[99] Yet, when shortly afterwards an official at court was presented with a sword of Sobieski, the interest excited was intense, and engravings were taken of it. SALVANDY (ii. 420) says that the sword of Sobieski was the cherished possession of Napoleon at St. Helena. A French prelate was author of the witty distich: Dignior imperio numne Austrius? anne Polonus? Odrysias acies hic fugat, ille fugit. [100] “Votre Majesté s’est montrée digne non seulement de la couronne de Pologne, mais de celle de l’univers. L’empire du monde vous serait dû, si le ciel l’eût reservé à un seul potentat.” [101] Constantine Wiesnowiesçki, cousin of the late king Michael, the Emperor’s brother-in-law. [102] Prince Eugène, who was present, says, “N’étant pas fait encore aux manières allemandes je m’amusai beaucoup de la fiére entrevue de l’empereur avec le roi de Pologne.” Sa vie écrite par lui même. Paris, 1810. [103] Letter x. [104] Letter xii. [105] Letter xv. [106] “Si namque ad clangorem memoratae victoriae vel levis armorum terra marique succedat ostentatio, procul dubio gemens sub Tyrannide Grecia ac ipsa Constantinopolis perfido recalcitraret domino, suasque respiceret origines.... Forte Mahometanum Imperium ad sua devolvatur principia, et ubi satis in altum surrexerit lapsu graviori ruat.”--Letter of Sobieski from Vizier’s tent, September 13. [107] VOLTAIRE, _Annales de l’Empire_. Curiously enough, Sobieski, in Letter x. (September 17), after mentioning Hannibal’s inaction after his victory, says, “To-day we know well how to profit by ours.” [108] Letter x. [109] Letter xi. [110] Chèvremont (_L’état actuel de Pologne_, 12mo, 1702) talks of the “vile et mesquin empressement,” which he showed by this act. He constantly speaks of him as “ce roi avare.” As Chèvremont was secretary to the Duke of Lorraine, it is to be feared that the latter was not satisfied with his share of the spoil. [111] A kind of dysentery, called the Hungarian fever. [112] Letters xx. xxi. [113] Letter xvii. [114] Letter xvi. Coyer, who had never seen this letter, takes up his favourite theme of a king pursuing selfish glory; and Coxe (_House of Austria_, ii. 449) countenances the idea. [115] Letter xvii. [116] This, as Coyer says, was most discreditable to the Christians. But Sobieski explains that the Turks had “made no prisoners” two days before, and that the sight of the bleeding heads of Poles upon the rampart of the fort maddened his troops. [117] Letter xix. [118] Letter xxi. The king notices in the same place that the Turks called him their executioner on account of the number of men which his victories had cost them. [119] Quoted by SALVANDY, ii. 282-284. [120] Letter xxix.