THE QAYSSAR APPOINTS MÂHÂN TO FIGHT THE MUSAL­MÂNS, AND RECORD OF SOME EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THAT TIME.

When some of the Amirs of the Qayssar had returned from the battlefield of Hamss and arrived in Antioch, they were followed also by the rumour of the loss of Hamss. When the Qayssar had obtained this information, the city of Antioch seemed, despite its vast extent, to be more narrow in his eyes than the ring of the letter mim. He manifested displeasure and grief, whereon he convoked the Amirs and questioned them thus: ‘Tell me whether the Arabs are human beings like yourselves or not.’ The Battâryqah replied: ‘They are merely a lot of rebels.’ He continued: ‘Are your numbers and appliances greater, or theirs?’ They answered: ‘We are in all matters far superior to those people.’ The Qayssar said: ‘If such be the case, I am astonished that you have run away from the Arabs, and have abandoned your country to the foe.’ The Battâryqah then drooped their heads and remained silent. An aged man, and one of the most intelligent of the period, said: ‘If your majesty will permit I shall give the required explanation.’ The Qayssar having assented, the old man spoke as follows: ‘The Arab army has prevailed over us because the Arabs are pious and we profligate; they are righteous, and we are wicked; they are addicted to many excellent arts, such as fasting, prayers, pilgrimage, and almsgiving. They keep their promises and covenants; they practise kindness and abstain from prohibited things, whereas we oppress the worshippers of God the Most High and keep no covenants; we do forbidden things, commit sodomy, and do not abstain from prohibited and sinful acts; we allow disgraceful acts to be perpetrated, and do not abstain from wicked acts.’ Heraclius said: ‘O Sheikh, I swear by God that thou hast spoken the truth, but why hast thou not revealed it to me ere this?’ The Qayssar thereon, turning his face to the notables of his monarchy, said: ‘I am of opinion that you should leave this country and establish yourselves in another. No good nor profit can come to me from you, as you are addicted to evil acts and wicked practices, the despicable qualities and blamable morals mentioned to me by this old man being inherent in your nature.’ The old man said: ‘O king, we cannot surrender such a district merely on account of the slight wounds inflicted on us, and we cannot abandon our country to the sway of the foe; because in war sometimes victory and sometimes defeat ensues, the gaining of spoils or the loss of property. It will now be proper to use the army upon which the rays of thy consideration, favour and beneficence have been shining in expectation of such an emergency, and to add to this army the tried warriors assembled around thy glorious throne, for the purpose of repelling the Arab forces; and if we succeed in conquering them all will be well, but in the contrary case thou wilt at any rate be excused for abandoning thy country and emigrating from thy fatherland, so that no one will attribute to thee want of intelligence and accuse thee of cowardice or wickedness.’ The Qayssar, having approved of the advice of the far-seeing old man, sent out envoys to various parts of the country, and ordered all the troops scattered about to assemble in the capital. Hereon such a number of full-grown men and blooming youths congre­gated after a short time in Antioch that the vision of the revolving sphere had in former times and in past genera­tions never beheld even the hundredth part of such an army gathered in one locality. After these forces had assembled the Qayssar ennobled Mâhân—who was dis­tinguished by the ornaments of wisdom and bravery, in which he excelled all his peers and contemporaries—with the diadem and belt [of command], presented him with three hundred thousand dirhems, and ordered him to march, first with five hundred thousand warriors bearing swords and lances, to Hamss, appointing also three Amirs of high dignity, each with one hundred thousand cavalry, to act under his orders. When the report of the intention and of the number of the Byzantine army had reached the noble audition of Abu O’baydah, he became pensive and held a consultation with shrewd and experienced men, on the convenience of abiding or departing, of moving or remaining stationary. Yazid B. Abu Sofiân said: ‘It will be appropriate to leave some of our troops in Hamss, but to march out with the bulk of them, and, encamping near the city, to issue orders to the troops of Damascus, Falesttyn and Ardan to reinforce us, and when they have joined us we shall be enabled to set about annihilating our foes with greater confidence and with success.’ Shorahbil B. Hasnah said: ‘It would not be wise to leave our families and relatives in the city and to trust the Christians, because they may break the treaty, and surrender our people to their co-religionists when opportunity offers.’ Abu O’baydah continued: ‘As the inhabitants of the fort cannot be trusted, we shall expel them, that our people may dwell therein safely and comfortably.’ Shorahbil interposed, saying: ‘To act thus would be dishonest, because we have made a treaty with the inhabitants not to expel them from their dwellings. If it be agreed upon we shall as hitherto all remain in the city, and informing O’mar of the state of affairs, shall wait for his instructions.’ Abu O’baydah said: ‘The time is short, and the foe may possibly be on us ere the courier reaches Madinah.’ Mayeserah B. Masrûf said: ‘O Amir, we are inhabitants of deserts and wastes, we must leave the confinement of the fortress, march towards Damascus, and send a courier with information to O’mar. If he sends us reinforcements, it is just what we desire, but in the contrary case we must attack the enemy at the proper time, and trust in God [for the result].’ The others having mostly approved of the opinion of Mayeserah, the army departed from Hamss to Damascus, but a letter was despatched by a courier to O’mar, informing him of the approach of the Byzantines and of their numbers, and asking for aid. When the letter of Abu O’baydah reached Fârûq, he wrote the following reply: ‘Sofiân B. Moa’qal, the messenger of Abu O’baydah, has arrived and brought his letter, the contents of which I have perused, and approved of the march of the army to Damascus, because Sofiân had assured me that good men had considered this to be necessary, and I entertain hopes that the expedition will terminate prosperously. The multitude of enemies ought not to be dreaded, because generally victory does not depend upon the greatness of numbers, for how often hath a small army discomfited a great one by the permission of Allah!* If God willeth, I shall send forces after [the departure of] Sofiân to aid the army.’ Sofiân, having left Madinah, travelled till he reached Abu O’baydah, handed him the letter, and said: ‘I swear by God that O’mar was right [when he said]: It was not proper on the part of the adherents of Islâm to march back to Damascus, abandoning to the foe a country which they had conquered with the sword.’ It is related in the ‘Târikh-i Aa’thum Kûfi’ that, after Sofiân had departed, O’mar despatched A´amer B. Hudhym with three thousand men to reinforce Abu O’baydah.