shallhereobserve，whatImustoftenrepeat，thatthechargeoftheArabswasnot，likethatoftheGreeksandRomans，theeffortofafirmandcompactinfantry:theirmilitaryforcewaschieflyformedofcavalryandarchers；andtheengagement，whichwasofteninterruptedandoftenrenewedbysinglecombatsandflyingskirmishes，mightbeprotractedwithoutanydecisiveeventtothecontinuanceofseveraldays。TheperiodsofthebattleofCadesiaweredistinguishedbytheirpeculiarappellations。Thefirst，fromthewell—timedappearanceofsixthousandoftheSyrianbrethren，wasdenominatedthedayofsuccor。Thedayofconcussionmightexpressthedisorderofone，orperhapsofboth，ofthecontendingarmies。Thethird，anocturnaltumult，receivedthewhimsicalnameofthenightofbarking，fromthediscordantclamors，whichwerecomparedtotheinarticulatesoundsofthefiercestanimals。ThemorningofthesucceedingdaydeterminedthefateofPersia；andaseasonablewhirlwinddroveacloudofdustagainstthefacesoftheunbelievers。TheclangorofarmswasreechoedtothetentofRustam，who，farunliketheancientheroofhisname，wasgentlyreclininginacoolandtranquilshade，amidstthebaggageofhiscamp，andthetrainofmulesthatwereladenwithgoldandsilver。Onthesoundofdangerhestartedfromhiscouch；buthisflightwasovertakenbyavaliantArab，whocaughthimbythefoot，struckoffhishead，hoisteditonalance，andinstantlyreturningtothefieldofbattle，carriedslaughteranddismayamongthethickestranksofthePersians。TheSaracensconfessalossofseventhousandfivehundredmen；^!andthebattleofCadesiaisjustlydescribedbytheepithetsofobstinateandatrocious。^21
Thestandardofthemonarchywasoverthrownandcapturedinthefield—aleathernapronofablacksmith，whoinancienttimeshadarisenthedelivererofPersia；butthisbadgeofheroicpovertywasdisguised，andalmostconcealed，byaprofusionofpreciousgems。^22Afterthisvictory，thewealthyprovinceofIrak，orAssyria，submittedtothecaliph，andhisconquestswerefirmlyestablishedbythespeedyfoundationofBassora，^23aplacewhichevercommandsthetradeandnavigationofthePersians。AsthedistanceoffourscoremilesfromtheGulf，theEuphratesandTigrisuniteinabroadanddirectcurrent，whichisaptlystyledtheriveroftheArabs。Inthemidway，betweenthejunctionandthemouthofthesefamousstreams，thenewsettlementwasplantedonthewesternbank:thefirstcolonywascomposedofeighthundredMoslems；buttheinfluenceofthesituationsoonrearedaflourishingandpopulouscapital。Theair，thoughexcessivelyhot，ispureandhealthy:themeadowsarefilledwithpalm—treesandcattle；andoneoftheadjacentvalleyshasbeencelebratedamongthefourparadisesorgardensofAsia。UnderthefirstcaliphsthejurisdictionofthisArabiancolonyextendedoverthesouthernprovincesofPersia:
thecityhasbeensanctifiedbythetombsofthecompanionsandmartyrs；andthevesselsofEuropestillfrequenttheportofBassora，asaconvenientstationandpassageoftheIndiantrade。
[Footnote18:Acycleof120years，theendofwhichanintercalarymonthof30dayssuppliedtheuseofourBissextile，andrestoredtheintegrityofthesolaryear。Inagreatrevolutionof1440yearsthisintercalationwassuccessivelyremovedfromthefirsttothetwelfthmonth；butHydeandFreretareinvolvedinaprofoundcontroversy，whetherthetwelve，oronlyeightofthesechangeswereaccomplishedbeforetheaeraofYezdegerd，whichisunanimouslyfixedtothe16thofJune，A。D。
632。HowlaboriouslydoesthecuriousspiritofEuropeexplorethedarkestandmostdistantantiquities!HydedeReligionePersarum，c。14—18，p。181—211。FreretintheMem。del\'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xvi。p。233—267。]
[Footnote19:NinedaysafterthedeathofMahomet7thJune，A。D。632wefindtheaeraofYezdegerd，16thJune，A。D。632，
