314

THE DECLINE AND FALL

chap. The three leaders were slain in the battle of

___Mnta, h the first military action which tried the

valour of the Moslems against a foreign enemy.Zeid fell, like a soldier, in the foremost ranks;the death of Jaafar was heroic and n< morable;be lost his right-hand ; he shifted the standardto his left; the left was severed from his body;he embraced the standard with his bleedingstumps, till he was transfixed to the groundwith fifty honourable wounds. “ Advance,”cried Abdallah, who stepped into the vacantplace, “ advance with confidence: either vic-“ tory or paradise is our own.” The lance ofa Roman decided the alternative ; but the fall-ing standard was rescued by Caled, the prose-lyte of Mecca ; nine swords were broken in hishand : arjd his valour withstood and repulsedthe superior numbers of the Christians. Inthe nocturnal council of the camp he was cho-sen to command: his skilful evolutions of theensuing day secured either the victory orthe retreat of the Saracens; and Caled is re-nowned among his brethren and his enemiesby the glorious appellation of the Sword ofGod. In the pulpit, Mahomet described, withprophetic rapture, the crown of the blessedmartyrs; but in private he betrayed the feel-ings of human nature : he was surprised as hewept over the daughter of Zeid. “ What do Isee ?” said the astonished votary. “ You see,”“ replied the apostle, a friend who is deploring

h For the battle of Mvita, and its consequences, see Abulfeda (p. 100-102) and Gagnier (tom. ii, p. 327-343). KaXiJo; (says Tbeophancs) «v