text_original: The one idea of the Flem  ings was to obtain sheer solid strength and thus force a way through the Hne of their foes ; with this object they linked themselves so closely together that no enemy could possibly enter their ranks, but on the other hand they themselves could scarcely strike a blow. Attacked on both sides at once, they w^ere pressed more and more closely together till half their number died, not through the weapons of the French, but from simple suffocation.
text_transcription: THE ONE IDEA OF THE FLEMINGS WAS TO OBTAIN SHEER SOLID STRENGTH AND THUS FORCE A WAY THROUGH THE LINE OF THEIR FOES WITH THIS OBJECT THEY LINKED THEMSELVES SO CLOSELY TOGETHER THAT NO ENEMY COULD POSSIBLY ENTER THEIR RANKS BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THEY THEMSELVES COULD SCARCELY STRIKE A BLOW ATTACKED ON BOTH SIDES AT ONCE THEY WERE PRESSED MORE AND MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER TILL HALF THEIR NUMBERS DIED NOT THROUGH THE WEAPONS OF THE FRENCH BUT FROM SIMPLE SUFFOCATION
phonemes: ðə wˈʌn aɪdˈiə ʌvðə flˈɛm ˈɪŋz wʌz tʊ əbtˈeɪn ʃˈɪɹ sˈɑːlɪd stɹˈɛŋθ ænd ðˈʌs fˈɔːɹs ɐ wˈeɪ θɹuː ðɪ ˌeɪtʃˌɛnˈiː ʌv ðɛɹ fˈoʊz ; wɪð ðɪs ˈɑːbdʒɛkt ðeɪ lˈɪŋkt ðɛmsˈɛlvz sˌoʊ klˈoʊsli təɡˌɛðɚ ðæt nˈoʊ ˈɛnəmi kʊd pˈɑːsᵻbli ˈɛntɚ ðɛɹ ɹˈæŋks, bˌʌt ɔnðɪ ˈʌðɚ hˈænd ðeɪ ðɛmsˈɛlvz kʊd skˈɛɹsli stɹˈaɪk ɐ blˈoʊ. ɐtˈækt ˌɔn bˈoʊθ sˈaɪdz ɐtwˈʌns, ðeɪ dˈʌbəljˌuː ˈɛɹ pɹˈɛst mˈɔːɹ ænd mˈɔːɹ klˈoʊsli təɡˌɛðɚ tˈɪl hˈæf ðɛɹ nˈʌmbɚ dˈaɪd, nˌɑːt θɹuː ðə wˈɛpənz ʌvðə fɹˈɛntʃ, bˌʌt fɹʌm sˈɪmpəl sˌʌfəkˈeɪʃən.