andhisaccessioncannotbepostponedbeyondtheendofthefirstyear。HispredecessorscouldnotthereforeresistthearmsofthecaliphOmar；andtheseunquestionabledatesoverthrowthethoughtlesschronologyofAbulpharagius。SeeOckley\'sHist。oftheSaracens，vol。i。p。130。
Note:TheRezontUzzuffaPrice，p。105hasastrangeaccountofanembassytoYezdegerd。TheOrientalhistorianstakegreatdelightintheseembassies，whichgivethemanopportunityofdisplayingtheirAsiaticeloquence—M。]
[Footnote20:Cadesia，saystheNubiangeographer，p。121，isinmarginesolitudinis，61leaguesfromBagdad，andtwostationsfromCufa。OtterVoyage，tom。i。p。163reckons15leagues，andobserves，thattheplaceissuppliedwithdatesandwater。]
[Footnote*:Thedayofcormorants，oraccordingtoanotherreadingthedayofreinforcements。Itwasthenightwhichwascalledthenightofsnarling。Price，p。114。—M。]
[Footnote!:AccordingtoMalcolm\'sauthorities，onlythreethousand；butheadds\"ThisisthereportofMahomedanhistorians，whohaveagreatdispositionofthewonderful，inrelatingthefirstactionsofthefaithful\"Vol。i。p。39。—M。]
[Footnote21:Atrox，contumax，plussemelrenovatum，arethewell—chosenexpressionsofthetranslatorofAbulfeda，Reiske，p。69。]
[Footnote22:D\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。297，348。]
[Footnote23:ThereadermaysatisfyhimselfonthesubjectofBassorabyconsultingthefollowingwriters:Geograph，Nubiens。
p。121。D\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。192。D\'Anville，l\'EuphrateetleTigre，p。130，133，145。Raynal，Hist。
PhilosophiquedesdeuxIndes，tom。ii。p。92—100。VoyagesdiPietrodellaValle，tom。iv。p。370—391。DeTavernier，tom。i。
p。240—247。DeThevenot，tom。ii。p。545—584。DOtter，tom。
ii。p。45—78。DeNiebuhr，tom。ii。p。172—199。]
ChapterLI:ConquestsByTheArabs。
PartII。
AfterthedefeatofCadesia，acountryintersectedbyriversandcanalsmighthaveopposedaninsuperablebarriertothevictoriouscavalry；andthewallsofCtesiphonorMadayn，whichhadresistedthebattering—ramsoftheRomans，wouldnothaveyieldedtothedartsoftheSaracens。ButtheflyingPersianswereovercomebythebelief，thatthelastdayoftheirreligionandempirewasathand；thestrongestpostswereabandonedbytreacheryorcowardice；andtheking，withapartofhisfamilyandtreasures，escapedtoHolwanatthefootoftheMedianhills。
Inthethirdmonthafterthebattle，Said，thelieutenantofOmar，passedtheTigriswithoutopposition；thecapitalwastakenbyassault；andthedisorderlyresistanceofthepeoplegaveakeeneredgetothesabresoftheMoslems，whoshoutedwithreligioustransport，\"ThisisthewhitepalaceofChosroes；thisisthepromiseoftheapostleofGod!\"Thenakedrobbersofthedesertweresuddenlyenrichedbeyondthemeasureoftheirhopeorknowledge。Eachchamberrevealedanewtreasuresecretedwithart，orostentatiouslydisplayed；thegoldandsilver，thevariouswardrobesandpreciousfurniture，surpassedsaysAbulfedatheestimateoffancyornumbers；andanotherhistoriandefinestheuntoldandalmostinfinitemass，bythefabulouscomputationofthreethousandsofthousandsofthousandsofpiecesofgold。^24Someminutethoughcuriousfactsrepresentthecontrastofrichesandignorance。FromtheremoteislandsoftheIndianOceanalargeprovisionofcamphire^25hadbeenimported，whichisemployedwithamixtureofwaxtoilluminatethepalacesoftheEast。Strangerstothenameandpropertiesofthatodoriferousgum，theSaracens，mistakingitforsalt，mingledthecamphireintheirbread，andwereastonishedatthebitternessofthetaste。Oneoftheapartmentsofthepalacewasdecoratedwithacarpetofsilk，sixtycubitsinlength，andasmanyinbreadth:aparadiseorgardenwasdepicturedontheground:theflowers，fruits，andshrubs，wereimitatedbythefiguresofthegoldembroidery，andthecolorsofthepreciousstones；andtheamplesquarewasencircledbyavariegatedandverdantborder。