363 WARS OF THi: CALIPHS, 



the Saracen general. In the midst of a sandj^ plain 

 the two armies were fiercely engaged for several 

 days, from morning light till the hour of noon, 

 when heat and fatigue compelled the soldiers to 

 seek the shelter of their tents. 



By the side of Gregory fought his daughter,— a 

 maid of surpassing beauty and spirit. The richness 

 of her armour and apparel was conspicuous in the 

 foremost ranks of the battle. Her charms had cap- 

 tivated every heart, and the courage of the bravest 

 was excited to a desperate enterprise by the promise 

 of her hand and 100,000 pieces of gold to the man 

 who should bring the head of Abdallah to the camp 

 of the Africans. The prize was glorious ; but, un- 

 fortunately, it offered an equal temptation to the 

 enemy, which the genius of Zobeir, who had signal- 

 ized himself in Egypt, converted into a successful 

 stratagem. He advised the Moslem general to retort 

 on the infidels their ungenerous attempt, and pro- 

 claim through the ranks that the head of Gregory 

 should be repaid with his captive daughter, and her 

 magnificent dower. 



To the courage and discretion of Zobeir was in- 

 trusted the execution of his own stratagem. Both 

 armies engaged next morning as usual, and the 

 combat was prolonged till the heat of the mid-day 

 sun became insupportable. The Greeks retired to 

 their camp; the Mussulmans threw down their 

 swords, unbridled their horses, laid their bows across 

 their saddles, and by every appearance of lassitude 

 deceived the enemy into security. On a sudden 

 the charge was sounded ; Zobeir, with a part of the 

 forces who had lain concealed in their tents, sprang 

 from their ambush, fresh, active, and vigorous ; and, 

 mounting their horses, assailed the Greeks, aston- 

 ished and exhausted with fatigue. The latter seized 

 their arms in haste; but their ranks were soon 

 broken and dispersed. Gregory was slain by the 

 hand of Zobeir ; and the scattered remains of his 



