FROM

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

AND

BABYLON

BY

BOOKS

(H.

BERLIN

FROM

BAGDAD

SOUTH

UP

THE

BABYLON

AND

EL

OF

QUEST

THROUGH

ZAHM

MOZANS)

J.

TO

THE

A.

J.

DORADO

AMERICA'S

ORINOCO

SOUTHLAND

AND

DOWN

THE

MAGDALENA

ALONG

THE

ANDES

AND

AMAZON

WOMAN

IN

GREAT

me

INSPIRERS

SOENCE

DOWN

THE

TO

BERLIN

FROM

BAGDAD

BABYLON

AND

BY

THEREVJ.A.ZAHM,C.S.C.,Ph.D.,LL.D.
(h. j. mozans)
OF

KEMBER
AND

OTHER

"along

THE
LEARNED

THE

ANDES

AUTHORS'

CLUB,

LA

SOCIETIES;
AND

DOWN

SOCltTi

AUTHOR

OF

AMAZON,"

THE

FRANQAISE

"UP

THE

DE

PHYSIQUE,

ORINOCO

"THROUGH

THE

AND

DOWN

AMERICA'S

SOUTH

ARCADIA
THE

SOUTHLAND,"

ERHOALE

i^m\i,aa^^a^

D.
NEW

AND

APPLETON
YORK

LONDON

COMPANY
:

OF

MCMXXII

ROME,

MAGDALENA,"
STCt

D.

BY

1922,

CO?YtIGHT,

AND

APPLETON

COMPANY

^3

niVTBS

1"

TU

UMITSO

tTATU

07

AMtltCA

TO

THE

BEST

LOYAL

EVER

CHARLES

OF

HAS

CENTURY

AFFECTIONATELY

ITS

COMPLETION

HAD

SCHWAB

EVERY

THE

DURING

OR

IS

M.

HOME

WRITTEN

HAVE

INSPIRING

HOSPITABLE

WHOSE

IN

FRIENDS

AND

MRS.

AND

MR.

OP

LAST

BOOK

QUARTER

EITHER

ITS

THIS

DEDICATED

VOLUME

CEPTION
IN-

OF

PARAPHRASE

VERSES

FROM

Edwin

Arnold

By

In

I have

lands

many

And

my

many

And

nowhere

gathered
From

from

I said

Nile

To

to

come

if

But,

There

Whiter

words

these

from

the

Pleasaunce

have

Lords

ways.

ing
show-

of honey,

empty

were

gold.
far

than

sweeter

things

marvellous

at

and

of

days:

my

pearls and

cups

coral,

or

giftless, and

country

and

than
the

And

his

treasures

honey,

musk-hags,

and

hands

were

from

not

reed,

that

pearls and

and

brings

all

fruit of

my

of

seed?'*

my

no

token

home;

at

from

Sun

the

come!

art

some

green

cardamum

loath

was

hear

silk, or

grain;

secret, **0h

traveller

sweet

Kashmiri
or

the

rose-hlooms,

journeys

stayers

is the

where

in

soul

should
the

gain;

granaries

from

we

to

the

hut

and

pleasure

my

leen.

have

there

was

gardens

who

love

Or

corner

up

to

is meet

For

lovers

thousand

thou,
It

and

hundred

And

and

seen;

companions,

friends

teachers

and

and

wandered,
listened, and

and

wondered,

SADI

SHAIKH

brighter

Sultanas

brought

to

he

told.

than

feast.
for

of Truth,

love-tokens,
in

my

East.

FOREWORD
following

The
and

impressions

one

of

of what
The

Asia.

and

West

Darius

Asurbanipal,

of

The
student

Alexander

of

had

had

intense

an

of

civilization
of
and

the
The

tourist

journey
of

**the

as

East

with

the

the

days

tourist

and

in

Harun-

as

peoples
who

one

history

between

the

of

condition

as

the

reaches

Goltz.

but

of the

"

passed,

portion

of the

oldest
back

the

to

successive
of

the
has
and

the

in

has

been

and

waters
head-

the

Tigris

regard

most

of
of

caliphs.

and
And

left its monuments

and

what

through
But

and

the

Eden.
the

the

It

of
of

colonnades

these

et

has

and

and

any

other

and

carry

the

the

the

rians,
Assy-

Saracens
tions
civiliza-

consecutive

its

of the

witnessed

of

the

more

origo

imperial splendor
and

of

traditions

Babylonians
Romans

each

of

fons

student

Bosphorus

than

whose

usually

past

the

theater

It is the

is

to the

eventful

connects

civilization

would

development

surface.

Garden

Greeks

palaces

long

humanity's

"

bent

East."

which

civilizations
the

made

belt

Gulf

earth's

civilization

pleasure
been

with

Persian

changes

under

the

der

present

interest

the

of

von

dered
ren-

from

from
those

in the

lower

unchangeable

storied

greater

us

as

intervene

the

on

having

as

is conversant

Near

and

been

of

Euphrates.

spoken
who

which

lands

Danube

the

ordinary

of my

lifelong

and

the

which

through

countries

the

capital

nations

the

intellectual

social, economic, religious and

"

crumbling

has

Kolmar

only

not

which

not

between

greatest

to

and

I made

interested

one

as

"

and

question

in

journey

the

of armies

march

Bouillon

de

Godefroy

al-Rashid,

the

of

the

by

and

that

was

made

journey

Europe

migrations

the

by

observations

recent

long-ago

I followed

route

the

to

in the

was

famous
East

of

greatest capitals

the

remains

during

received

of

result

the

are

pages

"

priceless

its temples
gems

of

FOEEWORD

art.
plastic

of these

Some

magnificentvestigesof

glorious

Palmyra, are still standing in the heart of

to the roving
the desert and have long since been abandoned
the rapacious jackal. Others, like those of
Bedouin
or
and Nineveh, were
long buried
Ephesus and Pergamum
under sand and clay and have only recentlybeen unearthed
by the pick and the spade of the explorer and the archgeolothe lonely plains
on
found, whether
gist. But wherever
and hillsides of Anatolia, or in the solitudes of the Syrian
for the studious
and Mesopotamian deserts,they possess
traveler an attraction that is not offered in the same
degree
past,like those

by

of

other section of the wide

any

world.

mysterious ruins in the steaming jungles of

the chillyplateau of Bolivia, which
Yucatan
or
on
speak
of an enigmaticrace
of
quite alien to our own, the remains
antiquityeverywhere found in the lands between Stamboul
of forms
and designs with which
and Babylon are
have
we
been familiar from our youth and which belong to the same
Unlike

the

civilization from

which

is derived

own

our

the civilization

"

that had

its origin in the city-states

of ancient

that

subsequently introduced

was

soldiers of Alexander

and

into western

Seleucus

and

there for centuries by the legionariesof

To

the student

along the
in many

which

respects, like that of

At

museum.

every

granite column
remains

tomb

of
or

some

Roman

which

was

one

he meets

turn

enthrallingfascination.
capitalor architrave in

Oreek

I selected

Now
a

it is

nomad's

"

Asia

and

by

the

firmlymaintained
imperialRome.

traveling through the Near

route

Greece

East

cially
espe-

"

the experience is,

passing through

vast

something

of

rare

remnant

of

marble

forlorn

hut; then it is

and

squalid Turkish village"all that

stately temple or sumptuous theater of
greatness. Again it is the fragment of a

near

erected

to the memory

of

one

who

played

important role in his day, but whose name

and achievements
have long since been forgotten. And
hovering over
these crumbling monuments
of a misty past are
legends
innumerable, but all of entrancing human
interest" an

an

FOREWOED

interest that is accentuated

inscriptioncarved
findingof a terra

Latin

by the

that

characters

Esarhaddon

Minor

there

fondest

and

memories.

No

and

understood

back

to

the

or

marble

granite or

cotta tablet covered

Greek

with

or

cuneiform

stirringreigns

of

people especiallythose of Asia

author always loved to mingle and
retain the
hospitalityhe will ever

the

kindness

of whose

slab of

the

are

whom

with

"

in

discoveryof

Sennacherib.

or

then

And

the

by

one

carry

xi

"

people

that

misrepresented

more

I know
than

has

the

been

less

trious,
gentle,indus-

of Anatolia.
But of these I
home-loving Osmanlis
shall speak at length when
relatingmy experiences in Asia

Minor.

Traveling
and

student, I have

as

But

for students.

to record

at the

I have

observations

my

also written

and

same

as

time

impressions

student

endeavored

so

as

to make

general reader as well. And while I

have
given prominence to subjects that speciallyappealed
of value to others
to myself, these will,I trust,not be devoid
of some
wish to have in popular form
who
account
an
may
of the most famous
cities and peoples of the Near East when
it was
in full bloom
in its infancy, or when
civilization was
the beneficent influence of Helenism
and Christianity.
under
them

As

of interest

many

to the

parts

of this volume

confined

are

controversial

in character,

giving simply the

results of my
observations
and impressions, but I have
own
taken
of
them
pains to corroborate
by the conclusions
eminent
scholars
have devoted
and investigatorswho
to all
the more
important subjects long and careful study, and
whose
opinions,therefore, are entitled to specialweight.
And
that the reader, if so minded, nmy
be able to control
statements
and
deductions
I have
invariably given
my
references

have

to my

In the matter

not

myself

to

authorities.
of the

orthography of Turkish and Arabic

I have had the same
names
proper
experience as Howorth
refers to when
he writes
in his History of the Mongols:
There are hardly two authors
whom
I have consulted
who
**

FOREWORD

zu

the

spell

is

spelling
the
the

in

names

different

so

there

that

Arabic

and

has

standard

this

have,

the

IhmerobOn,

the

am

the

philologists,
satisfaction

Lobbeto,

but
of

being

Pa.

shall,

trust,

**understanded

in

aim,

intelligible.

myself

Turkish
is

adopted

to

the

have

this

quently,
conse-

by
In

encyclopedias.

and

exposed

aware,

sole

orthography

dictionaries

of

My

myself

from

system

therefore,

accuracy,

make

to

transliteration

impossible.

not

followed

English

Oriental
in

if

been

accordingly,

for

nize
recog-

arises

accepted

generally

no

their

to

This

aspects/'

Scientific

names.

difficult,

respect

yet

as

scholars

English

among

is

often

very

impossible

nearly

is

it

various

its

and

way,

same

that

under

name

fact

the

have,
our

doing

criticism

compensation
of

the

people."

of

CONTENTS
FAOR

CHAPTER

I.

On

II.

The

Euxine
AND

III.

Roma

IV.

The

Blue

Beautiful

the

Bosphorus

the

and

Danube

Story,

in

Legend

35

Nova

51

Hellespont

Homer's

and

76

Troy
.

V.
VI.

Cradle

The

of

Life

Home

Myth

Osmanlis

in

Anatolia

121

VIII.
IX.
X.

In

Footsteps

the

In

151

C7

Past

Crusaders

the

171
.

Campestris

Cilicla.

Historic

Islam

Railway

Bagdad

The

94

VII.

Osmanlis

the

the

of

193

Present

and

220
.

XI.

Along

Trade

the

Routes

of

Near

the

253

East
.

XII.

From

Euphrates

the

to

278

Tigris

the

....

Churches

XIII.

The

XIV.

Nineveh

XV.

of

Its

and

Floating

Down

East

the

303

Wonders

341

Tigris

the

in

370

Kelek
.

XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.

Bagdad

402

Motoring

in

Garden

the

of

Eden

437

Babylon

471

Index
.

.,

..

,.,...

Xlll

517
..^

..,

BERLIN

FROM

TO

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

CHAPTER

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

eight beim

Nacht

zu

die

in

Dichtend

DANUBE

BLUE

dann

ich

Wenn

St

alleine

Wellen

schau%
Mondenscheine

hlanken

Wasserfrau

Auf

die

schmucke

Ails

der

Danau,

Aus

der

schonen,

hlauen

Danau?
Beck

Ratisbon

From

Berlin
few

have

years,

world!

How

powers

for

of

intrigue,

nations

plunged

welter
of

frightful

most

No

portion

has

as

the

once

When
arises

from

the

most

the

world

narrow

meditation
in

the

beautiful

bright
blue

the
during
moonlight

*s

of

surface

so

many

strip

which

capital

of

Danube.
1

civilized

the

of

of

and

tell of

violated,

horrors

of

the

entire

so

history
tions
revolu-

great

connects

what

Harun-al-Rashid,
I

for

battles

treaties

the

in

rival

prolonged

they

wars

solitary night,
pretty water

the

how

and

miseries

destructive

witnessed

that

foiled,

the

palm-embowered
in

there

of
has

humanity

of

and

ambitions
into

and

How

supremacy!

of

Europe

sanguinary

countless

commercial

and

military

past

recall

and

expansion
and

struggles

the

schemes

Macchiavellian

evoke

territorial

diplomatic

of

during

throughout

reechoed

and

they

words,

chancelleries

the

stirred

echoed

have

they

these

How

Bagdad!

to

Budapest

to

contemplate
from
nymph

the
the

was
near

waves,

Danube,

reputed birthplaceof our

metropolis of the HohenzoUerns
the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

the

with

race,

proud
Niflheim.

distant

far

in

once

swept Babylonians and

Assyrians,Persians and Greeks, Saracens and Mongols in
it surged
of rapine and conquest. And across
their careers
and Goths, Turks and Tartars,
the countless hordes of Huns
belt have

this restricted

Across

during that protractedmigration of nations from the arid

steppes of Asia to the fertile plainsof Europe. And across
it,too, at the head of their victorious armies, forced their

projectorsof

all

and

Alexander

to Timur

because

the first book

As

from

domination

world

way

Ashurbanipal

and

Napoleon.
tion
a boy no
part of the world possessed a greater fascinafor me
than Babylonia and Assyria. This was,
ably,
probI

stories of the Garden

of Eden

this volume

of the

contained

read

ever

wonderful

; of

ous
Babylon and its marvelples
hanging gardens ; of Nineveh and its magnificent temand palaces; of the Tigris and the Euphrates whose
made
waters
to irrigatethe vast and fecund
were
plain of
deed,
Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization. So profound, inthe impression made
was
on
me
by the reading of

day

one

that

youthful mind
conspicuous a role in the

After
seemed
I

great desires

to be able to visit the land

fascinated
80

one

and

my

many

when

years,

hotel

of human

the

Unter

Berlin making final arrangements

for my

Romantic
Where
And

Had

the

Worth

in haste

gloomed,
to good Al Rashid

and

which

would

famed

have

City

of

delivered

been
have
me

Constantine

my

dreams

to

dear,
dwelt,

disposed

taken

in

Linden

long journey

the genii

sorcerer

Love and

den

to childhood

name

direct route, I should

most

the

I been

Bagdad,

of

so

famous

on

progress.

shaped themselves that

if by enchantment, in a

no

comfortable

was

history had so
people had played

the realization

longer possible,events
found
finally
myself, almost as

life

whose

whose

drama

of my

knelt.

to

follow

the Orient

the

Express

forty-ninehours later in
the picturesque Boson

FEOM

BERLIN

ration of this
To

TO

BAGDAD

magnificenttemple passed

of

the words

And
Were
As

apply

Strassburg:

Architect

huilded

his

with

into the walls

own

offeringsto God,

numerous

towers

square

parts of the cityremind

marked
time

of

can

son.

his great heart into these sculptured stones,

with him toiled his children,and their lives

BuUt

father to

the Cathedral

Longfellow about
The

so

from

rarelygiftedartisans and designers one

these

The

BABYLON

AND

when

of Florence

in

are

of similar

visible in
towers

tain
cer-

that

are

in San

feature
the

one

which

Gimignano. They date back to

nobilityof Ratisbon, like the noble families
Dante's
time, employed them as defenses

against their enemies.

it is not

But

intention

my

objects which

countless

have

to describe
so

brieflythe

even

long rendered

this famous

citya favorite objectto the tourist. To do even

partial
attractions
and historical associations
justiceto its multitudinous
would
require a large volume.
to embark
on
one
My purpose in coming to Ratisbon was
of the small boats that here ply on the Danube, with the
the river,with
view of connecting at Passau, further down
of the larger boats of the Danube
one
Steamship Navigation
I
Thence
Company, which would take me to Vienna.
pest,
to Budaof the same
planned to go by steamers
company
I had
of the Danube, whence
Belgrade and the mouth
planned to sail by the Black Sea and the Bosphorus to
old

Constantinople.
But why, the reader
roundabout

more

in the words

answer

Ignoiis
Flumina

1 had
2

his

He

route

will ask, did I elect the slower

of Ovid

to

the direct

one

by rail!

locis,ignota videre
gaudehani, studio minuente

errare

always loved the

loved

than

rather

and

wander

over

water

unknown

curiositylesseningthe fatigue.

and

lahorem?

travelingby river has

places and

to

see

unknown

rivers,

always had

peculiarfascination

DANUBE

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

for

Besides

me.

this,I

speciallyeager to journey by the Danube

from its source
to its mouth.
Having had the good fortune
of the world's
to sail the entire navigable length of many
the
doubly desirous of sailingdown
largest rivers, I was
been

for years

had

which

historic waterway

Euxine

the famed

with
In

declares

Sea

of

charming

the

noted

Black

Forest

antiquity.
travel-books, Victor

Hugo

is unique: it combines

Rhine

The

his

of

one

connects

the

quality of

every

rapid; broad, like the Loire;

encased
like the Meuse; serpentine like the Seine; limpid
and green like the Somme
gled
; mysterious like the Nile ; spanAmerican
like
with gold,
an
river; and, like a river
of Asia, abounding with phantoms and fables.^

river.

Like

Hesiod,

Rhone,

the

it is

first makes

who

mention

of the Danube,

under

Ister,gives it the epithet of KaAAipceSpoc

of Tethys
the beautifullyflowing and calls it the son
and
Ovid
Oceanus.
was
so
impressed with it that he
of his Paitic Epistles,that it is not inferior
declares in one

the

of the

name

"

"

to the Nile:

Cedere

Hugo's

Danuhius

se

tihi,Nile, negat.*

of the
graphic descriptionof some
famed
rivers applies with
world's
even
greater truth to
the legendary, the historic,the romantic, the picturesque
Danube.

brief

No

but

in the

watercourse
of fantastic

larger number

world

is tenanted

by

and

mysterious beings; some,

like the swan-maidens
and the water
nymph Isa, making
their home
in its waters ; others,like fairies and pixies and
and
old dismantled
elves,dwelling in the bays, forests,caverns
castles

According
3Le
4

to

Rhin, Letter

on

its banks.

Pindar,

the

region about

XIV.

Ovid, Metamorphoses,

TV, 294,

295.

the

source

of the

BERLIN

FROM

6
Danube

was

land of

fruits.

choicest

the

enjoyed undisturbed
lived

Apollo.

was

that Hercules

us,

in

grew

It

Danube

was

the

rich

as

people who

from

disease

and

and

myths
and

groves
epic,the

According to the great German

at Pforring,a short distance
was

averred,

was

into the

to its entrance
in

it

which,

of the Danube.'*

sources

the rivers and mountains

ever

olive

the

brought

its headwaters

from

by

immune

were

peace,

and. teeming with

inhabited

was

BABYLON

AND

perpetual sunshine

profusionabout

And,
the

It

BAGDAD

years, which they spent in the worship of

from
tells
this highly favored land, Pindar

thousand

TO

legends

Euxine,
as

of ancient

were

Hellas.

it
Nibelungenlied,

above

Ratisbon, that the

legendary heroine, Kriemhild, bride-elect of Etzel, took
of her

leave

when

brothers

Hungary, where

far-off

she

on

from

her way

join her

to

was

the Rhine

to

husband,

new

^kingof the Huns, and where she

her plans of wreaking vengeance
to consummate
was
upon
of her first husband, Siegfried.
the murderers
here be remarked
in passing that the illustrious
It may
Albertus
Magnus, probably the greatest scholar of the
Middle
Ages, reputed to be a magician as well as an
eminent theologianand philosopher,was
bishop of Ratisbon.
after leavingRatisbon, in a cosy little
About
a half hour
the foot of a wooded
hill on
steamer, we find ourselves near
Etzel

the famous

whose

"

Attila

"

brow

rises,purely white,
Temple of fame for all Germania's great.
The

Seen at
of the

distance

Parthenon,
It is due

who

Walhalla

erected

it

it appears
to be
both in dimensions

to the munificence
as

Temple

signally honored
whose
names
are
unknown,
magnificentedifice. Among
any

way

01., Ill, 13-15.

almost

of

reproduction

and

ture.
style of architecLudwig I, of Bavaria,

for those

of Fame

Fatherland.

the
are

duly

them

are

who

had

Some

even,
in this

commemorated

the architect

in

of the

ON

BEAUTIFUL

THE

BLUE

and the
Cologne Cathedral
epic,the Nibelungenlied.

author

DANUBE

of the

great German

solemnly dedicated in October,

temple was
of a stirringaddress, said,
1842, Ludwig I, in the course
and
consolidate
contribute to extend
**May the Walhalla
of
the feelings of German
nationality. May all Germans
feel they have
henceforth
common
a
country
race
every
of which they msLj be proud, and let each individual labor
according to his faculties to promote its glory.'' It is the
this

When

*'

of the word

use

that

sense

Hall

of

explains
in

of tablets

Fame,

Alfred

and

Bede

Venerable

in its broad

German"

historic and

logical
ethno-

existence,in this Teutonic

of Hengist and Horsa,
honor

the

the

Great.

the Austrian
frontier,we
Passau, near
had
glided
a
splendid opportunity, as our little steamer
along the sinuous Danube, to observe the attractions of the
celebrated Dunkelboden, so called from its dark, fertile soil.
of the country through which
Much
a broad,
we
passed was
lages
unbroken
plain,dotted with small farmhouses, pretty vilchurches
adorned
with chaletlike homes, and white
surmounted
steeples.
by quaint, salmon-colored

Walhalla

From

at Passau

I embarked

commodious

steamers

Arrived
trim

and

to

Navigation Company.
these

boats

The

for Vienna
of the

to the best of the excursion

Danube

appointments

all that could be desired

are

steamers

on

on

and

of the

Steamship

and
are

one

service

of

fullyequal

the Hudson

or

the

Indeed, for one who desires perfect rest,

combined
with comfort, while sailingon the most romantic
of nothing
and
picturesque waterway in Europe, I know
I can
than a few weeks'
sion
excurmore
cordiallyrecommend
St. Lawrence.

on

From

the Danube.
time

glories of
the many
I spent

declare

the
and

so

Rhine.

but

travelers
should

great attractions

many

that

grandeur,

immemorial

the

be

in historic

the

and

sounded

the

last to depreciate

of this noble

happy days, but

Danube, not only

also

have

truth

river

on

which

to
compels me
in scenic beauty and
legendary association,

BERLIN

FROM

the

what

far surpasses

BAGDAD

TO

Romans

Superbus,

which

of interest

machicolated

and

since in ruins

halberd

not

and

of the

course

and

broadsword
And

defense?

from

how
and

much

vessels

as

old Froissart

people

whose

* *

honor.

' '

along

the

efforts to thwart

shown
for

regarded

have

not

holds
strongrounding
sur-

pictures of the

Sposi,

rapacity

of

the

ing.
consider-

now

he denounced

them

Paynims"; as men
quencheth the knowledge of
or

as

Danube
in

the

days

gone

works

his natural

hears

one

stories

by and

and
enemies.

In

bridge which he is said to have built

the soul of his employer. Owing, however,
of his

employer, he

about

of his determined

projects of

shrewdness
he

of

weapons

pillagethe

are

right when

covetousness

the activities of the Devil

he

the crossbow,

Everywhere

whom

stories

/ Promessi

we

not

the robber-barons

to

or

long
moss-

What

they

in his vivid

Saracens

than

worse

excessive

was

so

they

inaccessible

almost

titled brigands of the period which

Good

could

would

prepotenti,as portrayed in his masterly

idea of the insatiable
some
gives one

**

of these

chief

crueltyof

these

passing
country. Manzoni,

Danube

's attention.

tales

the

were

confiscate

objects

still inhabited,others

speak, what

on

crenelated
villages,

to engage
one
somber
towers

and

time

of the countless

hate and revenge?

romance,
tell of wars
and siegeswhen

sallied forth
to

spent all my

much

was

to relate of the lawlessness

who

the

some

"

any

historic towns

walls

the

and

offense

make

castles could

old

they

here

there

"

tell of love and

could

to miss

castles

If the massive
covered

to call Rhenus

wont

were

to Vienna

wish

with

What

famous.

Passau

from

I did not

deck, as

BABYLON

"

the way

On

AND

those

Ratisbon
in

is

exchange

to the superior

lost the remuneration

greatly coveted.
Further
down the river,near
Deggendorf is a great mass
of granite which
the Devil is said to have brought all the
from Italy in order to destroy the town, because
its
way
so

people

were

too

religiousto please his

Satanic

Majesty.

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

BLUE

about to drop
just as he was
tunsuspectinginhabitants,the Ave

his massive

But

to let fall his burden

point is

another

At

when

adjacent monastery

in the

before

he

shown

Tower, and at stillanother

Maria
the

rock

known

is

as

forced

was

his purpose.
the Devil's

of rock

mass

called

the

on

sounded

was

One

compass

curious

load

bell

Evil

could

peculiar formation,

its

from

is

DANUBE

which,

Teufelsmauer

"

Wall.

DeviPs

According

to

There

on

the Demon

old Crusader

fiftyharnessed

And

he

embarked

men

at

Ratishon

fightthe Saracen.

Crusaders

Danube

an

came

With

To

These

ballad

time-honored

others

and

their

to the
way
that **he plucked up

that followed

them

Holy Land
rocks

the

exasperated

so

from

down

the

neighboring

pitched them right into the channel of the river,

But in this he was
thereby hoping to arrest their progress.
completely deceived ; for after the first rock came
plunging
made
down
the sign of the cross,
amongst them, every man
and uniting their voices in a holy anthem, the fiend was
ance.
instantlyparalyzed,and slunk away without further resistthe first stone he threw
So huge, however, was
that
cliifs and

for

it caused

ages

river

which

swirl and

nothing

but

the

in this

swell

skill and

the Bavarian

part of the
of

perseverance

' ' ^

engineers could remove.

As the Danube
moves
majesticallybetween ever recurring
with willow and birch,and wooded
islets,
heights
green
crowned
with ruins of castles and monasteries
tellingof
with
times long past, the veil of romance,
which
legend
invests

everything,seems

variegated. Here
which

King.
the

one

"The

were

There

is the

declared
dark

cavern

glens

to" be

p, 71

(by

W.

Beattie, London,

and

the

where

slain by Siegfried,lay in wait

Danube

heavier

become

elf-haunted

are
once

to

of the

ests
forErl-

lindwurm,

for his prey,

1843).

more

primeval

home
the

and

and

like
at

BERLIN

FROM

10

spot is

stillanother
maidens
the

with

return

down

reputed

BABYLON

the

Hagen met the swanNibelungs to the lands of

the stream

Charybdis

Scylla and

the

AND

the lakelet where

Further

Huns.

Wirbel,
the

his

on

BAGDAD

TO

the Strudel

are

of the

Danube,

of all kinds
trysting-place

of

for

phantoms

and
ages

and

monsters.

But

here

in

Imperial Danuhe's
sober history has far
for

every

and

revenge

spot

we

; of wars

than

to recount

more

pass

rich domain

has

its story of

involving the

and

legend,
ambition, intrigue
saga

loss of thrones

and

far-

of the then known

world.
reaching changes in the map
At Diirrenstein,further down
the river,are the ruins of
the dungeon
a great feudal
stronghold in which is still shown
in which tradition says Richard
Coeur de Lion, on his
from
the Third
exorable
return
Crusade, was
imprisoned by his inThe
Duke
Leopold of Austria.
legend,
enemy,
the
finally
telling how
English King's liberation was
effected through his devoted
minstrel, Blondel, has long
of poets and artists.^
been a favorite theme
Diirrenstein
that Julian the Apostate
not far from
It was
down
the Danube
engaged a flotillafor his famous voyage
the beginning of that long campaign which was
to end
so
the sun-parched banks
on
disastrouslyfor him and his army
of the far distant Tigris.
At a subsequent period Charlemagne and his Paladins
his campaign against the Avars.
the Danube
descended
on
followed
saders,
Later on he was
by numerous
contingents of Cruand his valiant band,
them heroic Barbarossa
among
their way
to Constantinople and the Holy Land.
on
"

It is safe to say

that

no

waterway

in

Europe

has

more

of vast armies
the march
heard
or
frequently witnessed
6iore
frequently the echoed roll of battle than has the
In its wide and fertile valley
broadly sweeping Danube.
7

Cf.

History of

Vol. II, p. 419

(by

the

Life of Riohard

G. P. James, London,

Coeur

1864).

de

Lion, King

of England,

BERLIN

FEOM

12
Held

In

the

When

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

marriage festalon Whitsuntide

then
his high-horn bride
royal Etzel embraced
I
she ne'er had found
ween
city of Vienna;
she
such
myriads all to her service hound.
wed,
first

was

'Twas

TO

So court

the

that

and

with such high honors

country flourished

all at every
Every heart was

And

crown'd

fresh joy and

pastime found.
smiles on each face were
merry,
seen;
So kind the King was
ever, so liberal the Queen.^
season

frequently in Vienna before, I tarried this

time hardly long enough to refresh my
regarding
memory
certain things and placesthat always had a peculiar attraction
for me.
its admirable
and
museums
Among these were
its delightfuldrives and sumptuous palaces.
art galleries,
But above all I was
particularly
ing
eager to revisit the imposof the
of St. Stephen, for it is not only one
Cathedral
noblest
specimens of Gothic architecture in Europe, but is
of the most beautiful temples of Christian worship
also one
in existence.
Although erected in the twelfth century, it
has survived all the siegesto which Vienna has been subject
after seven
and is still,
centuries,the most conspicuous of
the many
grandiose structures of Austria 's superb capital.
As I examined
the exquisitecarvings of portal and window
ized
and delicate crocketed
spire of this stupendous fane I realbefore how the builders of the Ages of Faith
never
as
with the same
care
by men
as
wrought the parts unseen
those
which
were
exposed to the gaze of all. For they
labored for God, and God sees
everything and everywhere.
And
then, too, I desired to spend an hour or two at the
Glorietta of Schonbrunn, of which, from
a
previous visit,
I had retained such pleasant memories.
From
this enchanting
of the cityand the
spot one has a magnificentpanorama
tles
surrounding country the theater of many
siegesand batin which, during the heyday of Ottoman
the
power,
to tremble in the balance.
fate of Europe seemed

Having

been

"

Adventure

XXII.

THE

ON
In

memorable

the

DANUBE

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

siege

of

walls

1863, the

13
of

Vienna

of
by the thundering guns
already been breached
the
covered
the Moslems, whose tents in countless thousands
surrounding plain,and only a miracle,it seemed, could save
Famine
its impending doom.
and
and death
the city from
despair stalk through the beleaguered capital. One by
wan
the fast crumbling
the soldiers of the Cross fall from
one
of the dying
ramparts. Everywhere are heard the groans
of its dismayed and enfeebled
tants,
inhabiand the \^ld laments
who
no
are
longer able to stem the resistless onrush

had

of the barbaric

their

press

infants

trembling virgins,sobbing as
with dread
break, are overwhelmed

would

to their

if their

and

bosoms

than

Mothers

host.

of

hearts

fate

worse

itself.

death

of the infidel horde

But, behold ! The advancing columns
horrorby some
falter,then halt suddenly as if confronted
inspiring apparition, or paralyzed by a colossal Medusa.
What
appalls proud Mustapha ^s haughty warriors ? What
panic has seized his swarthy Janizaries 1
of John
The
standards
Sobieski,the scourge and terror
of the Moslems, are
seen
floatingfrom the crest of Kahlenberg. Presently the hero-king,at the head of his resistless
cuirassiers,dashes like a thunderbolt
against the enemy
and the luckless troops of the grand vizier melt like a mist
before the morning sun.

in proud Vienna's
joy was
town;
Brave
renown:
Starenherg had won

Now

The

sweet

Cathedral

hells

rung

were

As

for a May-day festival.

Sohieski's fame was
And
sung
the
Throughout
lordlycapital.

The

Cross

Christian
progress

had

Europe
up

be inscribed

again triumphed
had

blasted

the Danube.

in letters of

On

the

over

all Moslem

Vienna's

gold :

Crescent

and

hopes of further
ramparts might well

FROM

14

BERLIN

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

Warring against the Christian Jove in vain,

Here
the Ottoman
was
Typhosus slain.
Some
are

twenty

extensive

Roman

town

miles

odd

ruins

supposed

of Carnuntum.

the fact that Marcus

his

wars

with

east

the

Vienna,

to be

Hainburg,

near

remains

of the ancient

The

Aurelius

Quadi

of

and

from
place is interesting
spent three years here during
the

Marcomanni.

Here

also

'

^ *

uted
part of his Meditations/ which have contribthan all his achievements
to perpetuate his name
more
Here
Roman
Septimus Severus was
as
Emperor.
claimed
prohad
Emperor by his soldiers and here, too, Rome
flotilla. And
the empire
station for a part of its Danube
a
of many
had
need
flotillas and many
frontier garrisons
to keep in check the barbarians
Danube
along the extended
North poured them
its northern banks, when the prolific
on
he

wrote

forth
From
Rhene

her

frozen loins

to pass

Danaw, when her barbarous sons

Came
like a deluge on
the south and spread
Gibraltar to the Libyan sands,
Beneath
or

the

had hoped that

successors
Augustus and his immediate
this broad waterway would serve
as
an
impassable barrier,
that they were
but subsequent events
showed
mistaken.
the Rhine, nor
the Limes
Neither the Danube, nor
Romanus
^which had
wall connecting these two rivers
a high stone
been constructed
other defenses
by the Emperor Probus, nor
had
been
of the empire, which
developed by his
adequate to prevent the ever
increasing
success6rs, were
into Roman
incursions of the barbarians
territory. Among
and the Quadi, whose
like
warthem, besides the Marcomanni
activities engaged the attention of Marcus
Aurelius
and
Vienna
Vindobona
during his stay in Carnuntum
the Suevi, the QepidaB,the Alemanni, the Vindelici,
the
were
stock.
Heruli, and other peoples of Celtic and Germanic
These
followed by Slavs,by the Avars, the Goths, the
were
Huns, the Alani, the Vandals, the Langobardi, who in ever
"

"

"

"

ON

crossed

increasingnumbers
their

impetuous
of

Pillars

the

hosts

to enrich

and

and

to

laid waste

Sahara, from
and

standard

with

his army

15

until

ally
eventu-

swept the vast region from

of

Hercules,

aspired to plant the Gothic

DANUBE

originalhomes,

had

to the desert

the Baltic Sea

to

the Danube

their

from

distant

far

lands

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

THE

the

the Caucasus

until

Alaric

on

the walls

accumulated

*'

secretly

of Rome

spoils of

triumphs.^*
Gliding down the tortuous Danube past picturesquetowns
and
and
villages and through delightful woodlands
suncarries us over
kissed vineyards our steamer
the short
soon
hundred

intervenes

which

distance

Carnuntum

between

and

loyal old

the capitalof Hungary before it was

transferred
Pozsony
to Budapest. In this cosmopolitan city of historic and traditional
"

lore

relief the

incident

an

and

bravery

and

is recalled
chivalrous

shows

how

son

in her

which

puts

character

in

strong

of the

garians
Hun-

quick they are to act when a strong

appeal is made to their loyalty and patriotism.
Queen Maria
Theresa, finding herself threatened
by
enemies
all sides,convened
the estates of the realm
on
in
the throne room
of the castle of Pozsony.
the fair
Here
of St. Stephen on her head
sovereign,with the crown
young
and

an

infant

but stirringaddress
The

lay

disastrous

before

recent

this

Kingdom

remedy.
of

our

invasion

our

The

own

at stake.

arms,

of
and
very

person,

in Latin

this brief

situation of
dear

delivered

and

affairs has

our

faithful

States

moved

to

us

of

Hungary
impending

the

Austria, the danger now

over
of a
a
proposal for the consideration
existence
of the Kingdom
of Hungary,
of

our

children

and

our

crown

is

now

Forsaken

in the
by all,we place our sole resource
and
fidelity,arms
long-tried valor of the Hungarians;
exhorting you, the States and Orders, to deliberate without
delay in this extreme
danger, on the most effectual measures
for the security of our
of our
children and
person,
of
In

our

crown,

regard

Hungary

and

to carry

them

into immediate

execution.

of
ourself,the faithful States and Orders
shall experience our
hearty cooperation in all
to

BERLIN

FROM

16

things which

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

promote the pristinehappiness of this

Kingdom and the honor of the people."
The
effect of this indirect and impassioned appeal was
electrical. The assembled
multitude,the elite of Hungary's
and shouted, ''Vitam
nobility,instantlydrew their swords
Maria Theresa' *^"
et sanguinem, Moriamur
pro rege nostra
life. Let us die for our
Our blood and our
King Maria
may

* ^

"

From

Theresa."
the

this moment

the entire nation

support of their sovereign and

her

rallied to

eventual

triumph

assured.

was

dramatic

This

episode is
of Maria

equestrianstatue
which

Platz
Vitam

et

bears

by

Theresa

Coronation

simple

in the

but

an

imposing
Hill

eloquent inscription
"

sanguinem.

fact that

The

the

commemorated

of

Maria

Theresa

her

and

audience

spoke

German, on the memorable

to is easily explained. For
referred
occasion
centuries
the language of diplomacy.
been in Hungary
Latin had
in the University were
Lectures
given in Latin and the
spoken by the deputies
language of Cicero and Virgil was
in Parliament.
Indeed, until a f e\v decades ago, every man
of liberal education was
supposed to be able to write and
speak Latin with ease and fluency.
told me, **the
I was
*^When
a Hungarian countess
a girl,''
always Latin.
language at table in my father's house was
All of us, boys and girls,spoke it as well as our
mother

Latin, instead

Hungarian

or

tongue."
I met

many

Hungarian priestswho

spoke Latin

in

ence
prefer-

One of them
orator
an
was
Magyar.
of exceptionaleloquence and could give an extemporaneous
in Latin without hesitatingfor a word
and always
address
in the purest Latinity.
to their

native

from the Foundation

of the Monarchy by
of Austria
History of the House
the
Vol. IV, pp. 440,
the
Death
to
of
Leopold
Second,
Rhodolph of Hapshurgh
W.
441
Cox,
London,
1820).
(by
XV. Chap. VI
de Louis
(Paris. 1828).
IOC/. Voltaire's PrScia du SiMe
of
the
title
Rex
instead
of Regina
Theresa
Maria
The
to
King
application
in Hungary
which
in accordance
with
a
quired
rewas
peculiar custom
Queen
9

"

"

"

"

that

her

signature on

all

public documents

should

be

Maria

Theresa

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

made

Englishman who

An

of the last

the middle

BLUE

DANUBE

journey up

century tells

the Danube

that

us

17

he heard

near

the

on

of

Hungarian priestsand a large assemblage

of second-class passengers
conversing in Latin with
if it were
their native tongue/'
as
facility
as much
The
German
traveler,J. G. Kohl, who wrote about the
time as the writer justquoted,gives a part of the consame
versation
steamer

**

party

"

he had

Tihany during

understand

who

with

Benedictine

game

of billiards.

Latin

will

be

monk

at the

Those

of my
in some

interested

peculiarwords and expressions used :

'^Ubi globus Dominationisf**
Where
**

abbey

readers
of

is your

"

of

the

ship's
Lord-

balir'

Incipiamus." ^*Here. Let us begin."

Please begin."
^^Dignetur procedere/'
*^lbL

"

**

"

^'Dolendum

Si ccerulous

est.

pityI If the blue had

but

hue

venisset."

this way.

come

^**What

"

' '

''Fallit,
fallit,''**It misses, it misses."
''Nunc
mihi est,*' **Now
the yelflavusrecte ad manum
low
ball is*right to my
hand.
''Bene!
Nunc
Hannibal
Bene!
ad portam,"' **GoodI
Good I Now, look out.
Please double."
"Dignetur duble,''
"

"

' '

"

' *

'*

"

^'FaZZz7.""
"0

si homo
never

one

miss."

**Keverend

falter et, esset invincibilis/'

nunquam

"

Nunc

Pater!

Father,

the

video,nisi

*'I

nothing except a

see

**Ah!
I wished

Ah!

tota

positionis

"Nihil

cceruleum
carom

est."
positio difficilis
now

very

et rubrum
on

per cut

the blue

an

extra

good play and

"

difficult."
ere

and

Subtiliter volui et nihil habeo,"

to make

**If

be invincible."

would

missed, one

"Reverende

"

**A

"

I have

velles."
red."
**Ah

me!

nothing."

Another
Englishman declares :
Magazine, Vol. XXII, p. 692.
that
in Hungary
during my travels I frequently
common
so
and dispute with great fluency
and the postillionsconverse
heard
the servants
Vol. V, p. 440.
in that language." Cox, op. cit.y
"

"The

Eraser's
Latin

is

BERLIN

FROM

J8

Fecisti.

Bene!

"Bene!

made

[You have

TO

it. The

BAGDAD
Finis

ludi."

is ended.''

game

reading the foregoingwho

After

AND

BABYLON
*'Good!

"

GoodI

^^

will say

that Latin

is

language in Hungary?

dead

Budapest

From

Again

the

has

scene

to

the

Black
dim

changed and

Sea
descried

the Danube's

tide;
Where
glancing
regal stream,
their
white
bosoms
to
the
morning beam,
Spread
A

silver crescent
broad

With

towers

Their

marks

o'er the

sails

that skirt and

towns

battled walls in that

that

seem

to lave

majestic wave.

places of
Pozsony to Budapest we passed many
great scenic beauty and historic interest. Among them was
Esztergom, which possesses the most beautiful cathedral in
Hungary. It is the birthplaceof St. Stephen, patron saint
the see
of Hungary's
ecclesiastical
of the country and
primate.
No city in Europe offers a more
superb approach than
does Budapest to the traveler who enters it on the deck of
of the Danube
of the beautiful steamers
one
Navigation
towards
the twin city,
Company. As we glide downstream
immense
of palatial
structures
an
mass
suddenly bursts on
view. Among them is the imposing Royal Palace,which
our
of the many
eminence
the right bank
on
crowns
an
-spired
From

House

of

Parliament, which

stands

on

the left.

Soon

we

glimpse of the beautiful boulevards

along the river,
with animated,
which, at the hour of our arrival,are crowded
are
enjoying their 'daily
happy multitudes, who
promenade and watching the arrival and departure of the
get

steamers

numerous

much

to the life of the

Hungarians
all
of
12

and

declare

smaller

craft

which

contribute

so

city.
that theirs is the most

beautiful

of

European capitals,and, judging by one's impression

the cityas seen
from
an
arrivingsteamer, most visitors,
Tour

of Austria, p. 372

(London, 1844).

BERLIN

FROM

20

stituted

lowland

Arabian
; and

Sandor

in the

broad

each

would

recognizeas
he sings:

Petofi,when
plains.

as

the

Throughout
how

the

his

ert
desof

the sentiment

own

only there I feel free.

they please,quite unconstrained.

much

of the long contests

which

we

are

traversing

now

history that has now

could it not relate regarding
it is

the barbarians

between

does

as

of his much-loved

expanse

region

legend still lingers,but

tell. And

muse

Magyar

confined hy harriers.

is not

One

It is

wander

can

eyes

his

word

Hungarian

interest,the

to awaken

poet

1 love the

My

much

as

the

"

scenic

little of

offers

finds in it

bard

important granaries of Central

to the traveler the Alf old

"

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

of the most

one

Europe.
Although
for

TO

between

the Romans

and

Christians

most
the

in these
and

to

gle
strug-

parts
"

Ottomans.

It

that the Turks, under

Solyman the Magnificent,

achieved, in 1526, the decisive victory which enabled
them to hold Hungary in a state of vassalage for a hundred
It was
at the same
and fiftyyears.
place that the Ottoman
forces, after being defeated by Sobieski in Vienna, made
forced to relinquishthe
their final stand before they were
land which they had so long held in subjection.
which
for a time the
the river is Illock,
down
Further
was
home, as it is the burial place, of St. John Capistran. It
was

at Mohacs

was

this celebrated

Franciscan

friar

who

led

an

of

army

Crusaders, which he had collected by his preaching, to the

assistance
of Hunyady
warrior
Janos when
this renowned
II to raise the siege
compelled the Turks under Mohammed
of

Belgrade.
Still further

down

stream

is the littletown

with its strong fortress,long known

It is

Danube.
marshaled
far and

so

in 1096

wide

named

because

the hosts which

for the First Crusade.

as

of Petervarad

the Gibraltar

Peter
he had

of the

Hermit

here

assembled

from

the

As
wafted
of

of the

the tones
over

Serbia

appears

in

Danube

of the

bell of

vesper

peaceful waters,

the

the

DANUBE

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

the

and

villagechapel are
White
City"

the famed

distance.

21

**

Situated

at

the

fluence
con-

Save, Belgrade, the capital

than two
thousand
been a
Serbia, has for more
years
strategicpoint of prime importance. Occupied by Celts,
generationsbefore the Christian era, it became, under the
name
Singidunum, a stronghold of the Romans, who held
It subsequently belonged to the
it for four centuries.
occupied at various
Byzantine Empire and, later on, was
times by Avars, Huns, Gepids, Goths, Sarmatians, Turks,
teenth
Hungarians, Austrians, until in the beginning of the nineit their capital. The
century the Serbians made
Turks, however, did not relinquishpossession of its citadel

of

until 1867.

siegesor experiplaces have passed through more

enced
than Belgrade.
more
frequently the horrors of war
its historical associations,I found little of interest
Aside from
in the city. The inhabitants had none
of the gayety
of the people of Vienna
animation
and
and
Budapest.
Few

Their

cheerless

And

were

tragedies

many

impending

faces

like those
and

is

of

living in

race

that has witnessed

constant

fear

of

disaster.

what

country, indeed, has passed through

more

and

For
it is not too much
to
greater disasters than Serbia?
say that during the past twenty-fivecenturies of its history
it has been almost continuallyin a condition of social unrest
number
Times
without
the tides of
and politicalchaos.

invasion
land.

and

The

devastation

have

swept

over

this unfortunate

general poverty and intellectual stagnation of

the people were
aggravated by the follies of their rulers
and by dynastic scandals
that shocked the civilized world.
For generationsat a time the administration
of the country
little better than organized brigandage. Unscrupulous
was
officials,
livingin Oriental indolence,prospered on the lifeblood of the down-trodden
peasantry, for whom
justicewas
but a myth. Blood feuds,political
murders and internecine

BERLIN

FEOM

22

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

long endemic, and guarantiesfor life and property

consequently,impossible.
were,
this was
true not only for Serbia but also for the
And

strife

were

"

for Roumania

and

along the Adriatic.

donia,
Mace-

principalities
So completely separated were
they
for the half -barbarous

the rest of the world

from

Bulgaria, for

for

peninsula

Balkan

of the

whole

that

of them

known

little was

in

they
Europe until less than a century ago, when
began to give stronger evidence of national consciousness
than they had previouslyexhibited,and to manifest a united
from
the Ottoman
themselves
to liberate
yoke,
purpose

western

centuries.
they had suffered for so many
be contrary to the teaching of history
would

which

under

it

But

suffered

by

period when
due

deprived of their
Nothing is farther from

to the Turks.

for instance

either individuallyor
From
well

the

point of

said] it

is

Balkan

races

"

the truth.

the Greeks

and

far

more

than

collectively Abated

the

Turks.

^hated

"

cruelties

during the long

independence were

were

fact is that the various

gars

all the

of the Balkans

the inhabitants

they

and

endured

that all the disorders

assert

one

another
"

view

beyond

to

of humanitarianism

doubt

that

much

The

Bul-

they

"

[as has been

less blood

was

during the five hundred years

of
of Turkish
rule than
during the ^ve hundred
years
have
Christian rule which preceded them ; indeed it would
illusion to
It is also a pure
been difficult to spillmore.
think of the Turks
as
exceptionallybrutal or cruel; they
are
just as good-natured and as good-humored as anybody
their military and religiouspassions
else ; it is only when
reckless and ferocious
that they become
aroused
more
are
not the Turks who
than other people. It was
taught cruelty
spiltin

to the

Peninsula

the Balkan

Christians

nothing

to learn

Peninsula; the latter had

in this respect.^*
of the

Balkan

But, notwithstanding the long and trying ordeal through

have
which the peoples of the Balkans
era
passed, a new
i*Nevill

Roumania,

Forbes, in

Turkey,

The

p. 48

Balkans, A Uiatory of Bulgaria, Servia, Greece,

(Oxford, 1915).

to be

seems

for them

dawning

assuring to
however,

the

there

23

at last.

Education

is receiving

graduallylife. When,

are

civilized
and

distinguishedBritish

the

as

are,

order

of the Balkans

speak

or

and

blessingsof

the

masses

think

we

DANUBE

law

and

attention

more

BLUE

BEAUTIFUTj

THE

ON

their inhabitants
writer

Hogarth reminds
us, certain salutary things to
which is that **less than two hundred
mind, among

its

Ireland

and

dens

smuggler

Save

and

itself before

which

the

Danube,

An

Austrian

years

its

and

its caterans

and

the

magnificent panorama
the broad
valleys of the

in

me

certain

I recalled

to recite in my

wont

was

in

^^

citadel

the

from

G.

bear

all roads

on

Scotland

caravans,
'^

unfolded

that

highwaymen

moonlighters.

I viewed

As

its

had

England

ago

D.

alliterative

verses

youth, beginning with

awfully arrayed,
Boldly by battery besieged Belgrade,
Cossack, commander,
cannonading come,
Deal devastation;dire destructive doom}^
army

While

gazing at the sun-bathed

vineyards, ruin-crowned
other
anheights and broad, verdant
plains which followed one
in rapid succession
bore us seawards,
steamer
as
our
I was
especiallyimpressed by the multiplicityof languages
1 heard
For
fellow
spoken by the passengers.
among
my
travelers
were
Germans, French, Turks, Serbs, Croats,
Russians, Bulgarians, Roumanians,
Greeks, Albanians,
Italians,
Poles, Slovaks, English, and Americans, and probably
several others whom
I did not recognize. There was,
indeed, a Babel of tongues such as one would
scarcelyfind
elsewhere.
How
the famous
polyglot,Mezzofanti, would
have reveled in such a gathering where
he could have held
^^

The

16

It

Balkans, p. 6 (Oxford, 1915).

is

curious

Empire

"was

powers

in

upon

the

Danube,
stands."

1915).

to

delivered

August,
frontiers

where

the

Cf. Attila

remember
at

the

1914, began
of

and

of

spot
their

Servia

modern

city

Attila's

that
very

at

Singidunum
the

Huns,

p.

first

the
upon
offensive.
the
rose

37

Attila

point
then

(by

attack

Danube
where

and
Edward

the
Roman
upon
where
the Germanic
directed
the

where

his

armies

joins the
to-day Belgrade
Save

Hutton,

New

York,

BERLIN

FROM

24

all of

with

converse

of the

TO

BAGDAD

them,

he

as

AND
was

wont

BABYLON
to do

with

the

in

Propaganda,

from
all
Rome, who came
the
parts of the world and with the languages of all whom
illustrious Cardinal was
perfectlyfamiliar .^^
And
almost as
variety of garb of this motley crowd was
manifold
that of their languages and dialects. From
as
was
students

the sedate

Englishman

in tweed

to the animated

Roumanian

Ottoman
liberty,the tarbooshed
dreamily fingeringhis tespis (string of beads), the sadin his Phrygian

faced

with

Serb

Albanian

in

cap

of

his conical

Astrakan

cap,

and

the

voluble

snow-white

fustanella,there was
ceivable
conevery
the styles and
variety of wearing apparel. And
colors of the dresses
exhibited even
worn
by the women
greater diversity. They could be compared only with those
a

of the infinitude

songsters of

of shades

and

adornments

of the feathered

flowers
large aviary or of the multitudinous
of a botanical garden.
From
Belgrade eastwards Oriental color becomes rapidly
more
pronounced. This results from the long occupation
of the country through which
by the Ottomans
we
are
now
between
passing and constant communication
Turkey and
a

the Balkans.
The

first

objects of

note

to

arrest

our

attention

below

ther
Belgrade are the great ruined fortress of Sendria and, furdownstream, the ruins of the two castles of Galambocz
These
and
massive
Laszlovar.
strongholds, located on
opposite sides of the river,guarded what was
long known
**The
of
as
Key of the Danube.*'
They, like the scores
ruins which we
have passed on our
from Ratisbon, are
way
rich in historic and
legendary associations of the most

interestingcharacter.
Near

Galambocz

is shown

great cavern,

in which, legend

reflect that
it,St. George slew the dragon. When
we
of the patron of chivalry and
practicallynothing is known
the champion of Christendom, except that he suflfered mar-

has

iTSee

the

Life of

London, 1858).

Cardinal

Mezzofanti,

pp.

411-419

(by

C.

W.

Russell,

DANUBE

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

25

Lydda in Palestine before the time of

difficult to account
the Emperor
Constantine, it becomes
in this
for the existence of this dragon- slaying tradition
spot. Its origin may be due to pilgrimsor Crusaders, who
in the same
as
they
brought it from the Holy Land
way
popularizedthe cultus of the Saint in England as early as
Coeur de Lion.
the days of Arculph and Richard
difficult to account
for the
after all,it is no
But
more
St. George and the dragon here than at *'a
contest between
Silena in Libya, as we
stagne or a pond like a sea,''near
read of it in Caxton's version of the Legenda Aurea, or, to
explain the associations of the martyr-knight with the
Jack or the white ensign of
of the Garter, the Union
Order
the British Navy.
enter the wildest and
we
Immediately below Galambocz
The
along the Danube.
grandest scenery
foaming rapids
at

tyrdom

famed

But

of the Arkansas
far

more

rock

and

or

the

lower

of

Kazan

recall

the

Montana, although in magnitude

inferior
to the stupendous
me

end

the

the Eomans

face of this formidable

gorge

the Yellowstone.

interestingto

commemorates

roadway which

or

it is far

grandeur

inscriptionat

an

cliffs of the

of Colorado

canons

and
gorges

near

towering

the

and

or

than

the gorge
itself was
which
is cut in the solid
of the

completion
constructed

defile. To

me

along

marvelous
the

it seemed

western
of the

one

of
extraordinary of all the countless achievements
in the entire length of the Danube
imperial Rome
valley.
The inscriptionreads :

most

IMP.

CiES,

D.

NERVJS.

AUG.

But

GEEM.

FILIUS.
PONT.

NEEVA.
MAX.

TEAJANUS.
.

ravine
noteworthy than the wild Kazan
and the wonderful
Roman
thoroughfare is the celebrated
Iron Gate at the confines of Serbia,Hungary and Roumania.
This narrow
defile long constituted an
almost impassable
even

more

barrier to intercourse
lower Danube.

between

the

peoples of the

upper

During low water, navigation,except

and

for the

which

channel

TO

BAGDAD

AND

completion,in 1896,
of the livingrock on the

blasted out

was

BABYLON

the

impossible,until

craft,was

smallest
of

BERLIN

FROM

26

This canal guaranseething cataract.

tees
for
the
of
sufficient
entire
water
steamers
a
depth
year
draft and contributes
of considerable
enormously to the
as
a
highway of international
importance of the Danube
side of the

Serbian

commerce.

Shortly

below

Iron

the

Gate

bridge which

shown

were

we

remains

of

built

by Trajan across
This was
ment
the Danube.
even
a
more
astonishing achieveof the roadway
the construction
than
through the
the wonderful, lifeI had often admired
of Kazan.
like
gorge
in Rome, which
reliefs of Trajan's column
represent,

the mammoth

stone

other

among

things,the

was

celebrated

campaign

of

the

peror
em-

Dacia, and I was delighted to have the opportunity

of the road
and the bridge he
to contemplate the remains
built during this memorable
period of his reign. Dacia,
modern
embraced
which
Roumania, is noted as being the
ever
possessed north of the
only province that the Romans
^Hhe
last province to be won,
it was," as
And
Danube.
Freeman
puts it,*Hhe first to be given up; for Aurelian
in

withdrew

from

it and

land,immediately

its

transferred

south

of the Danube.

name

to the

Moesian

^'^^

thing about Roumania, as the same

eminent historian observes,is that although it has been cut
all Roman
off **for so many
influences,
forming,
ages from
of the great highways of barbarian
it has done, one
as
migration, a large part of Dacia, namely, the modern
still keeps its Roman
Roumanian
language no
principality,
In one way
the land is to this day
less than Spain and Gaul.
Roman
than
more
Spain or Gaul, as its people still call
themselves
name.*'
by the Roman
not
The
Roumanians
are
only proud of their Roman
origin but take specialpleasure in recallingthe fact,especially
when
conversing with foreigners. **We are,'' they
But

the

remarkable

^"

C/. Historical
"Ibid., p. 71.
18

Geography

of Europe, p. 70

(London, 1881).

FROM

28

BERLIN

TO

would
have
carnage
have the Russian
army

and

They laughed

him

to

BAGDAD
to

AND
forthwith

cease

the

across

BABYLON

But

would

in six months.

Danube
he

he

or

good as his
In a brief space of time the Russians, accompanied
word.
in Bulgaria, and at
were
by their brave Roumanian
allies,
Plevna and Shipka Pass the fate of Turkey in this part of
sealed and the greater portion of the Balkan
Europe was
at length liberated from
the Turkish
peoples was
yoke.
The
Russians, under their gallant commander, Skobeleff,
pushed on to San Stefano, within sight of the domes and
of Constantinople. Then, by orders
minarets
from
St.
halted in his
Petersburg, the conquering general was
course
justwhen Russia's long-covetedgoal, the capitalon
within his grasp.
the Golden Horn, was
his distinguishedassociThe chivalrous
ate,
McGahan, whom
Archibald
Forbes, declared to be the most brilliant war
that ever
stricken with typhus
lived,was
correspondent
scorn.

was

as

^^

vocateur

of

massacre

of innocent

of

one

the

three

Turks,

and

players,inevitably resulting in the necessary

an
outcry in the European press." Cf. Nevill

Forbes, op. cit. p. 66.

"The
Bulgarian Atrocities," according to
"were

and

clever

unscrupulous piece

another

diplomacy

of

well-informed
the

on

writer,

of the

part

sian
Rus-

Committees.
In May, 1876, the
Foreign Office and of the Pan-Slavist
and
Odessa
Bukharest
Committees
at
organized an insurrection
Bulgarian
of the
of Bulgaria,
which
broke
out
large towns
simultaneously in many
atrocities
on
Moslems, 'designedly committed
by
accompanied by abominable
calculated
best
to
the
bring on a general
insurgents as being the means
ever
in Bulgaria, by rendering the
revolution
position of the Christians, howintolerable
the
indiscriminate
under
retaliation
peaceably inclined, so
which
the governing race
them
in selfto attempt, as
to force
sure
were
W.
E. D. Allen
in The
Turks
in Europe, p. 166
defence
to rise.'
(London,
"

1919).
writes
have
Forbes, "who
gained reputation as war
the
most
brilliant."
"He
be
used
to
as
regard McGahan
of the swiftness
of his movements.
called 'The Cossack
correspondent' because
writers.*
Frank
him
Millet
names
'Will-o'-the-wispof war
George Augustus
of the most
Sala
he had
met
'a
ever
cosmopolitan men
pronounced him one
scholar, a linguist,a shrewd
observer, a politicianwholly free from
party
prejudice,a traveler as indefatigable as Schyler, as dashing as Barnaby, as
of his age in recent years," avers
dauntless
his friend,
as
Stanley.' "No man
Lieutenant
the name
done
to bring honor
of America
on
more
Greene, "has
I suppose
throughout the length and breadth of Europe and far into Asia.
Skobeleff
of their respective professions.
that he and
stood
at the head
21

"Of

all

the

men,"

correspondents

"

"

"

"Year

after

chanted

in

the
year
rude
verse

anniversary
requiem mass
When
used

he
to

of

his
in

praisesof

this

bold

by the peasants
is
premature death

the

was

riding

crowd

about

cathedral
the

among
kiss
and

at

of

adventurer
the

commemorated

Tirnovo,

the

Bulgarian
hands, hailing him

vivid

and

by

writer

are

the
every
year
the
singing of a

capitalof Bulgaria.

ancient

villagesin

his

and

Balkans,

war
as

time

the

peasants

their liberator,and

THE

ON
after

and

BEAUTIFUL

BLUE

brief illness died

very

10, 1878, in the early bloom

chief

mourner

his

was

of

in

DANUBE

29

Constantinople,June

His
glorious manhood.
friend, the noble Skobeleff,

bosom

who, with unfeigned emotion, declared at the grave of his

he loved as a brother,that his heart
illustrious friend,whom
with

interred

was

Januarius

his beloved

and

that he

had

to live for.
nothing more
The gratefulBulgarians erected a splendid monument
to
of McGahan,
whom
the memory
they recognized as their
deliverer from the age-long domination
of the hated Turks.
inscribed the words, Januario
On this monument
were
Aloy-

sio

Patri

McGahan,

to his home

transferred

were

little

in its modest

and

"

years

later his remains

town. New
is

cemetery

resting-placea plain block

the

Some

Patriae.

Lexington, Ohio,
above

seen

his

last

granite which bears beneath

deathless
heroes name
the simple but well-earned
ute
tribLiberator of Bulgaria,

On

the

of

left bank

of

the

Danube, slightlynortheast of
founded
Plevna, is the little town of Giurgevo, which was
centuries
commercial
by that wonderful
metropolis,
ago
Like its great rival,Venice, it was
Genoa.
long celebrated
for its commercial
and military activities in the Levant
and
in the Crimea.
But that its merchant
princes should have
in that early
their trade
Danube
extended
to the lower
cult
diffiso
period when the navigation of this great river was
remarkable.
and dangerous is indeed
From
I did
Giurgevo I made a hasty trip to Bukharest.
**The City of Delight,''as the attractive
not wish to pass
is named, without
capital of Roumania
calling on some
friends

there

neither

the

but

of the

ravages

were

writer
done

so

before.

an

in several

seen

country
note

of the recent

joyful greetingsof
there

not

the

capitalnor

few years

I had

whom

of

war,

erstwhile

what

was

years.

But

it had

been

sadness, in
seemed

happy

and

consequence
to dominate
the

pleasure-loving

of the Bulgars who

ag^itatedfor the choice of this wandering
many
head
of
the
creation
the
his dispatcheshad
as
principality whose

much

to

establish."

F. L. Bullad, Boston,

1914).

Cf.

Famous

War

Correspondents,Chap.

IV

(by

FEOM

30

BEELIN

TO

BAGDAD

BABYLON

AND

people. It will,I fear,be a long time before one can again

the epithet Dacia Fell
Happy Dacia
apply to Roumania
it was
of
which it bore in the days of long ago, when
one
the most
flourishingcolonies of the Roman
Empire.^^ But
the self-reliant people of Roumania
not depressed or
are
discouraged by the present condition of their war-tried
descendants
of the Dacians, whom
the
country. These
"

"

"

called

Romans
confidence
make

in their

of

Romanul
three
be

their

good

nations

**the

the

non

of

and

their

and

of

abilityto

"

men

dies

never

they

in

shows

"

and

are

what

may
the
rallied from

when

shall

abiding

the
position among
Their native
proverb

Roumanian

manner

of them

war

men,'' have

honorable

an

world.

The

"

expected

havoc

to

civilized

what

words

of

recuperative power

claim

pere

warlike

most

they shall have

again be free to devote

themselves

stimulating arts of peace.

things that especiallyimpressed me in
Among the many
of gypsies. In no part of
Roumania
the large number
was
the world, it is said, are
in proportion
they so numerous

to the

to the

populationas

Dacians.

The

chief

among

the descendants

of the

reason

for

these

this is that

ancient

strange,

from
India have
met
a
dark-eyed, music-loving nomads
kinder reception here than in other countries,where
they
have
been
regarded as pariahs and often treated with
harshness
bordering on cruelty.
From
Giurgevo to the Black Sea the broad, multi-islanded
Danube
majestically through the ever-expanding,
sweeps

reed-covered
"

and

lowlands

the home

the far extending

agriculture,which
wealth

"

contribute

of the Balkan

acres
so

Peninsula.

of many

devoted
much
Near

kinds
to

to the
the

of waterfowl

pasturage and
commerce

and

villageof Ras-

22 After
he established
in the
newly
Trajan liad conquered the Dacians
colonists.
But
acquired territory a large body of Roman
by no
they were
all of Latin blood, for they were
drawn,
means
according to Eutropius, from
all parts of the
Roman
Numerous
votive
Empire ex toto orbe romano.
besides
those
the colonists
inscriptionsfound in the country show that among
from
from
Gaul,
Dalmatia,
Italy, were
Germany,
Phrygia,
representatives
But, notwithstanding this complexity
Oalatia, Africa, Egypt, and far-ofT Palmyra,
of ethnical
stock, it was
always those of Latin blood and Latin speech
"

that

dominated.

of

Trajan

stanza

^s

Black

the

on

of the

right bank
wall, which

the

on

sova,

BLUE

BEAUTIFUL

THE

ON

during

the

river,we
from

extends
This

Sea.

far

is the colossal

Braila

Galatz

and

of

but

to Conwas

structed
con-

the

steel

short while

hordes

the

the north.

from

dominion

in this

railway bridge
justly regarded

part
the

across
as

of modern

Roumanians

"

Danube

country to
into the colonial possessions
wall of Probus, connecting the

Danube, completed in 1895, and

the greatest engineering achievements
At

remains

rampart

occupation

Eoman

this relic of Roman

from

of the world

the

31

what

see

earthen

prevent barbarian incursions

of the empire. But, like the
with the Ehine, it withstood
Danube
ever-increasingonrush of the savage
Not

DANUBE

of

one

times.

great ports of entry

"

greatly impressed by the activityand enterprise

But I must
of these flourishingentrepots of commerce.
here more
clares
confess I was
impressed by what tradition deDarius Hystaspes built a bridge
to be the spot where
of his famous
the Danube
at the time
across
campaign
than five centuries B. C.^^
against the Scythians,more
were

we

what

And

that f ar-oif time

and

Trajan,

been

five centuries
Darius

and
to be

seem

this

in the

or

have

his resistless

barbarian

been

since

the

Great,

and

vicinityduring

intervened

between

Turkish

the

the

as

centers

and

twenty-

advent

legions. Certain spots of

perennialbattle

part of the Danube,

notable

the land

of

the earth

bordering
of the most

history shows, is one

of them.

It is in this

part of the Danube

adequate idea
its

here

that

of

leaders

has

Alexander

Philip of Macedon,

countless

have

hordes

this ill-fated land

war-theater

transcendent

of the

that

begins to have

one

size of this historic

importance

in

the

waterway

mercantile

and

an

of

life of

of this much
discussed
paign
camilluminating account, with a map,
The
Geographical System of
against the Scythians, see
Herodotus, Vol. I, sec. 7, 8 (by J. Rennell, London, 1830).
Cf. also The Five
Great
York, 1881) ;
Monarchies, Vol. Ill, pp. 434, 435 (by G. Rawlinson, New
The History of Herodotus, Melpomene, 87-143; E. H. Bunbury's A History of
23

For

an

of

Ancient
till the

Darius

the Greeks
Geography
Among
of the Roman
Empire, Vol.

Fall

and

Romans

from
I.,pp. 202-206, 217

the

earliest

Agea

(London, 1883).

FEOM

32

BERLIN

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

Europe. It is surpassed by no other European river except

in the lovely park of Prince
its source
the Volga. From
it delivers its
Fiirstenberg, at Donaueschingen, to where
mighty tribute to the Black Sea, the length of the Danube
than two-thirds of
is nearly eighteenhundred
miles
^more
"

that of

But
and

**

our

famed

Mississippi.

in the amount

the

and

character

of the

traffic it bears

is incomparably
people it serves, the Danube
to our
superior to the Volga and even
great
of Waters."
The
the
is
Volga, like
Mississippi,

number

Father

of

only a national river,while the Danube majesticallysweeps

and kingdoms and empires of
through many
principalities
Europe and assures
regions widely
easy relations between
in the past has served as
separated. And, as the Danube
the great natural route for the migrations of nations and the

warring

hordes

of Asia

and

Europe,

it is now,
's great highways of
so

more

than

before,one of the world

commerce
and industry, and from
present indications the day is not
far distant when, economically,it will be the greatest.
for this seemingly paradoxical assertion is
The reason
The importance of rivers is not due to their
not far to seek.
of water, but rather
to the density of
length and volume
ever

the

the

population on their banks and to the industrial productivity

of the peoples who dwell in their vicinity.Thus,
of the most fernot only passes
tile
Danube
through some

world, where intensive agriculture is carried

but also facilitates
to the highest degree of efficiency,
of all kinds between
the exchange of commodities
distant
nations and delivers supplies and the necessary
raw
terial
malands

in the

to the countless

industrial centers

Of the affluents of the Danube

that

of middle

Europe.
are
navigable,or large
than sixty,while the

rafts,there are more

of the Danube
of inhabitants along the course
number
alone
is more
than
Add
to this the myriads of
fiftymillions.
tributaries and this
people who dwell along its numerous
number
will be greatly augmented.
immense
It will not
of people who
live along the
only far exceed the number
enough

to float

Volga

ON

THE

and

are

of

that

DANUBE

BLUE

Mississippi basin, if

the

It

States.

United

entire

it does

Napoleon considered the Danube

that *Hhe center
and Talleyrand declared

rivers

is not Paris

nor

If these

two

eminent

personages

stronger

existed

than

views

but the Mouths

much

have

would

Berlin

value

engineers, the
highway has

of modern

the

king of
gravity

of

' * -*

living they
entertaining such

For, thanks
of the

this

now

for

century ago.

for

of the Danube.
were

reasons

pass
sur-

indeed

not

was

that

reason

33

but will also far

benefited by its traffic,

of the

that

equal

BEAUTIFUL

to the

Danube

as

genius
a

great
By

immensely enhanced.
dredging the canal at the Iron Gate, by jettying the Sulina
provement
other imof the delta and by making innumerable
branch
of the river, the European
along the course
commercial

been

than
charge for more
of this great international
half a century of the betterment
waterway, has eliminated the dangers to navigation which
the river navigable for
previously existed and has made
before possible. Since the establishment
much
larger craft than was
Commission
of this International
by the Treaty
of traffic passing through the
of Paris in 1856, the amount
has increased
of the Danube
mouth
enormously. According
to a recent officialreport of the Commission,
SailingShips
tons
of two hundred
registerhave given way to steamers
tons register,carrying a dead weight
up to four thousand
tons and good order has succeeded
of nearly eight thousand

Commission,

Danube

which

has

had

* *

chaos.''"

far-reachingutilityof the Danube

greatly augmented by the construction of such
it with the Tisza, and still
the one
which connects

But this is not all. The

been

has

canals

as

by

more

the famous
It

Ehine.

was

King Charles
gunboats was
24

C,

matter

of

Kanal

which

Le

links it with

particularpleasure

of Eoumania

when

able,thanks

to the

Ludwig
et

the

to the late

the Roumanian

Danube, Apergu historique,Sconomique

Baicoianu, Paris, 1917).
See Encyclopedia Britannica
(11th ed.).

Cf.

I.
25

Ludwig

Kanal,

flotilla of
to steam

politique,Chap. II (by
'

BERLIN

FROM

34

London

directlyfrom
and

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

to tlieBlack

Sea

by

of the Rhine

way

the Danube.

And

yet

When

more.

the

projected Danube-Salonica

and the Danube-Oder

Canals, both
Canal, the Danube-Elbe
will tap
under construction,shall be completed, the Danube
the greatest industrial centers
of middle
Europe and will
reduce
the Suez
by one-half the trade water route between
and Baltic Seas as comCanal and the ports of the North
pared
of Gibraltar.^^
route by way
with the present water
controlled
was
Recalling the days when the Danube
by
barons
the massive
castles along
the robber
who tenanted
Genoese
all but paralyzed; when
its banks, and trade was

and

treacherous

to collect

waters

of Wallachia
forests

sailed their small

merchants

Venetian

and

of Russia

hides

and

when

it

furs
was

from

grain

from

but

the

craft down

the

fertile fields

vast

Turkish

its

plains and

River

as

the

Lake, we can better appreciate

its various phases of development during the past and
more
fullyrealize the vast expansion of trade which it has
to be
since its navigation was, in 1856, declared
witnessed
And
to the time when
free to all nations.
looking forward
artificial waterways, now
all the numerous
projected or
of the Danube
nearing completion, shall extend the arms
and industrial metropolises of Central
to all the commercial
Europe, we can well believe that historic river will then,
from
the standpoint of international
trade,be not only the
most
tant
important river in Europe, but also the most imporin the world.
merce
Then, indeed,will this highway of combe, in the words of Napoleon, the king of rivers,and
of Tallyrand, if it
then, too, will be verified the statement
it a century ago, **Le centre
not justified
when he made
was
de gravite de V Europe n'est pas a Paris, ni a Berlin,mais
Black

aux
28

Sea

B ouches
C/. The

but

was

Turkish

du Danube.*'

Orient

^^

Question, Appendix C

(by

Prince

Lazarovich-Hebeliano-

York, 1913).
vich, New
27
of
Cf. Baicoianu, op. cit.,p. 14. See also for an illuminating discussion
Bassin
du
du
this same
Histoire
La
du
Danube,
Question
Politique
subject
J^tudea
dea divera
Danube;
rigimea applicablea d la navigation du Danube
(by G. Demorgny, Paris, 1911).

36

FKOM

distance

BERLIN

TO

BAGDAD

the littleisland of Fido-Nisi

called from

the

number

great

infest its sea-lashed

Russian

and

Serpent Island

"

of snakes

cliffs and

about

Turkish

BABYLON

AND

which

which,

sailors have

said to

are

from

so

"

memorial
im-

time

told the most

fantastic stories.
In

Leuce
antiquity it was known
as
"Leuce, the white, where the souls of heroes
"

According to Homer,
placed in
Iliad,were

the ashes

rest,^*

Achilles,the hero of the

and deposited in a tumulus

of

golden urn
This elevated
the promontory of Sigeum in the Troad.
on
headland, visible far out on the ^gean, served as a
Later
for passing mariners.
form
landmark
poets,however, inthat the body of Achilles was
from the
snatched
us
ferred
burning pyre by Thetis, his goddess-mother, and transto the Island of Leuce
where, with his bosom
friend,
and
other heroes,^ it was
Patroclus
speedily worshipped
by the Greeks who here erected a temple in the hero's
this

For

honor.

Leuce

reason

Sea, written
Hadrian, says:

it

whom

statue

It is destitute
which

his

of

Periplus of the
peror
report to the Em-

There

who

temple, as cups,
are
offeringsto Achilles.
in the

Greek

and

praiseof Patroclus, whom

venerable
whom

he

legend
had

has

loved

in

it that

now

workmanship.

pastured only by

here

said

are

offeringsare
more

Achilles,by
existinga temple
son

of ancient

and

touch

Many
rings and

written

are

of Achilles

of inhabitants

those

to her

this island

of Achilles.

memory

Troy

the

as

of Achilles,others call it the

others Leuce, from its color. Thetis

inhabited.

was

wooden

form

in the

chariot of Achilles,and
is said to have given up

known

call this the Island

Some

goats

in

Arrian

historian

Greek

The

and

long

was

of Achilles.

Island

Euxine

valuable

to

offer to the
in this

suspended
gems.

few

All

these

Inscriptionsare also suspended

in
Latin languages
Some
are
those who are disposed to honor
Achilles

met

here

life,by hearsay,although

the
he

shade of
had never

Helen
seen

of
her.

THE

EUXINE

AND

THE

BOSPHOEUS

37

Achilles treat with

equal respect. Many birds inhabit this

These
gulls,divers, and coots innumerable.

island,as sea
birds frequent the temple of Achilles.
Every day in the
their
morning they take their flightand, having moistened
wings, flyback again to the temple and sprinkle it with the
moisture, which having performed they brush and clean the
It is said that Achilles
pavement with their wings.
has
have
appeared in time of sleep both to those who
approached the coast of this island and also to such as
have
been
sailinga short distance from it and instructed
most
them where
the island was
safelyaccessible and where
the ships might best lie at anchor.
They also say further
that Achilles has appeared to them not in time of sleep,or
the mast, or at the extremity
a dream, but in a visible form
on
of the yards, in the same
the Dioscuri have
as
manner
appeared. This distinction,however, must be made between
the appearance
of Achilles
and that of the Dioscuri, that
who
the latter appear
evidently and clearly to persons
foretell a
so
navigate the sea at large, and, when
seen,
is seen
the figure of Achilles
whereas
voyage,
prosperous
only by such as approach this island.^
...

short

brings

sail southwestwardly from

in

us

view,

on

Trajan's

of

wall

starboard, of the important

our

It is located

of Constanza.
and

the island of Achilles

had

at the

extremity

eastern

specialinterest

for

port
sea-

because

me

poet Ovid was

The privationswhich
banished by the Emperor Augustus.
this distant boundary of the Eoman
he had
to endure
on
its site is

and

Empire
the

to the
of the
of the

Tomi

of

miseries

of the

to which

the

of his life among

Euxine

are

the

graphicallydescribed

in his Tristia

and

These

Dioscuri

by

Letters

and
the
of Achilles
Dioscuri,
alleged appearances
electrical
the
lambent
discharges known
evidently
Arrian, were
called
also
Fires.
corposant, Helena, and, when
They are
2

barbarians

from Pontus.
climate of this inhospitableplace was
trying indeed
from
the palace
exile who had just come
disconsolate
Caesars and who had so long enjoyed all the delights
Roman
capital. For here, to his eyes, the fields were

poet

The

the

shore

the

on

that

near

"

namely.

Castor

and

Pollux.

referred

to

as

St.

in

pairs,

by

Elmo's
the

BEELIN

FEOM

38

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

and
verdure, the spring without flowers,and snow
eternal. The long hair and beards which concealed
ice were
he was
whom
the visage of the rude Sarmatians, among
compelled to live,clicked with icicles. Wine froze and had
without

cut with

to be

cold

was

sword.

more

According
in his time

severe

arctic winter

memorable

temperature

fell

low

so

for weeks

and

people

able to pass
shore.

were

European
It

the ice

on

in this cheerless

was

than

from

foot

enclosed
that

he

in

modest

might

during so
granted.^

urn,

be

not

an

during

was

frozen

was
was

the

the
the

over

thick that

so

Asiatic

to the

and

frigidregion,far from home

Rome's
greatest poets spent the

friends,that one of
of his life and here it was
last eight years
Before
his death he had expressed a wish
and

the

account

later when

the Euxine

the Bosphorus
on

it

centuries

many

that

to Ovid's

should

be taken

that
that

to Rome

exile after death,

as

he

died.

his ashes,
in order

he had

been

of his life,
but his request was
not
years
many
A tradition exists that a tomb was
erected to his

in

scholars as much
Tomi, but there is among
doubt
respectingthe existence,or location of such a tomb,
of the poet 's
there always has been regarding the reason
as
him
banishment
and
on
so
by one who had showered
many
so
great favors.
of his
According to a legend that Ovid recalls in one
here that
a
elegies,Tomi was
place of ill omen, for it was
memory

Medea
carved

limbs.

according to
Inde
Membra

From
noted

her brother

murdered

the

And
the

it

was

from

poet, that the

Thomis
soror

most

dictus

strewed

and

locus

the

this atrocious

town

of Tomi

sea

with

his

fratricide,

took its name

hie,quia feriur in illo

frairisconsecuisse sui*
remote

for the

has been
antiquity the Euxine
rors
tempests and for the reputed ter-

fury of its
of its navigation, as well

Tristia, Lib.

Ill, Elegia, III.

Tristia, Lib.

II, Elegia,

IX.

as

for the savage

character

THE

EUXINE

of the inhabitants
called

called the

THE

its coast.

on

it Pontus
as

AND

Axenus

For

the

"

BOSPHORUS
this

39
the ancients

reason

inhospitablesea.

if to

placate its fury, by

Euxine
the hospitable sea

"

it

euphemism,

an

"

quently,
Subse-

which

name

was

it has

since borne.
the first name

But

simply

was

the

sea

Pontos

the Greek

"

word

The

excellence.

par

to this extended

given

for

body

sea

if it

as

"

of water
were

traveler,Giovanni

noted

da

Carpini, a Franciscan
friar,and Ricoldo da Monte
di Croce, a Dominican
missionary in the Orient, called it
In the Itinerarium, howthe great sea.
Mare
ever,
Magnum
Piano

"

Blessed

of
Mare

Majus

of Marco

Nigrum,
it the

the

"

Polo

Friar

all.

Oderic

greater

who

sea

speaks

likewise
Mare

name

Pordenone

does

Maurum

it bears

it does

as

"

calls it Mare

Jordanus

as

of

the

as

Sir John

But

Black

Modern

name

Viaggi

this is not

Sea

Mandeville

Mauros,

"

also in I

Maggiore,

of it

the

Mare

"

who

gives

in

Byzantine, as in
there was, probably,

But
Greek, signifyingblack.
for callingthis sea
better reason
black than there was
no
for giving to certain other well-known
the epithetsof
seas
all this it appears
that what
red,white, and yellow. From
we

know

now

as

well

the

Euxine

or

Black

Sea

has

been

rich in

in

myths and legends."

The
not only for legendary
Euxine, however, is famed
associations
but for having been for centuries a section of
the great highway between
It
the Occident
and the Orient.
brated
was
by this route that Fra Oderic of Pordenone, that celederful
missionary of the fourteenth century, made his wonjourney from Venice to China and other parts of the
Far
East.
Polo
It was
route that Marco
by the same
the most
returned
traveler
of the Middle
famous
Ages
Asia
from his long peregrinations in eastern
to his home
in the Queen City of the Adriatic.
it was
And
by way of

names

as

as

"

"

the

Euxine

For

Marco

Way

the

that

various

Marco

names

Polo's

of the

Euxine

father

or

and

Black

Polo, Vol. I, p. 3 (trans, by H. Yule, London,

Thither, Vol. II, p. 98 (printed for the Hakluyt

uncle

had

pre-

Sea, cf. The Book

of Ser
1903) ; Cathay and The
Society, London, 1913).

40

FROM

ceded

him

BERLIN
to far-off

received

BABYLON

AND

where

Cathay

famous

the

by

BAGDAD

TO

they

cordially

most

were

Khan.

Kublai

of the
important link in one
time immemorial
world's great commercial
highways. From
connected
three great trade routes which
there were
It

China

India

and

route

which

of the

coasts

which

for

by

from

started
the

and

Parthia
other

One

down

the

to the Euxine.

thence

greatest interest for

of the

one

than

Long

of
made
Arsinoe

India,long

his famous
on

palus made
the
a

very

route

to the

is the trade
a

"

commercial

West

the

which

crossed

Antioch.

in

ended

that

route

that

route

The
and

Sea

Caspian

the

has

served
for

highways

before

voyage

Bactra

made

as

more

the Greek

from
and

the

SkyJax
centuries

his

epoch-making discovery of

large volume

Karyanda
Indus

before

to

Hip-

the existence

of

Ocean, which

of the Indian

ocean-bound

many

of

of the

mouth

Red

Sea,

for the invasion

his base

the

the moonstones

and

years.

Alexander

before

reached

route

present

chief

Arabian

and

great overland

caravan

and

at

sea

to Alexandria

and

"

river Oxus

us

world's

thousand

two

the

This

the

was

place
^long,like Babylon, a marketand
world
a
great emporium

"

Mesopotamia

passed

phrates
Eu-

Thapports

or

other

Persian

the

commerce

was

and

second

Sea

Red

was

the

of

Chinese

roads.

two

Bactra

races

and

Indian

the

by

third

The

Sidon.

and

Tyre

The

along the

India

from

went

Zeugma,

to

Gulf

to the

Indus

Antioch

to

proceeded

Aden, thence

to

river

latter

the Persian

was

of the

mouth

Mediterranean.

eastern

which

route

the

along this
it

One

Europe.

from

whence

sacus,

an

ages

with

ran

and

for

for

also

was

trafiSc between

of the luxuries

immensely augmented
India and Egypt,

of the Far

East

found

their way
to the Occident by the great Oxus-Caspian-Euxine
and
trade route.
And while the ships of Tarshish

Quinquiremes
Rowing home
With

cargoes

Sandalwood,

of Nineveh
to haven

of ivory
cedarwood

from distant Ophir^

in sunny
Palestine,
and apes and peacocks,
and

sweet, white

wine,

EUXINE

THE

AND

bringing to Syria

were

BOSPHOEUS

the Land

of Malabar

the coast

from

and

THE

41

of the Pharaohs

ures
treas-

and

The

spicy shore
Ardhy the blest,

Of
interminable

and

caravans

countless

merchantmen

were

ing
busy along the Oxus-Caspian-Euxine route bearand Rome
silks from
to Byzantium and Athens
China
other
stuffs from
and
Benares
and
and
Bengal; muslin
tortoise-shell
the Golden
from
Kotumbara;
Chersonese;
Sind; drugs, spices, cosmetics, perfumes,
indigo from
from
other
pearls, beryls, and precious stones
parts;
from
from
costus
Cashmere; pepper
Malabar; gums,
from
the forests of
spikenard,lycium, and malabathrum
the Himalayas; and
sapphires, rubies, and aquamarines
from
Burma, Siam, and Vaniyambadi.

always

"What

the

was

between

the

Occident, especiallyafter the establishment

under
be gauged by
Romana
Augustus, may
the unprecedented demand
by the fashionable

Pax
that

for all kinds

of Rome

imperiled

of

Arabia

Orient
of the

Tabriz

in

in Persia

of Venice

by

Far

and

Bosphorus,

this point the

way

was

funeral

conducted

their

single item

indulged

Sulla, before

of

more

in

the
of

pounds

had

sive
expen-

Poppoea

that the merchant

their

commerce

Passing through
galleysproceeded

their chief

of

ously
seri-

than

Bagdad by Hulaku
Khan,
and commercial
great political

entrepot

enterprising traders

of the Sea

pyre

world

of

the Euxine

East.

and

which

the

Genoa

and

Middle

Crimea

the

fact

year.

became

cityof Asia, it was

the

on

the

while

thousand

consumed, while Nero

after the destruction

When,

twelve

than

more

burnt

produced

obsequies

the

the

At

Augustus,
precious spiceswere
aromatics

In

extravagance

of

time

finances.

for

funerals, the

incredible.

seems

luxuries

of eastern

imperial

the

for

aromatics

by

this trade

the

and

of

of

volume

on

the

princes
with

Hellespont

to Kaffa

the Euxine.

continued

the

their

Azov, the Don, and the Volga to

in the
From
course
a

port

BERLIN

FROM

42

Sea.

Caspian

the

on

TO

Thence

AND

their

journey

long overland

their

BAGDAD

BABYLON
started

caravans

lofty mountains

over

through vast deserts and hostile nations to far

Cathay in quest of the highly-prizedcommodities
kilns and
Kaffa

from

looms.

Other

traders

Trebizond

to

whence

broad, arid plains to Tabriz.

of India

and

and
distant
of Chinese

directlyby sea
they journeyed over
went

Here

their

numerous

the rich fabrics of Persia

with

laden

were

on

vans
cara-

and

the

rare

Isles of

the

these
Spicery. From
centers of Asiatic traffic,
ported
long lines of patient camels transtheir preciousburdens
to ports on the Euxine
where
and Venetian
ceive
a fleet of Genoese
galleys was
waiting to re-

products

the merchandise
of

cost

labor

much

so

the

among

Before

the

was

marts

at Sulina

for

of

Argonauts the tempestuous Euxine

mariners

trust

themselves

of Ovid

its

and

"during

four

destinies

of

Africa;

that

alone

from

the

that

Venice

twelfth

that

Europe;

alone

Genoese

of

controlled

barbarous

Ages."

