that protected the majesty of Rome, and delayed the servitude
of Constantinople; that invigorated the defence of the Christians, and
scattered among their enemies the seeds of division and decay.

Forty-six years after the flight of Mahomet from Mecca, his disciples
appeared in arms under the walls of Constantinople. [1] They were
animated by a genuine or fictitious saying of the prophet, that, to
the first army which besieged the city of the Caesars, their sins were
forgiven: the long series of Roman triumphs would be meritoriously
transferred to the conquerors of New Rome; and the wealth of nations was
deposited in this well-chosen seat of royalty and commerce. No sooner
had the caliph Moawiyah suppressed his rivals and established his
throne, than he aspired to expiate the guilt of civil blood, by the
success and glory of this holy expedition; [2] his preparations by sea
and land were adequate to the importance of the object; his standard was
intrusted to Sophian, a veteran warrior, but the troops were encouraged
by the example and presence of Yezid, the son and presumptive heir of
the commander of the faithful. The Greeks had little to hope, nor had
their enemies any reason of fear, from the courage and vigilance of the
reigning emperor, who disgraced the name of Constantine, and imitated
only the inglorious years of his grandfather Heraclius. Without delay
or opposition, the naval forces of the Saracens passed through the
unguarded channel of the Hellespont, which even now, under the feeble
and disorderly government of the Turks, is maintained as the natural
bulwark of the capital. [3] The Arabian fleet cast anchor, and the
troops were disembarked near the palace of Hebdomon, seven miles from
the city. During many days, from the dawn of light to the evening,
the line of assault was extended from the golden gate to the eastern
promontory and the foremost warriors were impelled by the weight and
effort of the succeeding columns. But the besiegers had formed an
insufficient estimate of the strength and resources of Constantinople.
The solid and lofty walls were guarded by numbers and discipline: the
spirit of the Romans was rekindled by the last danger of their religion
and empire: the fugitives from the conquered provinces more successfully
renewed the defence of Damascus and Alexandria; and the Saracens were
dismayed by the strange and prodigious effects of artificial fire.
This firm and effectual resistance diverte