ARABIA ARABIAN LITERATURE. 



The religion of the Arabi- 

 ans, in tin- linn- of their ig- 

 norance (as they oill tin- 

 period ln'1'nrc Mohammed), 

 was, in general, adoration 

 of the stars; varying much, 

 however, in tlir different 

 tribes, each of whom select- 

 ed a different constellation 

 as die highest object of wor- 

 ship. For a thousand years, 

 (he Arabians manfully de- 

 fended the freedom, faith, 

 and manners of their fa- 

 thers against allthe attacks 

 of the Eastern conquerors, 

 protected by deserts and 

 seas, as well as by their 

 own arms. Neither the 

 Babylonian and Assyrian, 

 nor the Egyptian and Per- 

 sian kings, could bring them under their yoke. At last 

 they were overcome by Alexander the (ireat ; but, im- 

 mediately after his death, they took advantage of the 

 disunion of his generals and successors to recover 

 their independence. At this period, the northern 

 princes of the country were bold enougli to extend 

 their dominion beyond the limits of Arabia. The 

 Arabian Nomades, especially in winter, made deep 

 inroads into the fertile Irak or Chaldaea. They final- 

 ly conquered a portion of.it, which is hence still call- 

 ed Irate Araby. Thence the tribe of Hareth advanc- 

 ed into Syria, and settled in the country of Ui-sm, 

 whence they received the appellation of Gassanides. 

 Three centuries after Alexander, the Romans ap- 

 proached these limits. The divided Arabians could 

 not resist f.he Roman arms every where successfully ; 

 their country, however, was not completely reduced 

 to a province ; the northern princes, at least, main- 

 tained a virtual independence of the emperors, and 

 were regarded as their governors. The old Homey- 

 rites in fc'emen, against whom an unsuccessful war 

 was carried on in the time of Augustus, preserved 

 their liberty. Their chief city, Saba, was destroyed 

 by a flood. With the weakness of the Roman govern- 

 ment, the struggle for absolute independence increas- 

 ed, which a union of all the Arabian tribes would 

 have easily gained ; but, weakened and scattered as 

 they were, they spent several centuries in this contest, 

 during which the mountainous country of the interior 

 (Nedschid; became the theatre of those chivalrous 

 deeds so often sung by Arabian poets, till a man of 

 extraordinary energy united them by communicating 

 to them his own ardour, and union was. followed by 

 augmented force. Christianity early found many ad- 

 herents here, and there were even several bishops, 

 who acknowledged as their metropolis Bosro in Pales- 

 tine, on the borders of Arabia. Yet the original wor- 

 ship of the stars could not be entirely abolished. The 

 former opposition of the Arabians to the despotism of 

 Rome drew to them a multitude of heretics, who had 

 been persecuted in the orthodox empire of the East, 

 especially the Monophysites, and the Nestorians, who 

 were scattered through all the East ; and the religi- 

 ous enthusiasm of those exiles rekindled the flame of 

 opposition. The Jews, also, after the destruction of 

 Jerusalem, became very numerous in this country, 

 and made proselytes, particularly in Yemen. The 

 last king of the Homeyrites (Hamjarites) was of the 

 Jewish faith, and his persecutions of the Christians, 

 A. D. 502, involved him in a war with the king of 

 Ethiopia, which cost him his life and his throne. To 

 the indifference excited by so great a variety of sects 

 is to be referred the quick success of Mohammed in 

 establishing a new religion. He raised the Arabians 



td iiii|H>rtamv in the history of the world, and with lifiB 

 brains a new epoch in tin- history of this people. See 

 Mimrx, and C,itiji/ t , Caliphate. 

 AK.AIIIA.N (Jri.K. See Kt/lSea. 

 AKAKMN LITKKATTKK AND LANUD.K.K. Of the first 

 cultivation and literature of this country, we have 

 but few accounts. That iK>etry early flourished in 

 Arabia, may IK- inferred from the character of the 

 inhabitants, who are known to be hold, valiant, 

 ad\cnturous, proud, and e\eesM\ely fond of honour. 

 The tribes who wandered, under the novcrniiicnl of 

 their sheiks, through the beautiful region of Arabia (fee 

 Happy, had every thing favourable to the growth of 

 poetry, a delightful country, lively feelings. ;ind 

 warm fancy. I? it were beyond doubt, that the poem 

 of Job was of Arabian origin, this would show, not 

 only that Arabia Fetraea had its poets, hut al-u the 

 character of their productions. We find in it lxld 

 images, noble metaphors, comparisons and descrip- 

 tions, mingled with enigmas. The anti(|iiiiy ot 

 philosophy among the Arabians might also be 

 shown from Job, a poem comprehending, at tin- 

 same time, physical and astronomical knowledge, 

 which is, however, very imperfect. Even before the 

 time of Mohammed, the genius of the people was 

 very conspicuous, particularly in poetry. In tin- 

 fairs at Mecca and at Okadh, A. D. 500, poetical 

 contests were held, and the poems to which the prize 

 was awarded, were written on byssus, in letters of 

 gold, whence they were called Modabahath (gilt), and 

 hung up in the caaba, at Mecca, therefore called Mo- 

 allakatli (hungup). The collection of the Moallaknth 

 contains seven poems by seven authors Amraikeis. 

 Tliarasah, Zoheir, Lebid, Anthara, Amru Ben Kal- 

 thun, and Hareth. They are distinguished by deep 

 feeling, high imagination, richness of imagery and 

 sentiment, national pride and liberal spirit, violent 

 breathings of revenge and love. The brightest, pe- 

 riod of the Arabian history commenced with Moham- 

 med, and was soon followed by the golden age of 

 their literature. Mohammed announced himself to 

 the people as a prophet sent from Got!, and laid down 

 rules of faith and life, which were collected by Alm- 

 bekr, first caliph after his death, corrected and pub- 

 lished by Othman, the third caliph, and constitute 

 the Koran, (q. v.) By this, the Arabian language 

 of literature was fixed, the first literary direction 

 given to the people, and their national character de- 

 termined. The Arabians seem to be favourably situ- 

 ated for commerce, but less so for conquest, particu- 

 larly as a large part of the population consists of 

 tribes wandering through the desert, and living alter- 

 nately by keeping cattle and by plunder. But Mo- 

 hammed succeeded in subduing the whole country, 

 ave it a constitution at once religious and military, 

 and inflamed the native valour of the people by an 

 enthusiastic zeal fdr religion. When he died, A. D. 

 332, without a male heir, his adherents chose a ca- 

 iph (successor) in his room, under whom the spirit of 

 conquest first took possession of the Arabians, and 

 urged them onward like a rapid stream. Only 80 

 years after the death of Mohammed, their power ex- 

 uded from Egypt to the Indies, from Lisbon to Sa- 

 marcand. During this period, the nation was only 

 animated with warlike enthusiasm, under the domi- 

 nion of which the tender blossoms of genius seldom 

 thrive. Time, and intercourse with cultivated na- 

 -ions, by degrees overcame their rudeness. With the 

 government of the caliph of the family of the Abas- 

 ides, A. D. 750, began their progress in the arts and 

 sciences. In the splendid court of Al Mansur, at 

 Bagdad, these first found support ; but it was Harouit 

 al Raschid, (786 808) who infused into his people 

 an enduring love for them. He invited learned men 

 Vom all countries to his kingdom, and paid then. 