Nuova

Istoria

Letteratura

been

the

fifteenth
does

In

the

and

the
to

the

were

to

the words

was

hesitate

of the
commerce

declare

arbiters

trade-routes

of these

commerce

Repuhhlica
Origini aW Anno

have

who

century

not

Venetians

della

byword

to the turbulence

thronged

the

has

waves.

writer

inhabitants

dalle

at the

tributed
subsequently dissouthern
Europe.^

travelers

only

and

alone

they

their

Sua

to

Italian

an

centuries, the

they

dread

inferior

was

civilized

Middle
delta

the

to its storm-lashed

fury

So paramount

of Genoa

and

risk and

I almost
Constantinople,
the time of
Bosphorus. From

to the

voyage

among

which

and

much

so

expectant

embarking

dreaded
the

collected at

of

that,
of

Asia

continents; that

dispelled the

they

of

darkness

the
and
the

di Genova, del 8uo

Commercio
1797, Vol. I, p. 7 (by Michel-

Giuseppe Canale, Florence, 1858).

In

marked

contrast

and

Venice, the

Genoa
and

sea

monopoly
equally

furnishers
it

to

this

of the

division

of the

commerce

between

world

Venetian

claim
author, Fabio
Mutinelli, would
them
for his countrymen.
"To
alone," he writes, "are

they alone
open;
of all the world
which

possessed." Del

Commercio

are

the

poured

dei

channel

into

their

Veiieziani, p. 126

of

all the

hands

earth

and

riches

all the

cantile
mer-

money

the

which

(V^enice, 1835).

For
of the Kuxine
trade
routes
interesting accounts
during the period in
consult
with
de la Mer
question the reader may
profit Histoire dn Commerce
Noire
(by Elie de la Priraaudaie) ; Le Danube, Chap. II (by C. I. Baicoianu,

Paris, 1917);
Earliest

Times

Intercourse

Between

of Rome

India

and
H.

the
G.

Western

World

from

the

Rawlinson, Cambridge, Eng(by

land,
1916) ; Travels
Polo, Vol. I, Bk. I, Chap. IX
of Marco
(by Henry Yule,
This
is specially valuable
for its numerous
London,
1903).
masterly work
Polo, as well as those of the elder Polos
indicating the routes of Marco
maps
See also Oeschiohte
des Lev ante -handela
im Mittelalter, Vol. II,
through Asia.
fir.
158
Wilholm
Heyd, Stuttgart, 1879).
(by
pp. 76, 78,
to

the

Fall

BERLIN

FROM

44

TO

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

fabled to close upon and crush all ships

phorus,which were
them.
When
Jason
with
that attempted to pass between
his fifty-oared
ship,the Argos, and his fiftyheroes set out
the golden fleece he

for Colchis to fetch back

had

Phineus, who
Harpies by two
hitherto

he

instructions

the

to

great collidingrocks.

these

between

pass

obliged to
ever,
Thanks, how-

was

received

had

from

delivered

been

of the Argonauts, he

impossiblepassage

and

from
the

the

tormenting

able to effect this

was

proceed without

to

seer,

ruption
inter-

to his destination.

positionsthey

eyotlike rocks

the

this event

After

atic
however, on the AsiBosphorus has, owing to the action of the

now

side of the

The

fixed in the

became

occupy.

one,

the waves.
The
elements, long since disappeared beneath
other, on the European side, is also rapidly disintegrating,

and

will litter the floor of the

soon

shall retain

men

as

the Golden

and

the Argonauts

called

the shores

and

"

are

associations

bay

and

promontory

the Euxine
the

Even

as

"

the

Symplegades

long
and

are

exceptionally

are

do myth

with

names

and

historic souvenirs

and

varieties

and

as

literature.

of the Euxine

in the world

Nowhere

numbers

will endure

things of great historic and mythological

phorus.
in this respect surpassed by the Bos-

rich in places and

interest,they

Islands

the story of

fascinatingin myth

in art and

legend and the beautiful

Although the Cyanean
now

Fleece

for the

love

But

sea.

as

they

do

of this famous
the

bestowed

Sea

about

tional
legend, tradi-

cluster

in such

every

rock

and

waterway

that

nects
con-

of Marmora.

upon
it was

this channel

have

been

the
as
variously known
Mouth, the Throat, the Door, and the Key of the Euxine.
To-day it is frequently called the Narrows, or the Strait
the Canal of Constantinople. But the appellationwhich
or
is still the most
popular and that by which it is usually
designated is that which has its origin in one of the earliest

manifold.

of

the

ancients

expressed in English, the name,

Cow-Ford, or Ox-Ford, seems
very prosaic,
signifies

Greek

which

To

legends. As

THE

EUXINE

but the legend

THE

BOSPHORUS

it is based

which

on

poets and

with

AND

45

has always been

ite
favor-

artists.

loved
lo, the beautiful priestess of Hera at Argos, was
of the jealousy of the
by Zeus and was, in consequence
into a heifer.
goddess, metamorphosed
Arriving at the
side of the strait,so the fable runs,
eastern
she plunged
into its swiftly-flowingwaters
and swam
to the European
from

And

shore.

been

has

watercourse

time

that

the

to

known

present, this famed

the world

over

the Bos-

as

phorus.
promontory of Anadoli Kavak
the Bosphorus, we
get a view of the
long regarded as one of the most
the

On
of
was

then

Covered

world.

pagan

twelve

to the

of

sumptuous

founded

Jason

by

for the

their

from
it stood

Museum,

consecrated

prosperous

The

said

side

which

places in the
cated
temples dedia
as
place of
most
imposing
to

have

been

giving
TJrius,in thanks-

to Zeus

of himself

return

and

his fellow

nauts
Argo-

successful

was

which

sailor who

The

and

of which
on

gorgeous

Olympia.
temples was

pricelessstatue

at the base

sacred

and

these

safe

site of Hieron

greater gods it ranked

pilgrimage with Delphi

and

with

the Asiatic

on

expedition to Colchis. Within

of Zeus made
of ivory and gold,
slab,now
preserved in the British

inscribed

were

invokes

TJrius that he may

Zeus

Cyanean

the

either toward

voyage

words

the

enjoy a
Rocks,

or

able
^gean sea, itself unsteady and filled with innumerdangerous shoals scattered here and there,can have a
if first he sacrifices to the god whose
prosperous
voyage
of gratitude
statue Philo Antipater has set up, both because
the

on

and

to insure

unlike

But
thanks
very

favorable

Delphi

to the labors

much

to remind

places,**not
of Hieron
in

so

many

augury

and

Olympia
and

of French
one

stone

of the

upon
former
attest
to
its
to
a

to sailors.

other parts of

where
German

there

still,
archaeologists,

past grandeur
a

stone''

is

remains

of these historic
on

the site

splendor and majesty. As

the world, the temples of Hieron

BERLIN

FROM

46

served

BAGDAD

TO

quarriesfor peoples of

as

AND
later age

who

knew

not

specialinterest in consigning
And where, in days of yore, the
them
to oblivion.
in the most
of sacrifice,
and the smoke
clouds of incense
superb of temples stimulated the fervor of vast multitudes
from
far distant lands, the traveler to-day finds nothing of
the pristineglory of Hieron
except what nature gave it
its superb site and its enchanting vistas of the Bosphorus
the gods of Olympus,

had

BABYLON

who

or

"

the Euxine.

and

the fall of

After

into

converted

been

Having

the Bosphorus, it

on

attack

the whole

army

was

of

enemies

vicissitudes.

many

strongest fortresses
time and
again singled out for
the Byzantine Empire.
Among
Harun-al-Rashid

was

Bagdad with
Constantinople and with
from

way

the conquest of

had

of the

one

of them

celebrated

the most
an

the

by

Hieron

paganism,

who

of effecting

view

led

it of the

Byzantine
stronghold

and the
At a later date Hieron
Empire.
of the
the opposite side of the Strait fell into the hands
on
it was
Not
Genoese.
captured by the
long afterwards
Sultan Bayazid I, **the Thunderbolt, and since then it has
' '

been
A

is

short

distance

beautiful

encamped
tree

possessionof

in the

to the

is here

southwest,

valley where
their way

on

the Turks.
the

the Crusaders

to the

which

seen

on

the

colossal
**

of

name

Godfrey of Bouillon,''from a tradition that

by this famous hero of the Christian host.
Roumeli

At

Hissar, we

Bosphorus and one

According
and

to

Ten

his immortal

after their

which

famous

reach

from

of the
of the
of Asia

by

Alexander

Here, too, it
^

was

was

of

tree

planted

point of

the

Xenophon
into Europe
crossed over
the heart of Babylonia
did, the military weakness
was

which, revealing,as it
Persian
Colossus, paved the
Granicus, the Tssus, and Arbela

retreat

it

plane

tions.
rich in historical associa-

tradition,it

retreat

Plane

the narrowest

is most

Thousand

said to have

are

Holy Land.

bears

shore,

European

here

that

"

way

and

the

victories

for the

conquest

for

the Great.
that Mandrocles

of Samos

constructed

EUXINE

THE

the

AND

bridge of boats
Darins

under

to

that

THE

BOSPHORUS

the vast

enabled

47

Persian

into

army
of that

Europe at the time

disastrous
monarch's
campaign against the Scythians.
elated by his achievement
Mandrocles
thai; he had
so
was
in the temple of Hera, in his native
it commemorated
Samos, by a picture with the inscription:
cross

The

fish-fraughtBosphorus bridged, to Juno's

Did Mandrocles
this proud memorial
bring;
When
he'd skill to gain,
for himself a crown
For Samos
praise,contenting the Great King,
But

large volume

would

notice of the countless

souvenirs
from
been

the

without
has

which

the Euxine
of

scenes

required to give even

a brief
torical
myths, legends,traditions,and hiscluster

the shores

Golden

and

the dawn

been

that have

about

to the

constantly a bone
conflictinginterests and an

the

be

tragedies

From

number.

fane

Horn.

They have
and
romances
intrigues
of history the Bosphorus

of contention

important

convulsed

of the Bosphorus

Asia

rival and

among

factor

in many

of

and

Europe. And
until a plan shall be elaborated
for eliminatinginternational
jealousies and harmonizing the antagonistic policiesand
and creeds,it
aspirationsof many
peoples of divers races
is not probable that the future history of this unique waterway
that of the past.
will be materially different from
great

Altruism

and, from

wars

among

has

so

far been

present indications,the day

it will be revealed

/^

nations

confined

to words

is far distant

when

in deeds.

It is

not, however, through its legendary and storied

its strongest appeal to the
past that the Bosphorus makes
It is rather through its scenic beauty
ordinary traveler.
the enchanting vistas it everywhere offers on both the Asihave
for ages
These
the European
been
and
shore.
have been priviin song and story and few who
celebrated
leged
to gaze
them
will say that their praises have been
on
exaggerated. From whatever
point the Strait is viewed it
"

Iatic

its

Horn

of

succession

the

are

Sublime

to the

accredited

ambassadors

to the Golden

the

There

minarets.

and

mosques,

along

tinuous
conBosphorus an almost
kiosks, palaces, chalets,bungalows,

bordering

sees

one

all

interest.

the Euxine

from

the entire distance

Almost

BABYLON

exhibits

and

objects of exhaustless

countless

course

highestdegree

the

picturesquein

is

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

48

imposing
Porte,

homes

the

of

ous
luxuri-

wealthy pashas and merchant

princes
tanas,
of Stamboul, the superb marble palaces of sultans and suland
all surrounded
by inviting groves
artistically
of the

residences

parks

laid-out

rich in flowers

and

from

trees

climes.

many

glens and verdant dales are picturesq

houses
villagesand hamlets whose quaint wooden
form a strikingcontrast to the magnificent structures
which
in their immediate
vicinity.
are
beautiful valleys that debouch
into the BosOf the many
phorus
Here

and

there

in shaded

Geuk

is that of the Great

Asiatic

side

which

Su

appealed to
pines, somber

Sweet

"

Water

"

the

on

strongly. Its
and
clumps of balmy
graceful
cypresses,
and
of
mimosas
its romantic
wide-spreadingplanes,
groves
magnolias, and beech trees whose
sycamores,
pendent
branches
dip into the crystal stream
tures
present rarest picof sylvan charm
and loveliness.
minded
They forciblyreof similar spots of scenic beauty which,
me
years
in the far-famed
Vale
before, had so fascinated me
of

Tempe

in northern

Great

the

as

me

most

Thessaly. Emptying

Sweet

Water

into the

is the Little Sweet

bay

same

Water

and

the

valleys of these two enchanting streams

together with
their common
of
bay constitute the so-called ''Sweet Waters

Asia.*'"

Their

long been

well

for

as

But

"pot
"The
reaeMi

of the

what
was

attractive

favorite

groves

of

interested

me

the countless

Sweet Waters
of the Golden

Bosphorus.

greenswards

pleasance for Ottomans

foreignresidents
most

and

of Asia
Horn are

groups

and
so

and

have

Greeks

as

Constantinople.
in this heart-gladdening

of merry

and

beautiful

chil-

the Sweet
of Europe on
the Upper
Waters
called in contradistinction
to the salt waters

AND

EUXINE

THE

THE

BOSPHORUS

49

and
brought here by their mothers
for an
to be everywhere.
nurses
outing. They seemed
Running and leaping,laughing and shouting,singing and
the bushes
and
dancing, vanishing among
appearing
suddenly rein the broad
greensward, their littleforms were
and
perfect pictures of restless energy
unalloyed happiness.
dressed like children
Many of the boys and girlswere
in the Bois de Boulogne and their features
one
sees
were
in the East
mated
anidid I see a more
just as fair. Nowhere
or
a more
charming scene
except, perhaps, on the
who

dren

been

had

embowered

reaches

upper

And

in their

row

lightand

garbed

were

color, but
the

To

as

was

sat

others

chaffya

still retained

we^e
cloak
the

earth

and

far

in mind

graceful feridgi and

and

in Southern
of the

three

universal
classes.

attractions

he

had

have

must

Persia.

Moslem's

sang

some

sun-kissed

the

such

It

of

supplies,in
"

sweet
an

repose.

enchanting spot

varied

in beauty may

the

chief est delights

land

color though

on

ows
mead-

of the cedar and the vine,

Where
the flowers ever
blossom, the beams ever shine;
Where
citron and olive are fairestof fruit,
And
the voice of the nightingalenever
is mute;
the tints of the earth and the hues of the sky,
Where
In

use

veritable paradise

trees, flowingwater, and

when

The

veil of somber

and

vaunted

of Damascus

Beram

fullest measure,

poet

the

surpasses

groves

of Shaab

The

of them

of Asia are quite as

poets the Sweet Waters
the Vale of Tempe to the ancient Greeks.
For

poets of the East this spot is

umbrageous

caiques'. Most

to the

celebrated

enjoyingpleasant

of the well-to-do

women

the

themselves

formerly in almost

were

on

fully as
quietlyconversing under

gaily decked

tchar

Ottoman

eastern

dear

few

which

yashmak
among

in the

enjoy

to

Some

trees while

the umbrageous

Europe

Horn.

seemed

their children.

as

of

Waters

Sweet

Golden

of the

mothers

the

much

of the

banks

vie.

precludes

Space

place

of

large

structure

site

on

to be

the

is

Baghtcheh
in

blanche

and

the

of

Only

condition

one

that

that

Sultan

and

surpass

in

world.

Architecturally

magnificence

Greek, Roman,
styles

and

exliibits

the

Petrograd,

and

the

noted

in

Park

clad

and
many
"

an

emerald, each

Constantinople,

Vol.

* *

and

of

the

the

Palace

as

as

green

Baghtcheh,
in

136

the

pearl placed between

(by

E.

A.

in size and

Grosvenor,

Boston,

is

sailles,
Verin

foreground

words

ground
backwith
of

turquoise
loveliness

"

I, p.

of

in Moscow.

Kremlin

the

the

what

Louvre,

Winter

Dolma

jewel multiplied

in

Renaissance

exteriorly

perennial
of

should

combination

carvings, is, indeed,

writer,

million-fold.*'

in

by the

structure

Bosphorus

palace

lace-like

enthusiastic

and

palaces
Vienna,

him

on

carte

tecture.
archi-

of

style

strange

Abdul-

imperial palace

interiorly

,the snow-white

an

is

Ionian-blue

Imperial

its delicate

other

imperial palace of

the

the

completed

Turkish, Persian,

Schonbrunn

With
the

it

both

in

the

every

Moorish,

admirable

most

and

was

Serai

given

was

of

most

the

Sultan

imposed

was

the

as

and

expenditure

phorus.
Bos-

palace

of

one

architect, Balian,

matter

It is

gorgeous

the

the

by

favorite

most

stands

built

Kiosk

commanding

It is known

was

of

matchless

undoubtedly

world.

Armenian

His

is

in the

of

which

shores

the

its

the

along

the

II.

of the

one

to

Yildiz

been

from

and

on

what

palaces

Medjid.

hill

edifices

Abdul-Hamid

anywhere

seen

grandiose
Dolma

Sultan

hill it affords

the

reference

having

as

marble

seen

of

foot

Kiosk

Yildiz

the

BABYLON

bay-indented

magnificent

of white

grove-clad

panoramas

At

of

residence

the

is noted

"

AND

passing

adorn

these

Star

of the

^Palace

"

which

Of

Bosphorus.

BAGDAD
than

more

palaces

sumptuous
the

TO

BERLIN

FROM

50

1895).

BERLIN

FROM

52

TO

BAGDAD

point of view which

velous

AND

the human

eye

BABYLON

contemplate

can

earth.^

on

Chateaubriand

ahnost the same

expresses
'^On n' exagere
point quand

declares

he

sentiment

when\

dit que Con^

de Vunivers."^

on

stantinopleoffre le plus beau point de vue

But notwithstandingthis almost extravagant statement, the

distinguishedlitterateur

does not hesitate to add

in

note,
foot-

*'I,however, prefer the bay of Naples."

Like Lamartine
and Chauteaubriand, I, too, was
greatly
impressed by my first view of Constantinoplewhen
seen
from
the deck of our steamer
the mastit glided towards
as
thronged harbor of the Golden Horn, but, as I have stated
elsewhere,^the prize,for the World's City Beautiful, must,
to Rio de Janeiro, the incomparable
me
judice,be awarded
capitalof Brazil.
It is not within the scope of this chapter to give even
a
brief
description of Constantinople. That is rendered
of valuable
books which
by the scores
quite unnecessary
have been written on this fascinatingsubject. This, however,
does not mean
that I was
not intensely interested in
its countless attractions
that they did not make
or
deep
impressions on me and give rise to serious reflections. Far
in visiting its
available
hour
from
it. I spent every
and in contemplatschools,museums
ing
churches, mosques,
its hoary, lichen-covered
walls
ruins, its battlemented
and ivy-festooned towers
which, for long ages, cast their
1 Among
the
usually known

is also

In

the

The

Mohammedan
it is the
Mother
The

the
northern

is referred

Tsargrad

as

are

prodigal in

the

Portal

of

to

Patriarch
"

the

as

name

Castle

epithetswhich
Felicity,the Gate
the

Nova

Roma

this

Voyage
Through

en

to

it,

Happiness, the

the

of

Bosphorus
Islands.

counting the water

part of the Marmora"

Constantinople embraces
from

But,

the

Euxine

although

to
the

all

the

cities and
cluding
in-

of Marmora,
of
superficial extent
the

Sea

of the Strait, the

expanse
is quite large, its actual

Horn
Golden
is
land area

restricted.
2

tained.
re-

To

of Csesar.

they apply
of

New

"

is still

World.

Princes
"

of it

peoples the capital of Turkey is

of Constantinople. It

corruption

Greek

of the

speak

municipal government

municipality

Frequently it

to

poets, who
City of Islam,

villagesfringing

the

love

eastern

Istamboul,

or

official documents

Slavs

of the

other

and

Stamboul,

Constantineh.

called

Rome.

Ottomans
as

Orient, Tom.
South

America's

Ill, p. 190 (Brussels. 1835).

Southland, Chap. IV (New

York, 1916).

the

and
paratively
com-

NOVA

ROMA

53

the glimmering waters

of the Sea of
on
trembling shadows
than eleven hundred
and served, for more
Marmora
years,
the
fierce
of
Avars
assaults
bulwarks
effective
against
as

and

its

And,

Mongols.
and

narrow

devious

which

If

building.
shadowy

past

noble

and

and

graved
en-

of

Cross

the

over

and

the

were

and

time

the last

city of Constantino

art and

virtue
that

women

nected
con-

intrigue and
ambitious
eunuchs,

blood-thirstysultans
exalted

of the

of

heroism

the fanatic

chief
played
dislowers
fol-

their intention

boastfully announced

Crescent

devoted

these

events

strange

stories

"

and

men

of Mohammed

plant the

dark

conquests

stories, too, of

by

the

special pleasure in

tyranny in which

and

pashas,

heartless

to

esque
pictur-

inscriptionsand epitaphs
blocks of granite, some
on

or

of

stories

"

of violence

"

the

speak, what stories could not

and incomplete inscriptionstell

sieges and

with

actors

inspected

could

they

letters

disconnected

deeds

through

way

originalpositionwhile others had been

of some
construction
crumbling wall or
now

the

in

my

garians
Bul-

and

in their

were

used

of marble

slabs

and

houses, I found

scrutinizingthe letters and

on

I threaded

as

streets

tumble-down

and

Slavonians

Persians,

and

Arabs

Goths,

and

to

from

remove

tian
vestiges of Chris-

culture.

object to claim my attention after arriving in

the majestic and solemn
church, now
Constantinoplewas
The

first

Hagia

of

the church

however,
Great

Church

"

To

Sophia.

of Santa

mosque,

Sophia

"

it is called

the

church

par

Divine
*H

it is known

Greeks

the

More

Wisdom.

as

quently,
fre-

MtyaXv] EKKX/jofa **The

"

excellence,**

Exteriorly this masterpiece of Byzantine basilicas has the

fortress.
rounded
Suraspect of a massive, irregular time-worn
by

all kinds

of

low, unsymmetrical

shops, storehouses, baths, schools,turbehs

idea of its originaldesign or external
no
came

from

and

Isidore

the hands

of its

of Miletus.

"

buildings
"

one

can

appearance

Anthemius
architects,

have
as

it

of Tralles

BERLIN

FROM

54

TO

beauty of Santa

The

AND

Sophia, like

of the

churches

BAGDAD

BABYLON

that of

so

of the

many

Old

But even
World, is within.
within, the first impression of the ordinary visitor is one
of disappointment. But its surpassing beauty and
deur
granfamous

quicklyreveal

themselves

and

then

one

stands

in

awe

Its marvelous

of design, its
harmony
of ornamentation, its lavish display of the finest
wealth
ters,
marbles, porphyries,jaspers,serpentines,granites,alabasgold mosaics are bewildering in their effect and one
can
easilyrealize what must have been the splendor and
secration,
magnificenceof this august temple when, on the day of conthe emperor
Justinian
exultantly exclaimed:
Glory be to God, who has deemed me worthy to accomplish
such an undertaking. ZoAoijgjv,
at
Solomon, I have
veviKyjoa
amazement.

and

"

thee I

conquered
And
before

of

his exclamation

triumph was
justified.For
the spoils of paganism's great sanctuaries

had

much

so

the erection

towards

and

never
tributed
con-

embellishment

of

single Christian edifice. Among the massive columns

which
support the great arches of the basilica are
eight
of verdantique which
were
brought from the celebrated
Temple of Diana at Ephesus. There are eight of porphyry
any

belonged to the Temple of the Sun in Baalbek. These

the giftsof the noble Roman
were
lady,Marcia, who, with
characteristic
piety, offered them, as she expressed it
which

"

Ynlp

vpuxiKyjc[jov

TYic

oajT/jpiac^ for
"

the

salvation

of

my

soul.
In

addition
from

these

to

splendid monoliths

there

are

umns
col-

Temple of the Sun, at Palmyra; from the

Temple of Jupiter at Cyzicus; from temples in Greece and
cades
Italy,Egypt, and the Cyclades. Its floor,walls, piers,arof every
hue
overlaid with precious marbles
are
the

"

snow-white
from

marble

Lybia,

yellow, and

Phrygia,

and

Paros

from

green

from

marble

from

golden marbles
Mauritania.

and

On

Pentelicus,azure

ble
mar-

Laconia, flecked,rose,
Marmora,

all sides

is

Synnada,
magnificent

NOVA

EOMA

55

and
shafts,capitals,cornices,lintels,
display of wonderful
fold.
panels of colors as variegated as their provenience is manifrom
In them
see
grayish marbles
we
sea-girt
Thessaly, cipoUino from
Proconnesus, verdantique from
from
from
Synnada, lumachelle
Euboea,)Pavonazzetto
Chi^ Brocatel from Spain,Fior di Persico from Dalmatia,
Bardiglio from the Apennines, giallo antico from distant
and

Numidia

and

nero-antico

from

the

still-worked

while

Pyrenees,

of emerald

marbles

are

bianco

there

clime

every

are

the

far-off

quarries of Egypt
and imperial purple.

green

Besides

is this all.

Nor

from

of every

marbles

of green

borders

hue

and

from

serpentine,columns

baster
jasper of every shade, bands of oriental alaof the Nile,
the land
of clear honey color from
the Thebes
of porphyry from
of the Pharaohs
exedras
all arranged so as to produce the most
perfect harmony of
and

panels

of

"

color

and

the most

impressive effect

in its

the beholders.*

tion,
despoiled condiSanta
Sophia is still one of the greatest,if not the
greatest,triumphs of Church architecture,what must it not
have been when
and vaultings resplendent with
*4ts domes
figures''made
it,
interspersed with solemn
gold mosaic
what
is in many
respects the most magnificent temple of
worship that the world has yet known.
of the beauty
The
of Paris
boasts
Grand
Opera House
of its interior which
is adorned
with thirty-threevarieties

"When,

even

of marble

the

and

other

but

it cannot

Church

of

present defaced

on

ornamental
compare

with

and

stones.
the

It is indeed

matchless

tiful,
beau-

interior

of

is embellished
which
by the
Holy Wisdom
ures
spoilof the most superb temples of antiquityand the treasof the richest quarries of the civilized world.
No
other monarch
had
at his dispositionsuch
has ever
had Justinian
and precious building materials
for
rare
as
the construction
of Santa
Sophia and it is safe to say that

For

son,

an

elaborate

account

of Justinian's

marvelous

Sophia Constantinople, Chaps. Ill, IV,

London, 1894).

of Sancta

XI

temple

see

(by Lethaby

The
and

Church
Swain-

BERLIN

FROM

56

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

again have materials of such, uniqueness

When
all their richness
and value.
one, therefore,considers
and the admirable
in which they have been
manner
we
can
easilyunderstand how the legend soon arose
utilized,
no

will

one

ever

declares

which

workmen

building,the

story according
Solomon

of

Holy

Wisdom

speciallyinstructed by

were

Nor

heaven.

from

the Church

that while

need

we

to which

far for

go

Justinian

the

set up

looking at the Great

was

angel

an

origin of
statue

Church

*'

the

senting
repre-

and

gnashing
And
is not surprised at the
his teeth with envy."
one
rapturous expressions of Corippus, a poet-bishop of the
he declares, Praise of the temple of
sixth century, when
as

**

is

Solomon
have

to

silenced

now

the Wonders

yield the preeminence.

the wisdom

of God

Temple, the

other

have

the most

Two

rivaled

Presence.

strikingfeature

of the

shrines

Heaven,

the splendid fane

vestibule of the Divine

But

and

one

of Santa

World

founded
the

by

Sacred

Sophia,

the

' ' **

of this

ture
magnificent strucfrom
As
viewed
is its dome.
below, it seems,
as
of the dome
de Stael says
of St. Peter's, ^^like
Madame
one's head," or as the Byzantian
an
abyss suspended over
historian,Nicetas Acominatus, declares *'an image of the
created by the Almighty."
firmament
architectural authority,Fergusson, speakThe eminent
ing
of Justinian's
Internally,at least,
masterpiece, avers,
inevitable that Santa Sophia is the most
the verdict seems
**

which
has
beautiful church
yet been
perfect and most
its furniture was
erected by any Christian people. When
strongly
complete the verdict would have been still more
in its favor.""

But

the

Ottomans,

in taking

possession of

this unique

destroyed its priceless furniture

mosaic
its matchless
and
and concealed
decorations
tures
picpictures which Ghirlandajo declares are **the only
paintings for eternity" with a layer of white-wash!
sanctuary, removed

or

"

"

Pars
V, p. 498 (by M. Glycas. Bonn).
nAnnalium,
^History of Architecture, Vol. II, p. 321 (London, 1867).

NOVA

EOMA

57

despite
although in its present condition,it is still,
tects
Moslem
desecration,the delight of the artists and archifar from
is as
of the world, its interior
exhibiting
is the exterior
of the
the glories of its pristine state as
Elgin an act of
Parthenon, since its mutilation by Lord
denounced
vandalism
by Byron as *'a triplesacrilege''"
from
tion
displaying the peerless beauty of the sublime creand

"

Is it then

Phidias.

and

of Ictinus

any

wonder

that
the

completion, regarded as
that it has ever
Empire

very
held the

"

of the Greeks
and
of

as

St.

Sophia

Saint

heart
same

of

the

place

Abbey occupy
Italy,France, and England?

in the hearts
And

is it

its

Byzantine

in the

Peter's,the Cathedral

Westminster

from

was,

of

of the

tions
affec-

Eheims,
peoples
of

matter

prise
sur-

that,

Though turhans

now

polluteSophia's shrine

still cherish

the

Greeks

of

to-day

the

designs

of

Providence, eventually be returned

and

that

Christian

liturgy,will
wondrous

the

hope

that

it

will,in
to them

of the Grecian
worship, with all the pomp
Santa
again be restored under
Sophia's

dome?

of
II, the conqueror
served
Constantinople, took possession of Santa Sophia, he obsoldier destroying the mosaics
of the
Ottoman
an
^'Let those things be,'* Mohammed
with his mace.
church
dal
cried,and with a singleblow he stretched the fanatical vanAnd
at his feet.
then, in a lower tone, he added, so
but in another
the historian
knows
**Who
they
avers,
age
God
another
serve
religion than that of Islam?"
may
It is -related that

when

Mohammed

grant it !
Nor

have

the Greeks

ever

abandoned

the

when

of

day
Constantinople. They
lost to them
by the

regaining possession of the City of

claim it as their heritage, which
was
fortunes
of war,
and they patientlyawait
wheel

hope

the turn

one

in fortune's

BERLIN

FEOM

58

The

citywon

The

Giaour

extensive

have

into

have

power,
the buildingsand

been

has

the

written"

imagination rather than

dwell

wrest J

used

of

greater part

young

it based

I have

But

in the

public
Seraglio

as

the occupants of the

on

desire to

no

spaciousseat
and

Wantonness,
**the heart

which, for three centuries,was

victims

of innocent

passions of

basest

the

of

to

prison
to the

pander

of lust and

heartless minotaurs

course,

and

of

wonders

the

Maximus

of Rome,

crime.

of Helen

drove

brave

of Troy,

they

^which

"

Greece.
other

them

were

of

the cathedral

race

choicest

Here

an

were

sculptors
exquisite

and feature
horses

bronze
to

Venice,

Marco

San

masterpieces of scarcely

other

the

master

the famed

and

as

the

carried off by Dandolo

were

adorn

now

forum,

beauty of form

whose
' *

after

collected

and

Among

distraught,

men

Lysippus

**

Minor, and

world.

of the ancient

as

were

Praxiteles

and

Modeled

world.

in which

museum

of Phidias

statue

the

it served

sculptures of Egypt, Asia

countless

condemned

palled

Sophia is all that remains of the

which, in its heyday of splendor,was regarded

Circus

statues

of

often, alas! the hated

were

tory'*
his-

of Santa

south

Hippodrome
one

who

of Ottoman

the home

generationswas

of pleasure, but too

votaries

To

for ten

which

and

where

been

fact.

on

Wealth

Of

of

BABYLON

on

That

as

AND

for Allah from the Giaour,

race
from Othman's
again may

come

park. About
much

BAGDAD

time
leaving Santa Sophia, I spent some
which, since the
grounds of the Seraglio,"

After

Turks

TO

less value

"

and
and

beauty.
Besides

serving as

race

the

course

Hippodrome,

had, it is estimated, a seatingcapacity of

7

Byron,

The

name

"Childe

Harold's

given by

the

Pilgrimage,"
Italians

to

the

Canto

II, Stanza

official residence

hundred

which
and

77.
of the

Grand

The

the

Turks

"

harem.

word

Serai, which

is derived

Signor

from
the
use
Constantinople.
residence
of
which
is applied to any
Persian
serai, signifyingpalace a word
with
In English seraglio is frequently,but
Sultan.
erroneously, confused
in

BERLIN

FEOM

60

BAGDAD

TO

AND

BABYLON

to me
than the age-oldremnants
Scarcely less interesting
the massive
of the Hippodrome
and crumbling walls
were
the city's
that for a thousand
palladium against
years were

the barbarian
crowd

hordes

the memory
upon
and surveys
the

of Asia
as

one

and

Europe.

stands

around

scene

this

upon

It

one

What

visions

hoary

was

part
ram-

thanks

to

impregnable walls of Constantinopleno less than to the

Nova
unique strategicpositionof the city that Roma
was
able so long to hold her place as the home
of art and letters,
history and philosophy; that, in spite of desolatingwars
which everywhere raged in the rest of the world, and which
carried their ravaging effects to her very gates,
at times
to be the world's
she continued
one
sure
refuge of law,
justice,and
freedom; that, notwithstanding internecine
the
strife,and changes of dynasties,her government was
that for centuries afforded the greatestsecurityfor life
one
and property; the one
under which commerce
and civilization
the

most

were

fostered

If the walls of

and

most

flourishing.

Constantinoplecould speak, what

stories could

they
exposed

not

relate

of the

score

of

thrilling

sieges to which

! For vivid color and breathless interest

they were
the siege of Tyre by Alexander, the siege of
they surpass
by Godfrey de
Carthage by Scipio,the siege of Jerusalem
Bouillon as described in the glowing epic of Tasso.
Unlike
the last-named
sieges,those directed against the city on the
of historyby the magBosphorus stand out on the canvas
nitude
of the issues involved
to religion,
to nations, to
This is particularlytrue of the sieges by
civilization."
Saracens, Turks, and Mongols, for,if these barbarians and
' ^

enemies

sworn

piercing the
before

of

walls

the dawn

the

of this

been

name

had

greatest bulwark

of the reconstructive

work

succeeded

in

of civilization
of the fifteenth

would
learning, art, Christendom
and
disastrous beyond conception,while progress

century, the results

have

Christian

social order

would

to

have

been

retarded

for untold

centuries.

Never, probably,in the history of our race has the possession

of any
city led to more
devastating and longer

ROMA
continued

was

in 673

has

death

's
Moawiah

the

fair

but little more

"

"

61

to greater international

wars,

than

NOVA

^when

the

rivalries and

tentions
con-

capitalon the Golden Horn.

than a generation after Mohammed
Moslems

under

the

It

Saracen

laid

then the
siege to Constantinople, which was
world.
greatest and the richest city of the known
They
defeated but not crushed.
were
Knowing the incalculable
the city contained and realizingfullyits supreme
treasures
mined
importance as the center of a world
empire, they deternever

to desist

from

their

until

purpose

nople
Constanti-

the

Not
capital and sovereign seat of Islam.
until 1453, after eight centuries of deferred
hopes, were
their aspirations realized.
For a much
longer period has Russia had her longing eyes
to call **The
Sacred
she was
wont
what
City*' the city
on
of Asia and
which had so long been the goal of the nations
the days of Rurik, the reputed founder
of
Europe. From
have
the Russian
ceased
never
monarchy, the Muscovites
the peerlesscity of Conto the time when
to look forward
stantino
be in the possession of Holy Russia, and
would
which
links the Euxine
with the
when the strategicchannel
was

"

would

Mediterranean
For

thousand

to
irresistibly

move

be under
years

toward

Catherine

the

her

absolute

forces
the

of

control.

Russia

Bosphorus

and

continued
the

danelles.
Dar-

Semiramis
of the
II, '^The
her magnificent progress
North,'' in 1787, made
through
Southern
Russia
the city of Kherson
she entered
under
a
triumphal arch which bore the inscription**The Way to
Byzantium.'' As still further expressive of her faith in
Russia's
ultimate
a
gate in Moscow
destiny there was
**The Way
named
to Constantinople."
But this was
the Austrian
not all. With
Emperor, Joseph
for a restored
Greek Empire,
II, she worked out a scheme
the throne
of which
with Constantinople as its capital,
was
to be given to her second
she of
grandson. And so sure was
effectuatingher plan that **the boy with sagacious prescience
been
christened
had
Constantine; he was
always
When

BERLIN

FROM

62

Greek

in the

dressed

struck, on

already been

had

medal

nurses

subjects. That
foresightcould devise,a

lackingwhich

detail might be

no

by Greek

surrounded

mode,

BABYLON

AND

in the tongue of his future

instructed

and

BAGDAD

TO

side of which

one

was

prince'shead and on the

representationof the young
device indicatingthe coming triumph
other an
allegorical
a

of the Cross

conference

the famous

At

river Nieman,

"

Crescent."

the

over

the

on

anchored

in the

I discussed

Alexander

and

Napoleon

when

raft

sian
sovereignty,the Rusmonarch
demanded, as his share of the partition,the
City of Constantinople together with the Bosphorus and
For this he was
the Dardanelles.
willingto concede to the
ranean
French
Emperor the most valuable regions on the Mediter-

of the world's

for the division

plans

littoral and

projected conquest

to aid him

with

of India.

But

and

money

the

this

in his

men

ambitious

tator
dic-

grant. Placing his fingeron the

with
where Constantinople was
indicated,he exclaimed
map
Constantinople! ConstantinopleI
passionate emphasis,
At
the empire of the world!''
That
Never.
would
mean
he again gave clear expression to his estimate
St. Helena
he declared ''Constantinople
of the value of Constantinople when
etre le centre et le siege de la
est placee pour
of Europe would

not

**

^^

universelle/'

dominion

Question, p. 139 et seq. (by J. A. R. Marriot, Oxford, 1917).

"Political
Whatever
be said
regarding the genuineness of the famous
may
it
be no
that
"there can
Testament"
the Great
of Peter
question
accurately
tury.
policy in the eighteenth cenrepresentedthe trend and tradition of Russian
ambition.
clearlyindicated as the goal of Russian
Constantinoplewas
of Europe by the help of Austria;
a
out
to be driven
The
Turks
good
were
with
to be
to be maintained
England and every effort was
understanding was
9

The

made

Eastern

to

years
Russian

the

accelerate
inherited

Whether

or

throne, Catherine
The

1869).
when

these

inspired the policy of

10(7/.Napoleon
he

Field

famous

wrote,

in

Great's

the

op.

to

the

secure

most

Indian

for

brilliant

trade.

nearly forty

successor

on

the

cit.,p. 138.

I, p. 268
(by Albert Vadal, Paris,
Moltke
expressed a similar opinion

von

wurde

and

principleswhich

the

Marriot,
ler. Vol.

Marshal

1846, "Rom

Persia

were

Peter

II."

Alexandre

et

of

dissolution
not

eine

Weltstadt

durch

seine

Manner,

because
Konstantinople
of her
world
location.
Oesammelte
of her
Constantinople because
men,
I, p. 165
Schriften und Denkwurdigkeiten des Oeneral-Feldmarschalls, Tom.
Mr.
D. G. Hogarth, in his
von
Moltke, Berlin, 1892).
(by Grafen Helmuth
"No
other site in the world enjoys
valuable
East, declares:
work, The Nearer
durch

equal advantages, nor

seine

Weltstellung"

perhaps

ever

will

"

Rome

enjoy

was

them.

world-city

For

the

Isthmus

of

ROMA

NOVA

exactlya thousand

Almost

Russia ^s victorious

years after ^hedeath of Rurik,

at San Stephano within sight

was

army

63

of the

City of Constantine. **At

^*we have reached our
shouted the jubilantsoldiers,
last,''
for Constantinople*4s
goal and Czargrad'' their name
!
ours
Only a few hours more, they fondly believed,and
supplanting the Crescent
they would see the Greek cross
of Santa Sophia and the dreams
of ten centuries
at the dome
realized.
finally
minarets

and

of the domes

"

"

' '

not to be.

But it was
the

her

which

goal on

Russia
had

eyes

indeed advanced

had

been

fixed for

nearer

thousand

but the coveted

prize,though seemingly so near, was

The Treaty of San Stephano had,
grasp.

years,

yet far from her

it is true,established

which it was

should

intended

and

Russia

treaty was
the Great

dominant

Slav state in the Balkans

be but

simpledependency

of

but the
stepping stone to Constantinople,
scarcelysigned before England and others of
a

Powers

at the

Congress

check

Russian

insisted
of Berlin.

its revision.

on

Here

This

in
Beaconsfield,

influence in the Balkans"

and

was

order

done
^*to

to

safeguard
sisted
requirements of Britain's Eastern policy,"inthe restoration
of **the positionof Turkey as a
on
a
European state"
positionwhich had been practically
lost by the treaty of San Stephano."
**the vital

"

Suez
and

is beset

by deserts, and that of

Constantinople not only has

Panama
an

open

has

not
climate
to be compared.
fertile environment
tween
Asia, but its positionbe-

and
and

most

Berlin

to

to the interior of both

Europe
and exposure
the side of Russia
on
gives it an almost northern
climate.
Add
to this a dry, sloping site,a superb harbor, an
admirable
outer
haustible
roadstead, easy local communication
by way of the Bosphorus and an inexwater
founded
supply, and it is easy to agree that those who
Chalcedon
but left Byzantium to others, were
indeed
blind."
Pp. 240, 241

easy

access

two

(New
11

seas

York, 1902).

i)oasted
on

Beaconsfield

secured

"peace

with

his

honor."

from
the

brilliant

England that he had

clared
correspondent,de-

war

not
worth
the paper
on
treaty, that "it was
English writer, forty years later, stigmatized it
"was
lime
concluded
in a spiritof shameless
as
a treaty that
bargain, with a subdisregard of elementary ethics and in open contempt of the right of
It was
future.
civilized peoples to determine
their own
essentiallya temporary
aa

which

it

soon

was

as

he

return

McGahan,

written."

read

the

An

rival imperialist
states.
And
it sowed
between
arrangement concluded
the Balkan
in which
seeds of the crop of 'Nationalist'
wars
peoples were
in Europe, p. 179 (by
to be embroiled
for the next half century.''The Turks
W. E. D. Allen, London, 1919).
the

BERLIN

FROM

64

is stillin

Turk

The

the loud

and

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

standing
is there notwith-

Constantinopleand

of statesmen

declarations

reiterated

Lloyd George that he was to be cast *'bag

out of Europe for evermore,
and baggage
but, when one
remembers
that,since the days of Solyman the Magnificent,
has
downfall of Turkey as a European power
the imminent
of times ; that, since the
been confidentlypredicted scores
the Bosphorus nearly six centuries ago,
reached
Osmanlis
for the
hundred
than
fewer
plans have been made
a
no
partitionof their territory and that recently the English
nople
premier,Lloyd George, made the evacuation of Constantiat least
by Turkey an essential condition of peace
until he could have time to change his opportunistmind
much
asks oneself how
fully
longer the Sultan will successone
his time -honored
policy of divide et impera
pursue
and how much
longer diplomats will continue to insist that
the capital
of the City of Constantine
the maintenance
as
of the Ottoman
necessity,and when, if
Empire is a political
of a thousand
years will
ever, Russia 's persistentambition
From
at last be realized."
present indications there is
little likelihood that the jealousiesof the more
powerful
nations of Europe respectingthe matchless
capital of the
Horn
will abate or that the traditional abilityof
Golden
one
Turkey's astute rulers to play off the Great Powers
in the future than
against the other will be less marked
in the past.
If, however, there is to be a transfer of Constantinople
than
other
that of the Ottoman
to some
Empire,
power
to require that the aspirations of
poetic justice seems
Gladstone

from

to

'^

^^

"

"

Greece

Projects

Cent

12

Paris,

Partage

distinguishedRussian

koy,

in

he

"The

expresses
declares:
"

bread;

de

la

de

1281-1913

Turquie,

in

Greek

(by

T.

J.

lan-

Djuvara,

1913).

The

13

first consideration.

receive

should

"may

the

scholar, Prince

single sentence
possession of

become

the

State."

indispensablefor

(London,

See

1916).

his

as

Eugene

dominant
Straits"

the

possessionof Tsargrad

as

Calling, p.

"

Russia

the

lecture

idea
the

countrymen
Bosphorus and the

in order

condition

Saint

Nicolayevieh Trubets-

of his

of

Sophia^

to

secure

her
power
Russians'

her
and

Hope

when
danelles
Dar-

daily
portance
imajid

EOMA

the

nationalityfrom

and

guage

65

NOVA
of

Byzas until it was

followers
of Mohammed,

days

to the
by the fortunes of war
its own
counts among
this cityis claimed
by the people ^hat
Belisarius,a Pulcheria, a Tribonian, an Anthemius, a
a
and womenjwho
^men
Chrysostom, a Gregory Nazienzus
of
achievement
and
in eminence
were
surpassed by none
and
who
of the Adriatic
their contemporaries west
were
of art and literature and
the gloriesof the greatest home
Russia
when
culture
was
yet a land of wild nomads
this same
And
and
people claims
ignorant barbarians.
Constantinople as theirs **by origin and by long possession,
both under
sort gone
on
a
possession which has in some
lost

"

Frankish
of

One

Turkish

under

and
the

rule.

* ' ^*

interesting and

most

of

Constantinople,but

picturesque sights in

far different

character

from

those

the lower
on
speaking, is to be seen
Horn.
the Golden
the part
Connecting Gfilata,
bridge over
is chieflyinhabited
of the city which
by non-Mussulmans,
with Stamboul, which is occupied almost
entirelyby Turks
of various
and
Moslems
this bridge is frequently
nationalities,
crowded
color and from
with people of every
every
clime.
But what
a
noisy, jostling,struggling,wrangling,
cosmopolitan throng one here encounters ! Here one sees
representatives from all parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa
bright-turbaned Turks, supple and chattering Greeks,
jauntilyattired dragomans, gorgeously uniformed
ka^asses,
I have

of which

been

"

14

"The
be

never

that

and

that

we

the

Eastern

speech

Greek

whole

extent

claim

is the

Leos, and

the

of

that

their

Basils.

nation
of

and

race

for them

writes

Question,"

till the

that

nation

race

the

eternal
settled

land

has

Europe

its

and

We

Asia

in the

And

face.

awaken

fears

some

while
which

Constantinople can
an
empire. But it
empire. Its
lead

Essays,

to

Third

the

never

does

this
do

fact

all

not

be
not

annexation

may,
lie on

the

head

by

dismemberment

Series, pp. 376, 277

the

for

Greek

Christian
population; and with
capital,the city of the Constantines,
this on the score
of simple justice,on

those

with
the
of

that

follow

claim

where

Greeks
general philanthropy which, when
of the name
is not ashamed
of philhellenism."
"The
fact that Constantinople has been
Again, he declares:
of South-eastern
must
be the head
Europe is a practical fact
score

"will

Freeman,

own.

of the

ancient

claim

historian

the

more

in

speech

own

We

once

look

surface, allay
a

it

province;
can

distant

of the

who

power

now

power
that

(London, 1879).

and

annexed

stares
the

fears

some

would,

is and

which

below

it must
be the

concerned,

are

be
head
in

of

head
an

all moral
it."

us

surface,

which

the

ever

do.
of
versal
unitainty
cer-

Historical

FROM

66

BERLIN

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

Montenegrins,
heavily burdened
h^als, round-browed
and
sun-dried
Bedouins
white-kirtled Albanians, bronzed
from Nubia
from Arabia, shuffling
and high-voicedeunuchs
from
the steppes
and Abyssinia, and high-capped Tartars
of Russia
and Central Asia
all vociferatingin a score
of
languages and dialects,all utterlyregardless of those who
"

round

are

And

them.

about

such

partialgarbs I And yet

they attract no attention in this motley crowd who here, as
accustomed
in the East, are
to seeing people
elsewhere
appareled in garments of every conceivable styleand color.
who
observed
**A man,'' as has been
knows
the
by one
Orient well,**may go about in public veiled up to the eyes,
or
clad,if he please,only in a girdle; he is merely obeying
which
his own
law""
has prevailed
following a custom
his ancestors
through countless generations.
among
found myself on the highest
After a tiresome climb I once
From
this point one
platform of the lofty Galata tower.
view of Constantinopleand
has probably the best obtainable
a

variety of garbs

and

"

its environment.

The

beautiful,superb; but
with

the enthusiastic

which

panorama

writer

not

am

who

is disclosed

prepared

declares

that

is

tainly
cer-

to agree

*^

nothing on
incomparable in its

it that it is
globe can
surpass
I still contend
that
panoramic variety and sublimity!
the palm for enchanting scenic beauty and for magnificent
natural
belongs to Rio de Janeiro.
panoramas
I readily grant, however, that
in wealth
of legend,
this

"

' ' "

romance,

and

of every kind
fascinatingcapitalof Brazil.

historic

associations

the
far surpasses
inclined to think that most
on

descant

Rome

And
so

am

astically
enthusi-

sciously
beauty of Constantinopleuncontheir judgments of the city's present beauties
by the magic and the glamour of the historic

the marvelous

allow
to be colored

who

of those

New

past.

Consideringthe Byzantine capitalas

"^^
i^

Syria, the Desert and the Sovm, p. X

Constantinople, Vol. I, p. 403 (by E.

(by
A.

G.

the theater of thrillL.

Bell, London.

Grosvenor,

1908).
Boston, 1895).

BERLIN

FEOM

68
was

the southern

on

BAGDAD

TO
bank

AND

BABYLON

of this sheltered

haven

that

the

dation
daring navigator,with his doughty Megarans, laid the founnamed
of Byzantium
after himself
^which was
to
role in the world 's great drama.
play such a remarkable
later
almost
A thousand
Constantine
to a day
years
and selects that of
the city of Romulus
the Great abandons
empire. On foot,
Byzas as the capitalof the great Roman
with a lance in hand, the Emperor leads a solemn
sion,
procescommand
divine
juhente Deo, as he
and, under
phrased it traces the boundary of the future metropolis.
"

"

"

"

"

"

assistants, astonished

His

the

at

over-growing

ference
circum-

destined

to observe
that
capital,ventured
of a great city had
the contemplated area
already been
**I shall continue
to advance," replied the
exceeded.
until the Invisible Guide who
precedes me bids
Emperor,

of the

**

half

me

It

dolo

"

forces

vain

the

Empire

blind

old

from

mental

this

venerable
characters
And

it

the
was

when

passed
Rome

fane

as

entrance

name
across

he

see

in

slab

entered

Golden

one

Roman

The

marble

"

physical and
occupied a place
into

bearing

in almost

illegible

Dandolo.
Horn

that

was

Mohammed

walls
not

city without

able

through
to

passing

This

II

New

effect
over

an

the

defender, the valiant Constantine

of the Byzantine Caesars."

its noble
last

tragic event is vividly pictured by the poet Shelley when

lyricaldrama, Hellas, he sings:
17

"

mosque,
of the galleriesof the

the breached
he

centuries

^whose

transformed

of Henricus
the

"

arms."

to the last

was

But
conqueror.
into the ill-fated

body of
Paleologus, the

lifeless

marble

man

of nine

capital of the

foreign

to

remarkable

Sophia until it
to-day,one may

even

that the

vigorous

were

powers

in Santa

^*a dream

presumption

of

Dan-

"

impregnable

was

mausoleum

and,

**

led the
doge of ninety-sevenyears
awakened
against Constantinople and

degenerate Greeks

from

that

that marvelous

' '

Venetian
the

Horn

Golden

the

across

was

in his

NOVA

EOMA

69
A

chasm

in the wall

mountains,
of Siamhoul;
breach
the
in that ghastly
And
Islamites,
ruins
the
Like giants on
of a world,
In the dust
in the lightof sunrise.
Stand
Olimmers
a
kinglessdiadem, and one
Of regal part has cast himself beneath
Another
The stream
proudly clad
of war.
barb
In golden arms
spurs a Tartarian
As

of

two

the gap, and with his iron

Directs the torrent of that tide

Into

And

seems

he is

of

men.

Mohamet.

"

"

mace

Constantinople had been an impregnable

For nearly twice
bulwark against the forces of Islam.
that space of time she had successfullyresisted the menaces
of the north
and attacks of the barbarians
Goths, Huns,
and
had proudly
Avars, Russians, Bulgarians, Chazars
of Chosroes, Timur, Bayazid, Harun-aldefied the power
Rashid, and other leaders of savage hordes from Persia,
Unlike
Old Rome, which
quently
freArabia, and Central Asia.
opened her gates to invaders from the north of the
never
once
yielded to her Teutonic and
Danube, New Rome
foes.
than
of
Slavonian
a
Although besieged more
score
For

six centuries

"

"

times

able

was

long
which
had

to withstand

continued.

so

this

And

reduced

the

and

from

thirteenth

assault

every

extended

once

been

fourth

the

between

she

did

the

Tigris

that little was

century^" she

however

after

furious

the

to

left of

or

vast

empire
the Guadilquivir
it but the capital

itself,
which, at the time of its capture by the Turks under
than a besieged fortress.
Mohammed
II,was
scarcelymore
How
the occupation of Constantinople by Mohammed
the Conqueror, has complicated the political,
military,and
conditions
of Europe for nearly five centuries
economic
is
of gloomy history. Owing to its matchless
matter
a
tion
posiit was
18

the
Tom.

long the natural

According to
city sustained,

the
from

eminent
the

center

Austrian
time

of

of the world

historian,

its foundation

Von

Hammer-Purgstall,

until

II, no fewer than twenty-nine sieges. Histoire

(Paris, 1835).
II, pp. 428, 521-523

's commerce,

de

its

hammed
capture by MoVEmpire Ottonum,

BERLIN

FROM

70

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

Europe and Asia. Destined by

nature itself to be the seat of two worlds, Constantinople
perial
well observes, remain the seat of immust, as Freeman
rule as long as Europe and Asia, as long as land and
sea
keep their places."
the

clearinghouse

between

*'

^"

transfer of the capitalof the Roman

Empire from
nople
the Tiber to the Golden Horn, the foundation of Constantiof the master-strokes
in the
in 330 A. D., was
one
egic
historyof civilization ^indeed from the material and stratpointof view,I hold it to be the greatest.Rome, Paris,
The

"

came
London, Vienna, Moscow, Madrid, Berlin,"Washington,beof
the rulers in the
capitalcities by the gradual acts
remade
But in ten years Constantinople
of years.
the center of the civilized world.
Nothing so stupendous
in civic origins
has ever been accomplishedbefore or since,
with rare
and partial
for its effects have been maintained
course

tion
eleven,nay, for fifteen centuries. The foundaof Alexandria
by Alexander, of Antioch by Seleucus
have some
Mecca, Jerusalem,Cairo,Delhi have
parallels.
histories. Peter's creation of Petrograd
had fluctuating
has ended in hideous failure.
a splendidmistake,which
was
Constantine as
But the creation of Constantinoplemarks
of the trulygreat,beside Julius,Trajan,Charles and
one
Washington.^^
for

breaks

But

remarkable

more

Queen City of

said of the

the

of imperialrule.
continuity
the Golden

From

her

the time when

marvelous
tine
Constan-

the

Fer

Rome

Bosphorus is

yet been

capitalof the empire from the Tiber

Horn, when, in the works of Dante,

transferred

New

has

anything that

than

"

cedere al Pastor

si

fece Greco,^^

all its wars

^notwithstanding

Op. cit. p. 251.

According to Augier

to

and

vicissitudes,

18

de

Busbecq,

the

scholarly Flemish

diplomat,who,

in

Court,
sixteenth century,spent eight years at the Ottoman
"is
Constantinople a citywhich nature herself has designed to be the mistress
of the world.
Asia, and is within reach by
It stands in Europe, looks upon
Sea and its European
the south and the Black
of Egypt and the Levant
on
sea
Vol.
123
and Asiatic shores on the north."
Letters,
(trans, by D. Forster,
I, p.
Paris, 1881).
20 Frederic
Harrison, The FortnightlyReview, June, 1919, pp. 840, 841.
21 Became
a Greek
Paradiso, XX, 57.
by ceding to the Pastor.

the

middle

of the

ROMA
all its changes of
and

^has been

"

our

is

something

seat

that is

race.

empire

of

the local center

was

the continuous

This

empire for sixteen centuries.

in the history of
without parallel

of

Rome

71

religion,all its changes of laws

and

race

institutions

and

customs

NOVA

for

barely four

turies
cen-

royal cities that once flourished

the Nile were
all
of the Ganges, the Euphrates or
after some
centuries of splendor, and have long
abandoned
thage,
lost their imperial rank.
Memphis, Babylon, Tyre, CarAlexandria, Syracuse, Athens, had periods of glory
and Paris have
but no great continuityof empire. London
centuries ; and Madrid,
been great capitalsfor at most
a few
Berlin,Vienna, and St. Petersburg are things of yesterday
civilization.^^
in the long roll of human
in the valleys

The

exceptionalcontinuityin Constantinoplemay, it has

been
asserted, **be ultimately traced to its incomparable
physical and geographical capabilities.
it
But while I contemplated the capitalof Constantino
as
and ethereal atmosphere of an
lay bathed in the tremulous
and recalled its past history,enveloped
afternoon
autumn
like
in the mist of years
then seemed more
a history which
This

' '

"

confused

and

vivid

stirringand
wars

and

troubled

sieges

dream

actualities
and

so

of its rather

the erstwhile

the renowned

Among
St. John
a

center

Chrysostom, *Hhe

width

' ' ^^

of culture

catalogue is
Frederic

23(7/. the

the envy

Harrison, The
author's

this Castle

of

of

Great

which

of art

thought
and literature,
as
of the

some

There

the

was

ever

the illustrious
calls the

was

scholars.

brightest
scholarly
heard
St.

in

ory
Greg-

greatest Oriental

Photius,
astonishing and

of modern

and

culture.

were

was

Villeman

was

veritable

greatest preacher

There

There

the theater

religionand
Church.

poet of Christendom.

22

of

of the Eastern

pulpit.
Nazienzus, whom

and

the

home

rulers

Christian

presently lost sightof

frequently been

its ecclesiastical

luminaries

of

conquests

the Caesars has

as

"

record

than

' '

^^

whose
whose
And

learning
librarythere

were

Fortnightly Review, April, 1894, pp. 439, 440.

Inspirers, p. 16 (New York, 1917).

72

FROM

those

two

BERLIN
learned

AND

BAGDAD
the

women,

BABYLON
Eudocia

Empress

and

Anna

Princess

* *

' * ^*

in

was

the famous

framed

was

the

vated
Comnena, who, as Gibbon phrases it, cultipurple,the arts of rhetoric and philosophy.
of Justinian,
Constantinoplethat, at the command

in the

It

TO

Code

that

his

bears

name

"

of jurisprudenceand
important of all monuments
is stillthe
which, notwithstanding subsequent modifications,
basis of all legislation
throughout the civilized world.
It was
here that Byzantine art took its highest flights.
but one
Rome
of the churches
of New
Santa
Sophia was
from
artists and architects drew their inspiwhich western
ration.
and Giotto
this in the paintings of Cimabue
We
see
the most

and

the

in

edifices which

Italian

countless

exhibit

the

Byzantine influence.
And
it was
here, in the libraries and monasteries, that
was
preserved that precious heritageof Greek thought and
to be transferred
Greek genius,which, at a later age, was
to Western
Europe, and which, through the activity of
sance.
Byzantine scholars,was to be the foundation of the Renaisquest
During the period immediately preceding the Conof Constantinoplethere was, declares Gibbon, **more
nople
books and more
knowledge within the walls of Constantiof

evidence

of the West.''

from

24
25
we

that

years
Arabs
when

at

defence

the

the

civilization
and

this
of

Seljouks,
height

and

in
sea;

countries

Queen City

the

of

the

"

their
of

V, Chap. LIII.
recent writer, "when
a

declares

Byzantine Empire
Asiatic

against

checked

Vol.

"Indeed,"

for

power;

that

the

during

and

by its missionaries
evangelized, and

the

"

invaders,

century

barbarism,

midst

that

state

of

Empire,

Roman
LXVI.

Europe
and

pressed the flightof the

the East, Greek
learning

of the Turks

Fall of the
and
Op. cit.,Vol. VI, Chap.
the

land

arms

Decline

consider

the extensive

dispersed over

2*^

the

**When
Muses"

be

could

than

both

the

which

advance
this

maintained

for

was

of the

period
a

Russians

beat

wide

it

thousand
back

the

Ottomans,

represented
by

commerce

and

the

South

Cyrillic alphabet invented; that

in preservingand
to its care
multiplying manuscripts the existence of a great
the birthplace
that it was
is due; and
classical literature
finally,
part of our
has exercised
of Italian
a
greater power
painting, and that its architecture
than
other
Spain to India; we can
style, reaching in its effects from
any
the world's
its influence
on
history.'*History of Greece
hardly overestimate
to the Present
From
Its Conquest by the Romans
Time, B.C. 146 to A,D. 1864,
Vol. I, p. vii (by George Finlay, Oxford, 1877).
Slavonic

peoples

were

KOMA

asylum

sought an

NOVA

the first of Greek

Among

of Dante

in the land

and

scholars

to find

Petrarch

Chrysoloras. They

Manuel

of the Arno

the banks

on

73

received

in the universities of the Peninsula

of every

of their

others

at the

of Leo

courts

of

countrymen

cordial welcome

more

with

and
arms

open

lectured with signal

and enthusiastic students

of eager
condition.
But nowhere
were
they and

and

age

Lascaris

numbers

to vast

success

and

the Tiber.

congenial home

Janon

were

were

and

than
X

later

in the

palaces of

Nicholas

and

date

V.

^"

accorded

the Medici

Under

such

and
trious
illus-

letters flourished
amazingly and
patrons, Greek
ment
movequickly prepared the way for the great humanistic
in the literarytriumphs of Politian,
that culminated
Eeuchlin, and Erasmus.
But the fall of Constantinoplewas
epoch-making not only
in its relation to the Humanistic
effect

economic

the

on

Before

Europe.

the

Empire
has happily been

world's

the

achieved

But

and

no

development
the

of

conquest of the

than

Europe

inimical to commerce
power
those
Christian
nations for

had

sooner

the

were

and

*'by a
to

also in its

East, this region constituted

of
designated as *Hhe nerve-center

of the Ottomans

Orient

but

of the

commerce."

into the hands

between

commercial

the Ottomans

GrsBCO-Roman
what

and

Renaissance

whose

it passed

great trade

routes

completely

blocked

still more
benefit

inimical
intercourse

mainly carried on.

then imperative for Europe, unless it was
It was
pared
prethe
its
trade
discover
with
to forego
a
East, to
new
be beyond the interference
route to the Orient,which would

between

the East

of Ottoman

power.

by
history
"

Among

and

two

**the
the

West

This

of the most

' '

was

much

desired

decisive

rounding by Vasco

da

result

was

plished
accom-

events

in the

world's

Gama

of the

Cape

besides
distinguished Hellenists
enormously
Italy contributed

Lascaris

of

and
loras,
Chrysoinitiating and
who
reflected undying honor
of the Renaissance, and
on
developing the work
Theodore
be mentioned
the Greek
must
Gaza, Gemistus
Plethon, John
name,
Cardinal
Chalcondyles, and
Argyropoulos, George of Trebizond, Demitrius
Bessarion
Hellenist of Oxford, declared,
who
were
all, as Hody, the noted
"viri nullo wvo
perituri."
26

whose

"

more

labors

in

towards

BERLIN

74

FROM

Good

Hope

and the

TO

BAGDAD

discoveryof

far-reaching achievements

politicaland
of

southeast

the New

**the center

to the

Europe

shifted
from

of the

Alexandria, Venice, Genoa,

deprived

at

the

the cities of

Atlantic.

stantinop
Con-

Marseilles

were

fell swoop
of the economic
and political
which
had
for centuries belonged to them"

the Mediterranean, which

and

from

one

preeminence
.

' '

By these
cial,
gravity,commer-

of

northwest;

littoral to those

BABYLON

World.

intellectual,
rapidly

Mediterranean

the

AND

for ages

had

*'been

the

reduced
almost
to
highways, was
greatest of commercial
the position of a backwater.
names
capitalby
Among the many
given to the Ottoman
it by the
is that bestowed
the peoples of the East
upon
the Earth-Divider.
In view
Arabs, namely. El Farruch
has been
said in the preceding pages
of what
no
epithet
could be more
expressive of the truth. For, since the fall
of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople,together with its
the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, has
two
appanages,
"

^^

"

the chief line of demarcation

constituted
and

the

West,

of the most

One

solve

diplomacy has yet to

solution

about

of the

Bosphorus

Islam

and

and

East, it
unselfish

more

applied than

seems

and
those

of the

status

city

the powers

of

cannot, apparently, be

sordid exploitationof the lands

that

historic

of Europe.

nations

by

which

impotent to bring

been

of the problem
or

problems

relations between

the

the Christian

effected by conquest
of the

has

war

"

is the future

"

solution

the

As

delicate

difiScult and

East

the

the Crescent.

and

the Cross

between

between

has

time

the

methods

Christian

more

based

force

on

arrived

now

and

when

should

be

international

rivalries.
We
Greece
our

much, very much,

and Rome, have
come

owe

art

and

that molds
To
27

literature-

the mind

her, therefore,we
Marriott,

op.

and
owe

cit.. Chap. II.

to the East.
our

From

her, through

civilization and

her

the
purifies
an

From

has

come

heart

immense

the

culture,
religion

of Christendom.

debt

of gratitude,

CHAPTER
THE

HELLESPONT

Us

to Asians

IV
AND

TROY

HOMER'S

Now

fly

Already
Of

hope,

that

*neaih

the

eager

of

each

through

Already
My

cities

nerve

longs

flutter runs

to he

away;

other

light of

feet, new-winged

let

renown!

suns

for travel,

to

yearn

stray.

Catullus,

Galata's

of

from

awaking

After

spent much

tower

more

time

the

veil

to

I had

than

there

and

Twilight, delicate

protracted reverie on the summit

found, to my surprise, that I had

lofty

ethereal,
and

mosques

originally intended.

beginning

was

minarets

and

Grand
of

de

Rue

Pera

of
the

on

But

ofiSce and

tranquil
I could

fascinating
with

Chanak

for

banks

The

friend

had
the

the

to

popular

resorts

from
of

repose

the
homes

palace-fringed Bosphorus.
T had

the

been

to

been

made

that

steamer

Dardanelles.

I had

the

of

ments
arrange-

evening

very

One

such

of

long

my

visit

the

near

it, but

pressing

from

gazing

prevented

me

site

of

ancient
gagements
enon

spot

Forever

the

the

on

always

Where

take

to

times

to

mated
ani-

through

returning

part

previous day

had

dreams

An

longer in the contemplation

no

scenes.

Several

Troy.

of the

Kalesi,

unrealized

its way

on

counting-room

linger

it

relaxation;

and

amusement

cares

part of

"

cypress-crowned

its way

slowly wending

was

fall and

to

Stamboul.

heights of solemn, crafty, mysterious

pageant

XLVI.

few

moments

Golden

Horn,

stood

old

Troy,

she

oar

venerable

to deathless

consecrated

after

steamer

began
76

to

name,

fame.

left

round

her

moorings

Seraglio

in

Point.

)y which

they

of
groups
Broken
surrounded.

are

low,

somber

the

above

lonsters

The
gathering gloom.
rise like dark, shadowy

the

Stamboul

of

minarets

and

lomes

in

twinkle

Pera

and

alata

77

TROY

HOMER^S

AND

HELLESPONT

THE

wooden

houses

quiver

stars

in the

of the Bosphorus
are
and, while we
jwift-flowingwaters
walls and towers
jtillgazing at the venerable, ivy-mantled
the
enter
that so long guarded the City of Constantine, we
to the ancients as the Propontis
known
lea of Marmora
"

"

the

**

says

the Pontus

before

sea

there

in the world

is not

other

any

Herodotus

of which

the Euxine

or

sea

wonderful.''

so

nel
in the storied chanfollowing morning we were
of the Thracian
familiarlyknown
more
Hellespont" now
Like the Bosphorus, the Hellespont is
the Dardanelles.
as
plated
and historic interest,and, as I contemreplete with human
the

Early

its

I
rugged cliffs,

Fort

section

that

is

here

recording tales adorn.

tree

every

particularlytrue of
Nagara, formerly known

This

it

and

rock

Each

that

words

Lucan's

recalled

the Strait of

as

channel

of the

at
For

Abydos.

was

Here
And

It
the

here

here

was

with
to

army

that

cross

of the

Salamis

by

his

prey,

frustrated
counted

entered

myriads
Greece

hostilityof barbaric
tocles,when

army,

the

enabled

shore

the

the

fleet,and

to

his vast
way

to

repress

in

intellect and

the

epoch-making victory

of

of

all the wantonness

pride;

his

on

the

conquest. Accompanied
of his
Persian
invader, sure

plans

with

spanned

despot sought

But

all his

that

across

swam

Xerxes

thralldom

of Persian
world."

bridge

Thracian

the

barbarian

**the

that

here

was

double

to

over

deadly bonds

freedom

it

And

perished in the flood,

of mournful Hero stood.

venture-loving Byron

the

the famous

Greece, where
the

the tower

Hellespont.

Straits

Leander

young

after

his

treasure

defeat
were

and

deadly

by Themisgone,

he

was

BERLIN

FROM

78

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

to flee like the meanest

fugitive. The Italian poet,

Luigi Alemanni, tells in a single line the fate of the proud
organizerof this widely heralded campaign when he writes :
forced

than

More

century and

god he

less than

camef

half

after

he

man

fled,

flightof Xerxes,

the

ander's
Alex-

Parmenio, crossed the Hellespont at

it had been bridged by the ambitious
and
the place where
at, or near, tliis spot
vainglorious Persian despot. It was
army,

under

Barbarossa

Frederick

that

Crusade.

Third

And

crossed

it was

at this

at

the

head

of

the

spot that Solyman

same

of Orkhan, passed from

Asia to
Pasha, the warlike son
standard
Europe, where, in 1354, he planted the Osmanli
faith
and where
it has ever
since flown as a sign of Moslem
of Moslem

and
We

the hated

victoryover

disembarked

Europeans usually

the town

at

call the

of Chanak

Dardanelles.

point of

Kalesi, which
It is noted

as

Hellespont the channel

here is about fourteen hundred
and was
yards in width
until recently the headquarters of the general in command
of the Turkish
forts which
defended
troops in the many

being

at the narrowest

Giaour.

the

"

"

the

Strait.

long-discussedplans
Russia, for joint dominion

In the

of

always insisted

monarch
of

the

Strait

Bosphorus
of

the

and

on

of Napoleon and

of the world, the

securing possession

Constantinople
But

Dardanelles.

the

but

French

Alexander
Russian
not

also
emperor

of

only
the

just

acquiesce in the Czar's demands.

phorus
seemed
disposed to yield the Bosand even
Constantinople, but nothing could induce
the granting to his ally of
him
for a moment
to consider
the key to the Mediterranean.
control of the Dardanelles
insisted that,owing to its geographical posiAlexander
tion,
should belong to Russia ; that,having
the Dardanelles
Constantinople,he should also hold the key to the jEgean.
But Napoleon retorted that,if Russia possessedthis imporrefused
persistently
For
while Napoleon
a
as

to

"

tant

she would

waterway,

of the

constant

at

menace

HOMER

to

"S TROY

and

79

mistress

become

once

of the Levant

commerce

also be

AND

HELLESPONT

THE

not

of

India, but she

Toulon, to Corfu, and

only

would
to the

of the world.

commerce

the

But

Czar

his advisers

and

not

take

refusal.

again have so good an

tal
opportunityof gaining possessionof the long-coveted capithe Bosphorus and of the channel
connecting the
on
when
the Mediterranean
with
Euxine
as
Napoleon was
counting on their cooperation with him in his great schemes
ruption
of conquest in Asia.
Negotiations continued without interof Tilsit to that of Erfurt, and
from the conference
nothing stood in the way of their successful issue except the
strait between
the Marmora
possessionby Russia of the narrow
In return
for this Alexander
and the -^gean.
was
prepared to accede to Napoleon's every wish.
They realized

In

that

letter of

they would

would

never

Caulaincourt,the

French

Ambassador

at

Petersburg, written to Napoleon in 1808, the envoy

declares that Russia, **once mistress of Constantinopleand
its geographical dependencies, will go with us not only to
India, but to Syria, to Egypt, wherever
we
judge it
may
useful to employ her fleets and draw
her armies.
Besides
this,she will leave the French Emperor free to organize the
south and the middle
of Europe as he may
elect. Reserving
for herself only the affairs of the north, she will abandon
to him the direction of all the others,will not interfere with
his gigantic operations,will renounce
all jealousyand will
St.

consent
the

that the

partitionof

partitionof the

Concluding his
Let

world.

the Orient

shall in fact become

*'

letter to Napoleon, Caulaincourt

majesty

reunite

writes:

Italy,perhaps even
Spain to
the
France; change dynasties,found kingdoms; demand
for the
cooperation of the Black Sea fleet and a land army
conquest of Egypt; demand
guarantees whatsoever;
any
make
with Austria any exchanges that may
be expedient;
in one
word, let the world change place,if Russia obtains
your

BERLIN

FROM

80

TO

Constantinople and

the

statement

the Dardanelles
And

could

as

outlet to the
offer have

tempting

more

Russian

shall,I believe,be
uneasiness.^

clearlythan this remarkable

which
Alexander
placed on

more

value

supreme

BABYLON

everythingwithout

anything evince

Could

AND

the Dardanelles, we

her consider

able to have

BAGDAD

Mediterranean?

been

made

to

leon,
Napo-

Europe and seeined on the

point of becoming the dictator of the world, than that which
was
dangled before his eyes by his ambitious ally? But the
compact that Russia so eagerly desired was not to be made.
both the Czar and the Emperor appeared to be
For when
who

then

was

the arbiter of

their

agreement on
domination, Spanish
an

near

diplomacy

were

and

ambition

valor

long-discussedplans of world
and
patriotism and Austrian

concerting to
to

prepare

check

for

his

the Corsican's

ultimate

vaulting

downfall

at

Waterloo.
In
name

The

precedingpage

"

El

Farruch
can

same

For
has

been

and

has

an

reference

has

been

Earth-Divider

"

made
of

"

to the Arab

Constantinople.

be applied to the Dardanelles.

equal reason
during long centuries it,with the Bosphorus,
with

effective barrier between

constantly

held

in

check

the East

and

the West

Russia's

aspirations
much
towards
the Mediterranean.
How
longer will El
continue to keep apart the nations of the earth,
Farruch
of the
and how long will it prove to be the paramount crux
Eastern
Near
Question and the occasion of long and sanguinary
This is a question that only the future
wars?
answer.
can
and, apparently, the very distant future
"

"

After

inspectingthe

fortifications of Chanak

Kalesi

and

making a visit to the site of ancient Abydos,

is supposed to have surveyed his vast army
whence
Xerxes
it crossed the Hellespont,and whence
has a splendid
as
one
view of the narrowest
part of the Strait,we prepared to
continue our journey to the site of ancient Troy.
Kilid Bahr

and

1 Napoleon
Rusae
et Alexander
sous
/, L* Alliance
I, p. 306 et aeq. (by Albert Vandal, Paris, 1896).

Le

Premier

Empire^

Tom.

HOMER

AND

HELLESPONT

THE

^S TROY

81

Greek
Eren
Keui, a flourishing
objectivewas
where
we
purposed stopping over night. This short
village,
Our

first

Our road
trip of about three hours we made on horseback.
wooded
hills,welllay along the edge of the Strait over
cultivated valleys,and picturesque villagessurrounded
by
From
the hills we
numerous
vineyards and olive groves.
sonese,
Cherhad splendid views of the Dardanelles, the Thracian
and
the distant ^gean,
**many-fountained Ida*'
beyond the Trojan plain.
also
On our way
a town
we
passed the site of Dardanus
"

known

Teucris

as

which

^from

"

the

Dardanelles

epithet Hellespont, Sea of Helle

given to the Strait is derived from

The

name.

also been

"

of the channel

entrance
From

been

is said to have

Helle,who

eminence

an

overclouded

ahead

prospect that
of us, lying in
We

burst
a

were

upon

tremulous

the dark

saw

Eren

sky, we

an

her

that bears
near

under

drowned

outline

We

lost

^which
the

azure

has

mythical

name.

Keui, which we
captivatedby
our

its

the southern

near

view.

For

reached
the fascinating

some

miles

haze,

of the Trojan plain,

dim, as things at distance seem

Through the fastwaning lightof summer

Misty

"

takes

and

at
reaching the spot which, for me
least,had been one of peculiar and ever-growing interest
since,as a youth, I had fallen under the magic spellof the
immortal
author
of the Iliad and Odyssey. And
I was
not
long on the plain of Troy when I realized the full force of
Byron's words when he declares :
It is

no

time

eve.

in

thing to read the Iliad at Sigeum and on the

Ida above
and the
tumuli, or by the springs with Mount
and
plain and the rivers of the Archipelago around
you,
another
thing to trim your taper over it in a snug library
one

"

this I JcnowJ^
But
2

Note

there
to "Childe

is

nothing

Harold's

in

this historic

Pilgrimage,"Canto

region

III, strophe XCI.

that

will

FROM

82

BERLIN

AND

BAGDAD
It is

ordinary tourist.

the

appeal to

TO

BABYLON

circumscribed

which

eight miles long by four broad, on

little beyond a few bare hillocks and tumuli
about

plain

he will

and

see

occasional

the poor people who here have their

tered
home,' and hear littleas he treads his way through the scathunts

villagesof

or

brakes
of

that

ground except the voice

at intervals

solitarybird which

of the

much

cover

bursts

into song

and

then is still.
Nor

anything here

is there

iconoclasts

who

those

to attract

only deny that Homer

not

self-satisfied
the

wrote

Neither is there
but also deny his very existence.
and other
here to impress the followers of Wolf
atomists

insist that the Iliad is but

who

Iliad

anything
so-called
of ballads

collection

of

rhapsodists.* Still less is

there here aught to interest those who
not only maintain
that Homer
and his authorship of the Iliad are myths but
who

number

composed by

also

that

contend

believingthat

there

there

such

was

that the traditional

that there

or

which

is

How

times

is
!

the

now

Then
cities, all of which

their

Troy

such

was

evidence

no

place

condition

according
were

If we
money.
villages,existed here
own

conflict

of the

probably

as

Trojan plain

or

for

posing
sup-

in this place,

Trojan War,

from

it contained

and

autonomous

further

Troy
the

for

whatever

in the Iliad,

to Schliemann

consider

as

located

was

graphicallydescribed

so

different

in ancient

ever

is

that
in

the

classical

of

what

"eleven
which

eleven

it

was

ing
flourish-

five coined

cities, besides

that
antiquity and
itants,
inhabseventy thousand
how
such
of people could
astounded
and
amazed
we
are
large masses
have
found
the means
of subsistence
of the present
here, whilst the inhabitants
of
have
the
in
the
seven
villages
providing for
difficulty
greatest
plain
poor
their
these
cities an
miserable
And
ancient
dance
abunexistence.
not only had
of food
but
also so
they were
populous and so rich that they could
on
wars
and, as their ruins prove, they could erect temples and many
carry
other public buildings of white
been ornahave
mented
marble; Ilium especiallymust
of such sumptuous edifices."
with
Results
the
vast number
a
of
Troja,
and
Discoveries
the Site of Homer's
Latest Researches
on
Troy, pp. 345, 346
(New York, 1884).
tion
colleccontention
main
*"The
that the Iliad and the Odyssey were
a
was
and
of songs
different
times
of
values
and
at
unequal
composed
very
each
into shorter
that, like the Niehelungen Lied, they could be resolved
lays,
of these heroes,
The
famous
more
celebrating the deeds of individual heroes.
their
Achilles
for example, like Siegfried, had, it was
ultimate
maintained,
8chliemann*8
worshiped as divine."
origin in mythological personages, once
Excavations, an
Study, p. 17 (by C. SchuchArchceologioal and Historical
hardt, London, 1891).

two
one

of these

"

the

city of

simultaneously

Ilium

itself

"

had

at

least

BERLIN

FROM

84

served
pre-

careful topographical

convinced

so

for it that he

claimed

of all that tradition

he

Patroclus,were

Trojan plain. And

of the

survey

BABYLON

this he made

After

golden urn.

AND

of his friend

hero, togetherwith those

in

BAGDAD

TO

was

promised

to

prevented by
fortify the New Ilium/ but was
premature death from carrying his projectinto execution.
Similarly Julius Caesar,of the gens Julia, which traced
of ^neas,
and was
its origin to lulus, son
proud of its
legendary descent from Trojan^stock,lavished honors on
Troy," as did also the Consul Livius, who offered sacrifice
enrich

and

Troy,

Ilium,

or

the

as

excavations
rebuilt

destroyed and
known
period it was

shown,

was

Roman

Ilium

as

Schliemann

of
fewer

no

than
and

Novum

and

During

honored

was

have

Dorpfeld

times.

seven

the

as

the

city

It was
because
of this
consequently, as the parent of Rome.
the
first
of
that
Constantine
establish
the
Romans
to
planned
origin
of locating it on
the site occupied
seat of empire on the plain of Troy instead
the Golden
Horn.
the Bosphorus and
Fortunately he
by Byzantium between
of

^neas

and

fabulous

still bears
Ilium

his

spot where

has

stood

since

the

city which

noble

name.

Novum

for

was

the

plundered by

time

long

in

Turks,

the

of

seat
of

beginning

the

fourteenth

it

since

bishopric,but,

the

was

it has

century,

in ruins.

lain

1876);

new

is

which

"He

the

has

marvelous

long-forgotten ages

in it before
and

We

us.

Schliemann

very
has uncovered

at

carried

back

We
and

had

Greeks
when

are

the

not

as

tribes

rude

not

as

and

Greek

much

to

of

the

Dr.

to

neolithic

age

conveyed
to

A. H.

Minor

of the

jade

home

new

the

which

Dr.

thing of yesterday.
the Assyrians

the

traffic

to

of

of

the

south, but

the

in

are

had

axes

already begun

as

world

tradition

empires of
Aryan forefathers

the

precious stone

discoveries

Sayce, in

modern

Greek

Prehistoric

another.

to
this

itself is but

had
the

nowhere

and

of Ida

which

the

when

time

ceptions
con-

spade'

and
peaks
are
lying bathed
have
the strength

the

of

our

the

of

Orient

the

came

we

Hissarlik, the Iliad

Schliemann's

Professor

art."

which

to

as

barter, and travelling caravans

from
one
extremity of Asia
owes

Greece

how

know

to

culture

yet exist, when

their
yet, perhaps, reached

did

Hittites

the

of

'research

Asia

can

the

forgotten

and

penetrate into a past of

existence.
By the side of one

We

still indebted.

begin

now

mission

that

for

will

The

prehistoricHellas

of

revolutionized

impulse to that
results throughout
over
light has broken

the

given

itself.

Greece

in

antiquity,has

of classical

study

the

past,

producing such

than

more

has

into

era

of

the

already quoted.
the creator
of prehistoricGreek
justly been acclaimed
has
introduced," writes Oxford's distinguished Orientalist,

work

Schliemann

archaeology.

see,
epoch-making investigations

(New
York,
Troy and its Remains
of the Trojans (New York, 1881); and

his

mentioned,
Troja above
Ilios, the City and
Country
the

Schuchhardt's
Dr.

of Schliemann's

accounts

illuminating

For
besides

"a

the

preferenceto

his

gave

the

and

Kuen-lun

archseology in general
history
study of Greek
to Dr.

introduction

Schliemann's

Troja, pp. viii, ix.

8

like

According

Suetonius

to

the

Constantine
of the

Lucan

Great,

both

Horace

Julius

and

Ccesar

Ilium

contemplated making

"

Troy

"

Augustus,
the capital

Empire.

Roman
not

and

makes

Julius

Circuit

eamatai

only

visit the

Ilium

of his

and

day

place survey"
"

nomen

memorahile

Trojae

"

"each

story'd

HELLESPONT

THE

HOMER'S

in

acropolis of Ilium,

the

on

AND

the

TROY
of

name

85

Rome,

and

not

tion
only exempted it from tribute but also gave it jurisdicthat part of the surrounding country known
over
as

the

Troad.
would

If then, one

visit it

must

one

withering doubts

the

free from

with

criticism and

authorship of

in his

and

And

war.

that

years

there

Greek

whom

tells us, who

sand
thou-

identityof
the

one,

he

was

ancients,who

the most

cherished

dwelt

So paramount, indeed,were
the immortal

*'

he

held by the

was

respecting the identityof

who

man

hy the nine.^

in which

wavered

never

blind old

The

the

calls poeta sovrano,

recall the estimation

must

in the existence

that for nearly three

question regarding

Dante

Of mortals
We

the

no

was

only

personalityof Homer
marvelous
epic on the Trojan

remember

must

we

belief not

atomistic

also in the

city but

of Priam's

"

raised by modern

reasonable

one

of its spiritusloci,
Caesar and Alexander

and

did Byron

as

Troy, if

influence

experience the magic

would

the spell of

under

come

Scio's

on

rocky isle.
influence of

the reputation and

whose

genius had breathed inspiration

that it was
into the national life of Greece
dition
said,when trastill fresh,
was
respectinghis sublime achievements
poet

' '

Seven

cities

which

Through
but

also

has

and

state

him

proud, indeed,
that

livingHomer

solemn

vow

to

begged

restore

populoSy grata vice mcenia

Phrygihus, Romanaque

AusomidcB

jEneas

dead

Priam's

were

the

of

Romans

Pergama
and

Ilium

of

their

its ancient

us,

surgent.
their
of

descent
from
Cornelius
Scipio

of

their

that

forefathers

they exultingly

0 patriay 0
Mcenia

"The

city to

reddent

command
the
countrymen, under
of the
home
Asiaticus, on getting their first view
from the Trojan shore, were
so
moved, Virgil informs
exclaimed

his bread.

"

Restituam
So

the

register a

honors

for Homer

contend

now

dignity
find

it

and

but

divom

domus

Dardanidum

of

Ilium

power

observes

Ilium

being

et incluta
thus
"that

hello

prodigiously enhanced
the

Ileans

assumed
themselves
exaggerated importance as the recognized parents of all
Rome."
History of Greece, Vol. I, p. 328.
must

natural,"

Purgartorio, XXII,

102.

