William of Apulia

William of Apulia (Latin: Guillelmus Apuliensis; fl. 1090s) was a poet and chronicler of the Normans. His Latin epic, Gesta Roberti Wiscardi ("The Deeds of Robert Guiscard"), written in hexameters, is one of the principal contemporary sources for the Norman conquest of southern Italy, especially the career of Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia (1059–1085). Quotes thumb|The Germans who opposed the Normans in Italy, derided their shortness of stature. thumb|Alexius...was compelled to return home inglorious, weeping — he who had once vainly hoped for the glory of a triumph. Teutonici, quia caesaries et forma decorosFecerat egregie proceri corporis illos,Corpora derident Normanica, quae brevioraEsse videbantur. The Germans who opposed the Normans in Italy, derided their shortness of stature. Gesta Roberti Wiscardi, bk. 2, in Muratori, vol. 5, p. 259. Paraphrased in Michelet's History of France, tr. G. H. Smith, vol. 1 (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1882), p. 197    Superatur Alexius, atqueTerga dedere sui, quia plus quam milia quinqueArgolicae gentis sunt hoc certamine caesa;Pars quoque Turchorum cum Graecis interit ingens,Captus et armorum varius nitor est et equorum,Captaque sunt Danaum diversi signa decoris.Vis equites de gente duas potuere peremptiCerni triginta. Lacrimatur Alexius, hostemPraevaluisse sibi, cui nec par copia gentis,Nec par census erat, discedit saucius ipse,Cogitur et lacrimans inglorius ille reverti,Gloria cui fuerat frustra sperata triumphi. Alexius was overcome, his men fled; more than five thousand of the Greek army were killed in this battle, a large proportion of the Turks perished along with the Greeks, shining arms and sleek horses were captured, and so too were various Greek banners of honour. Of the duke's army, barely thirty dead knights could be seen. Alexius wept to think that the enemy had proved stronger than he, especially since they were not his equals in numbers of troops or in wealth. He withdrew, himself wounded, and was compelled to return home inglorious, weeping — he who had once vainly hoped for the glory of a triumph. Gesta Roberti Wiscardi, bk. 4, in Elizabeth Hallam, Chronicles of the Crusades (New York: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1989), p. 54 (Siege of Durazzo, 1081) External links Category:Chroniclers