The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
History
The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de, 1522-1592
side of the road with their saddles on their heads, as a sign that they
have lost their steeds and need assistance for the purchase of others.
An allowance is then made to them by the Sultan at his discretion.
From this you will see that it is the patience, self-denial, and
thrift of the Turkish soldier that enable him to face the most trying
circumstances, and come safely out of the dangers that surround him.
What a contrast to our men! Christian soldiers on a campaign refuse to
put up with their ordinary food, and call for thrushes, becaficos, and
such like dainty dishes! If these are not supplied they grow mutinous
and work their own ruin; and, if they are supplied, they are ruined
all the same. For each man is his own worst enemy, and has no foe more
deadly than his own intemperance, which is sure to kill him, if the
enemy be not quick. It makes me shudder to think of what the result
of a struggle between such different systems must be; one of us must
prevail and the other be destroyed, at any rate we cannot both exist in
safety. On their side is the vast wealth of their empire, unimpaired
resources, experience and practice in arms, a veteran soldiery, an
uninterrupted series of victories, readiness to endure hardships,
union, order, discipline, thrift, and watchfulness. On ours are found
an empty exchequer, luxurious habits, exhausted resources, broken
spirits, a raw and insubordinate soldiery, and greedy generals; there
is no regard for discipline, license runs riot, the men indulge in
drunkenness and debauchery, and, worst of all, the enemy are accustomed
to victory, we, to defeat. Can we doubt what the result must be? The
only obstacle is Persia, whose position on his rear forces the invader
to take precautions. The fear of Persia gives us a respite, but it is
only for a time. When he has secured himself in that quarter, he will
fall upon us with all the resources of the East. How ill prepared we
are to meet such an attack it is not for me to say.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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