Onthe18thofOctobertheysatdownbeforethestrongcityofAntioch，thesiegeofwhich，andtheeventstowhichitgaverise，areamongthemostextraordinaryincidentsoftheCrusade。Thecity，whichissituatedonaneminence，andwashedbytheriverOrontes，isnaturallyaverystrongposition，andtheTurkishgarrisonwerewellsuppliedwithprovisionstoendurealongsiege。InthisrespecttheChristianswerealsofortunate，but，unluckilyforthemselves，unwise。
Theirforceamountedtothreehundredthousandfightingmen；andweareinformedbyRaymondd’Argilles，thattheyhadsomuchprovision，thattheythrewawaythegreaterpartofeveryanimaltheykilled，beingsodainty，thattheywouldonlyeatparticularpartsofthebeast。Soinsanewastheirextravagance，thatinlessthantendaysfaminebegantostarethemintheface。Aftermakingafruitlessattempttogainpossessionofthecitybyacoupdemain，they，starvingthemselves，satdowntostarveouttheenemy。Butwithwantcameacoolingofenthusiasm。Thechiefsbegantogrowwearyoftheexpedition。Baldwinhadpreviouslydetachedhimselffromthemainbodyofthearmy，and，proceedingtoEdessa，hadintriguedhimselfintothesupremepowerinthatlittleprincipality。Theotherleaderswereanimatedwithlesszealthanheretofore。StephenofChartresandHughofVermandoisbegantowaver，unabletoenduretheprivationswhichtheirownfollyandprofusionhadbroughtuponthem。EvenPetertheHermitbecamesickatheartereallwasover。Whenthefaminehadbecomesourgentthattheywerereducedtoeathumanfleshintheextremityoftheirhunger，BohemundandRobertofFlanderssetforthonanexpeditiontoprocureasupply。Theywereinaslightdegreesuccessful；buttherelieftheybroughtwasnoteconomized，andintwodaystheywereasdestituteasbefore。Faticius，theGreekcommanderandrepresentativeofAlexius，desertedwithhisdivisionunderpretenceofseekingforfood，andhisexamplewasfollowedbyvariousbodiesofcrusaders。
Miserywasrifeamongthosewhoremained，andtheystrovetoalleviateitbyadiligentattentiontosignsandomens。These，withextraordinaryvisionsseenbytheenthusiastic，alternatelycheeredanddepressedthemaccordingastheyforetoldthetriumphorpicturedthereversesoftheCross。Atonetimeaviolenthurricanearose，levellinggreattreeswiththeground，andblowingdownthetentsoftheChristianleaders。Atanothertimeanearthquakeshookthecamp，andwasthoughttoprognosticatesomegreatimpendingeviltothecauseofChristendom。Butacometwhichappearedshortlyafterwards，raisedthemfromthedespondencyintowhichtheyhadfallen；theirlivelyimaginationsmakingitassumetheformofaflamingcrossleadingthemontovictory。Faminewasnottheleastoftheevilstheyendured。Unwholesomefood，andtheimpureairfromtheneighbouringmarshes，engenderedpestilentialdiseases，whichcarriedthemoffmorerapidlythanthearrowsoftheenemy。Athousandofthemdiedinaday，anditbecameatlastamatterofextremedifficultytoaffordthemburial。Toaddtotheirmisery，eachmangrewsuspiciousofhisneighbour；forthecampwasinfestedbyTurkishspies，whoconveyeddailytothebesiegedintelligenceofthemovementsanddistressesoftheenemy。Withaferocity，engenderedbydespair，Bohemundcausedtwospies，whomhehaddetected，toberoastedaliveinpresenceofthearmy，andwithinsightofthebattlementsofAntioch。Buteventhisexamplefailedtoreducetheirnumbers，andtheTurkscontinuedtobeaswellinformedastheChristiansthemselvesofallthatwaspassinginthecamp。
ThenewsofthearrivalofareinforcementofsoldiersfromEurope，withanabundantstockofprovisions，cametocheerthemwhenreducedtothelastextremity。ThewelcomesuccourlandedatSt。
Simeon，theportofAntioch，andaboutsixmilesfromthatcity。