[Footnote138:MyconquestofAfricaisdrawnfromtwoFrenchinterpretersofArabicliterature，CardonneHist。del\'Afriqueetdel\'EspagnesouslaDominationdesArabes，tom。i。p。8—55
andOtter，Hist。del\'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xxi。p。
111—125，and136。TheyderivetheirprincipalinformationfromNovairi，whocomposed，A。D。1331anEncyclopaediainmorethantwentyvolumes。Thefivegeneralpartssuccessivelytreatof，1。
Physics；2。Man；3。Animals；4。Plants；and，5。History；andtheAfricanaffairsarediscussedinthevithchapterofthevthsectionofthislastpart，Reiske，ProdidagmataadHagjiChalifaeTabulas，p。232—234。AmongtheolderhistorianswhoarequotedbyNavairiwemaydistinguishtheoriginalnarrativeofasoldierwholedthevanoftheMoslems。]
[Footnote139:SeethehistoryofAbdallah，inAbulfedaVit。
Mohammed。p。108andGagnier，ViedeMahomet，tom。iii。45—
48。]
[Footnote140:TheprovinceandcityofTripoliaredescribedbyLeoAfricanusinNavigationeetViaggidiRamusio，tom。i。
Venetia，1550，fol。76，versoandMarmol，Descriptiondel\'Afrique，tom。ii。p。562。ThefirstofthesewriterswasaMoor，ascholar，andatraveller，whocomposedortranslatedhisAfricangeographyinastateofcaptivityatRome，wherehehadassumedthenameandreligionofPopeLeoX。InasimilarcaptivityamongtheMoors，theSpaniardMarmol，asoldierofCharlesV。，compiledhisDescriptionofAfrica，translatedbyD\'AblancourtintoFrench，Paris，1667，3vols。in4to。Marmolhadreadandseen，butheisdestituteofthecuriousandextensiveobservationwhichaboundsintheoriginalworkofLeotheAfrican。]
[Footnote141:Theophanes，whomentionsthedefeat，ratherthanthedeath，ofGregory。Hebrandsthepraefectwiththename:hehadprobablyassumedthepurple，Chronograph。p。285。]
AnobleArabian，whoafterwardsbecametheadversaryofAli，andthefatherofacaliph，hadsignalizedhisvalorinEgypt，andZobeir^142wasthefirstwhoplantedthescaling—ladderagainstthewallsofBabylon。IntheAfricanwarhewasdetachedfromthestandardofAbdallah。Onthenewsofthebattle，Zobeir，withtwelvecompanions，cuthiswaythroughthecampoftheGreeks，andpressedforwards，withouttastingeitherfoodorrepose，topartakeofthedangersofhisbrethren。Hecasthiseyesroundthefield:\"Where，\"saidhe，\"isourgeneral?\"\"Inhistent。\"\"IsthetentastationforthegeneraloftheMoslems?\"
Abdallahrepresentedwithablushtheimportanceofhisownlife，andthetemptationthatwasheldforthbytheRomanpraefect。
\"Retort，\"saidZobeir，\"ontheinfidelstheirungenerousattempt。
ProclaimthroughtheranksthattheheadofGregoryshallberepaidwithhiscaptivedaughter，andtheequalsumofonehundredthousandpiecesofgold。\"TothecourageanddiscretionofZobeirthelieutenantofthecaliphintrustedtheexecutionofhisownstratagem，whichinclinedthelong—disputedbalanceinfavoroftheSaracens。Supplyingbyactivityandartificethedeficiencyofnumbers，apartoftheirforceslayconcealedintheirtents，whiletheremainderprolongedanirregularskirmishwiththeenemytillthesunwashighintheheavens。Onbothsidestheyretiredwithfaintingsteps:theirhorseswereunbridled，theirarmorwaslaidaside，andthehostilenationsprepared，orseemedtoprepare，fortherefreshmentoftheevening，andtheencounteroftheensuingday。Onasuddenthechargewassounded；theArabiancamppouredforthaswarmoffreshandintrepidwarriors；andthelonglineoftheGreeksandAfricanswassurprised，assaulted，overturned，bynewsquadronsofthefaithful，who，totheeyeoffanaticism，mightappearasabandofangelsdescendingfromthesky。