^!TheArabiangeneralpersuadedhissoldierstorelinquishtheirclaim，inthereasonablehopethattheeyesofthecaliphwouldbedelightedwiththesplendidworkmanshipofnatureandindustry。Regardlessofthemeritofart，andthepompofroyalty，therigidOmardividedtheprizeamonghisbrethrenofMedina:thepicturewasdestroyed；butsuchwastheintrinsicvalueofthematerials，thattheshareofAlialonewassoldfortwentythousanddrams。Amulethatcarriedawaythetiaraandcuirass，thebeltandbraceletsofChosroes，wasovertakenbythepursuers；thegorgeoustrophywaspresentedtothecommanderofthefaithful；andthegravestofthecompanionscondescendedtosmilewhentheybeheldthewhitebeard，thehairyarms，anduncouthfigureoftheveteran，whowasinvestedwiththespoilsoftheGreatKing。^26ThesackofCtesiphonwasfollowedbyitsdesertionandgradualdecay。TheSaracensdislikedtheairandsituationoftheplace，andOmarwasadvisedbyhisgeneraltoremovetheseatofgovernmenttothewesternsideoftheEuphrates。Ineveryage，thefoundationandruinoftheAssyriancitieshasbeeneasyandrapid:thecountryisdestituteofstoneandtimber；andthemostsolidstructures^27arecomposedofbricksbakedinthesun，andjoinedbyacementofthenativebitumen。ThenameofCufa^28describesahabitationofreedsandearth；buttheimportanceofthenewcapitalwassupportedbythenumbers，wealth，andspirit，ofacolonyofveterans；andtheirlicentiousnesswasindulgedbythewisestcaliphs，whowereapprehensiveofprovokingtherevoltofahundredthousandswords:\"YemenofCufa，\"saidAli，whosolicitedtheiraid，\"youhavebeenalwaysconspicuousbyyourvalor。YouconqueredthePersianking，andscatteredhisforces，tillyouhadtakenpossessionofhisinheritance。\"ThismightyconquestwasachievedbythebattlesofJalulaandNehavend。Afterthelossoftheformer，YezdegerdfledfromHolwan，andconcealedhisshameanddespairinthemountainsofFarsistan，fromwhenceCyrushaddescendedwithhisequalandvaliantcompanions。Thecourageofthenationsurvivedthatofthemonarch:amongthehillstothesouthofEcbatanaorHamadan，onehundredandfiftythousandPersiansmadeathirdandfinalstandfortheirreligionandcountry；andthedecisivebattleofNehavendwasstyledbytheArabsthevictoryofvictories。IfitbetruethattheflyinggeneralofthePersianswasstoppedandovertakeninacrowdofmulesandcamelsladenwithhoney，theincident，howeverslightandsingular，willdenotetheluxuriousimpedimentsofanOrientalarmy。^29
[Footnote24:Mentevixpotestnumerovecomprehendiquantaspolianostriscesserint。Abulfeda，p。69。YetIstillsuspect，thattheextravagantnumbersofElmacinmaybetheerror，notofthetext，butoftheversion。ThebesttranslatorsfromtheGreek，forinstance，Ifindtobeverypoorarithmeticians。
Note:OckleyHist。ofSaracens，vol。i。p。230translatesinthesamemannerthreethousandmillionofducats。SeeForster\'sMahometanismUnveiled，vol。ii。p。462；whomakesthisinnocentdoubtofGibbon，inwhich，istotheamountoftheplunder，Iventuretoconcur，agravechargeofinaccuracyanddisrespecttothememoryofErpenius。
ThePersianauthoritiesofPricep。122makethebootyworththreehundredandthirtymillionssterling!—M]
[Footnote25:Thecamphire—treegrowsinChinaandJapan；butmanyhundredweightofthosemeanersortsareexchangedforasinglepoundofthemorepreciousgumofBorneoandSumatra，Raynal，Hist。Philosoph。tom。i。p。362—365。Dictionnaired\'Hist。NaturelleparBomareMiller\'sGardener\'sDictionary。
ThesemaybetheislandsofthefirstclimatefromwhencetheArabiansimportedtheircamphireGeograph。Nub。p。34，35。
D\'Herbelot，p。232。]
[Footnote!:ComparePrice，p。122。—M。]
[Footnote26:SeeGagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。i。p。376，377。
Imaycreditthefact，withoutbelievingtheprophecy。]
