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 408 THE DECLINE AND FALL overtaken by the pursuers ; the gorgeous trophy was presented to the commander of the faithful ; and the gravest of the com- panions condescended to smile when they beheld the white beard, hairy arms, and uncouth figure of the veteran, who was invested with the spoils of the Great King.^^ The sack of Ctesiphon was followed by its desertion and gradual decay. The Saracens disliked the air and situation of the place ; and Omar was advised by his general to remove the seat of govern- Foundationof ment to the western side of the Euphrates. In every age, the 638] foundation and ruin of the Assyrian cities has been easy and rapid ; the country is destitute of stone and timber, and the most solid structures '^'^ are composed of bricks baked in the sun and joined by a cement of the native bitumen. The name of Cufa '■^'^ describes an habitation of reeds and earth ; but the im- portance of the new capital was supported by the numbers, wealth, and spirit of a colony of veterans ; and their licentious- ness was indulged by the wisest caliphs, who were apprehensive of provoking the revolt of an hundred thousand swords : "Ye men of Cufa," said Ali, who solicited their aid, "you have been always conspicuous by your valour. You conquered the Persian king and scattered his forces, till you had taken possession of his in- fBattioof heritance." This mighty conquest was achieved by the battles 637] ■ of Jalula and Nehavend. After the loss of tlie former, Yezde- gerd fled from Holwan, and concealed his shame and despair in the mountains of Farsistan, from whence Cyrus had descended with his equal and valiant companions. The courage of the nation survived that of the monarch ; among the hills to the south of Ecbatana or Hamadan, one hundred and fifty thousand Persians made a third and final stand for their religion and [A.D.612] country ; and the decisive battle of Nehavend was styled by the Arabs the victory of victories. If it be true that the flying general of the Persians was stopped and overtaken in a crowd of mules and camels laden with honey, the incident, however ^^See Gagnier, Vie de Mahomet, torn. i. p. 376, 377. I may credit the fact, without believing the prophecy. "2 The most considerable ruins of Assyria [rather Babylonia] are the tower of Belus, at Babylon, and the hall of Chosroes, at Ctesiphon : they have been visited by that vain and curious traveller Pietro della Valle (tom. i. p. 713-718, 731-735). [On the tower of Belus see General Chesney's Expedition for the .Survey of the Euphrates and Tigris, vol. ii. p. 26. For an account of the ruins of Babylonia, ib. c. .xix. p. 604 sqq.^ ^^ Consult the article of Coiifah in the Bibliothc-que of d'Herbelot (p. 277, 278), find the second volume of Ockley's History, particularly p. 40 and 153.