LI. CHA P. Scued his friend, the venerable Serjabil, who had vainly invoked the unity of God and the promises of the apostle. After a short repose, the Moslems performed their ablutions with sand instead of water*; and the morning prayer was recited by Caled before they mounted on horseback. Confident in their strength, the people of Bosra threw open their gates, drew their forces into the plain, and swore to die in the defence of their religion. But a religion of peace was incapable of withstanding the fanatic cry of" Fight, fight! Paradise, para"dise!" that re-echoed in the ranks of the Saracens; and the uproar of the town, the ringing of bells †, and the exclamations of the priests and monks, increased the dismay and disorder of the Christians. With the loss of two hundred and thirty men, the Arabs remained masters of the field; and the ramparts of Bosra, in expectation of human or divine aid, were crowded with holy crosses and consecrated banners. The governor Romanus had recommended an early submission; despised by the people, and degraded from his office, he still retained the desire and opportunity of *The apostle of a desert and an army was obliged to allow this ready succedancum for water; (Koran, c. iii. p. 66. c. v. p. 83.) but the Arabian and Persian casuists have embarrassed his free permission with many niceties and distinctions; (Reland de Relig. Mohammed. 1. i. p. 82, 83. Chardin, Voyages en Perse, tom. iv.) †The bells rung! Ockley, vol. i. p. 38. Yet I much doubt whether this expression can be justified by the text of Al Wakidi, or the practice of the times. Ad Græcos, says the learned Ducange, (Glossar. med. et infim. Græcitat. tom. i. p. 774-) campanarum usus serius transit et etiam num rarissimus est. The oldest example which he can find in the Byzantine writers is of the year 1040; but the Venetians pretend, that they introduced bells at Constantinople in the ninth century. LI. of revenge. In a nocturnal interview, he informed c h a p. the enemy of a subterráneous passage from his house under the wall of the city; the son of the caliph, with an hundred volunteers, were committed to the faith of this new ally, and their successful intrepidity gave an easy entrance to their companions. After Caled had imposed the terms of servitude and tribute, the apostate or convert avowed in the assembly of the people his meritorious treason. "I renounce your society," said Romanus," both in this world, and the world to 66 come. And I deny him that was crucified, and "whosoever worships him. And I chuse God "for my Lord, Islam for my faith, Mecca for 66 my temple, the Moslems for my brethren, and "Mahomet for my prophet; who was sent to "lead us into the right way, and to exalt the true "religion in spite of those who join partners with "God.", Damas The conquest of Bosra, four days journey from Siege of Damascus, encouraged the Arabs to besiege the cus. ancient capital of Syria. At some distance from A.D.633. the walls, they encamped among the groves and fountains VOL. IX. Сс * Damascus is amply described by the Sherif al Edrifi; (Geograph. Nub. p. 116, 117.) and his translator, Sionita; (Appendix, c. 4.) Abulfeda; (Tabula Syriæ, p. 100.) Schultens; (Index. Geograph. ad Vit. Saladin.) d'Herbelot; (Bib liot. Orient. p. 291.) Thevenot, Voyage du Levant; (part. i p. 688–698.) Maundrell; (Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 122-130.) and Pocock; (Description of the East, vol. ii. P. 117-127.) Nobilissima civitas, says Justin. According to the Ori èntal traditions, it was older than Abraham or Semiramis. Joseph. Antiq. Jud. 1. i. c. 6, 7. p. 24. 29. edit. Havercamp. Jus tin. xxxvi. 2. LI. CHA P. fountains of that delicious territory *, and the usual option of the Mahometan faith, of tribute, or of war, was proposed to the resolute citizens, who had been lately strengthened by a reinforcement of five thousand Greeks. In the decline as in the infancy of the military art, an hostile defiance was frequently offered and accepted by the generals themselves: Many a lance was shivered in the plain of Damascus, and the personal prowess of Caled was signalized in the first sally of the besieged. After an obstinate combat, he had overthrown and made prisoner one of the Christian leaders, a stout and worthy antagonist. He instantly mounted a fresh horse, the gift of the governor of Palmyra, and pushed forwards to the front of the battle. Repose yourself for a moment," said his friend Derar," and permit me to supply your place; 66 you are fatigued with fighting