| Quotation |
Cum ista geruntur, Serlo, filius Serlonis, nepos videlicet utrorumque principum istorum - cuius in praecedentibus mentionem fecimus - , apud Ceramum morabatur ad tuendam provinciam ab incursionibus Arabicorum, qui apud Castrum- Johannis ea tempestate morabantur, a duce et comite sic jussus. Nam et medietas totius Siciliae, ex consensu ducis et comitis, suae sorti Arisgotique de Puteolis, inter se dividenda, cesserat, eo quod hic quidem consanguineus eorum erat: uterque autem consilio et armis probissimi viri erant. Arabici autem, qui apud Castrum- Johannis morabantur, strenuitate Serlonis, quia eis multum infestus erat, plurimum inimicabantur, jugique intentione dolo vel armis ruinam eius meditari nitebantur. Saracenus autem quidam, de potentioribus Castri- Johannis, nomine Brachiem, cum Serlone, ut eum facilius deciperet, foedus inierat, eorumque more per aurem adoptivum fratrem, alter alterum factum vicissim susceperat. Hic, traditione cum suis composita, Serloni salutaria munuscula cum amicalibus verbis in dolo mandat, inter quae etiam intulit ista: "Sciat fraternitas adoptivi mei, quod, tali vel tali die, septem tantummodo Arabici ex deliberatione jactantiae ad terram tuam debent praedatum adire". Quod Serlo audiens, ridiculo habere coepit; minusque sibi prospiciens, ex vicinis castris neminem sibi in auxilium arcessivit. Sed, determinato die, inconsultus venatum secessit |
| Translation |
While these things were going on Serlo, son of Serlo and nephew of these two leaders - of whom we made mention previously - remained at Cerami on the orders of the duke and the count to protect the region against raids from the Arabs who were at that time still garrisoning Castrogiovanni. For, with the consent of the duke and the count, half of all Sicily had fallen to his share and that of Arisgot of Pozzuoli, and had been divided between them. The latter was their blood-relation, and they were both men equally distinguished by their skill at arms and in counsel. However the Arabs stationed at Castrogiovanni were greatly threatened by Serlo's energy [strenuitas] since he launched many attacks against them, and they strove to encompass his ruin, both by force of arms and by treachery. Hence, in order to deceive him more easily, a certain Saracen called Brachiem [Ibrahim] made an agreement with Serlo, and each verbally took the other as his adopted brother, as was the custom of their people. Then he arranged with his own people to betray him, and to deceive him [further] sent Serlo suitable gifts and friendly messages, among which he told him this: 'let my adopted brother know that, on such and such a day, in a deliberate act of vainglory, a group of only seven Arabs will probably be making a foray into your land to plunder'. When Serlo heard this he thought it was ridiculous, and took no precautions at all, not bothering to summon anybody from the neighbouring castra to help him, while he himself rashly went out to hunt |
