336 CONQUESTS OF THli SARACEJJS. 



Moslem army devolved on Amru ; and the place of* 

 the first conquerors was supplied by a new genera^ 

 tion of their children and countrymen. The terrors 

 of the pestilence were lost in the passion for victory 

 and martyrdom which animated the hearts of the 

 Mussulmans. Their eagerness for this sort of repu- 

 tation may be expressed in the words of an Arabian 

 youth, when tearing himself from the embraces of 

 his mother and sister to join the banner of Obeidah : 

 " It is not," said he, " the delicacies of Syria, or the 

 fading delights of this world, that has prompted me 

 to devote my life in the cause of religion. I seek 

 the favour of God and his apostle ; and I have heard 

 that the spirits of the martyrs will be lodged in the 

 croi)S of green birds, who shall taste the fruits and 

 drink of the rivers of Paradise. Farewell, till we 

 meet again among the groves and fountains which 

 God has provided for his elect." The devastations 

 of the plague rendered the presence of Omar neces- 

 sary to repair, as far as possible, the desolate state 

 of the northern provinces. During a residence at 

 Ramla in Palestine, he filled the numerous vacancies, 

 regulated the supply of provisions for the soldiers, 

 and assigned to the heirs of the deceased Moslems 

 all estates to which just and equitable claims could 

 be produced. The Greeks had been driven from 

 every part of the extensive tract between the Eu- 

 phrates and the Mediterranean. To the north of 

 Syria the conquerors passed Mount Taurus, and 

 reduced to their obedience the rich plains of Cilicia, 

 with its capital. Tarsus, the ancient residence of the 

 Assyrian kings. Beyond a second ridge of the same 

 mountains, they spread the flame of war rather than 

 the light of religion, as far as the shores of the 

 Euxine, and the neighbourhood of Constantinople. 

 To the east they achieved the conquest of Diarbeker ; 

 thus violating the utmost limit of Augustus, the 

 long-disputed barrier between Persia and Rome. 

 Already had Yezid threatened to cross the Euphra- 

 tes ; but his retreat was purchased by the governor 



