Roger of Antioch was impatient to begin operations against Ilghazi and his allies, who were ravaging the Antiochene borders. Roger probably listened too much to the border barons, whose lands were raided yearly, and were being devastated while the army remained at Artah. He had asked the patriarch, Bernard of Valence, to come with him to Artah and deliver a sermon. Bernard saw that at Artah they were in a well-supplied situation likely to be easily defended, and preached that they preserve these advantages and repent of their sins, so as to fight a just war. Roger was determined to move forward, and did not listen. When Bernard realised that Roger would disregard his views, he restated them carefully, but in vain. He then took Roger's confession, saw him make his will, blessed him as he set out, repeated his exhortation to virtue and returned sobbing to Antioch. If Roger had reamined at Artah, he would soon have had the wise advice of Baldwin II. Walter the Chancellor, who was present, narrates the advance to the Field of Blood in the first person plural, making it plain that he disapproved