Grote,

we

to
quering
con-

BERLIN

FROM

86

BAGDAD

TO

AND

BABYLON

Homer

genius of

[declaresa recent writer] was

shiped
worerected
to his honor
god-like and temples were
as
at Chios, Alexandria, Smyrna, and elsewhere ; games
were
in his memory;
also instituted
Apollo and Homer
were
the
at
the
one
as
Argos,
actually worshiped together
god
of song, the other of minstrelsy.^^
The

j( Filled with these thoughts and with

poet^s masterpieces,
the Trojan plain and
the places which
when
of the

I visited

with
had

I first became

Iliad,

For

life-longlove of the

unrestrained
haunted

so

and

nook

every

plated
contem-

rapture

my

youthful imagination

acquainted with the sublime

time being I forgot all about

the

of

corner

pages

Wolf,

of the atomistic
Lachman, Hermann, and other advocates
matchless
theory respectingHomer's
epic and, like a child
reading a fairy tale,I loved to picturebefore my eyes the

wonderful
which

which

events

seemed

to

me

spectators three

Homer

almost

as

thousand

SHU

in

And

siill in

so

real

as

vividly describes
they were

and

to the actual

ago.

years

Andromache

complains,
Troy remains;
Still Ajax fights still Hector's
dragged along,
our

ears

sight the fate of

"

Such

Fancy

dwells in Homer's

strange enchantment
animated

song.

strolled

along the storied

Simois, which
sprouted ambrosia-like
pasture'' for the
horses of Hera and Athena, and the serpentine Scamander
which
tered
formerly enfair-flowingwith silver eddies"
the Greeks
the shores of which
hauled up
a bay upon
their ships, and
1 stood
of
before the reputed tumuli
as
Achilles
and Patroclus, Ajax and Antilochus.
But it was
1 ascended
the hill of Hissarlik,
vivacious far when
more
was

as

**

**

"

"

which

Schliemann

Troy.
view
"

From

has

identified

as

the

site

of

Homer's

the

highest point of this elevation one has a

that is truly entrancing. On the north
pont
is the Hellesthe road, as
the ancients
merians
conceived, to the Cimthe Hyperboreans
and
all its myth
and
with
"

10

Troy,

Its

Legend, History

JJew York, 1916).

and

Literature, p.

122

(by

iS. G.

Benjamin,

AND

HELLESPONT

THE

the

To

legend.

island-studded

west

are

the Greek

Tenedos, whither

the

87
of the

waters

murmurous

the

Near

^gean.

TROY

HOMER'S

line is vine-clad

coast

fleetwithdrew

while

the wooden

being taken into Troy. Further beyond is LemHephsestus is said to have fallen when he was
nos, where
is rock-ribbed
To the northwest
hurled from
Olympus.
ing
Imbros, and further afield is Samothrace, from the towerlooked down
Troy during
peak of which Poseidon
upon
is the eminence
To the northeast
its investment
by the Greeks.
of Callicolone,
whence
Apollo and Mars, the protectors
of Ilium, watched
the operations of the contending
To the eastward
is snow-crested
Greek and Trojan armies.
Zeus .observed the combatants
whence
Ida
whose
lofty
pines and valonas
horse

was

"

"

Wave

aloft
tuneful,scented,dove-emhowering shade,
And
and
*neaih twilightbroods as gray
soft
As when
of yore the shepherd Paris strayed
With glad CEnone; while their bleatingflocks
the wild thyme bright with ambrosial
Grazed
dew;
lovers piping *neath the overshadowing rocks
And
Laded
with love the breezes as they flew.
Their

It

was

wistful

on

such

gaze

fair

"

Clad

Helen,

in the

Yes, I dreamed
famed
dreamed

abode

burnt

as

beauty of

thousand

thousand

the topless towers

1 had

of Menelaus

was

wont

to fix her

who

launched
And

Helen

that

panoramas

ships

of Ilium,

previously dreamed
his faithless

and

stars

in
Helen

Sparta,the
;

as

I had

gold-abounding MycensB, the home of Agamemnon,

when
I had dreamed
plating
contem**King of men";
as
desolate
Delphi, Corinth, and Olympia, their glory
and their temples in ruins ; as I had dreamed
the
on
gone
summit
of cloud-capped Parnassus, haunt
of the Muses, and
in

*'

'^

BERLIN

FROM

88

of the

the banks

on

TO

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

Plato

ripplingCephisus,where

taught

where

and

Girls and
Crowded
Matter

At

all these

to

recall

to hear

places,as
Greeks'

and

their

to make

the

and

hoys, women

on

bearded

treasure

lives

men

in their hearts

happiness.

Troy's citadel,I loved

of beanty and
the marvelous
poets, and its required no spur

the site of

love

mythopoeic faculty of their

for the moment,
in actual
to fancy to imagine that I was,
communion
with the thoughts and feelings of the world's
of beauty in art and literature.
masters

plainof Troy [ithas

The

only

not

of

the works

said] has been

been

heroes, but of

scholars

have

written

which

been

and
on

battlefield

geographers, and
the subject form
a

literature to themselves."
much

This is true. But, however

have

disagreed about

about

the

the

location

of the Simois

courses

students

of the Iliad may

of the

city

Scamander

and

of

and

Priam,
certain

details,all have been compelled to recognize the

of the
poet's topographical descriptionsand
accuracy
the appropriatenessof the epithetswhich he applies to the
most
strikingfeatures of the enchanting landscape which
he so graphically depicts. He does not, of course, give the
minor

numbers

demand,

to

numbers

distances, as

and

that

civil

map.

This

canons

of

and

of his critics would

some

engineer would require

would
violate entirely the
But

poeticaltreatment.

distances

so

far

as

they

are

for

seem
a

most

he

does

necessary

to

tour-line
con-

mentary
eleuse

give

though his realities

in the highest degree idealized,nevertheless,so fully
are
do they meet the general exigenciesof time and place that
thorthat Homer
was
they prove almost to demonstration

realityto

iJ

the action

of the poem.

Highlanda of Turkey, Vol. I, p.

Odyssey, Vi,

51

et aeq.

22

(by

And

H.

F. Tozer, London,

1809).

(2)

THE

HELLESPONT

AND

HOMER'S

TROY

89

oughly familiar not only with Troy but also with all the
surrounding region/^
The epithetsappliedby the poet to the mountains, islands,
less
rivers,and other natural features described in his matchwork

with
Thus

he

that

show

by hearsay
he speaks of the

them,

when

have

must

not

been

quainted
intimately acby personal inspection.

but
**

of the
rapid current
Hellespont,of the broad-flowing and
eddying Scamanthe
der, of *Hhe peak of lofty Samothrace
appearing over
of Imbros,'' thus enabling Poseidon
to
intervening mass
from
look down
the plain of Troy, we
its summit
on
are
convinced
that the author
of the Iliad had carefullyexamined
the spot the objectshe so vividlybrings before our
on
And
view.
it is in his graphic delineations of
so
lofty,*'
**many-fountained'' Ida, of
many-crested,*' **dazzling"
* *

* '

* *

' *

**

**

Olympus, the reputed seat

Eternal
storms
of the gods, which never
Disturb,rains drench, or snow
invades, hut calm.
So

graphic and
of

that

Homer

Dante,

but most

then

was

that

Chap.
13

"He

one

den

will verstehen

Dichter
s

declared:

"Now

I know

that

Lande

Gehen,

visiting the
salient

most

had

Homer

^'

Trojan
features

plain,

with

of the

landscape

passed along here."

the

Eothen,

IV.

who

would

Homer's

Smyrna,
Orhis

in

later

impressed was
Kinglake, after
of the poet'sdescription of the

Regarding

But

of the

of

master

Mxiss in Dichter'

So

those

surpass

epithet and of brief

who
exact description,
had the rare
pressing
faculty of exthe import of a whole
sentence in a singleword.
I
than ever
before impressed with the truth
more

Wer

12

epithetsand descriptions

respect he constantly reminds

consummate

of Goethe 's words

accuracy
that he

the

are

they far

In this

poets of Greece.
of

indeed

exact

de

whichever

understand

birthplacean

the

poet

must

anonymous

poet long

Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis,

tua.
patria certat, Homere,
of

these

place

the

visit

immortal

the
ago

poet's country."
wrote:

Chios, Argos, Athence,

bard

was

born, if in any

As
**

BERLIN

FROM

90

TO

wandered

we

the

along

AND

BABYLON

willow-lined

Mendere

flower-fringed"Scamander

**

divine'' and

BAGDAD

and

"

the

"

threaded

through clumps of tamarisk, agnus

eastus, and
odoriferous
Artemisia, frequently stopping in our course
beautiful lotus or asphodel and
to gaze
to admire
a
on
spring-abounding Ida's heights,whence swift-footed Iris
of aegis-bearing
Jove,
sped to sacred Ilium at the command
way

our

* '

**

the

questionarose

the

**king of gods

to the location of the

as

and

Olympus,

whence

men"

Surveyed the walls of Troy, the ships of Greece,

The flashof arms, the slayersand the slain}*
doubt

The

peaks and mountain

the fact there

by

in Asia

and

^Egean

of the

islands

raised

was

Minor

that bear

ranges

in Greece

are

nearly

the

the
of

score

of

Olympus,
generic name

name

Olympus is almost a
chain of
in this part of the world for a lofty mountain
or
On the confines of Mysia and Bithynia and
mountains.
of Ida, which overlooks
the Trojan
visible from
the summit
which
is called Olympus,
plain,there is a high mountain
which

writers

many

summit

But

of them,

Iliad, XI,

18

Thus

whose

on

gods.

of the skies}^

the

even

visitor

casual

environment

its

which

Olympus

to

he

twenty

other

IV,

peaks

'the

Olympus

261

gods mounted,
II, p. 226
(by
(by R.
p. 30

of

(New
crowned
Jove

York,

Davey,
Walsh,

been

Earth

that

had

the

describes

"

The

York, 1897).
London,
1836).

in

declares

lofty

poet
with

another

Parliament

seat

the
is

fifteen

tradition

Asia,
writer, "is

the
everliving
crags
and
his subjects. Vol.

Constantinople, Vol. I,
Mary Wortley Montague

Olympus:
The

of
this

Inhabitants.

Cf. also

Lady

the

by popular
Its

Sultan

speaking

Olympus,
amongst

chosen

'whose

up

ascension.'

and

and

"This,"

1885).

New

Olympus,

has

The

snow'

with

first in

W.

this

gods."

the

of

name

named,

so

R.

Mysian

the

received

abode

Vol.

the

our

89, 90.

has

chief
p.

of

Homer

Troy

which

the
distinguished geographer, Elis^e Reclus,
of the Galatian
Olympus, says positively: "West

first that

calls

one

precision.

marvelous

^^

the

to

with

familiar

thoroughly

as

of the

the senate

that the

to prove

quite evident

it is

Mysian
or

to be the

the home

convened

Jove

party sufficed

such

declared

single quotation produced by the Hellenist

was

have

mythology placed
Where

the

fact that

the further

and

of heo/venlypowers.

BERLIN

FROM

92

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

heroes.
It would,
realityof at least one of Homer's
contribution to the Homeric
too, be a most interesting
tion
quesand would be speciallygratifyingto those who, in spite
of certain modern
have unfalteringly
critics,
clung to the
of the

concerning Homer, Troy, and the Iliad which

universally prevailed since the days of Aristarchus
views

have
and

the HomeridaB.
The

blind bard

of Chios

is to-day,as

then

he

always

has

he

shall love supreme

always will be so long as men
excellence in letters,
wonderful
a livingpersonality whose

been, as

epics have

exercised

wider

of

the intellectual progress

on

combined.

and

our

race

potent influence

more

than

all other

epics

No

books, except perhaps those of the Bible,

been
have
have
more
frequently quoted nor
ceived
reany
from
attention
more
poets, orators, dramatists, and
of literarystyle.
lovers of the noblest models
fact is the giftof immortalitywhich
remarkable
Another
his
has
conferred
Homer, with Jovelike power,
upon
heroes.
Although but the creations of the poet's genius,
of flesh and blood, in all the
they stand forth to-day,men
them
which
characterized
turies
vigor and freshness
thirtycenago.

of

men

any

And

there

who

are

never

have

been

better known,

the children

among

whose

or

names

more

in song and story than the undying characters

frequently occur
of the Odyssey and the Iliad,
These facts impress
he surveys
lover of Homer
the plainof Troy from
as
every

are

have

the

tombs

the

question whether
tombs

and
The

and

of

unearthed
the

and

the

remains

great Agamemnon

of Homer
agency
conjecture is that these
the

enjoyed through

renown.

now

remains

such
may

or

exposed
his

to

view
who

compeers

protracted longevity of

very

well

be

the

tombs

of

his

company."
the
Dr.
"I have
Schliemann,
same
writing on
subject,tells us:
never
doubted
that
his charioteer
a
Agamemnon,
King of Mycense, by name
Eurytheir followers
and
were
medon, a princess Cassandra
treacherouslymurdered
either
at the
ox
by ^Egisthus at a banquet, 'like an
manger,' as Homer
the
later
in
the
bath
as
or
Clytemnestra,
by
tragic
says,
poets represent;
Agamemnon

and

firmly believed

Acropolis"

of

the

that

Mycenae.

murdered

"My

firm

had

persons

faith

in

the

been

interred

traditions

in

made

the
me

in the
late excavations
Acropolis and led to the discovery
my
immense
treasures."
their
with
of the five tombs
Mycence; a Narrative
of
at
and
Discoveries
Reaea/rchea
Mycence and Tyryns^ pp. 334, 335
(London,
undertake

1878).

HELLESPONT

THE

the

spot

of

of

Troy
of

efforts
Chevalier

claims,

its

as

firm

Thou

All

The

linked

Hath

His

tale

to

What
Their

though
still

Still,
The

the

god-built

of

Priam

and

the

ten

long

thy

of
dream

long

thou

visions

thy

in

of

the

turrets,

these
"

age

riven

hath

the

poet

dust

mighty
and

struggle,

given

every

the

long,

name.

woes

upon

thy

so

hath

lyre
in

still

owe

wove

thy

and

than

thou

thy
forever

the

's

page.

hast

past.

pain,
last.

Le

other

some

song,

man

another's

to

men.

dost

blind

Hector,

ill-informed

truth,

unto

immortality

who

memory

Thy

the

more

for

the

shown,

world-sung

echoes;

hearts

of

legend

many

story

And

that

of

to

stirring

Its

recollects

during

an

Troy

has

forever

Troy,

weft

golden

of

Yes,

god-breathed

That

93

Notwithstanding
or

glory

ever.

magic

the

to

immortal.

Schliemann

as

livest,

heroes

Demetrius
the

as

basis

is

also

transfer

to

and

Agamemnon,

jealous

TROY

Pergamus

bard's

and

Homer

of

HOMER'S

war.

Achilles

like

the

blind

the

Trojan

the

And,
the

stood

which

on

achievements

years

AND

lain,

fame;

stand

ity,
local-

on

CHAPTER
CRADLE

THE

Time's

Have

few

curious

for

footsteps

poor

now

may

with
low

Through

circles

spit

toads

venom

supine;

all

lie,

columns

winds

of evening

sigh.

gold

vaults

where

forth

where

priests adored.

stored.

was

Michel.

Nicolas

Our

to

rail

is

"

side

next

Brusa

easily
to

eager

There

indeed,

are

was

from

that

Pliny

his

fled after

Carthaginian

great

this
the

celebrated

general

city, which

stubborn

letter

Trajan,

increasing

the

to

rites

and

to

being

respecting

the

eventually

to

Plinii

faterentur,

had

of

one

members

the

first

of that

97.
certe

pursued

to

notices

offer

capital

able
is remarkwriters

of

which

was

Caesars.

enim
duhitaham,
"Nequi
qualecumqxhe
dehere
et
inflexibilem obatinationem
94

rifices
sac-

all pagan

Roman

incipient Church
the

rapidly

specially

letter
in

structio
in-

regarding

then

were

themselves

This

of

mistress

become

be

made

It

wrote
for

asked

by refusing

officialdom.

Roman

Epiatulae No.
pertinaciam

who,

Bithynia,
he

who

the

that

prosperous,

which

to

Eomans.

Brusa.

by persistently avoiding

and

gods

in

anciently

the

and

cially
espe-

tions
associa-

"

of

of

governor

policy

and

numbers

observances,

obnoxious
as

in

was

maintain

large

Christians'*

of

by

founder

once

was

the

who

the

while

sect

defeat

cursion
ex-

partly by

to Brusa

was

his

was

Younger,
to

and

steamer

authorities

concerning
**the

It

varied.

some

short

place, for its historic

this famous
and

was

Constantinople.

from

Hannibal

that

"

partly by

"

accessible

numerous

are

Prusa

which

see

visiting Troy,

after

trip,

fire

shrine,

the

the

choke

and

flood

admire?

to

cross

hroJcen

ivy

rent

hramhles

Rough
And

thick

and

rage

pilgrims

Cell, long arcade, high, altar,

Bound

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

scythe, man's

stern

Left naught
A

quod
puniri."

easet

OF

CRADLE

THE

history Brusa

In Ottoman

THE

OSMANLIS

is notable

for

95

having

been

the

and
capital of Orkhan, the second ruler of the Osmanlis
resort of Moslem
ars,
scholfor having long been the favorite
artists,poets,and dervishes who enjoyed a great reputation
f
or
their
their
coreligionists
reputed sanctity.
among
of the Ottoman
after the transfer
And
even
capitalto Adrianople and subsequently to Constantinople,Brusa continued
to be

here

one

of the

sacred

were

buried

the

cities of the

Mohammedans.

first six Osmanli

For

sovereigns

besides

princes and here **more than

five hundred
pashas, theologians,teachers,and poets sleep
their first Padishas.*'
their last sleep around
Among the
which
that of the
turbehs
particularlyimpressed me was
Serbian
princess who, although the wife of a Sultan, was
untainted
the religion of her Christian
able to preserve
than

more

parents.
were

of Ottoman

score

Here

erected

were

and

mosques

"

and

for

historians.

public buildings whose

centuries
In

medrcsses

numerous

beauty

favorite
of

theme

"

size and
of Moslem

leges
coldeur
gran-

poets

design, richness of material,

the mosques
especiallythe
even
to-day regarded as the

of
exquisite finish some
renowned
Green
are
Mosque
architecture.
most
perfect specimens of Osmanli
most
Our visit to Brusa
ideal
was
an
enjoyable and was
introduction to our long journey through the Ottoman
sessions
posFor in this old capitalof the sultans we
in Asia.
find more
strikinglyexhibited than in noisy, metropolitan

and

"

"

Constantinople those
Asiatic
and

cities

dreamy

But

"

dominant

characteristics

apathetic immobility, undisturbed

of

most

quietude,

repose.

before

we
taking the train at Haidar Pasha
spent a
Keui
which
day in wandering through Scutari and Kadi
the Bosphorus from
Stamboul.
Like Brusa
are
just across
both of these places especiallyScutari
are
distinctively
Oriental
in character and are
well worthy of a visit. Both
of them, too, have
toric
played prominent roles in the long, hisovershadowed
so
past and, although they are now
by
the great cityof Constantine,
they,nevertheless,offer many
"

"

BERLIN

FROM

96

that

attractions

Scutari

well

are

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

worthy of the attention

of

the

the historian.

and

student

TO

formerly known

was

as

Chrysopolis
"

the Golden

City. Its special attractions for tourists are the Howling

Dervishes, whose peculiar devotional exercises take place
brated
Thursday, and the Great Cemetery which is celethe largestand most beautiful Moslem
of burying
as

every

places. It is

than
great forest of cypress trees, more
three
miles in length. Each
has its tombstone,
grave
Some
of the epitaphs I observed
one.
usually a very modest
were
touching,especiallythose that terminated
very
that a Fatihah
the first chapter of the
with a prayer
Koran
might be said for the soul of the deceased.
a

"

"

This

chapter [writes Sale, the learned translator of the

and held in great veneration
Koran] is a prayer
by the
Mohammedans.
They esteem it as the quintessence of
the whole Koran, and often repeat it in their devotions,
both public and private,as the Christians do the Lord's
Prayer.^
.

It is
which

integralpart

an

of each

of the five daily prayers

said by every good Mussulman.

recited over
the sick,at the conclusion
it

but
of the

repose

the

It

are

soul

of

place

the

it reads

Eodwell

is,above

of

an

all,the favorite

is,moreover,

portance
action of imfor

prayer

the

departed taking,in this respect,

Catholic reqiiiescat.As
translated
by
of the

God, Lord of the Worlds!

The compassionate, the merciful!
King on the day of reckoning!
Thee only do we worship, and to Thee do we cry for help.
Guide
the straightpath,
Thou
on
us
Thou has been gracious; with
The path of those to whom

Praise

he to

"

Whom

As

The

art

wandered

we

place

Thou

of

so

Koran:

1870).

many

not

angry,

and

who

go

not

astray.

along the pathways of this

myriads of Mohammedans

Commonly

"

called

the

Alcoran

of Mohammedf

last

resting

from
p. I

Condelphia,
(Phila-

CRADLE

THE
*

siantinople

of

number

the

as

as

men

and

from

Scutari

"

who

women

was

were

97

impressed by
absorbed

here

departed,*or in tending the flowers

These
with the
quiet mourners,
graves.

for their dear

in prayer

the

adorned

which

well

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

make

turtledoves, which

countless

funereal

of the

branches

trees

cypress

their

home

in

the

and

which

seem

to

give to this
moan,
keep up continuously their subdued
gloomy necropolis a solemnity and an impressiveness that
cities of the dead
almost
lacking in such ostentatious
are
and the Campo
Santo of Genoa.
Pere Lachaise
as
the Great Cemetery brings us to the
A short drive from
of Kadi Keui which, like Scutari,is also a part
town
modern
of the municipality of Constantinople. It was
formerly
known

as

Chalcedon

and

was

founded

seventeen

years

fore
be-

Byzantium. By the oracle of Delphi it was designated

because
blind
its founders
**the city of the blind,*'
were
the superior position of the tongue of land on the opposite
tinople
the City of Constanside of the Bosphorus, on which

as

to

stands.

now

Like

witnessed

cities in this

other

most

vicissitudes

many

and

part of the world

has

been

it has

repeatedly

tured
cap-

by invading armies from both Asia and

in antiquityfor its temple of Apollo and
Europe. Famed
tinguishe
disfor having been the birthplaceof Xenocrates, the most
of Plato's
disciples,its temples and palaces,
the sultans as a
after its capture by the Ottomans, served
and

sacked

of the Bosphorus
whose
home
is on the West
himself
is that "he considers
cemetery of Scutaria
of Constantinople turns
a
stranger and a sojourner in Europe and the Moslem
his remains
his last lingering look to this Asiatic
will not
cemetery where
when
be disturbed
the Giaour
regains possession of this European city, an
3

The

desires

event

why

reason

to

be

which

buried

he

the

Ottoman

in the

is

firmly convinced

will

sometime

come

to

pass.

Thus

the

yearning for his native soil; like Joseph in the land of

his bones
he exacts
a
promise from his people that 'they would
carry
which
1
in my
have
the land
hence'
like ^acob, says
in
and
'bury me
grave
London,
of Canaan.*"
1836).
Constantinople, p. 13 (by R. Walsh,
4 Mohammed
to visit graveyards frequently "Visit
enjoined his followers
think
for
"of
he
of futurity."
a
graves,"
verity they shall make
you
says,
of his two
the
"Whoso
visiteth
Again, he declares:
graves
parents every
of the two, he shall be written
a
pious child, even
Friday, or one
though he
might have been in the world, before that, disobedient to them."

dying
Egypt

Turk

feels

TO

BERLIN

98

FEOM

stone

quarry

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

they required buildingmaterial

when

for their

in

Constantinople.
But, although not a vestige of
remains, it will always
grandeur now
mosques

former

Chalcedon's
be remembered

as

the

council
held in 451 the fourth (Ecumenical
cityin which was
the teaching of
condemned
of the Church, in which
was
and
Eutyches and the Monophysites respectingthe human
in Christ.

the divine nature

I recalled the fact that

When

council,including the representativesof the absent

and thirtybishops;
attended
by six hundred
bishops, was
of these belonged to the Eastern
than six hundred
that more
this

of the episthe very small number

copate
found in this, part of the world, it was

Church, and remembered

is

that

now

the

to understand

easy

Minor

in Asia

culture

and

condition

present backward

Syria.

and

of civilization
What

great doctors of the

the Cyrils,the Gregories,the Basils,the
Oriental Church
Ephrems, the Chrysostoms ^whose learningand eloquence
change, indeed, since

the

days of

those

"

"

their time

from

have

of the whole
short

A
Pasha

the

been

admiration

of Christendom.
to the north

distance

military hospitalwhich

of Kadi
was

the

Nightingale's heroic labors during the

she occupied while here
which
rooms
intact and

as

edification

and

passed through them, I

beautiful tribute to her in the

verses

Keui

is the Haidar

scene

of Florence

Crimean
are

War.

The

preserved
Longfellow's

still

recalled

Lamp shall stand

In the great history of the land,
A noble type of good.
A

Lady with

womanhood.

Heroic
Nor
The
The
Saint

wanting here
palm, the lilyand the spear,
symbols that of yore
even

shall he

Philomena

bore,^

of
noble
the
qualitiesof heart and mind
long admired
been
her
for
has
by
greatly enhanced
Florence
Nightingale but admiration
which
the recent
publication of certain letters of hers, previously unknown,
B

The

world

has

BERLIN

FROM

100

that

panoramas

TO

AND

BABYLON

scarcely less fascinatingthan

are

along the famous

seen

BAGDAD

driveway

between

those

Sorrento

and

Amalfi.
of the Marmora, as they gently lap
dancing waves
along its curving shore,are as soothing as a lullaby to a
The

cradled

child.
old

same

as

whose

the

reached

the

murmuring

are

of the trim

crews

proudly floated

arms

they conveyed the

ports of the Euxine

as

they

the

of the seafaring
greeted the ears
they passed by nearly three thousand
years

which

and

all the while

story that

Megarians
ago

And

their

on

sies
argo-

flagsand pennants

of India

treasures

Venetian

China

and

from

to the

gem-blue haven of the peerless

The
the
of
Adriatic.
noonday sun, playing over
Queen
the ripplingwaters, changes them in rapid succession from
the

color

delicate

of

the

lapis lazuli

to

the

scintillating

of the opal.

iridescence

ing
Along the coast line one contemplateswith ever-increasest
delightcountless views of entrancing beauty and interrocks

moss-covered

gray

"

and

loveliness

which

reposeful silence

olives and

are

of

ever

trembling vines

and

tender
ing
wav-

picturesque adobe cottages

with
adorned
romping children who
graceful creepers;
and women
make the air ring with their joyous shouts ; men
colorful garbs quietly performing their daily
in the most
ish
from the fevertasks and all the while completely immune
the toilingmillions of Europe
haste that so distracts
and converts their life into a long and troubled
and America
figsand

nightmare.

The

oranges

is that

secret

is satisfied with little.

plot of ground
such

conditions

On

traveling
town

was

in Asia

of the

over

under
Minor.

classic

was

to cultivate

we

in the

undisturbed

Under
in the

even

Valley.
reminded

were

For

Empire
here

ant
peashis small

is perfectly happy.

ground.

the Roman

It

he

to remain

Happy

arrival at Ismid

our

him

Osmanli

find nothing to envy

he would

lot of the denizens

the normal

Permit

and

in peace

of his family and

bosom

one

this

that

small

of the

that Diocletian

we

were

Turkish

largestcities
had

his seat

I
CRADLE

THE

OF

it was

of Government;

THE

OSMANLIS

here that he

againstthe
persecutions

Christians

he abdicated the throne.

It

here

that death claimed

Constantine

in

neighboring castle

that

began his sanguinaryand

in his

was

101

it

here

was

imperialvilla near

the Great

Hannibal

that

it was

and

committed

suicide.

ous
birthplaceof Arrian, the illustridiscipleof Epictetus,who, from notes of his master's
lectures,prepared the famed Discourses of Epictetus. He
the scarcelyless celebrated Anabasis
also wrote
ander
of AlexNicomedia

And

the

was

the Great.

first stop,however,

Our
where

waiting for
day previouslyto

found

we

ordered the

take
"

araha

an

us

the railroad

drive from

hours'

at the littletown

was

us

which

to Isnik

which

of Lefke

had

about four

"

is but

we

small

lage
vil-

houses, but which

and Byzanduring Roman

tine
of Nicaea,
the rival of Nicotimes was, under the name
media.
while in the possession of the Sultans of
Even
of art,poetry, and science scarcely
it was
Rum
as
a center
and Bagdad. And while Conthan Cordova
stantinopl
less renowned
in the possession
of the Latins,after its
was
capture by the Crusaders, Nicaea served as the temporary
capitalof the Byzantine Empire.
a stronger
There are few placesin Anatolia which make
appealto the student than the ancient cityof Nicaea. Its
churches,
ivy and fern-covered ruins,walls,baths,theaters,
towers, gates,aqueducts,sarcophagi,bas-reliefs,
mosques,
esting
of all kinds are in the highestdegree interand inscriptions
of mud

and

offer

antiquaryor
To

us

Nicaea

once

we

famous

of most

preciousmaterial

for the

the historian.
was

Belie

and, as

mine

of nobler days and noblest arts,

wandered

city,we

among

seemed

the ruin-covered
to hear

the

streets of the

monitorywords

Lightlytread,'tis hallowed ground.

BERLIN

FROM

102

AND

BAGDAD

TO

object in visitingthis famous

knowledge so much as impressions. I was
But

BABYLON

place

my

not

was

attracted

thither

magnet that drew me to Troy and Chalcedon.

a local picture of
I wished to get the local color and secure
a
place which has filled an important page in historyand
the goal of contending armies
for centuries was
which
the

by

same

"

predominant

oecumenical

noted

first General

its condemnation

witness

of ruins

scene

of two

But

of the

the
was

Church's

councils.

first council which

The
the

been

Christians.

visit to this

for my

reason

the fact that it had

most

and

Europeans, Moslems

and

Asiatics

Council

was

held here in 325

of the

of Arianism

and

Church.

likewise

was

It is noted

for the formation

for

of the

cil
which, as subsequently amplifiedby the Counsince been the symbol of
of Constantinople, has ever
but also by those
faith used not only by the Catholic Church
which are no longer in communion
with
Churches
Eastern
Churches
well.
of the Protestant
and by many
Rome
as
the seventh
In the second council of Nica^a,which
of
was
the Church's
in 787,
general councils and which convened
the doctrine of the Iconoclasts,which
condemned
was
so
the cause
long agitated the Eastern Church and which was
of so many
relentless persecutionsthroughout the whole
of the Byzantine Empire.
Even
Moslems, who
regard
kind of representation of the human
form
as
an
every
execrable
fanatical and pitiidol,could not have been more
less
in their dealings with anti-Iconoclasts
than were
Leo
the Isaurian,
who was
suspected of favoring Islamism, and
his son Constantine Copronymus.
During their reigns,not
to speak of those of several of their
the churches
successors,
of the Byzantine Empire were
statues
as bare of images and
Creed

Nicene

as

were

By
two

women

the mosques
of Medina
and Damascus.^
of events
it fell to the lot of
peculiar combination
"

the

Empresses

Irene

and

Theodora

* For
an
of the two
interestingaccount
oecumenical
Hefele'f scholarlyHiatoire dea Concxlea, Tom.
I, Livre
XVIII
(trans, by Dom
H. Leclercq,Paris, 1910).

"

councils
II and

of

Tom.

to undo

Nicnea see
Ill, Livre

of the Iconoclastic

the work

and

to

of the noblest

numbers

of the empire, whose

women

103

put a stop to
exile,the imprisonment,

the

caused

of countless

the death

or

and

emperors

had

persecutions which

the

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

CRADLE

THE

only offense

men

fidelity

was

to the faith of their fathers.

the spot that

two

on

of Nicaea

condition

accepted

from

Christendom

bishops

witnessed
both

between

contrast

creed

which

the
the

the

Orient

present

th*eassembled

that at the time when

to that

visit to

has

since

ever

been

symbol of faith of nearly the whole

the

as

In Asia

of

and

subscribed

fathers

than

occasions

What

Occident.

the

Minor

momentous

of hundreds

assemblage

to awaken

competent

more

are

past gloriesof Asia

of the

memories

and

in Anatolia

things

Few

of

Minor

alone

four

hundred

there

fifth century,

in the

were,

no

And
an
fiftyepiscopal sees.
that every
enacted
imperial law was
city should have its
civitas
own
bishop unaquceque
proprium
episcopum
haheto.^
this once
ishing
flourBut what a change has come
over
than

fewer

and

"

portionof

Nicaea,Chalcedon, and

"

councils

held

were

Church.

the Christian

and

Ephesus

Roman

cities

famous

in which

"

in

which

The

four

times

general
all

were

to
capitals of provinces have long since been reduced
ruins.
So completely, indeed, had
Ephesus disappeared
from
known
about its topography
even
sight that little was
until the Austrian
ArchaeologicalInstitute began its exca"

there
^vations
And

but

Cf.

than

more

decades

two

ago.

it is throughout the

so

Great
[Anatolia."
8

little

The

Historical

and

length and the

which, in
popular cities,

Geography

of Asia

(by

p. 93

Minor,

breadth
the
W.

of

heyday

M.

Ramsay,

iOndon, 1890).
"

"The

fate

[ofnumerous

of these
others

fthroughout

Asia

united

with

cities," observes

whose

Minor

names

decaying

are

ruins

traveler

recent

a
a

part
mark

of

classic

the

sites

in

Anatolia, "is that

history. Everyvehere
where

art

and

barbaric

of past
Everywhere are evidences
power.
all the prostrate columns
and
splendor and greatness. And over
and
entablatures,the domed
black-green cypresses, the fertile
mosques
and the great desert, the dark-visagedmen
and the silent,veiled women

"Were

the

spell,undefinable

human
that

race,
rose

and

the

land

crumbled

but

wondrously

of luxurious

long

before

fascinating,of Asia;

magnificence,the
the

western

world

abode
had

the
of

cradle

culture
ment,
refinebroken

valleys
lingers
of

the

mighty empires
emerged from dark-

BERLIN

FROM

104

Empire

of the Roman

BAGDAD

TO

for their splendid temples,

noted

were

BABYLON

AND

theaters, and
baths, gymnasia, colonnades, Greek
all graced by masterpieces
Roman
amphitheaters,which were
of art in marble
Greek

matchless
tenanted

or

by

the soil whose

Cicero's

originals

nomadic

few

only homes

lament

frequentlyreplicasof
either entirely
deserted
now
shepherds or poor tillers of
small mud hovels that barely

are

"

from

protect them

bronze

and

are

"

the elements.
the

over

cities of Greece

desolate

reechoed

the

traveler

may

in

ruin-covered
by
Anatolia.
This is particularlytrue of that part of the country
Ionia.
In literature,art, history,
known
once
as
philosophy,she long vied with Attica herself. For, among
her distinguished
Homer
Anacreon
of Teos, Mimsons
are
of
and Herodotus, the Father
Apelles, Parrhasius
nermus,
in her once
flourishingcapital,Miletus,
History. And
site is now
whose
occupied by the fever-stricken villageof
Palatia,lived that galaxy of philosophers Thales, AnaxiHere
the geographers, Hecamander, and Anaximenes.
be

everywhere

"

charts.
Aristagoras planned the earliest known
the birthplaceof the rarely giftedAspasia
Here, too, was

tsBus and

the wife of
Athens, after she became
Pericles,is celebrated in history as the first and most

whose

in

home

famous

salon the world

In Ionia

has

known.^"

originated that brilliant and highly intellectual

societywhich a French
temps de la Grece.
For

ever

face

in the

even

writer

has

of recent

happily named

discoveries

it may
[writes a distinguishedOrientalist],
of western

hesitation that the Greeks

of what

the first full-bloom

a

Greek

destined

ness;

has

the

soothed

civilization

come

soul

in

of

myBticism
comforted

and

of

it with

1918).
(by W. A. Hawly, London,
p. 317
10 See
in Science, p. 12 et aeq.
the author's Woman

Sparta

produced

Hellenism, that is

to full consciousness

subtle
anguish and

too,
birth-place,

Minor

of
highest possibilities

to attain the

the

we

in

prin-

be said without

Asia

call pure

le

of itself and
the

Hellenic

religion that
hope." Asia Minor,
every

(New York, 1913).

THE

CRADLE

however,

the

accident

of

for

other

its claim

Whatever

genius.

OF

Ionian

THE

to absolute

section

of the

geographical position
vital link between

its individual

name

East

Greek

of all the
that

it

shape

in which

la

ne

Nor

the

who

the

of

the

literature,but
and

man

took

alphabet

it about

to carry

were

that

and

islands

and

men

it to mention

belongs to,

or

elan

man,

the

final

the

ized
civil-

for, the
de genie duquel
cares

poets, while

Father

the

second

*^The

where

Homer,

the mainland.

was

Hippocrates, the oracle

of Medicine,
first saw
birthplace of AIcsbus and
in the

stands

called

less prolific

'*

Lesbos, the

and

fringed Ionia

than

Cos, where

*'The

which

women

first of whom

being

imposed
tion
designa-

^^

in famous

the

and

any

follow the development

between

art would

were

day

than

more

only

ignore that *'bel

statuaire attique*'?

republic of

the

must

not

that

the Greeks
And

world.

of

Students

in Ionia

was

served

from

race

and

of communication

know

est

where

means

Hellenic

regard with peculiar

the city-Stateof Hellenic type first

to adolescence.

grew

priorityin culture,

All who

people.

of free social institutions

the land

105

West,
terminology as

Oriental

on

of the whole

interest

OSMANLIS

forefront

enjoyed
^^

Poetess

the

unique

Homer

as

of

was

Suffice
of

physicians
the light
Sappho,
Greek
lyric

distinction
called

of

*^The

Poef

But
and

where
in

immortal

their

once

of

schools

the

and

Sappho,
Asia

Alcaeus
works

Minor;

lived and
were

where

used

labored
as

Zeuxis

books
text-

and

surrounded
of
were
Appelles and Parrhasius
by crowds
admiring pupils; where
Hippocrates and Galen of Perauthorities
in medical
long the supreme
science,
gamon,
of scientific
born; where
were
Hipparchus of Nicaea, founder
first became

astronomy,

famous;

where

Aristarchus

and
the East, pp. 8, 9 (by D. G. Hogarth. Oxford, 1907).
Another
view
when
Orientalist, H. R. Hall, expresses
substantially the same
Greek
civilization
in Ionia that the new
he tells us that "It was
Ionia,
arose;
survived, taught the new
the old ^Egean blood and spiritmost
in whom
Greece,,
^-i^

Ionia

eminent

her coined
gave
the Phoenicians
deemed
the

the

Earliest

and
money
from
before

ends
Times

of

the
to

and
her shipmen. forcing
letters, art and
poesy,
her new
culture
them, carried
to what
then
were

earth."
the

Battle

The

Ancient

of Salamis,

East
History of the Near
p. 79 (London, 1916).

from

BERLIN

FROM

106

the most

of Samothrace,

than

more

brilliant

of the

there

career,

of those

names

BABYLON

critic and

intellectual wilderness

an

even

AND

celebrated

antiquity,began his

of

BAGDAD

TO

and

who

but

were

grammarian
is

little

now

edge
knowl-

scant
the

once

glory

Hellas, as well as of Anatolia. The erstwhile homes of

art, science,and literature in Asia Minor have shared the
fate as Olympia, Carthage, and
Syracuse. Only a
same
of

few

broken

were

once

How
come

mutilated

and

columns

remain

statues

of what

great cultural centers of the ancient world.

does not the explorer in Anatolia unexpectedly
dead
city on a mountain
slope or in a hidden

the

often
a

upon

hollow, which

was

abandoned

choked

with

thousand

brushwood,

years

ago,

whose

whose

palaces and
covered
with a tangle of vegetation, whose
theaters are
tombs
hidden
marble
the only
are
by brambles, where
lutely
human
being ever seen is a wandering shepherd who is absoindifferent to these marvelous
ous
vestiges of a marvelpast!
has not frequently seen
And
what
traveler in Anatolia
and statues built into walls and houses,
mutilated columns
and beautifullycarved friezes and capitalsput to the most
Nor
in this land
is this all. Everywhere
ignoble uses?
of the most delicately
of countless Pompeis untold treasures
streets

are

chiseled

marbles

in the

which

pride

of

adornment

days of
price and

the

into

cast

lime

art-lovingGreeks

kilns

"

and

marbles

Romans

the
which, for generations, were
the cities which
the chief
and
they embellished
of the superb structures
of which
they formed

above

were

been

have

part.
of the
memories
But, if the ruins of Anatolia awake
renowned
former
once
ters
cengrandeur of cities which were
of art, science,and letters,
they likewise carry us back
to the days when
the Osmanli
chieftains became
the heirs
of the Eastern
Caesars and when
they gained the mastery
of that portion of the world
which
from
of history
the dawn
a

has transcended
in which

were

all others
located

in human

the

proud

interest ; the territory

cities of Tyre and

BERLIN

FROM

108

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

called Ilderim
rapid movements, was
lightning;^
who
retrieved the losses inflicted by Timur;
Mohammed,
Murad
II, the antagonist of Hunyady and Skanderberg;
of Constantinople; Selim I,
Mohammed
II, the conqueror
annexed
who
Kurdistan, Syria, and Egypt, and Solyman
of his

the

"

Magnificent,the

victor

besieger of Vienna.
another

one

"

succession
founded

empire

by such
dismay, as well
Sultan

But not

for

in

and

did

eight such

the

feeble Bayazid II

the

ceed
sovereigns suc"

in

broken
un-

other

was
an
country; never
and extended
turies
during two so splendid cenIn the hour of
series of great rulers.
a
as

master

was

Never
save

the field of Mohacs

on

any

in the moment

of

triumph, the

Turkish

of the situation.^^

only were

Emirs

the Ottoman

period eminent as rulers

they, as well
exceptions,

and
as

and

Sultans

empire builders.

of this

With

few

of their successors,
sessed,
posfacultyof choosingthe right

many

Napoleon, the rare

for the right place. This is especially
men
noteworthy in
their choice of generals,admirals, and grand viziers who
which they filled with
selected for the high positions,
were
without regard to their nationalityor accisuch distinction,
dents
them
of birth.
and
Jews
were
Among
eunuchs,
and
and
Polish
Greek
Italian, German
renegades.^*
the Italian Cicala,the victor of Karestes; the
There was
Mehemet
German
Sli,son of a Magdeburg musician, who
like

the main

commanded
Croatian
the

clerk became

Crimea.

Chief

army

the
among

Italian Ululj Ali, the Greeks

in

Bulgaria;

leader

Omar

of the

who

Turkish

from
army

in

the

the
great admirals were
Kheyr-ed-din and Urug Bar-

York, 1888).
Story of Turkey, p. 78 (by Stanley Lane-Poole, New
historian
that
tells us
the
ablest
Hammer-Purgstall
generals and
statesmen
the reigns of Selim
and
under
Solyman the Magnificent those who
raised the Ottoman
of prosperity were
ing
Empire to its acme
renegades. Durthis period no
fewer
of ten
than
out
of the grand viziers
eight
were
likewise apostates. "Si done
la puissance ottomane
foula aux
pieds tant de
nations, ce resultat ne doit pas ^tre attribu6 au caract^re
indolent
et grossier
des Ottomans, mais
k I'espritde ruse
et de finesse qui distingue les peuples
et slaves, k la t^m^rit^
et k la perfidiedes Allanaia
et des
Dalmates,
grecs
k la perseverance et k I'opini"trete
des Bosniem
et des Croates, enfin k la
valeur
et aux
talents
des ren^gats des pays
conquis." Hiatoire de VEmpire
Tom.
(Paris, 1835).
Ottoman,
VI, p. 452-454
i2T/ie
18

The

"

"

barossa
It

THE

CEADLE

from

the island

the

and

]\[editerranean

the Arab

OSMANLIS
;

Piali

aid

able

was
Magnificent,

the

Solyman

of Lesbos

chieflythrough

was

THE

OF

Pasha,

of the

to

109
from

tia.
Croa-

last three

that

control of the

secure

states of Northern

Africa

and

devastating raids not only to the coasts of

beyond the Strait of
Italy,France, and Spain but even
returning to
Gibraltar, to waylay the argosieswhich were
( 'adix laden with the gold and jewels of the Indians."
But more
distinguishedthan the Sultan's noted generals
the long series of men
who
and his corsair admirals
was
his

extend

to

Vizierate.

Grand

occupied the

The

most

famous

of these

Abyssinian eunuch
Bashir; the renegade Jew,
Kiamil
Pasha; the Herzegovinan, Mohammed
Sokalovich;
the Albanian, Mohammed,
Kiuprili,who, from a kitchenthe most
noted grand
boy in the Sultan's palace, became
ruled the great Ottoman
vizier that ever
Empire. He was
in the Grand
Vizierate by his son
succeeded
Ahmed
who,
as
a statesman, was
scarcelyless celebrated than his father.
A short interval after Ahmed's
death, Mustafa
Kiuprili,a
second son of Mohammed
became
grand vizier and his rule
consurfimate
marked
was
by the same
statesmanship that
Their
so
distinguishedthe rule of his father and brother.
rise is especiallyinterestingfor,as observes Von
Hammer,
**the history of the empires of the Orient offers only four
instances of members
of the same
family succeeding one
another in the dignity of the Grand
^^
Vizierate.
the

were

"

In this brief reference

to the

men

who

achieved

such

tinction
dis-

in
must

we

role

in

Three

buildingup and extending the Ottoman

Empire,
not forget the women
who played so important a
the history of Turkish
politicsand statecraft.

of the most

Eoxalana, who

passed from

imperial harem
the

1*

1893
16

The

notable

to become

of these
a

the

Story of

the

Barlary Corsairs^p.

Op. cit.,Tom.

I, p.

18.

the

Muscovite

public slave market to the

wife of Solyman the Magnificent

greatest of the Ottoman

were

56

Sultans ; the Venetian

(by

Poole

and

Kelly,New

York,

BERLIN

FROM

110

at

Safia who

an

BAGDAD

TO

early age

abducted

was

BABYLON

AND
from

her

home

on

Canal, taken to Constantinopleand sold to the

she had a son
Sultan Murad
III,by whom
who, after his
III ; Aimee
Dubuc
Sultan Mohammed
father 's death, became
born
in
de Rivery, who, like the Empress
Josephine, was
the littleisland of Martinique and who, in her youth, was
an
of Napoleon Bonaparte, but
intimate of the future consort
of Algerian pirates by
who
eventually fell into the hands
of Algiers. Thence
sold in the slave market
she was
whom
she was
conveyed to Constantinople as a present to the
she bore a son
who
came
beI, to whom
Sultan, Abdul Hamid
Mahmud
II, the grandfather of the late Abdul
the

Grand

Hamid

11.

By

their

gained

women

these

beauty,wit,and fascinatingmanners
influence

unbounded

an

the

over

three

Sultans

able,
remarkand, what is more
tagonists
anthey were
able,notwithstanding their numerous
in the harem, to retain their ascendancy in the
of youth and
affections of their lords long after the season
beauty had passed. In overweening ambition, diplomatic
ing
unfailingresourcefulness in high resolve,in achievfinesse,
in the face of the greatestobstacles,
these three
success
tunate
forChristian
captives were
worthy rivals of their more
their lives

with whom

cast

were

sisters of the West

Medici, and
From
out

the

the

Marquise

preceding

de

pages,

Capello,Catherine

de'

Pompadour.
it is

clear,as

Freeman

points

that,"

the

institution

of

the

for the Turk

and

dominion.

they kept

days of Ottoman
well-nighbrought down
the

from

West, Greek

the councils

Grand

bondmen

Vizier

Op. cit.yp.

or
340

to the

from
and

et

Captain
seq.

condition

won

During

the

the most
were

tribute-children

the armies
Pasha

of

very

empire

the

subject caste.
East, voluntary renegades

Slavonic

commanded

and

They

it for him.
.

the

was

greatness the native Turks

brilliant

Manumitted

children

tribute

of the Ottoman

keystone

10

Bianca

"

born

directed

of the Sultans.

in the faith of Islam

noted

indeed

was

subtlety of devil
of

by
to

away

devise
of

chains
own

provide against

Their
conquerors.
most
vigorous frames
whom

those
liberators

of

own

such

the

did

111
the

craft and

tremendous

conquered

engine

nations

best blood

was

were

drawn

degeneracy in the blood of

strongest and fairest children,
and the most
lects,
precocious intel-

any

marked

had

nature

their

OSMANLIS

Their

hands.

their
the

THE

portent. Never

man

or

their

as

The

tyranny.

riveted

OF

CRADLE

THE

race,

were

out

carried

as

chiefs

off to

and

become

of their degradation. This fearful

specialinstruments
with the possession of Constantinople,
combined
institution,
and with the marvelous
hereditary greatness of the ruling
from the common
family, preserved the House of Othman
the

fate of Oriental

According
a

Turkish

to

race

dynasties.
a

long prevalent opinion,the Osmanlis

achieved

who

the

conquest of Asia

are

Minor

ters
masEurope and before they became
The
fact is they had subof the Byzantine Empire.
jugated
the entire Balkan
peninsula before they obtained
than the northwest
of Anatolia,
corner
possession of more
had
maintained
and
Adrianople as the Ottoman
capital
before Mohammed
quest
II, after the coneighty-seven years
it to its present locaof Constantinople,transferred
tion
the Bosphorus.
on
in their earliest days, comNor were
the Osmanlis, even
posed
nomads
entirely,as is so often asserted,of Turkish
from
it. They were
the East.
from
welded
Far
from
the
heterogeneous elements
Greeks, Cai-ians, Phrygians,
Galatians,the followers of Osman, and other peoples who
then inhabited the northwestern
And,
part of Asia Minor.
of
as
early as the reign of Orkhan, the son and successor
not only
Osman, this complex blending of peoples became

before

they

invaded

"

distinct
So

heirs
that

far

race

are

of the

but
the

race

Osmanlis

with
from

national

consciousness.

regarding themselves

as

Turkomans
Seljukian Turks or as transformed
to remove
this erroneous
they have always endeavored
impression which has so long prevailed concerning

BERLIN

112

FROM

their

people.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

distinguishedhistorian,Mouradja

The

d'

Ohsson, declares:
Osmanlis

The

^*Turk''

the word

employ

when

referring

According to the Osmanlis,

Turk belongs only to the peoples of Turkestan
the epithet
lead a stagnant life in
and to those vagabond hordes who
to the
the deserts of Khorassan'T All the peoples submitted
of Osmanlis
Empire are designatedunder the collective name
of
the Monarchy, and they
from
Osman
I, the founder
called Turks
peans.
do not understand
why they are
by Eurothe idea of the most
As they attach to this word
allows
marked
insult,no foreigner in the Empire ever
to

himself

The

to

use

it in

Osmanlis,
while

even

brutal

and

coarse

man.

speaking to

as

we

have

still confined

them.^^

seen,

to Asia

were

Minor.

of

mixed

But

blood,

after their

expansion in Asia they

in blood the most
became
cosmopolitan and vigorous race
had
known
since the days of the Greeks
the world
and
Romans.
Greek, Turkish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Albanian,
sian,
Armenian, Wallachian, Hungarian, German, Italian,RusTartar, Mongol, Circassian, Georgian, Persian,
the ancestry of the Osmanlis,
this was
Syrian, Arabian
who, under Solyman the Magnificent,made the whole world
of blood
tremble.
In richness
the only parallel to the
in modern
Osmanlis
times is the present population of the
United
States and Canada.
It would, indeed, require
an
analyst of superhuman power to determine
ethnological
conquests in Europe

further

and

*^

"

''^^

the

percentage of Osmanli

blood

in the

present inhabitants
of the western
part of the Ottoman
Empire.^"
Nor is this all. From
the day of Orkh^n
and Murad
I,

the Osmanlis

^f

Tableau

^"The

York.

have

Oin6ral
Foundation

been

de

of

the

classed

Empire
Ottoman

as

raiders

like the devas-

Ottoman, Tom. II, p. 217 (Paris, 1790).

117 ^(by
H. A. Gibbons, New
Empire,
p.
y
y
y
"

1916).

Freencuin writes to the eame

eflfectwhen
he declares "between
JanliMiries
and
the mothers
of all nations, the blood
of many
a
be phyilcallyanything rather than Turkish."
Op. cit.,p. 187.
*"

renegades,
Turk

must

THE

CRADLE

tatinghordes

of Timur

OF

THE

OSMANLIS

Gen^is

and

113

Kahn.

Nothing could
the truth.
So far indeed were
be farther from
they from
being a predatory people like the Mongols and Tartars
from
the days of their founder, a race
that they were,
of
This was
colonists and empire builders.
the secret of their
and

success

of the

explanationof

the

trian
AusSultans, which, as the eminent
Empire
clared
historian,Joseph Von
Hammer-Purgstall, has de**was
more
rapid in its rise than Rome, more
during
en-

The

that

of Alexander.''

which

causes

of the Osmanlis
into the vast

were,

as

there

Osmanlis

of

of Osman

warriors
and

successors

the

to

ment
achieve-

which
to

had

enabled
and

occupy

tribes

small

subdue

the

of

Western

' ' ^"

were
so

and

Empire
Europe.

of

those

to

Empire.

But

rapid development

the four hundred

of his

Germans

and

Roman

from

to the

extraordinary results in so short a period of

the historian
gree
deFinlay points out, **in some

similar
Goths

contributed

armies

of such

the

development

of the

than

time

the marvelous

"

which

other

contributory causes
masters
quickly to become
to make

Chief

themselves
these

among

were

of the

tine
Byzan-

to the whole

menace

enabled

the

tions
conflictingambiByzantine throne and

aspirants to the
the rivalries of the petty chieftains
of the Balkan
sula
Peninand the commercial
jealousies of Venice and Genoa.
All these
anything like joint
purely secular aims made
action
of the Crescent
possible.
against the followers
quite imIt

numerous

Caiitaciizenos,
a traitor

was

Andronfcus

of

Europe.
20

After

History of

Time,

Vol.

three

which

tribe

over

population
and

degraded
of the

the

state

Hellenic

Second, the

number

the

the

Byzantine throne, he

from its Conquest ty the Romans

these
causes
(Oxford, 1877).
Among

special attention.
contemporary nations

of

Osmanlis

Greece

deserve
all

the

introduced

who

usurping

Ill, p. 475

military conduct.
Danube

II,

the widow

to his empress,

country between
iEgean. Third, the

of its
race.

judicialand

''First, the
in

to

of
the

gave
the

Finlay
superiority of the

religiousconvictions
diflFerent
Adriatic

depopulation

civil administration

which

races

and
of

and
the

into
his

Present
indicates
Ottoman

in moral

composed

and
the

Sea,

the

Empire,

the

Black

the

Greek

and

the demoralization

in

gle
strug-

his infamous

againsthis legitimatesovereign. By

trayal
be-

more
and country he contributed
of his empress
of the
single factor to the ultimate downfall
any

than

Byzantine Empire.
the de^ot
It was

Stephen

Bukcovitz

Bayazid

to whom

he commanded

It

the Franks.

and

Greeks

formed

who

alliance with

his sister

he gave

Serbian

the

was

an

wife

as

prince
emir

the

even
Army
forces,after
"

When
the Osmanli
againsthis coreligionists.
at Angora, were
their signaldefeat by Timur

faced

with

Tartars, it

of the victorious

annihilation at the hands

with

for whom

and

contingent in the Ottoman

the

in his contest

him

support

to

invited

Paleologus who

Theodore

into Greece

Osmanlis
the

in his

soldiers to aid him

exchange for six thousand

Orkhan

emir

to the

marriage

in

daughter,Theodora,

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

lU

was

Greeks, Genoese, and Venetians who saved them from

the Dardanelles
destruction by transportingthem
across
their relentless purand the Bosphorus to Europe where
suers
the

unable

were

But

these

Ottoman
of

to follow them.

only

are

few

instances

received

conquerors

Europe.

**In their

from

of the aid which

the

Christian

conquest of the Balkan

the

nations

peninsula

it is

remarkable," declares a recent writer, **that the

Osmanlis
never
fought a battle without the help of allies
of the faith and
under

blood

the Moslem

of those

yoke.'*'' The

the region of the Danube

was

beholden

more

they

And

putting

were

victories of

largelydue

were

of his Christian vassals.

he

whom

Bayazid

in

to the

tion
coopera-

in his invasion

of Hungary

to the Wallachians

than

to his

famed corps of Janissaries."

""

Gibbons, op

"

"^'^^ *^" Ottoman

!lL?*ir!"."^'*"'*"*"^*^
wmum

cit
,

mor

Wir.
""vt

p. 173.

Ramsay

who

does

strength and
!l![!"?.k!!l"*?^
J.^^'
the
vaaqultbad

^t
1-.,^..^^

Chriitians:
Turkiah
force and

s^^.

ilmSSTmi)
"TW

CbrittlaM

^^^^^
"^

w"rt

'*"''

^"""^

cnubed

Latin

or

their

history than

fraud

"^*"W, however
^""'^^

by

people

hesitate to declare:
"It has alskill of Christian
allies that the Turks
not

^*'^''*

the arts and

hroad."

^"'^"^^ri^9,
p.

arms

of their own

271

et

seq.

brethren

property.
sequestrated

of their

"eMion

payment

of

capitationtax

moderate

they
lands by

and

thus

were

law which
of Moslem
protection
tian
controversies of rival Chrisnotice of the religious
no
its Christian
This liberal policyof Islam towards
sects.
subjects"a policywhich safeguarded their persons
the

enabled to live under

took

it did

property" followingas

and

when

Even

they recovered their

refused to accept the Koran

the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

116

tyranny of the Lower

Empire

marvelously rapid

in the

of

domination
easy
In Asia
Saracens.

the heels of the odious

on
was

an

extension

of

"

Islam

conquering

the

factor

important
and

in the

Ottomans

and

Mohammedanism
Minor, particularly,

tine
triumph because it was opposed to Byzandespotismwhich was the objectof universal execration.

achieved

But

an

easy

nothing, probably, contributed

of the Osmanlis

rapid conquest
in matters
to those

of

religion.This

whp, from

towards

the

their

ance
spiritof tolerwill,I know, seem
strange

their

of the atrocities of

youth, have listened to the story

that mythical personage,
**the Moslem

with the sword

warrior

than

more

in

hand

one

and

the Koran

in the

other."
But

[writes one

who

has

made

special study of the

actuated
by policy,

whether
their tolerance was
inbject],
by genuine kindlyfeeling,
or by indifference,
the
be

gainsaidthat the Osmanlis

were

fact cannot

the first nation

in modem

historyto

lay down the principleof religiousfreedom

tile comer-stone
in the building
of their nation.
up
During the centuries that bear the stain of
aa

unremitting

persecution of the Jew

tad the Moslem
Omanlis.'*
To

one

who

[in western Europe] the Christian

lived together in harmony under
the

is familiar with

the

teachingsof

the Koran

and Uie poUcy of Islam since the

days of Mohammed
there
U
notiiing
surprisingin this tolerance and religiousfreed"n
which Osmanlis and Moslems
have

always

'

-R

A.

OlbboM,

op, oil.,p. 81.

accorded

OF

CRADLE

THE

THE

OSMANLIS

117

subjects. **Let there be no compulsion in

religion/'^"declares the Prophet, and again it is written,
to become
believers!
**Wilt thou compel men
No soul can
believe but by the permission of God.'*"
their Christian

Nor

these

were

of

Koran

similar

Islam

in their

There

have
even

and

other

numerous

import

ignored by

ever

dealings with

declarations

their

of the

the leaders

non-Moslem

of

subjects.

been, it is true, frequent outbursts

of persecution among
Mohammedans,

of fanaticism,
which

sulted
re-

sufferingon the part of the Christian population

and in putting in force against them
intolerant
very
the
But
ordinances
measures.
persecutions and harsh
the result of religiousantagonism as of
not so much
were
in much

conditions
political
traceable

at the

distrust

time.

Not

few

of them

are

of the

loyalty of Christians towards

their Moslem
rulers or to the intriguesof Christian nations
like Russia
whose
have
been responsible
secret emissaries
of the agitationin Asia Minor
for generations
for so much
be traced to the bad faith of certain
past. Others again may
in their dealings with Moslem
ers,
rulEuropean powers
to

to the

or

**

harsh

and

officials*' in the service

Neglected
Christian
and

as

insolent

of Mohammedan

the Eastern

brethren

in the

of the

powerful rulers

their Christian
the

as

have
to have

banished

subjectsor
did

the

Moors,

to have

27

Sura
Sura

28

The

26

certain
raro

put into execution

II, 257.
X, 99. 100.
erudite
Assemani,

persecutions of

the

sacerdotum

medicorum

altercationes."

(Rome,

been

or

Christians

of

by

the

easy

from

part

for

English

have

Ibrahim
notion

Vatican

Mohammedans,

any

out

ions
their domin-

the

or

the barbarous

Librarian

by their

utterly rooted

It would

(in 1514)

been

the
fectly
per-

(in 1646)
they con-

Library, writing
declares:

of

"Non

Christianorum
ipsorum sfmultyrannica magnatum
potestas,
in gentem suam
de supremo
imperio
praesertimscribammque
Orientalis
Bihlotheca
Clementino-Vaticana, Tom. Ill, Pars, II

persecutionis procellam excitarunt

tates,
et

Selim

been

for the most

them

Jews, for nearly four centuries.

possiblefor

have

West, unarmed

of Islam

Spaniards

sovereigns."

Christians

utterly defenceless,it would

of Christian

behavior

1719"1728),

mutuse

licencia, prsBSulum fastus,

TO

BERLIN

FROM

U8

BAGDAD

BABYLON

AND

just as
Christian subji^cts,
ccived of exterminating their
Shlahs with the
had massacred forty thousand

the former
of religiousbehef among
aim of estoblishinguniformity
subjects. The muftis who turned the
his Mohammedan
cruel purpose did so as
mindfl of their masters from such a
Muslim tolerance.^'^
the exponents of Muslim law and

survival,''therefore, ''of the Christian

author pertithe same
nently
as
the presentday, is,''

"The

very

Churches

to

tolerant
observes, *'a strong proof of the generally
towards

governments

Mohammedan

the

of

attitude
them.""

Ecclesiasticalwriters of the epoch of the Mohammedan

the rapid progaccord with the

explanationof
quitein
armies, which was

conquestgive stillanother
of Moslem

reM

spiritof

wished, they declared,to chastize

to
and to compel them
their infidelity
God

the time.

the Christians for

do

for their manifold

penance
not

was

In

heresies.

their view

that

the astounding conquests of the Mussulmans

"Tk"
Preaching of Islam,
#WtA. pp. 422, 423 (by T. W.
""Ibid., pp. 79, 80.

History of the Propagation

Arnold, London, 1913).

of

it

the

Muslim

and
Of all wbo
careful study of the character
have made
religion of
a
of Asia, no
an
Urn MobMunedanB
one
probably, is better qualifiedto express
the
As
than
M. A. de Gobineau.
"pIldMIOB tke subject under consideration
of thorough investigationduring several years
residence
IMmH
them,
among
ko dots not hesitate to declare
that
if one
separates religious doctrines
from political
there
necessitywhich has often spoken and acted in its name,
U ao religionthat is more
indifferent
tolerant, one
more
might almost
say

rs^rdlocmens'
deaori dot
"ossohBaas
k le

qa

la

faith than

eo

cas

flat Wplko

ou

"Cette
Islam.
dispositionorganique est si forte
d'Jfitatmise en jeu a port6 les gouvernments
tendre
de tout pour
k unit6 de foi, la tolerance

la raison

faire arme
^t^ la regie fournie

Qu'on ne s' arr^te

par le dogme.
cruaut^s
dans
"ioteaeoo,aux
comniises
dans
occasion
une
une
ou
Bl oo regarde de prds, on
k
d^couvrir
tardera
ne
des
causes
pas
y
de passion humaine
toutes
politiques
ou
et de temperament
chez le
lla ou
la population.
dans
Le
fait religieux n'y est invoqu6 que
Les Religions et les PhilosopffoUxU ot, en r^alite,il reste en dehors."
r Am4
MMdMw
Central, pp. 24, 25 (Paris, 1865).
.

What

haa hwo

said of tne

tolerance

of

the

Osmanlis

distinguishedOrientalist,Prince
Ajjatho
Mlswtis
of
the

4M*
""

Prophet

l$lam. Vol. V,

^.fjy"" P*'

"Ml^, sioche

^odarooo
...

d'una

"Gli

or

of

Caetani,

the
claims

peoples of
for

the

Arabi," he writes in his monumental

p. 4 (Milan, 1912), "nei
primi anni non
ragioni di fede, no si diedero pena alcuna
sotto
rislam, dopo le prime conquiste, i
toUeranza
si era
mai
religiosaquale non

OF

CRADLE

THE

OSMANLIS

THE

of Christians.

led to the apostasy of such vast numbers

the

rather

was

that

easy

so

it

but

were

as

much

the

as

these

to

quished.
van-

writers

of divine vengeance,
or, as
it,peccatisexigentibus victi sunt

instrument

an

of

conquest of Islam

then, according

arms,

expressed

them

victors

surprisedthe

Moslem

the

It

defections

widespread

rendered

which

churches

heretical

and

numerous

119

of

one

Chris-

tiani,^^
As

the small

traverses

one

of the Osmanlis

territorywhich

the cradle

was

reflects that the people to whom

and

the in-,

from
their
Sugut gave his name
were,
first appearance
in history,almost within sightof the City
of Constantine, one
cannot
help admiring their marvelous
from
transformation
retainers
of a village chieftain to
of vast territories
heirs of the empire of the Cajsars,to masters
in Asia, Africa, and Europe."
From
the humblest

emit*
significant

of

Sagrada,

Oeografico de la Igleaia de Espana, Tom.

view
when
he declares
Hergenrother hold the same
that
Islam
of the
for the degenerate Christians
was
a
Strafe punishment
Orient
whose
moral
of sacred
corruption, religious schism, and desecration
Handbuch
for it.
things through arbitrary state-power had paved the way
der Allgemeinen Kirchengeschichtef Tom.
I, p. 748 (Freiburg im Breisgau,

^^UEspana
XXXVII,
p.

312.

Teatro

Cardinal

"

"

1884).
The
he

distinguished historian, F.
"The

writes:

the

Prophet

on

the

enmities

and

Barbary

X.

Funk,

Carthaginians were
the

were

conquerors

States

and

the

West

expresses

similar

safelygathered under
free
of

continue

to

Africa, the

their
many

opinion when

the

standard

victorious
divisions

of

march
and

the Eastern
Christologicaldisputes had given rise among
Christians
their
task."
A
Manual
Church
of
Historyf
greatly facilitating
Vol. I, p. 132
(London, 1909).
32 "Estimates
of population," observes
worthy,
Marriott, "are notoriously untrustbut it seems
probable that at a time when
Henry VIII ruled over about
four million
Suleiman
numbered
people the subjects of Sultan
fiftymillion."
The

to

which

Eastern

"After

Question, p. 89

(Oxford, 1917).

the

conquest of Constantinople,"writes
Finlay, "the Ottomans
became
the most
have
acted
who
a
dangerous conquerors
part in European
Roman
Their
at
Dominion,
history since the fall of the western
Empire.
the period of its greatest extension, stretched
from
Buda
the Danube
on
to
Bussora
the Euphrates. On the north, their frontiers
on
were
guarded against
the Poles by the fortress of Kamenietz,
and against the Russians
by the walls
of Azof; while
to the south
the
of Aden
secured
their
rock
authority over
the southern
of Arabia, invested
coast
them
with
in the Indian
Ocean,
power
the complete command
and gave
them
Sea.
of the Red
To the east, the Sultan
ruled the shores of the Caspian,from the Kour
to the Tenek; and his dominion
stretched
of the
westward
coast
along the southern
Mediterranean, where
the farthest
limits of the regency
of Algiers,beyond Oran, meet
the frontiers
of the empire of Morocco.
the
Ottomans
quest
rapid
By
steps
completed the conof the Seljouk sultans
in Asia
sultans
in Syria
Minor, of the Mamlouk
and

Egypt,

of the

fierce corsairs

of northern

Africa,expelledthe

Venetians

and

of

Vol

from
the

of
ruler

V.

and

Cret",

Cypnu"
J"ruMilem

boait
tb"

for

immovable

remain

p.

the

continents,

(Oxford,

1877).

find

that
and

he

the

and
a

lord

of

the

master
two

seas."

ers
rul-

throne

the
standing
notwith-

destined
to

of
It

of

many

History

to

come.

Knights

Malta.

at

the

was

brilliant

seems

drove

shelter

can

Mohammed

generations

long

who

which,

and

ago,

Archipelago,
to

of

quarters,

many

and

of

boast

can

occupied

days

the

many

series
have

centuries

Levant,
sultan

Ottoman
three

of

the

Europe

rare

from

from

menaces

from

five

nearly

Conqueror,

in

who

sovereigns

immovable

been

baa

which

of

line

to

history

early

their

in

point

who

people

dynasty

continued

longest

the

of

became

gradually

they

beginnings

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

120

St.

was

no

John
vain

kingdoms,
of

Oreece,

CHAPTER
OP

LIFE

HOME

Truths

OSMANLIS

THE

can

he

never

did

doubts

Though

VI
IN

confirmed

of

traveler

''Pericles''

of

peninsula
is like
**the

Orient

and

the
Asia

far

as

is the

It

Road,'*

bridge

from

Ephesus

Persia.

southern

cities required,

ninety days.
pilgrims

To

make

according

And
were

it

was

wont

the
to the

to

the

back

and

subdue
the

on

in

the

**

famed

which

their

Susa

two

tian
Chris-

the

Europe

crossed
Holy Land, and .the bridge also which was
Crusaders
under
iGodefroy de Bouillon, Louis VII

to the

the

and

France,

Jerusalem

recover

The

Frederic

The

course

Historical

of

Barbarossa

from
the

Geography

the

they

sought

by
of
to

Mohammedans.

Anatolian

of Asia

when

in

less than

from

way

tended
ex-

these

historian, no
over

Royal

which

between

the

West.'*^

to far-off

journey

to pass

again

route

same

Sea

bridge

the

ize
revolution-

by Herodotus,

same

their

Persians, Arabs,

the

the -^gean

on

East

passed

described

found

passed

India.

made

which

over

graphically

so

has

it

said,

of Greece, under

the

of

well

been
East

Macedonian,

heart

Asia

that

attempts

has

as

all followed

Turks, have

Mongols,
many

the

as

the

battlefield

great

of the

to conquer

knows,

Topographically

civilization

the

bridge

same

which,

the

; and

the

Occident.

civilization

of Alexander

guidance
across

the

well

the

immemorial

time

been

for the

borders

historian

from

has

over

religion, art and

Greece

For

I.

which

that

this,as the

Minor

great bridge

into

way

Asia

the

between

And

indeed.

saying much

than

turn

V,

greater interest

possesses

studious

Railroads.

Anatolian
is

Minor

part of Asia

enough,

sleep.

ever

Shakespeare

No

ANATOLIA

Railroad

Minor,

1890).
121

p. 23

is, for

(by W.

M.

the

Ramsay,

most

don,
Lon-

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FEOM

122

in Eoman

part,the same as that of a greatmilitaryhighway

the
and Byxantine times from Nicaea to DorylaBum. And
Ismid and Eski-Shebr,
between
scenery along it,especially
is often of rare
beauty and grandeur. In placesit is much
of

like that

southern

is the

There

same

Colorado

and

succession

of

valleys dotted

emerald

with

stretches of meadow

land

happy flocks,noble

forests

In

sycamore.

"

homesteads, broad

sprinkledwith

localities the

some

smiling landscapes

modest

of oak

California.

northern

sleek

herds

and

pine, walnut
vegetationis almost

and

and
of

fringed by a wild tangle

and brushwood
of bramble
tapestried with clematis and
in a flaming settingof dog-rose and
ivy and woodbine
luxuriance
tropical

and the road

is

azalea.
As

approach Bilejikeastward

we

of the

snow-capped
completely

Mysian OljTnpus the character of the scenery

duDj^es. The grade of the road rapidly increases and as
and
we
pass along gorges
through tunnels and
canyons,
over
bridges and describe innumerable curves
realize
we
that
are

ascending the famed table-land of Anatolia and

nearing Sugut, the earliest home of the Ottoman
Turks.
we

are

Eski-Shehr,from which a branch of the Anatolian Railroad

to Angora, the ancient Ancyra, is a flourishing
runs
town and, thanks to its finelyequipped
railway shops, is
the home of a largenumber
of railway employees and their
families. Before the world war
excellent school for the
an
benefit of the children of the
employees was
established
here and was
well attended. It was
conducted
the German
on

system and instruction

was

given in German.

Among

the

languagestaught,besides German, were Greek, French,

Turkish,and Armenian.
The town is noted for
being the
chief center of the world's
supply of meerschaum, a commodity
from which the Turkish
some

revenue.

From

Government
Eski-Shehr we went

derives

hand-

to Afium-Kara-

k-**!!i
^"^^^'^ ^^^^ quantitiesof opium
annually
and thence to Konia,
anciently
tapped,
Iconium,which is
are

Uis

western

terminus of the Bagdad

Railway.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

124

tives
Conservafled in adoptingtowards them what the English
**
Gladstone's bag and baggage policy''?
aptlyteraed

Let

see.

us

be

First of all it may

who

been

littleor

actuated by selfish
be asserted

it may

of the above

most

dictmen
in-

by people who

been made

personalknowledge of them, or by people

governed by passion or prejudice or have

no

been

have

have

Turks

againstthe
have

premisedthat

as

fact that cannot

the Turks

lived among

have

that those who

motives.
political

or

ondly,
And, secbe gainsaid

any

length of

opportunityof becoming intimately

acquaintedwith them find them to be thoroughly good,
And
the longer one
gentle,brave, and loyalto the core.
them

lives among
IB one

had

have

time and

an

and the better

real Turk

the Osmanli

"

class
^nd bourgeoi^

them

knows

the greater

This is

for them.

's admiration

one

true of the
especially
those of the peasant
particularly

"

in Anatolia.

These

are

as

honest

and

uprightas they are temperate, pious,and religious.

The pietyand the devotion of the Moslems, their gravity
and
solemnity and reverential attitude during prayer,
whether in the mosque
or
elsewhere,are of such character
to make
as
the least religious.
a deep impression on
even
**I have never
entered a mosque," writes Renan,
without
shall I say it? ^without a certain
a
deep emotion, and
regret at not being a Mussulman."
**

"

"

This devout character

of the Mohammedans

impressed Renan, appealed

the poet who

wrote

with

Most

honor

Whose

is in them everywhere!
mosque
amid
reveVs wildest din,

Who

In war's

to the

men

of prayer,

discipline,
rollingdeck,in thronged bazaar,
In strangerland, however
far.
severest

On

"l/ltUmisms

#1

te B9Um"t.
p. 10

(Paris,1883).

which

so

foundly
pro-

equal force

to

LIFE

HOME

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

ANATOLIA

IN

125

differentin their reach

Of thought, in manner
s, dress or speech,---'
Will quietly their carpet spread,
turn the humble
To Mekkeh
head,
As if blind to all around,
And
deaf to each resounding sound
In ^ritual language God adore.
In spiritto His presence
soar.
And
in the pauses
of the prayer,
in
Rest, as if rapt
glory there.
However

if not

Many,
been

obtained

origin,at

of the

respecting

least in the minds

in the ludicrous

regarding
When

most

the

harem

the

Osmanlis

of the

life of these

is referred

have

which
had

have
their

great majority of people,

conceptionswhich
harem

notions

erroneous

have
much

been current
loj^g
maligned people.

to in

it is
Europe or America
pictured as consisting of a swarthy, fierce,and sensual
ered'
pasha, seated on a broad divan, garbed in richly embroidwith a highly ornate
tentedly
robes, armed
scimitar,and consmoking his narghile while his ever-youthfulwives
are
entertaininghim with music and dance and song.
Nothing could be more
preposterous, or further from the
and not polygamy is the rule in
reality. For monogamy
the Ottoman
Empire especiallyin Anatolia, and always has
been.
The Koran
does,indeed,permit polygamy but under
such restrictions that a plurality of wives
is confined to
those who
due provisionfor their support.
able to make
are
And
is daily becoming
the wealthy monogamy
even
among
more
prevalent. Thus the late Sultan,Mohammed
V, unlike
of his polygamous predecessors,had but a singlewife
some
and
to her, also unlike his predecessors,he was
legally
a

married.

Indeed,

so

unpopular

Mussulmans

has
that

polygamy
eminent

become

among

lightened
en-

authority on the
had a Pope and
subjectdeclares that *'if Mohammedanism
a
Church, in a word, an authority always living and
invested with the rightto modify the precepts of the Koran,
an

harem

disappeared."*

already have

certain that polygamy would

Much

of the age, it is almost

to the needs

adapt them

to

in order

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

126

prevailingmisconception concerning the

rance
ignolife in the Orient arises from the lamentable
lands regarding the true meaning of
western
in our
the

of

To

harem.

the word

it is

better

know

should

who

many

with a place of debauchery, whereas, it is,on

synonymous
from
the
the contrary, the very opposite of this. Derived
word
Arabic
harhn, Turkish harem, it signifiesanything
forbidden

which

home

Moslem's

thing or place. Thus the part of a

of
is assigned for the exclusive use

sacred

or

It is their sanctuary to which

is called the harem.

be but the half of

It may

of

wing
harem

"

of the household

members

story and

the

is the best and

most

Henry

de

who

have

of

visited

laughable they
|"M
fottiMUtion exists

can

for

ItUiUted

that

iBMlwlvM,

that

"rladWidual
Util
a

Into

an

"that

so

an

idea

an

of

East, to the very

never
give a reason
unaccountable

delinquency;the

mob

intrusion

wives

ffafUive ceasing the

the

fancy

that

moment

*7*J* " PH5*"*"'* "'"*""

Pardoe,

in

their

the

EngUih
---

Grace

woman,

their

is held

The

of

Bosphorus

Ellison, who

"

T?*l ***!*f*^'" P"*'**^ lectures

is

r^tTT!!!!!!
Ulif! f*

.?*

MiUlI^J'
*y"'*'

**fthe

.u

'^^
~~

secretary

of

^^'" ^*^'" ^^ y""''

^^^ ^"*'* "^
'"^^

****

'"oP'nB

to

hear

thou

in

the

121

"ntimate

at

it is not
How

little

once

when

sacred
by the Turks
popular disturbance,

so

the

\i!!*

evident

of

cases

p.

the

by Europeans

prejudice.
be

must

an

while

harem,

victims;

door

(Loadon. 1830).
..

had

sufferingtheir

never

of

who
of

for

JStudes,

et

is attached

name

harem, or woman's
apartment,
inviolate even
they remain
in
on

designate
occupied by

that

Englisliwoman
impropriety

the

part of

to

L'Islam, Impressions

fact," writes

Turkey,

never

in

occupies the

commodious

employed

term

visitors.*

women

harem

haremlik, while

Castries,

(Paris, 1912).
" **lt is an
amusing

knowledge

usual
is

apartment

"Count

and

houses

the building. The

wife's

the

palace on the Bosphorus but it is still the

the sacred abode, the sanctum
sanctorum, of the

ordinary Ottoman

upper

family.

of hair,''or

House

**

males

no

marble

feminine
In

Bedouin

friends

of the

members

except the immediate

admitted

are

and

servants

his wife and children, for their female

violence

and

the

harem
and

betray
after

separates him
Danube,
p. 126
^

the

familiar
London

to

search

with
on

the
Turkish

life

of

life,

certain

not
must
society: "You
Many who
might come
Clearingimproper revelations, and

lecture.

revelations

and

go

away

die-

husband
friends

is known

"

ANATOLIA

he

127

receives

his male

selamlik, and is generally on the

's apartment is always recognized

as

The

floor.

ground

IN

where

receptionroom

his

"

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

women

The occupants of the haremlik

by its screened windows.
thus see
everything in the immediate
can
vicinitywithout
being seen.
The
harem
name
applies not only to the wife's part of
the sections

the home

but

also

tram

and

steamers, and

cars

to

in railway stations and

trains.
has
a

much

very

women's

to recommend

It

it.

to what

Mohammedan

institution that

an

its occupants

secures

of Oriental

their apparent
counte^rbalances

But, contrary

on

waiting rooms
on
compartments
railway

privacy which, in the estimation

than

women

to the women's

harem, thus understood, is

The

for

reserved

more

women,

loss of liberty.

is usually thought, the harem

institution.

is

It

long antedates Islam

for, as archaeologicalinvestigationsin the Orient clearly
in the
evince, there were
separate apartments for women
buildingsof ancient Persia, Assyria, and Babylonia."
not

Nor

do

the inmates
in their

imprisoned

as

from

Mrs.

it.

Mohammedan

For

the

harem

houses

consider

like birds

in

Meer

of

account

seven

of visits to harems

B.

Assyrian

an

harem
de

married

years

the

in

Far

cage.

time

in Luck's

of

Sargon,

dans

Tom.
AntiqutU,
See
and
also the
II, p. 435, et. seq. (by G. Perrot
1884),
Chipiez,
of the prehistoric palace of the Kings of Tiryns, as given in Schiieaccount
mann's
Tiryns, p. 239, et. seq. (New York, 1885). According to Dr. Dorpfeld
and
other eminent
archaeologiststhis palace, the oldest in Greece, is distinctly
oriental
in plan and
its smaller
was
Cf. also
obviously a harem.
megaron
iSchuchardt's
For
31.
Schliemann's
Excavations,
tions
interesting descripp.
more

centuries

themselves

who

Ali, an English lady

gentleman and resided twelve

illuminating

an

than

of

in

C,

Turkey

see

Eistoire

and

I'Art
Paris

the

Syria, consult

Bosphorus

and

the

Danube, p. 125, et seq. (by Julia Pardoe, London, 1839), and the Inner
Life
Both
of these
of 8yrta, Chap. XI
(by Lady Isabel Burton, London, 1884).
women
during their sojourn in the East, had exceptional opportunities for

studying the real

by its inmates.
The

life of the

harem

where

they were

always cordially welcomed

of wearing the veil, it may

here be remarked, dates
back
if
not
far,
Cf. Genesis, xxii:65, and
fully as far, as the harem.
iii:23.
Nor
is the wearing of the veil in the Orient
to-day confined
to
Moslem
Moslem
other
Christian
and
women.
women
non
wear

almost

custom

Isaiah,

as

have

worn
so

women

it from
often

of the

time

made,
Orient

immemorial.

that

and

it

was

How

erroneous,

therefore, is the
imposed the veil

that
Mohammed
them
incarcerated

inhumanly

entirely

in

the

harem!

it

and

ment,
stateon

the

FROM

now,

India, clearly states

she writes

life when

harem

infancy

to

irksome.
means
life is by no
and their amusements, and
einplo"Tnent8
tastes, nor suited to our
not exactlyto our
of

kind

they
modes

our

it

-that

fancy

and

dissipatingtime

of

profitably.Be

more

these

though

they
of

might spend

we

ladies,

Muslim

the

it may,

as

are

of education,

mode

the less relished by those for whom

They, perhaps,wonder equally at some

invented.

were

confinement, this
They have their

not

are

of

view

Oriental women's

the

from

ladies accustomed

To

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

128

to me
always
I have been long intimate, appear
with whom
happy, contented and satisfied with the seclusion to which
born ; they desire no
other,and I have ceased to
they were
with

of intercourse

partakers of

be made

regret that they cannot

the world

deem

we

so

freedom

that

essential to

our

finement
happiness,since their health suffers nothing from that conby which they are preserved from a variety of
and temptations; besides which
they would deem it
snares
disgracefulin the highest degree to mix indiscriminately
from
educated
who
with men
not relations. They are
are
infancy for retirement and they can have no wish that the
should
be changed which
custom
keeps them apart from
the societyof men
who are not very nearly related to them.
Female
society is unlimited and they enjoy it without

restraint.*
What
the

has been said of the harem

yashmak
of

the veil

"

race

or

by

worn

creed.

may

Oriental

most

When

women

spective
irre-

women,

in

appear

and

they have great libertyin this respect, if

veiled this garb or the tcharchaff,
many
possesses

public,
properly
"

tages
advan-

"

which

Christian

loath to forego. For

it enables them to see

as

well

as

of

also be asserted

Moslem

would

women

like the latticed window

be

of the harem

without

being seen and like the caliph

of the story,they can freelymove
through a crowd without
having their identityknown.
oped
envelFurthermore, when
in her /"?ri;ec-"
cloak"
and
of
yashmak, the person
the Oriontal
"OlwrrtitoM

is

woman
on

tk4

as

secure

MiMffu"man"

as

in the harem

of India,

p.

168

and

(London,

she

1917).

is

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

all the

safeguarded against

thus

her

to which

cities,are

frequently exposed.

suffragettesof

Stamboul

may

their

Parisian

hats

gorgeous

that many

convinced
the

creations

for

the

and

the

ferijee and
yeldirmee
and

to the

wearer.

secure

which

Ottoman

yashmak,

which

have

women

reports

are

ill-founded

cruel

from
writers

husband

all the

as

purpose

the

continuous

am

hash-oordoo

kinds

to endure

one

the

these

about

Turkish

life

his wife's
as

same

of certain

judge by the accounts

fancy for fact, the average
makes

said

been

women

quite
gladly exchange
the tcharchaff or

for

or

the

serve

To

who

for

privilegeswhich

has

much

Again

would

Eedfern

but

larger

Ottoman

the

European

gowns,

women

and

the

"

the immunities

and

insults

in the

of

the

envy

western

of Worth

Some

129

and

annoyances

sisters,especiallythose

western

so

ANATOLIA

IN

and

"

of

all

apparel

treatment

their husbands.
who
is

substitute
Bluebeard

Such

martyrdom.
fantastic

tales

that

and
long obtained credence
respecting the harem
other matters
man
pertaining to the everyday life of the OttoTurk.
But, as in these things it is impossible for a man
first-hand
to obtain
a
information, I shall quote from
who
had
woman
exceptional opportunities of becoming
life of the Osmanlis
thoroughly acquainted with the home
have

so

of Anatolia

and

whose

conclusions, therefore,are

of preponderant

value.

giftedwife of Sir W. M.
fessor
ProEamsay, the distinguishedarchaeologistof Aberdeen.
extend
whose
investigations in Anatolia
Ramsay
is probably the greatest
over
a
period of thirty-five
years
livingauthorityon the history of this part of Asia and on
As Lady Ramthe manners
and customs
of its inhabitants.
say
his expeditions
on
frequently accompanied her husband
This

led him

which
had

to very

nook

the

and

of the

corner

country, she

absolutelyunique opportunities for studying

life of the

her
**

is Lady Eamsay,

woman

cases

Ottoman

observations
of

she

brutalityon

Minor.

of Asia

women

does

not

hesitate

the part of

man

As
to

the home
result

declare

towards

of

that

his wife

hundred times

are

TO

BERLIN

FROM

130

Britain"

this country"" Great

*^

classes of

the lower

among

commoner

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

they

than

in

are

Tur-

Iwy."'
and

8uch teBtimony coming from a witness so competent

trary
should be conclusive. The reports to the conimpartial
who have traveled in Anatolia are of no value
of men

80

these

that

whatever, for the simple reason

For

poMibly get information at first hand.

everywhere absolutelybarred to them,

could

men

and

not
is

the harem
tion
informa-

what

necessarily be based on idle

Women, however,
and therefore quite valueless.
rumor
when total strangers, are always hospitablyreceived
even
by their Ottoman sisters. And if they are able to speak the
ing
in becomlanguage of the country, they have littledifficulty
quitefamiliar with the everyday life of the people. But
extensive their travels in Anatolia,
how
matter
no
men,
will all be forced to confess with a noted English traveler"
they might get would

existed for

to have

Much

has

female

journey,the

"'throughoutour
been

said not

be

may

sex

' ' "

at all.

us

evil in Turkey.

the divorce

said about

Turkey, p. 108 (London, 1897).

ful
Belgiojoso who spent three years in making a careof the Turkish
"The
household
tlndj of the people of Asia Minor writes:
of the Christian
to add,
that
rcMinbleg
pMMot
sorry
peasant and, I am
^

Uv"rydu^ Life

Tbt

Uw

in

PrfaMBMt Chriatina

former

would

"Aniiers.

and

cuttoms

of hit nature

which

to

With

equal
fidelityis neither
religiouslaw, nor by publicopinion,nor by local
be is led to it simply through the goodness
usages;
be
any idea of causing grief to his associate would

often

serve

the advantage is
fld"Iit7.
iapoecd on him by civil or

in

as

favor

of

for

model

the

Turk,

the

for

latter.

his

MpVfBMlt.
Tnrklth
peatant cherishes his companion as parent and as lover;
doM
ho knowingly or willingly
oppose her; there is no provocation
towhkh
hi will not cheerfullysubmit
I have
through love for her.
"*""

mmwT

...

oW,

adored
and
decrepit,infirm and hideous, led, comforted
by
tet old BOB
with
and
long, flowing,silverybeards, strong, serene
as
eye
*"**'
OHcntal
Earemt
and
(New
Scenery, p. 108-110
SrS VaJf*'"^^"

""""

voata

EngUsh journalist.
terms
Sidney Whitman, who
."j^'Hf***'"**'"
long
with tome
of the moet distinguishedmen
of the Ottoman
Jf"ll"0"T
Empire,
into
Jj* "" *" **The stranger, whatever his opportunities, only comes
with
on

was

ym*
IKHli

ODf

Ut

half

of

the

olMer^ation. from

Ifl.Jr'^ i."*^?r**^

""*

Mohammedan

hit

very

eight.

population;
In

i"oir

m^mmn

the

ContUntinople.where the made

and cmtomt.
tha gifted and

other

of

course

opportunity of approaching

T^rkfh
Memories,
wl?.i*'**/^**^^^*~^"
iroA
wnu^

the

all

Turkish

is barred

my

visits
woman

p. 267
a

(London. 1914).
specialstudy of the Turks,

brilliant

Lady Mary

Wortley

Th"

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BEBLIN.

