given to Pompey. Pompey, tho' he triumphed over the three parts of the world, could not yet conquer Arabia. He (1) carried his arms into the country, obtained fome victories, and compelled Aretas to fubmit; but other affairs foon obliged him to retire, and by retiring he loft all the advantages which he had gained. His forces were no fooner withdrawn, than the Arabs made their incurfions again into the Roman provinces. Elius Gallus in the reign. of Auguftus (2) penetrated far into the country, but a ftrange diftemper made terrible havoc in his army, and after two years spent in this unfortunate expedition, he was glad to escape with the small remainder of his forces. The emperor Trajan reduced fome parts of Arabia, but he could never fubdue it entirely; and when he besieged the city of the Hagarenes, as (3) Dion fays, his foldiers were repelled by lightnings, thunderings, hail, whirlwinds and other prodigies, and were conftantly fo repelled, as often as they renewed their affaults. At the fame τα ενεπίμπλων. και Tealar per excider ¿ow; azλ. Ibi cœlum tonitru contremuit, irides vifæ funt, fulgura, procellæ, grando, fulmina in Romanos cadebant, quoties in illos impetum facerent; quotiefque cœna E 2 rent, mufcæ tam efculentis quam potulentis infidentes, cuncta naufea quadam implebant. Itaque Trajanus inde proficifcitur. Dionis Hift. Lib. 68. p. 785. Edit. Leunclav. Hanov. 1606. (4) xai fame time great fwarms of flies infested his camp; fo that he was forced at laft to raise the fiege, and retired with difgrace into his own dominions. About eighty years after the empefor Severus twice befieged the fame city with a numerous army and a formidable train of military engins; but he had no better fuccefs than Trajan. God, (4) fays the heathen historian, preferved the city by the backwardness of the emperor at one time, and by that of his forces at another. He made fome affaults, but was baffled and defeated, and returned with precipitation as great as his vexation for his difappointment. And if fuch And if fuch great emperors and able warriors as Trajan and Severus could not fucceed in their attempts, it is no wonder that the following emperors could prevail nothing. The Arabs continued their incurfions and depredations, in Syria and other Roman provinces, with equal licence and impunity. Such was the state and condition of the Arabs to the time of their famous prophet Mohammed, who laid the foundations of a mighty em pire and then for feveral centuries they were better known among the European nations by the name of the Sarraceni or Saracens, the Arraceni (5) of Pliny, and the (6) Hagarenes of holy fcripture. Their conquefts were indeed amazingly rapid; they can be compared to nothing more properly than to a fudden flood or inundation. In a few years the Saracens overran more countries, and fubdued more people than the Romans did in feveral centuries. They were then not only free and independent of the reft of the world, but were themselves mafters of the most confiderable parts of the earth. And so they continued for (7) about three.centuries; and after their empire was diffolved, and they were reduced within the limits of their native country, they ftill maintained their liberty against the Tartars, Mamalucs, Turks, and all foreign enemies whatever. Whoever were the conquerors of Afia, they were still unconquered, ftill continued their incurfions, and preyed upon all alike. The Turks have now for several centuries been lords of the adjacent 32. ubi vide notam Harduini. (6) Hagarens, the defcendents of Ishmael. They are called alfo Ishmaelites and Saracens. &c. Calmet's Dict... (7) The Saracens began their conquefts A. D. 6zz. and to E countries; reign at Damafcus A. D. 637. 3 countries; but they have been fo little able to reftrain the depredations of the Arabs, that they have been (8) obliged to pay them a fort of annual tribute for the fafe paffage and fecurity of the pilgrims, who ufually go in great companies to Mecca; fo that the Turks have rather been dependent upon them, than they upon the Turks. And they still continue the fame practices, and preserve the fame fuperiority, if we may believe the concurrent teftimony of modern travelers of all nations. Two of our own nation have lately traveled into those parts, and have written and published their travels, both men of litterature, both reverend divines, and writers of credit and character, Dr. Shaw and Dr. Pococke; and in several inftances they confirm the account that we have given of this people." With regard "to the manners and customs of the Bedoweens, faith (9) Dr. Shaw, it is to be ob"served that they retain a great many of those we read of in facred as well as profane history; being, if we except their religion, the "fame people they were two or three thousand years ago; without ever embracing any of "those (8) See Thevenot in Harris the Othman empire in Ahmed. Vol. 2. Book 2. Chap. 9. and II. p. 393. Demetrius Cantemir's Hift. of 3 (9) Shaw's "those novelties in drefs or behaviour, which "have had fo many periods and revolutions in "the Moorish and Turkifh cities." And after giving fome account of their hofpitality, he proceeds thus; "Yet the outward behaviour "of the Arab frequently gives the lie to his "inward temper and inclination. For he is naturally thievifh and treacherous; and it "fometimes happens that thofe very perfons are overtaken and pillaged in the morning, "who were entertained the night before, with "all the instances of friendship and hospitality. "Neither are they to be accufed for plundering ftrangers only, and attacking almoft every person, whom they find unarmed and "defenfelefs, but for thofe many implacable "and hereditary animofities, which continually "fubfift among them, litterally fulfilling to "this day the prophecy, that Ishmael should be cc a wild man; his hand fhould be against every man, and every man's hand against him." Dr. Shaw himself (i) was robbed and plundered by a party of Arabs in his journey from Ramah to Jerufalem, tho' he was escorted by four bands of Turkish foldiers: and yet the Turks |