and their arms. Quickly they crossed the plain, and
mounted the ladders lightly, and possessed themselves of the whole
circuit of the walls, and began to fight fiercely with those who had
taken refuge in the vaults of the towers. But they defended themselves
bravely, being indeed in quarters well protected, with but narrow doors.
And those of the city, who were in the streets below, shot at the women
with arrows and darts, which pierced them through the sides, so that
they received many