FROM

132

of husband

author, in referringto the attachment

wme

the Turk-

and wife for each other,declares that among

Joan

and

Darby

with

peasantry**one meets
qnentlyas in England.''
iih

fre-

as

'"

far removed

"How

But

stranger

which

only to

are

be

than

to

to is that

Mohammedans

and

the possessionof

women

pictures,in

referred

yet

any

gen-

"

biscuit tins."

on

seen

error

Ottoman

an

odalisqueswhose

that the Ottomans

asserts

deny

then,''asks

we

the seductive

tkman, "from
the Eaat,

are

soul

as

erally
gen-

well

as

opinion originated or
gained such wide acceptance is impossible to say. I have
to hold such a view, and there is
Ottoman
known
an
never
for it in the Koran.
And
yet in an
certainlyno warrant
article

on

an

in the

Place

Woman's

**

such

How

existence.

future

few years ago by a noted duchess

**
stated that Mohammedanism

written

World,"

but

England, it is explicitly
far as
as
consigns woman,
concerned,to the level of beasts,for-

are
psychicqualities
hiddingher forever

the

hope

in

of salvation.

"

^^

A few

quotationsfrom the Koran will suffice to show how

In the twentieth
groundless is this statement.
sura
"

chapter
"

my

read:

we

servants"

enter

into

ye

Paradise,

and

ye

your

wives,with great joy.

Again

the T\""r}U! declares:

Hut lio who

doeth

believen,
they shall
j-^,

..^

good

works"

enter

into Paradise.

**"" condition
J**'"**"**";'""

^JP^JiliMa

upon

the

Moilem

Zl^r? ^1
"L .r ^***
"---.~_-r
tS^T-TL^E-JJT!?? ?" ^
^

"""'"'"-

of women
It may

in

"

or

Burprise

**'
Mohammed
confer
""
"*M""iuu"ru
uouier
"^ ^*^'" **"^"
""^ *^*

granted
lSr!l***
"*!**
;^^"^*"on

female"

Turkey,

'"^'

'

kTlTniJ!^

woman.

be it male

"a

married

property rights
in the
Soi
kTirj^J'**
"**^*"'1':;"
Turkey."
"nillliL^^li'^^i^
^**T
^
'"'"':^
*^*
^
'^""*

amount

the

even

women
upon
*^e middle

to

vast

and

woman

greater
greater

Roman

law.

by

women

the

States

United

now

".

'"

/"IhW

"

^^

""1^5rVta
/Sfil^^^

Bowman

'"

Dodd, New

^*'''*'^'
P-

^'

In

York,

the

Palaces

1903).

"^""^^"' ^""")

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

In the

thirty-thirdsura

Verily

the Moslems

of either
and

the

of

men

and

the

and

the

fast and

chaste

God

remember

and

sex,

and

men

the

the true believers

the
of

women

devout

women,

veracity,and

and the humble

patient women,
and the almsgivers of either
women,

who

the

and

men

13?

the

humble
men

devout

veracity and

and

patient men

ANATOLIA;

it is written:

of either

the

and

sex,

IN

frequently, for
a
great reward.

forgiveness and

of

those

and

women,

fast, and

who

women

God

men

sex,

the chaste

either

hath

them

the

who

sex

prepared

all true Moslems

According to the teaching of Mohammed,
for the women
enjoined to pray for the dead
are
as
is sufficient evidence
of
well as for the men.
This, of itself,
"

belief in

Islamic

of

confined

who

of the

beasts

life for

all

are,

class of Moslems

to that

of their

future

doubtless,in
deny immortalityto women,
There

sex.

men

the

spective
mankind, irrewhere,
Turkey as elsebut

these

**who, having made

faith,*'prefer to class themselves

field by denying that

wreck
ship-

with

they themselves

are

the

have

souls.

it may

Surprising as
tributes

to

women

can

seem

be

to

some,

found

than

no

more

those

beautiful

given

in the

contains
the traditional
which
Koran, or in the Hadith
In one
place the Prophet declares
teachings of Mohammed.
and all things in it are
**the world
valuable but more
able
valuthan
that

*^

all is

women

are

his followers

that

virtuous

woman";

the twin-halves

in another

of men."

he asserts

Again, he tells

gains Paradise at the feet of

the mother
have his truly remarkable
; and yet again we
that
the ground on which
statement
is beneath
Paradise
walk."
mothers
Are not these amazing words
to proceed
the lips of a seventh
from
century Arabian?
One need
spend but little time in Anatolia to find that
the men
the Osmanlis
most
lovable people.
are
a
among
What
first impresses one
is their good manners.
Whether
they live in a palaceor a hovel they are always self-respect' '

**

*Hhe

son

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

ally
In this respectthey continuing,courteous, and dignified.
is a
remind one of the peopleof Spain where courtesy
this strikingcharacteristic of the
national heritage. It was
Osmanli that led Bismarck to declare:

only gentleman is the Turk."

In the Orient the

swept and scrubbed

be

may

and

said of their coffeehouses

And

the

restaurants.

with

contrast

in marked

are

scrupulously

as

are

dwellingplace."

Dutch

as

respect they

In this

humble,

homes, however

Their

same

is cleanliness.

national characteristicof the Osmanlis

Another

of

those

the Greeks and Arabs.

for the tional
excepthe
but
of
the Osmanlis,
cleanliness
sons
rea-

courtesy and

usually advanced

are

...

Lieutenant

""

Wood

(London* 1872),

in

it should
his

llohnmnledan societymore
Tho
MM

broad

line

but

yet

iMtvwn

that

faintly

their
It.

lad

drawn

the

rich

Source

than
and

Asia.

polished the

Indeed,

natural

all

the

gravity

of

inferior

the

poor

in

Here

unreserved
of

it

classes

deportment

which

of a Hindustani
from
the awkward
as
These
characteristics
of the
people of
i the gallant explorer of the Oxus, are
"

Oxus," p. 194
European and

the

between

in

manners

familiaritybreeding contempt,
.

of

difference

marked

Central

in

to

of

good for the Moslems

is the

strongly
separates the

has
huperiors

of this

' ' ^"

hold

"Journey

"Nowhere

writes:

Their

**

its adherents.

true

were

**

Pears, inculcates cleanliness

has helped to diffuse courtesy and

it

sobriety;
self-respect
among
If this

satisfactory.

far from

Sir Edwin

writes
religion,**
and

to account

endeavored

have

Many writers

lower

the

of

walks

civilized

life.

lower

classes

and,
the

in
begets self-respect
possess
differs

innate

an
as

far

rusticityof
Central
much

an

self-

from

the

English
which

so

striking

in

Asia,
more

is

society
intercourse

the inhabiUnU
of Anatolia.
Another author writes : "The
fine manners
of all classes of Mohammedans
to Conetantlnople
constant
of admiration
were
a
source
It was
to me.
as

if

eighteenth century
Cafeje and the very
I unobtrusively polite
"

um

Ma

k"

"

traaU"
-

"

other, and even

towards
older fashioned,the more

the
Giaour
himself,
prejudiced, the Turkthe more
*'^"
"-*'
manners,
gracious and delightful
ill*
his^
S''f7
*"*** ^** ^"''^^^^"'
^^^- ^'
(by Richard
PP- 280, 281

Au

them

civilly.The

V%^iUwYorV\m*^'^

Rreat Turkish
'^"**."'
JA**I^*
^\'"
^*^*" "
i^Lir^ tTt' ^^.^*^^*^l**"
P ^* (London, 1793).
Z!l}
I

ladies." declares that

"^"^^

"icety as

those

'

^"Dminuiion

of th" Greek

Empire,

p. 624

(London, 1903).

keen
in

observer,
Holland."

which,

Morocco

Egypt and

all travelers

as

the

far from

often

know, is very

IN ANATOLIA

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

135

in these

When

case.

tries
coun-

shall

we

for the matchless

assign a reason
courtesy of the
hausfrau^s
Castilian hidalgo or for the Dutch
singular love
shall probably find an acceptableexplanaof cleanliness,
we
tion
of the seemingly innate courtesy and cleanliness of the

be able to

of Anatolia.

Osmanlis

both

universal

contrary to almost

And

and

men

women

are

belief,the Osmanlis,

of very

people

industrious

its.
hab-

particularlytrue of those who make their living

So
the soil and by tending their flocks and herds.
by tilling
dence
the traveler has ample eviconcerned
far as the men
are
is

This

the time

lives from

of their toilsome

he

leaves

the

swift-flowingBosphorus until he arrives at the foothills of

ing
As to the women
the picturesque Taurus.
they are, accordknow
them
to those who
best,as laborious as the men.
A competent witness,one
who is himself an Ottoman, who
and whose
born and bred in Anatolia
ing
was
testimony regardthe domestic

impress of truth,is the

who, having spent many
as

clever

and

of his

Speaking
No

qualitiesare
women

peasant

as

their

so

much

brothers

and

sought

the domestic

work

to

in

husbands

needle

Diary of
Writing to
16

that

the

embroidering
numerous,

described."

work

their needles

veils
in

and
the

domestic

of

their

holds,
house-

are

always

and

embroidery.^"

or

Turk, p. 54 (London, 1903).

poet, Pope, Lady
Montague
and

provinces the

humble

business

declares:

the

Princesses

riageable
mar-

especiallywhen
discharging their
away
daughters of well-to-do

The
the

in average

In the

ones.

are

with
indefatigable

busy with

after

managing their
the fields,
more

compulsory military service.

people, besides attending to
are

he declares

countrywomen

besides

women,

affairs,have

very

entertainingHalil Halid
England, writes English

native.

you

in

years

the clearest

bears

life of his countrymen

great

ladies

robes, surrounded
same

Op. cit..Vol. I, p.

manner

110.

as

pass
by their
we

their

find

"I

time

maids,

at
which

Andromache

can

their
are

and

assure

looms

always
Helen

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

136

the details I have given [he

from
It will be understood
try
continues],that the popular notion prevailingin this counis
much
harem
mistaken.
and the life of the
of the harem
do not

harems

in Turkish

Women

reallypass

their time

in

water-pipes all

and
eating sweetmeats
smoking
Of
the day long.
they are as fond
course,

of sweet-stuffs

as

sofas

lyingon

down

on

couch

Turkish

couches

or

women

of this

ladies

most

But

country.

to lie

of others is considered
in the presence
vulgarityof the most disgracefulkind.

by

given in books and on

in exhibitions,is either the work
the stage or shown
of
of imaginative
Turkey's detractors or simply the work
who know nothing about it and whose
object is to
persons
attract
the curiosityof English people by exhibitinggrotesque
sightsand thus to make money.
Many Europeans [writesthe same
author] who pay a flying
The

of
representations

visit to the Levant

book

about

hasten

and

to sit down

and

write

their

experiences,derive all their information

their cicerones and interpreters [worthless and unscrupulous

from

fellows whom

ignorant and
worst

shameless

products

Probably it is
once

life

harem

on

remarked:

our

cheats] who

of non-Mussulman

something from

justlydenounces
are,

as

natives

of this that

account

as

class,of the

of the

Levant.

countryman of mine
such
we
books, especially
English,about ourselves,we always learn
**When

those written in

author

them

read

which

we

never

knew

or

heard

of

before.""

**But," it will be asked,**what about the

morality of the
Turks"!

This

about which

harem.

as

is

many

question that
erroneous

is

continuallyasked

notions prevail as

about

and
the

One

might answer
by saying that,where passion is
given free rein,poor
human
nature
is about the same
in
"U parts of the world.
I shall,
however, replv in the words
Of the witty and
vivacious Lady Mary
Montague who,

wnting from
to

If

Constantinople
where her husband
England,declares:

friend in

Op. ""!.,pp. 64. W, M. 99.

was

sador,
ambas-

As

morality

their

to

it is

Harlequin, that

commit

ladies don^t
that I

Now

forbear

to

it is with you
sin the less for not

one

can

say,

being Christians.

their ways,

I cannot

vices'' of which

**the infamous

quote the words

the

among

Mussulman

chief theater, it will be

to

purpose

years

many

the

the

Moslems

of

who

one

who

and

sufficient

thorough a knowledge of them as any recent

the distinguishedCount
it,then, true,''demands

Castries,**that

de

Orient

in

than

these

Occident?

the

of

Islam

is the

result

which

travelers

These

vices of mature

and

Berlin

than

It would

be

for

would

More

all countries.

vices

of

are

more

numerous

writer.
Henri
in the

This

reputation given to
superficialgeneralizationswithout
have
scarcely anything to write.
to
age
are, unfortunately, common
them
are
indulged in Paris, London,

in the entire

Orient."

difficultto find people who

natural

has

has, probably,

as

**Is

like

the Turkish

and

137

^^

present

our

spent

good conduct,

or

little acquainted with

ANATOLIA

justas

is said to be

Orient
for

am

IN

treme
admiring, either the exemplary discretion,or exhave
all
writers
of
the
that
given accounts
stupidity

of them."

As

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

virtues

than

are

are

the

more

Osmanlis

guished
distinwho

by oppression or corrupted by power.

Their
love of the simple life is remarkable.
Often their
To this they may
add a little
only fare is bread and water.
cheese
and fruit and some
vegetables. The majority are
vegetarians. Of those who are not, their meat diet consists
and fowl which
is usually prepared
chieflyof mutton
with rice or with vegetables. Beef they rarely eat and pork
for its use
article of food is strictly
an
as
proscribed
never,
by the Koran.
And
yet, notwithstanding their frugal fare, they are
and
for their health
noted
strength. **As strong as a
Turk"
has long been a proverb. And
when
the
one
sees

have

18.19

not been

debased

Letters, Vol. I, p. 104.

amazing burdens
carry,

one

is

which

ready

frequently

of Stamboul

the hamals

proverb is

that the

to admit

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

138

than

more

ju8tifie"l
water, for the
is
chief beverage of the Osmanlis
absolutelyforbids the use of intoxicatingdrinks of

The
Koran

kind

any

whatsoever.

dramshop does

the

For

not exist.

does, however, love his little

He

of black coffee.

law

interdicted
originally

its

doctors

of the

invention

of the

the Moslem

Although

cup

Osmanli, therefore, the

the

as

use

countries

devil,the drinking of coffee in Mohammedan

is

universal.

now

than
only one prettierpicture of contentment
Osmanli peasant taking his cup of coffee before going
an
in the morning or after the labors of the day, and
to work
that is when he indulgesin his favorite pastime of Kaif
which is perhaps best expressedby the Italian phrase,dolce
^baggy trousers
far niente. Garbed in his brown shalvar
and sitting
blue jacket,red sash, and white stockings,
ing
before his home under a tentlike plane tree, quietlysmokwith drooped eyelidsand rapt countenance,
his narghile,
he is the personification
of comfort and happiness. Tranquil,
immobile, absorbed in an enchantingreverie,how far
is he not removed
from the unbridled desires and malignant
of the restless populace of our
envy
large cities of the
of

I know

"

"

"

Weat!
Ah!

qxLil est

Quand
What

subjectfor

tout s*

doux

de

ne

rien

the brush

of

faire

de nous!

agite auiour

Villegasor

""Th*
aoUd
traveler and
Orientalist,Sir
"MS
IM
mMBing of the word Kaif, bo

Richard

Fortunyl

Burton,

frequentlyheard

""

in

'"

graphically

the

East

Near

MvoiiBg
"T^ **"*

of animal
existence; the passive
Uoinior, the dreamy tranquillity,
the

enjoyment of mere
sense;
airy
castle-buildingwhich
1
Ai
***" **' ^^" vigorous,intensive,
passionate life of Europe.
I?u ik****
I
*""
i* *"
excitable
nature
and
^^^} oj" lively,Impressible,
exquisite sensi'"'' voluptuousnessunknown
j"*y wilfr'*"^!
'"^^''^y
to northern
regions
PF*M*" It placed in the exertion
of mental
and
physical powers;
Ei"ra earth eommanda
ceaseless sweat
of brow; and
damp, dull air
fjyi!*^"xclUment, exercise or change, or adventure, or dissipa#^
lor

li

waatoltomtthiBg
upoa

IM

ttaftka of

better.

In

the

bubblingttream

East
or

man

under

requires

but

rest

the cool shelter of

and
per-

FROM

BERLIN

them

water

to drink."

ftrong

sympathy
people and

Society for the Prevention

No

is needed

Cruelty to Animals

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

140

gentle and

this

exists between

for

Osmanlis

the

among

of
so

hearted
tender-

anything like
the dog, which
cruel treatment would be impossible.Even
is considered as an unclean animal, is always treated with
Osmanli will gather together the folds of
kiiidness. An
with the
his garments to prevent his coming in contact
time gladly divide with
impure brute but will at the same
it his last morsel

There

few

are

who

writers

are

of them

he says

does

one

and

for

children; such

veneration

much

so

as

in

If

man,

"

helpless,the aged
tender

of mature

even

of those innocent

one

^thereal Turks

"

respect for parents, such

for the mother.

fihoald be seated

the

the Turks
among
find solicitude for the poor, the

Nowhere,

with

familiar

more

Academician, Pierre
distinguished

the

this is what

And

Loti.

of food.

than

real Ottomans

that

all domestic animals

little

years,
cafes,where

alcohol has

always been unknown, and his father should

unexpectedlyenter, he rises,lowers his voice,extinguishes
his cigarette,
and humbly takes a seat behind him."

Ehiewhere
author

writes

Their

the

sympathetic

same

and

magnanimous

littletowns

located in the

their villages,
interior,
their country homes, are
the last refuges not only of the
calm but also of the patriarchalvirtues which
and
are
more

disappearingfrom our modern

honestywithout blemish ; veneration of
of a kind that is not
longerknown to us
more

world:

loyalty and
children for parents
;

inexhaustible hospitality

and

chivalrous respect for guests; moral

delicacy,
even
the most humble
among
all" even
towards
animals; unbounded

elegance

niul native
townrda
ranee

for whomsoever

Mfiirf"4" ifOttOoMfif.p.

40

is not their
enemy;
(ParU, 1913).

kindness

religious

serene

faith

141

ANATOLIA

IN

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

them
after leaving our
arriving among
and
cynicism, of noise and scrap-iron,

When
prayer.
of doubt
Occident
and

as

if suffused

with

and

confidence

he has

remounted

the

of time

towards

to the

Golden

Age."

applicable the words

English traveler,Walpole, who, when speaking of
pitabilityof the people of Turkey, tells us that

of the

feels

one

believes

epoch,

indeterminate

alone

course

perhaps,

near,

do

now

find

we

in

the

the

hos-

**in the

Nessafer

Oda

and
some

are
particularly

In Anatolia

East

peace

of

the

is set apart by
A sum
villagethe guest-chamber of Plato.
for supplying these; though usually the
the government
he receives,adding a
what
more
wealthy traveler repays
small gratuity.'*''*
of to-day are
heirs of the
In hospitalitythe Osmanlis

us,

were

wont
For

of old

of the Greeks

best traditions

to say

Jove

'Tis Jove

who,

as

Homer

informs

unfolds

hospUahle door:

our

that sends

the

stranger and

the

poor,^^

strikinginstances of Osmanli hospitality

is an experience of my
of which
I have recentlyheard
good
the
Reverend
Paschal
Franciscan
fessor
friend,
Robinson, Proof History in the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D. C.
Some
to
years
ago he had occasion
travel through the greater part of Asia Minor.
During the
of his journey he was
months
seven
always the guest of
the Turks, who
all Moslems.
And
were
yet, although he
entire stranger among
and courwas
an
them, the generous
teous
Osmanlis
him
with
the most
everywhere received
cordial hospitality. Not
only did they supply him gratis
with food and shelter,but they also provided him with the
of transportation from
means
one
necessary
place to
would
And
another.
never
they accept the slightestcompensation
One

of the most

for their services.

23
^^
26

Les

Massacres
d'Arminie, pp. 19, 20 (Paris, 1918).
Ansayrii, Vol. II, p. 144 (London, 1851). Cf. Schliemann's
The
Odyssey, XIV, 57, 58.

Troja,
'

p.
^

338.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

142

months
during these seven
the equivalent of only
me] were
[Father Paschal assures
dollars. And, although the passport reAmerican
quirements
seven
been
in Turkey have always
exceedinglystrict,
asked me
for
carried a passport and nobody ever
I never
in Anatolia
was
one.
My habit which I always wore
my

My actual travelingexpenses

passport.
But for members
not
are

order,Father

of his

PaschaPs

is

case

exceptional.In Moslem lands the Sons of St. Francis

always shown similar kindness and consideration and

have been

since the famous

ever

of Assisi with the Sultan

years
lands t

By

of the Poverello

of

dred
Egypt at Damietta eighthunbe found in other
greater hospitality

Can

ago.

interview

the

hammering reiteration of a tradition which, for

most part,had its originin the reports of imaginativetravelers
and which has,in recent years, been greatly fostered
by a subsidized press bent on forcingthe dismemberment
of the Ottoman
Empire, the Osmanlis have been pictured
as
of cruelty. To judge by certain
monsters
propaganda
articles and brochures

which, within

recent

years,

have

been

given world-wide currency, the average

Ottoman
is like
the viceroy described in Don
Quixote, who ''every day
hanged a slave;impaled one; cut off the ears of another;
and this upon so little
animus, or so entirelywithout cause,
Uiat the Turks would

doing it,and

because

have Uved among

their
a

own

it

he did it
was

the Osmanlis

gentlenessand

sense

of

merel/for
the

his nature.
and

have

^'^^

sake

People

of

who

learned to admire

justicewould

denounce

such

characterizationas absurd.
the
""During

wnUt

of

two

I have

French Colonel from

hjtrd
!L^!?
;^ ?
m Anatoha
a

murder

fmUJM

S^%^
"fC/. Fim.

years

or

'"'"

Asia

theft.-

traversed

could

Minor, -J

This

Innumerable

the country,''

is not

have

the evidence

foreignerswho

give similar testimony."

'

UU

ia

Turquie Agonisante,
p.

49

never

(Paris,1913).

have

it apply only to the

does

Nor

of the present

testimony regarding them

their history.

century of

in every

Osmanlis

143

in like

History abounds

time.

ANATOLIA

IN

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

surprising [writes the historian Finlay] how well

in its extensive
Ottoman
government preserved tranquillity

It is
the

dominions, and established a greater degree of security

for property among
the middle classes,than generally prevailed
in European states during the fifteenth and sixteenth
This end was
obtained by a regular police,and
centuries.
by the prompt execution of a rude species of justicein
In the populous cities
of flagrantabuses and crimes.
cases
in Constantinople,
of the Ottoman
Empire, and particularly
contained

which

than

inhabitants

more

any

three Christian

reigned in the midst of a great

caused by extreme
social corruption,
wealth, the conflux of
different nations, and the bigotry of several hostile
many
of every
and
admiration
religions,excited the wonder
observant
imperturbable
stranger. Perfect self-reliance,
the
vicissitudes
of
to
fortune, and
equanimity,superiority
for laws
the Ottomans
a calm
temper, compensated among
which were
notoriously defective and tribunals which were
infamously venal.
Knolles

the

barbarous

to

see

murder

or

theft

mitted
com-

to
European gentlemen accustomed
of wearing swords
all occasions,
on
of the highest rank, distinTurks
guished
and military exploits,
walking about

custom

surprised

were

' '

Turk.

any

seldom

**You

says,

by

which

order

capitals,the

see

for their valor

in

in the power
of
provincialtowns, unarmed, secure
public order and the protection of the executive authority
even

in the State.^"
it is

But,
28

A.

from
"Et

than

the

reported atrocities of the

Greece
to the
Present
from its Conquest by the Romans
V, p. 161 (Oxford, 1877).
Finlay gives the following quotation
writes
who
as
Turco-Grcecia, p. 487, of Crusius
vigorously in favor

the

Osmanlis
mirum

as

est

Knolles
inter

audiri, vim iniustam

tanus
refugium totius
quodque omnibus, tam
ibus

not

History of

Time, Vol.
of the

asked, do

iustitia
in

the

or

orbis

scribit:

infimis

administretur."

in

ferri, ius

non

remarkable

Pierre

barbaros

quam
Could

statements

Loti.
tanta

tantse

urbi

colluvie

cuivis

dici.

Ideo

ConstantinopolinSul-

quod

omnes

miseri

here

ibi tutissime

tarn Christianis
quam
of history be more
verdict

summis,
the

nullas

quoted!

csedes

lateant:
infidel-

explicit

their tation
repuis
lished
estabfrightfuldeeds of savagery
for the most
to this
peradventure? An adequate answer
in Armenia

TarkB

beyond
questionwould

the Balkans

and

lead

that

prove

the

far afield,for

too

us

champions

few

unlike their enemies, have

Osmanlis,
political

or

information, therefore,respecting
To
atrocities in questionis almost entirelyone-sided.

and
knights-errant,
the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

144

our

those, however, who

side of the

question I

documented

work

careful

isonte,^

desirous

are

Ottoman

the

the

recommend

thoroughly
Loti entitled Turquie Agon-

would

Pierre

of

reading

of

perusalof

will convince

this work

impartialreader that in this,as in

"the unspeakable Turk** is far from

every

other

any

question,

being **the homicide

kind*' he is so frequently picturedto be.
of all human
I would not, however, have it inferred from the foregoing
pages that I ignore the corruption and organized bribery
the government is made

and the extent to which

the interests

of those

who

govern

rather

to subserve

than

those

who

governed. This condition has existed in Turkey from

time immemorial, not only in the administration
of governmental
are

affairs but in the administration

But

it

is,unfortunately,a

of the Orient
Nor

from

condition

of

that

exists in all parts

Constantinopleto Peking.^"

I blind to the incalculable miseries

am

to which

peasantry of Anatolia are exposed by the ravenous

gatherers who rob them of their little savings and
many

of them

in constant

J*""'""" *"i"informing brochure, Lea

atHrordingto tiie eminent
""""^"^i*.

Vaahtrr,

''Inferior officials cheat

01

The

penury.

""

tHVW

well.

justiceas

the

Massacres
traveler

neople, and

opportunity to

exactions
D'Arm^nie

and

the
tax-

keep
cruel-

(Paris, 1918).

and

Orientalist, Arminius
the latter again avail themEvery one in that country

cheat the officials:

t9ry
Am and
twindlea.
Nor
is such
behavior
looked
as
anything
upon
"^
the contrary, the man,
on
who
is straightforward and
"""proper;
^^ ^
"*" ^' ""'^'
spoken of contemptuously as a fool or
f
%.
Tk0 Lift
and
Adventures
of Arminius
Vamhery, written
by Himpw tM
(London, 1914),

!Jk

-u
V%^

^ilJi

*"'h*ve degenerated

since

JK* ail?^ .Lf**

.""**?"^u"*'
^^^\^

'"'""

Slkir\!j

'
.

twentieth

I!L!!I*!Si^'**?
^^
"Ue#a4rw,
IWL

^^'^

year

in three

the

days of Cyrus and Darius!

carefully instructed from
things alone-to
ride, to draw

^""

truth--,a.",.)o.ai 6,

rpla

mov***

Iwntvtip

na^iau
rov,
Kal roifvttv Kal

airi

n..ra.reos

d\r]eiit(je%i."
1,

ANATOLIA

IN

OSMANLIS

THE

OF

LIFE

HOME

145

agents of Turkish misrule are almost

of Turkish
It is these oppressive measures
incredible.
maladministration, coupled with the opening of the Suez
trade
Canal, which have done much to close the overland
soulless

ties of these

much

owed

Anatolia

to which

routes

of its former

perity.
pros-

that the

reorganized Ottoman
ernment
govwill succeed in eliminating the crying evils here
ship
indicated, but they are of so long standing that statesmanwill be required to deal with a
of the highest order
almost
situation which is now
desperate.
In marked
contrast to the administrative
ruption
bribery and corhave so long been the bane of Turkey, as
which
of so many
Eastern
well as
countries,is the remarkable
spiritof tolerance which distinguishesthe Ottoman
ment.
governof religiousorders
the members
Thus when
priests
and nuns
^were
dially
corcruellydriven from France they were
the reputed home
of intolerwelcomed
ance
by Turkey
fanaticism
and
^where they were
guaranteed full
their
and
apostolate of education
liberty to continue
charity."^
The
trollable
opposition raised a few years
by an unconago
to the passing of a procession in honor
mob
of the
Blessed
is still
Sacrament
through the streets of London
It is to be

hoped

"

"

"

"

in the memory
of all. Contrast this with the attitude
of the people of Constantinople to a similar ceremony.
The
of the procession is translated from
the
following account
fresh

Turkish

On

Sunday

underscore

last

fete

signor Nardi,
It is

31

the

and

interestingto

was

articles

took

the word

of the

which

the Stamhoul:

newspaper,

concluded
reads:

in

"It

was

all

which

the

Ottoman

here

note

annual

procession
"

^I

of

"

that

between

1535

is forbidden
full
the

in the

and

molest

the

to

liberty

Tom.

Treaty

France

Christians

government

toire
de
VEmpire
Ottoman,
Jonquiere, Paris, 1914).

the

liance
Corpus Christi. The brilof Monheightened by the presence
the Catholic colony of the neighbor-

annual

religion which
they have
included
religious freedom
with

place

has

to

of

of

the
French

practice."
all

other

Amity

and

Sublime

Commerce

Porte

of
one
in matters
of their
This
of
guarantee

nations

"

guarantee

always faithfullycomplied. Cf EisI, p. 171, 173

de
la
(by the Vicomte

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

146

hear

and

its first

to see
hood assembled in the prettychurch
emerged
the procession
pastor Towards five o'clock

amid

either
lined the way
on
to the music of liturgical
hand the sacred cortege marching
In front
of the Salesian Fathers.
and the band
ehanU
the faithful,then the
walked the school children,after them
Monwhile in the rear
clergy and notables of Makri Keui,
surrounded
by the clergy, bore the Blessed
awt

of spectators who

concourse

signor Nardi,

Perfect

Sacrament.
with

degree of

of

for the space

order

was

tact which

an

hour

the

maintained

did honor

by the police

to the

And

force.

processiontraversed

the

gayly

newly
quarter, which had
graveledfor the occasion by the orders of the worthy and
ever-courteous
president of the municipality, Sherif Effendi. Such ceremonies leave a pleasant impression in a
decorated

streets

been

of the

is free to practicehis
everyone
to the dictates of his conscience.^^

eonntry like Turkey where

religionaccording
The
to the

freedom

same

of worship, notwithstanding reports

contrary, is enjoyed by the Armenians.

They

are,

schools and
besides,left perfectlyfree to have their own
to retain their own
language. They have not had such
the Armenians
libertyin Russia. **For six hundred
years
declared
of the Turks,
contented under the dominion
were
of their bishopsa few years ago, and they would, doubtone
it
lets,be still livingin peace with their old masters
were
not for the machination
of Russian
propagandists and
Armenian
revolutionists.
The proof of this is that *Hhe
' '

highroad from

Trebizond

to Erzeroum

is dotted

...

Christian monasteries

and

churches

unmolested

for

with
cen-

tnries.""

Napoleon I
boon'
Turks

wont

to say

that

lie,given twenty-four
immortal.
start,becomes
But, when lies about the
have been repeated for generations in spite of the

MQiMUd

was

from

Turkey and the Ottomans, p.

Lucyj M.
142, et. sea."/ (by
f
v j
York. 1911).
^"''****
i/emoHet, p. 128, et passim
See
"4!!i.'^*^
(by Sidney Whitman).
^
VIII
Hor"e6ocfc,
G.
H.
New
Chap.
York,
rrf?^iiT*^
(by
Hepworth,
"
l*"l"c"" of the tiuUan, pp. 420, 427
i***'*
Bowman
(by Anna

OarMii.

N"w

"

"

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

148

have
so
long
notwithstanding the lurid tales that
less,
Osmanlis, they have, neverthebeen circulated about the
would least expect to find
loyalfriends where one
the testimony of those
I have adduced in their favor

But

them.

long association

from

who

them

know

for their

them

and admire

these witnesses

Among

learned

have

them

among

to

ties.
quali-

splendidhuman

to the virtues of the Osmanlis

whose
competence
French, English,and American men
is unimpeachable.
is as incontrovertibleas their authority

are

It

ing

them

among

priestsand

German

find French, Italian,and

should

and

to the number

to add

easy

were

we

ops,
bish-

of the various teach^

Sisters of Charity land religieuses
the Osmanlis
have spent long years among
orders

,/who

Empire and
in all parts of the Ottoman
would confirm that already introduced.
It may, however, be
is that of friends and

urged that the testimony

sympathizers. It affords

Terrible

in the Pall Mall

has had

gentleman who
war

as

been

well

in

evidence of the

Serbians

might, but

from

me,

the pen

fore,
thereciation
appre-

recently
of

peared
ap-

Serbian
him

in

all that has

fullycorroborates
and is as
the preceding pages
great an
writer 's nobilityof soul,as it is a splendid

tribute to the character

We

"

question

opportunityof knowing

an

It

in peace.

as

stated

Gazette

has

which

Turk"

in

the generous

specialpleasureto reproduce here

of "The

their testimony

are

of

whilom

foe

fightingagainst the

Turks

with

all

our

I am
unjust to them.
fectly
percertain that every
Serbian
soldier,marching now
and Albania, and every
victoriously
through Macedonia
wounded
Serbian lying somewhere
in a hospital,and every
Serbian mother, sister,
wife, sweetheart, who has lost her
son, or her brother, or her husband, or her lover, on
one
of the many
would
bloody battlefields,
applaud my effort
to do justice
to our
tate
And, therefore,I do not hesienemy.
to say a good word
for the Turk.
I do homage not to

the
"f

we

Turk, but
Novtmbtr

do not wish

to truth.

29, 1912.

to be

HOME

LIFE

OF

OSMANLIS

THE

Turk

IN

ANATOLIA

149

shall I

perhaps call him a normal

He believes in God, and prays
excellent man.
Turk
to God more
intenselythan an average
earnestlyand more
he persistentlyand honAnd
normal
Christian does.
estly
or
tries to conform
his every-day life to the commandments
of his great Prophet. He is charitable,
worthy;
honest, trusthe is modest, yet dignified;he is proud, but not
vain ; he is brave, but not boastful ; he is sober, clean, polite;
he is generally poor, but always hospitable; and he is patriotic,
and
suffer
and
without
a murmur,
die,
ready to starve
for his faith and the honor
lent,
of his country. But this excelis heavy, slow
virtuous, and God-fearing brave man
and somewhat
stupid,and in the electrical and aeroplanic
stand against scientific organizatwentieth century cannot
tions
and
of the clever, sharp-witted
quick-firingguns
Greeks, Serbians, and Bulgars.
of the Balkan
nations
for nearly
The Turk was
master
five centuries.
During all those centuries he consistently
refrained from
interferingwith our national churches and
with our village
the libertywhich the
municipal life. From
and our
Church
Turk left to our
try,
municipal life in the counre-born.
our
political
libertywas
But, notwithstanding
tolerance
non-interference
with our
his religious
and his
villagelife,we hated him as long as, and just because he
victories have deprived
But now, when
master.
our
our
was
of our
him of his position as master
countries,we will be
although he is
pleasedto have him for our friend,because
not exactly a
jolly'* ^he is certainlya good fellow.
An

average
is an
?

or

"

"

"

**

"

different

How

Turk," painted by
from

delineation

if not

on

years

of him

based

was

in Asia

who

of those
and have

virtues

on

Minor

This is the verdict of those

"

him

**The

Unspeakable
tion
by life-longassociaof Sartor Resartus,
fancy and prejudice,

patheticignorance !

great trouble

one.

judge

knew

who

one

that of the atrabilious author

whose

The

portrait of

is this

and

have

only words

their

lived
of

to-day

who

are

among

is

most

the

praise for their

abounding goodness

an

economic

competent
Osmanlis
many

of heart.

to

for

natural
It is the

of

verdict

this

least

seeking policy

it

the action

ments^f

real

Although
make

plea

I do

not

for

more

long exhibited
been
did

they

are,

dbange
as

tolerance

injustice
I

feel

well

as

can

never

the

West,

to

them
I

between

tify
jus-

requireEast-

that

the

of

others.

those
I

fully

am

them.

ago-long

misunderstandings

referred

to

in union

and

in

them

as

urging

the
so

who

We

change.

and

East

long

misrepresentations
peoples

self
my-

statesmanship,

Christianity,

separate

know

warranted

Equitable

and

so

unconsciously
to

came

have

Having

who

between

and

I would

who

people

barrier

harmony.

the

Osmanlis,

the

to

to

knows

such

continue

self-

Acting

against

as

demands

Islam

the

coolly proceed

phrase,

charity,
remove

Eoman

endeavor

the

toward

before

towards

Christian

hope

to

for

for

number

that

of attitude

brief

tolerance

the

to

do

to

conquest.

hold

such

among

grave

of

it to

flourish

Europe.

thinks

who

one

every

lust

is the

reason

alien

Western
civilisatrice^oi

while

civilization

em

diplomatic

by alleging, intrench

and

and

empire

the

of

dismemberment

the

to

Greek

right they

makes

might

and

of

nations

dominant

the

that

theory

the

on

of

stress

they

rose

quite

is

altruism

such

But

splendor.

of

heyday

the

in

it did

as

more

the

as

as

it behooves

help

to

Were

resources.

blossom

again

would

this, Ajiatolia
once

natural

its marvelous

develop

and

Empire

Ottoman

the

of

part

are

economic

its

in

assist

to

those

that

and

individuals,

for

as

Powers

Great

the
at

nations

for

obligatory

man

of

charity

Christian

of

of

words,

empty

not

are

precepts

the

that

believe

who

God

of

brotherhood

the

to whom

women

fatherhood

the

and

and

men

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FBOM

160

should

as

the

above
live

THE
In its

VII

BAGDAD

RAILWAY

and military,not
political
the

the
World

CHAPTER

most

sequences,
speak of its commercial, conthe
is
Bagdad Railway
of
haps
per-

to

securing hy Germany
important event which

since the Franco-Prussian

has

occurred

in

the

Old

War.^
Andre

Ch^radame.

Konia, ancientlyIconium, we reached the junction of

and the Bagdad Railways. From
the Anatolia
economic
an
of supreme
and militarystandpoint,both roads are
tance
imporwith
to the Ottoman
Empire. They supply commerce
of communication
between
the interior
long needed means
and
the seaboard, and
enable the Sultan to conduct
the
of his extensive
administration
territory with far more
and despatch than was
cally,
before possible. Politiefficiency
however, the Bagdad Railway is incomparably still
more
important. No great railroad has ever attracted more
owed
to its name;
has ever
much
so
none
attention;none
and
fired the imagination of Germans
has ever
mans;
Ottoso
At

and

has

none

ever

so

the

exhausted

resources

of

provoked greater struggles for its control.

both roads
have a specialinterest to the student
Historically
and the historian
of the classic
not only on
account
lands through which
they pass but also on account of the
long and strenuous efforts which several rival nations made
diplomacy

to obtain

or

from

and

operate

and

the East.

the Sublime
the

great road

Porte

which

the authorization
was

to unite

So

to build

the West

greatly has the Bagdad Railway modified the Near

Eastern
Question, so completely has it changed the data
and the consequent solution of theproblem, and so perfectly
iLe

Chemin

de

Fer

de

Bagdad, p.

226
151

(Paris, 1915).

of

journey,
originand struggling beginnings
of many
things
a clear conception

its history dovetail into the narrative

does
that

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

152

of the

brief account

to

of the road is necessary

subsequent chapters.
diverse, as the ambitions of

our

that shall be said in

Many and
them
birth, have
gaperb capitalon

those

who

gave

by rail the
the Bosphorus with the mysterious city
the distant
of Hanin-al-Rashid
on
Tigris.
there
few projects
of a century ago
Two-thirds
were
which

Cabinet

proposed

were

the

been

with

to the House

and

unite

projects to

more

insistence

of Commons

to the

well

as

as

to

British

English

than that which

had for its object the construction
capitalists
of a railway which, startingfrom a point on the Mediterranean,

should

cross

Mesopotamia

in

the

direction

of

India.
The

originalplan called

would

connect

It

based

for

the Mediterranean
elaborate

overland

an

with

the

which

route

Persian

Gulf.

of the

ley,
Euphrates valwhich had been made
Colonel
by an English officer,
Chesney,in 1835-1837. The primary objectwas to shorten
the journey from England to India,which was
then made
the Isthmus
across
of Suez, or round
the Cape of Good
Hope.
The preliminary
of this contemplated line was
survey
was

on

an

survey

made

by order of the British Government

which
voted
"20,000 for expenses.
Materials for two armed
steamers
were, under
with ahnost
Orontes

to

the direction

of Colonel

Chesney, transported

insuperabledifficulties
from the mouth
the Euphrates. This
gallant officer had

bxB command

well-equippedstaff

of

of the
under

engineers and

men

of

and the work

teieiioe,
which
the expedition set out to
"x""te
was
performed, as the officialreports show, in the
moat thoroughmanner.
More than two years were
devoted
to Uie Usk

r^on

of

exploringthe Euphrates,the Tigris,and the

through which they flowed,and the enthusiastic
ler felt sure

his labors

were

to issue *^in the

con-

BAGDAD

THE
solidation

and

Great

between

But

perfectionof
Britain

and

quickly and

how

KAILWAY
the

153

communications

overland
' ' ^

India.

his

completely

illusions

were

pelled
dis-

I returned

When

the

from

in 1837

East

[he wrote long

with the full belief that a question of such
after] it was
Britain
vast importance to Great
nationally,politically
taken
and commercially
^would be at once
by
up warmly
had been opened
the Government
and the public. The way
"

"

difficultieswhich

"

been

overcome;

were

favorable

In

the

have

years

one

1851

at

had

time

one

Arabs

and

looked

the

formidable

Turkish

had

Government

But thirtyprojected line to India.

since passed, and nothing has been done.^

to the

ing
organized in England for realizranean
Chesney's plan for connecting the Mediter-

company

Colonel

was

with the Persian

Gulf.

firman

obtained

was

from

everything was
ready for beginning work
As the enterprise was
not supported by the
except cash.
English capitalistsconsidered
participation
government,
to justifyinvestment.
The
in it too hazardous
company's
concession
funds.
lapsed for lack of the necessary
The question was
again taken up in 1872 and referred to
a Parliamentary commission.
But, although Colonel Chesney^s plan of building a road along the Euphrates was
this time in
favorably received,it was
again abandoned
favor of the Suez Canal, a large interest in which
had been
purchased for England by her astute premier, Disraeli,
who
value
of this
was
quick to perceive the paramount
between
England and her possessions in the
passageway
and

the Porte

"

"

Orient.*

During
2

Narrative

Government
3

many

years

thereafter

this

new

route

between

of the Euphrates Expedition carried on hy Order

of the British
the years
1835, 1836 and 1837, p. 360 (London, 1868).

during

Ibid., p. viii.

Lord Palmerston, it is interestingto observe

in this connection, did not
hesitate to declare
in Parliament
that the construction
of the Suez
Canal, as
*

planned by
but a trap

De

Lesseps, was
physically impracticableand
gulliblecapitalists.

set for

that

the

project was

TO

BERLIN

FROM

154

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

that the
Europe so absorbed public attention
But towards the
Euphrates Railway was almost forgotten.
and

Asia

end of the century

road

taken

were

projectsfor constructingthe

numerous

by several

up

groups

financiers of different nationalities.

the projectof an
Among these was

Sig.A.
Italian,

etti,who, acting in behalf of a company

soughta concession for
Englishfinanciers,
of

line which

should start from

promoters and

of

Toni-

of Italian

and

the construction

Alexandretta

on

the Mediterranean

which, following the Euphrates to Bagdad

Gulf.
at a point on the Persian
and Basra, should terminate
for building a number
of
He also sought a concession
to extend to Khanikin
the
of which was
branch lines,
on
one
and

In addition to this he asked

frontier.

Persian

to cultivate the

the

unoccupied government lands along

of the railroad

course

In return

during the

for this authorization

irrigationsystem which should

valleyto its pristine
fertility.
an

There

was

also

French

group

by

all

means

of the

term

he

sion.
conces-

agreed

to establish

the

tes
Euphra-

restore

of financiers

by M. Cottard,a distinguishedrailroad
endeavored

for authorisation

in their power

who, headed
engineerin Turkey,
to

secure

sion
conces-

for

buildinga railway which was to be a prolongation

of the Anatolian line to Bagdad and Basra
and to follow
essentiallythe same
course
along the Euphrates as the
projectedroad

of

Sig. Tonietti.

In addition to the two projects

just mentioned was
of the Russian Count Kapist,who
to build

proposed

which

should start from

line

Tripoli,in Syria, and, passing

Bagdad, should terminate at Koweit on the Persian

Count Kapistand his associates
pretended that they
a"8ured

that

of the eventual

Gulf.
were

cooperation not only of English

but
capitalists also of the British Government."
The applicants
for these divers concessions
ever,
howwere,
all doomed to
disappointment. Never before had so
many, so antagonistic,
and so powerful interests made
so
"-Itmalll to Koweit

Ry./'Ifatiqnql
Review, p. 464, May.

1902.

BERLIN

FROM

156

battle and

Teutonic

BABYLON

AND

legendary disappearance of

the

and

BAGDAD

TO

that great

figure of

in the Cilician stream.

romance

' '

When

assistingthe Sultan Mahmud

II
the German
the Ottoman
to reorganize
on
plan he was
army
offered by Asia
greatlyimpressed with the possibilities
von

Moltke,1835-1839,was

field for

Minor

as

Others

of his

German

and

commerce

enterprise.
good policy

thought it would be
to divert the current of German
emigration from America to
Asia Minor.
And, although the Porte had always been

opposed
there

countrymen

to all schemes

colonization

to believe that the Ottoman

reason

was

of German

in

Turkey,

Government,

after the completion of the

Bagdad Railway, would consent

to German
colonists settling
in certain places in Anatolia
and Mesopotamia. For, several decades before the Germans
had

secured

the concession

to build the

the friendliest relations had

tinopleand Berlin.
defeat

of France

This

Turkey

not

students in
her army,

existed between

Germany

in the world.

only maintained

among

whom

the

was

thenceforward

goodly number

Germany, but also had

many

after the

reorganized

was

For

road,
Rail-

Constan-

particularlytrue

was

in 1870, when

the firstmilitarypower

as

Bagdad

German

of

military

officersin

distinguished
Field Marshal

Goltz Pasha.
It was,

however,more
than a half century before
'8 idea of developing
Anatolia and Mesopotamia

Moltke

practical consideration.

gven

George
IMotsche
come

von

Siemens, the

Bank, who,

nnder

like

It

then taken

was

up

distinguished
president
so

many

von
was

by

Dr

of

the

of his

countrymen, had
Germany's Weltpolitikand, like
caught in the current of the Drang nach

the spell of

had been
tti"^

irr?:T^.*^"'f ''''^''''^^ ^^ th" ablest of the

""^^^ ^^' ^^'''^ ^^^
L^'/r'T*
gathered about
Wm
but
also
^

^^^

^^^

"""^

was

great favorite of the German

"'' ^^^"'
T^lZ^Lif
clearness of
rare

vm,on,

saw

""^

War

Lord.

Mesopotamia,but, with

that this

developmentcould

be

BAGDAD

THE

RAILWAY
of

achieved only by the construction

broad

reclaim

To

Gulf-

the

lay between

which

wastes

157

railway through the

Bosphorus

civilization the

for

the Persian

and

long-neglected

Euphrates and the Tigris and to restore to

and
fertile plains of
their ancient
splendor the broad
of
and Mesopotamia
Anatolia
so
long the favored home
his dominant
to the
became
ambition, and
humanity
of his cherished project he directed for years,
achievement
address
and
with marvelous
persistency,his indomitable
and savoir faire. Slowly but surely his dream
began
energy
valleys of

the

"

"

to be realized.
the Anatolian

Before

Railway

completed

was

the Turkish

Army was eating bread made from Russian flour ; now

of Asia Minor.
using grain grown in the fertile acres
the advent

of the

railroad

the interior

of Asia

Minor

before

that

wretched
than
The

that

on

result

freight on
imported from
their

for

the railroad

and

Russia

not

singleton

the seaboard

of

grain

or

the

Before

grain from

the

so

greater

United

the

tween
be-

were

was

peasants then

needs.

own

And

communications

domestic

that the Anatolian

was

wheat

enough

the

the

it is

States.

grew

advent

only
of

ersed
region trav-

reached the seacoast

for
by the Anatolian Railroad
completed the export of wheat
export. After the road was
and other cereals became, in a very short time, an important
item of

from
and

The

commerce.

twice

to

vests
peasantry received **for their har-

four

times

the prices formerly paid

the

to the
railways brought revenue
(Ottoman)
treasury.''"
The
cost of the railway was
great, indeed, but greater
far was
its value to Turkey, for it was
not only the best
but also the only practical means
of
jointed
bringing the disof that large empire within
members
reach
of
and of
control,''
order
bringing security and cultivation,
and civilization,
to a country-that once
had been the most
**

**

fertile
6

on

Nineteenth

Ubid,, p.

earth."
Century,
1085.

p.

1084, June,

1909.

have

should

Germany

That

Railway

building the Bagdad

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

158

of such

face

in the

and England
competitorsas Russia, France,
familiar with
surpriseto those who were not
and

Powers

the Great

among

who

and

the Porte

II was
Abdul-Hamid
suspicious
engineeredin
Turkey, which were
in behalf of Russian

Russia

knew

who

and

affecting
Great Britain,

or

looked

was

attributes
publicist

brilliant French

between

of all schemes

at the Porte

long diplomaticgame
foregone conclusion.

accurate

an

existed

nations

in

played

of

British interests,the outcome

or

the

relations

the

had

who

certain of the western

was

then

was

strained relations which

the

how

or

it

strong
a
great

well informed

not

were

respectingthe diplomaticgame as
OcmBtantinople. To those, however,
knowledge of

for

received the concession

the

as

upon

of the

success

way
securing the concession for the Bagdad Railfrom
of great ambassadors
to the fact that the era
closed at the
Prance and England at the Sublime Porte was
periodin question that in the year immediately preceding
in

Germans

"

the irade

publicationof

"the
there

then

was

**an

utter

of the

in

concession
of

bankruptcy

great

Constantinoplefrom these two countries."

Opposed to the English, French, and Russian
dorSt and almost isolated

from

his

1899,"
at

men"

Ambassa-

colleagues,was

the alert

and

sagaciousBaron Marschall von Bieberstein,the noted

ambassador
from Germany who, accordingto an anonymous
writer in the National
influential
the most
Review, "was
of the ambassadors

Yildiz,and, in
thoroughlysensible and practicalcast
at

to the functions of

diplomacy,had

and successfullythan
actively
to

promote

the

business

accordance

with

of German

ideas

used

his

minister

any

interest

of

the
as

position more

had
his

done

before

nationals

in

Russia

to

Turkey.

""

Not
"ecore

to

speak of the failure

the concession

"IffoffMlA

CMlnry,

for

p. Mtt

of

France

and

buildingthe Bagdad Railway,

er "#".,

May.

1914.

it

THE

it

declared

be

here

may

from

doomed

were

the Suez

Canal

territoryof

BAGDAD

the

England *s hopes of securing

beginning. Her control of
very

occupationof Egypt, which

Turkish
of the

denunciation

159

that

and her

RAILWAY

vassal,not
Sultan

**

the

as

in

predisposed Abdul-Hamid

to

speak

the

was

of Gladstone's

Great

favor

Assassin,*' all
and as
Germany

of

strongly predisposed him

writer

againstGreat Britain.
National Review, referringto

in the

this sub-

'

ject,declares:
For

many
to
likely
go
when

as

an

been so
Turk
had never
the immobile
years
in the world
for any purpose
out of his way
a
opportunity to do the English Government

English influence

discourtesy or
almost

said that

be

wealth

of the detested

Hamid

to

give to

an

even

bribe

island would

disservice;and it may
worthy of the fabulous
not have

Englishman what

induced

Abdul-

he could give to any

else.^"

one

that the concession for

announced
officially
the building of the Bagdad Railway had been granted to a
German
the
syndicate, there was
great jubilation from
Rhine
what was
to the Vistula over
regarded as a great
thusiastic
victory for Teutonic diplomacy and enterprise. The enof the Fatherland
fancied that they already
sons
the well-equipped trains of the Bagdad Railway
saw
ning
runWhen

it

was

**

in the

track

of Alexander"

from

the

Dardanelles

to

of the

embouchure

Shatt-el-Arab,and exulted in the

where the Mermnadae, the Achaemenidse,and
thought that
the Greek, Roman, Arabic, and Turkish
failed,
conquerors
there Germany had a good prospect of success."
In Turkey the diplomatic victoryof the Germans
meant
of Teutonic
a great exaltation
prestigeand a corresponding

the

^'

^^

diminution

of

the

credit

and

influence

of

the

defeated

Powers.
In

France,

the

10

June, 1901, p. 629.

"

Nineteenth

predominant positionof

Century, p. 961, May,

1914.

power

and

influ-

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

160

interpretedas a complete
and as an event which
subversion of the Eastern Questioni
spondingly
the solution of this long-standingquestion corremade
completment les
diflficult**ce qui houlverse
du probleme et par consequent sa solution posdonnees
acquiredby Germany

enoe

was

"

had long been the disinterested

protector of a nation whose moral and material elevation
of
she had constantlysought and had spent in all branches

[writesM. Auble]

France

activityof

human

of francs.
she

with

saw

under

she loved

What

regard

to

about

was

sorrow

the influence of

to

second

as

milliards

many

her

escape

France,

and

come

rival."

hated

attitude toward

the Bagdad

It had, for obvious

reasons,

Russia's
hostile.

country

that unfortunate

Railway
her

been

was

no

less

policy since

and

member
eventually disthe Ottoman
Empire. Her objection to the road
that it contributed
was
immeasurably to the financial,
political,
and strategical
strength of Turkey, and that this would
completelyfoil all her well-laid plans for her ultimate partition.
She also regarded the road as a menace
caucasia,
to Transthan this,she feared that it would, in
but, more
the possession of Germany, halt her further advance
into
Western
Asia
and
mayhap, a stepping-stone to
prove,

the time of Peter

Germany's

the Great

annexation

But the resentment

So

long as she
competing lino
!"

or

controlled
towards

Minor.
Britain

Russia.

for serious

reasons

1888, Baron

of Asia
of Great

that of either France

greater

to weaken

far greater than

was

She had

at stake

more

apprehension for

the Suez

Canal

India she felt

Hirsch's Railroad

and

secure.

the

there

But

through the Balkan

and

future.
no

was

Avhen,in
Penin-

Cli^nulmine.op. c\t., p. V.

^""*"
-.J*r!^
^iL"t'*'^H"5"*w
"

a*o*r"l

iUlm!^ \
pwMi

^SI-TSt

aaraMrau

3** .**

U
""

^"""*

^" ^" Societ"5 de

Dolot. ont
parconru
y avail

labas

^"'*'n *** ^ci^i"

une
"*

en

1914

Heconde

Paris

Syrie et la Mesopotamie
inlassable
France, aimant

plus belle

*** ^'^''*^^^
(I?iBlU AttCliP
loiTI***
la.

Gtegrapliiedc

la

page

dans

Son
Jff^portance,

I'histoire des,

Avcnir, p.

25

sula

completed

was

with

to

the

Western

161

RAILWAY

BAGDAD

THE

Bosphorus
Europe, and

connected

and

steps

stantinopl
Con-

taken

were

to

through Anatolia and Mesopotamia to the

Persian
Gulf, alarm, bordering on dismay, took possession
of her publicistsand statesmen.
The
politicaland military importance of an overland
which
Gulf
railway from the Bosphorus to the Persian
could not be reached
estimated.
by a hostile fleet could not be overextend

this line

noted

English authority

in

wrote

1917]
and the Bosphorus
so
long as the forts of the Dardanelles
remain
intact the Sultan and his allies enjoy the advantages
in a limited area
the Bosphorus, the Sea
of a naval power
Indeed

[as

"

of Marmora
of

the Dardanelles

and

fleet. This

enables

"

the Sultan

^without the
and

possession

his Germanic

allies

Europe to
troops or foodstuffs from
rapidly to convey
Asia Minor, Syria and Mesopotamia and vice versa, in the
fere
face of the Allied Fleets,which are powerless to intervery
in areas
protected by defences which had proved, as
had to expect they would
one
impregnable.^*
prove,
English writer
Bagdad Railway the doom
enterprisein the Near East.
Another

Is the

same

saw

of

in German

control

English trade

fate [he asks] to be meted

and

of

the

French

out to the French

the nonrailways in Syria as that which has overtaken

Are they to be absorbed
German
railways in Asia Minor?
into the Bagdad Railway, or be cut off from
any prospects
of development?
On the further side of the area, are the
British communications
into
the Tigris to be starved
up
and our
submission, and is the trade of Manchester
great
industrial

by-laws

in

centers

the

to be

placed

at

the

mercy

of

of variable

or
railway companies owned
In the present temper of
largely controlled by Germany?
British diplomacy, a German
victory of this kind is,I am
of possibility,
however
sorry to say, not outside the bounds

^*The

statutes

Geographical Journal^ p.

33

et

aeq.,

July, 1917.

162

TO

BERLIN

FROM

momentous

may

bat also to

our

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

not only to
be the consequences,
If it be
future.
whole political

the

dominate

enterprisewill
Oennan
arms
India and wlU extend along two great

our

trade

achieved,

countries

west

of

to the frontiers

Gulf. Regions
the head of the Persian
of
communications
the main line of the maritime
cably,
the less irrevobut none
the British Empire will gradually,
complexion and bias
become invested with a political
out of harmony with our vital interests."

Egypt
lyingupon
of

But

and

this

to

not

was

all.

Judging by

the articles that filled

English press after the concession for building the

the great
Bagdad Railway had been granted to Germany,
would
that this concession
in England was
fear of many
Turkey by the Teutonic
lead to a protectorateover
Powers;** that it would permanently diminish English
the

**

credit in the

East

throughout all

and

Islam"

and

exalt

that it involved the

prestigeat Britain's expense;
mercial
ousting of England from their '^former politicaland comprimacy in the Ottoman Empire
; that,to quote a
out of Asiatic Turkey,"
British writer,it would
us
squeeze
the diplomacy of Germany had
succeeded in squeezing
as
surrendered
to her territory
OB out of East Africa where
we
which was
ours
by virtue of having been explored by Speke,
Grant and Stanley.""
In the meantime
the Teutonic
Powers
were
trying to
the necessary
"ecnre
prise.
capital for their stupendous enterFrom
the very beginning of their vast undertaking
they,under the lead of Dr. Siemens, presidentof the Administrative
Board
of the Anatolian
Railway, fully realized
the difficulties
in securing the funds
they would encounter
German

' '

**

**

to
requisite

cover

But to achieve

the

success

cost of their colossal work.

enormous

they had

recourse

to all the methods

Review, p. 777, May. 1011.

**r**
f""'^*"^*''y
t""" British Wrlianient
April 8. 1903. Lord E. Fitzmaurice
-1 ??!r*?'.*?
with
the
future
TLaIa!
of thia
.t*" **?"*"^^^*^"^ "Bound
up
*" P''"^^"*'^y
^*'"
future
of large
imSSmliL
a1"W
politicalcontrol
""
MwopoUmia and the Persian Gulf."
"*".
*J*?**'*
^fftl
""rA"
-'

"

"

yoftmighHyBemeie, p.

216,

February,1914.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

164

to
who were
eager
capitalists
group of English
in the building of the Bagdad
cooperate with the Germans
of
Gwinner, the successor
von
Bailway" to Herr Arthur
doubt
director of the road, leaves no
as
Siemens
Dr. von

of

one

about this whatever.

fact is

The

[Sir Clinton writes]

violent and

the very

oflScialcircles. But
the

the

be

can

with

will meet

German

recent

the Government

events

those

will

circles,
present

doubt; at the

no

by

reflected in

or

enterprisewhich

cooperation in any
or, I might more

moment

history of

in

shared

and

newspapers

of its intensityoutside

there

moment,

ited
exhib-

feelingagainst Germany

bitter

by the majority of our

of people.
a large number
This is a feelingwhich, as
show you, is not shared by
for

sacrificed to

here, and has been

involved in politics

become

has

the business

that

could

be represented,

justlysay, misrepresented,as

which
violent hostility

ment
govern-

our

feeling prevailed
London
with the majority;
having really gone into
the matter, owing to the newspaper
campaign
a frenzy on
which it would have been quite impossible to counteract or
has

anti-German

The

to consider.

influence.**

Ab

result of

the Czar

an

in November

the Kaiser

and

all share in the

of Potsdam

importantmeeting

Bagdad Railway.

between
waived

1910, Russia

The

drawal
for this with-

reason

it is

asserted,the willingness of Germany to

allow Russia to build a railway in the north of Persia which
ahould eventuallyconnect
with
of the Bagdad
branch
a
was,

Bailway
The

at Khanakin

reaaon,

on

the Persian

therefore,
why

internationalized,
as
was

the

hia asaociateB,is manifest.

""rA"

Ktnaletnth

Century, p.

the

1090

Bagdad

desire
The

et

frontier.

of

Railway
Dr.

nations

aeq., June,

was

Siemens

not

and

constitutingthe

1909.

"German
not shared
feeling waa
by
loned men
like Sir Edwin
Pears
na.

fairlyand
,_

pi tm,

^.

VovMibtr, 19M.

in

inviting British

loyally." The

Contemporary

coopera-

Review,

Cordiale

Entente

RAILWAY

BAGDAD

THE

unwilling

were

outside

the line without

accept the
proceeded

to

thereafter

concessionaires, who

the

offer
to

of

struct
con-

assistance.^"

financiers

and

165

of France

and

England
of the Bagdad Railway
found that internationalization
were
preparing to
was
impossible and that the Germans
build it without their cooperationthey bethought themselves
of killingthe enterpriseby creating a financial vacuum
:
of capitalbe created
around
**Let a vacuum
the Bagdad
writes M. Andre
Geraud, who had no
Railway," ironically
his countrymen
and
their
sympathy with the methods
English allies had adopted in their dealingswith the German
concessionaires,*4et the Anglo-French air-pump be set in
becomes
the pecuniary oxygen
action,and then, as soon
as
to languish and
rarefied,the Bagdad Railway will be seen
When

the

statesmen

die."^^
But

this method, it

discovered,utterjyfailed to
have
the desired
effect.
It neither
deprived the railway
of resources
checked
its activity. **The airnor
company
pump,'' as M. Geraud wittilyremarks, broke down as soon
was

soon

**

it was

as

"

started.''

truthfullysaid that
not be built by a single power.
the Bagdad
had
been
made
The
statement
same
regarding the Suez
Canal, but France, under the lead of De Lesseps, showed
the enterprise and
the genius of her people were
what
united
in an
they were
capable of accomplishing when
to reflect on them
undertaking that was
imperishable glory
20

passed when
Railway could

M.

Auble,
1

meme

it could

time had

The

enterprise du

presentee au
profiterdes

debut,

Chemin

une

de

The

22

Ibid., p. 1313.

Nineteenth

Bagdad

wrote:

pour

Century,

"We

After

cannot

de

Bagdad
c'est

lui donner

p. 1312,

all

Railway

Fer

allemande,

ceuvre

oflfres allemandes

21

of the

matter, writes:

cit.,p. 16. referringto this

op.

be

est

caractere

elle

"

elle s'est

n'

June, 1914.

negotiations looking

had

qu'

en

voulu
a
pas
international."

qu'on

parce

un

"Si

telle

reste

failed, M.

towards
who

Geraud,

help regretting

that

the

tion
internationalizais

two

evidentlya
powers

who

archist,
mon-

held

old religious protectorate, and

France
her
protectorate of the Orient
sanctioned
by the Cyprus Convention
England the protectorate of Anatolia
of one
laid
down
in the
such
beneficent
should,
generation, have
space

the

"

"

weapons.
that was

In
...

order

that

so

responsiblein England

much

and

destruction

France

was

could
the

be

rule of

consummated,

democracy."

all

FROM

166

TO

BERLIN

BAGDAD

BABYLON

AND

of

humanity.
way
Confident in their abilityto construct the Bagdad Railunaided, the Germans, under the guidance of able
not long in demonstrating to the world that
were
financiers,
and

redound

at the

same

to the welfare

time

their

that which

to

in the Land

in no wise inferior to
enterprisewas
of the French
the magnificentachievement

led
of

the Pharaohs.
The

hostile attitude of the

Anglo-French

not
Bagdad Railway was
by the publicistsof Germany.

the

allowed

to

pass

the

From

towards

press

unnoticed

day that

the

authorizing the building of the great railroad was

issued they had been enthusiastic about the enterprisethat
advantage to the
was, they felt sure, to be of inestimable
Fatherland.
They descanted especiallyon it as an agency
trade in the Near East, whose
for developing German
merce
comhitherto had been
almost entirely in the hands
of
their rivals. They fondly pointedto the day, in the not distant
future,when
they would be able to exploit the vast
mineral riches of Asia Minor, and when
Anatolia, Syria,
irade

and

Mesopotamia, as a
German
would
direction,

result of intensive

culture

under

be able to

supply them with untold

stores of grain, wool, cotton,fruit,petroleum, and
other
commodities
to their control of the Bagdad
; when, thanks
Railway and its branches, they would
enjoy a virtual
monopoly of
The

near

eminent

eastern

commerce.

German

engineer,Wilhelm von Pressel,who

had served the Fatherland so long and so well in the Ottoman
Empire," prepared plans for connectingEurope with
Asia by a tunnel under
the Bosphorus. But his fellow
countryman, Siegmund Schneider, insisted that the two
"ontiuents should be connected by a bridge,which he de"cribes in a dithyrambicfashion which
most vividly exhibits
the exalUtion

of the promoters

of the great Berlin

to

dad
Bag-

Hallway.
brochure.Lm
Ohemint
(2ttrkh.Vi)2"^'**'*"*

de

Fer

in

Turquie

d'Aaie

The

RAILWAY

BAGDAD

THE

167

effect [Herr Schneider

architectural

writes]

of the

richlygilded,suspended from massive piers,

crowned
by glitteringcupolas and minarets, brilliantly
This bridge would
illuminated at night would be fantastic.
metallic

mass

constitute

formidable

the Turkish

with which

works

of the enfilade of fortified

closure

bristle.

coasts

Its debouches

heads,
Europe would be defended by powerful bridgeteries
with armored
its piers would be armed
rotary batsink any squadron
whose long range would infallibly

in Asia

and

that would

of the future

Strait.

into the

venture

directlyfrom

will go

The
.

Berlin

trains

express

Babylonia

to

in

five days."

engineers confidentlyasserted that the day was

trains de luxe equal to any in Europe
distant when

German
not far

America

or

would

and

required
caravan

the

from

was

Nor

in

Bagdad
to make

this

was

the

cover

distance

hours.
sixty-five
between

journey

nople
Constanti-

between
The
these

time

formerly
cities by

two

fiftyto fifty-five
days.^*
empty

an

No

boast.

road

has

ever

been

solidlybuilt than is the Bagdad

carefully or more
Railway. Roadbed, culverts,revetments, bridges are of
The sleepersare
the strongestand most durable materials.
of metal, while the steel rails are
speciallymade for sharp
and
fast and
German
curves
heavy trains.
engineers
declare that they are
At a time
the heaviest in existence.
when
the heaviest rails used in the United
States weighed
hundred
one
pounds per lineal yard, those selected for the
And
it
Bagdad Railroad weighed twenty per cent more.
so
is with the warehouses, the offices,
and especiallythe stations

more

all

along

structures

that

the

line.

they

are

it is the firm conviction

designed that
emergencies, such
so

^^

Revue

25

According

Susa

"

de

somewhat

massive
*^

called

German

of many

that

are

the last-named

Castles.''
these

Indeed,

buildingswere

as
they might serve
strongholds in
sudden
as
uprisings of lawless nomads

Geographic,
to

So

Herodotus

p. 398,
it was

greater distance

May,
a

1902.
three

than

from

months'

journey from Ephesus

Constantinopleto Bagdad.

to

TO

BERLIN

FROM

168

Nothing

fanatical Moslemd.

or

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

left to chance.

was

So far

engineeringscience could forecast the

alities
made for all eventunecessities of the future, provisionwas
save
only such a cataclysm as a world war, which
experienceand

as

"

threatened to interrupt the continuityof civilization.

to the end and

As
in

aim

of the

Bagdad Railway

we

are

left

doubt.

no

[writesProfessor Diering] be true to ourselves

In all
by emphasizing and cultivatingeverything German.
diplomacy and financed
undertakings engineeredby German
We

must

German

with

money

the oflSciallanguage must

be German.

ish
French, which has been the officiallanguage on TurkRailways, must disappear. There must be a German
school near
large railway station; and in these
every
and
schools both the German
Turkish
languages must be
employed in givinginstruction ; any other language will be
Hence

merely taught. Only speciallyselected and well-educated

teachers should be sent to Turkey. Above
all,German
medical men
must be introduced into Turkey's railway system.
ence
influfor
German
medium
the
best
They are
spreading
and for awakening esteem
and affection for Germany.
On broad lines it is now
quiteclear what form the future
Turkish
to
From
Empire will assume.
Tripolis across
Persia and on to the ridgesof the Caucasus, German
energy
without injuryto the sovereigntyof the Osmanic
State
will cooperate in Turkey's renaissance
and in the development
of her treasures.
But our enemies,togetherwith their
tories
languagesand schools will disappear from the terrimoney,
which they hoped to divide among
themselves.^"
"

"

is another German
explicit
i':(iuiilly
the ulterior objectof the
TeHpcotiiiL"
1
one

'

'

niciuut

high-road of

uiiich leads from

Alexander

"

the world

Europe
the highway which

Monafhefte,
MMjfMilitfAtf
^

I4i,jMiB"r7,1917.

writer,Herr Trampe,
Bagdad Railway.

to

[he declares] is the

India" the road used by

leads from

September,

1916.

Of.

The

the Danube

via

Quarterly Review,

THE

BAGDAD
the

Constantinople to

RAILWAY
of

169

the

Euphrates, and by
northern
to the Ganges.
Persia, Herat, and Kabul
Every
yard of the Bagdad Railway which is laid brings the owner
What
of the railway nearer
Alexander
to India.
performed
be achieved
and Napoleon undoubtedly planned can
by a
third treading in their footsteps. England views
the Bagdad
Railway as a very real and threatening danger to
undo
herself
annul
its
and rightly so.
She can
never
or
valley

"

effects."

increasinglyhostile attitude of the Entente Cordiale

the Bagdad Railway, the violent ebullitions of the
toward
had
portended trouble. No sooner
press of the rival powers
the concession for the building of the Bagdad Railway been
than it began to weigh as a nightmare
announced
officially
The
chancelleries of the Old
on
a great part of Europe.
World
clearlythan ever before
began then to realize more
of the great oriental highway.
the boundless
possibilities
in it the virtual doubling of the
saw
English statesmen
of the Persian
fleet at the head
German
Gulf, and then
the cry was
heard
throughout Britain, **Let us have the
Russians
than a great power
at Constantinople rather
on
The

the Persian

Gulf."

Bagdad Railway [declares an English writer] was

which
due as much
damnosa
to a lack of
was
a
licereditas,
imagination and effective organization on the part of our
business community in the eightiesand nineties of the last
to a mistaken
century, as it undoubtedly was
policyin those
The

critical years

Small

beginning

of the chief

one

as

of the

be entailed

27

Der

28

The

of the

Government.^^

great World

contributingcauses
decade

second

that, whatever
may

part of the British

wonder, then, is it that the Bagdad

the very

from

the

on

of the

political,
economic,
as

War

Railway

was

considered

of the terrific cataclysm

twentieth
and

result of the most

century and
social adjustments
stupendous struggle

die Dardanelles
(Stuttgart, 1916).
Kampf um
Review,
Quarterly
p. 628, October, 1917.

of

BERLIN

FROM

170

it

history,

the

relations

did

the

which
East

destined

is

far-reaching
introduced

and
of

made
Persia

Greek
known
and

people
to

India

the

and

West

the

and
of

campaigns

profoundly

more

even

Orient

the

between

modify

to

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Occident

Alexander
Greek

and
the

Babylonia.

riches

than

the

Great,

culture
and

to

the

the

ders
won-

stood

Iconium

times

Roman

In

and

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BEBLIN

FROM

172

intersection of

the

at

designatedby Phny

several importanthighways
celebrated city According to a
urhs celeberrima^a most
had for its first bishop Sosivenerable tradition,Iconium
was

who
of the seventy-two disciples,

one

in the

episcopalchair by Terentius,

chosen

body of disciples.Equally noteworthy

that Iconium

was

converted

been

to have

to

likewise

one

of this

is

the fact

St. Thecla, who

said

is

Christianityby the Apostle St.

of the

is the heroine

She

Paul.

birthplaceof

the

succeeded

was

patros,

Acta

Pauli

Theclce.

et

she was
greatly
earliest ages of the Church
the
known
as
she was
venerated in Asia Minor, where
' '
In the Greek
* *
Apostleand Proto-marty r among Women.
the

From

Church
and

the

her feast is celebrated

under

the title of

Equal

of the

the

tember
twenty-fourthof SepWomen

/'Proto-martyramong

Apostles.''

here, according to

And

on

venerable

store,is the tomb

oriental geographers set much

the

the Divine," who, under

tradition

name

on

which

of ''Plato

of Eflat,is revered

by the

thaumaturgus. The origin of this

so distant from
singulartradition in this part of Anatolia
the real burying place of the immortal
philosopher is one

local

populationas

"

"

of the curiosities of Ottoman

folklore.^

Iconium
from
1099 to 1307
was
During two centuries
is still
and
of Rum^
the capital of the Seljuk Sultans
regarded as one of the holy places of Islam. Many of its
Boltans were
and, during the
patrons of art and literature,
"

"

zenith of its splendor,

this

Seljukianmetropoliscould
of nearly as many
collegesand students as Bagdad
far-famed capitalof the Abbasside
Caliphate.
Its present chiefest title to fame
Jelal-ed-din-Humi,usually known

is the tomb

famed

and

for knowledge and

wisdom

as

Mevlana.
was

boast
"

the

of the noted
He

the founder

was

of

t for
of
"n
"Plato
in the Folklore
interestingarticle on this subject,
see
Om 1C"ala PUlw."
School of
by F. W. Hatluclc, in the Annual
of the British
v..
Will.
Athr*'
" i
ro"
Roma"
because it was,
before its conquest by the Seljuks,a

port:

'

."

RomaO'BytantineEmpire.

the author

and

the Dancing Dervishes

in Persian

celebrated

poem
Sufi system of

His

of the

in which

verse,

pantheism.

173

CRUSADERS

THE

OF

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

**Mesnevi,^'a
is instilled the

successors,

as

heads

of

Dancing Dervishes, have their residence in Iconium and

theirs is the right and the privilegeto gird each Ottoman

the

Sultan,
sword

his accession

on

of Osman.

the

to

throne, with

which

imposing function,

This

the

historic
is performed

Mosque of Eynb in Stamboul, has been likened

to the coronation
Emperor.
by the Pope of the Holy Roman
By those who know them best the better class of Dancing,
properly,the Whirling Dervishes, are described
or, more
as
being a very tolerant and large-minded people. Thus it
is said that '4n the dangerous period in the winter of 1895key,
religiousand national feeling ran high in Tur1896, when
it was
mainly owing to the Mevlevis that the softas of
Konia
were
prevented from attackingthe Christian population
in the

of the town.''

Moslems,
not regard

orthodox

represented by the softas

with
and mollahs, do
sympathy the peculiar
ceremonial
practicesof the various orders of dervishes,
especiallytheir use of incense,music, and lighted candles
To the strict followers of the Koran
in publicworship
the
of worship of the Mevlevis
and Rufais,
characteristic forms
the Dancing and Howling Dervishes,
as
more
commonly known
the

But

are

certain

distasteful

as

as

Anglicans

modern

of the Church

as

are

the ritualistic services

the

to

conservative

of

members

England. As to the esoteric doctrines of

dervishes,especiallythose based on the Mesnevi, they
declared by the doctors of Islam
to be quite irreconof

kthe
are

cilable with

both

the

Koran

and

the

Hadith

"

traditions

of Mohammedanism.

It must

be

the accepted
said

that the

vishes
performances of the Dancing and Howling Derof
perfox-manceswhich are resorted to as a means
detaching the minds of the devotees from all things earthly

bizarre
"

and

attaininga
See

Turkey

in

state of

Europe,

spiritualecstasy

p. 185

"

(by

C.

are

to the casual

Eliot,London, 1908).

southern

our

exhibit far
than

dignityand

more

in their devotions

reverence

in their camp-

noisy Africans

and

revivals

dervishes,however,

solemn

The

negroes.

the excitable

do

certain

little different in kind from

spectatorbut
of

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

174

meetings and revivalisticgatherings.

Surrounded
by a barren and desolate country, Konia,
from
when seen
afar,looks like an oasis in the desert. It is
by mountain
situated on an elevated plateau well-watered
with

blessed

and

streams

their

it for

choose

It

was

Seljukian Turks

led the

that

attractive features

these

climate.

salubrious

to

luxuriant

gardens and
to the city's
and add much

capital. Its

long been famous

picturesqueness especiallywhen viewed from a distance.
For when one
enters the old Seljukian capitalthere is little
have

orchards

"

Of the old Greek

except a few mosques.
citypractically
nothing remains aside from the fragments
of friezes,cornices,bas-reliefs,
and ancient inscriptions

to attract attention

which

are

found

in the walls

which

surround

the erstwhile

other
Seljukian capital.^Here, as in so many
places in
Anatolia, the Turks, when
requiring material for their
and
palaces, converted the imposing temples of
mosques
the Greeks,Romans, and Byzantines into quarries for stone,
and lime. As in Nicaea,a great part of the
space within the
walls of Konia is covered
with crumbling ruins overgrown

with
scene

weeds

and

bushes.

in his mind's
There

eye

The

when

have

poet must

he

had

such

penned the lines :

temple in ruin stands

Fashioned by long-for
got ten hands;
Two

Out

Of

three columns

or

Marble

and

upon

the

and

granite with
time!

things

many

grass

It will leave
to

come

than

stone,

overgrown
no

the

more

things before.

Modem

Konia, a good part of which lies outside of the

of the Seljuk capital of the thirteenth
century,
it eomposed of one-story
buildings,constructed
chieflyof

walk

wood

and

sun-dried bricks.

But

amid

all the

squalor and

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

OF

THE

CRUSADERS

175

distinguishesthis historic citythere are several

medresses
and
colleges ^which will well repay

that

decay
mosques

"

"

careful inspection.
the buildings deserving particular attention
is
Among
the splendid tekke of the Dancing Dervishes, in which
is
of this peculiar
of Hazret
the tomb
Mevlana, the founder
the **Blue Mosque*' from
It is popularly known
order.
as
the exquisitesapphire and turquoise blue tiles which
until
recently covered the cupola that rises above the great turThere
is nothing in Brusa, Stamboul,
beh of the founder.

Cairo

or

that

can

surpass

its rich and

delicate traceries

and

arabesques, its profusion of jeweled lamps, its wealth,

wondrous
faience,its magic glories of
precious tapestries,
color
over

the looms

from

and

above

and

kilns of Persia

all this wealth

that

and

India.

of ornamentation

does

But

there is

exist in the

ordinary
For
the dervishes,unlike the orthodox
Moslems,
mosque.
make
a
specialappeal to the emotions of their followers,
their
hence
and
widespread influence and
popularity
world.
throughout the Mohammedan
here to affect the
There
is,however, no attempt made
emotions
through any of the plasticor pictorialarts. In
other mosque
in
this respect the Blue Mosque, like every
The
Islam, is absolutely devoid of paintingsand statues.
is that Moslem
law proscribes all representations
reason
of the human
pious,
form, either in painting or statuary, as imbecause
they are regarded **as encouragements to
idolatry and as profanationsof God's chief handiwork."*
med,
According to one of the traditional sayings of Moham^^AVhoever
draws
a picturewill at the day of resurrection
to blow a spiritinto it ;
be punished by being ordered
do ; and so he will be punished as long
and this he can never
Nor does the Prophet leave any doubt as to
God wills."
as
of the punishment, for he declares explicitly,
the nature

religiousatmosphere

*In
of

the

chance

work!

Koran,
and

Avoid

Sura

not

V, it is written, "O

and
statues,
that ye
them

divining arrows
prosper."
may

believers!
are

an

surely

wine

abomination

and

games

of

Satan's

**

painter is

Every

painter,**If you
of

and

to artists that

houses

pictures,make

pictures

frequently

may

one

and

flowers

of

landscapes,provided there

be in them

human

in the homes

form

divine.'*

of Moslemism

according

all

to another

into the house

enter

But

images

are

of the

saying
in which

is

of trees

and

of the

cession
con-

in Mohammedan

see

of

even

delineation

no

tells

of this

trees

of **the

strict adherents

rigorously tabooed, for,

Prophet, Angels do not
'*

into that in which

dog, nor

and

them

It is because

souls,*'

things without

ever,
saying, how-

pitilessstatement

make

must

anotlier

In

in hell-fire."
this

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

greatly modifies

he

the

BERLIN

FROM

176

pictures.'"

are

Konia

is

souls.

Most

Turks,

who

to the

flourishingcity of about sixty thousand

of its inhabitants,
like those of Brusa, are pure
rigidlyadhere not only to the religion but also
a

now

and

manners

however,

goodly

besides

of their fathers.

customs
number

whom

of

there is

There

Greeks, Armenians,
also,among

the

is

here,

and

mans,
Ger-

employees

of

the

Bagdad Railway, a sprinklingof Swiss, French, and

Italians. Among
the various institutions we
visited,none
gave
some

us

decades
from

The
care

all

agreeable surprise than those established

more

by the Priests

ago

France, which

Sisters have
of the poor

school and

and

French

nun

the great difficulties

she

to all who

Nowhere

AoMi

she exhibits

Gabriel did

very

dispensary,and

to

them

Nowhere
better

their devoted

greatly beloved
is the

advantage

by

zeal

than

of

in

enthusiasm,notwithstanding
frequentlyencounters, never
abates
happiness that communicates
with

itself

her.

Anatolia,except probably

nn*.

condition.

prosperous

her

in contact

come

in

Sisters of the Assumption

creed.

seen

foreign missions, where

where

sick has made

classes,irrespectiveof

the ardent

and

in

are

and

here

"?..""
SJ.v"
J^ll^:?'.
^. Mathews.

in

Brusa,

Calcutta,

1809

has

one

"The
.

because

opportunity to study the manners

simple pastimes of the genuine Turk

and

better

and

and

Theaters

world, which

are

by

debarred

are

that contribute
of

his leisure

total absence

of these

with

in the

center

has

them

Of such

his

of

way

His

him

ments
amuse-

he is content.

in France

club

and

great

and

the

restaurant

home

no

the haunt

may

to indicate

and

come

and

will,
affairs,

at

the coffeehouse

restaurant,

congregate there,

its attractions

go

crucible.

common

alcoholic liquors of any

people who

"

his own
thoughts, pursue
of feelingand of sense

ore

the club
or

the

people
ing
spend-

the try siing-place

and

each

own

flinghis

IntS the

food

have

as

place where

Think

no

Like

of public men;

Of wealthy idlers

Unlike

the

coffeehouse, which, to

States.

Is the resort

Or

the

than

coffeehouse

the Turkish

western

alike,they

pleasure of

extent, takes the place of the restaurant

club in the United

not.

of all the entertainments

quite satisfies

that

simple indeed, but

are

Most

to the

much

so

hours

the

binding

more

America, the Anatolian

and

Europe

in Konia.

Persians.

and

notwithstanding the

But

customs

them, they have

is

that

custom

of the Medes

laws

than

assemblages, like those in

and women
frequented by men

all social

From

know

we

as

operas,

177

CRUSADERS

THE

OF

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

are

as

and

kind.

it is

limited

as

Aside

serves

from

the

usually well-patronized,
they are simple. In

confined to coffee,
pretentious places these are
tobacco, and, occasionally,the Medak, or story-teller.In
the more
sumptuous
places of the larger cities there is
also music, but it is generally of a very
inferior quality,for
the instruments
employed are for the most part limited to
the

less

drum,
In

most

marked

tambourine,

Anatolia,

as

and

he

or

in all Moslem

popular character.
that

two

attains

Not

three rude

guitars.

countries, the MedaJc

is

infrequentlyhis abilityis

the rank

of

personage,

and

so

his

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

for

and

festive occasions are in great demand

The admirable
he is liberallyremunerated.

services
them

TO

BERLIN

FROM

178

on

ho can,

in which

unaided, fillthe role of entire

manner

of the

casts

in perversatility
sonating
the people of different nations, and in imitating
the facial expression
and even
the tones, phraseologies,
of the Turkish empire are really
of the multitudinous races
most

characters, his marvelous

diverse

of unending
astonishing and are to his audience a source
delight. Not a few of the Medaks, in addition to histrionic
talent that would do honor to the best European stage, have

giftof expressionand

them

the rivals of the most

With

such

more

elaborate

the

entertainers

invention

of
facility

improvisatori.
readily forego our
if they were
even

Italian

eminent
Turks

can

of amusement,

forms

make

that

available.*

always

perennialsource

of

of the coffeehouse.

attractions
aa

drolleries

the stories and

But

Lowell

of the

Medak

pleasure

are

"

These

"

not

although
the

chief

partly supplied,

are

playfullyputs it,by

so

horn
i^ymph io Bacchus
By Morpheus* daughier, she ihat seems
Oified on her naial mom
By him unih fire,by her with dreams
Nicoiia,dearer io ihe Muse
Than
all the grapes* bewildering juice.

kind

The

"

Although
Mohammedan

the

use

world*

of tobacco
and

was

although

long forbidden

in the

its lawfulness

is still

"fnWinmH,

whom
women
a"
are
writing of the Eastern Btorv-tellers,among
'''excite
informi us they sometimes
but
terror
mor"
or
thej
pity,
Bkturt to tbair audience those brilliant and fantastic visions whieh
fcti|titly
tilt ptlrliMMiy
of the eastern
m
The
imagination.
physicians frain order
tlMm to their patients
^MOMMead
to soothe
pain, to calm

illM

MM.

to

'

to

"jj"
IMmm

akep after

long watchfulness; and these story-tellera,

their voices, soften their tones
and gently
oa
Mi
the sufferers."
Fi""e
Historical
sleep steals over
of tk9
If* af Bouthtm
Europe, Vol. I, p. 02 (Bohn Edition).
Bhelkul
Ulam
issued a vigorous fetwa
he dtagainst it in which
that
tu
'^was contrary to the Koran"
use
and that ^'smoking waa
a
aod ahnoiiaabla practiceof the Qiaour^ which no trua BeUever
should
or

alarsd

DTodttM

ateluMaa, modulate

BERLIN

TO

of the dark ambrosia

that

FROM

180

tent

Bedouin's

gladdens the

so

pasha'spalace.

and the

the
dispellest

thou

Coffee!