[Footnote27:ThemostconsiderableruinsofAssyriaarethetowerofBelus，atBabylon，andthehallofChosroes，atCtesiphon:theyhavebeenvisitedbythatvainandcurioustravellerPietrodellaValle，tom。i。p。713—718，731—735。
Note:ThebestmodernaccountisthatofClaudiusRichEsq。
TwoMemoirsofBabylon。London，1818。—M。]
[Footnote28:ConsultthearticleofCoufahintheBibliothequeofD\'Herbelotp。277，278，andthesecondvolumeofOckley\'sHistory，particularlyp。40and153。]
[Footnote29:SeethearticleofNehavend，inD\'Herbelot，p。667，668；andVoyagesenTurquieetenPerse，parOtter，tom。i。191。
Note:Malcolmvol。i。p。141。—M。]
ThegeographyofPersiaisdarklydelineatedbytheGreeksandLatins；butthemostillustriousofhercitiesappeartobemoreancientthantheinvasionoftheArabs。BythereductionofHamadanandIspahan，ofCaswin，Tauris，andRei，theygraduallyapproachedtheshoresoftheCaspianSea:andtheoratorsofMeccamightapplaudthesuccessandspiritofthefaithful，whohadalreadylostsightofthenorthernbear，andhadalmosttranscendedtheboundsofthehabitableworld。^30Again，turningtowardstheWestandtheRomanempire，theyrepassedtheTigrisoverthebridgeofMosul，and，inthecaptiveprovincesofArmeniaandMesopotamia，embracedtheirvictoriousbrethrenoftheSyrianarmy。FromthepalaceofMadayntheirEasternprogresswasnotlessrapidorextensive。TheyadvancedalongtheTigrisandtheGulf；penetratedthroughthepassesofthemountainsintothevalleyofEstacharorPersepolis，andprofanedthelastsanctuaryoftheMagianempire。ThegrandsonofChosroeswasnearlysurprisedamongthefallingcolumnsandmutilatedfigures；asademblemofthepastandpresentfortuneofPersia:^31hefledwithacceleratedhasteoverthedesertofKirman，imploredtheaidofthewarlikeSegestans，andsoughtanhumblerefugeonthevergeoftheTurkishandChinesepower。Butavictoriousarmyisinsensibleoffatigue:theArabsdividedtheirforcesinthepursuitofatimorousenemy；andthecaliphOthmanpromisedthegovernmentofChorasantothefirstgeneralwhoshouldenterthatlargeandpopulouscountry，thekingdomoftheancientBactrians。Theconditionwasaccepted；theprizewasdeserved；thestandardofMahometwasplantedonthewallsofHerat，Merou，andBalch；andthesuccessfulleaderneitherhaltednorreposedtillhisfoamingcavalryhadtastedthewatersoftheOxus。Inthepublicanarchy，theindependentgovernorsofthecitiesandcastlesobtainedtheirseparatecapitulations:thetermsweregrantedorimposedbytheesteem，theprudence，orthecompassion，ofthevictors；andasimpleprofessionoffaithestablishedthedistinctionbetweenabrotherandaslave。Afteranobledefence，Harmozan，theprinceorsatrapofAhwazandSusa，wascompelledtosurrenderhispersonandhisstatetothediscretionofthecaliph；andtheirinterviewexhibitsaportraitoftheArabianmanners。Inthepresence，andbythecommand，ofOmar，thegayBarbarianwasdespoiledofhissilkenrobesembroideredwithgold，andofhistiarabedeckedwithrubiesandemeralds:\"Areyounowsensible，\"saidtheconquerortohisnakedcaptive—\"areyounowsensibleofthejudgmentofGod，andofthedifferentrewardsofinfidelityandobedience?\"\"Alas!\"
repliedHarmozan，\"Ifeelthemtoodeeply。Inthedaysofourcommonignorance，wefoughtwiththeweaponsoftheflesh，andmynationwassuperior。Godwasthenneuter:sincehehasespousedyourquarrel，youhavesubvertedourkingdomandreligion。\"
Oppressedbythispainfuldialogue，thePersiancomplainedofintolerablethirst，butdiscoveredsomeapprehensionlestheshouldbekilledwhilsthewasdrinkingacupofwater。\"Beofgoodcourage，\"saidthecaliph；\"yourlifeissafetillyouhavedrunkthiswater:\"thecraftysatrapacceptedtheassurance，andinstantlydashedthevaseagainsttheground。Omarwouldhaveavengedthedeceit，buthiscompanionsrepresentedthesanctityofanoath；andthespeedyconversionofHarmozanentitledhimnotonlytoafreepardon，buteventoastipendoftwothousandpiecesofgold。TheadministrationofPersiawasregulatedbyanactualsurveyofthepeople，thecattle，andthefruitsoftheearth；^32andthismonument，whichatteststhevigilanceofthecaliphs，mighthaveinstructedthephilosophersofeveryage。^33
