WARS OF THE CALIPHS. 



353 



their oath of fealty, a hospitable entertainment of 

 three days to everv ^Mussulman who should travel 

 through 'their coimtrv. His march from Memphis 

 was a series of skirmishes and victories some of 

 which were obstinately contested; and after two- 

 and-twenty days of general or partial combat the 

 Arabs pitched their tents before the gates ot Alex- 

 andria This magnificent city, perhaps the most 

 arduous and important of the Saracen conquests, 

 had risen, after the lapse of 1000 years, to be the 

 second capital of the empire, and the first emporium 

 of trade in the world. When invested by the Arabs 

 it was abundantly replenished with the means of 

 subsistence and defence. 



The besieged made a noble and determined resist- 

 ance ■ and. for a while, the valour of the ^loslems 

 whetted as it was bv the richness of the prize, quailed 

 before the braveiV of the garrison. In eyeiy sally 

 and attack the sword and the banner of Amru glit- 

 tered in the van. Perceiving that the troops were 

 ffreatly annoyed by the incessant discharge of mis- 

 siles from one of the castles or towers, he resolved 

 to make himself master of the post. But his impru- 

 dent courage betrayed him; for after a warm dis- 

 pute the Arabs were repulsed with some loss ; their 

 general with his friend and his slave were taken 

 prisoners, and carried before the prefect or governor 

 of the city Fortunatelv his person was unknown ; 

 but, in remembering his dignity, he forgot his situa- 

 tion His resolute demeanour, and the air ot au- 

 thority in which he ofiered the conditions of tribute 

 or Islam, revealed to one of the spectators the lieu- 

 tenant of the caliph. '• Take off his head, said the 

 courtier ; and already the battle-axe of a solaier was 

 raised to strike the audacious captive to the ground 

 The dexterity of his slave Werdan, who understood 

 Greek, saved his master's life. Affecting to treat 

 him as a menial, he commanded him, with an angry 

 tone and a box on the ear. to be silent and let his 



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