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

great; thou

edge.
paths of knowlpeople of God and the

the

from

wander

who

those

bringestback

of the

cares

Coffee is the beverage of the

cordial of His servants who thirst for wisdom.

coffee

When

and is
is infused into the bowl it exhales the odor of musk
except to the
of the color of ink. The truth is not known
the foaming coffeecup. God has
wise who drink it from
deprived fools of coffee,who, with invincible obstinacy
it

condemn

injurious.
gold and in

as

are
the place of its libations we
in the enjo5nmentof the best and noblest society. Coffee is
tinguishe
which it is disinnocent a drink as the purest milk from
as

Coffee is

our

Tarry with thy coffee in the

the good God will hover over

only by its color.

place of

preparationand
in His
participate

its

thee and

the graces

There

feast.

of the

salon,the luxury of life,the societyof friends,all furnish

a
picture of the abode of happiness.
the cup-bearer presents the
vanishes when
Every care
delicious chalice. It will circulate freelythrough thy veins
If thou doubtest
plate
and will not rankle there.
this,contemdrink it. Grief
the youth and beauty of those who
exist where

cannot

it grows

before its powers.

Coffee is the drink of God's
this be the

will drown

we

the

scorn

Oreat
th"

iweetncBS

ground

has

wine-cup.

purityand

reason
is not

coffee

people; in

who

adversities

our

Whoever

sorrows.

of

to those

answer

once

its qualities. In it
in its fire consume
our

and

the

blissful chalice will

drink !

Thy
proclaims it genuine.

appreciatedby

is added

to

the

Let

it is health.

doubt

seen

Glorious

ence
itself in obedi-

humbles

; sorrow

connoisseurs

boiling water,

color
Drink

in cofifee
the

is the seal
with

con-

drinking. When

pot should

be

taken

off

Dm
fire and
the coffee stirred up
in the water
it
with
a
teaspoon. Then
"bould be put on the Are again until the froth
rises up.
It is then
poured
Into the cups.
It is better to pour
out the coffee slowly, placing the pot on
ih" fire at short intervals, and thus getting more
froth
for pouring out into
the cupi, as the taste of the coffee is supposed to be better with
the yellowish
froth on the surface.
It is on
of this idea that
account
in

greedy people

Turkey
round
turn

on

chooee
a

those

cups

that

tray, leaving those

to be eerved."

have
with

Halil Halid's

the

most

less to

Diary of

froth

the others
a

Turk, p.

when
who
244

coffee

is

handed

waiting their
(London, 1903).
are

181
condemn

foundation.^"

without

and

CRUSADERS

THE

the prattle of fools who

not

regard

fidence and

the oriental

for

much

So

OF

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

of

surcease

and

care

the

are

and

the pleasure
it offers its listless,
of the

amusements

Let the distinguishedEnglish writer,

of the Orient?

women

which

sorrow

What

habitues.

dream-loving

coffeehouse

life and manners

knowledge of Turkish
not surpassed even
was
by that of the well-informed
ing
Lady Mary Wortley Montague, give a reply to this interestbut ill-understood question. In the quotation given she

Pardoe, whose

Julia

about

the

of them

can,

writing

is
she

says

in other

sisters

of

women

ceteris

parts

Constantinople,but
paribus^be asserted of

of the Ottoman

what
their

Empire:

ish
great fallacy[she declares] to imagine that Turklike birds in a cage or captives in a cell;
females
are
be it Turk, Frank,
far from it;there is not a publicfestival,
Armenian
Greek, where
or
they are not to be seen in numbers
their carpets or in their carriages,sursittingupon
rounded
by slaves and attendants, eager and delightedspectators
Then
of the reveltheir
have
and
they
gilded
tering
glitcaiques on the Bosphorus, where, protected by their
veils,their ample mantles and their negro guard, they spend
long hours in passing from house to house, visitingtheir
acquaintances and gathering and dispensingthe gossip of
It is

"

the

city.

All this may

and

indeed

must

startlingto

appear

persons

contrast
to this wildly lyrical praise of the
fragrant and
which
from
the Arabian
berry, is the denunciation
beverage made
declared
of Islam
who
it to
followers
hurled
was
against it by the orthodox
of
the
ministers
Devil
and
the
four
of
to public morals
be a menace
one
three
and
the other
"During the sixteenth
being wine, opium, and tobacco.
centuries
stantinople
seventeenth
coffee-drinkers were
persecuted more
rigorouslyin ConTheir
than
winebibbers
have
in England or America.
been
ever
himself
IV
drunkard
who
the bloody Murad
most
a
was
unrelenting enemy
of coffee under
He and his nephew, Mehmed
the use
forbade
IV,
pain of death.
used
in order
to patrol the city in disguise, k la Harun-al-Rashid.
after him
of the law.
violation
A perto detect and
punish for themselves
any
sonage
10

marked

In

delicious

"

"

"

...

no

following
but

as

Mene.
p. 24

straitlaced

more

'The

decision:

it is used
it may
(by H.

to

also
G-

be

than

Retayling

nourisshe
a

common

Dwight,

Charles

New

of

II caused
CofTe

court

be

to

hand

innocente

down

the

Trayde;
Sedition,
spredde Lyes, and scandalyse Create
Nuissaunce,'
Constantinople Old and New,
may

"

York,

1915).

an

wives

in the world

littletrammelled

so

women

no

There

slaves.

morally manacled

were

Turkish

that

to believe

themselves

accustomed

have

who

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

182

probably,

are,

free to

; so

come

suitably
unquestioned, provided that they are
attended,while it is equally certain that they enjoy this
privilegelike innocent and happy children,making their
pleasuresof the flowers and the sunshine and revelling,like
brightness,profitingby
the birds and bees in the summer
less
the enjoyment of the passinghour and reckless or thoughtand

go

of the future/^

written,the libertyof the Turkish

has been greatlyextended, as have also her opportunities
so
long
of obtaining a higher education,which were

Since these lines

woman

were

her.

denied

foregoing it

the

From

both

Orient"

and

men

in their

out of life
"

women

own

^getquite as

"

way,

peoples of the
much
pleasure

the

that

seems

of

course

do

as

"

luxury-

our

loving people of the Occident at the expenditure of far

greater effort and wealth. But in this,as in other things
to his taste. De gustihus non
est disputandum.
one
every
"

much

But

as

medresses

and

traveler of

be interested

one

may

the

customs

of the
of mind

turn
practical

in the mosques

and

of

the

people

will find

his attention in the splendidbarrage which

about

decade

of the
Konia.

ago,

city,for

and the

of

valuable land which

in Asia

German

would

UTAt

miles

to the

the broad
company,

east
south-

plain of
which, by

^the Beushehr

"

and

enterprisingmanagers
acres
fiftythousand

otherwise

remain

arid

and

of
productive.
un-

being the first undertaking of

Minor, and has already been of untold

important work
Bmutif

constructed

was

its

as

value to the inhabitants of Konia

thU

to engage

more

neighboringlakes

hundred

It is notable
the kind

has enabled

"

odd

irrigationof

of two

Sogla Geul
irrigatenearly

to

the

It is the work

the waters
utilizing

twenty

some

Konia,

is

sure

to

of the RoMphorus, p. 127

Plain.
lead

to

The
the

(London, 1839),

success

of

construction

of similar

CRUSADERS

THE

FOOTSTEPS

OF

reservoirs

in other

THE

IN

183

parts of Anatolia, with

the

broad
stretches
of this longhappy result that many
neglected and deserted country will eventually be restored
and populousness.
to their former
fertility
Time
Asia Minor, which
was, as history informs me, when
has long been presented in many
parts by pictures of utter
barrenness
and
of the most
fertile
one
desolation,was
in the world.
and productive and flourishing
It was
from
this land, as DeCandolle
has shown, that Europe received
of its most
important fruits and cereals, as well
many
"

as

of its most

many

Minor

valuable

and

shrubs

From

trees.

Asia

the

peach, the plum, the cherry,and the apricot,

the quince and the mulberry, and probably also the apple
and the olive. From
it also came
wheat, barley,oats and
came

lucerne

and

for these

doubtless

was

in this

the

led

Crusades

Barbarossa.

abandoned

by the

to take

worthy of

note

cityby

train passed
and

there

we

For

over

unlike

those

forces

and

storm

was

found

the

on

compel

capitalwe

and

the

of Barbarossa

the famous

reached

city
was

the Sultan

found

to

little

chain

of the

that

villageswith

by diminutive
not

that it

great part of the distance our

level plain,sparsely populated. Here

small

were

legend located

by Godfrey de Bouillon

old Seljukian

until

Mountains.

be noted

but the army

enemy,

the

old

an

plants. It

race.

Godfrey's

for peace.
After leaving the

Taurus

our

it may

Frederic

sue

of

cultivated

that

leaving Konia

of

forced

useful

reasons

region the cradle

Before
route

other

numerous

tracts
are

mud-built

of land

everywhere

under

houses

rounded
sur-

cultivation,

visible in northern

Mexico.
What
was

the

impressed

paucity of

to utilize the
12

us

in other
and

its inhabitants

marvelous

natural

resources

Plants, p. 439
(Paris, 1885).

C/. his Origin of Cultivated

Botanique Raisonnie

here, as

et seq.

parts of Anatolia,
their total
of the
(New

York;

failure

country.
GSographie

Although the

equal to that of France,

one-fifthof that of the French Republic.

of Asia

area

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FBOM

184

is but
its population
And yet the natural

is

Minor

of the country

resources

are

enormous,

properlyconserved would suffice to support several

of
its presentpopulation.Rich in valuable minerals

and if
times

all kinds, its untold

flora,too, is

as

counts

of the world.
six of which

of

treasures

stance,
oak, for invarieties here than in any other part
more
in Anatolia, twentyFifty-two speciesoccur
varied

as

of valuable
If the water,

and

properlyconserved

trees

as

No

it was

every

are

"

states
under
of

had

and

such

distinct

such

territory. It is

such

seen

host

and

eras

Worse
but

memorable

wantonly

year

forest

resources

Minor

developed,Asia

country perhaps has

in this

practicallyunknown,

mineral, and

in the

science.

unknown

of
one
long ago
regions of the globe.
flourishing
be

But

to exist elsewhere.

not known

are

The

it is valuable.

part of the world, forestry is an

still Not only is arboriculture
thousands

Its

left unmined.

are

ore

the most

stroyed.
de-

were

would

again
populous and

succession

of perous
prosof historical
cences,
reminisa

such
in

various

the

tions
distribu-

beginning

of

names
history for its barbarian kings and nobles whose
stand as commonplaces and proverbs of wealth
and luxury.
The magnificenceof Pelops imparts lustre even
liant
to the brildreams
of the mythologist. The
of Croesus,
name
King of Lydia
a
as
proverb for his enormous
goes
riches. Midas, King of Phrygia, had such abundance
of
the precious metals that he was
said by the poets to have
the power
of turning whatever
he touched into gold. The
tomb of Mausolus, King of Caria, was
of the seven
one
.

wonders

Bnt

of the world."

as

it is now,

this

country,once so famed for its wealth

powerful and opulent kingdoms,

and its splendidcities,

for its
Greek

or

'*

Barbarian, of Pontus

BketchtM,Vol.
^^BUt"frical

I, p. 116, 117

and

(bj Cardinal

Bithynia
Newman,

and

London,

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

Pergamus

choice volumes*'

is

"

its two

with

Pergamus"

"

so

and

poor

frequently suffer from famine

consequent on improvidence and
railroad

of the

advent

the

and

promised establishment
long materially improve the

and the
ere

its

neglected that
from

and

people

miseries

all the

failure to utilize the vast

hoped that the

introduction
of irrigation
of an efficient forestry will
dition
conpresent sad economic
will

country, and that fair Anatolia

of the

thousand

hundred

It is to be

their reach.

within

treasures

185

CRUSADERS

THE

OF

once

more

of commerce
marts
covered, as of yore, with flourishing
there are
umns
now
and magnificent cities where
crumbling colof Greek temples and scattered fragments of Roman
sepulchre of
palaces and amphitheaters a veritable
be

**

"

the

past."
traversed
for a considerable
The plainwhich we now
was
distance gravellyland,alternatelymarshy and dry and not
infrequently very saline. Rocks of a volcanic character
were

often visible.

here

and

there

camels

and

There

littleevidences

were

long droves
occasional

and

of

heavily

flocks and

of life

burdened
of

herds

except

donkeys
wandering

Turkomans.
in the deserts

of camels

Trains

always had

of Asia

peculiar fascination

trains of the Peruvian

and

for

Bolivian

me.

Andes

and

Africa

Like

they

the
seem

have
llama
to be

and
to the work
speciallyadapted to their environment
the invento perform. Before
tion
which they are called upon
of the steam
all but
engine both, in their sphere, were

Cf. Discovery in Greek Lands, p. 57 et aeq. (by F. H. Marshall. Cambridge,

See also A
Century of ArchoBological Discoveries, p. 166 ff. (by A.
1920).
York. 1908).
Michaelis, New
14

journey through Anatolia than the

during our
Roman
author
a
once
wrote,
superb cities of which
Magnificas Asice perreximus urhes.
until they were
unknown
the sites were
covered
of these even
recently disThe
site
of
the
of
famous
the
Europe.
archaeologists
temple of
by

Nothing
utter

Of

many

Diana

at

structure
in

impressed

Asia

Paestum,
monuments
ancient

Ephesus
once

was

Minor

does

Girgenti,

not

was

classed
one

and

in Athens,

Greek

more

us

of those

destruction

as

identified
one

of the

until
seven

find

1869.

although

wonders

of the

anything to compare
Segesta which, with the
are

architecture

the
in

most

remarkable

existence.

with

the

this

world.

celebrated
Nowhere

stately temples
exception of the wonderful
and
best preserved groups

of
of

TO

BERLIN

FROM

186

AND

BAGDAD

sure-footed llama

the
indispensable"

oil

BABYLON

dizzy mountain

camel in torrid,interminable
heights,the thirst-resisting
of the locomotive these
deserts. Even since the appearance
in demand
as
as much
ever.
nsefnl animals are apparently

Foriin

addition to

merchandise,as formerly,
transporting

they are stillin constant use in

exist,
goods to such roads as are alreadyin operation.
delivering
In the regionof which I am now
speaking,
one, at times,
gees
only three or four camels at most ; at others there are
where railroads do not

hundred

or

allloaded to the limit of endurance.

more,

But

they appear in the gray, barren,undulatingplain,

they,with their drivers,at once give life and color to the
landscapewhich is else but a dull study in monochrome.
Their leader is usuallya dirty,
key
unkempt, diminutive doncontrast to the statelyanimals that subin marked
missively

whenever

"

follow him
somnolent
red

"

^which is

bestridden by
frequently

Turk

wearing a faded old fez and

trousers,with his legsreachingalmost to

As the

graduallyapproaches one

voluminous
the

ground.

hears the

jingling
and
the
light-stepping
donkey
clangingof
largerbells of the heavy,lurchingcamel. But we also
caravan

of the bellsof the

the

presentlydiscover that both donkey and camels are decked

with gaudy trappings
adorned with beads and cowrie shells.

These,however,are

not

solelyfor ornament, as

suppose, but rather to avert the evil eye

East,is even

more

one

might

which,in the Near

dreaded than itis in any part of southern

Italy.
How

the camel

times

even

when

carries

one

back to

patriarchaltimes,to
known
was
only

the domesticated horse

in warfare I As a longline of betasselled

camels came
near
our train one
day,they seemed by their sneers and the lofty
manner
in which they held
up their heads to be conscious
of their ancient lineage
and to resent the
trespassing
by the
Bagdad Railwayon what was long their exclusive domain.
But to judgeby the
general appearance
of the country" the
old patchedtents,
the reed huts,the hovels of unbaked
mud,
the peculiargarb of the
the
people,
primitivemethods of

memorable

celebrated them,

poeticalmasterpieces that have

but think the subject of the
cannot

we

is

Delivered

Jerusalem

BABYLON

the

and

wars

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

188

than

wonderful

more

that

of

theniai.""
several passes
important of them

There

are

the most

this celebrated pass

Asia

and

Syria

is the famous

Minor,

has

been

long known

one

From

Cilician Gates.^^

PyUe Cilicue,or

the

as

through the Taurus, but by far

the

time

gateway between
Asia

southwestern

between

morial
imme-

and

Assyrians,Hittites,Persians, Egyptians,
Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Crusaders
passed through them. Asurbanipal, Cyrus the Great, and
defiles.
Sapor I led their armies through their narrow
Cyrus the Younger and Xenophon pushed their way through
to fateful Cunaxa.
them on their way
Alexander, Cicero,
Harun-al-Rashid
led their armies
through this narrow
southeastern Europe.

It

passage.

Crusaders

also traversed

was

by St. Paul, by hosts of the

by pilgrimsinnumerable

and

from

the

earliest

of the Church.

ages

On

our

of Alexander
of Bozanti.

and

Here

from

eastward

followed

we

the Crusaders

in the footsteps

far

as

as

the Vale

the

the

through the

passes

the Taurus

across

way

Bagdad Railway diverges slightly

old military and
trade route
which

Cilician Gates.

the old historic route

to

As

low
preferred to folpassing through nearly eleven
we

miles of

railwaytunnels,we left the train at Bozanti Khan

proceeded by carriagethrough the Cilician Gates to

and

Tarsus.

We

were

well

had, in

of

drives

one

world.

On

dothed

with

repaid for so doing,for we

the most
mountain
delightful

each

side of the road

forests of pine and

risingfar above these was
the
""

Ibid.,p. 258.

("CaIM

bj Clctro Tauri^Pyla,

were

other

quence,
conse-

in the

towering heights
evergreens,

sky-piercingsummit

while
of

IN

OF

FOOTSTEPS

THE

Bulgar Dagh

Further

whiteness.

with

covered
on

our

THE
mantle

And
To

jaws,

the

overhang

snow

abrupt

pass

of

dazzling

expands

mountain

with its accumulated

seems

of

189

way
The

Its strong

CRUSADERS

breaks,

crags,

the world.

give life and variety to the majestic scene,

we
saw
circlingthe fantastic peaks and hovering above the
of great barenecked
beetling crags in quest of prey, a number
to be fully as large as the
vultures,which seemed
rivals of the condor
lammergeier of the Alps and no mean
And,

as

if to

of the Andes.

The

narrow

gorge

perfectlyto Cicero

known

as

the

Cilician Gates

answers

appellationof Pylae-Tauri,gateway of
And
it corresponds almost
the Taurus.
equally well with
he declares it **but
Xenophon's description of it when
broad
enough for a chariot to pass with great difficulty."
which
rushes
On both sides of the mountain
torrent
along
the historic roadway are
lofty and almost vertical precipices
that could easilybe so fortified as to convert
it into a
could hold a large
Thermopylae, where a handful of men
indeed
at bay. It was
by fortressing this pass that
army
Ali was
Mehemet
long able,in defiance of the power of the
Turkish
Sultan, to retain control of Syria.
Shortly after emerging from the PylaB Ciliciae we catch
first view of the famed
Cilician Plain, the Cilicia Camour
pestris,which occupies so large a page in the history of this
Through it we see coursing like silver
part of the world.
the Sarus, the
the distant rivers of familiar names
bands
in the vicinity of
The
road
Pyramus, and the Cydnus.
is fringed with forests of pine and
the pass
plane trees,
flows a leaping,laughoutstretched
branches
under
whose
ing,
tuneful stream which is ever
making the same
gladsome
it did when
music
St. Paul passed this way
as
bearing the
joyfultidingsof the Gospel to the receptivepeoples of Asia
Minor.
But as we near
the plainwe note a marked
change
*s

"

BERLIN

PROM

190

TO

AND

BAGDAD

Vegetation is not only

in character.
semi-tropical

in climate.

more

almost

The

with

laurel,bay, cedar, evergreen

olive.
with

There

thickets of

are

wild vines

and

luxuriant
road

but

and

which

is

is bordered

oak, wild fig,and

myrtle

creepers,

BABYLON

oleander

wild

draped

greatly enhance

of the enchantingscene.
pictaresqueness
in all the verdure
It was
along this road, embowered
bloom of a semi-tropical
and
climate,that the weary

the

and
sore
foot-

Crusaders

passed after their long and toilsome march

through the burning desert of Phrygia. Now that they had
crossed the formidable Taurus, the greatest barrier athwart
their long line of march, and were
at last about to tread the
sacred soil of the Holy Land, we can
easilyimagine the joy
with which they chanted their favorite hymns, the enthusiasm
with which they filled the air with their war
cry, Dieu
le vetdt. Clad in polished armor,
shiningbrightlyin the
Syrian sun, and exultantlymarching under their great banners,
they form a magnificentpageant, worthy of the chivalry
of the Ages of Faith and of the noble cause
in which
they have magnanimously pledged fortune and life. And
as

the Christian host

above
pictures,
liliesof

moves

onward

towards

its

goal, '*one

the lines of

steel,the English leopards,the

France, the great sable eagle of the Empire and

then the other coats of the

rons
great houses of Europe" chevand f esses
and pales''" ever
triumphantlyapproaching
the Holy City until at last

they are

above the

Holy Sepulchre the

crosses, argent
the arms
of the
Still

and

or,

followingin

unearthly, wonderful

the five
as

potent

should

be

the

most

city of Tarsus, the

was

with

heavenlyJerusalem.''

after the
fi^lly,
old
fhis

banner

privilegedto ''plant

footstepsof the Crusaders we

delightfulof drives,arrived at the
birthplaceof St. Paul the Apostle.

the firstcityin which

Baldwin

and Bohemond
and
flew their colors after
crossing the
had followed in their
footstepsa

tye
Taner^
laonu.
We

the Brave

ortlie

romantic

way

from

great part

the

legend-wrappedBosphorus

Cydnus-the Cydnus

in which

Alexander

to

the

so

im-

FOOTSTEPS

THE

IN

OF

prudentlybathed, where

THE

CRUSADERS

191

Cleopatra met Anthony and where

legend long had it that Barbarossa

truth of history bids us declare
in whose
hero
footstepswe had

lost his life. But

that

the

this

great German
so
closelyfollowed from
the far-off Danube
his embarkation
on
perished not in the
waters of the Cydnus but in those of the Calycadnus, several
"

"

miles

score

to

of the

northwest

the

more

famed

Cilician

Gieuk
Calycadnus the modern
that
Gu
kingship,
perished the noblest type of German
the Kaiser
history and legend have so
Redbeard, of whom
he met his fate was
fabled
The spot where
to tell.
much
the
to have
been indicated long ages before by a rock near
said to bear the portentous words
river 's source, which was
maximus
Hie
homhium
perihit ^here shall perish the
It

stream.

then

was

in the

"

**

"

' '

"

greatest of

men.

although history had declared that the heroic Romishis admiring subjectsknew better.
cher Kaiser was
no
more,
Like Charlemagne, Desmond
of Kilmallock, Sebastian I of
he still
Brazil,Napoleon Bonaparte, and other worthies,'^"
in the fulness
lives,but has retired into strict seclusion till,
of time, **he shall come
again full twice as fair and rule
his people." According to one
is
over
legend the monarch
fast asleep in the castle of Bordenstein, or in the vaults
of the old palace of Kaiserslautern.
But according to another
the
under
slumber
legend, he is held by enchanted
Kyffhauser mountain.
All,however, agree that he sits
But

Taciturn, sombre, sedate and

before

table

* *

through which his fiery-redbeard has

which
it has coiled
nearly to the floor,or around
grown
itself nearly three times."
Here, like King Arthur, of
20

Aa

crowned
advent

stone

grave,

legend
and

has

armed

of Anti-Christ

Bonaparte,

it is

it, Charlemagne
and

girt with

when

he

will

sleeps in Odenberg, in Hesse, where

trusty sword, La Joyeuse, he awaits the

awake

and

deliver

Christendom.

parts of France, will again return to

restore the country to its pristineglory. When
Louis
the
Napoleon submitted
under
that
the
vote
their
plebisciteto the countrymen, many
impression
gave
it was
in support of his famous
uncle.
supposed

in

his
certain

192

FROM

whom

it

he

rests

is

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

Mr^wru5

written/

AND

quondam

rex

BABYLON

rexque

until

In
Hath
A

need
voice

from

The

solid

Through

all

The

horns

The

wild

Shall
The

Shall

the

of

war

fling

of

Barbarossa

the

blare

of

his
come

beard.
shall

rise

cries;

that

their

champion

air

battle

blood

weird)

shaggy

startled

Teutonic

start,

accents

*s

wake.

dispart,

splinters

those

and

chair,

sleeper

shall
in

recess

vaults
his

the

Kaiser

the

dim

round

slab
to

deep

the

trance

he,

as

mountain's

mountain

loose

old

of

ravens

(Responsive

The

distress

his

granite

And

her

through

spectral

And

such

the

ring

Oermany

when

warriors

tell

pierce

Shall

The

of

to

Shall

The

day

dark

some

could

once

stir

Berserker,
abroad,
own

and

Almain,
again.

then

"

scare

futurus/'

CHAPTER
IN

HISTORIC

IX
CAMPESTRIS

CILICIA

Domes, minarets, their spiry heads that rear,

Mocking with gaudy hues the ruins near;
Dim
and marble
crumbling colonnades
walls,
Rich columns, broken
statutes,rooflesshalls;
Beauty, deformity,together thrown,
A maze
of ruins,date,design unknown
"

Such

is the scene,

It is doubtful

history has been

the conquest Time

hath
Nicolas

whether,

in any
in less

condensed

won.

Michel.

part of the world,

than

more

in the

picturesque
region formerly called Cilicia. Roughly speaking, it
and
by the Mediterranean
comprised the trianglebordered
area

of the Taurus
and Amanus
Its
Mountains.
loftyranges
rich alluvial plains,watered
by the celebrated
Cydnus and
Pyramus, Sarus, and Pinarus, early attracted a large population,
climate
who found there not only a mild and serene
abundance
the plants and
but also a soil that yielded in rare
the

fruits

most

although

useful

to their

the economical

by Strabo

and

sustenance

value

Cilicia Campestris

"

of the
^was

comfort.

Cilician Plain

great, it was

But,
"

called

rather

the

politicaland military importance of this country that made

it the prize of contending nations
from
the earliest dawn
of history.
In the days when
Hittite and Assyrian fiercelycontended
for universal empire
long
"

Ere

Rome

highway between
royal road between

it

was

the

It

was

the

was

heard

was

the martial

built

or

tread

smiled

Asia

fair Athen's
Minor

Persia

and
and

of the armies
193

charms

Mesopotamia.

Greece
of

on

which

Xerxes, Cyrus,

II"

Barneses

and Alexander.

Napoleon

Asurbanipal" the

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

194

the
of

Napoleon
Assyria"

BABYLON
of

Egypt"

led

and

their

torious
vic-

along this road and, like the warriors who had

in the fertile
precededthem, found subsistence for their men
hosts

valleysof the Pyramus and the Cydnus. It

frequent sanguinary conflicts during

field of

days of
Zenobia, the
It

**

Sassanian

the

and

Byzantine Emperors

the

Timur

was

between

during protractedwars

of strife

arena

the

Pompey and Cicero, of Mark Anthony and

rarely giftedbut ill-fated Queen of the East/'
continued

also

was

Kings,

tween
be-

and

Jenghiz Khan, and, in

the Sultan of Constantinopleand his
recent times,between
Pasha
of Egyptambitious and rebellious viceroy,Ibrahim
Three of the decisive battles of the world war
were
fought
the Osmanlis

It

the Cilician Plain.

on

that Alexander

won

victorythat

gave

and

of the

was

his memorable

region between
Euphrates and paved the way
made

continent.

was

It

him

Septimus Severus

when

**the

game

the

control

and

the

triumph

of the world

's

at

greatest

five hundred

years

his rival Pescennius

natives

of Asia."

historic

more,
of the West

Mediterranean

than

more

crushed

the

"

Niger,

troops of Europe asserted their usual ascendant

the effeminate

once

Darius

victoryover

for the brilliant

the master

here that

later

over

of the Pinarus

the irresistible Macedonian

vast

Arbela, which

the banks

on

spot that Heraclius

in a most signalmanner,
over

And

defeated
showed

it

was

on

Chosroes
the

this
and

superiority

the East.

But in addition to its celebrity

as

the theater

for world

like so many
Cilicia,
other
supremacy,
have described in the preceding
pages, is noted
of romance, of myths, and

of contests

regions we
as

field

legends innumerable.

Among

the

strange romances

that still await

novelist and historian is that connected

life and deeds of the Turkoman
All
Uin

Uglu,who

with

the pen of
the extraordinary

freebooter,Kutchuk

century ago had his stronghold in the

moun-

fastnesses near
Issus. Here, during forty
years, he
openly defied the authorityof the Porte and the Great

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

196

consul was
only a few months later that this same
arrested and imprisoned by the audacious freebooter. And,
had
long
notwithstanding the cordial friendship which
It

was

the two

existed between
liberate his

men,

prisoner until

the ruthless marauder

extorted

he had

from

did not

him

very

large ransom.
of the hapincarceration
And
less
during the eight months'
consul,Kutchuk Ali was it from shame for ill-treating
visited his hapless victim or
old friend?
never
once
an
him to his presence.
admitted
But, to show the character
of this singularbrigand,he did not fail,
ant,
through his lieutenof sympathy and conto send to his prisoner words
solation.
"

"

Tell him

[the captor said] that unfortunatelymy coifers

were
empty when fate brought him into this territory
; but
let him not despair,God is great and mindful
of us.
Such
misfortunes
and

him

be of

and

inseparablefrom

are

from

the lot of all born

good cheer

; a

Abdul

Rahman

mercy,

and

all

right

came

at

of

of

men

to fillhigh stations.

similar doom

during nine months

Pasha; but I

once

the fate

has twice

in the
never

been

condemned

despaired

last,"^Wa

^anm"

nown,
re-

Bid

mine,
cell of

of

God's
God

ig

bountiful.^
When
of

one

is told that Kutchuk

Ali,during his fortyyears

desperado's life,never
had more
than
two
hundred
men, and frequentlya far less number, it seems
incredible
that he was
so long "ble to defy not
only the Porte but even
the greatest
of Europe. But we
powers
forget that the
notorious Calal)ian bandit.Era
Diavolo, during the same
a

period and with

It

wa"

"

much

smaller

band

of

outlaws,was wantonly
perpetratingsimilar atrocities in southern Italy.And
only a few generations earlier that the notorious

CapUm
the

naval

Kuld
power

roving the high

was

seas

of the civilizedworld.

Barker, op. eit.,p.

82.

in open

defiance of

IN

CILICIA

HISTORIC

CAMPESTRIS

197

popular legends in Cilicia is that of the

Seven Sleepers. According to the Christian version they
brothers who fell asleep in a cave
near
Ephesus
seven
were
during the persecutionof the Emperor Decius, and did not
II
awake until the time of Theodosius
nearly two hundred
however, contend that the
years later. The Mohammedans,
of the most

One

"

in which

cave

ten miles

this

preternaturalevent
Because

of Tarsus.

northwest

was

about

of the prominence

Koran, the Cilician cave

the Moslems
has become
a favorite place of pilgrimage.
among
Mohammed
has, however, elaborated the story by
of the Seven Sleepers and
introducing the dog Al Rakim
the

Prophet gives the legend in

occurred

"

descantingon

the

the

"

that Allah

care

took

of the bodies

of the

sleepersduring their long, miraculous sleep."

But it is in classical legend and myth that Cilicia is
the mouth
of the Pyramus,
near
speciallyrich. It was
according to Homer, that Bellerophon, after his fall from

Pegasus,
Forsook

hy heaven, forsaking humankind,

fieldhe chose to stray,
A long,forlorn,uncomfortable way.
Wide

o'er the Aleian

Mopsuestia,which

formerly one of the largest and

most
fabled to have been
was
flourishingcities of Cilicia,
founded
of
during the Trojan war
by Mopsus, the son
Manto
and Apollo, while Adana, the most
important commercial
center on the Sarus and the Bagdad Railway, owes
its name,
legend has it,to Adam, its fabulous founder.
A notable
feature of the history of Cilicia is the number
of crowned
within

heads

died

or

found

their last restingplace

its borders.

died of fever at

Constantius, the son of Constantino,

Tarsus, while marching
Mopsucrene, near

legend about
people sleeping preternatural lengths of time has an
in both
the East
nations
and
the West.
place in the folklore of many
We
have already noted
the traditions
the
long sleeps of Barbarossa,
concerning
But
other
Charlemagne, Napoleon, and other distinguishedcharacters
many
instances
tales
in
might be enumerated
showing the prevalence of similar
lands
the sleepers of Sardis, mentioned
from
by Aristotle,to Rip Van
many
Winkle, immortalized
by Washington Irving.
8

The

who

was

honored

198

TO

BERLIN

FROM

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

rival,Julian the Apostate. It was

peror,
body of the Apostate Emthat the embalmed
to Tarsus
who had been transfixed by a Persian javelinbeyond
in Tarsus
that
the Tigris,
was
brought for burial. It was
Maximinus, the last of the great persecutors of the Church,
the Great, died in the greatest agony
Constantine
prece"ling
of a frightfuldisease
a visitation,
accordingto many, for
and

againsthis nephew

"

persecutionsof the
blasphemies against their

his barbarous
horrible
was,

informed

are

we

Tarsus, where
celebrated

which

his monument

himself

"

and

for his

Savior.

remains

to the Greeks

was

the famous

was

monarch

the mortal

Assyrian ruler known

napalus. On

Lord

and

It

by Strabo, at Anchiale, the port of

entombed

were

Christians

stone

of

the

Sarda-

as

beneath

statue

epitaph attributed to the Assyrian

^which,as rendered
by Byron in his
"

tragedy **Sardanapalus,''
ran:
Sardanapalus,
The
In

King

and

son

of Ancyndaraxes

built Anchiale

and Tarsus,
day
Eat, drink and love; the rest's not worth
one

Asurbanipal,accordingto

fillip*

this

which was
inscription
posed
supin a few words
the guiding principlesof
this life,
evidentlybelonged to that class of Europeans who
are
seeminglybecoming daily more
of whom
the
numerous
to express

poet speaks in the words

Esse

aliquosmanes

Vix

pueri credunt,^

et

sulterranea regnd

The population of Cilicia,

as
might be expected from

having been from time immemorial

naUons of the Orient and the

the great

of the

arena

has always
Occident,

^^ Alexander,
t^^Bi^^i^il^Z'Ji'
^"''^L?^
U.".^"
-^^"^"^/

JTSTj^
"

been

II, 6.

""^
ABsyrian discoveries,
?f r*.!
S i?^^
I*'^?*
Ch"
rLlkH*^^'
r^ j^y ^- Kinns. London. 1891).
J ""

see

ttrjf Dojft ictll

laugh

and

"ay

you

rave.

its

For

of

an

Graven

HISTORIC

IN
the most

CAMPESTRIS

CILICIA

cosmopolitancharacter.

In ancient

199

times

Medes

Persians, Assyrians and Babylonians, Scythians and

bent on the purpose
Hittites foregatheredhere, sometimes
of commerce
but more
frequently on the prosecution of war
and conquest. To-day we find here Syrians and Arabians,
and Ansaryii, Turkomans
Greeks
and Armenians, Kurds
and

Osmanlis, and representativesfrom divers parts of

it this heterogeneous character
Africa and Europe. Was
rise to their widespread repuof the Cilicians which gave
tation

and

perfidyand untruthfulness
dicet?
proverb Cilix hand facileverum
for

and

that led to the

Knowing the complex character of its inhabitants, one is

cians
not surprised to learn that the gods and idols of the Cilithe people themselves
manifold
and that
as
were
as
all the promiscuity of the divers
their worship exhibited
Baal and Astarte, Isis,
whence
nations from
they came.
Ishtar,and Osiris had their altars alongside those of Mars
and Mercury, Zeus and Aphrodite. There
indeed, a
was,
time

just before

"

the

advent

of

the

world's

Redeemer

"

Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia,

truth,the pantheon of paganism.
was, in very
During the zenith of its glory,Cilicia was one of the most
But it has long
densely populated countries in the world.
since so fallen from
its high estate that, like the lands of
the Nile and the Euphrates, it is a region of ruins. So great
of time and warring mortals
indeed have been the ravages
that
ruins of cities,
evidently of an age after Alexander,
in history,at this day, astonish the adventurous
yet barely named
traveler by their magnificence and elegance.
hundred
thousand
two
counted
Mopsuestia, which once
inhabitants,was an archbishopricand for a time the capital
of the Kingdom
of Lesser Armenia, now
numbers
less than
the home
thousand.
of the poet
a
Anazarbas, which was
Oppian and Dioscorides who, during fifteen centuries was
an
undisputed authority in botany and materia medica, has

when

it could

be

said that

**

' ' "

' *

History of Qreeoe, Vol. X,

p. 311

(by

W.

Mitfprd, London, 1810).

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

200

is this all. Of

Nor

' '

long since been level ^vith the ground.

proconsul
places mentioned by Cicero,when he was
many
the sites are unknown.
even
of Cilicia,
by its legendary and
Because of the strong appeal made

lingeredlonger in Tarsus than in any other

ited
visother places we
spot in the Cilician plain. Like many
is as rich in myth and
journey, Tarsus
during our

historic lore

Tarsus

myth.

one

associations.

founded

was

Jupiterand Danae, while

of

son

to

historical

literary and

it is in

legend as
According
the

we

by Perseus,

his fabled

on

expedition

so
against the Gorgons. Another has it that the city was
because
named
Pegasus, the winged horse of Olympus,
of his pinions.^ Josephus, however,
dropped there one
identifies it with the Tarshish of the Old Testament, whence
and Solomon
the ships of Hiram
brought their treasures of

and gold."
tin,silver,

From

IT, we

learn that

under

Salmanasar

B. C.

It

Tarsus

their

and

when

he went

Centuries

in

"

passed by

with

Tb"

on

of

and
Parisii,

Greek

word

and

Tarsus
and

commerce
"

^was

as

little island in the

ditch and

slaves,and its
duction
the legendary introalphabet by Cadmus

runaway

of the Phoenician

Ville Lumiere

huts

Qallic

"

La

and

London

but

was

rampart*^' and

great and
literaryactivity.While
yet only a collection of
Seine, inhabited by the
became

veatiired

solve

fortified

occupied by half -savage,

for pinion ia taraoa.

probablymiKled
to

*'a thick wood

"Cf. Joeephut.Antiquitiea of the Jeica, I. 6; VIII.

MMVfte

Capitoline

the

on

the

quest of Europa.

center
flourishing

mud

erected

century,

before

several centuries

probably laid before

was

into Greece

Paris

Remus

sanctuary for homicides

foundation

of the ninth

the middle

in existence

mjihical Romulus

of Salmanasar

captured by the Assyrians

was

about

thus

was

Obelisk

the Black

inscriptionon

an

wlmt

huu

7. 2.

The

of the
hy the similarityof sounds
always been a riddle to historians

Jewish
words

two

and

hisand

Scripture

ronmeotatont.

""*Ol.pldtimautem
""

'
"

"*'

Df

BriUnnl
n"w

vocant," says Ccesar, referring to the capital

London, "cum
sylvas impeditas vallo atque fossa

iiu-ur"loncii liostium
itenu

uaMicu, Lib. V, Cap. 2L

vitanda

causa

convenire

consuerunt.'*

IN

woad-stained

thought
and

and

CAMPESTEIS

Britons, Tarsus ranked as a

knowledge with the world-famed
Its schools

Alexandria.'^^

by

CILICIA

HISTORIC

of

numbers

vast

and

students

gymnasium,

while its agora

and

Socrates,drew

large

lecture

center

of

of Greek

Athens
cities,
rooms

from

quented
fre-

were

far and

in Athens

as

concourses

201

in the

near,

days of
and old,

people, young

of the
only the current news
science,and philosophy.
day, but also questions of literature,
Empire as a
throughout the Eoman
Although famed
and as
civitas libera et mimunis
a free city
a capitaland
of eastern trade, its proudest boast was
a great emporium
found
scholars. Here were
that it was
a cityof schools and
Here were
phers
philosopoets and orators of marked eminence.
Platonists
of many
schools.Stoics and Peripatetics,
to discuss

assembled

who

not

"

"

Epicureans

and

"

their enthusiastic

followers

and

problems which
of thoughtful men
from
their

have

all with

all seriously discussing the

the attention

engaged
to

our

time

own.

In the

long list of

luster to its

name

Athenodori, one
and

same

the

other

men
as

produced by Tarsus,
teacher

had been

of whom
the

of

friend

of

or

students, were
the tutor

Cato

and

who

added

the

two

of Julius Caesar

the

instructor

of

the Academicians
Stoics. Among
Augustus. These were
the preceptor of Marcellus, the son
of
was
Nestor, who was
of Tarsus,
Octavia,sister of Augustus. Other eminent men
the philosophers, Archimedes
mentioned
by Strabo, were
and Antipater,the latter of whom
was
highly praised by
the most
Cicero, and who, next to Zeno, was
as
consi(^ered
of the Stoics.
There
also Strabo, the great
eminent
were
and Artemidorus,
geographer, the grammarians Diodorus
and the poets Dionysides and Aratus, from
whose
poem,
**Ph"enomena,''St. Paul quoted the pregnant words, **For
His offspring,"in his epochal address
too are
to the
we
the Areopagus.
Athenians
on
full of learned men
from
was
According to Strabo, Rome
Tarsus, in whose schools,as has been well said,was
taught
10

strabo, Geography, XIV,

51.

in its

which

from

course
STstematic

dopedia.""
But the floweringof so
and religion
was
philosophy
William

providential.Sir

the

in

borne

the

to educate

and

time make

the

convinced

so

during long study

who

should

world, and raise that world up to

level
the Hebrew
people and the spiritual

sympathize with

to

of

in due

to
intelligible

race

Gneco-Roman
level of

of this

Its peculiar suitability

...

the Jewish

religionof

of preparation in

of him

the mind

mould

**ency-

geographical environment

cities.

and

of the Cilician lands

word

our

suitable place that has

one

society and

of

conditions

is

the present writer

on

the
instruction,

tiles."
Apostle of the Gento have been
birthplaceseems

Ramsay

that he writes '*that it was

been

get

we

ages
many
the great '*

selection of his

The

circle of

whole

completeness the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

202

the

the moral
of

ability

religionin its perfected

the citywhose institutions
was

the Hebrew

8tage,lay in the fact that Tarsus

best and most completely united the oriental and the
western

character.

perfect; that

was

the two
But

the Tarsian

in Tarsus

even

impossible so long

was

elements

that

Not
.

inharmonious

were

state

was

the religionof

as

and

mutually hostile.

successful

more

the union

than

other of the great cities of that time in

in which
the oriental
society,

producing an

spiritin

to

union

attained in

thought and action.

the

guided by

Greek

degree

In others the Greek

always anti-Semitic,
was
on
attaining
supremacy
Tarsns

some

and

too
and

strong and

crushingout

qualitiesand

societywhich

was

on

powers

of the

any

gamated
amal-

the occidental

higher plainof
which
was
spirit,
a

too
all

resolutelybent
opposition. In
used

were

the whole

more

and

Asiatic

in character.""
In Tarsus

the future apostlecame

into close contact

with

the greatest teachers and scholars of his

time, and was thus
prepared to enter the intellectual arena
with the keenest
minds of Greece and Rome.
Being, as he could

proudly

St. Paul
t"i^fiil^^^?is^'L^'^*^iF^^'^^**
Appendix
on

(ImSUvtSl)

*''

^^^^^^^^

^'^

^^

and
Seneca, p. 271.
^*/" """"^ Thought, pp. 88, 89

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAU

TO

BERLIN

FROM

204

And
of foreignlands.
of yore, laden with the treasures
that Cleopatra
abandoned stream
up this now
yet it was
the
to answer
Bailed in her gorgeous barge when she came
as

surpassing
triumvir is admirably
address, she led captivethe great
described by Shakespeare, who, following Plutarch, paints

pictureof her entrance into Tarsus, which was

dazzling splendorof oriental magnificence:

the famous
then in the

barge she

The
Burnt

them

With

hurnisht

throne,
beaten gold,

love-sick.

were

the

silver,
of fluteskept stroke
which they beat,to followfaster,
were

oars

to the tune

Which

'As

in, like

the water; the poop was

the sails and so perfumed that

winds

made

And

sat

on

Purple
The

by her

How,

Anthony.

challenge of Mark

amorous

the water

of their strokes.

For

her

own

person

she did lie

It beggaredall description,
cloth of gold,of tissue,
pavilion,
OUrpicturing that Venus, where we see

In her

fancy outwork

The

side her

Stood

pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,

With

divers-colored

old

capitalof

historic

those which

did seem.
they did cool.

wind

fans whose

To glow the delicate cheeks

And
what they undid did.

The

each

On

nature.

which

ful
is,of truth,a cityof a wonderall her proud memories
among

Cilicia

past. But
have made

her best known

throughout the

ages
of her

longest are not those

and
abounding wealth and luxury, her superb monuments
palacesand temples,long in ruins ; not those that clustered
and

which

will endure

the

aroiind her poets and philosophersand made

sanctuary of the Muses

and her one-time
Alexandria

as

the home

; not

favored

those of her schools and

eminence
of

her

as

nasia
gym-

and

the rival of Athens

learningand

culture

; not

those

of Persian
as

satraps and Roman

proconsuls who here lived
the famed representativesof imperial authoj'ity;
not

those awakened

by

the presence

an
Asurbanipal,
Alexander,or

within

Cicero

her
; not

gates of
those

an

associ-

CILICIA

HISTORIC

IN

ated with the love-enmeshed

* ^

^ '

and

debasing passion

which

of

he bore

to whom

is that she

who

Jerusalem

from

witness

of

servant

that

No;

the birthplace

was

disowned

was

the bond

he became

family because

foiled ambition.

tent maker

poor

the fateful

and

Anthony

immortal

her

has rendered

Mark

both perished the ignoble victims

Siren of the Nile, who

of

205

CAMPESTRIS

by his own
the Crucified,

to Rome

of

one

who, while preaching the good tidingsof the Gospel, toiled

night and day lest he should **be chargeable to any one^';
one
who, while preaching the Kingdom of God, was accused
of
Jews
turning the world upside
by the Thessalonian
down'';^* one who, during his long and fruitful apostolate
his almost
and
superhuman labors in the service of his
the frequent victim
Master, gloried in persecution and was
of stripesand chains and imprisonment ; one
who
the
was
'*

fearless

teacher

the

and

Church, and whose

centuries,been

strong supporter

of

the

infant

matchless

teen
Epistles have, during ninethe guide of doctors and professors;
who
wrote
his own
one
epitaph when he declared **To me
to live is Christ,and to die is gain, and who, in the capital
of the CsBsars,won
an
Apostle's exceeding great reward
whom
his contemporaries knew
a
as
martyr 's crown
; one
Saul, otherwise Paul,^"of Tarsus.
' '

"

in Cilicia I made

While

Armenian

regarding the
Europe and America

truth

convinced

Turkish

Acts

to ascertain
that

massacre

I had

in 1909.

to horror

so

the

stirred

long been
respecting

reports circulated
like the reports disseminated
atrocities in Cilicia,
that

throughout
14

specialeffort

of

most

the world

of the

the

regarding

Apostles, xvii

similar atrocities

other

so

6.

to the Romans,
the Epistle of 8t. Paul
on
declares
"I honor
Rome
of
:
orators,
Chrysostom,
greatest
pulpit
other
counts;
acfor this reason;
for, though I could celebrate her praises on many
for her wealth, for
for her greatness, for her beauty, for her power,
all these things, I glorify her for this
her warlike exploits,
yet, passing over
and loved them, and
to the Romans,
in his lifetime wrote
that St. Paul
15

In

one

of his beautiful

St. John

homilies

the

"

reason,

present among

was

Wherefore

them.
on

this

other

Tom

account

them
the

and

city is

I admire

conversed
on

this

her, not

on

Oeuvres
splendid decorations."
308
1871).
(Paris,
XVI, p.

with

them,

and

account

renowned

account

of her

Completes

de

ended

his

more

gold, her
Saint

life among
all others;
her
columns
or

than

Jean

Chrysostome,

TO

BAGDAD

frequentlyascribed

to the

Turks,

them

of Armenian

since 1885

that in

grew

Minor,

and their innocent

themselves
As

the result of my

my

previous views

of

conviction
in Asia

massacres

their riotous

countrymen

investigationsI
not

were

the

of Constantinople in 1896, **the

in that

as

revolutionaries,
by

Annenian

And

probably the majority

well

as

most, if not all,of

that

propaganda,

Nihilist

Russian

inspiredby

parte accounts

ex

ties
recallingthe activiof them
revolutionists,
many

greatlyexaggerated.

were

were

and

actually occurred

had

of what

BABYLON

AND

BERLIN

FROM

a06

am

action,had

put

outside the law.''

satisfied that

now

foundation.

without

in Cilicia

organized, it was
averred, by
of Salonica
the Moslem
Jews
surpassed in frightfulness
's long and
any that had taken place during Abdul-Hamid
troubled
understands
reign. When, therefore,one
the
origin of the Cilician massacre,
one
safely conjecture
may
The

massacre

"

"

the

of

cause

have

so

But,

most, if

shocked
in

the world

matter

not

all,of the others

during the

of such

import

the terrors

of the

Turkey

which

last four decades.

as

I prefer to give the views

Cilicia when

in

great

the

under

one

of those

who

sideration,
con-

visited

in Adana

massacre

stillfresh in the memory

of everyone,
who by long
or
residence in Armenia
well acquainted with its people
are

were

and

thoroughlyfamiliar

are

Armenians

resort

of the Ottoman

in order

with

well
of

which

to

achieve

an

English traveler who

studying the question

exceptional opportunities for

IS

to

measures

their

independence

Empire.

Many influences [writes

who

the

disposed towards

the

Armenians]

went

had
and

to the

the

njaking

(Cilician)
some
massacre,
more
or
less,
the
obwmre,
part taken in planning it by the Turkish
Jews
of Salonika and others
belongingto the deeper causes
or faith and race
which ever
underlie these horrible affairs.
some
local and exhibited the inconceivable
were
dom
unwisas

^at

which
with

Armenians
Moslems.

so

often

displayin

their larger dealings

HISTORIC

IN

CILICIA

CAMPESTRIS

Cilicia [known during the Crusades

is

district closely connected

and

independence;
which

in

the

downfall

of

here,

the

followed

with

207

Lesser

as

Armenia]

Armenian

history and
period of liberty

sudden

Abdul-Hamid,

Armenians

their

aspirations. Their clubs

and meeting-places were
loud with boastings of what
was
Post cards
to follow.
soon
were
printed showing a map
of the future
Armenian
kingdom of Cilicia and circulated
nationalists marched
through the Ottoman
post. Armenian
in procession in the streets bearing flagspurporting to be
to life again. The name
the flag of Lesser Armenia
come
of the future king was
bandied
about, no aloof nebulous
Armenian
land
but, it is said, a well-kno^vn
personage,
of the Cilician plain,held in peculiar disfavor
owner
by the
Moslems.
was
Giving a fuller meaning to these matters
the
steady assertion that an Armenian
gathering in
army
the mountains
of rumor
like
an
by Hajin and Zeitun
army
the legendary Royalist Army
of Jales which
terrorized
^would presently march
Adana
revolutionary France
upon
and set up an Armenian
kingdom again.
unrestrained

gave

to

vent

"

"

Sober

Armenians

of Cilicia tell you

that these pronow
ceedings
folly,the work of revolutionary societies and

were

hot-heads

and

that

But

held aloof.

approved

was

the

there
and

of the Armenian

mass

be

can

supported by

the

and

many,

movement

intended

to

in

it had

; that

that

doubt

no

population

fact,got beyond the

desired
to go more
control both of those who
slowly and
those who
disapproved of it altogether.^*
the whole

involve

is here

What

who

know

their lurid
atrocities

"^^

Across

1917).

them

of

in certain

Asia

same

Minor

best

do

not

frequent

on

as

Foot,

those

pp.

be

affirmed

Armenia.

For

hesitate

to declare

that

inevitably recurrent

Minor

which

35, 351

truth

of

Greater

and

parts of Asia
way

revolutionaries

greater

even

compatriots of

accounts

in the

with

can

their seditious

those

hot-brained

said of the

Armenia

Lesser
of

race

(by

are

preted
inter-

first published

were

W.

to be

J.

Childs,

New

York,

and

of Adana

horrors

regardingthe

Constantinoplein

in 1909, and of

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

208

other towns

of Cilicia

We

1896."

sided
get only oneingly
reports,if not glar-

reports respectingthem, which

exaggerated,are in nearly all instances
Turk.
bloodthirsty''
condemnation of the

in severest

**

No

probablyhas
her
people

one

and

Questionthan has the

G. Hogarth, sometime

the Armenian

study of

made

has

or

key
knowledge of Turmore
thoughtful

accurate

more

traveler

noted

fellow in the
David
Orientalist,
Universityof Oxford. With an experience of several years
in Armenia, he frankly declares,writing of the Armenian

and

Question:
So far

as

this vexed

I understand

the graver trouble is the presence

which
of the defiant Kurdish
race
fattest and

the flocks are

Armenian's

an
a

for

The

Whatever

that

in

of

t"rror

in

Constantinoplewhich

so

in his

horrified

on

sent

the

up

is

does

Cross, for

nor

the other

nor

war

the Kurd

peace.
neither of Crescent

emblem

one

massacre

like

cutting

leaguingwith him in a
in common
the troops
resisting

the sake

bears neither

IT

villageswhere

fair,now

most

women

the Sultan's

to restore

of Armenia

in the heart

raids the

of

source

throat,now

hostile tribe and

done

the

matter, the

he

heart, but

civilized

world

provoked by the revolutionary activities of the

Armenians.
After
their intention
of applying the
having boldly announced
torch to the city and "reducing it," as their posted placards phrased it, "to
of ashes," a party of audacious
a dcwrt
young
conspiratorsproceeded to blow
the
Imoerial
Ottoman
made
the
Bank, while others of their associates
up
pMmmatia
quarter flow in the blood of helplessinhabitants.
During eighteen
w^M,

hours

Adana,

the

carnage

which

and by throwing bombs

43rBAiiiit"

who

detailed to suppress
the
wont
days of the Paris Commune
(by Pierre Loti).
wtre

Without

the

from

the

Armenians
windows

outbreak,
of

1871.

rivaled

caused
the

upon

by

anything

Cf.
Turquie
/
^

their

of

use

soldiers,

Turkish

in the

recorded

Aaonisante,
y

"

p.
t-

174

to
pretondinff

absolve the exasperated Turks

for their part in this
I
ask "what
would
the people of New
mav
BiMMcre.
York
do if a
f"PiifBmob from the East Side with the red flagat their head were
to attempt
to blow up the SubtreasuryBuilding and to make
the
of high
same
use
tm"UMlvt"tin their wanton
destruction
of life and
did
menian*
the Aras
property
in thi"lr ghastlywork
in Constantinople?" The
will be suffianswer
cUnt attenuation
for the conduct
of the infuriated
this frightful
Turks
on
oocMion.
And yet,according to the reports flashed through the world
at the
tloM. this maMarre.
like that at Adana
and at numberless
other
was

MptlUof

Uld

Turk

to

the

Is

places,

charge

of the

"unBi)eBkableTurk."

always guilty,the

Armenian

never.

It

was

the old, old story: the

CILICIA

HISTORIC

IN

CAMPESTRIS

just because he is Ishmael, his hand

who has aught to lose.
The

for

Armenian,

is

the Armenian

behind

few

Armenians

by becoming
their lives

who

man

not

nationalism,his
would
be
intolerance,

did he stand
"

committed

of such

alone
.

societies

secret

have

members
it

against every

all his ineffaceable

passion for plottingand his fanatical

side
thorn in the Ottoman
a negligible
but

209

societies

and

there

technical
at

are

treason

period

some

of

the
Kurd, and behind the Kurd
Russian; or, looking west, it espies,through the ceaseless
sporadic propaganda of the agitators,Exeter Hall and the
Armenian
Committees.
The
cause
beTurk
begins to repress
because
we
sympathize and we sympathize the more
he

"

and

represses,

the

sees

the vicious

so

habitually,however,

do

than

more

administrator, oppress ? So far

only,one party to this suit with

echoing through
The

them

circle revolves.
Does

repress?
have

we

Does

heard

its stories of

one

he

he, as
version

outrage and

for national

long cry

independence.
of the accused
has been shut hitherto by fatalmouth
ism,
by custom, by the gulf of misunderstanding which is

fixed between

the

If the Kurdish

Christian

and

Question

could

the Moslem.
be

settled

by

vigorous
pean
againstirresponsibleEuroa

Marshal, and the Porte secured

support of sedition,I believe that the Armenians
would not have much
to complain of,like the Athenian
more
allies of old,than the fact of subjection a fact,be it noted,
rules by right of five
of very long standing ; for the Turk
hundred
years' possession,and before his day the Kurd,
the Byzantine, the Persian, the Parthian, the Roman, preceded
"

each

other

over-lords

as

of Greater

Armenia

to the

misty days of the first Tigranes. The Turk claims certain

ence,
existthe right to safeguard his own
rightsin this matter
the right to smoke
nests as Zeitun
out such hornets'
which has annihilated for centuries past the trade of the
Eastern
Taurus, the rightto remain dominant by all means
"

not
I

outrageous.
see

no

questionat

issue but

this of

outrage. For

the

alisms
sympathy with aspiring nationsympathy not over cogent in the
subjectreligion,
or
and kept so much
of the
have won
of those who
mouths
^orld as we: Arria must draw the dagger reeking from
rest there

is but academic

her

she

breast before

own

it with

band

can

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

210

conviction

any

to Paetus."

To

speak in

me

than I

to

From

express.

can

I have

youth

my

painful

more

thized
sympa-

with them in their great sufferingsand, like most

people who depended on one-sided information, I

other

maltreated
been

responsiblefor

have

been
at

flashed

once

greater part of

the

Were

they victims

driven

from

it

great

and

which

report
in

massacre

fiendish Turk.

intrigue and

aggression,
and forciblyseparated from their

of Russian

their homes

Again

families?

the fanatical and

perpetratedby

Asia Minor

of

the world

over

and

have

crimes

the

sensational

to the Osmanlis?

imputed

Kurds, who

murderous

the lawless and

by

raided

the Armenians

Were

Turks.

caluminated

much

maligned

to the much

all their misfortunes

attributed

WEB

is

this fashion of the Armenians

that

the Turk

was

at the bottom

was

for seditious outbreaks

they suffer reprisals

of it all. Did

plottingHuntchagistsand revolutionaryArmenians
extraction ? Still again the hue and cry was

of

of foreign
raised in

that the soulless Turk, always the

Europe and America
Turk, only the Turk, was the guiltyone. Armenian
agitators,
Armenian

Armenian
jacks-in-ofiSce,

provoking the Turks

in order

revolutionary

to retaliate

to force the intervention

on

their

of the Great

mittees
com-

offenders

Powers

^"
"

these political
mischief-makers
go scot-free while the ever
vilifiedOsmanli
is pilloried
before the world as a monster
of

and
iniquity
The

Asia

demon

Anatolian
Minor

incarnate.

Halil Halid, who

and

who

spent many

the matters

on

under

asks, **Did the humanitarian

^"A
""

Wandering

Pierre

Scholar

Loti telU

AMAMlnation

mi

the

of

in the
a

hands

French

Levant,
consul

was

born

and

bred

in

in

menting
England, comconsideration,pertinently
British public know
these

years

(London,
pp. 147-150
in Asia
Minor
who

1896).

barely escaped

of an
Armenian
agitator who, when
questioned
the life of the functionary,coolly replied: "I did
^^" Turks
of it and
ty "" **"*"'
might be accused
in the hope that the
FraM
would
riM
after the murder
Lea
up against them
of their consul."
d*Arminie,p. 50 (Paris, 1918).

ranrding

hit

attompt

^f*

on

of

gives most

he

sake,""
ligion'8

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

PBOM

212

people,who

our

should

mind, a distinct shock, but does not change

prejudices.And when the same
in the least their life-long
nian,
Aliens, Greek, Armewell-informed writer declares that
have

open

an

**

the Turk"

Circassian thrust him""

by fraud

take his little parcelof land

''on

side and

one

force""

or

he

is

suspected of being a specialpleader and his testimony

is rejectedas worthless.
a
be said that I too am
specialpleader for
But it may
the Turk.
Nothing is farther from my intention. My sole
that it is not all

I have

found

"The

Turk's
attack his

you

nothing

on

the truth

known

desire is to make

patienceis

almost

I have

found

it,and

the side of the Armenians.

inexhaustible,but when

is aroused and
and children his anger
control it."^^
Then, like all other

women

earth

on

as

can

mankind, when stirred by religiousor political

sedition and foreign
fanaticism or goaded on by domestic
intrigue,the Turks also resort to reprisalsand massacres
It may,
that startle the world.
however, be questioned
in all their history the Turks
have
whether
perpetrated
of

races

such refined atrocities

in

as

characterized

the

Eeign

of Terror

France, Russia

and
dragonades in Poland, Serbian
in the Balkans, unprovoked deeds of
Bulgarian savagery
violence instigatedby Armenian
in Asia
revolutionists
Minor.
But of all the people involved in these unspeakable
outrages the Turk is the only one who is not pardoned.
Why not! He has never
been granted a fair hearing before

the great tribunal of humanity.

Prom
the foregoingit is evident that the Armenian
tion
Queswill not be settled so long as Armenian
agitators are
"D.
^

O.

Hogarth, op. oit, p.

"i!l!?i*L?*i^'*
^"*7 "^
Vj"J*ir"',.
T"*""*
M

"*^*'

atp"lt
at

77.

Ibid.,66.

t4mt

tltelM,

IM

on

nalbaura

^"*"*'P-

''0""

^29
(London, 1903).
ils so dechainent
ejcaap^r^fl

"Alors," declares
contra

ceux

que,

leur a denonc^s
les plus dangereux responsablea
comme
de la patrie.
H61aB!
oui, les Turca ont massacr^!
le recit de leur tueries
que
a
toujours t't6 folleraent
^ plaiair;je pretends aussi"
et
IJi-bas
.

jJpnK^datouUfoli
SKT-L

v!^i ""'*'^\"

ZSmt ^^wlr^'^T
nm"i

aui

Kurdet

dent

**

je n*

personne

beaucoup plus lourde part des crimes

ai jamais pria la defense."
Op. cit, p.

commis
22-24.

CILICIA

HISTORIC

IN

allowed to

with

sow

CAMPESTRIS

the seeds

impunity

213

of sedition in Asia

long as they are abetted by European nations

whose manifest
pire.^*
goal is the partition of the Turkish EmIt is also evident that,so long as present conditions
like those
provoked by the
persist,sporadic massacres
Minor,

or

so

Cilicia and

in

Armenians

involve

conditions

These

Constantinople are

also the

greater and

inevitable.

tant
impor-

more

Turkish

Question,or, speaking broadly,the Mussulman

cannot, without grave
sequences,
conQuestion. The Great Powers
treat Turkey as a pariah nation.
This the everof adherents
of the Prophet will not
increasing number
The

tolerate.

hundred

two

millions of the Faithful

it remembered, the chief factors in the Near

which

can

lands

now

long

run,

being

executed

but

have

treaties and

Cross

barriers

since Greek

West
As

the

long as

Great

and

"

of nations

the

"

existed

battled

with

and

between

present

of

in the

can,

of

all peace

stillfarther

strengthening

the

East

and

the Plain

on

are

Mohammedan

spiteof

result

Trojan

The

Powers

that in

and the Crescent

have

that

by

result

one

leagues

separatingthe
the

so

be

tion,
Ques-

the Moslems

of nations.
play in the arena
exploitationand conquest in

of

schemes

never

Eastern

fair

accorded

not

be settled

are,

of

the

Troy.

wandered

of Tarsus, made
through the suburbs
fragrant by the invitinggardens and orchards of lemon and
of
were
we
deeply impressed ^with the possibilities
orange,
we

exceptionallyrich

the

alluvial soil of the

Cilician

Plain.

Having all the fertilityof the Nile it should, if drained,t

irrigated,and scientifically
farmed, sustain a population
24

"Lord

no

this subject Professor, now

on
Commenting
Salisbury protests in the strongest terms
of acquisition in Asia
Minor.
schemes
any

Russian

or

abroad

German

Britain

that
all

the

Frenchman

or

entertains

more

no

that

sure

in

British

William

Asia

Ramsay,
has

Britain

There

believes

who

designs

Sir
that

him.

statesman's

tained
enter-

is, however, probably

The
tions
protesta.

Minor

writes,

never

merely
word

make
can

people
be

never

consular
department to aid
referring to her creation of a new
"as a pieceof statesmanship, crafty
her in compassing her designs,he observes
and
master-stroke; though I think
no
one
a
unscrupulous, but able, it was
look
without
will
back
it
to
ever
blushing for the jockeying by
us
among
effected."
Years
which
Wanderit was
Impressions of Turkey During Twelve

trusted."

ings, pp.
In

words

the

And,

142-144

(London,

light of

recent

of Sir William

on

1897).

events

British

how

significant

policy and

"

almost

prophetic
"

are

these

diplomacy regarding Turkey^,

for the

productionof

and

cotton

it is

climate

In soil and

Trajan.

and

Pompey

it in the days of

inhabited

that which

greater than

even

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

214

cane

sugar

large crops
Germany.

or

kinds it yields

districts

favored

the most

as

Texas

as

Louisiana, while in cereals and fruits of many

as

favorable

as

of France

or

the foothills of the surrounding

irrigationis needed near
mountains,andadequate drainage is requirednear
of the four chief rivers that bring fertility
to
mouths
ing
plain. For, as it is now, a great part of the land border-

But

the
the

described
Baucis

is covered

Mediterranean

the

with

in his beautiful

by Ovid

like that

swamps

story of Philemon

and

procul hinc stagnum, iellus hahUahilis

olim,
celehres mergis fulicisque
palustrihusundm?^

Hand
Nunc

During

the past few decades

a
great
for
made
the better,
is attested by the
as
American
agriculturalimplements -which

change has been

of
large number
are

found

now

throughout the plain-andthe hundreds of ginning machines,

looms,and thousands of spindles ^mostlyfrom England
"

"

which

are

in the cotton

seen

factories of Tarsus

But, althougha great advance

which
vast

obtained

and

has been made

third of

over

Adana.
the

dition
con-

there is yet
the Ottoman
ment
Govern-

century

for

ago,

improvement. When
shall awaken to the necessityof
conservingits natural
it shall systematically
resources,- when
reforest the territory,
room

whose

and
despoiled,

been formed
Caicia

precious woodlands

once

shall

by

have

so

sadly

duly drain

the vast swamps

which
have
the neglect of its
treasure-giving
rivers,

Campestriswill again be worthy

legendtells us

been

it once

of the

name

bore"

which

Garden of Eden.
it 18 now, the whole extent of
Cilicia from the Taurus
to the Amanus-and
from the mouth
of the Cydims to the
hcgdwaters
of the Pyr"mus
is
remarkable
for
Ab

chiefly

"

^tri^
eoot"
And

rfiwK, a dreary lake

""y'e

amd

htUem*

haunt

the

is seen,

waters

green.

Metamorphoies,VIII, 24,

25.

HISTORIC

IN

ruins

of cities^and

CILICIA
the

CAMPESTRIS

sites of towns

whose

215
names

very

forgotten. Everywhere on the plain and on the girdling

will see crumbling fortresses built by Genoese
one
foothills,
and Venetians ; moss-covered
strongholds of Saracens and
marble
and
columns
colonnades,
Crusaders; Corinthian
arches,and vaulted roofs of Christian churches ; reminders
this historic land
of mediaeval
warfare
and of days when
stroyed,
of barbarian
was
hordes, who deswept by inundations
by fire and sword the arts and labors which were
the pride of western
Asia.
once
Everywhere one observes
of Roman
fragmentary remains
bridges and arches, of
of Greek
altars attributed to
aqueducts and causeways,
the Persians
Alexander
his victory over
to commemorate
;
dilapidatedwalls and towers and sepulchral grottoes with
the sites
occasional Greek or Arabic inscriptionto mark
an
of Corycus, Pompeiopolis, and Anazarba
those cities of renown,
where their inhabitants could quietlyrest under their
vines and figtrees,
the incursions
of predatory
free from
are

"

Clite'ans and
who

savagery,

Tibarehi

spread

and

barbarians

terror

and

of Hun

devastation

and

Scithian

wherever

they

could

the
gratify their lust of cruelty or plunder. It was
their work
of
boast of the Mongols that so complete was
where
extirpationand erasure*' of certain cities,
they had
wreaked
their full fury of rapine and murder, **that horses
the ground where
might run without stumbling over
they
had
stood.
once
Judging by the calamities that have
**

'*^"

Count

of Justinian, vividly describes,

Marcellinus, one of the first ministers
this
single sentence, the frightful depredations of Attila when
dreadful
Pene
totam
"Scourge of God"
Europam, invasis excisique civitatihus
This
sentence
atque castellis,conrasit.
perfectlydescribes the depredations
of Timur
and
in Western
Jenghiz Khan
during their terror-inspiringcareers
Asia.
Of Jenghiz Khan
the
Arabian
Ibn
writes
that
he
traveler,
Batuta,
"came
into the countries
of Islamism
and
The
same
destroyed them."
thority
auand
Samarcand
says that after destroyingsuch great cities as Bokhara
"he killed the inhabitants, taking prisoners the youth only and
leaving the
He then passed over
the Gihon
and
took possession of
country quite desolate.
all Khorasan
and Irak, destroyingthe cities and slaughtering the inhabitants."
His son, Hulaku, laid Bagdad in ruins, whence
he proceeded with
his followers
to Syria, continuing his depredations "until
divine
Providence
put an end to
his career."
Travels
The
of Ihn Batuta, pp. 87, 88, 89 (trans, by S. Lee,
2"

in

London,
The

1829).

English historian, Marshman,

writing of

the

elder

Mongol

conqueror,

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

216

populous cities of Cilicia one

of St.
in the expressivewords
would
say that they were,
Prosper of Aquitaine,depredationevastatcB^ravaged by
inflictedon

been

the

once

depredationsas ruthless as those

the frightful
irruptionsof Timur

that

characterized

ever

Jenghiz

or

of culture

This indiscriminate destruction of centers

of

marts
as

already

have

we

who

the Osmanlis"
for

Empire

seen,

the

have

been

I refer

Turks"

the rulers

five hundred

than

more

attributed to the Turks.

is often

commerce

Khan.

years,

and

But,

especiallyto

of the

Ottoman

not like the

were

Mongols and Tartars, a nation of raiders,but a nation of

Their object,therefore,
colonizers and empire builders.
who
not to destroy but to construct and develop. Those
was
is in great measure
this charge, which
gratuitous,
make
forgetthe wholesale destruction of the hordes of Timur and
Jenghiz Khan, not to speak of other raiders,and lose sight
of the fact that

to ashes

reduced

were

of the most

some

by

the

famous

armies

cities of the East

of Greece

and

Rome

miles
in
than
thousand
the Caspian to the Indus, more
"From
one
laid waste
with
fire and
sword
"stent, the whole
by the ruthless
country was
followed
It was
the greatest calamity which
who
barbarians
Jenghiz Khan.
been
since the Deluge and
have
the human
five centuries
had befallen
race

decUret:

barely sufficient
Antiquity

the

to

to

repair that

Accession

desolation."

of the

Mogul

History of
Dynasty^ Vol.

India

from

I, p. 49

Remote

(London,

1842).
and
Christian
its
"*WeU
world
shrink
down
might the Mussulman
upon
terrible
knees in the presence of such
visitation.
'We
a
God/ writes
pray
Ibin al Atbir, 'that He will send to Islam
and
to the Mussulmans
someone
wbo

can

protect them, for they

are

the

victims

of the

most

terrible

calamity,

the men
killed, their goods pillaged,their children carried
off, their wives
radnead to slaveryor put to death, the country in fact, laid waste.'
Juveni
"ajt that in the country traversed
by the Mongols, only a thousandth
part of
the Dopulationremained
and
where
there were
thoupreviously one hundred
inbabitants there remained
"aaa
but a hundred.
with
*If nothing interferes
tba growth of the population in Khc
Khorasan
and
Irak
the
from
to
now
Ajem
vill not be the tenths
daj of resurrection,' he adds, 'it will
of what
before
it was
tiM eoaqoMt.'"
History of the Mo
i
H.
Mongols, Part III,
_

IWHI

p.

Howorth,

(by

the fairest portions of the

iw'^'u'^"'nd "his followers tramped
^"" i^mot and the sword
in their hands, forestallingthe day of
y** ^^5J"
*"""
"?nimbUng into ruin many old civilizations. His creed
to sweep
""]*
^**" haunts
of slaves
**
and
of luxury, that his herds
^!Lf
might
i^'^I
free from
It does
make
Lii "'^P **^* ^^^^ fiH'een
dusty feet.
over

was

**

was

?**
foy

*" ^^^^^

*******^^*^ ^^^^
to*1223 eighteen million
^211
w
fcttndred and
human
seventy thousand
and
beings perished in China
'* "*"
n*nds
of Jenghiz and
his followers; a fearful
hecatomb
IMWU
Um
until one
mamonr
forgetsthe other features of the story."
"!., Part I, p. 113.

.^?L" ?

255*f*'J*
WBMB

^^

HISTORIC

IN
than

more

CILICIA

thousand

armies

of the

before

the

advent

Timur

who

razed

before

years

Ottoman

CAMPESTRIS
the

217

of the

appearance

in

Syria, Greece, and

ander
AlexIonia. Thus, to mention
only a few instances,it was
the Great who destroyed Halicarnasus, the birthplace
of the historians Herodotus
and Dionysius. Here
stood the
of Mausolus, classed
magnificent tomb
by the ancients
the seven
of the world, the ruins of which
wonders
among
in 1402 used by the Knights of St. John
of Jerusalem
were,
for building their castles. It was
the Roman
as
a quarry
who
general Mummius
brought ruin to the famous
city of
in truth, rebuilt by Julius Caesar,but
This was,
Corinth.
later period, by the
only to be destroyed again, at a much
It was
the Emperor
Aurelian
who
Greeks
themselves.
doomed
to destruction
Palmyra, the magnificent capital of
Zenobia, almost during the heyday of its architectural
prosperity. It was the Goths who
splendor and commercial
the temple of Diana
of the
at Ephesus, another
demolished
in ruins
word's
even
wonders, while the city itself was

has

been

ever

conquerors

of the

devastating Timur.

Sardis,the capitalof Croesus,whose

al-Ashraf, ruler of Egypt

famed

cityof Tyre

antedated

for

destruction
;

who
the

are

so

heaps

Syria,

after

Malik

was

Solomon.

and

of years

thousands

Asia

there

before

the advent

of

at work

was

an

agency

that is usually quite disregarded by those

propense
of ruins

impute

to

which

to the

**

overspread

"

Mongol.

name

who

Unspeakable Turk"
large part

whose
an
Empire
great Ottoman
agency
is incomparably greater than ever
or

It

was

destroyed the
its long and eventful history which

in western

the Osmanlis
of

and

the reigns of Hiram

Moreover,

wealth.

of untold

synonym

it

But

This

is the earthquake.

history this irresistible

countries

power

has
the

been

lation
of annihi-

power
was

From

of the

that of Hun
the

dawn

of

in action in nearly

Mediterranean, and has,

times without
number, exhibited its relentless fury from
Cilicia to Sicilyand from Egypt to Dalmatia.
In Palestine,
all the

bordering

BERLIN

FROM

218

Syria,Asia Minor," and

In the

world

shaken

was

subverted.

greater part of

by seismic disturbances
and

Time

appallingviolence.

most

cities were

whole

Greece

BABYLON

AND

and Valentinian,the

rei^ of Valens

the Roman

BAGDAD

TO

again the

of the

massive

walls

Constantinople,its palaces,churches, and monasteries

under the earth's paroxysmal movements, and
crumbled
of

the extent of the disaster inflictedwas

At

Cyzicusa temple which

be

as

stable and

beyond computation.
its builders fondlyhoped would

durable

as

as

the

instant,leveled with the ground,by

earth shocks

that have

In the destructive

pyramids
of those

one

visited Asia Minor

earthquake of

was,

from

365 A.

in

an

periodical
time immemorial.

D.,no

fewer

than

fiftythousand persons lost their lives in Alexandria.

But
probably no city in the world has suffered more
from
seismic vibrations-than Antioch,which is near
the southern
border

of Cilicia. Here

in the

terrific earthquake of 526

full quarter of a million

A.

D., the loss of life totaled a

people. During the celebration of a public festival in
Greece, at which a .vast multitude had assembled, 'Hhe
whole populationwas
swallowed up in the midst of the ceremonies.''
It

was

in Greece
to

during this period

The
declme
Minor

same

an

condition
declining

of the

that led to the

causes

of Greece
and

trophe
widespread catasof earthquakes began
ravages
important cause of the impoverished

that *Hhe

figurein history,
as
and

of

country."
economic

"

and

social

operated with equallydire results in Asia

Syria and Palestine. When, therefore,

we

template
con-

the countless ruins of

once
famous cities,
that are
"o conspicuous
in a great part of Greece
and
Turkey in
ABia, let us assignthem to their real
causes-not
^Hhe ravagwg Turks,-but the devastating
Huns and Goths,Tartars
and Mongols,Persians
and Saracens,
and the blind and
volsive
""

con-

forces of nature.

Piter In hii riiitoria

NaturaltM

^Pro9tlU,

'

o"*,

"''^*

vol.

II

ft"

^^""'^'

1, p. 224

^r\*^^

Pnno^patu;

7,

~~"

XII

urhihua

Asia,

una

(by George Finlay,Oxford, 1877).

CHAPTER

Properly
what

in

put

wound

in

of

the

appreciation
without
the

and

of the

times

established
detail
with

of

The
and

Sultan

from

everywhere
phorus
Deserts.

What

by the Hadith,
based

the

on

Mecca,
has

and

the

force

IB

well

is not
that

jr"A0M"l

their

of the

part
under

of

theocratic
the

the

of

eyes

acts

or

them

and

the

of loyal adherents

known.
un-

religious

Bos-

the

on

Koran

of

every

prevails

Arabian

is ordered

legislativetraditions

sayings

great

for

government

Syrian

"

theocracy

is both

the

the

is quite

Padishah

prescribed by

by

Founder

that

Islam,

in the

with

once

successors

the Mollah

of

people

inhabitants

life is regulated

Bedouin

body

reputed

as

civil

palace

of the

of its

his

as

gent
intelli-

an

and

which

is

Prophet

of

of

Islam,

of

prescriptions emanating directly or indirectly

Allah, and which
are, consequently, immutable.

evident, therefore, that

history
"

and

Hilaire/

with

The

long lived

so

which, in the

from
It

as

the

to the tent

of this

"

civil functionary, and

less

or

familiarity

revere

that, outside

thoroughness

only

religion professed

is obvious.

reason

religion

customs

they

by Mohammed
their

and

of the

whom

have

Empire

East

adequate

an

Turkomans

Arabs,

Ottoman

and
one

The

Prophet.

Osmanlis,

more

St,

Near

manners

knowledge

of them

majority

life and

of the

accurate

an

the

through

travel

can

one

work

consequences

may

J. Barth:^lemy
No

his

our

to-day.

even

us

see

which

and

entailed

has

this work

which

discard

must

we

prejudices and
it, independently

national

has

he

appreciate Mohammed

to

religious and

PRESENT

AND

PAOT

ISLAM,

of

Islam
9t

will

Coran,

p. vii

not

only

(Parii,
220

who

one

is ignorant

of

seriously misunderstand

1866).

the

people of

the

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

will also be compelled,

but

countries

Moslem

221

PRESENT

shall be long in their midst, greatly to revise his

For
he will soon
cover,
disprevious notions respectingthem.
he

before

have

as

and

their many

great

very

his sojourn

knowledge

no

or

he knew

of

virtues.
is

Moslems

the

among

that while

him,

little

had

their defects,he

all about

As

before

others

many

and

prolonged

he

acquainted with them, he will find that most

based on ungrounded
of his views
concerning them were
prejudice or age-old stories that had no other basis than
crass
ignorance or un-Christian hatred. Not only this ; he
he had been
those whom
will gradually learn to admire
taught to despise and, if he be of a deeply religiousnature,
of the late
find himself
he may
endorsing the statement
**I love the Moslems
because
Gordon:
General
they are
better

becomes

of God.'*

ashamed

not
To
many

incredible that so
history it seems
egregious errors
regarding Islam should have

the

student

and

so

of

who
otherwise
well informed
men
are
long prevailed among
and disposed to be fair in their judgments of all
although Islam
peoples,regardless of creed or color. For
in so many
has been described
books, there are yet educated
people who, in the words of the learned Padre Marracci,^
so

^ *

' '

**

believe

Moslems
* ' *

the moon,

and

**have
than

that

that

the

hoc

in

"Neque

and

who,

gotten much

not

idolaters

are

Turks

falli

secta

Auctore

of the

Mother

in obedience

was

work

the

on

by
most

Das

to

Lehen

on

folio

Latin

successful
known

Koran

three

embraces

of

the

to

of Islam

knowledge

polygamy.''

opinor

p. 6 (Patavii, 1698).
Lodovico
Padre
Marracci,

Regular

Mohammed

hodieque

ex
nostris, aliopaucos
videam, ut Mahumetanos
adoratores
existiment, aliasque de Agarenica
Textns
neptias efifutiant." Alcorani
Universus, Tom.
I,

me

non

ejusque

in the

further

cum

indoctos, Mahumetiearum
Idolatras, Lunseque ac Mahumeti

quin

adore

the scholarlySprenger writes,

as

allow

who

was
was

which

earlier

the
of this

command

translation

of the

who

God,

volumes

tarn

rerum

he

religious of

the

confessor

of

Pope

Innocent

Pontiff

that

he

published

spent forty

with

the

non

rudes

text

of the
of

the

best
Koran

and
copious notes, and is
the Koran
attempts to make

the

Christian

world.

und

die Lehre

dea

Mohammed,

order

years
in
notable

Vol. II, p. 181

and

of

in

the

Clerks

XII.
his

his

Arabic,
as

It

great

life.

It

panied
accom-

being

the

ism
Mohammedan-

(Berlin, 1862).

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

questionof the inhabitants of Central Africa,

until the explorations of
unknown
practically

If it were
who

TO

BERLIN

FROM

222

were

Speke,Stanley,and Livingstone,we

should not be surprised

know

nothing about
explain the widespread

that

geographersshould

even

it

But

them.

have
and

the Moslems,

relations with

in constant

been

have

regarding a
everywhere obtained
played so important a role in history as
than twelve centuries
who during more
has

ignorance which

people who

difficult to

seems

to

next

Christian

the

nations

of Europe.
the West

But, although the contact between the East and

has been uninterrupted since the time Moslemism
To plant the Crescent

misrepresentationsof

the
have

Crusaders

to the

that the most

were
religion

must

have

that

Mohammed

present time.

and

the

And

put

of the stories

"

as

false

strangest thing is
their originators

foundation

no
as

and

Mohammedans

in circulation when

that they had

known

followers

his

the days of the

from

extravagant tales about

their

Many

o'er the Cross,

intermission

without

continued

essayed

they

were

in fact.
ridiculous

"

long current respectingthe Arabian Prophet and

the religionwhich he founded
due to the Trouveres
were
and the Troubadours,
A great majority of the Chansons
de Geste exhibit a pitifulignorance of the tenets of the
were

Saracens,and
^

not

few

to the

most

Islam.

Although neither

both the

of them

contributed

to

give

revolting fables respecting Mohammed

Leo the Isaurian

enemies

of

nor

vogue

and

well,
Oliver Crom-

images,were
more
opposed
to idolatry
to the worship of images than Mohammed,
or
in La Chanson
nevertheless,
de Roland,^ the Franks
are
represented under the walls of Saragossa as avenging their
"

""il WrwmouU
i^9 ""mfom
A

wtmiU

^r^mwmt

sworn

fait bien oerchier

"(

la vile,

le" mahumeriet:

44 It, d ouigniseM qu 'il tindrent,

M%kum
let vdU".
" ire9tutet
Lftl CCXCVl.

PAST

ISLAM,
at Roncesvelles

defeat

AND

PRESENT

223

by mutilating and

destroying the

idols of their enemies.

In

the

Chanson

beautiful

chanson

d^Antioche
which

declared

"

does

not

truth''
only the unadulterated
Pelerin, in the beginning of his
followers

the

confusion

dire

contain
the

"

poem,

of

be

to

"a

fables

any

author, Richard
asks

God

Mohammed

"

very

but
le

to

put to
especially

those

Qui croient

et adorent

de Beaudouin

In the Roman

lengths. By

la

de

figure Mahom,

Sehourc, the

author

goes

strange aberration he makes

the emblem
of Islam, as the Cross
the idol of Mohammed
of Christianity.For, in this chanson
the
is the emblem
is represented as wishing to abjure
de Porthieu
Comtesse
to stillgreater

faith before

her

readiness

the

to be

Saladin

voel aourer;

and

expressing her
:

aportez-le-moi-cJia,

Saladin, on his part, is pictured as ordering the idol

convert
brought for the adoration of the newly made

to Mohammedanism

Qu*
When
the

Sultan

the effigyof the Prophet

to adore

Mahom

And

on

aporiast Mahom,

it is remembered

relentless

enemy

that
of

absolutelyproscribed the
;

when

it is recalled

et celle Vaoura,

Mohammed

was

all his life

images of all kinds and that he

representation of animated
tures
creathat images of all kinds have been

in the world
from
studiously excluded from every mosque
the time of the Prophet until the present, one
would
think
that such misrepresentations as those spread broadcast
by
found
little acceptance, or have
the troiweres
would
have
false.
been as short-lived as they were
the object of
Had
the trouveres
been to perpetuate animosity among
tians
Christoward
Moslems
they could not have devised a more
effective method
of achieving their purpose.

and

to foul

had

was

recourse

denounced,
cruel

Richard, author

ently
they always consistinvented

despitethe

entire reforming

tory
of his-

of Islam

fact that Mohammed

And

was

intoxicatingdrinks as he was to the

this alleged disgraceful end

of

was

this,

during his

opposed to the
of images !
use

much

as

career

most

the
Mohammed,
pilgrim
La Conquete de Jerusalem,

fable that the founder

well-known

standing
Notwith-

by swine while helplesslyinebriated/

devoured

Not

of

of the chanson

the odious

fabricates

fair.

unquestioned verdict

and

demise

respecting the

as

of the Prophet.

death

legendregardingthe

well

chroniclers

and

trouveres

the concordant

what

favor

Batisficdwith making them

as

means

discredited

to be

had

his followers

and

Mohammed

But

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

224

use

of

theless
Never-

Prophet is
assignedby the pilgrimRichard and by Guibert de Nogent
medans
the reason
as
why Mohamin his "Dei Gesta per Francos"
eat pork !
never
notions regarding
attention to the erroneous
I call special
which
of the
and Islam
Mohammed
pervade the pages
de geste, as
chansons
they are samples of other errors
equallypreposterous regarding a people who should have
been better understood, and as they help to explain the
ing
originof many similar misconceptionswhich, notwithstandthe

all that has

persist,among
force and

Even

been

said and

written
of

large masses

to the

people, in

contrary, still

all their

original

crudeness.

long after the

time

of the trouveres

there

were

not

wanting historians and divines who were

willing to repeat
the sillylegends of the chansons
de geste whenever
they
thought they would thereby give point to their attacks on
"

4. /.

io9di a'ala d* un fort vin enivrer;

Uti; quant il "'en volt aler,
""
"" IMM place vit. I. fumier reveraer;
ti oolchc, ne t'en volt treatomer:
jMoflMt
iArmtra$igUrent poro, ai com
j'oiconter;
Im t"99me

ror

99

n"

volt

juia de char
Vv.

