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GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 177 View PDF version of this page great joy and all honour. At dawn on Sunday, the 9th, they made a brisk attack on the four bastions. Caraman Pasha, with his Caramanian troop, on Podocataro, Muzaffer Pasha on Constanzo; and on Davilaand Tripoli Mustafa and Ali Pashas, with the men from the fleet. All these at one moment with a mighty rush made the attack. The defenders, as they always did, met the charge with great bravery and repulsed the enemy before they could get over the parapet, with fierce slaughter on both sides, but far more among the Turks (although we did not know of the reinforcements they had received from the galleys). At last after a long struggle on the Podocataro bastion by some mishap many of the enemy got in, and captured the platform and the redoubt. In a moment many officers and men were cut to pieces after a stout defence, while some of the villagers, of the Cernide, got down through the embrasures and by the curtain, and ran away. As soon as they heard the noise and outcry the Collateral and his brothers, with Colonel Palazzo and other gentlemen, ran to the help of that bastion, but they were too late. Still they drove back the foe with great spirit, but the number of the Turks was too great, and they and all their escort were killed. The other bastions held out till the Turks got into the heart of the city and took them in the rear, pressing in through the throats of the bastions. Then followed that sad and terrible spectacle, the savage slaughter of the poor soldiers who had defended the city, and the nobles, who made a brave stand. They were surrounded and found no way of escape. A few did get away, and in the throats of the bastions and on the narrow platforms, with some of the townsmen, stood their ground valiantly. There was confused fighting in every quarter of the city, and in the squares. There was no order, no one to take the lead, and the massacre lasted till the sixth hour. Those who defended themselves were killed, those who surrendered were made prisoners. At last Mustafa Pasha entered the city, and saw the frightful slaughter. There were many men still with
174
The Siege of Nicosia
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