A war of extermination on both sides now took
place; Theodore showing no pity to the peasants whom he succeeded
in capturing, and they, on their side, torturing and murdering any
one who belonged to the Emperor's camp. A detailed account of the
atrocities committed by Theodore during the last month of his stay
in Begemder would be too horrible to narrate: suffice it to say
that he burnt alive, or sentenced to some cruel death, in that short
space of time, more than 3,000 persons! His rage at times was so
blind that, unable to satisfy his revenge by punishing those who
daily insulted and scorned him, he vented his anger on the few
remaining faithful companions who shared his fate: chiefs who had
fought by his side for years, friends whom he knew from his childhood,
old respectable men who had protected him in former days, all had
to suffer more or less for their faithfulness, and fell innocent
victims to his mad fits of violence. Many succumbed to a lingering
death, or chains and torture, for no reason whatever except that
they loved him!
Desertions were still frequent, but the difficulty of escape was
greater than before; the peasants often put to death the fugitives;
and always stripped and plundered them of everything they had. The
gates of the fence were guarded night and day by faithful men, and
it required often a good deal of ability and cunning to be able to
pass through them.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344