^f.

de

pore

goater.

(Paris, I860).
jUBta promus
""^""
ratione, contemnunt
JitClffi^If"""

tv"? fUrfSt
lU
IV, p.

6547

eoMumicrunt.

(Parlt, Ift79).

et

acq.

Reoueil

dea

Hiatoriena

dea

qui

morsibus

Croiaades, Tom.

225

PRESENT

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

the leaders of the

Prophet. Thus, among
Reformation, the distinguished Orientalist,Bibliander,
Mohammed
and
seriouslyinstitutes a comparison between
declared
him
to be either Gog or
Melancthon
the Devil.
Magog, if not both together.''
Voltaire,in writing of the Koran, of which he had as
other things which
an
acquaintanceas of many
superficial
the Koran

the

or

engaged his flippantand caustic pen, declared it to be *'Ce

a chaque
livre unintelligible
qui faitfremir le sens commun
book which
makes
common
sense
page'' ^that unintelligible
writers before and
at every page.
And, like many
shudder
that his fictions were
since his time, he was
fully aware
totally at variance with history. But, as has been well
lic
expressed by Hurgronje, **he wanted to put before the pubTartuffe and thought he might lay the part
armed
an
"

* * ^

Mohammed.

upon

again, like

Others

writers

many

of

our

day, had

own

religiousobject in their attacks upon

Islam.
against the
For, under pretense of waging war
nefarious tenets and practicesof Moslemism, they secretly
had in view an assault on the Turkish Empire, or, as a noted
Swiss Orientalist long ago declared, all their efforts were
et
perfidice
really directed in oppugnationem Mahometance
Turcici regni,^
until the present there
From
the days of the Crusaders
cessation of the campaign of vilification of
has been no
there has for long been
no
as
everything Mohammedan
the part of certain
in politicalhostilityon
abatement
Centuries
nations of Europe againsteverything Ottoman.
Jianc ferro et flamma ah orbe
the cry was
^^Pestem
ago

as
political

"As

sample

Church
Mohammed
"the

and

following

Christus

well

the

this

on

modest

ubi

non

etiam

R.

p.

title-pageof

Mahometes:

works

controversial

subject," Mr.

Mohammedanism,

testimonia,
plene, fuse, imvicte
torum

of

as

solum

B.

79

per

the
in

(London,

ponderous

omnes
per
solideque demonstratur

verum

of

Smith

1876),

work

Sanctam
alios

theologians of the
interesting work
calls

written

in

Scripturam,
probandi modos

Mahometem

formed
Re-

his

esse

on

attention
1666:
ac

Reformaet

unum

genera,
ilium

fit mentio, Antichristum."

de quo in Sacris
magnum
York, 1916).
^Mohammedanism,
p. 12 (New
^Historia
Orientalis, Dedication p. 5 (by J. H. Hettinger,Zurich, 1660).

verum,

to

Anti-

BABYI.ON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FPOM

226

pest of Islam must be driven from

cry is in GladTo-day the war
the earth by fire and sword.
out
stonian phrase,**The Turk must, bag and baggage, get
of falsehood
of truth and how much
much
How
of Europe."
outcries against
recent
there have been in the most

depeUendam

the

againstthose livingin the Ottoman

Moslems, especially
passions and the selfish interests
which blind the writers of the
age-longantipathies
prefaceto

In the

ignorance of his

of the

work

his monumental

time

past.
on

the

laments

Marracci

Lodovico

Padre

those

blinded

present as they have

erudite

shall

the violent

be free from
the

the historian

only when

determined

will be

Empire,
and

the

esse""

Koran,

prevailing

the

regarding everything

the

Mohammedan

paucityof books of value respectingthe religionand

practicesof so large a part of mankind, as the adherents

and the

of Islam.

have written learnedly and

Although [he writes] some
solidlyon these subjects,there is nevertheless no concealing
the fact that others,through ignorance of things Saracen,
omit

often

the

things,which
them

cause

truth

excite the
to become

publish fictitious

and

laughter of

the

Mohammedans^

and

in their error.^"

obstinate

more

fabulous

and

But, notwithstanding Marracci 's eloquent plea for a more

thorough study of Islam, his words fell,for the most part,
deaf ears."
It was
not until our
on
own
epoch that a
critical investigation
of the Koran
was
begun and that
a reallyimpartial inquiryinto the life of Mohammed
was

seriouslyundertaken.
diBsimulandum
vero
****Q5"I
nonnuUi
"^Mtrint,
ex

MmiStM,
WlUrtat

Vwfmmmu;
'*

""""

rerum

Men

were

still in doubt

non
est, licet
Sarracenicarum

*" *^** widespread

^f'**^'*"*
Orientalist,Adrian
'"J*^******^

errors

quidam

eflficerent."

IfMlMMMlfM,
IB

thU

p. Mil
rMpectr

more

and

more

deciplvelle
convinced

Textua

Alcorani

and
concerning Mohammed
than two
Reland, wrote more

"fOi*Qo"tldi" bu^kU magisque experiormundum

and

to the

docte, satis solideque

ignorantia, vera
plerumque
risus
protulerunt, quae Mahumetanis

Act* ac fabulosa in medium

in errore
obatinatiores
suo
"otque
Tom. I, p. 1 (Patavii, 1698).

become
2SST?t
7*^**1^*^^^7,
VMitt
to bt dMtlTed

as

et

prceconceptis

that

governed by preconceived opinions.

(Utrecht, 1705).' la there not still room

teachcenturies

his

De
for

the

world

Religione

impWe-

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

228

fast;

the month's
or
Observing the Ramazan
6.*Making the pilgrimageto Mecca once in
4.

lifetime.

of this creed,it is
of the clearness and simplicity
has so sigWorld
nally
difficultto understand how the Western
of Mohammed's
failed to comprehend the real nature
In view

teaching.

It is

of the countless books

the authors

pronounced

againstMohammed

ludicrous

invectives against his followers

so
ardently attached.
they were

or

their

they penned

when

sincere

diatribes

their bitter and

the

and

religion
Had
they been
Christian charity they

which

to

how

the Prophet and his religioncould

on

and

honest

been

have

conceive

equallydifficultto

by a spiritof fairness and

could so easilyhave ascertained the truth about the doctrine
which
they so strangely misrepresented and the people
was
a
whom
maligned. For there never
they so pitilessly
salem
time since the day Saladin entered the Holy City of Jeruaccompanied by its bishop,who had gone out to greet
actuated

the humane

; never

conqueror

of

time since the Poverello

missionary to the Sultan of Egypt, when

of good will,seeking the truth and nothing but the
men
truth,might not have had all the information desired both
Assisi went

about

by God
Islam

who

and

should
"ealou8

when

have

he declares

that

given heed

Father

M**KiilU

QMMf,

between

porro

EvaAg.

falsa

II. 40.

the Cross
doctrina

words

the

is

the

of

false doctrine

no

of truth."
of the

defame

to

"

learned

They
and

experiences

of his brothers

they might bring

eiiBts

there

counsels

est

in religion,
taught
followers of Islam
to a

the

knowledge of the Gospel and to a

they done so there would not be
BOW

**

Marracci,who, guided by

the Mohammedans

how

recalled

something

to the

lions
mil-

the

directlycommissioned

as

should

does not contain

have

practicesof

the

Mohammed

its followers

which

and

the way
to Heaven.
always exhibited such readiness

Augustine

them

of Islam

looked upon
to teach them

Those

among

the doctrines
who

St

as

love of the Crucified.

that inveterate hatred

and
qu"

the
non

Crescent,and
aliqua

vera

Had
that
there

intenniaceat."

PAST

ISLAM,

AND

229

PRESENT

of so
separation into two hostile camps
millions of people who
hundred
normally should
many
the same
fold and under
be in the same
Shepherd.
For, contrary to what has been so often said and written
and more,
there is much,
during the last thousand
years
No less an
much
authority than the
good in Islam.
very
illustrious Cardinal Hergenrcether declares :

would

be that

not

for civilization the peoples

ought to prepare
in barbarism, notably those of Africa. Those
most advanced
it is necessary
fetishism to
to lead from
peoples whom
monotheism
in their low degree of culture and brutal
are
sensualism
materially aided by such a stepping-stone in
their transition to Christianity.^*
Islamism

began his marvelous

Mohammed

When

his

reform

in Arabia

countrymen

were,

of

career

in many

religious
respects,

deeply sunk in vice as the most debased tribes of Central

Africa.
idolaters
who
addicted
to the
were
They were
grossest and most absurd fetishism. Trees, stones, shapeless
trivial
of
masses
things in nature
dough and the most
There
a specialdivinityfor
was
were
objectsof adoration.
each of the countless tribes of the peninsula. In Beit-AUa
as

"

House

of God

in

"

Mecca, there

Here
day of the year.
object of worship a

it was

heaven

averred,

different

idol for each

the most

jealouslyguarded
black stone that was
reputed to have
in the days of Adam
stone which,
a
originallyof immaculate
whiteness,but

"

fallen from

also

was

was

"

was

^*Eandhuch
der allgemeinen Kirchengeschicte, Vol. I, p. 748
(Freiburg im
Breisgau, 1884).
"'It can
be readily understood
trader
how
the sight of the Muslim
at prayer,
his frequent prostrations, his absorbed
and
silent worship of the
Unseen,
would
that
with
of the
impress the heathen
African, endowed
strong sense
osity
Curimysterious such as generally accompanies a low stage of civilization.
would
thus
parted
imnaturally prompt inquiry and the knowledge of Islam
who
aside
convert
win
might have turned
over
a
might sometimes
had it been offered unsought, as a free gift." The Preaching of Islam, p. 418
(by T. W. Arnold, London, 1913),
This
Marracci
view
than
two
was
more
emphasized by good old Father
humani
centuries
he wrote:
"Si ethnicus
intellectus captum exceago when
conditioni
dentia, vel natural!
ct imbecilitati dificillima, si non
impossibilia,
.

cum

Alcoranica

ilia obviis ulnis

comparaverit, statim
Op, citfTom. II, p. 9.

doctrina

accurret."

ab

his

refugiet et

ad

which

TO

BERLIN

FROM

230

AND

BAGDAD

subsequentlyblackened by

was

the

BABYLON

myriad

tions
oscula-

worshipers.
the Arabians
noted for
this all. Not only were
Nor was
practice
their loathsome idolatrybut also for their inhuman
of disposingof female children at their birth by burying
of its sinful

alive. And

them
not

so

their

great was

for

infrequent occurrence

an

that
superstition
father

it was

to sacrifice his

offended deity.
of an
child to appease the fancied anger
Besides this,blood feuds, sensuality of the vilest kind,
drunkenness,and utter disregardof even the natural rights
of

as

were

women

heard

set out to

Mohammed

peoplewho
the

were

as

their

general results

were

fatal.

widespread and
When

rampant

so

steepedin

to these
preach monotheism
vice
people who had
every
"

Gospel but had long abandoned

its sublime

ings
teach-

he encountered
practicesof idolatry,
all quarters. So
the strongest oppositionfrom
the hostilitydisplayed by friend and foe
relentless was
foredoomed.
withstandi
seemed
that his projectedreform
But, notthe jeerswhich greetedhim on every side and
the persecutions
which he endured for years, he was
ally
eventusuccessful beyond his most sanguineexpectations.
Here we have the spectacle
of a man
that could neither
for the abominable

read

write

who, after twenty

of incessant

struggle,
had succeeded in extirpating
a system of idolatry
which,
by fosteringmorals the most depraved and practicesthe
most hideous,
had for centuries made
the fairest parts of
Arabia reeking sinks of iniquity.In place of a blighting
and debasingfetishism he substituted the worship of one
God, the Greater of heaven and earth
who is eternal,
a God
omnipotent,merciful; who presides over the destinies of
all His creatures ; who sees all their actions,even
the most
secret;who punishes the wicked in another world and rewards
the good, and who never
abandons
them for a single
nor

years

"

inBtant either in this life or in the

to

He

preaches
sobmission,the most humble and the most confidingsubmission,
to the holy will of Him
who is not only the Author
of their existencebut also their
unfailingsupport and their
one

come.

omniscient

just and

periods of the day

at stated

of Ramadan

thoughts to Him
during life and

who

who,

the

give to this
and

one

annual

an

which

worship
God

is prayer
fast during the

is

designed to direct his

has created him, who
sustains him
weal

for

for

or

in all its
the

will be

woe,

was

camel

driver

adopted
is nothing

races

many

new

of

destined to be

and nations in every clime. There

in it. Mohammed
never
pretended to introduce

by

his

simplicityas preached

unlettered

such the doctrine which

the sole

fast which

is Islam
essentially
world
Arabian
by

Such

Mecca

231

after death.

Sovereign Lord
to

"

PRESENT

And

judge.

is required to

the Mussulman

month

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

thing
any-

He

simply proclaimed to his benighted countrymen

not a new
revelation,but, as he always insisted,the
and Moses
and Christ,as
long-forgottenfaith of Abraham
new.

he understood

With

it.

the

of Christianity,
based on
exception,therefore,
the Old and New
and
Testaments, with all its marvelous
there is no
beneficent consequences,
religionin the world
which
can
justly be compared with Islam or which even
remotely deserves to be placedin the same
category.^'^

And, with the exception of Christianityand Judaism, it

has recognized and
is the only religionin the world which
It is,therefore,far superior to
consecrated
monotheism.
the debasing paganism of Greece and Rome.
It is loftier
and

nobler

the

selfish and

It

is

than

the

repugnant

materialistic

incomparably

dualism

utilitarianism

elevating

more

of Zoroaster

than

of
the

and

Confucius.
fantastic

of Gautama
metempsychosis and the atheistic Nirvana
age
Buddha, which, with Confucianism, holds in spiritualbondand
a great majorityof the teeming millions of Central

Eastern
The

shows

Asia.
eminent
how

near

in his account
16

doctor

of the

Church, St. John

he considers
of the creed

of

Islam

to

Mohammed,

Cf. J. Bartli61emySaint-Hilaire,pp. cit.,p.

x.

of

Damascus,
Christianity
when,
he treats

it

as

heresy analogous

to Arianism.'^

illustriousAbbot

of

Saracens,

its title

as

"

Saracenorum

Sedam

Dante, who

manner

he

as
a

of the

treats not

which

but

heathen

similar

tion
transla-

is

opinion, as

work

"

In

conclusively indicates."

"

almost

distinguishedas

as

of

*'

logian
theo-

as

schism.""

and

scandal

like

in hell not

poet,places Mohammed

sower

as

to have

one

paganism but of the heresy of the

Adversus
Nefandam HcBresim sive

was

as

was

of

was

Venerable, the

against Mohammedanism

work

his

in

evinced

Koran,

of the

made

the

Peter

the first

Cluny,

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

232

Arius, by denying the divinityof Christ, had prepared

of God
in the Son
only a
for Islam, which
saw
the way

prophet who,

but
subsequently claimed, was
St, Jerome, in his memorable

Moslems

as

of Mohammed.
the precursor
^ords
Igemuit totus orhis

et Arianum

"

est

"

the

itself Arian

"

of the

errors

uttered

world

sigh and

the

expressed

of Asia

one-time

Africa

and

miratus

esse

to find

astonished

was

the

prevalence

of

The

sions
dissen-

heresiarch.

Alexandrine

in the churches

se

grave

that followed

close

immensely
heresy of Arius
of conquest. For the
assisted Islam in its lightningcareer
divided and degenerate Christians of these two continents
of the
but one
were
easilypersuaded that Moslemism
was

upon

dissemination

of

Christian

sects and

various
The

followers

the

not

of Mohammed

religion.

new

formerly the victims

of calumny on account of their allegedbeliefs and practices.
Now
it is the organizationof Islam and the character of its
services that seem
to give rise to the most
religious
understan
mis-

Thus, according to

many

were

modern

Ltfter,
"i**P*fl^ereti6tt"
PatrologiaQrcpca,Vol.

writers,the
XVIV,

Col. 763

Sultan
et seq.

of

(Migne

EdltlOB).
""

**8omma

DtMMqtM

vero

Dei

hujui
Filiui

hieresii intentio

est

ut

Christus

Dominus

ut

neque

credatur; sed licet magnus

Deoque dilectus homo
IMIMI
puruii et vir quidem sapiens et proplietamaximus
Quae quidera olim
OMboll
macbinatione
seminata
istum
deinde
concepta prirao per Ariura
per
BitaBim. "cnicet Machuinet, provecta, per Anti-christum
toto
ex
vero
secundlAboIlram
"n
lnt""ntlonem complebitur." Petri
Vencrahilia
Opera Omnia,
"*
/carina, Vol. Tom. CLXXXIX
2?* ^"'"^'0P""
(Mipne Edition).
**^""i""*tor
dl Bcandalu e di uciama
Inferno,XXVIII, 35.
esse

'*

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

PRESENT

233

ing,
NothTurkey is to Islam what the Pope is to Christendom.
That
the
however, could be farther from the truth.
of the Ottoman, Ommiad,
Abbassid
or
caliphate,whether
comparable with the Papacy is
dynasties, is in no way
in all
clearly evidenced by the fact that Islam has never
its history regarded the Caliph as its spiritualhead."^"

the

Again

writers,

same

constantly refer

well

the

to

as

modern

many

priests

fact is that Islam

The

Mohammedanism.

as

the

and
has

elers,
trav-

clergy

not and

of

never

in
body as it is understood
is no
There
the Christian world.
ordination,no priesthood
to bind and loose,no confessional,
with powers
no
baptismal
and
mediator
between
no
man
font, no altar,no sacrifice,
is in fact no one
There
God.
possessingany specialpowers
through ordination to perform any act that any adherent
could not as rightfullyperform. For, Islam, as
of Islam
has been well said,is and has always been **the lay religion
it is true, the Khatib
There
excellence,'
are,
par
in prayer
leader
but neither
preacher and the imam

anything like

had

has

clerical

'

"

"

the

nor

one

sacerdotal

"

the

other

character

"

possesses

of

the

of
anything whatever
Christian
priesthood or

the
of

hereditary Levites of ancient Judaism.^"

They are
usually selected on account of their grave deportment and
their knowledge of the Koran
and of the traditions of Islam,
but otherwise
they might be replaced by a mufti or kadi
whose
occupationsare analogous to our lawyer or judge.
the

The

chief

imam, whose

of the

purpose

19

C. Snouck

Hurgronje, Mohammedanism

20

The

of the

duty

imam

"is

stand

to

in

function

closely

York, 1916).
p. 129, et seq. (New
front
of the congregation, facing

Kibleh
or
Mecca-pointing niche, at the appointed hours of devotion, that
he recites aloud
the
ordinarily,as every one knows, five times a day, when
devotional
time for the various
public prayers, marks
postures, and, in a word,
ever,
howacts
him, from
whom,
as
fugleman to the worshipers ranged behind
Primus
he is distinguished by no
inter
special dress, caste or character!
but nothing more.
The
Khatib.
or
preacher, usually reads out of an
pares;
well-thumbed
more
old,
book, or, though much
rarely,
manuscript sermon
short
seldom
ing
exceeddelivers
the
a
discourse,
performance,
Friday
extempore

the
is

minutes

ten

khatib,
mason,

Eastern

or
a

in

whoever
green-grocer,

duration

Once
.

else
or

Questions, p. 91,

may

seq.

or

(by W.

the

mosque,

the

imam,

the

is a houseduring the prayers,

anything else, as before."
Essays on
G. Palgrave, London, 1872).

officiated

pipe-maker,
et

outside

have

reaembles that of

AND

precentor,is to

preserve

order

known

large class of functionaries

distinctions
gradational
ulema

act like

may

public
lems
Mos-

of that

any

ulema, there

as

are

no

worshipers themselves.

the

among

in

of the

performedby imams, khatibs,mollas, or

be

The

BABYLON

the religiousfunctions

whether

But

worship.

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

234

priestsand

sometimes

may

be

sidered
con-

people, but the ulema

themselves, who ought to know, strongly and consistently
So alien,indeed, is
character.
insist on their non-priestly
as

priestsby uninformed

all classification to Moslemism,

idea of

very

all the details of their

course
inter-

intimate
him

made

Mohammedans

the

familiar with

creed, did

thoroughly
hesitate

not

to declare,
referring to their religiousorganization,

when
"

long and

Palgrave, whose

the laity,that

is the

distinct from

as
ecclesiasticalorganization

an

with

to Islam

abhorrent

so

'Each

for himself

one

notions

erroneous

the real

objectof

it was

up

that

and

dred
hun-

ing
generallyprevailrespect-

so

are

jnosques

as

numerous

khatibs

and

imams.

The

is to indicate

the

direction

of Mecca.

respectingits
mosque

sums

almost

an

^^

traditions confirm.''
The

all' is

us

Koran

the

of what

literal translation

for

God

and

primary

as

those

use

of

Originally

simple platform with a wall at the end facingMecca.

In facingthis wall the worshiper looked towards
what
was
to him the holiest city in the world.
In southern
climates
this primitive type of mosque
the
answered
sufficiently
chief purpose
contemplated. But the more
rigorousclimates
of the north
required roofed places of worship, which
eventuallydeveloped into the magnificent structures which
finds in onia,Brusa, and Constantinople,as well
now
one
ma in cities much
farther south,such as Damascus
and Cairo
a

"

and Jerusalem.

Bat

the

his mosque

reverence

and

which

that which

a
a

Mussulman

Roman

entertains

Catholic

for

feels for his

82.
"0".""l..p.

"TW
piMS

word
Of

ii
**iiMMqn""

worship.

derived

from

the

Arabic

maajid which

a
signifies

Again,the

unlike the church, is

mosque,

parish. There
worship in a particularmosque.
like that
khatibs any jurisdiction,

as

in the

assemble

in the mosque

to Allah

with

one

mosque

have

of

Catholic

for

mosque

as

those

who

imams

and

pastor, over

Worship

prayer.

congregationalonly in so far
happen to gather there,unite in

the direction

under

individual,as

nevertheless

the

Nor

know

be called

may

who
certain individuals,

prayer

the center

never

which we
religiousorganization
is no
congregationcomprising

of that kind of

those who

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

236

no

with

than

of the

Moslem

imam, but

has closer aflSliations

Wherever

another.

it is

he

happens

calls for prayer, there is his mosque

there he joinswith his fellows in worship.

to be when

and

the muezzin

In the Ottoman

Empire

the

imam,

far

so

as

he is

charged

than a paid servant.

specialfunctions,is no more
Outside of actingas precentor,or fugleman, at prayer
his
to officiate at marriages and
chief duties are
funerals.
of that spiritualrelationshipwhich
is none
There
exists
the Catholic priest and his parishioners
between
of
; none
that love of a father for his children,
and none
of that affection
of children for their father,which
exists in every
Catholic parish; no one
who is in any sense
the shepherd

with

of

his flock
"

admonish

the

to assist the

weak,

to

direct

the

erring,to

remiss, to upbraid the sinner,and lead those

aspiringto holiness
life. Far
Bpiritual

higher degrees of perfection in the

from feelingthe need of such a guide
and superior,the Moslem
prides himself on his abilityto
dispensewith such aids which he would regard as curtailing
his religiouslibertyand
his independence
circumscribing
of action. He prefers to lead his
own
life,without let or
hindrance,without monitors or directors,
and
to be free.
If "o

to

to follow those votaries

disposed,

of

pleasurein

partB of the world, who

Compound for sins that they'reinclined
By damning those they have no mind to.

to

other

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

237

PRESENT

the religiousspiritof
fully understand
without
the Mussulman
knowing something of the prayers
which he is wont to address to the Deity. No class of men,
of God
Allah
more
frequently
probably, have the name
This is particularlytrue of
their lipsthan the Moslems.
on
is legion known
and
devotees
their number
those
as
But

cannot

one

"

"

"

"

dervishes.

day is the
dawn, at midday,

Prayer five
of Islam.

and

night

loud

At
the

Muezzin

second

of the

five

pillars
in the afternoon, evening
the minaret
and repeats iu

ascends

voice:

is great. I bear witness that there is no

god but
is the apostle of God.
I bear witness that Mohammed
! Come
to salvation I
to prayers

God
God.
Come

But

from

be

said only when

the clothes and

body

worshiper as well as the place of prayer

are
all impurity. Moreover, the prayers,
whether

free

prayer

of the

privatelyor
form
be

can

times

no

the Most

in common,

and

in

deviation.

*^God

words

may

be recited

must

specifiedpostures
There

are

is great,''**I extol

constant

according to
from

which

said
a

scribed
pre-

there

repetitionsof the

the holiness

of my

Lord,

High.''
Holiness

to

Thee, 0 God!

And

praise he to Thee I
is Thy name!
Great
is. Thy greatness!
There is no deity hut Thee!
Great

devout

of prayer

Mussulman
no

less than

will recite these

similar forms

seventy-fivetimes a day. But these

no
variety or change, become, after

words, which admit of

ceaseless repetition,
rather
and

and

mechanical

than

mental

act

in the nature
of lip service than
frequently more
the prayer
of the Christian,which consists not only in acts
of praise,as in the above words
of the Moslem
worshiper,
are

and thanksgiving. The

impetration

but also in acts of

approach

nearest

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

238

to

reads

of the Koran, called the Fatihah, which

Bura

is the first

Christian prayer

lem's
Mos-

of all the worlds.

The compassionate the merciful.
King of the day of reckoning!
Thee only do we worship, and to Thee,
only do we cry for help,
Guide thou us in the straightpath.

Praise he to God, Lord

t

With

who

And

Thou

whom

art

hast

Thou

path of these to whom

been gracious.

The

not

angry,

astray. Amen,

go not

^which has
this prayer
only to compare
^with
been called **the quintessence of the whole' Koran
But

have

we

"

^'

"

Father''

the **Our

to

of the Christian

prayer

in the very

manifest

is

that there

shows

Noster, which

of the Pater

comparison

the
It is

and that of the Mohammedan.

first word
no

between

difference

the vast

see

Christian

the

between

Mohammed
believed
conception of God.
in God, feared and obeyed Him
according to his light,but,
not recognizingHis Fatherhood, he did not and, from
his
the

and

Moslem

view of the

Deity,could

Their

because

known

not

this from

as

God

God

It is

of fear, not

Our

Father.

"

"

enjoys the blessed

so

God

his followers.

with

How

of

love,

different is

of the Christian

to his

privilegeof calling God

Father.

"

Denymg
maintain
and

is

the relationship sonship

Creator, who
Abha

God

not love Him.

the

Fathership

nearest

God, Moslem

that it is impossible for

God, they contend, are

there is

of

approach

to

to love Him.

men

of different

difference of genus

there

theologians

can

Man

natures, and where

be

love,they contend, is

no

man's

love.

The

ance
persever-

in obedience to Allah.

Again, accordingto
no

love of

which, as

the

theologians,there can be
God for man, for love,
say they,implies change,
God is infinitely
perfect,is impossible. When
same

to

philosophers,is

and

But

in this case,

shall

or

of God

superior to

of Moslem
affects

so

others,the

many

so

gians
theolothat

man

common

sense

specialdivine illumination?
to arrive

them

of their relations to Him

and

Moslem

by

in

enabled

has

in Islam

as

call it

we

that **God

ing
meant, accord-

' ' "

to God.

comes

man

eminent

of the most

Al-Gazali,one

239

all that is

is said to love man,

therefore

God

PRESENT

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

at

than

the Koran

conception
attained

ever

was

and

casuists

philosophers and
anything found in

of many

"

truer

"

incomparably
in the

or

tional
tradi-

teachings of Mohammed.
I need only adduce the beautiAs a proof of this assertion,
ful
of the Persian imam, El Kachiri,who, discarding
prayer
the cold and formal
acts of praise prescribed in Moslem
worship, pours forth his soul to God in these touching and
heart-felt words

Thou, 0 Lord, threatenest me, with

which will forever
deprive me of Thy
do with me
Thou wilt,provided that
as
from

Thee!

this

poison than

God

from

agitationwhich
suffer

rather

There

is

will be

bitter

bitter

what
state

continual

separation
! 0 Lord,

presence
I be not forever

more

no

For

separation.
do except be in

can

of

arated
sep-

fatal

nor

soul

rated
sepa-

inquietude and
One

torment?

would

thousand

hundred

deaths; for, after all,

they would not offer anything so terrible as the privation of
the vision of Thy divine face. All the evils of the world,
all the most
and
acute
painful diseases joined together,
to me
seem
incomparably easier to bear than this removal
It is this transitoryremoval
which
from
Thee.
renders our
lands
would
would
a

sterile ; which
dries up and infects
it be if it were
eternal?
Without
burn

not

word,
upon

which

it is
us

causes

; it

is

only Thy
all kinds

through it
of

BihliotMque

Hague, 1777).

so
us

of hell

hot.

and

In

ers
show-

Thy absence,it is,

all the evils of hell."

24 Cf.
Aspects of Islam, p. 199
1911).
^^

it,the fire

sustains

good things and

What

waters.

that it becomes

which

presence

our

OrientaUt

Tom.

et

II,

(by

seq,
p.

81

D.

B.

MacDonald,

(by BarthMemy

New

York,

d'Herbelot, The

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

240

This prayer is fullyin keeping with the teachingof many

mystics of non-Semitic origin,who, contrary
other Moslem
entertained respectingthe
to the vulgar notions so widely

80

far

consists in the

enjoyment
This ineffable happiness,they aver,
beatific vision.
transcends all the other joys of paradise that they
the elect in heaven

happiness of
of the

that the infinite

declare
paradise,explicitly

Mohammedan

claims
Paradise, 0 Lord," exone
the Sheik el Alem, **is desirable only because
Thee ; because, without the light of Thy beauty,
there sees

completelydisappear

These

the words

of

for Jesus

Arabic

"

of the afflicted man

Thy words.
by hearing Thy

The

from

but

remarkable

less

no

than

so

poet of Persia who, in addressing

Mussulman

to Isa

heart

The

**

it.

^*

pallon us.'*
two quotationsare

it would

himself

before

soul

"

says

draws

all his consolation

life and

resumes

vigor simply

is
pronounced. If the mind of man
able to raise itself to the contemplation of the mysever
teries
of the Divinity,it is from Thee that it draws the light
that givest him the attraction
them and it is Thou
to know
by which he is penetrated.^^
How
of

name

language of a Christian speaking of the

Saviour, Jesus Christ I

like the
our

less excusable

Far

than

ignorance of

grace

doctrine

Moslem

in
dispositioneverywhere manifested
to regard Islam not only as a disintegrating
Europe and America
Those
organizationbut also as a decaying power.

and

who

is
practices,

thus

the

minimize

the

ever-growing strength

of

one

of

the largestreligious
bodies in the world exhibit the fatuity
of the ostrich which imagines danger does not exist because
it is unseen*
For

generations past the western

world
informed that Mohammedanism

rooriband and

that Christendom

op. eit, Tom.

'"i'HjirUlot,

WD*

Brnttlot. op. eit.. Tom.

II, p. 106.
IT. p. 361.

has

has
as

nothing

periodicall
religionis
been

more

to ap-

PAST

ISLAM,
prehend from it.
are
unfrequented
and

AND

It has

assured

colleges of Moslem

law

support

; that the

generally disregarded and

and

that
and

But

that

is under

an

neglected

are

are

Islam

241

the mosques
crumbling into ruins; that schools

and

for lack of financial

been

PRESENT

languishing

or

precepts of the Koran

frequently openly flouted;

ter
eclipsewhich portends disas-

extinction.
what
of

words

the

are

facts?
whose

Palgrave

of Mohammedan

authoritative.

Were

Writing

from

makes
in

of

years

the

declares

and

schools,chapels

the

the circle of

pages

would

; new

works

in the

investigations

shores

his words

1872, he

them

answer

of the
the

on

Euxine

question:

attempt the catalogue of mosques,

I to

built within

best

can

sixteen

conditions

interior of Arabia

to the

colleges,

like,repaired or wholly fresh

own
personal inspection alone
my
"

hardly suffice to contain it. Trebizond, Batoom, Samsoon, Sivas, Keysareeyah, Chorum,
Amasia, and fiftyother towns of names
unknown, or barely
in Europe, each can
known
boast its new
and
renovated
of law,
places of Mahometan
worship; new
schools,some
others of grammar,
others primary, have
on
sprung
up
several

"

side

every

the

highways.

increase

in the

Islam

steam

has

much

must

of charity and public bequest adorn

Meanwhile, year after year sees a steady

number

undoubtedly contributed
also

be

put down

by all,high

birthplace of their
the

pilgrims to

holy places

and

not

to

the

years

ago:

on

growing

eagerness

low, to visit the sacred

soil,the
Prophet; while the pride

the triumphant exultation

that welcomes
It may
them home.
thousand

of

littleto this result,

religionand
is manifested
each villagetakes in its *'hajjees''
all-engrossingsympathy that accompanies their
and

the

and, although the greater facilitation consequent

manifested
that

of

in

parture
de-

of the

entire lace
popunot have been less

it certainly could

not

have

been

more.^"

nearly half a century since the noted author

Narrative
of a Year's Journey through Central and

Although
of the
28

it is

Op. cit.yp. 122,

et seq.

Eastern
is

Arabia

penned

evidence, so far

no

as

the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

PROM

242

paragraph just quoted,

able to

been

I have

gather in

Africa, that the current

fiftyyears
revival is running lower than it was

travels

in Asia

and

rejuvenescenceof Islam less marked

resistant or less persistent.
long
Not only has Mohammedanism
but

moribund

as

it has

changelessin doctrine

implements of
**when
"the

the

which

East"

ago,

as

are

are

the

the

same

is

nor

less

declared

been

my

Moslem

to be

immemorial, been

time

also,from

of

its power

nor

the

there

resented
rep-

agricultural
to-day

as

and
Proserpine went a-Maying through Enna"
mony
into harand its ways
of bringing Islam
difficulty
with modern
society as comparable to squaring the
"

circle."
from
Again, what are the facts? So far is Moslemism
from
of the
it came
the hands
when
being what it was
Prophet,or from what it is as exhibited in the Koran, that
it has been constantlyundergoing modification in religious
doctrine and practicesince the days of the first caliphs.
Not to speak of the countless changes which have insensibly

been

tianity,
by the quiet but continuous action of Chrisinnumerable
others have been brought about by the
teachings of Plato and Aristotle,by Roman
law, Neoeffected

Platonism,and

other

similar

but

ible
persistentand irresistinfluences. This is practically
in the hadith
manifest
modified and developed by canonists,dogmatists,and
as
mystics to enable Islam **to shape religiousordinances of
old customs''
**to adapt itself to the peculiar characor
teristics
and stages of development of the people whose
it wishes to win."
allegiance

Per not onlyhave law and custom, religious

teachingsand
politicaldoctrines clothed themselves
in Hadith
form

[writesone

danimn],

of the most

but

eminent

everything

in

authorities

Islam, both

on

that

Mohammewhich

has

worked itselfout through its own

strength,as well as that
which has been appropriated from without.
In this work
foreignelements have been so assimilated that one has

in the Gulf of

its death blow

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

244

Don

Lepanto by

of Austria

Juan

Sobieski.
the walls of Vienna by the immortal
that Moslem
again,what are the facts? It is true

and under

still,

But

still divides

law

canon

parts are
yet to be won

these two

as

or

are

into Dar

al-Islam"

ing
accordof war,"
of Mohammedanism
in the possession

al-harh"Ahode

and Dar

of Islam"

Abode

the world

to it

by the sword, yet it is,

is
nevertheless, equallytrue that this distinction

now

practically
of the

that the Christian Powers

of territorial
able to curtail Islam's schemes
world are now
expansion and render forever impossibleall hopes of world
and military
But, although Islam as a political
a

letter and

dead

conquest.
is

power

no

longer

present" it is

not

to

true

activities or

be

apprehended
"

that she has

that

her

at

discontinued

propaganda

for

least

her

in behalf

the
sionary
mis-

of the

in
than it was
religionof the Prophet is less determined
have
the days of Saladin or Solyman the Magnificent. We
from
to us
that come
the authentic tokens
only to scan
convinced
that Pan-Islamevery quarter of the globe to be
ism is to-day a greatermissionary force
peacefullyaggressive
"

fanaticallypersistent ^than it has perhaps ever

been in any period of her history.^reliable statistics
Let us
According to the most
see.
medans
and fiftymillion Mohamabout two hundred
there are now
in the world,^^and this number, stupendous as it
in their
is,is rapidly increasing. The strongest agency
phenomenal development is the annual hadj or pilgrimage
but

to Mecca

"

which

every

free Mussulman

is

required to

make

"""The

of Islam
is not, as
often
has been
maintained,
spiritualenergy
so
with
its politicalpower.
On the contrary, the loss of political
and
power
worldly prosperity has served to bring to the front the finer
Islam
"piritualqualitieswhich are the truest incentives to missionary work.
has learncMl the uses
of adversity and
far from
decline
in worldly prosso
a
perity
being a presage of the decay of this faith, it is significantthat those
show
countries that
been
rule
have
""fy Muilim
Christian
longest under
tkeiQielTM most active in the work
and
of proselyting. The
Indian
Malay
VokMBaMdans
for the
display a zeal and enthusiasm
spread of the faith,
wbieh one looks for in vain In Turkey and Morocco."
T. W. Arnold, op. oit,

ecmmeniurate

p. 4S6. 427.

MAfieording
Um

Bombtr

to Dr. Hubert
of Mohammedans

Jansen's
painstaking Verhreitung dea
in the world in 1897 was
259,680,672.

lalams,

PAST

ISLAM,
at least

in his lifetime.

once

Sacred

the

AND

PRESENT

During

the

245

period of

the

Jiadj,

and
sees
City of Moslemism
gathered around
walls a vast, surging throng of devotees, which

within

its

ranges

from

two

from

to three

hundred

thousand

strong. They

from
the snowpart of Asia and Africa
islands of
swept steppes of Siberia,from the coral-fringed
the Indian
Archipelago, and from the tangled jungles of
tars,
Senegambia and Abyssinia. Turks, Kurds, Persians, TarChinese, Malays, Egyptians, Berbers, Nubians
men
of all colors and of countless
tribes and tongues
they all
foregatherin the Sacred City of Arabia to get inspiration
and strength to win proselytes to the creed of Mohammed.
come

every

"

"

"

From

Mecca

half -pagan

where

ceremonies

which

his

religion,every

the

surpassinggreatness of

hadji

is thrilled

one

every

Mohammed

incorporated into

to his

returns

by the peculiar

Moslemism

home,
and

imbued

with

exulting in the
being numbered

thought that his is the blessed privilegeof

the followers of the Prophet. Each one
is a zealous
among
and is prepared, if need be, to give
agent of Moslemism
in disseminating its principles
and in contributing,
his life,
the realization of the hopes
far as in him lies,towards
so
the final world
true Mohammedan
of every
triumph of
"

Pan-Islamism.
Such

determined

missionaries, stirred

of

army

to

by their experience in what is to them

the holiest spot on earth, has during the last few decades
achieved results that are positivelystartling.Not in centuries
frenzy

of enthusiasm

has

Islam

so

Christendom.

And

at

the

present, on

to counteract

defiantlythrown
never

before

followers

the
it

was

of Christ

their well-directed

gauntlet down
so
incumbent,

to

campaign

use

every

to
as

effort

of Mohammedan

proselytism.
No

agency

is overlooked

towards
"

their

success

by the Moslems
in

their

that will

world-wide

tribute
con-

ganda
propa-

traders, shepherds, soldiers,husbandmen, shopkeepers,

all are
mollahs, muftis, marabouts
engaged in
"

TO

BERLIN

FROM

246

of winning converts

unceasing work
ubiquitous,
religionof Mohammed.

the

same

the

But

to

persistent"werethat possible"
just mentioned, are the legions of
proselytizers
active

more

the

than

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

and

nearly a hundred
Among them are
different orders and millions of members.
hamal to the proudest
all classes of people from the humblest
zealots known

shah
ardent

dervishes who

as

sultan.

and

reformers

as

the

powerful propagators

alone.

Africa

northern

for

These

the extension

propagationof

are

of

the revelation

all

has

members
to labor

Pan-Islamism

for

and

in
ceasingly
un-

the

in the

contained

as

are

order

sworn

of Allah

who

that

The
last named
yet known.
lodges with six million oath-bound

or

of such

of Islam

has

world

zawivas

count

They count untold thousands

and Sanusiyahs
the Wahabis

most

undoubtedly the

now

ity
unexampled has been their proselytingactivbetween
Egypt and Cape Colony during the last few
decades that millions have been brought under the banner
whole
of the prophet. Frequently in equatorialAfrica
to Moslemtribes have, in a short period of time, been won
ism by the unflaggingzeal and resistless enthusiasm
of its
Koran.

So

missionaries.

Every instrumentalitythat promises

brought into requisition. With
the

in their

success

the

tatingly
is unhesiview

of

firming
con-

continuously
of converts, they have everywhere
increasingthe number
established schools,orphan asylums, and printing presses,
and in Christian
countries they have
erected mosques.
Only latelya great mosque
was
completed at Petrograd.
Converts to Islam are
found in Japan, Jamaica, British
Guiana, and Brazil. The number
of immigrant Moslems
in the New

wavering

World

own

ranks

and

than one
recentlyestimated at more
hundred and fiftythousand, most, if not all,of them fired
with the same
zeal for the propagation of Mohammedanism
was

as

their brethren in Asia

of

India,where accordingto the most

are
than sixtymillion adherents
more

thoro

and

Africa.

In the various

parts
available statistics,
of the

Prophet,

the aimnal

to six hundred

ten thousand

from

247

PRESENT
to Moslemism

of converts

number

estimated

AND

PAST

ISLAM,

is variously
thousand.

conclusivley that Islam is very far

In the vigorous
from
being either totteringor moribund.
prosecution of the campaign which is to make Pan-Islamism not only a dominant
but a dominant
religiouspower
ity
as well,it exhibits all the pertinaciousactivpolitical
power
of its palmiest days. It is everywhere winning victories
and greater victories.
It is
and ceaselesslyplanning new
These

the

facts

prove

vigorous

most

the

and

force that confronts

Church

the

resolute

most

to-day.

that Islam

is approaching dissolution

ponder the

words

Dead

of the Arab

buried had

and

or

anti- Christian

Those

think

who

extinction

should

poet :

they

seen

me,

so

their

ready tale

they spread;
Yet

I lived to

see

the tellers buried

all themselves

and

dead.

In the
space

I have

preceding pages

available

actual tenets

give

to

and

an

status

endeavored

in the limited

statement

regarding the

honest

of Moslemism

in the past

as

well

ously
present. While, on the one hand, I have studieschewed
everything like detraction,I have, on the
other, as carefullyavoided anything that could reasonably
as

in the

be

construed

Mohammedanism.
to compare
for

as

an

apology
It has

Moslemism

either

never

with

for

Mohammed

or

for*

bid!
mind, God forChristianityas a means

entered

my

Creator
for
or
attaining to a true knowledge of our
is
realizingthe highest spiritualideals of which our race
capable. No, Christianity,
especiallythat form of it which
has sanctified and crowned
the lives of a St. Jerome, a St.
of Assisi, a St. Theresa, a Joan
of Arc; which
Francis
of an
presided at the sublime meditations
Augustine of
of Aquin, of a Dante
Hippo, or a Thomas
Alighieri,of a
Christopher Columbus ; which has given to the world such
heroes
matchless
and heroines of charity and self-sacrifice
St. Vincent
de Paul, a Father
as
a
Damien, a Sister of

TO

BERLIN

FBOM

248

Charity, or

Little Sister of the Poor;

truest, the holiest,the most

the

AND

BAGDAD.

BABYLON

that for

is the

us

beneficent of all religions;

word
revealed
that contains in all its fullness the
piness
which must be our guide to a world of hapthe

one

one
of God,
eternal in the life beyond the tomb.

many,

are

however, compel
justice,

and

Truth

Nor

there be any

can

Islam

things in

many,

very

doubt

us

that there

to admit

to extort

tion.
admira-

our

achieved

that Mohammed

drinkthings for the improvement of his idolatrous,

The
countrymen.
sodden, vice-steeped,feud-wrecked
beautiful things
Koran, we must confess, contains many
regarding one's duties towards God and one's neighbor;

many

directlyor indirectlyderived from the

the doctrines of the
the Old Testament, or from
New
or
Notwithstanding all this, however, the
early Church.

but all of them

are

teachings of Islam

as

are

far beneath

truths of Christianityas

Prophet
Son

saving

comparab
in-

and

and

is the gross

the all-pureand

beneath

of Mecca

the

sual
sen-

all-perfect

of God.

again to the previouslyquoted opinion of

Cardinal
serve
as
a
steppingHergenroether,Islam can
and as such is worthy
stone from fetishism to Christianity
of our sympatheticstudy and appreciation.
deeply
Among the countless amiable, honest,hospitable,
But,

to

recur

religiousMussulmans
lands
God

there is

and who

holy will were

to them.

that every

large

would

number

make

any

who

are

but

yearn

finds in Moslem
for

union

sacrifice to conform

it but clearlyand

They

traveler

unmistakably made

awaitingthe

with

with His
known

arrival of the Savior's

and will receive the word

of salvation with joy
messenger
and thanksgiving.The spiritual
unrest
Moslems;
among
the ever-increasing
attempts at social and doctrinal

form;
re-

the very zeal which loyal Moslems

even
exhibit in
extendingthe creed of the Prophet"the only form of religion
with which they are
really acquainted" attest their
"Agerness

in

seekingthe

truth

and

explain their ardor

in

PAST

ISLAM,

they deem

propagating what
the Most
High.
Add

to all this

leaders
time

well

as

as

Islam

the

Christian

249

only revelation

of

; when

missionaries

that

the

be made

rapprochement between
the vast organizationsof

and

to arrive
Christianityshould endeavor
understanding of one another's doctrines and

better

of

Mussulman

serious effort should

the Crescent

and

to be

kind

effectingsome

the Cross

PRESENT

widespread feeling among

among
when

has finallycome

towards

AND

at

tices
prac-

when, risingsuperior to that age-long antipathy and

that mischievous
odium theologicum which has so long kept
them in a state of implacable hostility,
they should strive
;

to meet

of the
More

another

one

as

brothers

in

Lord

one

and

children

as

Father.

same

than sixtyyears

ruler

Abd-el-Kader,

ago

the

giftedAlgerian

**If the Mussulmans

and
patriot,wrote:
Christians would
their divergence
give ear to me, I should cause
to cease
become
brothers.''^*
and they would

The

and

feel that the moral

of mankind

supposed

are

to

and

not

be.

so

The

similar to

view

is daily increasing. They

religiousideas
irreconcilable

of the various

they

as

greatest barrier

of sentiments

communion

entertain

distinguishedemir

of the

that

who

of Moslems

number

between

are

ordinarily

towards

Christians

races

and

nearer

medans
Moham-

move
by ignorance and prejudice. Rethis barrier and the way,
they contend, will be prepared
gious
for intellectual sympathy and, eventually,for reli-

erected

has been

union.

Notwithstanding the long

centuries

of

wars

between

the

far from
are
so
Crescent, Mohammedans
regarding our Savior, as is commonly supposed, with the
tained
hatred and contempt which Christians have usually enterfor Him
for the Prophet of Mecca, that they have
He
which is inferior only to that with which
reverence
a

Cross

8*

leur

and

the

et les Chretiens

"Si les Mussulmans

divergence,et ils diviendraient

it VIntelUgent, Avis

freres

Indifferent,p.

105

me

pr^taient 1' oreille,je ferais cesser

et k I'interieur." Rappel
(Paris, 1858).

k I'exterieur

is

They believe that

earth and, having slain Antichrist,

Christians themselves.

regardedby

again return to
establish a reign

will

He

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

250

and justiceamong
men.
of peace
last be triumphant and the
They believe that truth will at
According to the
sword will be sheathed forevermore.
amalgamation of
Shiahs of India there will then be an

will

of universal peace

of

ike Parliament

In

of

something
and charity

highest sense

in its truest and

dream

then, finally,will be realized

Christianityand

and

Islam

the Federation

man,

of the world.

would

and

to offer

seem

there

But

Redeemer.

world's

of the

vating
ele-

more

favorable opportunityfor preaching to

peculiarly

Gospel

the

Moslems,

existingamong
agitationnow
spiritual
for a purer
of them
aspirationsof so many
The

creed than that of Mohammed

Tennyson's

them

the

tunately,
unfor-

are,

There
insuperable difficultiesin the way.
and the unprincipled
are, first and foremost, the selfish diplomacy
aggressions of the European Powers, which nullify
quent
in advance
all projectsof Christian propaganda. The freexhibitions of very questionablemorality oii the part
of certain European diplomatists who
have manifested
a

almost

total

disregardof

the most

conquests of Christian
utter

an

humanity
and

and

barbarous

helped to
England
""An
^

Amarican

It tb"r" rain

fair

nam*

CkrisUam

^"*
iMMriit

often

methods

which

Moslems

and

black

Mohammedan,

p. 236

(New

Engllih author writing of

Our *prtatige'
serves
as
an

'" *"^ **^^^'""*^***"iJii^**"!*'

"wf
iaa
btlUi
thai
to

deatroywhat

we

in the

campaign

to wash

away
massacre?"

ruthless

York,

the

British
for

^^ ^*

querors.
con-

in

Transcau-

Tripoli, asks:
on
Italy's

stain

the

G.

F.

Herriclc

in

1912).

excuse

cannot

not

Italy in Tripoli,of

of

Italian

heavens

by

cruel

most

the religion of their

Coast," of Russia

sweet

played
dis-

thesie things have

"

campaigns

in the

times

at

to the

recourse

writer, referringto the

deep

have

ruthless

elementary rights of

the most

had

; the

covenants

of warfare

to

recent

enough

mada
and

""

have

the Gold

on

nations

disregard of

commend

The

solemn

*^"

war

on

committing
entity that

retain

is the

the
what
has

Gold
we

Coast

should

juggled

us

prerogativenot

and

Christianity
of
too

too

we

can

has

time

The

the

It

of

intelligence
zeal

win

of

of

for

Christ,

Crusades
be

the

ratione;

"*I atUck
fore*

Pet"r

what

should
a

Mohammad.

cry

not

as

people

be

sed

our

not

reason;

the

ut

non,

Venerable
the
who

war

Deus

lo

the

and

to

be

make

should,

in

God

flaming
tempered

Crusade
all

that

volt

the

And

inspired

be

wisely

of

Christian

of

the
must

voice

the

^by

"

in
Padre

old

good

shall

It

cry

of

Crusade

by

Father.

to
dren
chil-

men

in

which
the

sade,
Cru-

new

wills

the

it.

"

nostri

people
in

faciunt,

saepe

Peter
often

hate

do

but

his
of

as

for

Assisi;
by

"

opens

are

which

expositor

of

Savior,

amore."

attitude

calamo

Lully;

the

the

souls

of

which

Francis

our

was

odio,

non

by

which

with

V08

you,
but

old
peace

**"^ggre(!i\oT
Md

heavenly

same

of

the

Venerable.^^

the

the

of

Raymond

Peter

souls

et

Crusade

of

love

lingua
pen

be

must

ardent

the

by

the

and

evangelist

teaching.

by

replaced

be

Marracci,

perpetuate

but

words

the

in

such

West.

the

Crusade

new

shall,

sword

and

fire

which

for

come

of

souls

God-created

the

from

East

into

God-created

the

separated

have

centuries

long

to

right

conquest

misunderstandings

fatal

the

and

hostility

deep

tended

has

which

and

suffering

untold

of

lust

innocent

the

and

weak

the

plunged

has

which

cannot

makes

might

abiding

that

control

soon

Gospel

the

Crucified,

the

that

theory

accursed

our

of

followers

the

of

acceptance

eventual

an

; we,

abjure

soon

nor

love

and

peace

to

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FEOM

252

the

proud

in

first

the
with

against

sensitive

verbis;

are

Mussulmans

that

would
as

are

the

by

not

with

words
and

have

673.

col

words;
the

vi,

non

cit.,

op.
with

These

missionary
and

sed

but

arms,

love."
book

armis

Venerable,

shows

hearing

followers

of

CHAPTER
ALONG

TRADE

THE

XI

ROUTES

OF

THE

NEAR

EAST

Beautiful old stories,

Tales of angels,fairy legends.
Stillyhistories of martyrs.
Festal songs and words of wisdom;
Hyperboles, most quaint it may he,
Yet repletewith strength,and fire,
And
faith how they gleam.
And
glow and glitter!
"

Heine.

Apart from its imposing

few things in the Near
East

subjectsfor

more

its trade

do

course

same

of the

Ur

messengers

from
Now

Susa

as

they

of

are

storied past,

greater interest

reflection to the serious

which,

routes

of the

monuments

did

Chaldees

into

of the

Great

when
the

the

for

land

traveler

part, follow

most

Abraham

or

fared

of Canaan

King sped along

forth

and
the

when

Royal

gest
sug-

than
the
from
the
Road

to Sardis.

ance.
roadways follow the lines of least resistBut, owing to the peculiar topographicalconditions
of many
East, the traveler's choice of
parts of the Near
direction is necessarily limited.
In the broad
pitable
and inhosdesert his course
will necessarily depend on
the
location of the few existingsprings and wells and wadis,
while in the mountainous
regions it will,in great measure,
be governed by a few
In
and
widely-separated passes.
too, where broad and deep rivers are to be
many
cases,
crossed, the direction taken, especiallyduring the season
of rains and floods,will vary
with the condition of oftenfords.
changing and frequently treacherous
The celebrated Royal Road, of which Herodotus
gives so
in point. The
of
student
graphic an account, is a case
as

then

the

253

*"

ancient history is surprisedwhen

emporium

the famous

its circuitous

capitalof

and

of Croesus,but the

he learns

when

evident

he first observes

the one-time

between

course

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

254

Persia

comes
of it be-

reason

something of the character

through which it passed. He then discovers

before the
that the prehistorictravelers" long centuries
first selected
who
days of Cyrus and Darius and Xerxes"
the plainsof Mesopotamia
route between
this long and roundabout
of the country

the shore

and
them

morasses

as
we

route

took

which

and dangerdeserts
and pitiless
ous
high mountains
railroad engineer
did simply what a modern

over

"

similar circumstances

do under

would

of the ^gean"

chose

"

for their

turesome
ven-

journey the line of least resistance.^

that the word
**road,''
It must, however, here be observed
used in the Orient,rarely has the same
meaning which
is rarely anything
road
There
attach to the term.
a
or

beasts

Susa

and

travelers
between

line of route

the

than

more

marked
Even

of burden.

Sardis

by the footprintsof
the Royal Highway

nothing more

was

than

It

this.

of
builders
the great road
only when the Romans
antiquity became masters of western Asia that its leading
cities were
connected
by roads in our
conception of the
word.
Now, however, only traces of these splendidhighways
constructed by the Caesars exist,and roads
available
for wheeled
vehicles are
in most
stillalmost as rare
parts
of the Near East as they were
in the time of Tigranes or
Tiglath-Pileser.
was

"

"

* For
referred

helpfulmap, indicating the

to

the

third

volume

o!

course

Rawlinson's

of the
Five

Royal Road,
Great

the

Monarchies

reader

is

(New

Much
York, 1881).
this
on
light is also thrown
interesting subject by
Bnoell'i valuable work, The Geographical System of BerodotuSt Vol. I, Sec.
II (London, 1830).
It U well, in reference to this subject,to recollect that the ordinary policy

of the Asiatic monarchies

not
that of holding immense
was
continuous
areas
of territory,
but the comparatively simpler one
of safeguarding the great hi^h"It is important to remember
with
this in connection
W^Jl of Mamunication.
niPid eooqoeet like that of Alexander.
To conquer
the Achcemenian
empire
the effective occupation of all the area
within
its extreme
]^ mean
frOBtMrt"
that would
have been a task
but
man's
lifetime"
one
exceeding
tw
eonqoMt of iU cultivated districts and the holding of the roads which
^^- ^''* ^"**** ^f 8eleucut,Vol. I, p. 22 (by E. R. Bevan,
~

'

liSr"*"

TRADE

ROUTES

OF

EAST

NEAR

THE

255

But, although the great majority of eastern roads have

than
felt a spade or pick-ax,and are nothing more
never
evanescent
or
shiftingsand,
footprintsin spongy
swamp
most of them an air of legend
nevertheless there hangs over
and

food

much

for

had

We

known

as

Here

the followers

here

for

of the
to Rome

long

of Christ

great empire

it

also

which

as

of

Antakia, formerly
its greatest splendor
Crown

Beautiful,'* **The

and

Eye

of Christendom."

first called Christians

were

of the most

one

and

influential seats

generations it ranked next

the most
as
important emporium
the Caesars.
During a long period
terminus
of the great trade route

Church.

in the
was

was

to

days

the

Metropolis

Alexandria

and

Tarsus

in the

**Antioch

time

Christian

affords

can

from

to go

East,*'^'The

of the

over

he

as

capitalof Syria, which

was

and

the

find in any of the great

civilized regions of the modern
world.

more

wished

stimulates

preeminent degree

thought

of the

highways
the

in

of the traveler

mind

which

historic association

and

romance

of

the western

For

borne

was

The

for distribution among

and

of Ormus

wealth

of Ind

of Greece

the marts

and Rome.

But

mains
visitingthe scattered reof this once
famous
city and we perforce boarded a
train on the Bagdad Railway and started for Aleppo, whose
history is in some
respects scarcelyless eventful than that
of the erstwhile capitalof the Seleucids.
of the Bagdad
We
left the Cilician Plain
road,
Railby way

lack

of time

prevented

which

took

us

from

us

several

over

well-constructed

steel

of tunnels in the Amanus

bridges and through a number
Range. One of these tunnels, said to be the longest in
than three miles in length. The roadbed,
Turkey, is more
bridges, tunnels, stations,and rolling stock of this noted
line compare
favorably with those of the best railways in
Europe and show, better than words, what great trade

development

in the

when

Near

East

they put

its

their

projectorshad

millions

in the

in

templation
con-

Bagdad

Will they

Railroad.

investment!

for their stupendous

return

receive any
And, if so,

ever

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

256

Echo

when?

asks

"*When"T
The

aiidin the
the Taurus
can

Range
along the railroad in the Amanus
plainon the way to Aleppo is much like that of
and of Cilicia Campestris,where one
Mountains

scenery

the

trulysay with
is

There
And

smile

poet Bryant
fruit,and

the

on

laugh from the hrook that

Evenrwhere

one

through lands

that

to the

runs

flower,

the

on
sea.

tory,
placesthat are famous in hisand profane. Everywhere one
passes
during thousands of years, witnessed the
upon

comes

sacred

both

smUe

and
Assyrians and Hittites, Persians
and
and Parthians, Mongols and Saracens
Greeks, Romans
Turks.
And everywhere are ruins of Christian temples and
monasteries
which recall the gloriesof the early Church,
devastations

of

the triumphs of her

reminders

of the

the followers
as

dangerous

demanded

days

of the

when

Roman

or

they

Empire and when

blood,on the ground

persecuted
regarded

were

that

silent

as

Sassanian

to the

their

serve

governors

Crucified because

foes of the religionof Zoroaster.

of worship but littlenow
remains
arches

which

martyrs, and

satraps

they

houses

of these

Of many

the

were

except a few crumbling

disintegrating
pillarsand doorways. Of others

all that is left is buried

under

brush-covered

tell where

half-famished goat is seekinga little sustenance

whence
or
a Turkoman
shepherd is watching his nearby flock.

Notwithstanding,however,
churches

and monasteries

have

the

fact

long

that

ceased

of

most

to be

the
than

more

heaps of dusty rubbish,there are still a few edifices of the

long ago in a comparatively good state of preservation.
Among these one of the most notable is that of KaPat
Sim'an

to the northwest

of Aleppo and

from

but

short

the railway. KaPat

the Caetle of Simon
is

from the fifthcentury and

is unquestionably
the most

"

Simian"

which

distance

is the Arabic

monastery church

which

for

dates

admir-

TRADE

ROUTES

OF

THE

of ruins in northern
able group
this magnificent mandra,

about

the

these

were

NEAR

EAST

Syria. According
or

monastery,

was

257
tion
to tradierected

pillaron which the noted St. Simeon Stylitesspent

thirty-sixyears of his life and where, by his extraordinary
austerities and superior holiness of life,
he was
tion
the edificaof countless thousands
far and
from
near.
Among
Empress

the

Emperor Theodosius
Eudocia, as well as other

of the

II and

his consort, the

distinguished personages

Byzantine capital.

Styliteshere
referred
is often thought
to was
not
as
unique in his
but the first of the long line
strange mode of life. He was
of stylitaB,
and
or
pillarsaints,whose
peculiar asceticism
undoubted
so
sanctity made
deep an impression on their
pleasure-loving contemporaries not only in Asia but in
Europe as well.
But more
extraordinary than the ruins of churches and
It may

here

be remarked
"

that the

Simeon
"

greet the traveler in every part of the

which are due to the
Levant, are the imposing monuments
from
and which are found in surprising numbers
Crusaders
southern
to northern
Palestine
Mesopotamia.
Crowning
heights and protecting strategicpasses,
precipice-encircled
of architectural beauty and massive
they are marvels
deur.
grantary
which belonged to the great MiliThose, particularly,
Orders
and
vie in vastness
soliditywith the great
ube.
strongholds which are the glory of the Rhine and the Dannot only highly fortified strongholds with
They were
bastions,barbicans, and donjons which served as places of
refuge to the surrounding population in times of stress and
also lordly palaces with spacious halls
danger, but were
and noble chapels and chapter houses worthy of the great
castles of France
and England.
than the massiveness
and grandeur
No less remarkable
of these venerable
the charming locations which
ruins are
And
then the picturesquenames
which were
they occupy.
given them by their Frankish builders ! Among them were
such
appellations as Blanchegarde, Chateau
Pelerin,La
monasteries

which

Pierre

even

gave

of the Air.

Built

snow-capped Hermon
lordly strongholdsof

and

Star

of

flanks

commanding

these

Lebanon

when

poeticalname

more

el-Hawa"

called it Kokab

famed

BABYLON

Desert, and Castle Belvoir,to the last of which

du

Arabs

the

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

258

they
the

on

cedar-

the Crusaders

Knightly Orders of the medisBval times have about

which
ope
envelthem all the glamour and chivalryand romance
can
the most noted castles of the Tyrolean Alps or the TusApennines. As I contemplatedthese fascinatingruins
and the superb sites which they so adorn and recalled the

and of the

which

stirringscenes
of the most
that

romantic

they had

poet and

the

not

more

they witnessed and that too, in one

epochs of the world, I often wondered
frequently supplied themes for the

novelist.

in his Jerusalem

Tasso

Delivered

richness of material
idea of the marvelous
gives us some
here awaiting the writer of fiction no less than the literary
of sober
artist in the domain
history and archaeology.
Where, indeed,could a true romanticist find better locations
for the plotsof his stories than in the wonderful
old castles
of Karat
el-Hosn,KaPat-es-Subebeh,or Burj Safita grandiose
in
their
which
aeries
been
have
yet fairylike
lofty
the houses of the bravest Knights who have ever
couched a
lance and which, despitetheir present dilapidatedcondition,
"

"

for centuries
all

have

been

parts of the world.

itself to tales of

famous
and

"

And

Antioch

and

places which

exploitsof the Crusaders

been

what

identified with

of travelers

land

and

the most

are

Carmel, Tyre
witnessed
whose

found
and

the most
have

names

from

readily lends

more

than that in which

romance

places as

Jerusalem

the admiration

glorious names

such

Ascalon
brilliant
so

long

of Christian

chivalry!
It is

long step from

"adea to the

the

highlyrevered

in all Moslem

countries.

superb

tekkehs
In

or

the Near

the

country. These

in almost

tekkehs, which

which

mezars

East

the publichighway, in
everywhere"along

quarters of largecities and

of the Cru-

monuments

they

the most

deserted

abound
are

seen

crowded

sections

frequently serve

of

the

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

260

grims
large. They are frequented by pilparticularly
the
from all parts,who prostratethemselves before

shrines is

of the saints to whose

tombs

the

offeringsand where
at

for hours
"seeks
where
him

devout

the authority which

he

and

pray

Moslem/'

faith withholds

his

what

*'The

time.

more

liberal

shrines they often make

Kuenen

as

from

himself

chant

and

him

hymns
tells us,
seeks it

recognized forbids

for if*

to look

to

According

departed Moslem
it is

For

widespread opinion the bodies of

saints are not supposed to undergo
a

traditions,that when

belief,confirmed

common

the tombs

of saints and

the
ruption.
cor-

by countless
martyrs

are

the appearance
have
accidentallyopened their remains
blooming, their
of being freshly buried: "their faces are
bright and blood would issue from their bodies,
eyes are
if wounded.

' ' "

Not only is the Moslem

of the term, but his tomb
to live and

have

in which

is his house

he receives

to him

recourse

saint not dead, in

acceptation

our

in which

he continues

the petitionsof those

in their difficulties. And

yet

who
more.

he can
implicit belief of his devotees
leave his tomb, go on
long journeys and return again.
Firmly believingin a great invisible organization of saints
and in the picturesqueal-Khader, who is reputed to wander
continuouslythrough the lands of Islam performing everywhere
the will of Allah, and in the countless
but
deceased
still very active and ubiquitous saints,the life of the pious
Mussulman
is indeed, as has truly been observed
"hedged
around
everywhere by the Unseen.
Our journey from Tarsus to Aleppo was
able
a rarely enjoyAt every turn of the road we
one.
saw
something of
unique historic or legendary interest. Everything mountain
crags, swirlingrivers,foaming torrents,moss-covered
castles,crumbling churches, that would have enraptured a

According

to

the

' '

"

RwUw,
1880,
"l^jytowory
-fcl'STT^!
^^T^**^"of a

(by RJehard

F.

p. 302.

Pilgrimage

Burton, Boiton, 1868).

to

El-Medinah

and

Meccah,

p.

299

Hobbema

or

that

motionless

were

which, under

**we

giving

are

these

Saracen

fantastic

shapes,
the figure of the

was

Verily," I said to
of the jinn and they

of

of

crest

gray

donjons and

vapor,

in the land
exhibition

an

us

dark

mance
ro-

traveling in

**

fable.

of eastern

rock

261

bright,cumulus clouds
seemingly, had grouped

near

mountain

the

from

fashioned

of

of Norman

hovering

And

strongholds.

to be

the

influence

into the forms

themselves

giant

above

EAST

of glamour and

while

masses

magic

some

NEAR
much

so

all the

seemed

we

held

"

fairyland. High

veritable
Amanus

Ruysdael

THE

OF

ROUTES

TRADE

their

panion,
com-

are

here

inanimate

over

power

my

for their
Having the authority of Mohammed
belief in these supernatural beings of smokeless
fire,is it
Mussulman
ascribingto
surprising to find the untutored
he cannot
conceive
what
their agency
as
being done by
It is the jinn
means?
human
riding in the whirlwind,"
that cause, he firmly believes,the gyrating pillarsof sand
the desert and the portentous waterspouts
to sweep
over
to rise from the troubled sea, as it is the jinn that transform
nature."

**

countless

into

clouds

of

forms

animate

and

inanimate

readily discerns in a clouddappled sky. Should one then be surprised at the exquisite
pleasure which the wonder-loving followers of the Prophet
oriental

nature, which

find in the

recital

Nights and

fancy

so

stories of ''A

of the famous

Night

' '
"

stories

in which

Thousand

the marvelous

is

so

conspicuous and in which the jinnplay so important a role ?

While
densely populated region,we
traveling this once
that in the triangle comrecalled a saying of the Arabs
prised
between
Hama, Antioch, and Aleppo are found the
remains

of

cities.

This

we

within

intact.

""But

statement

this

area

the fourth

from

caused

fewer

than

is, doubtless,an

''over

and

hundred

three

willingto accept the

were

are

no

estimate

exaggeration but

of Reclus

that there

Christian

hundred

to the seventh

sixty-five

century

and

towns

ing
dat-

stillalmost

""

for
the

the

roofs

have
earthquakes which
to fall in nothing would

here

be

and

there

rent

missing except

the

the

walls and
woodwork

there

Then

are

landscape-^ach with
tomb and lightedlamp.

with

note

small

to

Around

implore the aid, if

fruit and

not

frequently
of them

many

have, presumably,

who

women

oil and

offeringsof

to make

and

of

groups

and

Kiblah

which

tekkehs

dome-covered

the countless

the

stud

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

262

the

coin to the

we

come

guardian

intercession,of

local

the

saint.

ever-interestingobjectsthere are humble

of which
one
rejoicesin
of the country folk,every
homes
mulberry tree. Frequently the scene
or
its fig,plaintain,
tents and enlivened
by flocks and
is sprinkledwith nomad
and by long lines of
herds which dot the green
expanse,
swaying camels which slowly bear their heavy burdens
along the long-neglectedhighway, still continuing their
of years, notwithstanding the arrival
service of thousands
The
of their great competitor the iron horse.
increasing
of trade and the need of rapid communication
demands
the construction of railways in Asia as necessary
as
make
in other parts of the world, but the lover of the picturesque
when the locomotive
will hope that the time will never
come
will entirelydisplacethe camel, which seems
to be an essential
feature in every eastern landscape. This thought comes
with specialinsistence as the shriek of the railway
to me
whistle announces
arrival at Aleppo, where
train of
a
our
in place of a caravan
of camels
to be as
cars
appears
incongruousas at the Jappa Gate of Jerusalem.
While
in Aleppo we
the fortunate
were
guests of the
Franciscan friars,the best and most gentle of hosts. They
these

Besides

"

"

"

received
had

the

third of

manners

of

to

me

their

customs

the

Aleppines during

of its

*^"JJderiof
^iirllA^tlTJ***
Md
otter bard

more

drawn

Thanks

people,they

recent
from
the

expcDBive." The
M^MO tfOttl^Mmw

to their

thorough knowledge

and

mAt"rialt
and

hospitalitywhich they
in Egypt and the Holy

century before.

residence in Aleppo and

more

cordial

same

graciouslyextended

so

Land

with

us

my
cities.

short
The

quarries
Earth

enabled

and

removal

of the
to

me

sojourn

of the

of

district

long
see

among

the

basalts

would

Its Inhabitants, Vol.

have

IV,

in and

Agostino, whose

Padre

learned

been

kindness

extreme

forget the

never

have

otherwise

would

than

them

263

possible.

of

the

shall
and

courteous
of

knowledge

Aleppo continuallyreminded

about

EAST

NEAR

THE

OF

ROUTES

TRADE

everything

of his learned

me

who
constant
was
my
confrere, Frere Lieven de Hamme,
I spent many
guide and friend during the happy weeks
and its environs.
years before in the holy cityof Jerusalem
the two
There
is,however, a great difference between
and holy
is a city of sacred monuments
cities. Jerusalem
memories
while Aleppo is noted as Syria's busiest interior
At

mart.

present

than

fewer

no

populationis

about

the

heyday

three

hundred

in

but

thirty thousand
counted

its

of

and

hundred

one

its prosperity it
souls.

thousand

It

the Orient
great entrepot of trade between
Then
and the Occident.
brought silks from
great caravans
Persia, spices,drugs,
China, carpets and tapestry from
India
the
and
Spioe
pearls, and precious stones from
then headquarIslands of the Malay Archipelago. It was
ters
for a large colony of Venetian, Dutch, French, and
who
here exchanged the products of the
English merchants
of the East.
for the prized merchandise
West
traveler who
Pietro della Valle,the distinguishedRoman
visited Aleppo in 616, was
immensely impressed by the
So great was
transactions.
magnitude of its commercial
involved
the amount
of money
never
that, he says, it was
And
counted
but always weighed in boxes.
no
one, he
assures
spoke of sales or purchases that did not
us, ever
to sums
which
amount
ranged, at the lowest,from forty to
then

was

the

thousand

hundred
For

long time Aleppo

in the East
the

7
e

"Nel

non

ottanta

Viaggi
When

far
fa

centomila

di Pietro
one

and

of their

le mereanzie,
mai
compra
della

remembers

que

vendita

piu

Valle, Vol.
the

minuto

non

I, p. 331

purchasing

illustrious patrician compared

indeed considerable.

India

East

si eontano, ma
dove

non

of the chief trade

one

was

centers

companies.
greatest prosperity the amount

of the Levant

period

si

scudi.^

with

what

si pesano
non

intere

casse

corran

of

di denari;

quaranta, cinquanta,

si parla e sarebbe
(Brigliton,1843).

of money
power
it is now,
the

ing
Dur-

in
sums

vergogna."

of the
the time
mentioned
were

BERLIN

FROM

264

here

transacted

business

to these two

counted

no

For, in addition

enormous.

was

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

the British Factory here

great organizations,
all the
fewer than eighty firms,besides which

leading countries of Europe had here their factories or

of securing
organizationsof factors or agents for the purpose
their share of the great trade of the Orient.
of the Far
At that time a great part of the commerce
and Bagdad.
of Basra
Then
to Aleppo by way
East came

population of

the

it does

whereas

and

Gama
and

of

number

than

more

Bagdad's

thousand

one-fourth

of

inhabitants

has

mercial
proportion. The great decrease in the comimportance of these two cities was
partly due to
pestilence. But the great discovery by Vasco da

of

all-sea route

an

the opening of the

trafficbetween
small

count

now

hundred

two

in

diminished

war

not
The

number.

that

exceeded

Basra

between

Canal

Suez

the Mediterranean

fraction

of what

it

the West

and

reduced

the

the East
overland

the Persian

and

Gulf

to

in the

palmy days of the

great European factories of Aleppo, Basra, and Bagdad.
the Bagdad Railway
According to the plans of its projectors,
is to restore this overland
trade to its former
tude
magniand even
and value.
greatly add to its amount
a

was

It is difficultfor the modern

the present overland

form
the

true

any

old

traveler

between

routes

conception of
trade

caravan

conducted.

the

stupendous scale
the two emporia

between

Although

he passes
along
Aleppo and Basra to
as

the distance

places is nearly eight hundred

miles

and

between
most

on
was

which
merly
for-

the two

of the road

passes through the inhospitable

Syrian and Arabian deserts
and the difficultiesto be
encountered, at the time of which
we

speaking,were

are

the number
and

world

life in this

seems

caravans

in

of merchants

and

they were
manifold,
who ventured
capitalists
tune
for-

grave

and

as

forbiddingand dangerous part

of the

almost incredible. And

the magnitude of the

the value of the merchandise
they transported

singlejourneywas

In the

as

caravan

with

yet

more

which

astonishing.
Delia

Valle

traveled

there

ROUTES

TRADE

large tents.
Tavemier, counted

more

crossed
this

in

When

men.

the

of the

That

the

1745

there

desert

EAST
and

persons

celebrated

six hundred

camels

French
and

four

265

forty or
traveler,
hundred

Englishman, William
thousand

two

were

the number

far less than

was

NEAR

ns," fifteen hundred

he informs

were,

THE

OF

that

Beawes,

in the

was

But

camels!

caravan

Eldred, when a century and a half

the journey from
earlier he made
Bagdad to Aleppo with
with
laden
camels
four thousand
spices and other rich
But the largestof these caravans
much
merchandise.
was
in 1750 went
which
from
smaller than the one
Bagdad to
camelg
composed of five thousand
Aleppo and which was
of his countryman,

John

**

'*

and

hundred

eleven

men.

Gulf

and

the Mediterranean

from

two

to ^ve

thousand

trade

When
was

camels

the Persian

between

of

brisk, caravans

most

crossed

the

desert

twice

John

Aleppo and Bagdad. The Dutch traveler,

Huyghen Van Linschoten, attributes the great prosperity
of Ormuz
to the fact that it was
located on the great

trade

route

year

between

The

to India."

value

of the merchandise

carried

by these

great. Thus we are told of

Carmichael, which
an
English trader, one
thirtymules, fiftyhorses, and twelve hundred
often

was

hundred

very

of

which

were

laden

with

caravans

caravan

of

consisted

of

the

camels, **six

merchandise

valuing

that carried
the
on
nearly 300,000 pounds. The caravans
in the words
of a
trade between
Aleppo and Mocha were,
esteemed
writer of the time,
indifferentlyrich if they
' '

**

less than

carry

ducats

two
of

million dollars

gold either

or

one

hundred

sand
thou-

Hungarian, Venetian,

or

Moorish.''
Op. cit.,Vol. I, p. 353.
to the East
Linschoten
The
Van
Indies, Vol. I,
Voyage of John Huyghen
"Merchants
come
1885).
(pub. by the Hakluyt Society, London,
p. 48
thither"
Ormuz
"from
India
with
ships loaded with spicery and precious
other wares,
stones, pearls, cloths of silk and gold, elephants' teeth and many
"and
which
Ormuz
these
in
which
of Hormos"
they sell to the merchants
'tis a city of imthe world
mense
turn
all over
to dispose of again. In^fact
carry
Polo
the Venetian
The
Book
trade."
of 8er Marco
Concerning the
Kingdoms and Marvels of the East, Vol. I, p. 107 (trans, by H. Yule, London.
8

"

"

"

1903).

"

mation
foregoing statements are illuminating in the inforand the
suppliedrespectingthe size of the caravans
of merchandise
they transported,but they give us

The

amount

idea of the great fatiguesand

no

for

inhabited

throws
the

which

had

caravans

beyond he

tells

the

of

character

the

which

of eighteen years

country
in

1581

in India

and

Returning

traverse.

to

his long wanderings

from

deserts

cheerless

part by hostile and plundererick,

Venetian
traveler, Caesar Fred-

light on

some

incurred

were

most

the
The

seeking Bedouins.

that

dangers

in the long journeys through the

were

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

266

that:

us

Aleppo is forty days' journey, in which

the Wilderness, in which
they make thirty-sixdays over
thirty-sixdays they neither see houses, trees nor
people
that inhabit it,but only a plaine and no
signe of any way
I say in thirty-sixdayes we
in the world.
over
passe
the wildernesse.
For
when
from
Babilon
two
we
depart
dayes wee
by villagesinhabited until we have passed
passe
then within two dayes of Aleppo
the river Euphrates. And
have villagesinhabited.^**
we
From

Babilon

to

...

As

precaution against attacks by Arab robbers, Pietro

della Valle informs us that it was
to post
always necessary
at night a strong guard around
the caravan.
During the
entire night this guard runs
around
the camp
shouting
a

**

"

is their custom

as

their enemies

to their friends

"

keep away.''"

to

all this to the anxious

was

caravan

and

to be

How

on

the alert and

conducive

to

members

way-worn

sleep
of the

But
While

beasts and

Moved

on

they were
Although

"

together o'er the plain

mighty caravan
of pain,

not

it

entirelycut off from the rest

was
long generations before the

Vol.
^'""y"^"".
I!?M*?"^'',*
""""
attorno

!""".

men

al

V, p.

campo
intorno

L"IM""r*2il^"',??'*
*

Vol

Sl"*'"

*""^* ^

*^

446

della
e

invention

of

(Glasgow. 1904).
carovana

gridavano, (secondo

nemici

of the world.

che

non

molte
.

la

sentinelle

lors

si accostassero."

usanza)

che

agli

Op. cit,,

tion is

in it

II,who
of furthering the projects of
of Egypt,
of Persia, the Khedive
of Mecca
cordiallyjoined in this

to the late

chieflydue

power-means
The Shah
Pan-Islamism.
saw

and the Sherif and

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

Ulema

Hamid

Sultan, Abdul

great enterprise.Contribution from rich and poor towards

world.
Luckin from all parts of the Moslem
the work came
and Rangoon, $300,000;
contributed $140,000;Madras
now
the
less than $200,000 on
while an Indian Prince spent no

engaged

were

which

was

Islamism

One

most

was

this

to further
could

the

wheels.
But
on
virtuallya mosque
pilgrimsappreciate the road still more
the sacred

the

railway
medan
Moham-

of

cause

anything

is its prayer
pilgrims,

diers
sol-

Caliphate than

car.

Pan-

else whatever.

Hedjaz Railway trains,which

of the

the devout

to reach

of

holy cities of the

it is

them

thousand

seven

construction

than
effectively

more

feature

appealsto

which

and

the

than

closelyto the Osmanli

more

before

in

fewer

the two

to combine

world
ever

No

station alone.

Medina

strongly
For

them

majority of

because

the

it enables

cities of their heart 's desire without

dent
fatiguesand dangers that are inciincurring the many
to the slow-moving caravans.
For
what
with
the
plague, the cholera, the treacherous
Bedouins, and the
to the withering desert sun
the mortality of the
exposure
pilgrimsto Mecca is enormous.
To

the observant

than
interesting

traveler
to

in the East

contemplate

the

few

things are
pilgrim caravan

more
as

it

Winds

slowly in one line interminable

Of camel aftercamel,
or

is

suggestive of serious thoughts regarding Moslem

belief and practice.
more

Many there are who account for the wide spread of

Islam, which now
numbers
two hundred
and fiftymillion
adherents,by declaring that it is an easy and sensual
religion. But

good Padre

even

the first to make

an

exhaustive

Marracci,who

was

one

of

study of the religionof

Mohammed,

OF

ROUTES

TRADE

that

saw

this

THE

NEAR

explanation

EAST

tory.^'
satisfac-

not

was

269

Mussulman
on
to
obligationincumbent
every
^which is imposed both by the Koran
and
give liberal alms
by tradition;to observe the strict and very trying fast of
and
water
abstaining during the day from
Ramadan,
tobacco
even
ual
though engaged in the severest kinds of manat least once
labor, and to make
during his lifetime
the arduous
and perilouspilgrimage to Medina
and Mecca,
The

"

"

would

rather

seem

to

act

as

an

effective

deterrent

to

the

acceptance of the religionof the Prophet.

To

those

account

for

the

of

success

Islam

on

the

that **it attracts

by pandering to the self-indulgence

the pertinent question:
men,*' Voltaire addresses

theory
of

who

Were
neither

there
eat

imposed

upon

from

drink

you

four

law

that

should

you

in the

morning until ten

month
of July ;
at night through the whole
that you
from
wine
should
abstain
and
gaming under
penalty of
should
make
a
damnation; that you
pilgrimage across
burning deserts ; that you should bestow at least two and a
the poor ; and that having
half per cent of your
on
revenue
accustomed
to eighteen wives, you
been
should suddenly
be limited to four
^would you call this a sensual religion?
nor

"

"

lay such

self-indulgenceas a factor
in the success
of Mohammedanism
forget that **a motive of
of itself,make
the fortune
of a
sensuality could never,
plicity
religion. They forget what a strong appeal the very simmakes
of the Moslem
creed
to a man
naturally
medanism
religious.For, reduced to its simplest expression,Mohamembraces
but two
fundamental
^belief
dogmas
Those

who

stress

on

' '

"

in God

and

stripped

of

belief in
all

future

life.

**A

creed

theologicalcomplexities and

so

precise,

so

consequently

13 Vivendi
licentia,inquies, illos allicit. Ita puto: sed aliquid aliud est
nimirum
hsec superstitio
quod illos sub boni verique specie decipiat. Habet
Religione reperitur et quea
quidquid plausibileac probabile in Christiana
videntur.
consfentanea
naturae
Hysteria ilia fidei nostrae quae
legi ac lumini
et impossibibliaapparent, et praecipue quae nimia
primo aspectu inchedibilia
ardua
humanse
naturae
censentur, penitus excludit."
Op. cit.,Tom. I, p. 4.
'^'^ Dictionnaire
"Mahometanisme."
s.
v.
PhilosopMque,

80

be
accessible to the ordinary understanding,-might

power

to

possess

of

winning

does

and

into

its way

certain

measure

nature

by

he spares
his conviction

marvelous

the consciences

of men/*

possess

in

Mussulman

to every

innate; that every follower of Mohammed

tion
missionary ; that in the pursuitof this avocaneither labor
that

of chivalrous

kind

pected
ex-

indeed

They forget that proselytismis

is

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

270

is forced

one

pride which

; that

expense

nor

to

**

notice and

the average

intense is

so

the

admire

Mohammedan

takes in his faith.''"

Nor

will impress the

is this all that

out of consideration

Leaving
followers

of

he

Mohammed,

of Moslem

teaching,he

the lives of the

will find much

Whatever

admire.

he is forced to respectand

candid

cannot

help admire

observer.

unworthy

more

in

Islam

think

he may
the

that

devotion,

acterize
the zeal,the earnestness, the spiritof sacrifice which charThere are, for
of Mussulmans.
so large a number

them-,for the indigentare

instance,no poorhouses among
abundantly provided for otherwise.^^
still is the importance which they
remarkable
But more
with which they, five times
attach to prayer and the fidelity
hammed
prescribed by their religion. Moa day, recite the orisons
the key to Paradise
is said to have called prayer
and

to have

declared

it to be of

more

value

in the

eyes

of

fasting,almsgiving, or a pilgrimage to Mecca.

his followers
When
we
see
regularly saying their daily
before satisfyingtheir
they may be, even
prayers wherever
clude
cravings for much needed food and drink, we must conthat they take the reputed saying of their Prophet
Allah

than

Mankind
the Church, p. 289
and
(by G. A. Lefroy, London, 1907).
eertain Bolidaritycharacterizes
not
but
all
only family relations
Mcttom
theoretical
Mekty. There are no paupers;
almsgiving is not a mere
obligationbut an essential religiousduty reallydischarged. It may be replied
ibat there are many
beggars. There are and the spectacle is very unpleasant;
but from the beffsars' point of view, could they, given their misfortunes, have
better life? If one
a
limbs
has twisted
or
incurable
malady, including
any
is it not more
liitneei,
healthy,interesting and lucrative to sit begging at
itrttt eofBtrt
than to be the inmate
of a charitable
institution?
One
thing
It Mftaln
Moslem
starve."
beggars never
176
(by
Turkey in Europe,
i*

""**A

"

air Charles Eliot,Undon,

p.

1908).

much

very

OF

ROUTES

TRADE

and

to heart

have

THE
no

doubt

EAST

271

of its supreme

ment
mo-

and

efficacy.^
their

of

It is because

profound religiousearnestness,
the poor

abiding charity towards

their

FAR

and

suffering and

them
natural virtues that those who know
their many
have such good reports to give of the Mohammedans,^*
fain

would

them

see

day
shall disappear

of ages
loving Christian shall
animosities

Fold

the One

constitute

of Islam

assist the followers

himself

and

and

western

prejudices and

when

and

towards

finding peace

and

our

among
when
the

the

welcome

people, and will

known

better

best

every

soul-

missionary to
of
becoming members
happiness under the
a

Shepherd.

