22

THE DECLINE AND FALL

chap, of resolving. “ Who are the true martyrs, of_ LXV ' “ those who are slain on my side, or on that of“ my enemies?” But he was silenced or satis-fied, by the dexterity of one of the cadhis ofAleppo , who replied, in the words of Mahomethimself, that the motive, not the ensign, consti-tutes the martyr; and that the Moslems of eitherparty, who fight only for the glory of God , maydeserve that sacred appellation. The true suc-cession of the caliphs was a controversy of a stillmore delicate nature, and the frankness of adoctor, too honest for his situation, provokedthe emperor to exclaim, “ Ye are as false as“ those of Damascus : Moawiyah was an usur-“ per, Yezid a tyrant, and Ali alone is the lavv-“ ful successor of the prophet.” A prudent ex-planation restored his tranquillity; and he pas-sed to a more familiar topic of conversation —“ What is your age?” said he to the cadhi.“ Fifty years.”—“ It would be the age of my“ eldest son: you see me here (continued Ti-“ mour) a poor, lame, decrepit mortal. Yet by“ my arm has the Almighty been pleased to“ subdue the kingdoms of Iran , Touran, and the“ Indies. I am not a man of blood; and God “ is my witness, that in all my wars I have never“ been the aggressor, and that my enemies have“ always been the authors of their own calamity.”During this peaceful conversation, the streets ofAleppo streamed with blood, and re-echoed withthe cries of mothers and children, with theshrieks of violated virgins. The rich plunderthat was abandoned to his soldiers might stimu-