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310

DRAGUT AT CAPRAJA.

קיג

also into the seas of Genoa, and took a large, ship bearing wheat on the thirtieth day of the month, and sent her into their own country. And Capraja* was a small city on one of the isles of the sea near Corsica, and was reckoned to be the country thereoff. And they went thither and besieged it, and cast up trenches against it, and conquered it on the fifth day of the month of June, and took the persons and the goods. And these men went unto Corsica also. And Dragut Reist was the chief of their host, and there were eleven galleys; and they took there also as much as their soul desired, and made much spoil§.

1013. And Andrea Doria heard the report of Dragut, and his wrath was kindled; and he divided his ships into two bands, and twenty-one of his ships came into the seas of Corsica, as swift as the eagle flieth¶. And Dragut heard nothing thereof, for the Lord had made heavy his ears**. And it came to pass, when their heart was merry, as they divided the prey upon the coast of the sea, to every man a damsel or twoft, that they fell suddenly upon them; and gave the signal for battle. And the Turks hastened to return unto the ships, but could not, for evil was

.seems to be compounded with Caprera קאפראיה *

.אדרגוט ראיז !

+ Comp. 2 Sam. iv. 2.

§ 2 Chron. xxv. 13. || Gen. xxxii. 7. ¶ Deut. xxviii. 49. ** Comp. Is. vi. 10.

tt Jud. v. 30.

קיג

JUNE 4. RABBI JOSEPH AT GENOA. 311

determined against them*. And they left the ships as they were, and fled on shore, and their lives were unto them for a prey†. And two of the ships which were outside fled away; and they pursued after them; and the Turks cast into the sea the women and the children who were with them, when they hastened to make themselves lighter; and so they saved their lives. There was none taken in the destruction wrought by the uncircumcised, except the nine who were left. And Dragut, the chief of the host, was taken alive; and they put irons on his foot, like unto one of the base. And of those who remained in the ships, who went not on shore, were taken about one hundred men at that time. And they came unto Genoa, the city wherein I was, with all the prey, on the twentieth day of the month of June, which is the fourth month. And the nine ships they towed after them and their faces were backward§, and their banner they dragged in the sea with cords of vanity; and they exposed them unto mockery. And the earth was rent at the voice of the rams, and all the people of the land were glad; and the city of Genoa rejoiced and was glad¶.

1014. And the duke of Mantua died in the

* Esther vii. 7.

+ Exod. xiv. 9.

+ Jer. xxi. 9; xxxviii. 9; xxxix. 18.

§ i. e Their prows were turned backward. Gen. ix. 23.

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312 DEATH OF THE AUTHOR'S FIRST-BORN. P

same month; and they chose his firstborn son in his stead; but he was a lad, and all the people were ruled according to the word of his uncle the cardinal, and his mother Margaret*.

1015. As for that month, let darkness seize upon it; for in the same, my first-born son Joshua (blessed be his memory!) was visited on the ninth of the month, on the third day of the month Tammuth, which is the fourth month, in the river Renot, which is near the Piave§, when he went to bathe; his hands were not bound, and his feet met not in fetters||, but as lead they sank in the proud waters, and there was none to save him. Therefore I said, "Let there be no dew upon Piave, and no rain in the border of Ferrara, nor fields of offerings; there is fallen the most pleasant of youths. Would to God I had died for thee, O my son, my son !** Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me!†† Cursed be the day wherein I was born to see labor and sorrow! My days are consumed with mourning§§; why died I not from the womb?||| or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb always great with

* Gen. xli. 10.

.רינו !

+ Job. iii. 6.

§ ND, a river which runs into the gulph of Venice.

2 Sam. iii. 34.

** 2 Sam. iii. 33; xix. 41.

‡‡ Jer. xx. 14.

2 Sam. i. 21.

tt Jer. xv. 10.

§§ Jer. xx. 18.

| Job. iii. 11.

קיג

DORIA AT MONASTERIO.

313

me*! Woe unto me, for I have sinnedt." My breach is great like the sea; who will heal me?+ for fourteen days after this evil report had reached me, there died also his brother, who was sucking the breasts of his mother? Blessed be the true Judge! The conclusion of the matter is, whether I turn to the right or to the left, the Lord my God I will fear, and his commandments I will keep§; though he slay me, yet will I trust in him|| till my change come¶. This is my comfort**, for he maketh sore and bindeth uptt; and their souls shall be bound in the bundle of life‡‡. [TP]

1016. Then the king of Tunis hired Andrea Doria to sail for making war against the cities which Barbarossa had enticed, so that they would not bear the king's yoke as at first. They refused to obey, and he went unto Monasterio§§ with fifty galleys and fifteen large ships, and about seven thousand Spaniards and Italians with him. And the men of the city feared much, and fled with the women and the children, and all their stuff. And they sent unto him three men, saying, "Let us alone, and whatsoever thou shalt say unto us we will do; only our king we will not

• Jer. xx. 17.

↑ Lam. ii. 13.

|| Job. iii. 15.

** Ps. cxix. 50.

1 Sam. xxv. 29.

+ Lam. v. 16.

§ Eccles. xi. 13.

¶ Job. xiv. 14.

++ Job. v. 18.

§§ On the coast of Northern Africa.

314

DORIA TAKES MONASTERIO.

קיר

serve, for he is a Belial;" and he sent them unto the viceroy of the emperor who was with him, and he rebuked them, and would not hearken unto them, and said unto them, "Serve your king, that ye may live, for so the emperor hath appointed; and if not, evil is determined against you." And the messengers said unto the viceroy of Sicily, "Give us time, that we may take back an answer unto them that sent us ;" and the viceroy gave into their hand an hour-bottle*, which is a measure of sand, which runs out in one hour; and said unto them, "Take and got," and it shall come to pass when the bottle shall be finished, I will come upon them like a bear robbed of her whelps, and will smite the mother with the children§. And the men went into the city, and told unto them the words of the viceroy; and the men of the city feared much, and went out of the city, and fled for their lives; and there was not left even one. And it came to pass, when the bottle was completed, that the uncircumcised went into the city, and found not one that pisseth against the wall¶; there were no more left there than four old women, who could * i. e. Hour-glass. + Gen. xxiv. 51. § Gen. xxxii.

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‡ 2 Sam. xvii. 8; Hos. xiii. 8.

Comp. Exod. viii. 20; x. 19.

* 1 Sam. xxv. 22; 1 Kings xiv. 10; xvi. 11; xxi. 21. 2 Kings ix. 8. The same expression is used by the Syrians. Asseman, Bibl. Orient. II. ii. p. 260.

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