[Footnote30:ItisinsuchastyleofignoranceandwonderthattheAthenianoratordescribestheArcticconquestsofAlexander，whoneveradvancedbeyondtheshoresoftheCaspian。AeschinescontraCtesiphontem，tom。iii。p。554，edit。Graec。Orator。
Reiske。ThismemorablecausewaspleadedatAthens，Olymp。cxii。
3，beforeChrist330，intheautumn，Taylor，praefat。p。370，&c。，aboutayearafterthebattleofArbela；andAlexander，inthepursuitofDarius，wasmarchingtowardsHyrcaniaandBactriana。]
[Footnote31:WeareindebtedforthiscuriousparticulartotheDynastiesofAbulpharagius，p。116；butitisneedlesstoprovetheidentityofEstacharandPersepolis，D\'Herbelot，p。327；
andstillmoreneedlesstocopythedrawingsanddescriptionsofSirJohnChardin，orCorneilloleBruyn。]
[Footnote32:AftertheconquestofPersia，Theophanesadds，Chronographp。283。]
[Footnote33:Amidstourmeagrerelations，ImustregretthatD\'HerbelothasnotfoundandusedaPersiantranslationofTabari，enriched，ashesays，withmanyextractsfromthenativehistoriansoftheGhebersorMagi，BibliothequeOrientale，p。
1014。]
TheflightofYezdegerdhadcarriedhimbeyondtheOxus，andasfarastheJaxartes，tworivers^34ofancientandmodernrenown，whichdescendfromthemountainsofIndiatowardstheCaspianSea。HewashospitablyentertainedbyTakhan，princeofFargana，^35afertileprovinceontheJaxartes:thekingofSamarcand，withtheTurkishtribesofSogdianaandScythia，weremovedbythelamentationsandpromisesofthefallenmonarch；andhesolicited，byasuppliantembassy，themoresolidandpowerfulfriendshipoftheemperorofChina。^36ThevirtuousTaitsong，^37thefirstofthedynastyoftheTangmaybejustlycomparedwiththeAntoninesofRome:hispeopleenjoyedtheblessingsofprosperityandpeace；andhisdominionwasacknowledgedbyforty—fourhordesoftheBarbariansofTartary。HislastgarrisonsofCashgarandKhotenmaintainedafrequentintercoursewiththeirneighborsoftheJaxartesandOxus；arecentcolonyofPersianshadintroducedintoChinatheastronomyoftheMagi；andTaitsongmightbealarmedbytherapidprogressanddangerousvicinityoftheArabs。Theinfluence，andperhapsthesupplies，ofChinarevivedthehopesofYezdegerdandthezealoftheworshippersoffire；andhereturnedwithanarmyofTurkstoconquertheinheritanceofhisfathers。ThefortunateMoslems，withoutunsheathingtheirswords，werethespectatorsofhisruinanddeath。ThegrandsonofChosroeswasbetrayedbyhisservant，insultedbytheseditiousinhabitantsofMerou，andoppressed，defeated，andpursuedbyhisBarbarianallies。Hereachedthebanksofariver，andofferedhisringsandbraceletsforaninstantpassageinamiller\'sboat。Ignorantorinsensibleofroyaldistress，therusticreplied，thatfourdramsofsilverwerethedailyprofitofhismill，andthathewouldnotsuspendhisworkunlessthelosswererepaid。Inthismomentofhesitationanddelay，thelastoftheSassaniankingswasovertakenandslaughteredbytheTurkishcavalry，inthenineteenthyearofhisunhappyreign。^38HissonFiruz，anhumbleclientoftheChineseemperor，acceptedthestationofcaptainofhisguards；andtheMagianworshipwaslongpreservedbyacolonyofloyalexilesintheprovinceofBucharia。^!Hisgrandsoninheritedtheregalname；butafterafaintandfruitlessenterprise，hereturnedtoChina，andendedhisdaysinthepalaceofSigan。ThemalelineoftheSassanideswasextinct；butthefemalecaptives，thedaughtersofPersia，weregiventotheconquerorsinservitude，ormarriage；andtheraceofthecaliphsandimamswasennobledbythebloodoftheirroyalmothers。^39