Bohemond heard how the counts he had left to guard his newly conquered territories were behaving: they were either defecting to Alexios I, or dispersing to their homes. He therefore left Avlon and returned to his father Robert Guiscard at Salerno. He bore in the expression of his face the news of the defeat he had suffered. Robert read failure in his son's face, and his high hopes of conquest across the Adriatic were dashed. He was struck dumb and plunged into despair. But his despair did not last long; he began a massive general mobilisation, including the hiring of foreigners, providing Bohemond with the military force to avenge the Norman defeat