Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 5 (1897).djvu/443

 OF THE EOMAN EMPIRE 421 Werdan;^'' and these troops, consisting chiefly of cavalry, might be indifferently styled either Syrians, or Greeks, or Romans : Syrians, from the place of their birth or warfare ; Greeks, from the religion and language of their sovereign ; and Romans, from the proud appellation which was still profaned by the successors of Con- stantine. On the plain of Aiznadin,*^** as Werdan rode on a [^°»*»*"] white mule decorated with gold chains and surrounded with ensigns and standards, he was surprised by the near approach of a fierce and naked warrior, who had undertaken to view the state of the enemy. The adventurous valour of Derar ^^ was inspired, and has perhaps been adorned, by the enthusiasm of his age and country. The hatred of the Christians, the love of spoil, and the contempt of danger were the ruling passions of the audaci- ous Saracen ; and the prospect of instant death could never shake his religious confidence, or ruffle the calmness of his resolution, or even suspend the frank and martial pleasantry of his humour. In the most hopeless enterprises, he was bold, and prudent, and fortunate : after innumerable hazards, after being thrice a prisoner in the hands of the infidels, he still survived to relate the achievements, and to enjoy the rewards, of the Syrian conquest. On this occasion, his single lance maintained a flying fight against thirty Romans, who were detached by Werdan ; and, after killing or unhorsing seventeen of their number, Derar returned in safety to his applauding brethren. When his rashness was mildly cen- sured by the general, he excused himself with the simplicity of a soldier. " Nay," said Derar, " I did not begin first ; but they came out to take me, and I was afraid that God should see me turn my back ; and indeed I fought in good earnest, and with- out doubt God assisted me against them ; and, had I not been apprehensive of disobeying your orders, I should not have come away as I did ; and I perceive already that they will fall into our hands." In the presence of both armies, a venerable Greek advanced from the ranks with a liberal offer of peace ; and the 87 The name of Werdan is unknown to Theophanes, and, though it might belong to an Armenian chief, has very little of a Greek aspect or sound. If the Byzantine historians have mangled the oriental names, the .Arabs, in this instance, likewise have taken ample revenge on their enemies. In transposing the Greek character from right to left, might they not produce, from the familiar appellation of A/tdrczu, something like the anagram Werdan f [Werdan clearly represents Bardanes, an Armenian name. It is hard to understand what was in Gibbon's mind when he pro- posed to explain Werdan as an anagrammatic corruption of the English .Andrew. The Greek form, of which Andrew is a corruption, is AndreasS "'[Between Ramla (then Rama) and Bait Jibrin.]
 * 9[This Dhirar is a hero of the false Wakidi.]