s, with the patrimony of the
church, were restored to the national communion of the Jacobites, who
enjoyed without moderation the moment of triumph and revenge. At the
pressing summons of Amrou, their patriarch Benjamin emerged from his
desert; and after the first interview, the courteous Arab affected to
declare that he had never conversed with a Christian priest of more
innocent manners and a more venerable aspect. [110] In the march from
Memphis to Alexandria, the lieutenant of Omar intrusted his safety to
the zeal and gratitude of the Egyptians: the roads and bridges were
diligently repaired; and in every step of his progress, he could depend
on a constant supply of provisions and intelligence. The Greeks of
Egypt, whose numbers could scarcely equal a tenth of the natives, were
overwhelmed by the universal defection: they had ever been hated, they
were no longer feared: the magistrate fled from his tribunal, the bishop
from his altar; and the distant garrisons were surprised or starved by
the surrounding multitudes. Had not the Nile afforded a safe and ready
conveyance to the sea, not an individual could have escaped, who by
birth, or language, or office, or religion, was connected with their
odious name.

[Footnote 107: See Herodotus, l. iii. c. 27, 28, 29. Aelian, Hist. Var.
l. iv. c. 8. Suidas in, tom. ii. p. 774. Diodor. Sicul. tom. ii. l.
xvii. p. 197, edit. Wesseling. Says the last of these historians.]

[Footnote 108: Mokawkas sent the prophet two Coptic damsels, with two
maids and one eunuch, an alabaster vase, an ingot of pure gold, oil,
honey, and the finest white linen of Egypt, with a horse, a mule, and
an ass, distinguished by their respective qualifications. The embassy
of Mahomet was despatched from Medina in the seventh year of the Hegira,
(A.D. 628.) See Gagnier, (Vie de Mahomet, tom. ii. p. 255, 256, 303,)
from Al Jannabi.]

[Footnote 109: The praefecture of Egypt, and the conduct of the war,
had been trusted by Heraclius to the patriarch Cyrus, (Theophan. p. 280,
281.) "In Spain," said James II., "do you not consult your priests?"
"We do," replied the Catholic ambassador, "and our affairs succeed
accordingly." I know not how to relate the plans of Cyrus, of paying
tribute without impairing the revenue, and of converting Omar by his
marriage with the Emperor's daughter, (Nicephor. Breviar. p. 17, 18.)]

[Footnote 110: See the life of Benjamin, in Renaudot, (Hist. Patriarch.
Alexandrin. p. 156-1