and the people;
the mass of the public treasure was consecrated to the expenses of
peace and war; a prudent mixture of justice and bounty maintained the
discipline of the Saracens, and they united, by a rare felicity, the
despatch and execution of despotism with the equal and frugal maxims of
a republican government. The heroic courage of Ali, [7] the consummate
prudence of Moawiyah, [8] excited the emulation of their subjects; and
the talents which had been exercised in the school of civil discord
were more usefully applied to propagate the faith and dominion of
the prophet. In the sloth and vanity of the palace of Damascus, the
succeeding princes of the house of Ommiyah were alike destitute of the
qualifications of statesmen and of saints. [9] Yet the spoils of unknown
nations were continually laid at the foot of their throne, and the
uniform ascent of the Arabian greatness must be ascribed to the spirit
of the nation rather than the abilities of their chiefs. A large
deduction must be allowed for the weakness of their enemies. The birth
of Mahomet was fortunately placed in the most degenerate and disorderly
period of the Persians, the Romans, and the Barbarians of Europe: the
empires of Trajan, or even of Constantine or Charlemagne, would
have repelled the assault of the naked Saracens, and the torrent of
fanaticism might have been obscurely lost in the sands of Arabia.

[Footnote 311: In Arabic, "successors." V. Hammer Geschichte der Assas.
p. 14--M.]

[Footnote 4: His reign in Eutychius, tom. ii. p. 251. Elmacin, p. 18.
Abulpharagius, p. 108. Abulfeda, p. 60. D'Herbelot, p. 58.]

[Footnote 5: His reign in Eutychius, p. 264. Elmacin, p. 24.
Abulpharagius, p. 110. Abulfeda, p. 66. D'Herbelot, p. 686.]

[Footnote 6: His reign in Eutychius, p. 323. Elmacin, p. 36.
Abulpharagius, p. 115. Abulfeda, p. 75. D'Herbelot, p. 695.]

[Footnote 7: His reign in Eutychius, p. 343. Elmacin, p. 51.
Abulpharagius, p. 117. Abulfeda, p. 83. D'Herbelot, p. 89.]

[Footnote 8: His reign in Eutychius, p. 344. Elmacin, p. 54.
Abulpharagius, p. 123. Abulfeda, p. 101. D'Herbelot, p. 586.]

[Footnote 9: Their reigns in Eutychius, tom. ii. p. 360-395. Elmacin,
p. 59-108. Abulpharagius, Dynast. ix. p. 124-139. Abulfeda, p.
111-141. D'Herbelot, Bibliotheque Orientale, p. 691, and the particular
articles of the Ommiades.]

In the victorious days of the Roman republic, it had been the aim of
the senate to confine their councils and legions