ThepraefecthimselfwasslainbythehandofZobeir:hisdaughter，whosoughtrevengeanddeath，wassurroundedandmadeprisoner；andthefugitivesinvolvedintheirdisasterthetownofSufetula，towhichtheyescapedfromthesabresandlancesoftheArabs。SufetulawasbuiltonehundredandfiftymilestothesouthofCarthage:agentledeclivityiswateredbyarunningstream，andshadedbyagroveofjuniper—trees；and，intheruinsofatriumphaarch，aportico，andthreetemplesoftheCorinthianorder，curiositymayyetadmirethemagnificenceoftheRomans。^143Afterthefallofthisopulentcity，theprovincialsandBarbariansimploredonallsidesthemercyoftheconqueror。Hisvanityorhiszealmightbeflatteredbyoffersoftributeorprofessionsoffaith:buthislosses，hisfatigues，andtheprogressofanepidemicaldisease，preventedasolidestablishment；andtheSaracens，afteracampaignoffifteenmonths，retreatedtotheconfinesofEgypt，withthecaptivesandthewealthoftheirAfricanexpedition。
Thecaliph\'sfifthwasgrantedtoafavorite，onthenominalpaymentoffivehundredthousandpiecesofgold；^144butthestatewasdoublyinjuredbythisfallacioustransaction，ifeachfoot—soldierhadsharedonethousand，andeachhorsemanthreethousand，pieces，intherealdivisionoftheplunder。TheauthorofthedeathofGregorywasexpectedtohaveclaimedthemostpreciousrewardofthevictory:fromhissilenceitmightbepresumedthathehadfalleninthebattle，tillthetearsandexclamationsofthepraefect\'sdaughteratthesightofZobeirrevealedthevalorandmodestyofthatgallantsoldier。Theunfortunatevirginwasoffered，andalmostrejectedasaslave，byherfather\'smurderer，whocoollydeclaredthathisswordwasconsecratedtotheserviceofreligion；andthathelaboredforarecompensefarabovethecharmsofmortalbeauty，ortherichesofthistransitorylife。ArewardcongenialtohistemperwasthehonorablecommissionofannouncingtothecaliphOthmanthesuccessofhisarms。Thecompanionsthechiefs，andthepeople，wereassembledinthemoschofMedina，toheartheinterestingnarrativeofZobeir；andastheoratorforgotnothingexceptthemeritofhisowncounselsandactions，thenameofAbdallahwasjoinedbytheArabianswiththeheroicnamesofCaledandAmrou。
^145
[Footnote142:SeeinOckleyHist。oftheSaracens，vol。ii。p。
45thedeathofZobeir，whichwashonoredwiththetearsofAli，againstwhomhehadrebelled。HisvaloratthesiegeofBabylon，ifindeeditbethesameperson，ismentionedbyEutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。308]
[Footnote143:Shaw\'sTravels，p。118，119。]
[Footnote144:Mimicaemptio，saysAbulfeda，erathaec，etmiradonatio；quandoquidemOthman，ejusnominenummosexaerariopriusablatosaerariopraestabat，Annal。Moslem。p。78。Elmacininhiscloudyversion，p。39seemstoreportthesamejob。WhentheArabsbesiegedthepalaceofOthman，itstoodhighintheircatalogueofgrievances。]
[Footnote145:Theophan。Chronograph。p。235edit。Paris。Hischronologyislooseandinaccurate。]
ChapterLI:ConquestsByTheArabs。
PartVII。
Ishoulddeceivetheexpectationofthereader，ifIpassedinsilencethefateoftheAlexandrianlibrary，asitisdescribedbythelearnedAbulpharagius。ThespiritofAmrouwasmorecuriousandliberalthanthatofhisbrethren，andinhisleisurehours，theArabianchiefwaspleasedwiththeconversationofJohn，thelastdiscipleofAmmonius，andwhoderivedthesurnameofPhiloponusfromhislaboriousstudiesofgrammarandphilosophy。^115Emboldenedbythisfamiliarintercourse，Philoponuspresumedtosolicitagift，inestimableinhisopinion，contemptibleinthatoftheBarbarians—theroyallibrary，whichalone，amongthespoilsofAlexandria，hadnotbeenappropriatedbythevisitandthesealoftheconqueror。
