LI. CHAP. racens were justified by the resemblance of a national right. The country was enriched by the various benefits of trade; by the vigilance of the emperors it was covered with a line of forts; and the populous cities of Gerasa, Philadelphia, and Bosra, were secure, at least from a surprise, by the solid structure of their walls. The last of these cities was the eighteenth sta. tion of Medina: the road was familiar to the caravans of Hejaz and Irak, who annually visited this plenteous market of the province and the desert: the perpetual jealousy of the Arabs had trained the inhabitants to arms; and twelve thousand horse could sally from the gates of Bosra, an appellation which signifies, in the Syriac language, a strong tower of defence. Encouraged by their first success against the open towns and flying parties of the borders, a detachment of four thousand Moslems presumed to summon and attack the fortress of Bosra. They were oppressed by the numbers of the Syrians; they were saved by the presence of Caled, with fifteen hundred horse; he blamed the enterprise, restored the battle, and rescued his friend, the venerable Serjabil, who had vainly invoked the unity of God and the promise of the apostle. After a short repose, the Moslems performed their ab With Gerasa and Philadelphia, Ammianus praises the fortifications of Bosra firmitate cautissimas. They deserved the same praise in the time of Abulfeda, (Tabul. Syriæ, p. 99), who describes this city, the metropolis of Hawran, (Auranitis), four days journey from Da Inascus. The Hebrew etymology I learn from the Reland, Palestin. tom. ii, p. 666. LI. lutions with sand instead of water; and the CHAP. 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! Para dise, paradise!" 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 the 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 revenge. In a nocturnal interview, he informed the enemy of a subterraneous passage from his house The apostle of a desert and an army was obliged to allow this ready succedaneum 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 prac tice 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 ixth century. LI. CHAP under the wall of the city; the son of the caliph, with an hundred volunteers, were committed to the faith of his 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 come. And I deny him that was crucified, and whosoever worships him. And "I choose God for my Lord, Islam for my faith, Mecca for 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." A. D. 633. 66 66 Siege of The conquest of Bosra, four days journey Damascus, from Damascus,' encouraged the Arabs to besiege the ancient capital of Syria. At some distance from the walls, they encamped among the groves and fountains of that delicious territory, and the usual option of the Mahometan f Damascus is amply described by the Sherif al Edrisi, (Geograph. Nub. p. 116, 117), and his trauslator, Sionita, (Appendix, c. 4); Abulfeda, (Tabula Syrice, p. 100); Schultens, (Index, Geograph. ad Vit. Saladin.); d'Herbelot, (Bibliot. Orient. p. 291); Thevenot, Voyage de Levant, (part. i, p. 688-698); Mundrell, (Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 122-130), and Pocock, (Description of the East, vol. ii, p. 117-127). • Nobillissima civitas, says Justin. According to the Oriental traditions, it was older than Abraham or Semiramis. Joseph. Antiq. Jud. 1. i, c. 6, 7, p. 24, 29, edit. Havercamp. Justin, xxxvi, 2. * Εδει γαρ οιμαι την Διος πολιν αληθως, και της Ενας άπασις οφθαλμον την ιεραν και μεγίης, Δαμασκον λεγω, τοις τε άλλοις συμπασεν, διον ἱερων καλλεί, και νεων μεγεθει. και ώρων ευκαιρία και πηγων αγλαία και ποταμων πληθεί, και γης ευφοpia vinwear, &c. Julian, epist. xxiv, p. 392. These splendid epithets are occasioned LI. faith of tribute or of war, was proposed to the CHAP. 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: you are fatigued with fighting with this dog." "O De"rar!" replied the indefatigable Saracen, "we 66 shall rest in the world to come. He that la"bours to-day shall rest to-morrow." With the same unabated ardour, Caled answered, encountered and vanquished a second champion; and the heads of his two captives who refused to abandon their religion were indignantly hurled into the midst of the city. The event of some occasioned 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 waps hav), 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 aud the heroes of the Iliad; the siege of Troy and that of Damascus, (Hist. Generale, tom. i, p. 348). LI. CHAP. general and partial actions reduced the Damascenes to a closer defence; but a messenger whom they dropt from the walls, returned with the promise of a 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 rearguard; 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 merciful God: "from Caled to Amrou, health and happiness. "Know that thy brethren the Mosleins 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 pre"serveth his light in spite of the infidels. As These words are the text of the Koran, c. ix, 32; lxi, 8. Like our fanatics of the last century the Moslems, on every familiar or impor taut |