with this dog." "O Derar!" replied the indefatigable Saracen, "we shall rest in the world to come. He that “labours to-day, shall rest to-morrow." With the same * Έδει γαρ οίμαι την Διος πολιν αληθως, και της Εωας άπασης ὀφθαλμον, την, ιεραν και μεγισην Δαμασκον λεγω, τοις τε αλλοίς συμπασιν διον ίερων καλλεί, και νέων μελεθεί. και ώρων ευκαιρία και πηγων αγλαια και ποταμων πλέθει, και λης ευφορια νικωσαν, &c. Julian, epist. xxiv. p. 392: These splendid epithets are occasion, ed by the figs of Damascus, of which the author sends an hundred to his friend Serapion, and this rhetorical theme is inserted by Petavius, Spanheim, &c. (p. 390-396.) among the genuine epistles of Julian. How could they overlook that the writer is an inhabitant of Damascus, (he thrice affirms, that this peculiar fig grows only agu,) a city which Julian never entered or approached?. Voltaire, who casts a keen and lively glance over the surface of history, has been struck with the resemblance of the first Moslems and the heroes of the Iliad; the siege of Troy and that of Damascus. (Hist. Generale, tom. i. p. 348.) same unabated ardour, Caled answered, encoun- c H A P. tered and vanquished a second champion; and the LI. heads of his two captives who refused to abandon their religion were indignantly hurled into the midst of the city. The event of some general and partial actions reduced the Damascenes to a closer defence: But a messenger whom they dropped from the walls, returned with the promise of speedy and powerful succour, and their tumultuous joy conveyed the intelligence to the camp of the Arabs. After some debate it was resolved by the generals to raise, or rather to suspend, the siege of Damascus, till they had given battle to the forces of the emperor. In the retreat, Caled would have chosen the more perilous station of the rear-guard; he modestly yielded to the wishes of Abu Obeidah. But in the hour of danger he flew to the rescue of his companion, who was rudely pressed by a sally of six thousand horse and ten thousand foot, and few among the Christians could relate at Damascus the circumstances of their defeat. The importance of the contest required the junction of the Saracens who were dispersed on the frontiers of Syria and Palestine; and I shall transcribe one of the circular mandates which was addressed to Amrou the future conqueror of Egypt. "In the name of the most merciful God; from "Caled to Amrou, health and happiness. Know "that thy brethren the Moslems design to march "to Aiznadin, where there is an army of seventy "thousand Greeks, who purpose to come against "us, that they may extinguish the light of God with “their mouths; but God preserveth his light in spite CHAP LI. Battle of of the infidels *. As soon, therefore, as this let-"ter of mine shall be delivered to thy hands, 66 come with those that are with thee to Aizna 66 din, where thou shalt find us, if it please the most high God." The summons was cheerfully obeyed, and the forty-five thousand Moslems who met on the same day, on the same spot, ascribed to the blessing of providence the effects of their activity and zeal. About four years after the triumphs of the Persian war, the repose of Heraclius and the empire was again disturbed by a new enemy, the power of whose religion was more strongly felt than it was clearly understood by the Christians of the East. In his palace of Constantinople or Antioch, he was awakened by the invasion of Syria, the loss of Bosra, and the danger of Damascus. An army of seventy thousand veterans, or new levies, was assembled at Hems or Emesa, under the command of his general Werdant; and these troops, consisting chiefly of cavalry, might be indifferently stiled either Syrians, or Greeks, or Romans: Syrians, from the place of their birth or warfare; Greeks, from * These words are the text of the Koran, c. ix. 32. Ixi. 8. Like our fanatics of the last century, the Moslems, on every familiar or important occasion, spoke the language of their scriptures; a stile more natural in their mouths, than the Hebrew idiom transplanted into the climate and dialect of Britain. The name of Werdan is unknown to Theophanes, and, though it might belong to an Armenian chief, has very little of a Greek aspect or sound. If the Byzantine historians have mangled the oriental names, the Arabs, in this instance, likewise have taken ample revenge on their enemies. In transposing the Greek character from right to left, might they not produće, from the familiar appellation of Andrew, something like anagram Werdan? the |