Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 6 (1897).djvu/272

 250 THE DECLINE AND FALL the arts of the Greeks, the splendour of the Augustan age, existed only in books and ruins, which were equally obscure in the eyes of the Scythian conquerors. Yet, in the present decay, Anatolia still contains some wealthy and populous cities ; and, under the Byzantine empire, they were far more flourishing in numbers, size, and opulence. By the choice of the sultan, Nice, the metro- polis of Bithynia, was preferred for his palace and fortress : the seat of the Seljukian dynasty of Round was planted one hundred miles from Constantinople ; and the divinity of Christ was denied and derided in the same temple in which it had been pronounced by the first general synod of the Catholics. The unity of God and the mission of Mahomet were preached in the mosques ; the Arabian learning was taught in the schools ; the Cadhis judged according to the law of the Koran ; the Tui-kish manners and language prevailed in the cities ; and Turkman camps were scattered over the plains and mountains of Anatolia. On the hard conditions of tribute and servitude, the Greek Christians might enjoy the exercise of their religion ; but their most holy churches were profaned ; their priests and bishops were in- sulted ; "" they were compelled to suffer the triumph of the pagans and the apostacy of their brethren ; many thousand children were marked by tlie knife of circumcision ; and many thousand captives were devoted to the service or the pleasures of their masters. *^i After the loss of Asia, Antioch still main- tained her primitive allegiance to Christ and Ctesar ; but the solitary province was separated from all Roman aid, and sur- rounded on all sides by the Mahometan powers. The despair of Philaretus the governor prepared the sacrifice of his religion and loyalty, had not his guilt been prevented by his son, who hastened to the Nicene palace, and offered to deliver this valuable prize into the hands of Soliman. The ambitious sultan mounted on horseback, and in twelve nights (for he reposed in the day) per- formed a march of six hundred miles. Antioch was oppressed ^ Dicit eos quendam abusione Sodomitica intervertisse episcopum (Guibert. Abbat. Hist. Hierosol. 1. i. p. 468). It is odd enough that we should find a parallel passage of the same people in the present age. " 11 n'est point d'horreur que ces Turcs n'ayent commis, et semblables aux soldats effren^s, qui dans la sac d'une ville non contens de disposer de tout a leur gri pretcndent encore aux succfes les moins desirables, quelques Sipahis ont port^ leurs attentats sur la personne du vieux rabbi de la synagogue, et celle de I'Arch^veque Grec" (M6moires du Baron de Tott, torn. ii. p. 193). ^1 The emperor, or abbot, describe the scenes of a Turkish camp as if they had been present. Matres correptae in conspectu filiaruni multipliciter rcpetitis diver- sorum coitibus vexabantur (is that the true reading?), cum filice assistentes carmina praecinere saltando cogcrentur. Mox cadem passio ad filias, &c.