Amrouwasinclinedtogratifythewishofthegrammarian，buthisrigidintegrityrefusedtoalienatetheminutestobjectwithouttheconsentofthecaliph；andthewell—knownanswerofOmarwasinspiredbytheignoranceofafanatic。\"IfthesewritingsoftheGreeksagreewiththebookofGod，theyareuseless，andneednotbepreserved:iftheydisagree，theyarepernicious，andoughttobedestroyed。\"Thesentencewasexecutedwithblindobedience:thevolumesofpaperorparchmentweredistributedtothefourthousandbathsofthecity；andsuchwastheirincrediblemultitude，thatsixmonthswerebarelysufficientfortheconsumptionofthispreciousfuel。SincetheDynastiesofAbulpharagius^116havebeengiventotheworldinaLatinversion，thetalehasbeenrepeatedlytranscribed；andeveryscholar，withpiousindignation，hasdeploredtheirreparableshipwreckofthelearning，thearts，andthegenius，ofantiquity。Formyownpart，Iamstronglytemptedtodenyboththefactandtheconsequences。Thefactisindeedmarvellous。
\"Readandwonder!\"saysthehistorianhimself:andthesolitaryreportofastrangerwhowroteattheendofsixhundredyearsontheconfinesofMedia，isoverbalancedbythesilenceoftwoannalistofamoreearlydate，bothChristians，bothnativesofEgypt，andthemostancientofwhom，thepatriarchEutychius，hasamplydescribedtheconquestofAlexandria。^117TherigidsentenceofOmarisrepugnanttothesoundandorthodoxpreceptoftheMahometancasuiststheyexpresslydeclare，thatthereligiousbooksoftheJewsandChristians，whichareacquiredbytherightofwar，shouldneverbecommittedtotheflames；andthattheworksofprofanescience，historiansorpoets，physiciansorphilosophers，maybelawfullyappliedtotheuseofthefaithful。^118AmoredestructivezealmayperhapsbeattributedtothefirstsuccessorsofMahomet；yetinthisinstance，theconflagrationwouldhavespeedilyexpiredinthedeficiencyofmaterials。IshouldnotrecapitulatethedisastersoftheAlexandrianlibrary，theinvoluntaryflamethatwaskindledbyCaesarinhisowndefence，^119orthemischievousbigotryoftheChristians，whostudiedtodestroythemonumentsofidolatry。^120ButifwegraduallydescendfromtheageoftheAntoninestothatofTheodosius，weshalllearnfromachainofcontemporarywitnesses，thattheroyalpalaceandthetempleofSerapisnolongercontainedthefour，ortheseven，hundredthousandvolumes，whichhadbeenassembledbythecuriosityandmagnificenceofthePtolemies。^121Perhapsthechurchandseatofthepatriarchsmightbeenrichedwitharepositoryofbooks；
butiftheponderousmassofArianandMonophysitecontroversywereindeedconsumedinthepublicbaths，^122aphilosophermayallow，withasmile，thatitwasultimatelydevotedtothebenefitofmankind。IsincerelyregretthemorevaluablelibrarieswhichhavebeeninvolvedintheruinoftheRomanempire；butwhenIseriouslycomputethelapseofages，thewasteofignorance，andthecalamitiesofwar，ourtreasures，ratherthanourlosses，aretheobjectsofmysurprise。Manycuriousandinterestingfactsareburiedinoblivion:thethreegreathistoriansofRomehavebeentransmittedtoourhandsinamutilatedstate，andwearedeprivedofmanypleasingcompositionsofthelyric，iambic，anddramaticpoetryoftheGreeks。Yetweshouldgratefullyremember，thatthemischancesoftimeandaccidenthavesparedtheclassicworkstowhichthesuffrageofantiquity^123hadadjudgedthefirstplaceofgeniusandglory:theteachersofancientknowledge，whoarestillextant，hadperusedandcomparedthewritingsoftheirpredecessors；^124norcanitfairlybepresumedthatanyimportanttruth，anyusefuldiscoveryinartornature，hasbeensnatchedawayfromthecuriosityofmodernages。
