Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/114

 634–5] another, the captains whom Abu ʿObeid had named to take command in case of disaster, were slain, and the troops began to waver. Just then a soldier, appalled at the fate of his leaders, ran to the bridge, and crying,—Die, as your Chiefs have died, or conquer,—cut the first boat adrift. Retreat closed, the panic spread. The Muslims, hemmed in, were driven back upon the river. Many leapt into the deep swift stream, but few reached the other shore. At this eventful moment Al-Muthanna rushed to the front. Backed by a few heroic spirits, among them a Christian chief of the Beni Ṭai, he seized the banner and, planting himself between the enemy and the bewildered Arabs, called out that he would hold the ground till all had passed over. Then he chided the author of the calamity, and commanded the bridge to be restored. "Destroy not your own selves," he cried; "retire in order, and I will defend you." While thus bravely holding the Persians at bay, the thrust of a lance imbedded the rings of his armour in a deep and dangerous wound. Heedless of it, he stood to his ground, endeavouring to calm the panic-stricken force, but in vain. The confusion increased, and before order could be restored, vast numbers had perished in the river. At last, the bridge repaired, a remnant escaped across; but 4000 were swept off by the flood, left dead upon the field, or borne wounded away. Of the new levies, some 2000, stung with remorse, fled from the terrible field back to Arabia; and Al-Muthanna, again assuming the command, was left with only 3000 of his men. After the battle, Bahman was on the point of crossing the river to follow up his victory. Had he done so, it would have fared badly with Al-Muthanna and the disheartened remnants still holding their ground on the opposite bank. But fortunately at the moment, news reached Bahman of a revolt at Al-Medāin; and so, relinquishing his design, he hastened away to the distracted capital. Al-Muthanna fell back upon Ulleis, farther down the river, and fixing headquarters there, bravely defended his early conquests amongst a people now not unfriendly to the Muslim cause. Jābān, unaware of Bahman’s hasty recall, fell into Al-Muthanna's hands and, with his followers, was beheaded. Things, no doubt, looked dark; but a hero like Al-Muthanna was not one to despair.