Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 5 (1897).djvu/395

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 373 restrained them from opposing his ambition ; the disciples of Jesus were endeared to the enemy of the Jews ; and it was the interest of a conqueror to propose a fair capitulation to the most powerful religion of the earth. Till the age of sixty-three years, the strength of Mahomet Death of was equal to the temporal and spiritual fatigues of his mission, a d.°63z His epileptic fits, an absurd calumny of the Greeks, would "°^ be an object of pity rather than abhorrence ; ^'^^ but he seri- ously believed that he was poisoned at Chaibar by the revenge of a Jewish female. ^"^^ During four years, the health of the prophet declined ; his infirmities increased ; but his mortal disease was a fever of fourteen days, which deprived him by in- tervals of the use of reason. As soon as he was conscious of his danger, he edified his brethren by the humility of his virtue or penitence. " If thei'e be any man," said the apostle from the pulpit, " whom I have unjustly scourged, I submit my own back to the lash of retaliation. Have I aspersed the reputation of a Musulman ? let him proclaim 7ni/ faults in the face of the con- gregation. Has any one been despoiled of his goods ? the little that I possess shall compensate the principal and the interest of the debt." "Yes," replied a voice from the crowd, "I am en- titled to three drachms of silver." Mahomet heard the complaint, satisfied the demand, and thanked his creditor for accusing him in this world rather than at the day of judgment. He beheld with temperate firmness the approach of death ; enfranchised his slaves (seventeen men, as they are named, and eleven women) ; (Hist. Patriarch. Alex. p. 169) ; but Mosheim (Hist. Eccles. p. 244) shews the futility of their opinion, and inclines to believe it spurious. Yet Abulpharagius quotes the impostors treaty with the Nestorian patriarch (Asseman. Bibliot. Orient, torn. ii. p. 418) ; but Abulpharagius was primate of the Jacobites. [For the treaty with the prince and people of Aila, which is doubtless genuine, see Appendi.x 19.] I'^i The epilepsy, or falling-sickness, of Mahomet, is asserted by Theophanes, Zonaras, and the rest of the Greeks ; and is greedily swallowed by the gross bigotry of Hottinger (Hist. Orient, p. 10, 11), Prideau.x (Life of Mahomet, p. 12), and Maracci (torn. ii. Alcoran, p. 762, 763). The titles {the wrapped up, the covered) of two chapters of the Koran (73, 74) can hardly be strained to such an interpretation ; the silence, the ignorance of the Mahometan commentators is more conclusive than the most peremptory denial ; and the charitable side is espoused by Ockley (Hist, of the Saracens, torn. i. p. 301), Gagnier (ad Abulfedam, p. 9, Vie de Mahomet, torn, i. p. 118), and Sale (Koran, p. 469-474). [Mohammad seems to have suffered from hysteria (an affection which, as is now established, is not confined to women and is therefore miscalled), which when acute produced catalepsy. Sprenger has a long chapter on the subject, Leben und Lehredes Mohammad, vol. i. c. 3, p. lo^ sqq.' iGj'phis poison (more ignominious since it was offered as a test of his prophetic knowledge) is frankly confessed by his zealous votaries, Abulfeda (p. 92) and Al Jannabi (apud Gagnier, torn. ii. p. 286-288).