[Footnote115:Manytreatisesofthisloveroflaborarestillextant，butforreadersofthepresentage，theprintedandunpublishedarenearlyinthesamepredicament。MosesandAristotlearethechiefobjectsofhisverbosecommentaries，oneofwhichisdatedasearlyasMay10th，A。D。617，Fabric。
Bibliot。Graec。tom。ix。p。458—468。Amodern，JohnLeClerc，whosometimesassumedthesamenamewasequaltooldPhiloponusindiligence，andfarsuperioringoodsenseandrealknowledge。]
[Footnote116:Abulpharag。Dynast。p。114，vers。Pocock。Audiquidfactumsitetmirare。Itwouldbeendlesstoenumeratethemodernswhohavewonderedandbelieved，butImaydistinguishwithhonortherationalscepticismofRenaudot，Hist。Alex。
Patriarch，p。170:historia……habetaliquidutArabibusfamiliareest。]
[Footnote*:SincethisperiodseveralnewMahometanauthoritieshavebeenadducedtosupporttheauthorityofAbulpharagius。
Thatof，I。AbdollatiphbyProfessorWhite:II。OfMakrizi；I
haveseenaMs。extractfromthiswriter:III。OfIbnChaledun:
andafterthemHadschiChalfa。SeeVonHammer，GeschichtederAssassinen，p。17。Reinhard，inaGermanDissertation，printedatGottingen，1792，andSt。Croix，MagasinEncyclop。tom。iv。p。
433，haveexaminedthequestion。AmongOrientalscholars，ProfessorWhite，M。St。Martin，VonHammer。andSilv。deSacy，considerthefactoftheburningthelibrary，bythecommandofOmar，beyondquestion。CompareSt。Martin\'snote。vol。xi。p。
296。AMahometanwriterbringsasimilarchargeagainsttheCrusaders。ThelibraryofTripoliissaidtohavecontainedtheincrediblenumberofthreemillionsofvolumes。Onthecaptureofthecity，CountBertramofSt。Giles，enteringthefirstroom，whichcontainednothingbuttheKoran，orderedthewholetobeburnt，astheworksofthefalseprophetofArabia。SeeWilken。
GeschderKreuxzuge，vol。ii。p。211。—M。]
[Footnote117:ThiscuriousanecdotewillbevainlysoughtintheannalsofEutychius，andtheSaracenichistoryofElmacin。ThesilenceofAbulfeda，Murtadi，andacrowdofMoslems，islessconclusivefromtheirignoranceofChristianliterature。]
[Footnote118:SeeReland，deJureMilitariMohammedanorum，inhisiiidvolumeofDissertations，p。37。ThereasonfornotburningthereligiousbooksoftheJewsorChristians，isderivedfromtherespectthatisduetothenameofGod。]
[Footnote119:ConsultthecollectionsofFrensheimSupplement。
Livian，c。12，43andUsher，Anal。p。469。LivyhimselfhadstyledtheAlexandrianlibrary，elegantiaeregumcuraequeegregiumopus；aliberalencomium，forwhichheispertlycriticizedbythenarrowstoicismofSeneca，DeTranquillitateAnimi，c。9，whosewisdom，onthisoccasion，deviatesintononsense。]
[Footnote120:SeethisHistory，vol。iii。p。146。]
[Footnote121:AulusGellius，NoctesAtticae，vi。17，AmmianusMarcellinua，xxii。16，andOrosius，l。vi。c。15。Theyallspeakinthepasttense，andthewordsofAmmianusareremarkablystrong:fueruntBibliothecaeinnumerabiles；etloquitummonumentorumveterumconcinensfides，&c。]
[Footnote122:RenaudotanswersforversionsoftheBible，Hexapla，CatenoePatrum，Commentaries，&c。，p。170。OurAlexandrianMs。，ifitcamefromEgypt，andnotfromConstantinopleorMountAthos，Wetstein，Prolegom。adN。T。p。
8，&c。，mightpossiblybeamongthem。]
[Footnote123:IhaveoftenperusedwithpleasureachapterofQuintilian，Institut。Orator。x。i。，inwhichthatjudiciouscriticenumeratesandappreciatestheseriesofGreekandLatinclassics。]