One

truthfully say with Delia

Valle that I found very little in Aleppo that was
specially
the
people, especially
riguardevole ^noteworthy. But
able to visit in their homes, were
ing.
charmthose I was
most
And
of never-failing
interest were
the representatives
people, I

of her

Outside

can

"

of many

lands

I met

whom

in the

In the last named

bazaars.

of every

and

race

and.

mosques

Asiatics

places were

sect and

and

streets

costume, **with

and

cans
Afri-

their

pressive
ex-

henna-tinted

with

ning
cunnails,with narrow
^wild Bedouins, lordly Turks, grim-visaged
wrists"
and
and
athletic Persians
Kurds
Turkomans, handsome
and Circassians,artful Greeks, astute Armenians,^" crafty

hands,
"

Lieutenant

17

the

Wood,

have
.

and

however

young,

have

It is not

with

minds

the

omission."

its

excuse

I observed

of the
that

ject,
Oxus, referring to this subboth
old
Mohammedans,

the

by fatigue or suffering from hunger and thirst,

self-indulgenceto their duty to their God.
the mere
force of habit; it is the strong impression on
of
is so important that no
circumstance
can
duty
prayer
of the Oxus, p. 93 (London,
Journey to the Source
out

thought

them

that

worn

all

postponed

their

gallant explorer

"Often

writes:

of

1872).
These

18

what

good reports

Ricoldus

de

about

Monte

century, has to
consideret
quanta
genter

thirteenth

reverencia

ad

affabilitas

ad

JEvi
18

Regarding

cheat

Greek

"it

and

are

not

of

missionary

recent

date.

among

them

Bead
in

the

non
"Quis enim
obstupescat si diliad pauperes,
devotio
in oratione, misericordia
et prophetas et loca
sancta, gravitas in moribus,

of them:

say

Dominican

et

ad
suos."
Peregrinatores Medii
Leipsic, 1864).
has wittily
business, Mr. Curzon
Turks
to cheat
two
Franks
one
Frank,
to cheat one
Jew, it takes six Jews to
amor

(by J. C. M. Laurent,
p. 131
the Armenian's
capacity for

that, while
one

Dei

extraneos, concordia

Quatuor,

remarked,
to

nomen

Mohammedans

Crucis,

takes

two

four

Greeks

the

with

"all with

Jews"

greed''and all,as

eyes glittering
in the days of the

bent
prosperity,

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

272

yellow

city'sformer

fires of

cial
commer-

trade but in transactions far

on

more

limited.
I found
is

Aleppo

an

additional interest here in the reflection that

on

the

frontier" extending from

linguistic

Alex-

Biredjik on the Euphrates" which separate the

peoples of the flowery Arabic speech from those of the

andretta

to

laconic but

more

line Turkish

to be heard

ceases

Syrians,like

The

ancient

the Arabs,

is

it is true,is stillthe
Jacobites

as

it

tongue
liturgical

Syriac, no

Syrians

as

well

as

of

if

one

for Arabs

Syriac,

of the Maronites

that

origin. But,

priestsstillunderstand
it. For

centuries

for

was

of Semitic

Christians

only

to

except a
few villages

declivities of the Anti-Libanus.^"

the eastern

of their

remains

now

confined

now

ment.
govern-

Semites, but

are

of this

ojBficesof the

in the

of the Ottoman

tongue, the Aramaic, little

sort of dialect which

on

except

militaryadministrations

civil and

South

vigorous Turkish.

less

no

other

small
any

and

oriental
of

number

longer speaks

the language of

versation
con-

The
long time been the vulgar Arabic.
lems,
Christians,however, speak a less pure form than the Mosof Mohammed,
for the adherents
by their constant
ary
literreading of the Koran, become familiar with the more
has

forms

During

for

of classical Arabic.
the Seleucid

and

Byzantine domination, the predominant

language of educated
people in Syria and Asia
Minor was
Greek.
But in these,as well as in other regions
formerlybelonging to the Ottoman Empire, we now find the
most
chMt

extraordinaryanomalies

Armenian."
Researches
P. Toter, London, 1869).
AMording to Dr. Schliemann,

(by

OM

in

the

of

linguisticdistribution.

Highlands

of Turkey,

Vol.

I,

p.

H.

however, the palm for business abilitymust

the Greeks from
the island of Lesbos.
Lesbian
"The
Greeks,"
h* t*II" ui. "have the
of being the
merchants
in the
shrewdest
reputation
it is allegedthat in cities the commerce
world; as a proof
of which
is in the
iMMids of Lesbians not a Jew is to be found."
Troja, p. 324.
""Tbs iMrnsd
Benedictine.Father Parisot, has recently collected the vocabudialect which
is threatened
Ury of this loUresting
with early extinction.

ftwarded

to

ROUTES

TRADE

there

Thus

NEAR

EAST

villageswhose

in Anatolia

are

THE

OF

273

sole inhabitants

Church
and where
belong to the Orthodox
that the priests,
the Greek language is so little understood
in order to be understood
by their people, are obliged to
In
preach and read the services of the church in Turkish.
Cyprus, on the contrary, there are Turkish villageswhose
inhabitants
speak only Greek. But this is no more
singular
Turkish
than to find
a
frequent occurrence
newspapers
characters.
Armenian
These
in
Greek
or
literary
printed
in
curiosities are, however, eclipsedby a Jewish newspaper
characters
is printed in Hebrew
Constantinople which
although the language is Spanish.^^
I have said that outside of her people I found very
little
in Aleppo to attract attention.
I, of course, visited the
who

Greeks

are

"

"

castle

great mediaBval
the

from

city and
view

of the

south

wall

of

the

Citadel

of which

summit

surrounding country.

far less than

me

the

called

"

small block

mosque

near

of basalt
the

citadel

"

one

But

that
has
this

which
and

dominates

magnificent
impressed

saw

which

in the
bears

inscriptionlike those which have, during the last

few decades, been brought to lightin ever-increasingnumbers
tolia.
throughout the greater part of both Syria and AnaBy the superstitiousnatives it is held in great veneration,
for it is supposed to offer a sovereign remedy for
all ophthalmic affections. We were
assured
that the smoothness
of the stone 's surface was
due to the frequent practice
of the afflicted of rubbing their eyes upon
it.^^
The character
of this inscriptionwas
not new
for
to me
I had seen
in the Imperial Museum
similar ones
of
many
Constantinople and elsewhere, but its location in this commercial
capital of the Near East transported me in fancy
curious

This

the Jews
and
Moors
peculiarityis explained by the fact that when
expelled from Spain at the end of the fifteenth century tens of thousands
of Jews
migrated to Salonica and Constantinoplewhere Spanish is still spoken
of their descendants.
by large numbers
22 A
like superstitionattaches
to nearly all similar
remains
of antiquity
not
Some
only in Syria but in Egypt as well.
are
reputed to have special
virtues
for those suffering from
tic-douloureux
from
rheumatism
or
for which
affections
they are said by Orientals to possess even
greater curative
ties
proper21

were

than

their

famous

panacea

"

the

bezoar

stone.

back

to

according

Abraham,

BABYLON

the time

when

the Patriarch

tradition,was

wont

milk

to

of the citadel and distribute the milk

cave

to

AND

BAGDAD

period antedating

flocks in

TO

BERLIN

FROM

274

his

in alms

in the possession of
Aleppo was
with Egypt and Assyria; a power
that ranked
a
power
which, nearly two thousand years B. C, overthrew the first
an
alliance,on equal terms,
Babylonian djoiastyand made
with Rameses
II, the greatest of the Pharaohs; a power
which, in its palmy days, bore rule over the greater part of
Syria and Asia Minor.
believed by scholars that there were
Until latelyit was
only two great civilizations in the ancient East
Egypt
in
and Babylonia. But recent discoveries
Sinjerli,
Boghazother places have proved conclusively
that
Keui, and many
there was
third civilization which was
a
synchronous with
those of the Nile and the Tigris and which, in the days of
its splendor,prevailedfrom Nineveh
to Smyrna and Ephethe poor."

among

Then

"

from

and

8US

reaches

the headwaters

of the Orontes

to the lower

of the

Halys. Far back in the Mycenean period,

when
the Cyclops,according to legend,were
buildingthe
massive acropolisof Tiryns, and when, as far as **the first
pale glimmer of Greek tradition'' will enable us to judge,
the people of Greece *'were awakening to intellectual life,'*
this third civilization" until a half century
unago entirely
Btispect^d ^was erectingmonuments
which are
to-day the
"

of the learned

amazement

for revelations

the
the

world

startlingas

as

and

which

any

of those

decipherment of the Rosetta

unlockingof the secrets of the

Mesopotamia by

Grotef end

In this extended

whose

an

or

of
inscriptions

extraordinary people
probably, according to

physician, and a Christian, of Bagdad, who

century thus refers to this curious

41.

"

^*''^ "^ ^^^ ^*^"*''"^8

cave

where

he""

Abraham"

^'" '"^^^^'^ *'^""""*^"e

tZTmllk !ili-*^"^***'"

" otSr.U^^^'!***
^'^ to'f-Milked
.

au^m
""*""""

by Champollion

"**^*^^*'o^ ^*"e eleventh

"''

ki

it

that followed

cuneiform

cultural development
may

i^tSS^^K

prepared

Rawlinson.

region lived

Arabian
wJltiJ*AullIij*!'
ti""^Jl

yrr**?

and

stone

have

XLi^n^^
^*Ay?""
P9l"9Un0 Ond^r
the

*"

yet

^^ ^*"ed

Moalema,

p. 363

or

people used
nott-asking

Ualab"

Milked."

(London, 1890).

to

for

come

thus

one

Cf,

G.

of

le

BERLIN

FROM

276

by the

rewarded

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

glyphic
extraordinary finds. Not only hiero-

most

like
inscriptions,

brought
Hamath, were
with large palacesand

to

those

on

blocks

the

found

light but also remains

fortresses

adorned

with

at

of cities

sculptures

surprisingcharacter.

of the most

by such eminent orientalists as Halevy,

and
in France; Hrozny of Austria; Jensen
Winckler, in
Germany ; Sayce and Hogarth, in England, showed that the
research

Further

forgotten cities and the authors of the

written in boustrephedon fashion
strange scriptwhich was
the Bible speaks of
other than the people of whom
no
were
Hittites.^^ All our knowledge of this mysor
as the Hettites
terious
of these

builders

people,outside
the Sacred
in this

We

became

to them

in

Text, is what has been gained since the publication

in 1872.
country of the first Hittite inscriptions

know

now

of the brief references

that

as

power

*^The

Land

of the

Hittites'*

of the

past when the Assyrians took possession

of Carchemish
and when, following their capture
this celebrated stronghold,they entered Asia Minor
in

of
718

B. C.

memory

"

but

Thenceforward
ruled

was

in

few

years

after the foundation

the

region so long inhabited by the Hittites

succession by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians,

Greeks,Romans, and Ottoman

Turks.
Notwithstanding,however, the fact that
have

of Rome.

scholars

now

at their

and valuable Hittite monudispositionmany

ments
they have, nevertheless,thus far sought in vain for
a bilingual
that will serve
inscription
as
a key to the Hittite
language and which will force the Hittite sphinx to reveal
her long-guardedsecret.
This much
desired key may
any
day be uncovered by the spade of the archaeologist.
^Vhat

the results of such

tared
compare

discoverywill

Many who are competent

in importance witli those

be

only be conjeeto judge think they will

that followed the decipherment
can

of the

of Egypt and the cuneiform

hieroglyphics
luitcnptionsof Assyria and Babylonia" that they will dis-

ItTitSifTpHf
3'mil^''*'*"

*" ^*'

^'"^'^

^''"^"^ Supplement,

p.

ROUTES

TRADE
an

intimate

and

the

earliest

and

Italy, and

close

with

influences

on

those

its

soon

thought

of

with

hold

race,

*'L*

E.

Orient, qui
de

which

M.

"

Hittite
few

de

Vogue,

intact

conserver

longer makes

no

"i

When

surmised.
have

and

the

of

speech
St.

continued

Paul

of their

religion,

the

heard

Hittites

the

has

the

been

which

history of

French

noble

our

savant, the
of

the

le noble

d' autrefois,'' the

East,
lege
priviOrient

privilege

of

times.

ceased

Lystra

the promise

d'histoire,a

celle

history

it in

at

have

that

said

once

preserving intact that of former

be

our

of Western

of

of basalt

records

years

sait plus faire

ne

to

and

domains

Greece

Aleppo
to-be-deciphered inscriptionand

of

Vicomte

peoples

Europe

to
priceless contributions
recalled
what
the distinguished

they

Crete,

immensely

block

mysterious

wonderful

the

of the Hittites

and

of the

divers

277

politics.^^

during the last

unearthed

late

in the

hopes

one

"

EAST

contribute

of southeastern

the

on

Cyprus

connection

another

one

gazed

will

they

NEAR

the culture

of

civilizations

art, literature,and
As

between

of the earliest

knowledge
Asia

relation

that

THE

OF

to

be

a
living tongue cannot
even
much
later
Lycaonia, but how

of

be

it

other
Minor
spoken in certain
cannot
parts of Asia
be determined.
As
now
a
people they doubtless
long survived
and, although
"it is believed
that
they were
by neighboring races,
gradually absorbed
some
of them
still exist, with
their
the
early distinctive
characteristics, among
hills of the anti-Taurus
range."
We
likewise
in
when
to
the
of
are
ignorance as
and
languages
Egypt
of their
Babylonia gave
place to those
to
"the
According
Sayce
conquerors.
still written
and
in the time
read
of Decius, the
hieroglyphics were
Egyptian
characters
of
cuneiform
in the
of Domitian."
were
Babylon
employed
age
Ancient
The
Empires
of the East, p. ix (New York, 1886).
may

to

febhoale

XII

CHAPTER

the dates

scrutinize

We

TIGRIS

THE

TO

EUPHRATES

THE

FROM

things,
Of long-past human
hounds
The
of effaced states,
We

out

works

of dead

delightful

and

here,
once

the

on

more

and

mysterious
hour

that

been

replete

longed
rivers

we

dalay,
'eed

'*If

spent

with

its

Euphrates

on.

akin

nothin'

the

with
way

we

of

the

were

of

were

toward

the
every

genial Syrian

interest

East

had

sun

pleasure,

or

is bounded

we

by the famed

feeling,indeed,

in

Kipling's
a-callin',why, you

Bagdad

erstwhile

the

on

our

deserved

the

of

Manwon't

Our

strewn

name

of

which

we

showed

**

of

granary

advent

of

the

ruins

and

tive,
objec-

that

dotted

made

its

rolling uplands

over

this

northern
iron

frequently passed
278

under

lay through

puffing locomotive

cultivation

station

first

our

course

with

the

at

Crusaders

towards

way

The

the

fruitful valleys and

notwithstandingthe
Andj^
caravans

of

Euphrates.

villages.
state

Railway

camp

fertile country

alternatelyalong

wmding

ber
num-

Although

expressed

the

whose

turned

the Tigris. Our

the

soon

on

mud-built

whose
well

'eard

train

Jerablus
the heart

the

that

that

hosts

else."

site of

Baldwin,

and

to

friends

Orient.

peculiar
land

Aleppo,

Franciscan

faces

our

under

the

on

you've

Boarding

with

had

somewhat

was

road

in

Syria, is legion, we

spell-weaving

to set foot
of the

in

Etna/'

on

sojourn

hospitable

else

everywhere

as

Empedocles

amiable

our

and

charming

their

by

* *

all-too-short

an

delightful by

doubly

made

hands.

men's

Arnold,

but

and

words

men's

dead

search

Matthew

After

kings!

of deceased

lines

The

region
Syria."

horse, the
or

overtook

FEOM

likelyto
It

continue

but

was

few

for

long

time

after

hours

to

And

1 have

had

279

patientcamel

come.

leaving Aleppo
Euphrates as

caught the first glimpse of the

barren
through arid wastes and washed
sand. Although, like Ulysses, I
Much

TIGRIS

THE

TO

that the service of the

proof conclusive

were

is

EUPHRATES

THE

rocks

that

we

it flowed

hills of

and

known; cities of men

climates,councils, governments,
and

seen

manners,

than my
first
things that thrilled me more
view
of this famous
waterway.
For, notwithstanding the
fact that I had spent my
dred
early boyhood within a few hunmiles of the Mississippi,I was
familiar with the name
of the Euphrates before I had heard
of that of our
great
Father
of Waters.
And when, after nearly three score
of waiting,I at length found myself actuallywalking
years
of this stately river
along the sandy marge
a river that
seen

* *

few

' '

"

my

and

earliest

reading told

felt personal contact

me

had

its

source

in Paradise

"

with

in very
truth an
it,it was
event in my life. It was, indeed,like meeting again a favorite
friend of boyhood days. The emotions
I then
which
that were
evoked
have been
experienced and the memories

expressed in part in the beautiful

apostrophe

of the poet

Michel:

All

hail,Euphrates! stream
of hoary time,
Fair as majestic,sacred as sublime!
What
thoughts of earth's young
morning dost thou "bring!
What
hallowed
memories
to thy bright waves
cling!
The bowers are crushed where Eve in beauty shone,
Ages have whelmed, beneath their ruthless tide,
Assyria's glory and ChaldcBa's pride:
But thou, exhaustless river! rollest still.
Raising thy lordly voice by vale and hill;
Sparkling through palm-groves, washing empires' graves;
And
gladdening thirstydeserts with thy waves;
Mirroring the heavens, that know no change, like thee,
A glittering
dream, a bright-leavedhistory!
"

river in the world

No

in the annals of

has

played

and

none,

traditions

of nobler

boast

race,

our

the
It

history has no record.

the contending powers
between

whom

Eastern

Rome.

as

the

of

repute the

the

loved

dilate

to

and

the

it

on

Euphrates

of the

name

it at

crossed

Land

long the barrier

was

of the East

West

as

occurs

of

one

Birejik,but

few

scholars
ised
Prom-

to the

his way

on

early

as

to

According

chapter of Genesis.
patriarch Abraham

second

of peoples of

names

of the earth.

the great rivers

In the Bible

of long-

secrets

Greece, of Parthia and

tired in singing its praises

never

geographers

Arabian

and

poets

of

cradle

and

of Persia

the forces

between

the

rocked

whisper

waters
glistening
and murmurs
forgotten d}Tiasties
its

and

the Nile, can

even

illustrious history,or

its fertile banks, it is believed,was

mankind

role

soul-stirringlegends. On

and

is richer in beautiful myths

prominent

so

not

more

or

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

280

north

miles

of

spanned by the great steel bridge of the

God
had made
which
Bagdad Railway. In the Covenant
with him
the dominions
to extend
of his posterity were
**from the river of Egypt
to the great river Euphraeven
tes."
of the Lord
to **go
And, obedient to the command

where

it is

now

forthfromkindredandout

ham
Abra-

of his father's house

took

Sarai

the substance
which

which

they had

the

they

had

in order

their flocks and

that had

the

to find the

we

noted

from

the

L^

^f^y.

"*

this
inve"tigation"

^''*'** *"d

not

the Nile, as

souls

and

it ourselves
for

sustenance

fertile

same

the way
from
of the sinuous

plain

Aleppo

on

one
car

crossed

the

all

they
Crossing,then,

Haran;
^

and

son

all the

and

necessary

traversed

But **Tho River," **The Great

*it?SS'!j*
V* T^^ni

we

attention

our

of

of Canaan.''

Djerabis and probably by

tracks that

land

spot where

herds,have

engaged

so

his brother's

gathered

gotten in the

Euphrates near

they must,

Lot

and

out to go into the land

went

to

his wife

caravan

window.

River,"

was

as

probably

the Jews

what

usually supposed.

is

now

called

known

FROM

EUPHRATES

THE

THE

TO

TIGRIS

281

celebrated in profane
more
Euphrates, was
sacred history. This is particularlytrue of that
the

of the stream

the modern

between

of Bir

towns

than

and

in

stretch
Rakka.

which

the
adjoins Djerabis, where
Hittites had the great capital and the powerful fortress
between
which enabled them so long to control the commerce
Assyria and Babylonia on the east,and Phoenicia and Egypt
famous
It was
the west.
at the same
on
stronghold that
II won
PharaohNebuchadnezzar
a
signal victory over
It

Carchemish,

at

was

Necho

Chosroes

that

I crossed
of his

at the time

boats

he had

as

crossed

allies. It

Asiatic

and

his Greek

and

here

was

also

river

by buildinga bridge of
third campaign against the Byzantines
it at Obbanes
in his first expedition
at Bir, formerly known
as
was
the

It
against Justinian.
the Bridge
and
that Crassus
Seleucus
Nicator
Zeugma
the Roman
passed into Mesopotamia, where
general met
such a tragic fate. It was
at Thapsacus that Xenophon
in the
and Cyrus the Younger crossed
the great waterway
so
campaign that terminated
disastrously for the Persian
Monarch
It was
here also,nearly a hundred
at Cunaxa.
wards
later,that Darius crossed
fleeingheadlong eastyears
"

"

**

with

his broken

Alexander
the

famed

same

slaked

headlong

their

witnessed

army

after

at his heels.**

river

horses'

thirst.

It

was

Issus, with

in the waters

Julian

the

was

of

the

Apostate
that

waters

same

of

the brilliant campaigns of Heraclius,the splendid

Tradition
a

It

that Trajan and

triumphs of the Caliphs, and

Timur
and Jenghiz Khan.
that

the battle

informs

us

the

that it was

frail craft carried

down

Herodotus

of

devastating hordes
these

tawny

in his memorable

waters

visit

Babylon. And long before this date it was up the Euphrates,

that Gisdhubar, the mythical hero of the great Babylonian
after having
epic,proceeded on his homeward
voyage
secured
the good will of
'*by a suitable sacrifice,'*
heaven
for his undertaking.^ But, what has already been

to

the

Sayce's Lectures
Religion of the

on

the

Ancient

Origin and Growth

Babylonians, p.

of Religion
410

(London,

as

Illustrated

1898).

hy

Lucius

Euphrates

the

in

are,

world."

the ancient

lines that

steamer

day

is not

that

are

in

under

operation,and
construction

Babylonian plain its

far distant when

**The

which

achievements

will witness

Jews

that the

planned or

works
great irrigation
the

to show
**

are

to the vast

BABYLON

rollingwaters of
truth, charged with the history of
And, judging by the railroads and

enough

than

said is more

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

282

old-time

Great

the

for

storing
re-

fertility,

River'*

shall rival the

of the

glories

Babylon and its hanging gardens in the days of the

city'sgreatestsplendorand power.
had anticipatedspending several days in Djerabis
We
in order that we
might have an opportunityto examine the
that have
recently been uncovered
remains of Carchemish
of
by the spade of the archaeologist.The great number
sculptures,both in relief and in the round, which have been
the
a flood of lighton
unearthed here are destined to throw
histories of the great Ilittite empire,
cultural and political
and, when
they shall have been thoroughly investigated,
tially
us
greatly to modify, if not essenthey will no doubt cause
of the views we
have long entertained
alter,many
peoples
respectingone of the most powerful but least known
of the ancient world.
Excavators
here are
fondly hoping
these
that they may
have the good fortune to turn up among
venerable
ruins the long desired bilingualinscriptionthat
shall enable them
to decipher the strange Hittite script
that has so long baffled scholars. Such an inscription
would
supply them with a key to the history of a nation that was
so
long a rival of Egypt and Babylonia,and its discovery
would truly mark a red-letter day in the annals of oriental
of

research
AnptUtu

and

scholarship.*

writing In

tUlUtiont,

referi

his Liher

to

Kttpbratei. **P\toei
JNiOm

"e

Memorialia, Cap. II, of the origin

extraordinary legend in connection

more

of the

con-

with

the

ideo

pitcet quia bello Oigantum

Venus
perturbata in
trariMfiguravit.Nam
dicitur
et in Euphrate
fluvio ovum
piscia in
oolumba
adaeditae dies plurimoa et exclusiaae
deam
et
benignam
hominibua
ad
bonam
vitam.
causa
Utrique memoricB
piacea

ors^iimimM
""Mnoora"m
""""r

loooti."

Mctfiv

the
-^*ir*^tt*fl.*?H^^*"*
report
on

oiUHi

(by D.

Brltlab

0.

MuMum,

Me

the

excavations

made

at

Djerabis on

illustrated monograph
beautifully

Hogarth,London, 1916).

behalf

Carchemiah

knowledge of

the

to

immensely

add

the historian and

rapidly increasing

our

of this

inhabitants

former

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

284

famous

once

potamia
parts of Mesorender such a conjectureeminently probable.
We
interruptedour journey between the Euphrates and
the Tigrisby making a short side tripto Urfa, formerly the
It,like Tarsus, was once a celebrated
great cityof Edessa.
literarycenter and for that reason, if for no other,it had,
for at least

in

discoveries

Recent

land.

of

one

party, a

our

is rich in
both

in historic memories

legends as well as
and profane. According
and

it with the Arach

specialattraction.

very

East, Urfa

all the old cities of the

Like

other

many

so

to

Bible,it

of the

legend which

Jewish

myths
sacred

identified

founded

by Nimrod,
Another
legend

was

mighty hunter before the Lord.''"

Trisattributes the city'sfoundation to Enoch, the Hermes
the tradition
megistes of the Orientals. Equally fabulous was
about
the tent of the patriarch Jacob, which, it was
averred,was
preserved in Edessa until it was destroyed by
in the reign of Emperor
thunderbolt
Antoninus.
But
a
these and similar tales regarding the antiquity of Edessa
all based on myths and fables,for its history dates only
are
the beginning of the little Kingdom
from
of Osrhoene,
**the

which

There
of the

founded

is,however,

until 132 B. C.
a

legend"

early Christian

Edessa
It

not

was

and

which

Church

deserves

of the most

one

"

more

which

beautiful

is connected

than

passing

with

notice.

supposed for a long time to explain why Edessa became,

at an early date, not only the first Christian city of

was

Mesopotamia
account

the

but also its greatest religiouscenter,and to

for its preponderating influence in the
spread of

Gospel throughout

the

Orient.

Humanly

speaking,
good fortune could not have befallen so humble a commnnity as that of Osrhoene,which was at first composed of

such

but

oonrse

small number
of

of

and which,in
Christians,

events,would

have

i" due
ltoi^Uln**J
vli!!!?'*
?fi
MottttUIn
of NImrod-of
the

made

but slow

the natural

progress

in

the Mussulman
name-Nimroud
Dagh-the
which stands the citadel of Urfa.
od

elevation

THE

FROM
pagan

Jewish

or

EUPHRATES

TO

THE

environment

which, if

not

TIGRIS

285

openly hostile,

decidedly indifferent.
fondly believed,had been from the
No, Edessa, it was
and had
beginning marked
by the seal of specialprivileges,
been destined
by Our Lord to receive the saving truths of
His apostle/ This is the meaning
the Gospel directlyfrom
**The
of the legend usually known
as
Legend of Abgar,"
of the
towards
the middle
which was
developed at Edessa
third century and which for centuries had an extraordinary
medans
Mohamin the West
well as in the East, among
as
vogue
was

Christians/
among
to this legend, the report of the

well

as

as

miracles
of
According
Our Lord, having reached
King
Edessa, Abgar, who was
afflicted by
of certain tribes beyond the Euphrates and was
with a
incurable malady, sent to Jerusalem
a messenger
an
to come
to
letter addressed
to Our
Savior, begging Him
him.
But Jesus repliedthat He could not go to Edessa
cure
ing
and ascendbut that He would, after executing His mission
would
him
of His discipleswho
to heaven, send
one

effect his

cure

and

at

the

same

time

to him

announce

the

tidings of salvation.
of Church
of Caesarea,**The Father
Eusebius
History,"
said
is our chief authority concerning the letters which
are
to have passed between
They were,
Abgar and Our Lord.
of
the historian assures
us, long preserved in the archives
Edessa.
The

copy

of the letter of the

King

to Our

Lord

reads

Abgarus, ruler of Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Savior

who
has appeared in the country of Jerusalem, greeting.
I have heard
the reports of thee and of thy cures
as
formed
perFor it is said
by thee without medicines or herbs.
the blind to see and the lame to walk, that
that thou makest
6

In the

of St.

"Testament

"Benedicta

Ephrem," as given by Assemani, occurs

civitas,
sapientum mater, quce ex vivo
Ilia igitur benedictio
in
accepit.
ejus
discipulum
per
.

benedictionem

the

words

Filii

Edessa

ea

ore

maneat

I, p. 141
(Rome,
Sanctus
Orientalia, Tom.
apparuerit." Bihliotheca
1719).
d* Edeaae
^
juaque 4 la
Politique, Religieuse et LittSraire
Cf. Histoire
R.
81
Premiere
Duval, Paris, 1892).
Croisade, p.
(by

donee

BERLIN

FROM

286

that thou healest those

demons, and

And

the dead.

raisest

and

disease

impure, spiritsand
afflictedwith lingering
having heard all these

out

castest

lepers and

cleansest

thou

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

things concerning thee^Ihave concluded that one of two

things must be true : either thou art God, and having come
from
down
heaven, thou doest these things, or else thou,
I have therefore
who doest these things,art the Son of God.
trouble

to

For

I have

and

are

to

come

heard

which

heal the disease

and

me

that the Jews

I have.

against thee

murmuring

are

take the

wouldest

plottingto injure thee. But I have a very

citywhich is great enough for us both.

yet noble

this

To

thee that thou

to thee to ask

written

Blessed

appealingletter

of the

the

King

art thou who

hast

after I have

fulfilled them

believed

in

Savior

small

replied:

without

having
For it is written concerning me,
that they who
seen
me.
have seen
will not believe in me
and that they who have
me
will believe and be saved.
not seen
But in regard to what
thou hast written me, that I should come
to thee,it is necessary
for me
to fulfillall things here for which
I have been
sent, and

to him

again

up I will send

that

to thee

thy disease and

are

sent
one

of my

give salvation

thus

to be taken

after I have

been

that he
disciples,
to thee

and

to

up

taken

may

heal

those

who

with thee."
The

letter of Our

Lord,

amplifiedas is
as

But

me.

me

'*The Doctrine

as

seen

of Addai."

given by Eusebius, was

in

an

apocryphal work

I refer to it because

sequently
subknown
of the

concludingsentence of the letter in which Jesus is made

to say to Abgar regarding Edessa, **And thy city shall be
blessed and

the

enemy

shall not

prevail against

it for

ever.**

It

because

was

letter to

King

of this promise of Our

Lord,

that

Abgar became

and

of his

doubly precious in the eyes of the

people. For they regarded it thenceforward

palladium of their beloved cityand felt sure

theywould never again bo at the mercy of their foes.
as

His

ttieal

BUtory,

Blc

I, Chap. XIII.

that

THE

FROM

EUPHRATES

TO

THE

TIGRIS

287

the futility
Chosroes, resolved to show to the Edessenes
of the promise on which
they so confidentlyrelied,and
time
to prove
the falsityof the
at the same
determined
544 to lay siege to
Savior's words, proceeded in the year
the place. The besieging Persians
pushed their work
so
vigorouslythat the inhabitants of the beleaguered citywere
in despair. In this extremity, according to the
almost
legend, the King of Edessa went to the gate with the letter
of Our Lord
and, unfoldingit and holding it aloft,reminded
should
the Savior of His promise, that no enemy
ever
vail
preagainst it. Immediately an impenetrable darkness
enveloped the foe and prevented it from advancing further.
the
During several months
Cl^osroes blockaded
city
In
without, however, being ^'able to effect an entrance.
and exasperated Chosroes
tried
despair the discomfited
to reduce the city to submission
by cutting off its water
did he achieve
his purpose
than a
supply. But no sooner
number
of magnificentfountains issued forth within the city
and his nefarious
frustrated.
The Persians
design was
thus compelled to raise the siege.
were
which
the citywas
But this was
not the only occasion
on
from
its foes. For every
time thereafter,the
thus rescued
beset by their
were
story continues, that the Edessenes
enemies, it sufficed to produce the letter of the Savior and
read it before their enemies to compel them
to withdraw.
I have
selected this as a type" probably the most
tiful
beausimilar legends that were
type of many
long current
in the Orient.
retain their
Indeed, not a few of them
old-time
popularitynot only in the East but in the West
well.
This
is particularly
true respecting the legend
as
of Abgar.
will appear
remarkable
But
what
to
more
"

readers

of

century of
there have

our

the
been

authenticityof
and

Our

Lord.

critical and

skepticalage, is that in every

Church, from the third to the nineteenth,
eminent
the

scholars who

have

correspondence between

Among

distinguishedauthorities

them
as

maintained

King Abgar

it suffices to mention

Tillemont

the

such

in the seventeenth

in the nineteenth.

Cureton
It

and Rinck, Cave, and

eighteenth

in the

century, Assemani

3ABYL0N

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

288

Lord

letter of Our

belief in the genuineness of the

of the

because

was

King Abgar that

to

Ages regarded as

Middle

during the

was

and

for disease

panacea

it

an

as

**

against
againstall kinds of dangers"
and hail and perils
by sea and land,by day and by
lightning
of
doubtless because
night,and in dark places.''"It was
of this
this widespread belief in the phylactericefficiency
prevailedin England as late as the
letter that the custom
last century, and traces of it stillexist to-day,for people to
amulet

talisman

or

hang up a copy of the letter in their homes.^^

tion,
Interesting,however, as is the correspondence in quesof
it is now
pronounced by the general consensus
scholars to be apocryphal and must, therefore,be relegated
similar fictions with which the mythoto the limbo of many
supplied the credulous and
age
-pcBic East has in every
wonder-loving West.
But fascinatingas one may find the myths and legends of
Edessa, they must prove but secondary to its long and
eventful history. For, in the days of its glory it ranked
An

"

ancient

Baxon

Prayer
Latin

and

in the

manuscript

times, in which
the

British

letter

of

Apostle'sCreed.
of

version

the

Rufinus,

At

the

the

occurs

civitate

loco

dias

carmina

tua, sive in oinni

diaboli ne timeas
et

Our

Museum

contains

Lord
end

to

of the

words:

"Sive

inimicorum

nemo

Abgar

service

book

of

Lord's

the

is in the
letter, which
in domu
tua, sive in
Et

dominabit.

tuorum

inimicorum

follows

insi-

(sic), et
inimiti tui expellentur a te: sive a grandine, sive a tonitrua
omoea
(sic) non
"oeaberis, et ab omni
periculo liberaberis: sive in mare, Bive in terra, live in

dfo, aiyein nocte, sive

ambulet
balnierit,accurus

in

locis

obscuris.

tuorum

destruuntur

Si

quis hanc
epistolam secum
Relative
Syriao Documents
to the Earliett Eetabliahment
Edessa
and
the Neighboring
OanmirieM, from the Year after Our Lord's Ascension
to the Beginning of the
Fomrth
Century, Discovered, Edited, Translated
and
Annotated
by the late
W. Oureton, p. 164 (London, 1864).
See also The
Book
Ceme,
of
p. 205,
"I"M.
(by the enidit* Benedictine, Dom, A. B. Kuypers, Cambridge, England,
in

pace." Cf. Ancient

of Christianity in

1902).
10

For

critical diacussion

of the

"Legend

of

VBglise d'Bdesse et La Ligende

"rof"l,Paris, 1R88).
prmctlce
*iii^
UUtbe
Uct

of

.1

**--

io

Abgar"

(by the learned

see

Les

Origines de

L. J. TixSulpician.
i'
"

letter as a philacteryprevailed in England

'The common
had
there have
it in their
people'
places in a frame with a picture before it and they generally
devotion regard it as the word
of God
and the genuine
.

JUSitf^/i^T*^^
nMw
"f Christ.
"

Abgar

keepingthis

oentury.

In nany

d*

have

recollection of

Shropshire."Cureton,

op,

having

oit.,p. 16$.

seen

the

same

thing

TO

EUPHRATES

THE

FEOM

TIGRIS

THE

289

of the four
as
one
Nisibis,Damascus, and Antioch
the rival
great cities of Syria. As a center of trade it was
then the great emporium of western
of Palmyra which was
Asia.
Through it passed the highly-prized products of
of Egypt and
to the marts
India and China on their way

with

Rome."

^r^

As

literarycenter, it was,

as

writer

recent

observes,

world

and
the
the Greek
admirably situated between
hand
with
Oriental world.
Communicating on the one
Antioch, on which it depended and on the other with Persia,
with India, the capital of
Greater
Armenia, and even
well placed to profitboth by the culture of
Osrhoene
was
Greece and the powerful originalityof the barbarous
tries
coun-

**

of the East.

where

became

in which
and

blended

intimately

of its inhabitants

nationalities

well

as

religious beliefs brought there by

merchants
tended to give the city a physiog-^

diversity

strangers and

of

not unlike that

nomy

the confluence

it were,

as

worlds

two

various

the

the

as

of

ideas

the

It was,

of Alexandria.

' ' ^^

sufferinggreatly from a destructive inundation in

restored
the early part of the sixth century, Edessa
was
by
Justinian
such a magnificent scale that it was
on
reputed
of the wonders
of the world. According to Arabian
to be one
After

writers there

at

were

one

time

no

fewer

than

three

hundred

Edessa.

around

These,
like similar institutions in Asia Minor
and Europe, were
schools of intellectual culture in which the lover of learning
could
devote
himself to the acquisitionof knowledge in
entire peace
and security.
of learning
One of the most celebrated of Edessa
's homes
and

convents

11

In

the

celebrated
with

the

which

province
mart

in and

monasteries

of

called

about

Osrhoene,
Batne, where

Edessenes

and

held

in

this

informs

us

rich

the

merchants

day's journey

Indians
from

and
other

of

the

from

Edessa,

Seres

cities

at

came
an

to

was

trade

annual

Here, Ammianus

fair

September.
ad
convenit
multitude
promiscuce fortunae
commercanda
quae Indi et Seres aliaque plurima vehi terra marique consueta."
Rerum
Gestarum, Lib. XIV, Cap. Ill, 3.
For
trade
an
as
a
illuminating map
showing the importance of Edessa
center
de L'Euphrate de
times, see V. Chapot's La Frontiere
during Roman
Pomp4e a la Conquite Arabe, facing p. 402 (Paris, 1907).
12 L. J. Tixeront,
pp. cit.,p. 7, et fieg.
was

Marcellinus

place
"magna

in

the

month

FROM

and

culture

that known

was

School

**The

as

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

890

of the

sians,'*
Per-

chiefly
largely
Christian refugees from Persia. Its foundation was
due to St. Ephrem, who so eclipsedall his contemporaries
in scholarshipthat their works
voluminous
80

of

Column

*'

Syrians," **The
high esteem were
informs

Jerome

widely read

so

were

fell into oblivion.

soon

acclaimed

was

in

publiclyread

churches

some

the

of

Prophet
Church,'' **The
Harp of the Holy Spirit." And
his books
held, that they were,
the

us,

So

they, and

were

their authoritythat their author

great were

the

his works,

were

teachers

and

its first students

because

in

so

St.

as

after the

Holy Scriptures.
It

and literature reached

It

the

in the works

and

Mediterranean
of Bardesanes

which

is

' '

But

at its best

in the Peshito

neither in Edessa

nor

Syrian Church ever produce such eminent

of so great literarygenius as a Basil or a
men
We
Chrysostom or a Gregory Nazianzus.
are,

Eusebius, a
however, indebted

to

Syrian scholars

for

the

of many

preciousGreek works which otherwise

lost,and for thus
having passed on
**

ancient

the

did the

scholars and

been

quently
subse-

what

seen

St. Ephrem,

and

and in Tatian 's * * Diatesseron.

elsewhere

into

molded

was

the classic speech of the Syrians from

became

Tigris to

their highest degree of development.

that Syriac

in them

was

that the Syriac language

in the schools of Edessa

was

Greece

to the

greatly instrumental

Arabs"

in

whq

putting it

translation

the

lore

the

in their turn
at

have

would

of
so

were

disposal of

the

scholars of the West.

There
it
men

was

is but little in Urf

known

as

Edessa

flocked to it from

all

to-dayto
and

when

show

what

students

parts of the East

as

it was
and
to

one

when
learned
of the

greatest seats of learningin Christendom.

There
is,it is
true, a great castle standing,and walls and towers
that
date back to the time when Edessa was
a Latin
principality
under Baldwin,and evidences
of the city's former
pation
occuby Romans and Persians and others, but there is

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

292

1850

in

Spanish
Capuchlus, Fra Joseph of Burgos and Fra Angel de
Villa^ubbia, took up their abode in this city of noble
achievements.
They had tc
and world-famed
memories
difficulties and fanatical agencies that had
face the same
It

Urfa

at

also

thus

was

when

two

The
old
arrayed against their brethren elsewhere.
schismatic Greeks, Syrians, and Armenians
joined forceg
with the Mussulmans, the Jacobins,
and the Nestorians
as
to render the
foe and left nothing undone
against a common
undertaking of the new missionaries a failure and to compel
But the admirable
the country.
them
to leave
patience
of the good fathers, their great self-abnegation, theii
been

the poor
and the distressed
abounding charity towards
all hearts, and churches, schools, and
asylums
soon
won
it was
not long
into existence as if by magic. And
sprang
until large numbers
belonging to the dissident Greek,
churches
Syrian, and Armenian
began to return to the
Church

of their forefathers

Church

of Rome.

than

Nor

and to

were

apply

the

pressed
im-

less

Mohammedans

the Christians

missionaries.

of
by the superior^virtue
veneration
for Father
Angel was

Their

great that they always called the Latin Church

of Father

with the

for union

AngeP'

Abuna

"

Angil KiUsssi

' *

sc

Churcli

The

which

name

"

the

i1

still bears.
But

the

Capuchins

spiritualand
works

and

reform

by the zealous Sisters

from

the

Forbidden

they

lives to the poor

I noted

enthusiasm

among

in their labors
compare
I had

and

"

the

country they,with

own

generouslyoffered to labor
far-off Mesopotamia. As

whom
religion

fromLons

seen

in the

le Saunier,

them
in the

Laws''

sufferingand

rare

vineyard

self-denial,

of the Lord

their cheerfulness

the poor
with some

ne^

seconded

*'

the illiterateof their

in

ably

all theii

by the iniquitous Association

devotingtheir

Urfa, I could but

in

For
most

were

of St. Francis

of

only agents

intellectual life in Urfa.

of mercy

France.

not

were

and

in

and

afflicted in

of their sisters

leperhospitalsof

Hawaii

FROM

EUPHRATES

THE

^who,although always
of disease, were,
form
beings I had
lighthearted
happiness that could

TO

in contact

THE

with

TIGRIS

293

the most

repulsive
I thought, the most
buoyant and
all enjoying an aboundmet
ing
ever
come
only from a heroic sacrifice
in the service of God and humanity.
On our
return to the railway we
were
greatly impressed
Its
by the fertilityof the soil in the vicinity of Urfa.
orchards
and
gardens, gay with flowers and fruit trees
of all kinds
and lemons, apricots and mulberries,
oranges
figs and pomegranates
^were
a
delight to the eye and
the city, which
it **the
formed
a
garland around
gave
of a grandiose villa."
smiling appearance
found
About
hour after boarding the train we
selves
ouran
Belikh, one
crossing the dried-up bed of the Nahr
in Mesopotamia.
It was
its
of the most noted streams
on
"

"

"

"

banks
"

and

"

that

only

located

was

distance

short

the

famous

once

long been in ruins and only

their home
Haran

figures in

Hebrews.

the

great wealth

of

attested

fact shows

our

course

It has

Haran.

families

chronicles
a

of northern

make

now

round

history. For what

well-watered
region of

about

of

both

long time it was

Mesopotamia

prosperity. But

great change

in

flora and

Arab

For

and

the

the face of the land

few

earliest

the

of all the roadways

center

city of

of

there.

Assyrians and
focus

to the north

that

has

now

the
and

singlewellcome

over

since its first mention

Haran

sandy desert was

with
remarkable
fertility,
is

the

then

rich

by undoubted
records according to which this part of Mesopotamia was
favorite hunting ground for the kings of Egypt and
a
notable

Assyria, for
abundant
Thus

as

the

here

fauna.

big

was

game

it is anywhere

Assyrian

This

King,

at

is evidenced

once

present

as

in

varied

and

as

equatorialAfrica.

I, 1120
Tfglath-Piljeser

B.C.,

declares, Ten powerful bull-elephantsin the land of Haran

and on the banks
I killed;four elephants
of the Habour
alive vl took.
Their
skins, their tusks, with the living
* '

elephants,I brought
elephants

to be

are

city of Asshur.''"

found

in

the wild

they formerly roamed

Lebanon
range, has long been
from
bii^on

According
this

to

Thare, who

his

son^s

to

the

land

* *

Go

and

world's
It

as

she

It

was

received

Land

which

children's

of the Chaldees

they

from

It

came

far

as

the Lord
from

the

thy

as

the

until the

mand
com-

kindred

he

thence

was

to be

was

children

to his kindred

his servant

Isaac

of

wife

went

of his

home

of

advent

the

Redeemer.

was

sent

of Haran,

son

"

thy father's house."

into the Promised

children

and

forth out of the country and

of

out

out of Ur

Canaan:

here that Abram

was
:

and

brought them

and dwelt there."

Haran
It

and

of

the

Abraham.

daughter-in-law,the

son

into

go

his

the

Lot

and

Sarai

the

as

is that of the

as

Patriarch

the

son

and

son

his

Abram

his

took Abram

on

of

Asia,

Mississippi.
the book of Genesis,
after Haran, son
of

named

father

the

was

Thare

**And

based

city was

celebrated

once

Western

complete

as

no

than

nearer

westward

region.eastof

the

tradition

far

as

To-day

state

disappearance from

where

American

BABYLON

to my

Their

far-off India.

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

294

it

and

was

going

was

this

same

in

in Haran
a

about

Canaan

from

to

or

to

get

wife

that he found

springwith

her shoulder.

in the

beautifullydescribed
that he

spent twenty
years

and

years

for the flocks

"

tender-eyed Leah"

son

that idyllicepisode

in the service of his uncle,Laban

six years
that his uncle gave him, and fourteen

daughters" 'Hhe

his

for

the fair Rebecca

pitcher on

region that witnessed

in the early life of Jacob

so
^
book of Genesis.
It was
here

that Abraham

Haran

for

his

two

''the beautiful

and

well-favored Rachel." "

What a delightit was
in this distant Mesopotamian plain,

where
"C/.

countless
The

Old

of Auynaand
""G"neiis

lambs

Testament

in the

Babylonia,p.
xi:

"Ibid., 17.

31.

200

still skip about

Light of

(by T.

their

solicitous

the Hiatorioal
and
Record
G. Pinches, London,
1908).

Legends

FROM

THE

mothers,

EUPHRATES

they did when

as

father's flocks in the

Dante

who,

TO
Leah

long ago,

in his Terrestrial

THE

and

TIGRIS

Rachel

295

tended

their

to recall the noble fiction of

Paradise, makes

these charming

of

humanity's youth^thesymbols of the active

and the contemplative life as are
Martha
and Mary in the
New
Testament
what
! And
a pleasure it was
to read
on
this romantic ground jn my well-thumbed
Divina Commedia
women

the oft-conned

verses

About
As

when
believe,

the

hour,

Venus

from the east

lightedon
mountain, she whose orb
Seems always glowing with the fireof love,
A lady young
and
beautiful,I dreamed.
Was
passing o*er a lea and, as she came,
Methought I saw her ever and anon
Bending to cull the flowers;and thus she sang:
Know
would
of my name
ask.
ye, whoever
That I am
Leah: for my
brow to weave
A garland, these fair hands
unwearied
ply.
To please me
at the crystal mirror, here
I deck me.
By my sister Rachel, she
Before her glassabides the live-longday.
Her
radiant
less
no
eyes beholding, charmed
Than
I with this delightfultask.
Her
joy
In contemplation,as in labor mine.^^
First

loath

am

happy
and

home

dear

with

the

to leave

of Rachel

to them

this patriarchal Arcady

Leah

and

without

"

this region,in which

and

Rebecca

referring to
oriental fancy

^the

"

and

those

in the
who

Abraham,
with

them;

Pharaoh

Version

King James

attains

gave

the

Pharaoh

them

owner

sent

to

of
them

Isaac;
the
to

and

"

**

Isaac

near

fable associated
its loftiest

flight.The thirtypieces of silver for which Judas

betrayed his Master, were, it was fabled,coined by
Terah

once

Iscariot
Thare

"

given to his son

bought a village

village carried
Solomon, the

son

them
of

to

David,
""

the

follows
the
but
Dante
94-108.
teaching of
who, writing on the active and the contemplative life,declares:
activa
"Istae duae vitae significanturper duas
Jacob:
quidem per Liam,
uxorea
mulieres
Dominum
duas
et
hos-,
contemplativa vero
Rachelem;
quae
per
per
activa
Marvero
pitio receperunt: contemplativa quidem per Mariam,
per
Art. i.
tham."
Theol.
Bumm.
Pars II, 2d3B, Q CLXXIX,
i"

Purgatorio, XXVII,

Angelic

Doctor

BERLIN

FEOM

296

building of his temple ; and Solomon

for the

thence

them

to

some

BABYLON
took them

''
about the door of the altar.

round

placedthem
taken

AND

BAGDAD

TO

and

They

were

by Nebuchadnezzar, who gave

youths who had been his hostages.

Babylon

to

Persian

youths then gave the coins to their fathers who were

Christ was
the three
born, and they saw
Magi. When
His star, they, taking the pieces of silver with them, set
Edessa
Arriving near
out on their journey to Bethlehem.
found by some
traveling
they mislaid the coins,which were
merchants, who spent them in the purchase of a seamless
tunic which an angel had given to some
shepherds. Informed
of these extraordinary facts.King Abgar got possession of
These

the tunic and

the

pieces of

silver and

sent

them

to

Our

gratefulrecognitionfor the good He had done him

the tunic but
The
in healing his sickness.
Savior retained
sent the pieces of silver to the Jewish
treasury. These
the thirtypieces which Judas
received for delivering
were
into the hands
his Master
of the chief priests and which
after the traitor had hanged himself, were
used for the
purchase of a field for a burial place for strangers.^
Lord

in

After
we

leaving what

was

little of interest

saw

the home

once

until

we

of the Patriarchs

reached

Nlsl!bis. But

Nisibis,like Haran, is interestingrather for what it was

in the distant past than for what
it is at present. Like
Haran, it was
a
once
busy and commanding mart between
the East and the West.
Now, however, like Haran, it is
littlemore
than a mass
of ruins which are eloquentwitnesses
of ancient power
and splendor. This is evidenced
by the
remaining arches of a great bridge across
the Gargar on
which the city was
built and by the crumbling walls and
columns

of

remind

temples of

great cathedral
one

whose

of those which

so

florid Corinthian

distinguishthe

ments
orna-

famous

and Palmyra.
BalaljDec

As I contemplated the three or four hundred

hovels which
make
it seemed
difficultto believe that
up modern

Ni^lbis,

"T

of

Cf. The

Batra

Book
of the Bee, p. 96-97, from the Syriac of Mar
(trans, by E. A. W. Budge, Oxford, 1886).

Solomon, Bishop

THE

FROM
it

TIGRIS

THE

schools

of

bulwark

TO

city of palaces and

in Mesopotamia
Rome

once

was

EUPHRATES

297

the

and

great

and
against Persians
Parthians, and that it was for centuries compelled to endure
to begin with,
a constant
change of rulers. The Armenians,^
after a long siege,
its founders. Lulcullus,
took it from
After the crushing defeat and
captured it from Tig|r"ies.
wrested
it from
death of Crassus
at Haran,^" the Parthians
of Trajan and
It next fell into the power
the Romans.
became
under
a stronghold of the Roman
Septimus Sejv^^us
master
colony established in'theseparts. Sapor I became
of it in the year 242,but it was
soon
by the Romans
retaken
and Maxjini^an,
under
Gordianus
recognizing
III^Diocletian
the importance of this strategicpoint and foreseeing that it
had
be subjectto the attacks of the enemy,
would
inevitably
Marcellinus
it strongly fortified. Ammianus
gives us some

idea of the formidable

Niiibishad

he declares

that

against the

invasion

But

and

schools

whose
of

courses

When

study

fame

were

Orient

the

as

barrier

the famous

stronghold of the
controlled
it; it was
to Africa

extended

those

also

Italy

of their

Alexandria.^*^

closed

was

utmost

and

certain

and

of Rome

of Edessa

school

for

celebrated

as

were

as

that

nation

whose

literarycenter

only

not

to the

served

of the Persians.^"

was
Ni^ibis

importance

of its fortifications when

character

in 489

by

of its
Bishop Cyrus and the Emperor Zeno on account
tendencies,its teachers and students repaired
Nestoijian
where
to Ni^ibis,
they became the most zealous advocates of
18

Students

assassinated
of

the

Moon.

place

same

with

18

of
The
and

will

remember
of

one

his

that
soldiers

general Crassus
treacherouslyslain in

Roman

was

Persian

the
while

Carcacalla

Emperor
on

visit

the

to

was

temple

a
crushing defeat at the
vicinity while in a conference

suffered
the

satrap.

"Quae jam

viribus

history
by

Haran

at

restitit

Mithradati

maximis."

Oriens

regni temporibus,ne
XXV,
Cap. IX.

Persis

occuparetur,

Lib.

Ill, Part II, p. 927, et seq.

Cf. Assemani, op. cit.,Tom.
naitre
vit
dans
Nisibis, "la grand metropole nestorienne,
20

premiere
phenomene
de

Universite

Justinien

qui
ne

clerge nestorien
pire Perse sous
1904).

theologique,

excitait

les

I'admiration

pent

donner

de

la

que nous
cette epoque

son

ses

murs

la

theologie. Ce
premiers
du
sacri palatii
et etonnement
quwstor
du
id^e avantageuse de la culture
une
publics

cours

histoire.'*

Dynastie Sassanide, {224-632)

Le

de

Christianisme

p. 301

(by

dan

VEni'

J. Labourt, Paris,

Nestorianism

they subsequentlybecame

as

ruins of this old

must have
Ni^i'bis

metropolisshow
at the

Damascus

and

it was

when

been

city

and Antioch

BABYLON
its most

active

Persia.

propagators in
The

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

298

what

important

an

ranked

period when

with Edessa

they were

at

greatness. And history tells

fertile and densely populated region it was
of what
a
us
rounded
surthe capital. In the days of its splendor it was
once
by marvelously fruitful gardens and grain fields
the Khabur
were
the valleys of the Gargar and
while
and their extensive
for their olive groves
famous
tions
plantathe Khabur, which
of cotton. Many cities and towns
on
noted
cotton markets
have
once
long been in ruins, were
this valuable
whence
shipped to Mosul and
staple was
converted
Chilat in southeastern
Armenia, where it was
The word
into muslin.
muslin, as is known, is derived from
and

the zenith of their power

because

Mosul
the

this fabric had

have

long

were

in this

Another

and

of cotton

cultivation
ceased

origin there.

But

the manufacture

both

of muslin

important industries they

to be the

part of

its

once

Orient.

the

of this

part of Mesopotamia, noted by

It was
where
at Nisibis
its forests.
historians,was
good
timber
was
abundant," that the Emperor Trajan had a
to be used on the Tigris.^^Now
the
large fleet constructed
entire country is so treeless that anything larger than a
shrub is rarely seen.
So uncommon,
indeed, is a tree of
size that when
it is deemed
one
any
worthy of a
occurs,
**The Oak of Weeping," under
specialname,
even
as
was
which was
buried Debora, the nurse
of Rebecca."
feature

'*

Nor

round

is the desolation
about

Haran

which

and

so

characterizes

the

regions

Nisibis

exceptional in northern
Mesopotamia. It is typicalof the entire country extending
from the Euphrates to the Tigris. But according to the

"PeuteringianTable"

this vast

studded

towns,

"i
M

with cities and

Dion Casslus,Eiatory of
Rome,
Genetis xxxv
: 8.

Bk.

belt

of which

of

land

there

I, XVIII, 26.

are

was
now

once

but

and

sandstones, gray

rose

The

are

illumined

are

ordinary landscape

flanks and crest of Jebel

into

on

and

form
trans-

land.
fairy-

tain
Sinjar,a picturesquemoun-

our

of the poppy,

red

glowing

like

by splendors

veritable

riot
right,exhibit the same
of lightand shade.
contrasts
marvelous
same
there is the delicate violet of the iris,at the
range

massed

phantasmagoriasof light which

of color and
the most

asphalts,brown

graniteswhich

of antediluvian monsters"

groups

black

rocks"

fantasticallyformed

and

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

300

of
At

the base

summit

all. is the

above

color,the
the

quoise
soft,tur-

deep, steady empyrean.

the wonderful, mystic afterglow
Then
there appears
and
which
completely transfigureseverythingon mountain
plain,and lightsup the scene with a lightthat rarelyshines
in our
cloudy,mist-enveloped clime. In the clear western
sky, the evening star hangs like a solitaire. Presently
tions
there flash-out in rapid succession the stars and constellaand the dethe wonder
light
which, in the long ago, were
of the shepherds and
the priest astronomers
of
blue of the

Assyria and
Near

our

Chaldea.
tent the

camels, relieved of their burdens, are

the scanty broom
and brushwood
which

quietlybrowsing on
in these parts constitute their chief sustenance.
Their
Bedouin
odorous
masters, seated in a circle,around
an
entertain one
another
fire,
camp
by recounting past experiences
and adventures
and by singingtheir favorite songs,
most of which
in a minor key and characterized
are
by the

frequent occurrence

of the

gives

to their doleful

heard

one

we
life,

can

never

welcome

terrible

name

note

of

chant

forget.

the hour

Amid

such

of

Allah, which

sadness
scenes

that

once

of nomadic

of sweet

repose, when, beguiled

by gentle dreams, we, like the lotus-eaters of old, soon
become quite unconscious
of the fleeting
of time
passage
and

of all the world

beside."

circumstances,"
writes
i/iVfl!"
""Jj*
It Influenced

one

through the body. Though

who
your

knew

the desert well, "the mind

mouth
glows and your skin is

FROM
On

THE

EUPHRATES

THE

TIGRIS

301

the last

day of our journey between

Djerabis and
nation
contemplating at times the prevailing abomi-

Mosul, while

* ^

of desolation

referred
as

TO

Haran

and

of

to the novel

gazed

we

''

the

on

viewed

ruin-covered
excitement

hallowed

land

in Nisibis

the

waste,

which

of the
fate

ally
continu-

we

had

been

ours

patriarchs about

of

splendid
Traversing a region of hoar
antiquity,whose annals and legends so captivatethe fancy,
turbaned
where
nomads, happy in their felt tents, enjoy
the unrestricted freedom
of the desert,ours
a sensation
was
in the rush and turmoil and savage
and a pleasure unknown
of our
high-pressure civilization of Europe and
energy
America.
And
while
the eye delighted in the marvelous
in the landscapes ^where rugged
succession of contrasts
with
alternate
endless
mountains
plains and
spots of
home

of letters and

once

culture.

"

**

like islets amid

lie strewn

verdure

shoreless

seas

of sand"

pondered on the whirlpool of vicissitudes

the regions of
which has made
Mesopotamia unique among
the earth
^where,during its long and eventful history,
and grandeur
civilization has been succeeded
by barbarism
But
one
as
surveyed this land of
by decay and death.
former
glory and present desolation,one loved to think
of an
before his eyes the sands
that
expiring epoch were
fast running out; and the hour-glass of destiny was
once
the mind

"

ever

"

**

"

"

"

"

humid

heat; your
heat, yet you feel no languor, the effect of
and
its tone
recovers
lightened,your sight brightens, your memory
are
and
become
powerfully
imagination
exuberant; your
fancy
spirits
your
stir up all
around
and
the wildness
and
aroused
you
sublimity of the scenes
morale
whether
for exertion, danger or strife. Your
the energies of your
soul
frank
and
cordial, hospitable and single-minded:the
improves; you become
hypocriticalpoliteness and the slavery of civilization are left behind you in
dilate and their pulses beat strong as they
All feel their hearts
the city.
hear
Where
do we
the glorious desert.
from
their
dromedaries
down
look
upon
of
the
another
illustration
is
It
it?
of a traveler
being disappointed by
has
he
that
Nature
however
truth
returns
to
unworthily
ancient
man,
with

parched
lungs

are

"

...

to the
conformed
tastes have
your
the
tranquillityof such travel, you will suffer real pain in
confifilon
of
bustle
and
will
You
of civilization.
anticipate the
turmoil

treated

And

her.

believe

when

me,

once

returning^o

pleasures with

Depressed
repugnance.
feel incapable of bodily or
return
your
and
and
the care-worn
The
air of cities will suffocate
you
exertion.
mental
like a vision
of judgwill haunt
ment."
of citizens
countenances
cadaverous
you
and
Meccah, Vol.
Narrative
Personal
of a Pilgrimage to Al-Medinah

artificial
in

its false

life,its luxury and

spiritsyou

I, pp. 150,

151

will

(by

for

Richard

time

after

F. Burton,

London,

1893).

BERLIN

FROM

302

turned

being

again

that

travel-worn,

2*

Naturalut

finally

we

emporium

on

completed

we

on

celeritate

Exatoria,

the

Tigris
VI,

BAGDAD

TO

its

inoipit
XXVII.

It

base/'

another

lap

arrived

arrow-swift

vocari.

AND

at

of

BABYLON

with

was

our

Mosul,

this

journey
the

once

tion
reflec-

and

that,

famous

Tigris.^*

Ita

appellant

Medi

sagittam.

Pliny,

CHAPTER
THE

Xm

CHURCHES

OF

Nestorian, Monophysite

EAST

Other

and

Holy Father, keep them

given me ; that they may be

THE

in

Thy

one,

as

Eastern
whom

name
we

Churches

also

Thou

hast

are.

St. John, xvii: 11.

Our

arrival

for many

at Mosul

Not

reasons.

to

was

us

of

cause

the least of these

was

gratification
the very

dial
cor-

reception tendered
us
by the good Sons of St. Dominic
whose
hospitality to wayfarers like ourselves has always
been as proverbial as that of the Franciscans.
Indeed, the
friars of both these venerable
religious orders seem, particularly
in the Orient, to have made
their own,
the beau-,
tiful Armenian
from
God."
saying '*A guest comes
As for myself, I was
speciallyglad to be in this famous
old city,for it is located
the Tigris which
I was
almost
on
The
of both of
to see
the Euphrates.
as
as
names
eager
these

rivers

celebrated

had

been

ever

associated

in my

mind

youth and, seeing their tawny waters for

the first time, they evoked
of boyhood
pleasant memories
many
days when I loved to picture to myself the remarkable
by these two
peoples who dwelt in the fertile land bounded
achievements
marvelous
great waterways, peoples whose
the
then than
did, in maturer
more
impressed me
years,
who
dwelt
matchless
deeds
of those incomparable men
on
from

my

the banks
But
was

my

earliest

of the Nile
chief

that I there

and
for

reason

had

rare

the

Tiber.

rejoicingon our arrival at Mosul

tions
opportunityto complete observa-

which, during the greater part of our journey, I had

been
are
making on the condition and influence of what
I do not speak of an
the Eastern
known
Churches.
as
303

Church," about which so much has been written,

organization,as contradistinguished from a
an

''Eastern

such

for

Church,

Western

the inhabitants

is

There

this

Prelates

and

Arabi

is another

whom

Patriarch

people called
there

Then

Catholic] and
Abbots

Mosul, declares

of

they

call the

Jatolic

several

pointsof

Nearly five and

These

[he

means

Archbishops
degrees and sends
Baudas
[Bagdad]

of all other

though

does

there

is

in Latin
a

and
them
or

to

countries.
ber
great num-

very

all Jacobites

countries,they are
and Nestorians; Christians,indeed, but not in
enjoined by the Pope of Rome, for they come
of Christians

worship

creates

Patriarch

that

know

must

these

Christians.

Jacobite

quarter,as to India, to
Cathay, .iustas the Pope of Rome
you

and

description of people

and

into every
For

Polo, in writing of

traveler, Marco

called Nestorian

are

have

fiction.

mere

kind of

Mohammed.^
who

is

Venetian

noted

The

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

304

in those

the

fashion
short

in

the faith.^

half centuries

tian
after the illustrious Vene-

lines,the erudite historian

and
Hammer-Purgstall, referring to the
Orientalist,von
inhabitants of the terraced city of Mardin, located between
and
Edessa
''There
and
Sunnis
Mosul, wrote:
Shias,
Catholic and Schismatic
Armenians, Jacobites,Nestorians,
Chaldaeans,Sun, Fire, Calf and Devil worshipers dwell
traveler

one

over

had

the head

These

dictated these

of the other.''

quotations from writers who lived in such

widely separated periods give one a fair idea of what has
long been the religiousaffiliationsof the greater part of the
population of Mesopotamia and what, with slightchanges,
they are still to-day.
and Pagans just mentioned
Dismissingthe Moslems
as
without the purview of this chapter, a few
the
on
pages
"

W"

"

J*"
)

1903
"

two

have
Book

in a previous chapter how unfounded

is this statement.
of Ber Marco
Polo, Vol. I, p. 60 (trans, by H. Yule, London,

seen

Omehichie

der

Jlohaner,Vol. I, p.

191

(Darmstadt, 1842).

THE
different
reader

CHURCHES

Christian

to form
of

relations

to

bodies

THE

EAST

305

above-mentioned

intelligentestimate

an

of these

some

OF

Churches

will

of the

aid

present

of the East

and

the
dition
con-

of their

another.

one

We

begin with the Nestorians as they constitute the oldest

of the existing dissident
Churches.
The
Arians, Novaof other heretics who gave such
tians,Paulinists,and scores
trouble
to the early Christian
Church
have
long disappeared
and
of
students
know
what
only
heresiologynow
doctrines
they reallyprofessed.
The distinguishingtenet of Nestorianism, which
its
owes
to
of Constantinoplefrom
428
origin
Nestorius, Patriarch
to 431, is the assertion
that in Christ there are
two persons

(
"

the human

of Christ

and

the divine

is the

Mother

"

and

of

the denial

God.

as

defined by the third (Ecumenical

in

431, is that in Christ there is but

of the

Son

of God
of God

the Mother
From

"

"

and

that

the

that the Mother

Catholic

The

Council
one

held

person

Blessed

"

at

doctrine,
Ephesus

the person

Virgin Mary

is

"cotokoc.

its beginning Nestorianism

has

been

essentiallyan
eastern
organization and was
cessors
early adopted by the sucof the ^^Parthians,Medes, Elamites, and inhabitants
of Mesopotamia,'* who, on
the first Pentecost, were
so
amazed
the Apostles in Jerusalem
to hear
speaking in
divers

On

tongues the wonderful

of

and
political
separated from

account
became

soon

Banished

took

Nestorian
west
in
twin
*Act8

Edessa

them

under

other

the Nestorians

reasons,

the

rest

of

Christendom.

by the Emperor Zeno, they

The Persian
fled to Nisibis which
then belonged to Persia.
creed as
King, learning that they did not profess the same
he was
that held by the Byzantines, with whom
always at
war,

from

of God.*

works

in 489

his

protection.From

time

the

almost
ten
forgotChurch, which eventually became
of Mesopotamia, had
an
extraordinary development
his
the East.
palace, in the
For, although from

city of Seleucia-Ctesiphon,the
of

that

the

Apostles, ii: 9,

11.

Nestorian

Katholicos

BERLIN

FROM

306

larger number

the

Syria

and

to Arabia

sent missionaries

to far-off India

went

and

Egypt, by

and

China.

In the

the Nestorian
centuries,when
attained its greatest development, the jurisdiction

Church

rivaled

Katholicos

of the Nestorian

in extent

greatest of the Byzantine Patriarchs.

ruled

of the Nestorians

head

bishopswho

stationed

were

For
over

that

of the

then

the

vast

number

preme
su-

important points in Asia

at
from

and

to Malabar

Mosul

from

far

fourteenth

and

thirteenth

of

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Jerusalem

to Java

and

Peking.'
But

this

from

the zenith

reached

then

hordes

of Timur

part of middle
Mohammed.

who

greatness and

Asia

swept

the

Aral

the

over

Sea

the

to

had

began

lem
by the Mosthe

greater

and

est
subjectedto the fiercprofess the religionof

not

Tartars

which

power,

hastened

was

then

did

Church,

In addition to the disasters which

footstepsof

from

which

and western

persecutionall
the

of its

Its downfall

decline.

rapidlyto

Nestorian

period,the

from

Delhi

Persian

followed

to Damascus

Gulf, the

in
and

Nestorians

suffered

schisms
and
internal
greatly from
quarrels.
These, coupled with the devastations of the Tartars, from
which they never
recovered, eventually reduced what was
the greatest Christian

organization in Asia to a poor and

insignificant
community in the bleak region of Kurdistan
the frontier between

on

The
Lake

Nestorian
Van

Mar

Shimum

eSee
tbe

and

U^

lan

Lord

III

map

ezteniive

Patriarch
Lake

"

Persia

of

and

Simon.*

and

of the

always

between
the

assumes

title

strikingpeculiarityof

Mulert'a
Atlas
the Nestorian

territoryoccupied by

"l^ning

Turkey.

lives at Kochanes

now

Urmia

Heussi

and

zur

the

Kirohengeschichte for
during its greatest

Church

Patriarch,

described
as
by a noted traveler of tbe
hewn-stone
and
stands
the
on
edge
very
ravine through which
a
winds
branch
of the
a
1
T*"*^ passage led us into a room
scarcely better lighted
.
window
closed by a greased sheet of coarse
The
tattered
paper.
? f .u*T^* ^P*"^*"^^" * ^""'"''' ^*^8 **"" whole of its furniture.
^^^ Patriarch
were
and
hardly less worn
the
ragged. Even
n
**' ^^^
"2
piastres, about
the
Porte
had
lOs.. which
****"
monthly on his return to the mountains
W
was
long

cwitury.

'is

solidlybuilt

of

SIk*^^'if o^"";*"an""ng
ti^
ny

amall II

Tl!^

idlSTiTS
""

Sll!!?^"*"**^*'*?.
promiMd

in

arreari

I, and

be

waa

supported entirelyby the contributions

of

his

faith-

BERLIN

FROM

308

TO

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

of worship and religions

observance,
tain all its peculiarities
in which they actuallyconflict with
except in the rare cases
This is evidenced

Catholic dogma.
of the Chaldeans
which

exactly the

are

have used from

abode

and that

was

of conversion

and Lower

Kurdistan

his nephew

"

Nestorians

took

rite.

But

so

their

up

Catholic

one

that the Patriarch

family

fruitful

was

of

Mesopotamia
afterwards
soon
resignedhis position
Mar
Yohannan
successor
applied for

and

into the Church

admission

there but

of the Chaldean

one

their work

and

missionaries

the Dominican

Mosul, they found

in

Nestorians

the schismatic

as

same

converted

liturgy

time immemorial.

in 1750

When

the Uniates, or

"

in the rites and

of Rome.

He

immediately by five of his bishops

was

and

followed

most
al-

by the greater

part of his peoplein and around Mosul.

Romeward
of the Nestorian
This rapid movement
pastors
and their flocks is partly explained by the fact that they
for remaining separated from
valid reason
saw
no
a
Church which taught the same
doctrines as they themselves
had always believed and which, during long centuries of
persecution,they had preserved intact. But their reunion
with Rome
hastened by the tact and zeal of the learned
was
and sympathetic Dominicans
whom
all soon
learned
to
revere

and

these poor
the Mother
established
where

both

love.

For

but earnest
Church
for

on

them

souls

and

these devoted

people
the most

schools
bodies

in

priestsnot only aided

becoming

reconciled

with

lenient terms, but they also

and
could

asylums
receive

and

much

hospitals
needed

care.

In Mosul

inup-to-date printing establishment

was
Btalled in which were
printed the Scripturesand other books
in Arabic, Syriac,and other languages. A
seminary was

founded

an

for the benefit of Chaldean

students destined for

the priesthood. The education
of girls was
entrusted to
the highly cultured Dominican
Sisters of the Presentation
of Tours, France.
Not only did they assume
charge of
and
preparatory
normal
schools but they also opened in-

CHURCHES

THE

OF

THE

EAST

309

for the working girls

dustrial schools for girls,especially

city. They

also took

charge of dispensaries where

of poor and sick people received free of charge
thousands
which
their condition
and treatment
the medicine
required
and which, before the arrival of these ministeringangels

of the

of mercy,

not

were

available.

of all these

In view

facts is there

of Nestorius

of the followers

the final return

anything surprisingin
to communion

withEome?'

"

Marco
Polo found
Jacobites,of whom
in Mosul
Christians indeed, but not in the fashion
many
differs but little,
except
enjoined by the Pope of Rome*'
This
in one point of doctrine,from that of the Nestorians.
point of doctrine is in one respect the very opposite of the
the
dogma of the Nestorians.
For, whereas
distinguishing
divided Christ into two
Nestorians
against the
persons
His unity,the Jacobites,
Catholic doctrine which maintained
that there is in
contrary to Catholic teaching, asserted

history of

The

the

* *

"

"

but

Christ

decreed

divine, as

and

nature

one

and

human

(Ecumenical

in 451, by the

divinitythat it is called
physitism. And because, in its early stages, it was
championed by Eutyches, an archimandrite
outside

monastery
known

Eutychianism.

as

The

usually called Jacobites,after Jacob Zanzalos,

early and zealous propagator of the heresy.
So far

statistics

as

larger than

is somewhat
the Dominicans

"La

progression

1856, de
retour

began

30,000

d^finitif

des

des

en

Nestoriens

them

to lead

Chr^tians

40.000;

et6

la

la

foi

back

to

suivante;
Tout

donne

portera

bientot

1900, 66,000.
k

who

that of the Nestorians

was

dently
ar-

so

of

also
are
an

was

of Jacobites

available the number

are

Mono-

Constantinople,it is
Syrian Monophysites

of

the walls

of

Council

humanity and

Lord^s

Our

the

the fusion of

this heresy teaches

It is because

Chalcedon."

two, the

not

when

obedience

en

k
et

to

1750, z^ro;
esp^rer que

en

le

definitivement

Cathofait accomDlit, a 140,000." Les Missions

un
XIXe
(Paris, 1900).
Steele, p. 271
at the General
8 For
definitions of the Church
Councils of
the docrmatic
of
Nestorius
heresies
Chalcedon
the
and
and
Ephesus
against
Eutyches seo

ce

nombre,

liques

si

ce

Francaises

n'est

deja

au

Denzinger'sEnchiridion,

pp.

52, 65.

They

Rome.

name

Mardin

or

of Mosul.

and

potamia
Meso-

Patriarch,who always takes

Ignatius with the title of Antioch, resides at
Diarbekir on the Upper Tigris to the northwest
Although they all talk Arabic, the Jacobites use

and
the

throughout Syria

scattered

are

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

310

Their

Malabar.

the Syrian liturgyof St. James.

of the missionary labors
In consequence

Capuchins

and

Dominicans,

the

of the Franciscans,
of

majority

the

with
Rome
under
the
again in communion
Their
Patriarch
of Melchites
or
Syrian Uniates.
name
with the title of Antioch
usually resides at Beirut. He has
live in Mesopotamia.
From
eightsuffragans,most of whom
the
distant when
present indications the day does not seem
be reunited
more
Jacobites,like the Nestorians, shall once
with the See of Peter, from which they have so long been
separated.
Church which has long been cut off from
Another Eastern

Jacobites

are

"^

the

of the

is that

of Christendom

rest

Armenians.

Like

early adopted Monojphyjsi

Jacobites,the Armenians
tism, a doctrine which they still retain. Although many
of them
have returned
to Rome, the majority, known
as

the

Gregorians from

St.

of

still Moriophysites.They

Armenia,

are

Gregory

Illuminator,the apostle

the

have

ous
vari-

on

occasions

sought corporate reunion with the Church

of their fathers,and, judging by their friendly attitude
towards
this union may
take place at any time.
Catholics,
A peculiarity
about the Armenian
Church
is its intensely
national
in the

It is indeed

character.

world, for its only members

Uniates

"

are

Armenians.

held the Armenians

**NiobG

national

church

whether

Gregorians or
religion which has

together in spite of centuries of persecution

in
of
spite the tyranny of Seljuk
satraps ;

of nations''

daughters

"

It is their

by Persian
sultans ; in spiteof the pogronas
other people in the world,
no
and

the most

of

"

the

Erin

"

of Russian
save

only those

of the

but invincible
long-suffering
^has their religionserved

stronger bond of union than it has

to the

To

autocrats.

real
sons
as

cruellyharassed

THE

CHURCHES

downtrodden

and

Armenians.

unparalleledtenacityto
and

God

live

grant it

Statistics

may

be

regarding the
If

one

the

have

311

enabled

them

language and
they

achieve

"

number

may

with

ture
litera-

day

one

their national

of Armenians

"

pendence.
inde-

are

very

to believe all the horrible tales

were

last few

of Armenians

would

their

preserve

soon!

EAST

It has

in the hope that

during

massacres

THE

ever

unsatisfactory.
circulated

OF

decades

by Turks

to conclude

and

that

about

wholesale

Kurds

and

brave

and

the

Russians,

patriotic
extinct.
is now
race
Fortunately we have positiveevidence
that these
bloodcurdling reports have, for politicaland
other un-altruistic motives, been greatly exaggerated and
one

that there

is

stilllivingin what
far from
The

Katholikos

of Armenians
is not

Empire

the

is the

Gregorian Church, who

of the

Patriarchs

Illuminator, resides

of Etchimiadzin

This

the Ottoman

old line of Armenian

St. Gregory

monastery

once

was

the number

millions.

three

of the
from

that

to believe

reason

monastery,

Erivan

near

which

has

descended

in the

famous
menia.
Ar-

Russian

in

been

cessor
suc-

the

seat

of the

formally ceded
nearly five centuries,was
to Russia, after the Russo-Persian
War, in 1828, and since
has been
that time the Katholikos
subject to a Muscovite
which has left him so little liberty
of Russianization
process
Patriarchs

for

of action that his

patriarchatehas

been

reduced

to what

is

virtuallyonly a primacy of honor.

trol
Church is largelyunder the conIn Turkey the Armenian
tan
of the government.
For, as far back as 1461, the Sulof this
Mohammed
II, in order to have the Primate
nople
Church
under his direction,raised the bishop of Constantitrary
As a result of this arbito the dignity of Patriarch.
of Constantinople
action of the Sultan the Patriarch
and

not

the real

the Katholikos

primate

In addition

of Etchimiadzin

of all the Armenians

to the two

Patriarchs

has

ever

in the

since been

Ottoman.

just named,

pire.
Em-

the Arme-

two

counts

Church

nian

TO

BERLIN

FROM

312

the result of schism

as

BAGDAD
For

others.

AND

BABYLON

some

centuries

usurpation,it

and

ago,

forced

was

to

Patriarchs of Jerusalem, and Sis

recognize the self-styled
in Cilicia. But, although the schism has been healed, the
still tolerated.
Patriarchs
They are, however, only
are
titular and have

Monophysitism
and

It

was

has

what

Like

has been
have

Egyptian Monophysites

since

been

and

known

other schismatics

Copts

of

who

tuted
consti-

Coptic Church.

Copts,^since

the

their

with the rest of Christendom,

out of communion

suffered

the

as

Armenians,

been

all the persecutions and

in all the internal dissensions

The

not

these

the Jacobites

schism

also by

such.

only by the Jacobites

large part of the people of

embraced

was

but

Armenians

Egypt.

as
jurisdiction

no

that

have

been

involved

the lot of the

of the East.

Egypt

now

number

half

about

million

usually resides
of Alexandria.
He pretends to
in Cairo, is the Patriarch
of the Evangelist St. Mark, the
be the direct successor
first bishop of Alexandria, and claims jurisdiction
not only
over
Egypt but over
Abyssinia as well. Like the other
Eastern
Churches, that of the Copts has its own
peculiar
rites and
old Coptic in her
She uses
customs.
liturgy
it
has for centuries been a dead language and is
although
no
longer understood by any of her priests. As is the case
with most of the Nestorians
and Jacobites,the language of
the Copts is Arabic.
like the sparsely scattered
And
schismatics of Syria and Mesopotamia, the great majority
of the Copts and Abyssinians live in a state of extreme
Their

souls.

chief ecclesiastical

ruler,who

poverty and ignorance,although their

and

them

benefits of

coreligionists
are

now

making

and

give them

an

some

of the

of Francis-

**
apparently derived from the middle part of the Greek
which
means
Egyptian. It is, however, always used to
membor
of the Egyptian Monophysite Church.

Aigyptoa
A

trymen
coun-

efforts to elevate

elementaryeducation.
of the missionary activities

*-T ^^^^ ^**^*^

lodicaU

fortunate

in the social scale

In consequence

word

more

THE

CHURCHES

OF

Capuchins,Jesuits,and

cans,

Uniate

Copts and

Copts
bears

the

the

title of

**

and

The

there

their

Uniate

called Melchites.'^

are

EAST

Lazarists

Abyssinians

increasing. Like

THE

are

now

number

Syrians,

Primate

Patriarch

313
many

is gradually
the

Uniate

of the Melchites

of

Antioch, Alexandria,
Jerusalem
and
all the East.''
On
speciallysolemn
sions
occaFather
he is called
of Fathers, Shepherd of Shepherds,
Priests
and Thirteenth
High Priest of High
tle.'*
Aposweeks
salem
Although he spends some
annually at Jeruand Alexandria, where
he administers
the affairs of
his flock through vicars,he resides during the greater part
of the year
in Damascus.
The
chites
liturgy used by the Melis usually celebrated in the
is the Byzantine which
Arabic
ever,
language. On certain very solemn occasions,howthe language of the liturgy is Greek.
all Eastern
is that
Churches
of the
Unique among
of this interestingand flourishMaronites.
The members
ing
all Catholics and it is their proud boast
communion
are
that their Church
has never
tainted
been
by heresy. It
is certain,however, that they were
Monothelites
and
once
**

taugh^a

which

doctrine

But this
pl:|ysi1^sm.
the

Crusades

was

but

form

of Mono-

at the time

heresy they abandoned

of

his submission

made

their Patriarch

when

veiled

to

Since then,despite partialdefections and centuries

medan
of oppression on the part of their schismatic and Moham-

Rome.

neighbors, their faith has been

orthodoxy.
the

population of

considerable

Syria, Cyprus, Egypt, and Palestine.

Western

reliable estimates

to the most

is about
10

is besides

There

Lebanon.

terrupted
practicallyunin-

the entire

constitute almost

Maronites

The

of

Melchite

hundred

three
is

According

available their total number

thousand."

Grseco-Syriac word

The

usual

signifiesimperial.

which

now
11

applied
Cf.

Orients,

to the

Verfassung
p.

384

(by

Uniates
und
I.

of these

of

place
It

Christians
to
of the
at the
outbreak
Monophysite schism
and
of
Chalcedon
decrees
the
who
Palestine, and Egypt
accepted
Church.
Catholic
the
to
and
in
the
to
Constantinople
loyal
Emperor
those

is

in

number

was

in

given
Syria,

remained
The

name

lands.

gegenwdrtiger

Bestand

Sdmtilicler

Silbernagl,Rengensburg, 1904).

Kirchen

dea

The

but, curiously enough, this Antiowith him by no fewer than five other

title is shared

of whom

Patriarchs,two
These
and

strange to

And

titular.

of

Patriarchs, the last named

Latin

not

say,

of these

one

Catholic,

whom

language used in

The

lives in Antioch.

of the Jacobite

Patriarchs

the Melchite, Syrian

and

Churches

lic.
three Catho-

schismatical and

are

the schismatic

are

Orthodox

and

Anti-

Maronitarum,

ochenus
chene

the

resting place.

is Patriarchus

Patriarch

title of the Maronite

centuries

their last

found

have

Patriarchs

Maronite

for

where

Lebanon

in the

of Kanobin

Mary

of St.

is the great monastery

of their Patriarch

residence

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

314

is only
six Patriarchs

the Maronite

liturgy is ordinarily Syriac. But to priestswho are not

familiar with Syriac, permission is given to
sufficiently
but Arabic writtenj^yriac
perform the liturgyin Arabic
"

characters.
But

needs

word

in Malabar.

of St. Thomas
love

Apostle, it
Nestorian
a

the

to trace

missionaries

At

At

any

the

majority of

with Rome

the

name

peculiar rite of their

**Uniates
called

own

NesMono-

became
them

in

are

by
over

once

were

of them

phy sites. Now, however,

with

founded

was

rate, they

later period most

under

the

to St. Thomas

their activities extended

when

great part of Asia.

torians.

their Church

probable that it

more

Christians

Malabar

Although

originof

seems

the so-called Church

said about

to be

munion
com-

of Malabar,"
the

**Rite

of

Malabar."
-

The

different Churches

in the

which

preceding pages

the interest of the observant

at least two

questionswhich

the
originally
which

have

real

no

cause

communion

and

have
which

engaged

our

tion
atten-

fail to enlist

cannot

traveler in the Orient, suggest

demand

of these

with

an

schismatic
one

What

answer.

was

organizations

another?

And

how

explain the tenacitywith which each of them, during more

than fourteen centuries,has clung to its
peculiar rites and
customs

and

and despite all

liturgies,

the

vicissitudes

of

dria such

this great city had

as

Thenceforth

Monophysitism

imperialismwas

witnessed.

oppositionto Byzantine

identified with Egyptian nationalism.

under

the Mohammedans

when

before

never

in its

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

316

Amru

swept

And

Egypt,

over

the hatred of the Copts for the Melkites that

great was
they sided with the Arabs againstthe forces of Byzantium.
the cause
of their downfall.
But this with Monophysitism was
The great days when the Christian Pharaoh
the
was
forever.''
chief bishop of the East have gone
And
by a
Constantinople,Alexandria's
strange irony of fate it was
detested rival,that was
eventuallyto hold the second place
the patriarchatesof the Church
a positionwhich,
among
since the days of St. Mark, had been held by the worldfamous metropolis of Egypt.
so

* *

"

"

The

attended

which

events

almost

the

introduction

of

physitism
Mono-

repetitionof those which

of this heresy into Egypt.
occurred on the entrance
And
which led to the introduction of Monophysitism
the causes
into the two countries and favored
its development there
the same.
For Antioch, the capitalof the
were
practically
mies,
Seleucids,as well as Alexandria, the capital of the PtoleGreek
a
was
city and each from the disruption of
Alexander 's Empire had been a center of Greek civilization
and culture. But neither the Syrians nor
the Egyptians had
into

become

ever

other

or

Nor
when

was

Syria were

reconciled to the intrusion

Greek-speaking peoples into their native lands.

their antagonism to foreigndomination
diminished

their countries became

of Rome

appanages

They clung as
customs

of the Macedonians

and

tenaciouslyas ever
languages of their fathers

and

laws

and

welcomed

an

to the

and

tium.
Byzan-

opportunity of concealing under the guise of heresy their

hatred of Caesar's religion as well as their ill-concealed
to Caesar's empire.
disloyalty
In spite of the repeated efforts of the Emperors
of
to
Constantinople
Egypt and Syria
""

Port"toue,op. oit.,
p.

conciliate their disaffected

subjectsin

and

that

15.

to

suppress

heresy

was

THE
constant

CHURCHES
to the

menace

abortive.

And

when

Monophysitism
their

OF

State, all

the

that

Moslems

and

made

the conquest of Islam

been

in the

Syria
than

for

that

of

the

which

schism

was

of the

of
of

an

it

was

in

outlash

of

in the Levant

schism
from

the
was

it had

as

penalty paid by
no

less

terrific

its

high estate and

dishonored
a
province in the
the Saracens.
For
just as it

that led to the downfall

greatest and

proved

Syria

found

But

Egypt

degraded it to the rank

ever-extending dominion

endeavors

invaded

easy

Nile.

reduced

317

anti-imperial
feelingswhich

as

its disloyalty and

EAST

their

its inhabitants

long pent-up national

Delta

THE

of Alexandria"

the seat

celebrated

most

patriarchate in the
it schism that heralded the ingloriouscollapse
so was
of her great rival" Antioch, the third city of the
empire"
Antioch, where the followers of the Crucified were
first
East

"

called

Christians.
has

What

been

Monophysitism

outlet

of

Syria holds equally true

introduction and rapid diffusion was

of

as

an

feeling in Egypt and

national

it in Armenia.

Its
due

great measure
hatred

of

said

to

jealousyof

the Orthodox

Church

in
and

of the

But far more

than
Byzantine government.
in the case
of other Eastern
Churches, Monophysitism is
the religiousbond
that during long centuries
of oppression
and persecution held the Armenians
together as a nation
and that,especiallyduring recent times, has won
for this
long-suffering
people the sympathy of the entire civilized
world.

