OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 867 their disappointment might justly accuse the failure of a prophet who had so often appealed to the evidence of success. The faith and hope of the pilgrims were rekindled by the prospect of Mecca; their swords were sheathed ; seven times in the footsteps of the apostle they encompassed the Caaba ; the Koreish had retired to the hills, and Mahomet, after the customary sacrifice, evacuated the city on the fourth day. The people was edified by his devo- [a.d. 629] tion ; the hostile chiefs were awed, or divided, or seduced ; and both Caled and Amrou, the future conquerors of Syria and Egypt, most seasonably deserted the sinking cause of idolatry. ^•*'-' The^aud; power of Mahomet was increased by the submission of the Ara- bian tribes : ten thousand soldiers were assembled for the con- quest of Mecca, and the idolaters, the weaker party, were easily gaji , a.d. convicted of violating the truce. Enthusiasm and discipline im- pelled the march and preserved the secret, till the blaze of ten thousand fires proclaimed to the astonished Koreish the design, the approach, and the irresistible force of the enemy. The haughty Abu Sophian presented the keys of the city ; admired the variety of arms and ensigns that passed before him in review ; observed that the son of Abdallah had acquired a mighty kingdom ; and confessed, under the scymetar of Omar, that he was the apostle of the true God. The return of Marius and Sylla was stained with the blood of the Romans ; the revenge of Mahomet was stimulated by religious zeal, and his injured followers were eager to execute or to prevent the order of a massacre. Instead of in- dulging their passions and his own,i^" the victorious exile forgave the guilt, and united the factions, of Mecca. His ti'oops in three divisions marched into the city ; eight and twenty of the inhabi- tants were slain by the sword of Caled ; eleven men and six women were proscribed by the sentence of Mahomet ; but he i-^"^ women] blamed the cruelty of his lieutenant ; and several of the most obnoxious victims were indebted for their lives to his clemency or contempt. The chiefs of the Koreish were prostrate at his feet. " What mercy can you expect from the man whom you ^■»9 [Othman also joined Mohammad at this juncture. It seems probable that Abu Sofyan was in collusion with Mohammad. See Muir, Life of Mahomet, p. 392.] 1*" After the conquest of Mecca, the Mahomet of Voltaire imagines and per- petrates the most horrid crimes. The poet confesses that he is not supported by the truth of history, and can only allege que celui qui fait la guerre a sa patrie au nom de Dieu est capable de tout (Oeuvres de Voltaire, tom. xv. p. 282). The maxim is neither charitable or philosophic ; and some reverence is surely due to the fame of heroes and the religion of nations. I am informed that a Turkish ambas- sador at Paris was much scandalized at the representation of this tragedy. [Of the proscribed persons, only four were put to death.]