[Footnote124:SuchasGalen，Pliny，Aristotle，&c。OnthissubjectWottonReflectionsonAncientandModernLearning，p。85
—95argues，withsolidsense，againstthelivelyexoticfanciesofSirWilliamTemple。ThecontemptoftheGreeksforBarbaricsciencewouldscarcelyadmittheIndianorAethiopicbooksintothelibraryofAlexandria；norisitprovedthatphilosophyhassustainedanyreallossfromtheirexclusion。]
IntheadministrationofEgypt，^125Amroubalancedthedemandsofjusticeandpolicy；theinterestofthepeopleofthelaw，whoweredefendedbyGod；andofthepeopleofthealliance，whowereprotectedbyman。Intherecenttumultofconquestanddeliverance，thetongueoftheCoptsandtheswordoftheArabsweremostadversetothetranquillityoftheprovince。Totheformer，Amroudeclared，thatfactionandfalsehoodwouldbedoublychastised；bythepunishmentoftheaccusers，whomheshoulddetestashispersonalenemies，andbythepromotionoftheirinnocentbrethren，whomtheirenvyhadlaboredtoinjureandsupplant。Heexcitedthelatterbythemotivesofreligionandhonortosustainthedignityoftheircharacter，toendearthemselvesbyamodestandtemperateconducttoGodandthecaliph，tospareandprotectapeoplewhohadtrustedtotheirfaith，andtocontentthemselveswiththelegitimateandsplendidrewardsoftheirvictory。Inthemanagementoftherevenue，hedisapprovedthesimplebutoppressivemodeofacapitation，andpreferredwithreasonaproportionoftaxesdeductedoneverybranchfromtheclearprofitsofagricultureandcommerce。A
thirdpartofthetributewasappropriatedtotheannualrepairsofthedikesandcanals，soessentialtothepublicwelfare。
Underhisadministration，thefertilityofEgyptsuppliedthedearthofArabia；andastringofcamels，ladenwithcornandprovisions，coveredalmostwithoutanintervalthelongroadfromMemphistoMedina。^126ButthegeniusofAmrousoonrenewedthemaritimecommunicationwhichhadbeenattemptedorachievedbythePharaohsthePtolemies，ortheCaesars；andacanal，atleasteightymilesinlength，wasopenedfromtheNiletotheRedSea。
Thisinlandnavigation，whichwouldhavejoinedtheMediterraneanandtheIndianOcean，wassoondiscontinuedasuselessanddangerous:thethronewasremovedfromMedinatoDamascus，andtheGrecianfleetsmighthaveexploredapassagetotheholycitiesofArabia。^127
[Footnote125:ThiscuriousandauthenticintelligenceofMurtadip。284—289hasnotbeendiscoveredeitherbyMr。Ockley，orbytheself—sufficientcompilersoftheModernUniversalHistory。]
[Footnote126:Eutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。320。Elmacin，Hist。
Saracen。p。35。]
[Footnote*:ManylearnedmenhavedoubtedtheexistenceofacommunicationbywaterbetweentheRedSeaandtheMediterraneanbytheNile。Yetthefactispositivelyassertedbytheancients。DiodorusSiculusl。i。p。33speaksofitinthemostdistinctmannerasexistinginhistime。So，also，Strabo，l。xvii。p。805。Plinyvol。vi。p。29saysthatthecanalwhichunitedthetwoseaswasnavigable，alveusnavigabilis。
TheindicationsfurnishedbyPtolemyandbytheArabichistorian，Makrisi，showthatworkswereexecutedunderthereignofHadriantorepairthecanalandextendthenavigation；itthenreceivedthenameoftheRiverofTrajanLucian，inhisPseudomantis，p。
44，saysthathewentbywaterfromAlexandriatoClysma，ontheRedSea。Testimoniesofthe6thandofthe8thcenturyshowthatthecommunicationwasnotinterruptedatthattime。SeetheFrenchtranslationofStrabo，vol。v。p。382。St。Martinvol。