andeventheArabsofAndalusiaweresometimestemptedtoassistoropposetheMoslemsofanadversesect。Intherevolutionofhumanevents，anewambuscadewasconcealedintheCaudineForks，thefieldsofCannaewerebedewedasecondtimewiththebloodoftheAfricans，andthesovereignofRomeagainattackedordefendedthewallsofCapuaandTarentum。AcolonyofSaracenshadbeenplantedatBari，whichcommandstheentranceoftheAdriaticGulf；andtheirimpartialdepredationsprovokedtheresentment，andconciliatedtheunionofthetwoemperors。AnoffensivealliancewasconcludedbetweenBasiltheMacedonian，thefirstofhisrace，andLewisthegreat—grandsonofCharlemagne；^3andeachpartysuppliedthedeficienciesofhisassociate。ItwouldhavebeenimprudentintheByzantinemonarchtotransporthisstationarytroopsofAsiatoanItaliancampaign；andtheLatinarmswouldhavebeeninsufficientifhissuperiornavyhadnotoccupiedthemouthoftheGulf。ThefortressofBariwasinvestedbytheinfantryoftheFranks，andbythecavalryandgalleysoftheGreeks；and，afteradefenceoffouryears，theArabianemirsubmittedtotheclemencyofLewis，whocommandedinpersontheoperationsofthesiege。ThisimportantconquesthadbeenachievedbytheconcordoftheEastandWest；buttheirrecentamitywassoonimbitteredbythemutualcomplaintsofjealousyandpride。TheGreeksassumedastheirownthemeritoftheconquestandthepompofthetriumph；
extolledthegreatnessoftheirpowers，andaffectedtoderidetheintemperanceandslothofthehandfulofBarbarianswhoappearedunderthebannersoftheCarlovingianprince。Hisreplyisexpressedwiththeeloquenceofindignationandtruth:\"Weconfessthemagnitudeofyourpreparation，\"saysthegreat—
grandsonofCharlemagne。\"Yourarmieswereindeedasnumerousasacloudofsummerlocusts，whodarkentheday，flaptheirwings，and，afterashortflight，tumblewearyandbreathlesstotheground。Likethem，yesunkafterafeebleeffort；yewerevanquishedbyyourowncowardice；andwithdrewfromthesceneofactiontoinjureanddespoilourChristiansubjectsoftheSclavoniancoast。Wewerefewinnumber，andwhywerewefew?
Because，afteratediousexpectationofyourarrival，Ihaddismissedmyhost，andretainedonlyachosenbandofwarriorstocontinuetheblockadeofthecity。Iftheyindulgedtheirhospitablefeastsinthefaceofdangeranddeath，didthesefeastsabatethevigoroftheirenterprise?IsitbyyourfastingthatthewallsofBarihavebeenoverturned?DidnotthesevaliantFranks，diminishedastheywerebylanguorandfatigue，interceptandvanishthethreemostpowerfulemirsoftheSaracens?anddidnottheirdefeatprecipitatethefallofthecity?Bariisnowfallen；Tarentumtrembles；Calabriawillbedelivered；and，ifwecommandthesea，theIslandofSicilymayberescuedfromthehandsoftheinfidels。Mybrother，\"
accelerateanamemostoffensivetothevanityoftheGreek，