andthestonesweredugfromtheAnatolianquarries。Eachofthethousandmasonswasassistedbytwoworkmen；andameasureoftwocubitswasmarkedfortheirdailytask。Thefortress^16wasbuiltinatriangularform；eachanglewasflankedbyastrongandmassytower；oneonthedeclivityofthehill，twoalongthesea—shore:athicknessoftwenty—twofeetwasassignedforthewalls，thirtyforthetowers；andthewholebuildingwascoveredwithasolidplatformoflead。Mahomethimselfpressedanddirectedtheworkwithindefatigableardor:histhreeviziersclaimedthehonoroffinishingtheirrespectivetowers；thezealofthecadhisemulatedthatoftheJanizaries；themeanestlaborwasennobledbytheserviceofGodandthesultan；andthediligenceofthemultitudewasquickenedbytheeyeofadespot，whosesmilewasthehopeoffortune，andwhosefrownwasthemessengerofdeath。TheGreekemperorbeheldwithterrortheirresistibleprogressofthework；andvainlystrove，byflatteryandgifts，toassuageanimplacablefoe，whosought，andsecretlyfomented，theslightestoccasionofaquarrel。Suchoccasionsmustsoonandinevitablybefound。Theruinsofstatelychurches，andeventhemarblecolumnswhichhadbeenconsecratedtoSaintMichaelthearchangel，wereemployedwithoutscruplebytheprofaneandrapaciousMoslems；andsomeChristians，whopresumedtoopposetheremoval，receivedfromtheirhandsthecrownofmartyrdom。ConstantinehadsolicitedaTurkishguardtoprotectthefieldsandharvestsofhissubjects:theguardwasfixed；buttheirfirstorderwastoallowfreepasturetothemulesandhorsesofthecamp，andtodefendtheirbrethreniftheyshouldbemolestedbythenatives。TheretinueofanOttomanchiefhadlefttheirhorsestopassthenightamongtheripecorn；thedamagewasfelt；theinsultwasresented；andseveralofbothnationswereslaininatumultuousconflict。Mahometlistenedwithjoytothecomplaint；andadetachmentwascommandedtoexterminatetheguiltyvillage:theguiltyhadfled；
butfortyinnocentandunsuspectingreapersweremassacredbythesoldiers。Tillthisprovocation，Constantinoplehadbeenopenedtothevisitsofcommerceandcuriosity:onthefirstalarm，thegateswereshut；buttheemperor，stillanxiousforpeace，releasedonthethirddayhisTurkishcaptives；^17andexpressed，inalastmessage，thefirmresignationofaChristianandasoldier。\"Sinceneitheroaths，nortreaty，norsubmission，cansecurepeace，pursue，\"saidhetoMahomet，\"yourimpiouswarfare。MytrustisinGodalone；ifitshouldpleasehimtomollifyyourheart，Ishallrejoiceinthehappychange；ifhedeliversthecityintoyourhands，Isubmitwithoutamurmurtohisholywill。ButuntiltheJudgeoftheearthshallpronouncebetweenus，itismydutytoliveanddieinthedefenceofmypeople。\"Thesultan\'sanswerwashostileanddecisive:hisfortificationswerecompleted；andbeforehisdepartureforAdrianople，hestationedavigilantAgaandfourhundredJanizaries，tolevyatributeontheshipsofeverynationthatshouldpasswithinthereachoftheircannon。AVenetianvessel，refusingobediencetothenewlordsoftheBosphorus，wassunkwithasinglebullet。Themasterandthirtysailorsescapedintheboat；buttheyweredraggedinchainstothePorte:thechiefwasimpaled；hiscompanionswerebeheaded；andthehistorianDucas^18beheld，atDemotica，theirbodiesexposedtothewildbeasts。ThesiegeofConstantinoplewasdeferredtilltheensuingspring；butanOttomanarmymarchedintotheMoreatodiverttheforceofthebrothersofConstantine。Atthisaeraofcalamity，oneoftheseprinces，thedespotThomas，wasblessedorafflictedwiththebirthofason；\"thelastheir，\"saystheplaintivePhranza，\"ofthelastsparkoftheRomanempire。\"^19
[Footnote15:Insteadofthisclearandconsistentaccount，theTurkishAnnalsCantemir，p。97revivedthefoolishtaleoftheox\'shide，andDido\'sstratageminthefoundationofCarthage。
Theseannalsunlessweareswayedbyananti—ChristianprejudicearefarlessvaluablethantheGreekhistorians。]
[Footnote16:Inthedimensionsofthisfortress，theoldcastleofEurope，PhranzadoesnotexactlyagreewithChalcondyles，whosedescriptionhasbeenverifiedonthespotbyhiseditorLeunclavius。]