罗马帝国消亡史经典英文版 (118).docxVIP

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经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

Chapter50:DescriptionOfArabiaAndItsInhabitants.

PartI.

DescriptionOfArabiaAndItsInhabitants.-Birth,Character,AndDoctrineOfMahomet.-HePreachesAtMecca.-FliesToMedina.-PropagatesHisReligionByTheSword.-VoluntaryOrReluctantSubmissionOfTheArabs.-HisDeathAndSuccessors.-TheClaimsAndFortunesOfAllAndHisDescendants.

AfterpursuingabovesixhundredyearsthefleetingCaesarsofConstantinopleandGermany,Inowdescend,inthereignofHeraclius,ontheeasternbordersoftheGreekmonarchy.WhilethestatewasexhaustedbythePersianwar,andthechurchwasdistractedbytheNestorianandMonophysitesects,Mahomet,withtheswordinonehandandtheKoranintheother,erectedhisthroneontheruinsofChristianityandofRome.ThegeniusoftheArabianprophet,themannersofhisnation,andthespiritofhisreligion,involvethecausesofthedeclineandfalloftheEasternempire;andoureyesarecuriouslyintentononeofthemostmemorablerevolutions,whichhaveimpressedanewandlastingcharacteronthenationsoftheglobe.^1

[Footnote1:AsinthisandthefollowingchapterIshalldisplaymuchArabiclearning,ImustprofessmytotalignoranceoftheOrientaltongues,andmygratitudetothelearnedinterpreters,whohavetransfusedtheirscienceintotheLatin,French,andEnglishlanguages.Theircollections,versions,andhistories,Ishalloccasionallynotice.]

InthevacantspacebetweenPersia,Syria,Egypt,andAethiopia,theArabianpeninsula^2maybeconceivedasatriangleofspaciousbutirregulardimensions.FromthenorthernpointofBeles^3ontheEuphrates,alineoffifteenhundredmilesisterminatedbytheStraitsofBebelmandelandthelandoffrankincense.Abouthalfthislengthmaybeallowedforthemiddlebreadth,fromeasttowest,fromBassoratoSuez,fromthePersianGulftotheRedSea.^4Thesidesofthetrianglearegraduallyenl