ney owe far more to Saladin than we commonly suppose. The tales of
Boccaccio (1350) show that the Italians of that day still held the Arabs
to be their teachers in chivalry, and at least their equals in art,
science, and civilization; and the Italy of 1300 was a century in
advance of the rest of Europe. In 1268 two brothers of the King of
Castile, with 800 other Spanish gentlemen, were serving under the
banners of the Muslim in Tunis. The knightly ideal of both Moors and
Spaniards was to be

"Like steel among swords,
Like wax among ladies."

Hospitality, generosity, magnanimity, the protection of the weak,
punctilious observance of the plighted faith, pride of birth and
lineage, glory in personal valor--these were the knightly virtues common
to Arab and Christian warriors. Antar and his knights, Ibla and her
maidens, are the Oriental counterparts of Launcelot and Arthur, of
Guinevere and Iseult.

The primary duty of the early Arab was blood-revenge. An insult to
himself, or an injury to the tribe, must be wiped out with the blood of
the offender. Hence arose the multitude of tribal feuds. It was Muhammad
who first checked the private feud by fixing "the price of blood" to be
paid by the aggressor or by his tribe. In the time of Antar revenge was
the foremost duty. Ideals of excellence change as circumstances alter.
Virtues go out of fashion (like the magnificence of Aristotle), or
acquire an entirely new importance (as veracity, since England became a
trading nation). Some day we may possess a natural history of
the virtues.

The service of the loved one by the early Arab was a passion completely
different from the vain gallantry of the mediaeval knight of Europe. He
sought for the complete possession of his chosen mistress, and was eager
to earn it by multitudes of chivalric deeds; but he could not have
understood the sentimentalities of the Troubadours. The systematic
fantasies of the "Courts of Love" would have seemed cold follies to Arab
chivalry--as indeed they are, though they have led to something better.
In generosity, in magnanimity, the Arab knight far surpassed his
European brother. Hospitality was a point of honor to both. As to the
noble Arabs of those days, when any one demanded their protection, no
one ever inquired what was the matter; for if he asked any questions, it
would be said of him that he was afraid. The poets have thus described
them in verse:--

"They rise when any one ca