_ 112 _ If we do this, we shall avenge the way in which these dogs offend the divine majesty of God, we shall earn glory, and we shall acquire great benefits: for this is a very populous city, a stopping place for all the merchants from the Red Sea, and the key to gaining control of the strait. Once we capture it the Sultan will lose all hope of ever being able to send fleets to India and we shall no longer have to worry constantly about the arrival of the Roumeliotes. Furthermore, the Arabs in India will also lose all hope, so that they will in the end become vassals of the king our master. In this way we shall be able to rest, freed from the toils of war. When this present war is over, we shall be spared many strenuous efforts and although we need to make a great effort now, we should look upon it as something restful, since rest will be our reward. Our victory depends on us fighting very well and gaining control of the mountain gates if we do not, we shall accomplish nothing, because our numbers are very small and a great many people will come to rescue the enemy. If the enemy retain control of the gates all these reinforcements will reach them, and they will force us back to our ships. If on the other hand we capture them we shall easily withstand any attack, no matter how powerful. For this
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