CHA P. fountains of that delicious territory ", and the usual LI. 55 option of the Mahometan faith, of tribute, or of war, was propofed to the refolute citizens, who had been lately ftrengthened by a reinforcement of five thousand Greeks. In the decline as in the infancy of the military art, an hoftile defiance was frequently offered and accepted by the generals themfelves " many a lance was fhivered in the plain of Damafcus, and the perfonal prowess of Caled was fignalized in the firft fally of the befieged. After an obftinate combat, he had overthrown and made prifoner 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," faid his friend Derar," and permit me to fupply your place: 66 you are fatigued with fighting with this dog." "O Derar!" replied the indefatigable Saracen, 66 we fhall reft in the world to come. He that la"bours to-day, fhall reft to-morrow." With the 54 Εδει γαρ οιμαι την Διος πολιν αληθως, και της Εωας απασης οφθαλμου, την ιεραν και μεγις ην Δαμασκον λεγω, τοις τε άλλοις συμπασιν, διον ἱερῶν καλλείς και νέων μεγεθει. και ώρων ευκαιρια και πηγων αγλαια και ποταμων πληθείς και γης ευφορία νικωσαν, &c. Julian, epif. xxiv. p. 392. There fplendid epithets are occafioned by the figs of Damafcus, of which the author fends an hundred to his friend Serapion, and this rhetorical theme is inferted 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 πapı nμ), a city which Julian never entered or approached? 55 Voltaire, who casts a keen and lively glance over the surface of history, has been ftruck with the refemblance of the firft Moflems and the heroes of the Iliad; the fiege of Troy and that of Damascus (Hift. Generale, tom. i P. 348.). fame LI. fame unabated ardour, Caled anfwered, encountered CHA P and vanquished a fecond champion; and the heads of his two captives who refufed to abandon their religion were indignantly hurled into the midst of the city. The event of fome general and partial actions reduced the Damafcenes to a closer defence: but a messenger whom they dropt from the walls, returned with the promise of speedy and powerful fuccour, and their tumultuous joy conveyed the intelligence to the camp of the Arabs. After fome debate it was refolved by the generals to raise or rather to fufpend the fiege of Damafcus, till they had given battle to the forces of the emperor. In the retreat, Caled would have chofen the more perilous station of the rear-guard; he modeftly yielded to the wishes of Abu Obeidah. But in the hour of danger he flew to the rescue of his companion, who was rudely preffed by a fally of fix thoufand horfe and ten thousand foot, and few among the Christians could relate at Damafcus the circumftances 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 fhall tranfcribe one of the circular mandates which was addreffed to Amrou the future conqueror of Egypt. "most merciful God: "health and happiness. "the Moflems defign to march to Aiznadin, "where there is an army of feventy thoufand "Greeks, who purpose to come against us, that they "may extinguish the light of God with their mouths; ૬૯ "In the name of the from Caled to Amrou, Know that thy brethren but God preferveth his light in spite of the in Cc 2 fidels. CHAP. cc Battle of A. D. 633, 56 fidels so As foon therefore as this letter of mine "fhall be delivered to thy hands, come with "thofe that are with thee to Aiznadin, where "thou fhalt find us if it please the most high "God." The fummons were cheerfully obeyed, and the forty-five thoufand Moflems who met on the fame day, on the same spot, afcribed to the bleffing of providence the effects of their activity and zeal. About four years after the triumphs of the Perfian war, the repofe of Heraclius and the empire was again disturbed by a new enemy, the power of whose religion was more ftrongly felt than it was clearly understood by the Chriftians of the Eaft. In his palace of Conftantinople or Antioch, he was awakened by the invasion of Syria, the loss of Bofra, and the danger of Damafcus. An army of seventy thousand veterans, or new levies, was affembled at Hems or Emefa, under the command of his general Werdan "; and thefe troops, confifting chiefly of cavalry, might be indifferently styled either Syrians, or Greeks, or Romans: Syrians, from the place of their birth or warfare; Greeks, Like our 56 Thefe words are a text of the Koran, c. ix. 32. lxi. 8. fanatics of the laft century, the Moflems, on every familiar or important occafion, fpoke the language of their fcriptures; a ftyle more natural in their mouths, than the Hebrew idiom transplanted into the climate and dialect of Britain. 57 The name of Werdan is unknown to Theophanes, and, though it might belong to an Armenian chief, has very little of a Greek afpect or found, If the Byzantine hiftorians have mangled the oriental names, the Arabs, in this inftance, likewife have taken ample revenge on their enemies. In tranfpofing the Greek character from right to left, might they not produce, from the familiar appellation of Andrew, something like the anagram Werdan ? from from the religion and language of their sovereign; and Romans, from the proud appellation which was still profaned by the fucceffors of Conftantine. On the plain of Aiznadin, as Werdan rode on a white mule decorated with gold chains, and furrounded with enfigns and standards, he was furprised by the near approach of a fierce and naked warrior, who had undertaken to view the state of the enemy. The adventurous valour of Derar was infpired, and has perhaps been adorned, by the enthusiasm of his age and country. The hatred of the Christians, the love of spoil, and the con→ tempt of danger, were the ruling paffions of the audacious Saracen; and the profpect of inftant death could never shake his religious confidence, or ruffle the calmness of his refolution, or even suspend the frank and martial pleasantry of his humour. In the moft hopelefs enterprises, he was bold, and prudent, and fortunate: after innumerable hazards, after being thrice a prisoner in the hands of the infidels, he ftill furvived to relate the atchievements, and to enjoy the rewards, of the Syrian conqueft. On this occafion, his fingle lance maintained a flying fight against thirty Romans, who were detached by Werdan; and after killing or unhorfing seventeen of their number, Derar returned in fafety to his applauding brethren. When his rafhness was mildly cenfured by the general, he excused himself with the fimplicity of a foldier. "Nay," faid Derar, " I did not begin firft: but "they came out to take me, and I was afraid "that God fhould fee me turn my back: and "indeed I fought in good earnest, and without doubt Cc 3 С НА Р. CHAP. doubt God'affifted me against them; and had I "not been apprehenfive of disobeying your or LI. ders, I fhould not have come away as I did; " and I perceive already that they will fall into "our hands." In the presence of both armies, a venerable Greek advanced from the ranks with a liberal offer of peace; and the departure of the Saracens would have been purchased by a gift to each foldier, of a turban, a robe, and a piece of gold; ten robes, and an hundred pieces to their leader; one hundred robes, and a thousand pieces to the caliph. A fmile of indignation expreffed the refufal of Caled. "Ye Chriftian dogs, you "know your option; the koran, the tribute, or "the fword. We are a people whose delight is “in war, rather than in peace; and we despise your pitiful alms, fince we shall be speedily "mafters of your wealth, your families, and your "perfons." Notwithstanding this apparent difdain, he was deeply conscious of the public danger: thofe who had been in Perfia, and had feen the armies of Chofroes, confeffed that they never beheld a more formidable array. From the fuperiority of the enemy, the artful Saracen derived a fresh incentive of courage: "You fee before you," faid he," the united force of the Romans, you "cannot hope to escape, but you may conquer Syria in a fingle day. The event depends on your discipline and patience. Referve yourfelves till the evening. It was in the evening that the prophet was accuftomed to vanquifh." During two fucceffive engagements, his temperate firmness fuftained the darts of the enemy, and the 66 |