DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9841#0173
154 MASSACRE OF WOMEN AND UNBORN CHILDREN. [CHAP.
out of their houses. They then set on fire every dwell-
ing in the village20, and, at day-break, the orders of the
Venetian Senate began to be fully accomplished. Twelve
of the Greek Primates21 were hanged, and, " to cause
still greater fear," Capelli sought out the pregnant wives
of four of the principal persons of the place, and " cut-
ting open their bodies with large knives," tore forth
their unborn children ; " an act which truly inspired very
great terror throughout the whole district22." This was
the deliberate proceeding of a high public functionary
of the Venetian Senate! " It is true," adds the Chro-
nicler, " their crimes merited a severer punishment,
and such also followed23." For all the captives were
conducted into the city, with their families, and great
numbers of them were there put to death24: the rest
" were transported from Crete to ' the three islands25,'
so that the wicked race was thus eradicated." Five
or six individuals alone escaped, at the moment when
Cavalli arrived, like a midnight murderer, and found
refuge in the villages of Murnies and Kertomadhes2".
Cavalli, after so satisfactory a commencement, pressed
onward in his course, and next required all the Greeks
of Kastel-Franko, Apokdrona, Sfakiii, Selino, and
Kisamos, " to appear in the city, and make their sub-
20 It contained four hundred inhabitants. During the following days the
Venetians compelled the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages to remove
every stone from the place, so that not a vestige of it was left.
21 icDodici dei piu primati."
22 ct per maggior spavento fece ritrovar quatro donne gravide, moglie de'
Capurioni, le quali con corlellazzi fece aprire il loro ventre, el cavatoli fuori
i bambini—questo atlo veramente fece grandissimo terore a tutto il contado."
23 "Meritavano peggio castigo, et tanto anco segui."
24 "Fece prima decapitar et appiccar una quantita di loro."
25 "Nelle tre isole."
26 1 suppose these proceedings of Cavalli are alluded to by Giulto de'
Garzoni, in his Report to the Senate, (see above, Vol. i. p. 31.) when he
says, speaking of the Sfakians, u Si sono quelle genti alle volte mostrate dis-
obedienti alia Serenita V., et hanno convenuto li magistrati darli sacco el
lagliarne a pczzi molli, el altri levare dalle proprie habilazioni, come fece
rEccellentissimo Cavalli, con giusta causa nota alia Serenita V."
out of their houses. They then set on fire every dwell-
ing in the village20, and, at day-break, the orders of the
Venetian Senate began to be fully accomplished. Twelve
of the Greek Primates21 were hanged, and, " to cause
still greater fear," Capelli sought out the pregnant wives
of four of the principal persons of the place, and " cut-
ting open their bodies with large knives," tore forth
their unborn children ; " an act which truly inspired very
great terror throughout the whole district22." This was
the deliberate proceeding of a high public functionary
of the Venetian Senate! " It is true," adds the Chro-
nicler, " their crimes merited a severer punishment,
and such also followed23." For all the captives were
conducted into the city, with their families, and great
numbers of them were there put to death24: the rest
" were transported from Crete to ' the three islands25,'
so that the wicked race was thus eradicated." Five
or six individuals alone escaped, at the moment when
Cavalli arrived, like a midnight murderer, and found
refuge in the villages of Murnies and Kertomadhes2".
Cavalli, after so satisfactory a commencement, pressed
onward in his course, and next required all the Greeks
of Kastel-Franko, Apokdrona, Sfakiii, Selino, and
Kisamos, " to appear in the city, and make their sub-
20 It contained four hundred inhabitants. During the following days the
Venetians compelled the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages to remove
every stone from the place, so that not a vestige of it was left.
21 icDodici dei piu primati."
22 ct per maggior spavento fece ritrovar quatro donne gravide, moglie de'
Capurioni, le quali con corlellazzi fece aprire il loro ventre, el cavatoli fuori
i bambini—questo atlo veramente fece grandissimo terore a tutto il contado."
23 "Meritavano peggio castigo, et tanto anco segui."
24 "Fece prima decapitar et appiccar una quantita di loro."
25 "Nelle tre isole."
26 1 suppose these proceedings of Cavalli are alluded to by Giulto de'
Garzoni, in his Report to the Senate, (see above, Vol. i. p. 31.) when he
says, speaking of the Sfakians, u Si sono quelle genti alle volte mostrate dis-
obedienti alia Serenita V., et hanno convenuto li magistrati darli sacco el
lagliarne a pczzi molli, el altri levare dalle proprie habilazioni, come fece
rEccellentissimo Cavalli, con giusta causa nota alia Serenita V."