The emperor immediately retraced his steps towards Constantinople, and the crusaders found that they had no Greek aid to hope for.

The blockade, becoming stricter day by day, soon brought about a horrible famine in Antioch.

Instead of repeating here, in general terms, the ordinary descriptions of this cruel scourge, we will reproduce its particular and striking features as they have been traced out by contemporary chroniclers.

"The Christian people," says William of Tyre, "had recourse before long, to procure themselves any food whatever, to all sorts of shameful means.

Nobles, free men, did not blush to hungrily stretch out the hand to nobodies, asking with troublesome pertinacity for what was too often refused.