Only those
studied there

have

who
the

traveled

aspirationsof

its

in

the

Near

peoples can

East

and

fullyrealize

larly
Simifeelingof the Eastern Churches.
only those who have carefullystudied the history of
these various ecclesiastical bodies can duly appreciate their
of the
Church
the great Latin
present attitude toward

the intense

West
has

and
ever

The

national

understand
been

one

that

national

conservatism

which

strikingcharacteristics.
Churches"
the Eastern
especially
loyaltyand national pride count

of their most

truth is that in all

the Armenian"

remarkable

for

religiousconviction

than

more

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

318

This, strange as it may

the Church;
before

dogmatic teaching.

or

that the nation

means

appear,

BABYLON

theology.
To envisage the State

of

precedence

politicstakes

that

comes

separated from the Church,

do in the West, is
as
we
distinct from religion,
as
politics
patriotas it is to a
alien to a Syrian or an Armenian
as
grand vizi6r. For this reason
Persian mollah or an Ottoman
as

Churches, like the theocratic government of

have always
Islam to which they have so long been subject,
attributed so paramount an importance to everything that

the Eastern

bears
specially

by their age-long

in this view

confirmed

been

they have

And

character.

life and

their national

on

Porte which, in organizing its

by the Sublime
ality.
Christian subjects,made
religionthe basis of their nationtreatment

Thus

Nation

the Armenian

"

inheritingthe
Millet

nation

Latin

are

known

was

with

and

the various

as

Millet

the Churches

of

of the Ottoman

From

the Latin

"

Nation.

And

Egypt, Syria, Mount

Christian

other

of the Latin

^while Catholics

"

Millet

Church, regarded as
Rum
Empire, became

the Orthodox

Ermeni

made

was

of the Roman

name

the Roman

"

Church

the Armenian

rite

Lebanon,

in the vast

Churches

it

so

minions
do-

Sultan.^*

tians
Christhat among
Eastern
it is not their particular church that counts
much
so
the

foregoingit is

as

their millet.

as

dear to them
all matters

For

this

from

to

as

our

of

turn

fatherland

dogma

is to us, while in

son
compari-

and

theology are quite secondary.

it is that there are
rarely any conversions

Eastern

too,it is that"

artificial nation,is

This, although quitean

reason

one

seen

Church

to another.

has well been

as

Orthodox

would

be

And

observed
like

for this reason,

**for a Jacobite

"

Frenchman

turning

German.*'
This

Of

the schismatic

hierarchy,the
ip*^*"?,*
The
Porte

u]n

Millet.

under

loyaltyof

Christians in the East

Protestants

in

Turkey

has

"mall

the

number

Minister

of

do

not

constitute

to
a

consequently organized them, consisting chiefly

converted
into a special arroup
Armenians, and Syrians,
^
r
o
r
"

of

Police.

THE

CHURCHES

the traditions and national

OF

spiritof

THE

EAST

their forebears

319

explains

the

of the divers Churches

to
exceptional conservatism
which
they belong the tenacity with which through the
they have clung to their particularrites and customs
ages
and retained unchanged their specialliturgies
since schism
first separated them from
their mother
Church.
it is
And
this intense conservatism, this undying loyalty to their
millet that constitutes the greatest barrier to the reunion
of the Eastern
Churches
with the primatial Church
of
"

Rome.

Then, too, there is ever before them the terror-inspiring

specter of Fragistan Europe which portends disasters
It is the horrid old phantom of the land of
innumerable.
mists and shadows
which has been haunting the East since
the Trojan War
which
reappeared with all its horrid
accompaniments of rapine and death during the invasion of
Alexander
the Great and still again during the repeated
and long-continuedcampaigns of the Crusaders.
These
seared
the hearts and
have
so
days of unalterable woe
Asia
memories
of the peoples of Western
that, like the
when
Trojans who feared the Greeks even
bearing gifts,
they have an inborn distrust of the Feringees," of their
Churches, their schools,their laws, their governments.
It is because the Holy See is so thoroughly cognizant of
of the divers
all the fears and jealousies
and animosities
Eastern
Churches
and because she fullyrealizes the importance
which
they severally attach to their millet that she
has always been so prudent and considerate in her dealings
and remove
with them
and so disposed to conciliate them
everything that might excite suspicionor distrust. Always
yearning for a return of the misguided children who so long
"

"

"

fold,she is ever ready to make any reasonable

concession,so long as it does not affect the deposit of faith
Hence
of which
she is the divinely appointed custodian.
of the reunion
it is that,in her eagerness
to further the cause
left her

ago

15

Among

of the

Orientals

Crusades, has

designationof Franks, which, since

applied to all the inhabitants of Western

common

been

the

time

Europe.

320

FROM

for

which

BERLIN
she

in her

supreme

Church

and

always so
wisdom, ever

each millet to retain its

schismatics

of Eastern

of

customs,

And

it is

recent

years

thousands
many
dioceses
at a time
to

whole

so

"

from

Church

and

policythat

to Rome

often

"

laws

own

hierarchy.

and

and benevolent

the return

witnessed

have

ardently longed, she has,

been
ready to allow each

has

of this wise

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

liturgy, language

rites and
because

TO

which

they had been

So far,then,
lured by heresy and schism in the long ago.
mentioned
the Eastern Churches
are
as
concerned, it would
that the day is not very
from
the foregoing pages
appear
distant when, in great measure,
heresy shall be adjured and
the venerable

Mother

healed.

schism

Just

as

it is not true to speak of

is still less true

whereas

speak of

to

the Eastern

in

seven

Chueches

Orthodox

The

number,

sixteen.

But

be noted

between

have

we

the Orthodox

in their

Orthodox

an

Churches

Eastern

an

are

marked

very

the Orthodox

Church.

considered

Churches

origina

and

Church, so

For,
only

are

fewer

no

than

difference

Churches

other

it

is to

of the

East.
The

Nestorian

and

Monophysite Churches,

as

have

we

noted, originated in certain specificheresies of Nestorius

and Eutyches. But the false doctrines of these heresiarchs,
has been observed, contributed less towards
as
the separation
of the

Copts, Syrians,and

nationalism

of

these

peoples

nnder

the guise of

to the

Byzantine Empire.

anything about

the

doctrines of their
almost
when

as

heresy

ignorant of their

decrees

exceptions not
Churches

as

even

are

now

who

for

than

wanted

did

Ephesus

they
the

are

of the rank

file knew

and

in the false
them

were

bearingon Catholic dogma

and

Chalcedon

to-day. With

clergy or

aware

pretext

concealingtheir disloyalty

Few

real

the intense

only

issues involved
theological
leaders.
The majority of

the Councils of

famous

others

the

of what

issued

possibly a few

bishops of

was

their

the Eastern

the cardinal

issue

CHURCHES

THE

of their schism

vaguest and
from

or

the Church

who

use

the

Catholic

which

able to

are

shadowy

most

The Orthodox
the

OF

give anythingmore

than the

for their continued

reason

"

Byzantine rite
"

321

EAST

ration
sepa-

of Rome.

Churches
Church

THE

^which embrace
but

unlike

are

the

those Christians

not in communion

Eastern

Churches

with

of

have

spoken,had their originnot in heresy but

in schism,pure and simple. Many and various were
the
of this schism but the chief of them were
the jealouscauses
ies
and ambitions of the Emperors and Patriarchs
of Constantinople
And
and ambitions
these jealousies
began at
an
earlydate and graduallydevelopeduntil they eventually
culminated
in the fatal schism precipitated
by Photius and
we

Cerularius.

For

After that Constantine the Eagle turned

Against the course
of heaven which it had followed^^
friction between the East and
ever-increasing
the West.
Constantine,fullyoccupiedwith the affairs of
his vast empire,had wisely allowed the Church to govern
not the policyof his
herself
but such, unfortunately,
was
in ecclesiastical affairs
successors.
Continuallyinterfering
of doctrine by imperialdecrees,
and determiningquestions
the worst
enemies
of the
they soon
proved themselves
true
This was
of action.
Church's freedom
particularly
sion
during the Byzantineperiodwhich extended from the accesof Justinian to the throne to the fall of Constantinople
under Mohammed
II. During all this time the Emperors
ject
were
unremittingin their efforts to make the Church a subof the State. In this they had the ever-readycooperation
subservience is easilyexplained.
of the court bishops,whose
Their ambitions were
great and they counted on
to help them to realize their unholy
their imperialmasters
^
^
they disappointed.
aspirations.Nor were
there

was

^^

16

Paradiso, VI, I, 2.

declared:
"You
of bishops Constantine
a
Addressing once
company
a
bishop
jurisdictionis within the Church; I also am
bishops whose
is external to the Church."
Eusebius,
ordained
by God to overlook whatever
Wi^
24.
The
^^ Life of Constantine, IV,
17

are

of the

banks

he

but

simple bishop

clea in Thrace.
the

But

of

vaulting ambition

it with

from

remove

of

all the

the old capital

Constantinople

the metropolitan of Hera-

under

this

capitalon

new

beautified

and

able to

was

BABYLON

his

the Tiber, the ecclesiastical head

on
was

established

Bosphorus

artistic treasures

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Constantine

in 330

When
the

BERLIN

FROM

322

far from

positionwas

satisfying

who

suddenly found himself

the honored
chaplain of the Emperor and his court, the
thenceforth
bishop of the magnificent metropolisthat was
to be

the center

of the

prevent his becoming

Fisherman

who

in the old

What
a

Roman
a

greatest of Patriarchs

"

Patriarch
of the

capitalof the Caesars

indeed

to

was

his ambitious

What

world.
"

was

the rival
of

successor

ruled the Universal

Church

of

even

the

from

to

now

Galilean

his palace

making

his dream

Emperor,

schemes.

the

prevent him from

glorious reality? The

thwart

one

he felt sure, would

Nor did he. For it was

not
in

harmony with his policyof centralization to have his court

bishop raised to the highesthierarchical position possible.
It would
add to his own
stimulate the
prestige,it would

loyaltyof

his

influence in
For

and would
and
subjects,
augment his power
his dealingswith the Church.
taken.
Nor was
he mishistorydoes not furnish more
ples
glaring exam-

of the
more

tyranny of Caesar in the things of God nor of

ignoble subjectionof bishops to civil power
than were

exhibited
treatment
in return

in

the

of
for

Emperor's arbitrary and

those
the

ecclesiastics

become

of the See

years were
required
and Emperor. For as

for

the

even

encouragement

unholy ambitions,had
imperialgovernment.
In the evolution

"

the

he

had

contemptuous

highest ^who,
"

given

to

willingvassals

their
of

the

of

Constantinople,
barely fifty
achievingthe joint plan of Bishop

decreed
early as the year 381 it was
by a council summoned
by the Emperor Theodosius
I,
which was
of
composed
only a comparatively small number
of Eastern

and
bishops,

that

at which

thenceforth

the

the

Holy

Bishop

See had

of

no

sentative,
repre-

Constantinople

combined

**the divergence of tongues,

aspirations,

Hellenic contempt of the Latin

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

324

have

might

race

with

contributed

grouping of the Eastern Churches around the

and thus have
brought about, more
of Constantinople,
of a Greek
autonomy.
less rapidly,the formation

to

...

nations

such

"

the

as

Etruscan,
anything

or

The

overpowering and even

tongues of all the other conquered
nician,
Syriac, Coptic,Celtic,Iberian, Phoe-

suppressing the

in

See

in

succeeded

had

Empire

Roman

the

and

others

many

of the Greek

direction

in the

it had

but

"

tempted
at-

never

language.

by side with Latin

official tongue and this cause
brought about the
a second
as
it merely a question of
Nor
division of the Empire.
was
and
recognized
tongues. Latins as well as Greeks knew
had its origin in
that all intellectual culture in the West
Greek antiquity; hence arose
a superiority
that,when once
the Empire was
divided,promptly gave to the Greek portion
the Latin.
a
preponderance over
Nothing, however, was so calculated to stir up the rancor
of the Greeks
against the Latins as the Pope's coronation
of Charlemagne as Emperor of territorythat was
regarded
For
the
an
as
integral part of the Byzantine Empire.
then held the theory, which
Greeks
was
subsequently so
in his De MonarcJiia, that the cause
elaborated by Dante
of Caesar was
the cause
of Christ and that the perfectionof
the Church
presupposed the integrityof the Empire and
The

result

that

was

side

ranked

Greek

' ' ^"

i"

The

Churches

Separated from Rome,

p. 151

(by

L.

Duchesne,

New

York,

1907).
"For

three

"Latin
to

the

last

lingeredon.
and
UM

as

tongue

centuries

remained

the
of

days

But
.

Greek

foundation

alternative

Latin
displaced

even

for

survivals
from

under

language
all

of New
law

government,

was

religion; and,
an

the

after

tongue of
the Empire

of

the

its

the

law

but
.

in

use

beginning

Justinian

purposes,

infusion of Latin technical

terms.
the tongue of Constantinoplewas

of

Rome," writes
warfare;

and

himself,
of Rome.
not

Save

thoroughly

"

that
the

it

down
still

character
of

tongue

began to
Gradually

till it had

Freeman,
and

ture
litera-

into
creep
Greek
the

received

large

infusion
this technical Latin
Greek.
The strange spectacle
of New
Romans, a Patriarch

there to be seen
of an
Emperor of the
Rome, a Roman
and
ing
derivSenate and
People glorying in the Roman
name,
tlieir whole political
existence
Roman
from
whose
but
in
a
source,
eyes the
ipi^ch of Ennius and Tacitira and Claudian
of
idiom
the
was
despised
simply
heretic* and barbarians."
wettern
Historical
Essays, Third Series, pp. 248,
240 (London, 1879).
wat

THE
harmonious

CHURCHES

OF

relations between

therefore,the

Roman

THE

Pope

Patriarch

EAST

and

set up

325

Emperor. When,
rival Augustus in

the person of Charlemagne and divided the Roman

Empire,
from
which, under Justinian, extended
the Euphrates to
the Pillars of Hercules, he was
in the estimation
of the

Byzantines guilty
alone had

of

high

treason.

Claiming

that

they

the direct line of imperial continuitythey would

recognize Charlemagne as anything more

than
**a
barbarian
King of a barbarian people.'' To what extent
the establishment
of the Empire in the West
contributed
to existing friction and to the fatal rupture between
New
and Old Rome, which
Rome
occurred
seventy years later,is
of speculation,but it can
a matter
scarcelybe doubted that
its effect on the exacerbated
far
temper of the Greeks was
greater than is usually imagined.
Although, during the first ^ve centuries of its existence,
never

^"

the

Constantinoplehad

of

See

with Rome, the

communion

* *

several

Great

times

Schism,

"

been

out

it is

as

called,

inaugurated until Photius,with the connivance

the Byzantine Emperor, iniquitouslyusurped the
not

was

Rome.

of New
891

again

was

peace

Churches.

Western

After

the death

restored

schism

the

But

and
For

but

after
* *

the mortal

the Luther
an

in

1050, thrown

unknown

20

great
language they
968, he went
declare, "the
the
and

that

of the

the

at

^who

"

' '
"

has

^had been

an

and
he

Emperor
laws

sacred

most

exasperation

dered
engen-

been

called

moldering
was
again,

Constantine
of the

of

IX

Church,

left

at

to

imperial scepter,
Rome

been

is evinced by the
the Pope's action
of
Archbishop
Cremona,
when, in
Luitprand,
embassy to Constantinople. "But," they indignantly
St. Constantine
that
ferred
transsillyPope does not know

their

addressed
on

had

and

the Byzantine Church

grave when
into schism by the overweening ambition

was

mad

Eastern

in

and

Church

Cerularius,whom

How

the

that

of Photius

remains

in violation

had,

of the Orthodox

in

Michael

than

littlemore

archate
Patri-

animosities,jealousies
healed
only temporarily.
century and a half had elapsed

by the misunderstandings
ambitions, of centuries was
a

of

of this intruder

between

of

all the

only

vile

senate

and

creatures

bird-catchers,bastards, plebeiansand

slaves."

the
such

whole

Roman

army

hither,

fishermen, pastrycooks,
Cf. Fortescue, op. cit.,p. 94.
as

BERLIN

FROM

326

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

Constantinople as. its Patriarch.

Cerularius,it must here be observed,
Neither Photius nor
of controverted
questions of
instigatedschism because
dogma. Photius caused it by his shameless usurpation of

he

But

was

satisfiedto be Primate
ambition

led him

was

nothing

less than

he

to be

was

the

at

in which

and

head

supreme

be subservient

actuated

was

something far higher. This

founding of a theocracyof which

to aim

and

larius,
Constantinople.Ceru-

by similar
not, like his schismatic predecessor,
of the Byzantine Church.
His pride

oppositionto Rome,

in his

motives.

of

Patriarch

of the lawful

See

the

of

See

the

into

foisted

to the Church.

This

the

State

theocracy was

to

was

to be the

Caesaropapism which had flourished almost

At
one
uninterruptedly since the death of Constantine.
time, indeed, Cerularius thought seriouslyof uniting the
imperial and the patriarchal functions and proclaiming
himself the Emperor-Patriarch of the Roman
.^^
Empire.
He began to wear
purple shoes, one of the Emperor's prerogatives
the priesthood in his
and to join royalty and
Michael Prellos,who knew
him well and who
own
person.
wrote a valuable history of this period,informs us in referring
antithesis of the

to Cerularius:

from
But

his mouth

'*In his hands

issued

Cerularius'

he

held the

cross

while

imperiallaws."

ambition

the

of his

undoing.
Like Photius he was
made
Patriarch
by the Emperor. Like
Photius he was
deposed from his exalted positionby imperial
authority and sent into exile on the charge of high
treason.
But, although he failed in his stupendous scheme
to make
himself the Emperor-Patriarch of the East, he
successful where Photius fell short
was
in definitively
arating
septhe Greek
from
the Latin
Church
and by perpetuating
was

cause

"

the most
the Church

disastrous

of Christ.

It

schism
was

which

for this

*'

has

ever

unheard

befallen
of offence

and

injurydone to the Holy Apostolic and First See'' that

the Papal Legates in Constantinople,
who
tried to the last
to prevent schism,pronounced Cerularius and his adherents
"

Of. U

Bchi9me

Oriental

du

JI

BiMe,

p. 276

(by

L.

Brehier, Paris, 1899).

THE
Anathema

CHURCHES

OF

Maran-atha."

Their

bull of excommunication
Videat

Deus

These
and

words

July 16,

last words

327

after

layingthe
Sophia were

the altar of Santa

on

in which

they called

uttered

were

1054.

brief interval

EAST

judicet.

et

judge

THE

The
^has

"

nine

at

Great

Schism

to witness

in the

which"

since continued

ever

God

upon
o'clock

morning,

aside

unbroken

from

then

was

faitaccompli.

No

had

sooner

the schism

fact,than
the Western
of

God-fearingmen

Church

closing

of Cerularius

become

of both

set to work

an

plished
accom-

the Eastern

to devise

and

ways

and

means

the

The
deplorable breach.
Popes especially
lost sight of their erring .children to the east of the
never
From
Adriatic.
the fateful sixteenth
of July, 1054, until
the present, they have made
efforts innumerable
to bring
about a reunion
the tragicallyseparated churches.
between
With
this object in view, two General
Councils were
vened,
conthe Second
Council of Lyons in 1274 and the Council
of Florence

But

in 1439.

since the
erected

been

This

outrage made

history of

Now

could
showed

of art which

the

done.
he

that

crash

had

wanted

schism,

it

is the

Communion.

patriarchs.
Cerularius'
28

She

If

they
example,

lost

has
her

struck

never

destruction

able
unpardonin the

shocking events

ment
establish-

oneself

the

else

what
if

the

ever

man

erec-

Legates
clearly

had
He
municated
already excomdiptychs. We should note that
Church
pronounced against the

off the
Roman

it

excommunicated
it

communion

the

sade.
Cru-

Cerularius.

was

Pope by taking his name

the
that
only sentence

seemed

Fourth

this

long enough, and,

waited

the
Eastern

of the

attended

asks

"one

come

had

They

had

of the horrible

wholesale

of the most

it one

which

capital." Then, too, there was the

Latin
Empire in Constantinople and

that

have

and

barrier

the

of the

op.

soldiers

of

of the choicest works

the result

was

Constantinople by the
The
cruelties,
massacres,

sack

this

schism, a new
and the West,

the East

between

insurmountable.

almost

22

of the

outbreak

Pope's

was

from

name

because
their

as

such

nor

the

other

they too, following

diptychs." Fortescue,

cit.,p. 185.

Although
the

persisted

Innocent

Crusaders
in

for

declaring

III, preacher of the

their
that

perfidy
His

and

Holiness

Crusade,

treachery,
was

the

the

real

cated
excommuni-

promptly

Greeks, nevertheless,
cause

of

their

fortunes.
mis-

States in

tion of Frankish

Christian
it

they convened

when

to all the

Byzantines,made

existed,a reunion

and

successful

all the

Notwithstanding, however,

less
ruth-

almost

this,added
in the

issue

of the

hopeless.
of

causes

delegates

long rankled

so

fathers

of the assembled

deliberations

Greek

Florence

Lyons and

at

of friction that had

causes

of the

hearts

of the

stillfresh in the minds

was

This

sovereign rights of
cruelty that accompanied

of the

all the wanton

and

power

Palestine.

Syria and

the Latins

ignoring by

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

328

that

rancor

effected by each of the Councils but

was

only a very short time. For no sooner

did the people of Constantinople hear of the action of the
be called
Council of Lyons than,exercisingwhat should now
in insurrection
the right of referendum, they rose
against
it. As a result,however, of the reunion brought about by
the Council of Florence, the Byzantine Church
remained, at
least nominally, in communion
with the Holy See for a
from
1439 to 1472.
It was
period of thirty-threeyears
taken by
during this fateful time that Constantinoplewas
in each

it lasted

case

"

under

the Turks
The

Conquest

turning point
the Great

was

Sultan
Bent

Mohammed

had

for

of

in

almost
Constantinoplewas
the history of the Byzantine

Schism

of Photius

the

the schismatic

leader

to have

view

Byzantines

although at
sooner

great

Church

Cerularius.

For

as

the

possession of the city when he

the anti-Papal party, one
George

of

of the Catholic Powers

No

and

as

scarcely taken

Scholarios,
and, with

seems

II.

had

over

winning

him

to his rule

of the West, he had

the time

been

of

of his

togetherwith
as

him

against that
made

arch,
Patri-

appointment Scholarios

layman.

the Sultan

Greeks

against Rome

around

their Patriarch

than

championed
they

at

and, in words

once

of

the

cause

of the

exultingly rallied

deepesthatred

and

wildest
than
with

shouted: ^^Rather the Siiltan's turban

fanaticism,
the Pope's tiara.'' They have had their choice
but
what long centuries of degradation and
ignominy I

Neither the Patriarch

nor

his followers had

to wait

long

THE
before

CHURCHES

to the

for him

and

EAST

329

See of

handed

Moslem

their eyes.
For no
sooner
direction of the Sultan, been

the

the her at -diiploma'*"

and

pointed
ap-

sent

which

defined

prerogatives as Patriarch

Government.

scarcelyhad

had

Constantinoplethan Mohammed

him

his duties

were

the

THE

the scales fell from

Scholarios,under

what

OF

But

he been invested

this

with

all.

not

was

under

For

the

signs of his spiritual

than
the unfortunate
Patriarch
jurisdiction
was
given to
that he was
understand
than
nothing more
a
puppet in
the hands
of his Moslem
who
master
could depose him
at
will.

Each

of his

Constantinople has

been

humiliating ceremony
their

To

since

successors

that

obliged

to

time

in the

submit

to

See

the

of

same

of investiture.

J^

intense

chagrin the Patriarchs

learned
soon
that their appointment had to be followed by
furthermore
Sultan of a large sum
of money;
that their
a gift to the
of office would
tenure
rarely exceed two years ; that they
for others who
could be deposed to make
room
forced
were
^^

similar

to pay

exorbitant

for their

sums

appointment

; that

they might be deposed and reappointed no fewer than five

times and at each appointment to the office from which they
be obliged to renew
had been deposed, they would
the enormous
bribe to their arbitrary and rapacious overlord.
The result was
simony of the worst kind,for,in order to
obtain the money
tyrant for their
required by the Moslem

appointment, the subservient Patriarchs resorted to the

tans.
sellingof benefices to priests and bishops and metropoliTo

such

things of God
the Orthodox

24

According

to

simony has long made

reproach and a scoff,an example

been

carried

Church

'*a

the

Vizier who, in the Sultan's

name,
Patriarch.
As to bishops-electit was
herat
25
no
a

that

gave

the

herat

to

the

the

was

Grand

appointed

newly

obligatory that they should receive

government before their consecration.
and
1625
1700, there
Thus, during the seventy-fiveyears between

half.

XVI,

than

50

Compare

Pius
"

their

the

from

fewer

years

on

subsequentlyprevailed it

that

custom

this sacrilegioustraffic in the

had

extent

an

IX, and

patriarchs whose
this

Leo

with
XIII

just thirty-sixtimes

question.

the

long reign

whose
as

tenure

average

long

"

average
that
as

of

office

seventy-two
tenure
of the

of

was

years
office was

unfortunate

a
"

year

were

and

of

Gregory
twenty-four

Patriarchs

in

and

astonishment

an

round

are

her.*'

about

Sultan,

or,

based

racial

on

augmented by

an

jealousiesand

the

enormous

and

"

with

untold

antagonisms.

subserviency of

Church

of the Orthodox

of

confronted

himself

found

soon

the

bribe for his pointmen

apto his subjugationto the Sublime
Porte,

Vizier and by the payment

Owing

of

Primate

the

as

did

"

(Ecumenical

is
Byzantine Church
not end with his degrading investiture by the
more
was
frequentlythe case, by his Grand
as

Patriarch"
called

of the

humiliations

and

troubles

the

But

he

that

nations

the

among

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

330

the Phanar

the readiness

"

difficulties
These

were

the Vatican

which

Phanar-

ish
always exhibited to become the agents of Turkespeciallythose
oppression of their fellow Christians
the policy of the Phanar
because
It was
in the Balkans.

iot^ Greeks

"

identical with

was

the Sultan

evinced

the

in the

of Greek

war

any

This

kind

of

of dependenc

strikingly

was

Independence, as

Parliament

enemies

one

of the

to declare the Church

was

to be

different states

in the Balkans.

themselves

their

that the

autocephalous.
example of Greece was subsequently followed

The

freed

Porte

Byzantine Patriarch.

first acts of the Greek

in Greece

of the

unwillingto acknowledge

were
on

that

from

independence of

Turkish
the

For
rule

no

than

(Ecumenical

by the
had they
sooner
they proclaimed

Patriarch.

cal,
things ecclesiastiwhich
the various
nations
of southeastern
Europe so
a great
conspicuouslyexhibited during the last century was
blow to the Phanar, but it was
this same
kind of nationalism
This Philetism

that

"

the chief

was

Roumania,

Serbia

^love of

cause

one

's

race

"

of the Greal

in

Schism.

Greece

and

and

Bulgaria, and Russia, long before

than had the Orthodox
any of them, had done nothing more
Church
when
it separated itself from
with
communion
Rome.
as

was

heresy.

which
the

It

had

Pope

"

in vain that the Phanar

It

was

but the reassertion

led the (Ecumenical

the construingof

announced

Philetism

of the national

Patriarch

to rebel

idea

against
it into the principlecujus regio

332

FROM

there

were

BERLIN

Slavs

majority were

being

All this

ambitious
has

nearly one-half were

case, the Russians, who

Russians.

the

for

arrived

not

ask

that

It has read

the

the

assume

Church.

Nor

wall

is

of the

purposes

shall find

Church

the Russian

as

soon

as

to

aspirationsand
the writingon the

and

whether

Holy Synod

entire Orthodox

Holy Synod.

fully as

are

themselves

headship of the
supreme
the Phanar
ignorant of the

the

of Photius

in the time

the Greeks

beginning to

Cerularius,are
time

monks,

and

the

were

as

five hundred

and

thousand

seven

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

and

knows

leader with

intense
national
and
spirit of
towering ambition
projectof the Holy Synod
Photius, the fondly-entertained
will be quickly realized,that the primacy of the Orthodox
the

transferred

will be

Church

will then

be

prestigeof

the

and

that the power

to Moscow

little

than

more

Petrograd, and

or

the CEcumenical

of his first

those

were

arch
Patri-

the humble
he was
suffragan of the
predecessor when
The
Great Church
the official
Metropolitan of Heraclea.
of Constantinople ^will
designation of the Patriarchate
"

"

then

have

shared

Alexandria
of the

which, in

Mother

will the

the

Church

of their

Hellas

reconstructed

its

as

There

are

the lover
than

**

Imperial Rome.
be

Great
that

Idea"

"

the rivals

And

the idea of

shall embrace

then, too,

from

rudely wakened

and

the

tastic
fan-

great and

the Balkans

and

capitalthe Queen City of the Bosphorus.

few things in the historyof the Church, which

of Christian
the

Unity

and

peace

finds

more

clandestine

that led to the Great

than
and

of Antioch

days of their glory,were

of

aspiringGreeks

dream

have

the fate of the Churches

intriguesand open
Schism ; few thingsthat

the incessant

machinations

ecclesiastics who

fatal dissensions which

were

were
so

the

cause

ing
sadden-

antagonism
are

more

of those
of

creditabl
dis-

ticians
poli-

all those

dox
characteristic of the Ortho-

Church

during the nineteenth century and have led to

that widespread disintegration
to
which, there is reason
fear,is just beginning. While one can have no sympathy
with the authors of these disastrous

schisms

in the

just ret-

THE

CHURCHES

ribution which

has been meted

pitying the countless

who,

in

and

further

the

State

EAST

them,

one

are,

among

and

her

help

to reflect in their lives the

In

"

hold

cannot

the

teaching of the gospel of their Eedeemer.

wherever
the Orthodox
Greece, in Asia Minor
retains

333

clergy and laity

caused
unpardonable scandals
by
nevertheless,earnestly strivingto

of Christ

cause

THE

out to

thousands

spite of the

Church

OF

children

Eussia,
Church

in

still

fied
help being edimerable
by the piety,the zeal,the deep religiousspiritof innuwho
thousands
not only ignorant of the cause
are
a

of the schism

on

that

cannot

one

"

separates them

from

the Church

of Rome

also

been in schism.
ignorant that they have even
Of those,however, who
are
acquainted with the origin of
the Great
there are
Schism
who
ardently hope and
many
that it may
be healed.
For they have learned by
soon
pray
long and sad experience the truth of the words of St. John
^with the possibleexception of St. GregChrysostom who
ory
the most
Nazienzen
illustrious prelate who ever
was
ruled the See of Constantinople:
Nothing can hurt the
but

are

"

"

'*

Church

much

so

Reunion

of

During

wanderings
in Greece

travels

interest to

me

attempted reunion
of Rome.

When

Moscow

was

in the Near

and Russia, a
that

of the

of the Eastern

^"

with

the

Holy

See

East, as during previous

ing
question of ever-absorblong-desiredand often-

Churches

with

the Church

I contemplated the majestic temples of

of pious worshipers
surging multitudes
and monasteries
of
examined
the statelyconvents
mates;
of devoted.God-fearing inwith their vast number
I marveled
when
at the shiploads of Russian
grims
pil-

Petrograd
and

Churches

Eastern

the

my

love of power."

as

with

their

at

great

who

expense

and

with

great discomfort

annually visited the Holy Land and noted the sumptuous

hospices and shrines that their government has there
I beheld the desecrated
erected for them ; when
temples of
the Greeks, during
and recalled how
Hellas and Anatolia
26

Horn.

II

in

Ephesioa.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

334

long centuries of oppression and degradation ^when they

had everythingto gain by apostasy preserved intact the
Church and augmented that vast army
faith of the Orthodox
"

"

when

jjlood
"

years ever
have
we

all

with

this,there

the fateful schism

question,*^Will

ever-recurrent

As

recollected

and

saw

Christ

their belief in

sealed

who

of martyrs

their
the

was

of

sand
thou-

be healed T'

already

seen,

last reconciliation

the

of the

cil
Holy See took place at the CounOn this occasion,also,the Coptic,
in 1439.
of Florence
Churches
Abyssinian, Jacobite, Maronite, and Armenian
wholly or partiallyunited with the great Mother
were
Church, from which they had so long been separated. It

their

origin. But
based

been

had

the

that the Uniate

then

was

with

Church

Orthodox

Churches

already referred

the reunion

as

of the Orthodox

politicalrather

on

to had

Church

ecclesiastical

than

of short duration, for it was

pudiated
formally regrounds it was
by the Byzantines in 1472, nineteen years after
the occupation of Constantinople by the Ottoman
army
Mohammed

under

the

Conqueror.

But, although the reunions

so
Lyons and Florence were

effected

at

the

Councils

of

short-lived,the hope of an
eventual
and enduring reunion
has always been cherished
not only by the Latins but by an
influential body of the
Orthodox

Church

efforts to

recent

as

secure

the (Ecumenical
two
years

In

decades

well.

ago,

It will sufficehere to refer to two

reunion

one

"

of which

made

was

by

Patriarch, Joachim
III, a little less than
made
and one
by Pope Leo XIII a few

earlier.
a

noted

addressed
encyclical

Churches,the
the
and

Church

(Ecumenical

Patriarch

question of reunion
charitable

and

his

of

references

again be reunited evince a

whose sole object was
spirit,
the
it,would

Orthodox

requested them

Christendom.

His

to

sider
con-

teous
cour-

in this letter to the Latin

expressed hope that it

may

he conceived

to the divers

of

and

the

Orthodox

deeply religious
of Christ,which, as
cause
be immensely advanced
by the restoman

THE
ration

CHURCHES

of Church

from

the

unity.
Church

sister

Patriarch

of

OF
But

the

those

"

Constantinople

EAST

335

replieswhich

he received

in

communion

with

convinced

soon

"

efforts in the direction of the

THE

proposed reunion

the

him

that

were

doomed

his

to failure.

In his famous
of
'*

1894, to

Leo

tenderness
word

the
**

XII**

Princes
and

wayward

encyclicalP rcBclara"
"

and

addressed

was

error-bound

children

in words

salvation

He

spread

lovingly to the
the whole world";

over

he declares:
few

*'No

sees

; to the

and

had

In

20,

surpassing

refers

resplendent historyof their venerable

who had occupied the Chair of Peter
Church
by their learning and virtue.
for

of

solicitude.

sensitive.^^

tament
Tes-

speaks to his

There
deepest paternal
reproach, not a singleexpression to wound

most

**

June

on

Peoples,*'His Holiness

and

of

whence

^which

a^tly called the

his

even

East,
to the

Greeks

edified the

plea

great gulf separates

is not

us;

for

union
re-

except

smaller

points we agree so entirelywith you that

it is from your
and rites that we
teaching, your customs
often take proofs for Catholic dogma.**
And
referring
to certain
unfounded
charges that had often been made
against the Holy See, he declares in the most positiveterms
that no Pope has the slightest
desire to diminish the dignity
and rights of any
of the great Patriarchates
of the East.
And as for their venerable
*^we shall,**
he assures
customs
them, provide in a broad and generous
spirit.'*
a

^"

**

Had

the occupant
been imbued

of the

Patriarchal

See

spiritof his illustrious countryman,

Bessarion, who labored so strenuously for

Cardinal

with

the

Church

reunion

actuated

by a tithe of the zeal and charity and

distinguishedthe great St. Athanasius

that
27

his

so

"The
heart

28

"Eo

ex

Mgr.
almost

of

Duchesne
say,

he

Florence, and had he been

love of peace
of Alexan-

beautifully declares, "has

had
put only his heart

put all
into

it."

41.

vel

excipias, sic
raro

at the Council

Holy Father/' as
into it; I might

Op. oit.,p.

of Constantinople

non
seiunguntur: imo, si pauca
ingenti discrimine
vindiciis
non
consentimus, ut in ipsiscatholici nominis
ritibus, quibus orientales
utuntur, testimonia
ex
more,

magis quod
cetera

doctrina,

atque argumenta

ex

promanus."

gentle and noble

receptionand that
to terminate

at

so

an

met

during

which

of

and

ardent

love

reply to

he

as

the gracious
of

successor

zeal for

and

of Christ

well

then CEcumenical

renowned

the

of the Church

long centuries has

was

abusive

that in character

shows

Fisherman

of

this

ere

Churches, as

VII

Rome, Anthimos

appeal

generous

taken

millions of souls redeemed

to untold

offensive and

His

Patriarch.

different

very

been

ten

But, unfortunately for the Eastern

for the Church

have

would

measures

of evil
prolific
infinite price.

been

have

would

letter

schism

Sovereign Pontiff's

to believe that the

dria,there is reason

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FKOM

336

souls and

the very

was

the

site
oppo-

great Pontiff whose overtures he so disdainfully

and so ignominiouslyrejected.
made
Although the efforts to restore union which were
III and Leo XIII were,
apparently, completely
by Joachim
be no doubt that they set people ^both
there can
ineffectual,
clergy and laity to thinking,and that Church unity is now
of the

"

"

it has

realization than

nearer

been

for centuries.

Thanks

between
the East and the
frequent communication
of the press,
West, as well as to the all-powerful agency
the people of the Eastern
Churches
are
beginning to realize
before the extent and magnitude of the frightful
as
never
evils that have been engendered by the Erastianism
and the

to

more

Philetism
the

which

Balkans.

They have

and
dissensions,
and

dominate

so

learned

may

be traced

ecclesiastical authority and

have been forced to become

Comparing
what

their condition

it is now,

from

they find

to

which

of the
have

the

fact that

tools of the

before

the Great

sorrow

that

Schism

they

euphemism for f ossilization ;

be a living,active force,and

long ceased to
only hope of regainingtheir

is to become

reunited with the

erstwhile

with

ing
suffer-

are

is but

an

clergy

government.

development;

have

central

their

arrested

that

their boasted

power

ApostolicSee.

and

hatred,
grieved

so

to their lack of

mere

to their

of Russia

that most

antagonisms

race

afflictedthem

the Churches

and

that

servatism
con-

they

that their

prestige

THE
Those

CHURCHES

who

OF

THE

familiar with the

were

recall the days when

the eminent

the Church

in

Egypt

; when

St.

luminaries

of Asia

entire Church

Minor

that had

of scandal

and

schism

Seminator

but among

the

of the

and

St.

great intellectual
doctors

pondering these
been

honor

Mesopotamia ; when
Gregory of Nyssa,

the

be numbered

now

less

of the

facts it may

ambitious

not among

and

sowers

"

di scandalo

who

great Fathers

good

St.

Damascene

the revered

Photius

religioushe might

more

and

were

And

reflected such

St. John

and

of Christ.

to them

occur

Nazianzen

Gregory

the past will

saints and scholars Athana-

the glory of Syria

Ephrem were
St. Basil, St. John
Chrysostom,

and

337

historyof

sius,Clement, and Cyril of Alexandria

on

EAST

di scisma

were

and the sacred

name

^"

ever-zealous

union

moters
pro-

of the Church

Universal.

They will

also recall the

and disconcerting
disillusioning
fact that since the very
beginning of schism, the Eastern
Church, to quote the words of Dean Stanley,**has produced
lence.
Christian benevohardly any permanent works of practical
With
few exceptions,its celebrated names
are
very
invested
to open
It seems
with no
stirringassociations.
field of interest to travelers
and antiquarians, not to
a
As a rule there has arisen
philosophers or historians.
in the East no
societylike the Benedictines,held in honor
table
chariwherever
literature or civilization has spread; no
orders
like the Sisters of Mercy, which
light
carry
and peace into the darkest haunts of sufferinghumanity.
...

' ' ^^

29

Inferno

^0

Lectures

The

XXVIII,
on

testimony

the

35.

History of

of Professor

Eastern
Church, pp. 2, 30 (London, 1861).
the
Gelzer, likewise a Protestant, is almost

the

H.

of
establishments
Stanley. Writing of the monastic
Orders
the Catholic
pertinently inquires: "While
in the
an
as
important element
teaching and nursing bodies have become
have
civilization
nineteenth
of the
or
Athos, Sinai, Patmos
century, what
often bitterly complain of the mighty
Megaspilion been doing? The Greeks
of Catholic
propaganda, but they must themselves admit that the best
progress
schools
Von
and
Eeiligen
hospitals in Turkey belong to the Catholic Orders."
Makendonien,
Berge und aus
p. 2 (Leipsig,1904).

same

the

as

that

Orthodox

of

Dean

Church

he

So far

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

338

intellectuallife is concerned

as

BABYLON

they

will find that

to the great
apply with equal truth even
monastic republicof Mount Athos, which, during the Middle
noted a center of Greek learning. For, sad
so
Ages, was

words

the above

finds

relate,one

to

and

decay

there

even

its

elsewhere, and

as

the

intellectual apathy

same

and

seven

thousand

more

against scholarship as when

they indignantlyrazed the school which Eugenius Bulgaris,
the greatest Greek scholar of the eighteenthcentury, had

monks

to-day

are

as

established in their

there

set

dead

behoof.

own

It is the recollection of all these

in

misery the happy

time''

^*the remembering

things
"

with

combined

"

to the Church

invitation of Leo XIII to return

generous
of their fathers,that has swelled the ranks

and

Church
party in the Orthodox
^who have
Latin-favorers
AaT":iv6"t)opovT"c
it to

who

would

use

of the Czar

the Erastianism

groaned under

as

the

always deplored
all their influence to bring
This
party, which has long

early termination.

an

long-

"

"

and

of that
known

existent

schism

the kind

of the Sublime

tism
the absolu-

and

Porte, is only biding its time

to

seize

opportunity to return to its allegianceto the Pope.

Professor
an
Harnack, whose
competency to express
opinion in this matter no one will question, declared in a
notable
of Leo
the encyclicalPraecala
on
pronouncement
an

XIII

that:

People

who

patrioticRussian
of the

Russia

understand

party

country, in Moscow

people,that hopes

for

rather

or

"

and

know

tendency

among

movement

there

that
the

of their

"

is

in the heart

most

educated
in the

Church

direction of the Western

that is of the Roman, not
Church
the EvangelicalCommunion
^who work
for this and who
"

"

in it the only hope of Russia.

This party manifests its
ideas in writing,so far as circumstances
in Russia
allow,
and has already shown
that it possesses
of unusual
men
see

talent,warm
to the Greek

love of their country and undoubted

Church.
They have also considered

shall reconcile

Russia's

traditions

and

devotion
how

they

world-power with

FROM

340

is

It

of

words

''stood
with

with

Ilavoov

frequently

more

be

may

also

they

""P8alm8,

xliv:

Sovereign
singulare

quod

ad

ei

adorare

the

in

nascenti,

fortaase

quum

dispares
et

lectissimi

Magi

quod
ex

eum."

St.

""8t.

Paul
John's

to

the

Ephesians,

Gospel,

xvii:

iv

20,

in

notam

Apostolorum

obsequii

21.

in

repeated

St.

Basil's

"Grant

that

"

did

never

touching

in

fancy
of

words

that
.

Our
all

they

and

Me,

unity

in

that

Thee;

^'^

aliud

obsequium

"

God,"

pray

in

Us."

"Neque

ipsa

ex

"I

Father,

one

prsebent

linguae,

est

reechoed

catholicitatis

imitationem

exhibitum

hear

the
and

"the

to

eKKXyjoiojv

tuv

passion:

East,
caused,

supplication

the

And

10,
"ad

Pontiff,

vestuBtatis
fere

be

may

Near

return

of

Son

the

cease."

Thou,

as

one,

to

may

his

before

Saviour

surrounded

everywhere

many

axia\iaTa

ra

schisms

Church

of

fervor

renewed

liturgy:

of

knowledge

the

ever

has

schism

tendency

growing
and

faith

"*

Church"

"

the

in

travels

my

that

ravages

the

noted

during

observed,

frightful

Christ

of

clothing;

gilded

XIII

Ecclesiarum

the

queen"

the

variety.""

As

of

in

hand

right

Thy

on

''The

Psalmist:

the

Leo

bride

the

to

of

Pope

Dignitas

applies

and

highly

liturgies,

some

that

Orientalium

encyclical
so

represent

Church

the

and

rituals

eastern

of

BABYLON

AND

languages,

traditions

them

praises
the

ancient

noted

his

in

venerable

several

sacred

most

the

because

their

in

TO

BAGDAD

BERLIN

13.

varii

mirabiliua
Ecelesia

est,"
Dei

caeremoniarum
Patrum
Christi

Orientis

declares

illustrandam,
formse

consuetudine
divino

plagis

the
quam

nobilesque
nobiliares;

Ecclesise

devecti

auctori,
venerunt

CHAPTER
NINEVEH

XIV

AND

ITS

WONDERS

Here

Assyria, and
Araxes
As

far

And

her

and

the

Caspian Lake;
to south

the
inaccessible,

hounds,

thence

east, Euphrates

oft beyond;

And,

hehoWst

empire's ancient

Indus

as

thou

on

west,

the Persian

Arabian

hay

drouth;

her wall
Here, Nineveh, of length
Several
days* journey, built by Ninus
old,
Of that firstgolden monarchy
the seat,
within

And

of Salmanassar,

seat

Israel

in

long captivity
Milton

in the

Wrapt
found

ourselves

that

Mosul

connects

Horses
Turks

and

in imminent
The

Tigris.
the

How
we

and

the
And

of

garb

vociferous

how
to

But

we

explore
in

were

the

Mosul.

We

sons

our

of St.

first-hand

information

condition

of the

to be

into

the

bridge

Nineveh.

shouting,

unwashed

constantly

swift-flowing

multiplicity of tongues
on

the

the

swaying

and

clamorous
the

crams

of

ing
creak-

and
outer

mounds

the

on

colored
vari-

bridge

to

respond

us

persistent temptation
there, with
a

rare

regarding

people

of

this
341

of

the

part

the

to

interrupt

assistance

opportunity
social
of

and

Asia

invitation

proud capital of Assyria

once

Dominic,

bank

to visit them

silent

to the

had

Mosul,

eastern

insistentlybeckoning

had

in

delightful sojourn

site of the

the

of

we

Stamboul.

we

resisted

scholarly

and

always

mysterious
were

morning,

pontoon

seemed

shoved

throng

that

and

eager

crowded

who

recalled

strikingly

the

Regained/'

long-buried city

Arabs,

variety

Tigris which

and

work

on

and

the

being

often, during

gazed

shaky

of

Galata

mourns.

jostled heaving,

multitude
between

success

bright October

danger

motley and
bridge

of

with

camels

Kurds

and

the

on

still

''Paradise

air

crispy

whose

of

of

our

the

getting

economical
and

of

com-

BERLIN

FROM

342

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

investigations,begun almost at the inception

journey, respecting the various schismatic churches
vations
East.
Not, then, until we had completed our obserin Mosul
and coordinated
our
impressions, could

pletingour
of

our

of the

be induced

we

self-imposedtask.

suspend our

to

We

wished

on
completely off our hands in order that, once
historic soil of Nineveh, we
might indulge in reverie

it

to have
the

let

without

or

hindrance.

we
were
ready to visit the ruins of Nineveh,
When, finally,
can
the good fortune to have with us a learned Dominiwas
ours
familiar with the early history
of Mosul, who was
as
of the famous
with the
old Assyrian metropolis as he was
which
excavations
during the last two generations have
that have been the
revealed
artistic and literarytreasures
marvel
and the delight of the world.
We
could not have
had a more
enthusiastic guide among
or
a more
intelligent
the devious
which
led to the sites of ancient temples
ways
and palaces,whose
existence
until
was
absolutelyunknown
uncovered
by the pick and spade of the archaeologistbut a

few

decades

How

ago.

strange

through

the

it seemed

of passages

maze

as

threaded

we

that

our

way

led to the locations

of

famous

once

"

also a Dominican
palaces and temples, that it was
brother in religionof our guide ^who first awakened
"

interest in Nineveh

my

years
on

to me,

And

ago.

my

and
It

yet, so vivid

youthful mind

I first came

That

under

that

was

the

was

it

than

more

three

score

impression then
but

seems

the spell of the famed

made

yesterday when
lands of Assyria

Babylonia.
came

about

question"a

in

dear,

simple

very

venerable

man

The

way.
"

had

visited

the

Holy
great pleasure in

Land

shortlybefore I met him, and took

his experiences in the East.
me
telling
Seeing
greatly interested in his narrative
of the Bible.

It

not such

was

thought,as the average

the good priestcould

boy
not

would

have

he gave
a

in

Dominican

me

that

was

tory
large his-

book, I have often since

have

selected

cared
a

work

to read.

But

that would

NINEVEH
have

given me

AND

ITS

WONDERS

343

pleasure" certainly
not one
that would
benefited me
more
deeply or influenced more
foundly
proall my
subsequent reading and study. It was, too,
add, the first book I ever had in my hands outside

have

I must
of my
book !

more

elementary
And

how

school

I read

it

ever-increasinginterest
I read

often

readers.

But

again

again, and

and

and

delight!

how

I do

not

prized that
always with
know

how

it

to cover, but I do know

carefullyfrom cover
that there is only one
other volume
that I have
read more
frequently,and that, after the Bible, is my favorite of all
books

How

"

The

such wise

he

Commedia.

often I have

Domlliican

old

Divina

as

grateful to

the

good

unconsciously directed my studies in

afford me
life-long
pleasure and profit! As
of the repeated reading of the book which

to

in my

of the cradle

to be

reason

who

consequence

placed

had

hands

of

I became

familiar

with

the

history

long before I had entered my

teens, and I felt quite well acquainted with Nineveh
and
Babylon when Athens and Rome
were
yet to me but little
than mere
without
more
names
significance.And, although
interested in many
other subjects,
as I grew
older,I became
I never
lost my early love of sacred history or of the history
and geography of the Near
For
East.
matter
how
no
tinue
occupied I might be, I always contrived to find time to conthe
my

studies

our

race

which

had

such

fascination

for

me

in

early boyhood.
To

the student

ing
Assyrian or Babylonian history,nothis more
impressive than the first view of one of those
which are
so
frequent along the valleys
stupendous mounds
of the Tigris and the Euphrates and in the vast plain between
But
the impression is
Sharein.
Bagdad and Abu

greatly intensified
the happiest days

of

when

the

place visited is
youth and when

associated

with

again
afforded such exquisitepleasdream
the dreams
that once
ure
and such delightfulvisions of long-departed glory and
experience when I first set foot
magnificence. This was
my
the superb structures
the soil that covers
which, in my
on
of

one

*s

one

may

BERLIN

FROM

344

early boyhood, I had

BABYLON

frequentlypicturedin fancy that

had reallywandered
through their

so

that I

seemed

it almost

AND

BAGDAD

TO

sculpture-adornedhalls and had been an actual spectator

of the gorgeous
processionswhich they had so frequently
and

Nineveh

when

witnessed

zenith of her

at the

was

power

greatness.

deeply impressed when I first ascended the

hill on which stood Homer's
Troy, but my emotion was not
I found myself on the crumbling ruins of
when
so great as
than
more
Nineveh, that great city in which there were
I had

been

**

to

twenty thousand

and

hundred

persons

that knew

how

not

distinguishbetween their right hand and their left.''

much
But this is easilyexplained. I was
when
younger
became
acquainted with the enchanting story of Nineveh
^

I first conned

when

than

the

spell-weavingpages

Iliad,

My earlier impressionswere

of the

intimate

exhibited

relation of

in the Sacred

vivid

more

Assyria

the

and, because

to the

interest

Text, my

of

Holy Land, as
was
ingly
correspond-

greater.
I

As
had

contemplated the remains

in tender

dreams

and in mature

study

and

for

had

age

so

the dawn

to

great city which

frequentlythe subjectof

so

I found
reflection,

themselves
which

been

years

of the

been

the

subject of

thousand

so

my

much

thoughts presenting

mind

regarding the great capital

long a period played so important a role during
my

of civilization.
The

Of

days of old return;

world; I
"

the young

I breathe the air

her

giant sons
a gorgeous
pageant in the sky
Of summer's
evening,cloud on fierycloud
Thronging upheaved, before me rise the walls
Of the Titanic city brazen gates,
"

see

Like

"

"

"

Imperial Nineveh,the earthly queen!

In all her

"

No

golden pomp

region in the world has

see

more

^
^""^
""*^
HahJ^'hi^nH^rj^Vi:
w!"./'.*^'^^
Hght band and their
.

left,"is supposed

to

her

now.

venerable

historic

^'**w to distinguishbetween
refer to young
children.

past
their

NINEVEH
that vast

than

Tigris,and
of

no

for

was

influence than

of Genesis,^it was
How

Sennaar.

ITS

centuries

this

ago

who

ruled
our

centuries

before

doubtless

was

the time

of this

foundation, it gradually increased

"

an

the celebrated

empire which

the civilized world.

the Persian

But

it

greatness, when
Gulf

was

and

to the Hittite lands

at

when

it

feared

and

the

to the north

in 707 B. C, collapsed under

and

Medes

the

the

jecture.
con-

code

of

twenty-third
in existence

importance
the whole

at the

hated

of its

pire
Assyrian Em-

embraced
was

mere

the time

in size and

time

the book

great Babylonian

from

capitalof

one

from

in the

greater

the land of

of

in

occurs

lawgiver. It is,however, certain that

until it became

matter

Babylonia

but it

era,

is

was

from

came

mention

over

of

Accordingto

built by Asur, who

long

century before
many

345

the center

Nineveh.

Its first certain

Hammurabi,

WONDEES

territoryenclosed by the Euphrates and the

city in this region, with the possible exception

Babylon,
and

power

AND

zenith

from

the

of

of its

Nile to

scorching deserts of Arabia

of the Taurus, it suddenly,

the

combined

attacks

of the

the Babylonians led by Cyaxares and

Nabopolassar,who left it a smoking ruin,where, according to the

victors,**the words of men, the tread of cattle and sheep
heard no more.
and the sound of happy music
were
the name
of Assyria throughout the
execrated was
How
length and the breadth of western Asia, and how the peoples
she had
whom
rejoiced
so
long plundered and enslaved
when
they heard of the downfall of her capitalis made clear
' '

when

by the prophet Nahum

All who

have

have

clapped their

thy wickedness
But

heard

of the fame

hands

Genesis

x:

11.

of thee
:

[thy destruction]

for upon

whom

hath not

passed continually.^

the Prophet

8iii: 19.

thee

over

Zephaniah,who

the stupendous event, gives

2

he declares

an

even

was
more

contemporary
graphic

of

account

BERLIN

FROM

346

the overthrow

of the

will stretch out

His hands

destroy Assyria and He

[Nineveh] a wilderness and

will make

of hosts

the Lord

the north and

upon
the beautiful city
not passableand

as

will

as

place

desert.

flocks shall lie down

And

BABYLON

metropolis:

far-famed
And

followed

which

of the utter desolation

AND

BAGDAD

TO

in the midst

thereof,all

the

of the nations ; and the bittern and the urchin shall

in the threshold thereof;the voice of the singing bird

beasts

lodge

post, for I will

window, the rave^i on the upper
her strength.
is the gloriouscitythat dwelt in security
; that said

in the
consume

This

in her heart

I am,

there is

and

none

beside

me

how

is she

one
desert,a place for beasts to lie down in? Everyhand.*
that passethby her shall hiss and wag his

become

How
were

prophet
completely these dire words of the Hebrew
verified is evidenced by the fact that when
Xenophon

his Ten

and

the

by

Greeks

two

centuries

covered

the

remains

Thousand
which

mounds

later

passed

of Nineveh's

of being
quite unaware
magnificence,they were
in the immediate
vicinityof the sumptuous palaces and
temples of the erstwhile Queen City of the Tigris.*^
born at Samosata
Lucian, the Greek Voltaire,who was
the Euphrates in the second
on
century after Christ,tells
in one of his satirical dialoguesthat all trace of Nineveh
us
had disappeared. Eepresenting Charon
leave of
on
a
as

one-time

absence

from

the infernal

regions, where he officiated as

ferryman of the dead, and as starting with Hermes, the
Bwift-footed messenger
of the gods, who
acts as his guide,
on

short tour

of this upper

world, he gives us these

two

characteristic paragraphs :

Charon.
much

so

"!l:
"

"

Show

down

the famous

me

below;

The

Nineveh

cities of which
of

we

hear

Sardanapalus and

13-15.

Anahania, Bk.
Thoutand, p. 139

Ill, Chap.
et aeq.

(by

4.

W.

in the Traok
Of. also Tnwela
F. Ainsworth, London, 1844).

of the

Ten

BERLIN

FROM

348

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Father of History," but

only,as Cicero calls him, the
Not only
also the greatest traveler of his time.
he was
did he traverse
a
great part of Asia Minor, Syria, and
*'

not

his

there

but

Egypt,

proceeded
for

allowance

its

on

numerous

picturesquework

and

for

the history of the brilliant Greek

tales,''
will always possess value not only for its matchless

travelers

few

writer

exist in his

which

inaccuracies

and

the Euphrates

Babylon. Making all due

to

strong probabilitythat he extended

peregrinationsto

waters

not

is

'

also for the facts which

stylebut

and its

it contains

tions,
descrip-

evidentlyfrom the pen of an eye witness.

which
to that part of his charming work
I refer especially
treats of Babylon and the culture of its inhabitants.
the great history of Babylonia
Of more
importance was
the
written
by Berosus, a contemporary of Alexander
Great and a priestof Bel in Babylon. Unfortunately we
have only the fragments of this work which have been preserved
by Eusebius, Josephus, and other ancient writers.
But the works
mentioned, as well as those of Ctesias,
Dinon of Colophon, and others,threw but littlelighton the
of Assyria and
civilization and achievements
Babylonia
tion
during their long and eventful history. Detailed informarespecting the development and decline of these two
to come
mighty empires was
only from native annals of
which not even
the existence was
suspected until the latter
which

are

half of the nineteenth

Nor

century.

there before

was

the

the last century

beginning of

certitude regarding the sites of the great Assyrian and

Babylonian cities which had made such a profound impresany

Bion upon
and

temples
of

the

peoples of

the ancient world.

tory
Although histradition still spoke of the grandiose palaces and
of Nineveh

Babylon,

and

of the towers

and

hanging gardens

the

almost
general ignorance which
from
the time of the Arab conquest had prevailed
regarding the
actual sites of
TEven

Babylon

Cicero
deolarei:
fabuUe,"
De

innumerabilcs

"Et

and

Nineveh

apud

not

was

Herodotum,

Legishua Lib. I, Cap.

patrem
I.

until

removed
historiae

sunt

NINEVEH

AND

ITS

WONDEES

349

illustrious Danish

the

scholar,Carsten Niebuhr, proved

that the site of Babylon was
in the vicinity
of the modern
village of Hillah, and the noted
English investigator,
Claudius

James

in 1821 that the mounds

Rich, demonstrated
the left bank of the Tigris,justopposite Mosul, covered
on
all that remained
of the famed cityof Nineveh.^
But even
after the sites of Nineveh
and Babylon had been
it was
identified,
yet to be proved that amid the ruins of
these

famous

which

would

shed

such

once

were

cities there

of

of

Babylon

that

discoveries

This

conclusion

of

The

centers.

cylinderswhich

the mounds

the civilization

light on

noted

travelers

Nineveh

and

confirmed

monuments

of which

potsherds

had

found

and

in and

led scholars

greater value

was

and

records

were

awaited
the

by

the

they
ments
fragabout

to believe

explorer.

finding in

various

covered
with
places of bricks, tablets,and monuments
written in characters which
which were
strange inscriptions
are
now
designated as cuneiform.
It was
ment
Governnot, however, until 1842 when the French
to which the world of science has long been indebted
in
assistance
for intelligent
encouragement and generous
"

of research

branch

every

"

sent Paul

Emil

Botta

to Mosul

ostensibly
appointed to fillthere the newly-createdposition of vicedid not require the service
consul,but, as French commerce
of such an officialat that point,he was
reallydesignated to
that

act

its

decisive

as

results

the head

of

environs.

an

His

were

He

was

and
mission to Nineveh
archaeological
appointment, as subsequent events

writers, it is true, had

Arabian

obtained.

agreed "during

nine

hundred

in
years,
Mosul
with

Tigris opposite
from
meeting with general
vinced
conBotta, was
French
explorer,
acceptance that so late as 1843 the great
of Assyria,
of
II,
King
wonderful
Sargon
the
he uncovered
palace
when
of Khorsabad.
occupiedby the rums
was
B. C. 721-705, that the site of Nineveh
the
teachings of
Layard, "contrary to
But
the noted English investigator,

identifying the
the

ruins

mounds

of Nineveh"

on

but

the

their

east

views

bank

were

of the
so

far

local tradition," was

equally pofitive that
which
is
of
the mound
Nimroud,
under
"the
ruins
famous
the
of
site
Assyrian capital
of the actual
miles
to the south
twenty
of Babylon.
Of .By
which
long the rival and eventually the conqueror
so
was
London,
E.
A.
Wallis
16
Budge,
(by
Nile and
Tigris,Vol. II, p. 8 et seq., 15,

Arabian

1920).

and

and
Syrian historians
buried
were
of Nineveh

BERLIN

FROM

350

proved,was

BABYLON
of

day in the annals

red-letter

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Assyrian

search.
re-

For, not long after his arrival in Mosul, the world

discoveries in the
of his marvelous
thrilled by the news
was
and the report that he was
long-buriedcity of Nineveh
edifices to
the spoils of superb ancient
sending home
*'

cityburied

...

for

for comparison
twenty centuries offered its remains
London
and Paris ; and
with the aspects of modern
of a bygone race
rose
sculpturedmonuments
up to offer
than

more

the
a

of the Louvre.

the treasures

increase

Three

of modern

the works

with

contrast

art.'*

after Botta 's arrival in

years

Mosul, Austen Henry

at Nimroud, a
excavations

Layard began his memorable

to the

short distance

of Nineveh.

south

So

successful

was

Citadel
subsequently at Kuyunjik
^that he was
able to send a larger and a
of Nineveh
soon
collection of antiquities to the
British
valuable
more
and

here

he in his work

"

"

that

which

with

Museum

than

Louvre.

Great, indeed, was

England

when

Nineveh

were

capitalwhich
other trace

had

excitement

enriched

the

in France

and

of the

long-buried palaces of
placed on exhibition and when people had
of that famed
Assyrian
eyes tangible evidence

their

before

the

Botta

the treasures

for

than

more

of its existence

of fabulous

wealth

twenty centuries

than

name

which

had
was

left
a

no

nym
syno-

and

magnificence.
In a work
published shortly after Botta and Layard had
electrified the world
by their startlingdiscoveries,a wellknown
English scholar,speaking of the unearthing of
Nineveh, wrote :
More

than

unknown

two

grave,

thousand
when

had it thus
years
French
and
savant
a

English scholar,urged by
of the

seat

found

noble

lain in its

wandering
sought the
inspiration,

powerful empire, and, searching till they

the dead city,threw off its shroud of sand and ruin
once

and

revealed

the

temples, the palaces,the idols;the representationsof

"The

Buried

once

more

to

City of the East:

an

astonished

Nineveh, Preface

and

curious

(London, 1851).

world

NINEVEH
and

war

the
The

AND

triumphs
Nineveh

of

of

ITS

WONDERS

peaceful art

of the ancient

Scripture,the

historians ; the Nineveh

in a civilization of
pomp

351

Nineveh

of the oldest

twin-sister of Babylon

"

and

all traces

power,

rians.
Assy-

^glorying

"

of which

believed to be gone ; the Nineveh, in which the captive

tribes of Israel had labored and wept, was, after a
sleep

were

of

twenty centuries,again brought to light. The proofs

of ancient splendor were
again beheld by living eyes, and,
and the pen of antiquarian
by the skill of the draftsman
travelers,made known to the world/"
Notices

like this which

periodicalliterature

frequentlyappeared

had

the

in books

and

effect of

excitingwidespread
for the advancement
enthusiasm
of Assyrian research.
Societies were
organized for promoting excavations on a
feasible for the first explorers,who
larger scale than was
were
greatly hampered by the lack of adequate funds, and
of the archaeologists
for giving due publicityto the work
most
in the field. The results were
gratifying,for it was
the mounds
of
not long before explorers were
investigating
Babylonia as well as those of Assyria.
the direction of George Smith
and
Meantime, under
Ormuzd

Rassam,

Nineveh

were

mounds

the

made

to

which

covered

yield further

the

site of

which

treasures

were

extraordinary as any which had been brought to

let
lightby Botta and Layard. A discovery by Smith of a tabdeluge,
supposed, to the Noachian
relating, it was
destined
to
that Assyrian archaeologywas
convinced
many
incalculable aid in the study of Sacred
render
Scripture.
Although its apologeticvalue subsequently proved to be

quite as

of
by some
greatly overestimated
it
of Assyrian antiquities,
students
the

that

only

not

new
on

science
the

Old

destined

was

Testament

the

became

soon

to throw

but

also

enthusiastic

more

flood of light

the

on

manifest

history of

greatest nations of the ancient world.

We
experiencedspecialpleasure in exploringthe mounds

the

^0

to

yineveh

the

and

Elucidation

Its Palaces.

The

of Holy Writ,

Discoveries

p. i et seq.

of Botta

(by

and

J. Bonomi,

Layard Applied
London, 1862).

the remains

covered

which

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

352

BABYLON

imperialNineveh.

of

There

was

either of interest
to see which was
much
not, truth to tell,
ported,
value, for everythingof importance, that could be transor

Yunus

of Nebi

the mound

On

of

museums

Europe

as

they had been disinterred.

as

soon

to the

forwarded

been

had

Prophet

"

Jonas

ited
vis-

^we

"

the Moslems
declare contains the
which
the mosque
of the prophet who
remains
preached repentance to
the sinful Ninevites.
This

[said

mosque

Dominican

our

Christian

companion]

that

inally
orig-

was

built in the fourth

monastery
it
century by a discipleof St. Anthony of Egypt. He named
of the Prophet Jonas, but when
in honor
the building,
long
into the possession of the Mussulmans, it
afterwards,came
converted
into a mosque.
its
was
It, however, retained
^which it bears to this day.
Prophet Jonas
originalname
a

"

"

inhabitants

The

guard

as

here

stone,'' they

it returned

stone

is

reputed

him

highly

do

to have

nothing could
them

the

the

of the curative

they

**It

firma/' Since that time

of curing rheumatism
power

into contact

natives

induce

which

to terra

simply being brought

So

flat stone

this
price.
was
upon
the great fish deposited Jonas

*^that

aver,

when

exhibit

beyond

treasure

was

the

by
the afflicted part.

with

prize this remedial

agent that
to part with it. When
told
we

them

attributed

powers

to the Hittite stone

Aleppo they gravely assured us that the stone of Neby

Yunus
possessed incomparably greater efficacy
and that it
at

afforded

certain

relief to all

of rheumatism

cases

however

malignant.

Although

we

always interested

were

folklore of the Mussulmans

on

this occasion

were

to stroll

buried the remains

cities and

Layard
which

and

of the Near

to

Ormuzd

contributed

so

one

inspectthe
Rassam

listeningto the
East, we preferred

the mounds

over

of

in

had

greatly to

of

beneath

antiquity'smost

localities where
made
our

which

Botta

those famous

brated
celeand
finds

knowledge of Assyria

NINEVEH

AND

and

Babylonia. Most of
such pricelesstreasures
We

valuable

that

therefore,freer

WONDERS

the excavations

this did not matter.

monuments

ITS

had

been

had

in various

had

353

whence

refilled with

been

they drew
earth, but

museums

taken

the

seen

from

them

and

indulge in day-dreams than we had

been when
visited Homer's
we
Troy.
Aided by the drawings of Place and Fergusson we found
it easy to reconstruct
in fancy the superb palaces of Sargon
and
Eserhaddon
and
and
Tiglath-pileser,whose
names
achievements
had so impressed us in our
youth. In imagination
we
contemplated the colossal statues of winged lions
with human
heads, which stood at the portals of the palace

were,

of

to

fixed

Sennacherib, and

relief and

monarch
We

"

adorned

exploitsin

's

could

vast

the chase

of his

marvelous

frieze

halls and
in

and

bas-

of the

thenon
Par-

exhibited

the

innumerable."

wars

himself

palace and

of Assur

of the hosts

forth

of the

Sennacherib

observe

outlook

elevated

the

the

on

gaze

reminders

sculptures
which

"

our

and

standing on an
watching *Hhe marching

the

of their

smoke

causts
holo-

all the lands,*'or pensively pacing

spreading over
overlooked
the swift-flowing
a
lofty tiled terrace which
of the western
of the Tigris and the broad
waters
expanse
desert illumined by the crimson
glow of the settingsun.
attention. It
But
our
a
more
fascinatingscene
engages
recalls one
described in the book of Esther,^^in which King
is represented as having his annalists and wise
Assuerus
for him

read

men

times.*'
of

Before

Assyria

surrounded

"

histories and

chronicles

is Asurbanipal" the

us

the examination

on

*Hhe

of

by
a

Monarch

Grand

his scribes and

recent

of former

sages

and

intent

addition to the royal library.

spent in militarycampaigns in Syria,

Palestine,Egypt, Susiana, and elsewhere, he resolved to
For,

11

after many

"At

Nineveh

hardly
p. 636
12 vi:

the
were

end

years

of the

seventeenth

representing

horses

at
century, B.C., Asurbanipal's sculptors

which

the

frieze

of

the

Parthenon

surpassed in
no
sculptor has ever
equal, and lions which
Ancient
of the
The
truthful
History
delineation."
and
(by
1.

H.

R.

Hall, London,

1913).

can

careful
Near

servation
ob-

East,

the remainder

devote

to his

But

and

own

to the

glory

of his life to the arts and

to the end

and

magnificenceof

avocations

that

his life
"

of time.

This

the

Nineveh

palace at

which

was

erected

was

his

that he had

perpetuate his name

library the largest and
to

"

that the world

collection of documents

valuable

structures

of his gods.

to that

in his gorgeous

it was

joy of

most

BABYLON

temples and palaces in many

parts of
Babylonia bear witness to his activityas a

and

Assyria
builder

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Numerous

of peace.

the

BERLIN

FROM

354

had

Composed of myriads of inscribed tablets,they

and unbaked
of a material
baked
were
fortunately made
than two millennia,successfullywithstood
clay which, for more
and the elements.
of war
all the ravages
They
treated of mathematics, astronomy, history^,
poetry, grammar,
in
of
the entire
a
word,
lexicography,law, religion
yet

seen.

"

"

"

circle of the sciences

of the ancient world.

only the
he encouraged to produce new
patron of scholars, whom
but was
of science and literature,
branch
books on every
and rival of the
the worthy forerunner
also, as a collector,
He had
and Alexandria.
bibliophilousrulers of Pergamum
the earliest
his scribes visit all the libraries of Babylonia
make
and had them
of science and letters
home
copies of
of value which
did not exist in his own
all works
library.
the King as a collector that
So indefatigable,
indeed, was
it is probably true
has been stated
that he had in his
as
of all the books
that existed in
extensive library a copy
the numerous
libraries of Assyria and Babylonia.
The
discovery of AsurbanipaPs library surpassed in
importance any that had ever been made in either the valley
of the Tigris or of the Euphrates. But
every tablet in this
immense
collection was
absolutely a sealed book, for there
not anyone
was
able to decipher a single
livingthen who was
sentence
of those mysterious documents
which had thus so
unexpectedly been brought to day. When
Layard, in the
of his explorationof the vast palace of Asurbanipal,
coarse
first beheld the priceless contents
of the royal halls of

Asurbanipal
"

Assyrian

an

Maecenas

"

not

^was

"

"

"

"

BERLIN

FROM

356

of

work

the

That

had

achieved, scholars
the

which

TO

would

decipherment
no

doubt.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

the

That

eventually be

languages

written

were
mysterious inscriptions

would

in

one

certainty,all investigatorswere
in decipherof ChampoUion
The achievements
ing
convinced.
of Egypt and of De Sacy in reading
the hieroglyphics
that eventually the mysterious
Pehlevi gave an assurance
day

with

be read

ease

and

Assyro-Babylonian inscriptionswould
and that the long-forgottendocuments
then

librarywould
of the
western

most

become

ancient

the chief
and

most

also
of

sources

elucidated

be

Asurbanipal's
of

our

edge
knowl-

powerful empires

of

Asia.

Nothing in the entire history of intellectual advancement

than
the story of the
is more
interestingand romantic
tions
gradual decipherment of those strange cuneiform inscripof the
whose
long baffled the powers
interpretation

geniuses of Europe.
greatest linguistic
The
discovery of the key to the Egyptian hieroglyphic
the immortal
of one
the work
man
inscriptionswas
practically
The
Jean Frangois ChampoUion.
decipherment of
ment
the joint achievethe Assyro-Babylonian inscriptionswas
of many
laboring during many
generations,in
men,
It
and widely separated parts of Asia and Europe.
many
effected by daring travelers and explorers,by philolowas
gists,
philosophers,and historians,most of them laboring
independentlyof one another, but all working, although
nearly always unconsciously,toward the same
goal.
And
that the first clue
more
even
an
singular fact was
towards
the unraveling of the great enigma was
found far
from both Assyria and Babylonia and in a placewhere
away
an
explorer bent on searching for it would certainlynot
look for it. This place was
mains
Persepolis,where are the reof the splendid edifices constructed
by Darius I,
Xerxes
I, and Artaxerxes
I, the celebrated Persian Kings
of the AchsBmenian
dynasty.
"

So far

as

ruins

known
was

the first European to visit these remarkable

the noted

Franciscan

friar,Fra

Oderico,

NINEVEH
on

his way

AND

Cathy

to

ITS

in the first

WONDERS

357

quarter of the fourteenth

century.
In the latter half of the sixteenth

century Persepolis was

visited by an Augustinian monk, Antonio de Gouvea, whom
Philip III, King of Spain and Portugal, had sent as an
ambassador
the Great, King of Persia.
Abbas
to Shah
Among the many
things which attracted his attention in the
old Persian
the inscriptionswhich he saw
the
citywere
on
monuments, which, although they are in many
parts very
distinct,there is nevertheless no one who can read them,
for they are not written in Persian, or Arabic or Armenian
or
Hebrew, which are the languages spoken in this land.
sador
Some
thirtyyears later Gouvea was
followed,as ambasAbbas
from Philip III, by Don
to Shah
Garcia de
of
Sylva y Figueroa, who wrote a letter on the monuments
attracted
Persepolis which
published
deep interest when
In this communication
in Europe in 1620.
he speaks of
notable inscriptioncut in a Jasper-table,with characters
one
* *

' ' ^*

* *

still
could

fresh

so

so

escape

The

and

many

Letters

faire
ages

that

neither

are

how

wonder

it

ish.
of the least blem-

touch

without

themselves

would

one

Chaldaean

nor

Arabike, nor of any other Nation

which was
found of old, or at this day, to be extant.
ever
all three-cornered,but somewhat
long, of the
They are
set
forms
of a pyramide, or such a little Obliske as I have
in the margine: ( A
)so that in nothing do they differ one
from
one
another, but in their placing and situation,yet
Hebrew,

Greeke, nor

nor

conformed

so

that

they

plaine,distinct

wondrous

are

and

' ' "^^

perspicuous.
But
to the

scholars

of

della

Valle, of whom

thus

that

Europe

this eminent

being the first of

that

we

inPurchaa

His

was

have
Eoman

peculiarcharacters

the learned

traveler, Pietro

already spoken.

patricianhad

And

the

gueras

as

do

grao
Gouvea

Pilgrimes,Part H,

grandes

Turco

victorias

Mahometto

que
and

(Lisboa, 1611).

pp. 1533, 1534

it

honor

long line of investigatorswhose

em
Relagam am
que se tratam
Persia
Xa
Abbas
da
grade rey
de
F. Antonio
Amethe, pello Padre
14

these

known

to make

the first one

(London, 1626).

was

of

labors
alcancou
seu

Filho

BERLIN

FROM

have

resulted in buildingup

science

known

now

the time

From

comprehensive branch
Assyriology.^"

as

that

della Valle the number

of Pietro

Persepolisand

visited the ruins of

who

which they saw

inscriptions
capitalrapidly increased.
failed to

observations

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

358

of travelers
of the

wrote

the ruins of this old Persian

on

arouse

of

But, although their published

special interest at the
any
at least a passing notice for

of them deserve
time, some
the quaint language in which the views of the authors found
Herbert, referringto the inscripexpression. Thus Thomas
tions
of

Wee

writes
Persepolis,

lynes of strange characters,

so oddly
very f aire and apparent to the eye, but so mysticall,
other deep conceit can
be
no
framed, as no Hierogliphick,
adverse to the intellect.
more
difficulty
fancied,more
with the Hebrew,
And, though it have small concordance
Greek, of Latine letter,
yet questionlesseto the Inventer it
well knowne; and
conceale
was
some
peradventure may
excellent matter, though to this day wrapt up in the dim
noted

above

dozen

leafes of envious

obscuritie.^'^

The
were

de
and

Italian,Spanish, and English writers on Persepolis

followed by travelers and writers of other nationalities.
Jean Chardin
of France, Cornelis
Among these were
Bruin
of Holland, Engelrecht Kaempfer
of Germany,
Carsten Niebuhr, a German, long in the service of Denmark.
Each

though

it

of

was

"

these
towards

men

the

made

contribution

decipherment

of

small

"

Perse-

the

politan inscriptions.
Chardin

was
"

work

'"

As

to the

the first to reproduce in his superbly illustrated

entire inscription
of the monufrom one
an

of
signification

the

In que lingua e lettera siano non

si sa perchfe
fe caratere
"
Home
Yearea Travels into Divers Parts of Asia and

(London, 1638).

he knows
"E

oggi ignoto."
145
Afnque,
/
^
"r p.

Chardin
became an English citizen and achieved
such
tablet was
a
dedicated to his memory
in Westminster
l"S"id-Sir John Chardin" women
sibi feciteundo."
""

that

described

by
nothing. In
queste iscritzioni

strange, wedge-shaped character

the noted Italian traveler, Pietro della Valle admits

that
the fifteenth chapter of his Vta^^t he
frankly declares:

fame

as

et seq.

traveler

Abbey bearing the

NINEVEH
ments
more
come

and

AND

ITS

WONDERS

of

Persepolis. This, to scholars,was incomparably

valuable than any of the fragments that had hitherto
to Europe. De Bruin, who
visited Persepolisin 1704,
subsequentlypublished a book with magnificent views

of the

ruins

of the

old

in the hands

material

published in
of

1712

the

four

the most

capital,together

its

of scholars

Kaempfer
But

Achsemenia

inscriptionsfrom

numerous

monuments,

than

advanced

of
in many

which

had
the

put

more

of his

any

further

with

cessors.
prede-

when

he

long inscriptionin Assyro-Babylonian.

travelers

mentioned

important

the

had

step

work

was

traveler,an accurate observer

scholarship. Besides making careful

East

359

monuments

respects

the

who

one

Niebuhr,
and

an

formed
per-

enced
experiof broad

man

urements
drawings and measof Persepolis monuments
the most
important in the
"

were

^he made

cuneiform
texts which
copies of numerous
not appeared in any
His studies of
preceding work.
that there were
inscriptionsalso led him to conclude
"

three

classes

of them

and

that

they

were,

as

some

of his

predecessors had

surmised, to be read from left to right.

He had thus not only supplied scholars with new
and valuable
material
but,by his comparative study, blazed the way
which
led to their final decipherment.
Among the first to attempt decipherment of these inscriptions
such
were
distinguished philologistsas Professor
ter,
Tychsen, of the University of Rostock, and Friedrich HunOrientalists
of Copenhagen,
eminent
and
such
as
Silvestre
de
Eugene Burnouf, Anquetil-Duperron, and
of his age.
the most
eminent Arabist
They
Sacy, who was
did not succeed
in solving the problem w^hich had so long
minds
of Europe, but they had accumubaffled the keenest
lated
the material

Several
stores
and

from

years

of tablets

that
before
from

was

necessary

for its solution.

Botta

and

Layard

Nineveh

and

Nimroud

sent

their

vast

to the Louvre

mens
Museum, it was evident from the few speciof cuneiform
inscriptionswhich had reached Europe
Mesopotamia that the script on the Babylonian tab-

the British

BERLIN

FROM

360
lets

the

was

same

of the varieties

one

as

AND

BAGDAD

TO

of Persepolis. It
inscriptions
trilingual

BABYLON
in
oceiirring

then

was

the

only

identical
scriptswere
Thanks
to the reand representedidentical languages.
searches
of De
Sacy, Burnouf, Anquetil-Duperron, and
possibleto make the old Persian script
others,it was now

step to the conclusion

these two

that

"

the first class

"

of Persepolis
inscriptions
trilingual
third class,or what is now
designated

of the

key to the
the Assyro-Babylonian script. The

serve
as

as

similar to that which

the Rosetta

on

stone

was

process

exactly

Champollion to use the Greek

key to the mysterious hieroglyphics

enabled
as

Egypt of the Pharaohs.

But, although the method to be adopted
of the

enough,

the labor involved

that

which

For

the Greek

was

on

simple

incomparably greater than

was

required of

seemed

the illustrious French

the Rosetta

stone

was

savant.

well-known

guage,
lan-

the key
as
Persian, which was to serve
for deciphering the Babylonian script,was
itself quite as
unknown
as the writing to be deciphered. It was
only after
had been acquired by comparing
a knowledge of Old Persian
it with Avestan, Pahlavi,and Sanscrit,that it could serve
whereas

as

the

Old

long-soughtkey

The

first

Friederich

one

to

to read

Grotefend.

Assyro-Babylonian.
Old

an

This

was

Persian

word

Georg
in 1802, when
he was
only
without
any knowledge of
was

twenty-seven years of age and

oriental languages. Nevertheless, he was,
wonderful
to
relate,able *Ho solve the riddle practicallyin a few days,
that had puzzled much
older men
and scholars apparently
much
better qualifiedthan himself.
Under
the magical
touch of his hand the mystic and complicated characters
of ancient Persia
was

far

suddenly gained new

enough advanced

to

announce

life. But
to the

when

he

Academy

of

Sciences in Gottingen the epoch-making discovery which

established his reputation for ever, that learned
body,

though comprising men

intelligence,
strange to
memoirs

of
say,

of this little-known

eminent

mental

declined

to

training and

publish the Latin

collegeteacher,who

did not

NINEVEH

belong

to the

Orientalist

lat^r

ITS

that

"

his

published by Prof.
Academy's transactions
examination

It

others

were

not

was

"

was

even

until

ninety

were

rediscovered

Gottingen
Sacy, Heeren, and

The

number

of Grote-

of

of Niebuhr

followed

were

gators
investi-

in the ruin-dotted

Mesopotamia gradually increased.

researches

years

attitude of the

the

Sciences,scholars like De
not slow to recognize the importance

and

an

in science.''^*

in the studies of Europe and

of Persia

nor

Meyer, of Gottingen,in the

truly unique case of post mortem

far-reachingdiscoveries.

f end's

361

Wilhelm

Notwithstanding,however,
of

proper

originalpapers

and

Academy

WONDEES

University circle

by profession.

1893

"

AND

plains

The

ful
care-

in the first half of

century by the painstaking observations

of Rich, Ker Porter, and Colonel Chesney. But while those
noted
winning laurels in the valleys of the
explorers were
''forced
Tigris and the Euphrates, Sir Henry Rawlinson
the

nineteenth

the inaccessible

rock

of

to surrender

Behistun

the

great

of Darius, which, in the quietude of

trilingualinscription
Stone'
of
the 'Rosetta
the Tigris, became
his study on
standing
Assyriology and in his master hand the key to the underof the Assyrian documents.
' ' ^"

How

achieved

Grotefend

competent

more

than

early displayed a
talent

which

he

such

he, had

remarkable

shared

in

the 19th

during

Explorations in Bible Lands

Hilprecht,Philadelphia, 1903).
19

marvelous

failed

has

aptitude
common

success

been

for

with

Century,

Dr.

of

solution

Hincks.

who

V.

others, apparently

when

explained by

the

H.

(by

23, 24

pp.

the

fact

riddles:
also

that

"he

peculiar
acquired great
a

Decipherment
of the
as
a
A.
J.
London,
169
1902).
Booth,
(by
Inscriptions,
Cuneiform
p.
Trilingual
Dr. R. W.
Rogers, in his instructive work, A History of Babylonia a/nd
subjects,
Assyria, Vol. I, p. 61 (New York, 1915), referring to the same

distinction

"It
must

were

inhere

scholar."

cuneiform

Discovery

and

to define the qualitiesof

not impossible,
deciphererof a forgotten language. He is not

if
difficult,
in the

The

mind

which

necessarily
decipherers. He

great scholar, though great scholars have been successful

whose
are
little of the languages that
cognate with the one
but
know
may
of
know
as
them,
indeed,
nothing
He
unravel.
to
he
is
secrets
may,
trying
the patience,the persistence,the power
But
been the case.
times
has several
the divine
of combination,
gift of insight,the historical sense, the feeling for
all of these were
be present,and
present
these
must
achaeologicalindications,
that
the
attacked
who
now
problem
Grotefend,
in the extraordinary man,

had

so
many."
Hilprecht, op. cit.,

baffled

General
Sir Henry
of Major
71; cf. A Memoir
his
Canon
153-157
brother,
George
(by
143-148,
Cresmicke
Rawlinson,
pp.
Rawlinson, London, 1898); Booth, op. cit.,pp. 106-114.
20

p.

BERLIN

FROM

362

Rawlinson

While

was

the

relating to
and

Rassam

and

Layard

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

gations
conducting his celebrated investiinscriptionof Behistun,
trilingual
were
unearthing the priceless

Hincks
in
library, Edward
and
England, Eugene Burnouf

of AsurbanipaPs

documents

Norris in
Ireland, Edwin
M. de Saulcy in France, "Westergaard,a Dane, and Lassen,
were
astonishingthe
a Norwegian, both livingin Germany,
contributions
towards
learned world
by their wonderful
the decipherment of the inscriptionsof Persepolis and
and of tablets and seals and cylinderstaken from
Behistun
the temples and palaces of Assyria and Babylonia.
Thanks
to the investigatorsnamed
and to a rapidly
of others,the decipherment of Assyrian
increasingnumber
was
gradually assuming the dignityof an exact
inscription
science.

But

there

eminence

who

questioned the validityof the system

openly expressed grave doubts about

and

who

translations

still scholars

were

of the cuneiform

published by divers

acknowledged

of

which
inscriptions

scholars

of

Great

had

Britain

ployed
em-

the
been

and

the

Continent.

Finally,in 1857, it
should

silence

method

of the

all

was

suggested

objectors and

decipherers reposed

to make

demonstrate
on

test which

that

scientific basis.

the

An

translated
Assyrian text was
independently by Hincks,
Talbot,Oppert, and Rawlinson, and sent sealed to the Royal
Asiatic
a

these versions were

Society. When
committee
of distinguishedscholars they

show

such

remarkable

longer be any reasonable

decipherment or the substantial
had

been

were

found

to

correspondence that there could

no

which

compared by

doubt

as

accuracy
offered to the

to

the

of

system

of the four

lations
trans-

mittee
distinguishedcom-

of the

Royal Asiatic Society.

But, notwithstandingthis remarkable confirmation of the
correctness
of the method
of decipherment employed by
there
Assyriologists,

skepticseven
men

among

like Gutschmid

still remained
the most
in

noted

Germany

and

certain

scholars
Renan

number

of

of the ageand Gobineau

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

864

city of Telloh, in the alluvial plain of Babylonia,

while a few years later Haynes
fullythirtythousand tablets,
and Hilprechtto the north of Telloh, in the ruins of Nippur,
than forty thousand
discovered
more
tablets,which
ruined

proved to be of inestimable value to the student of the

history,religion,and social conditions of the inhabitants
have

of ancient

by

unearthed

were

Banks

the

code of Hammurabi
the world

the code

"

thousand

"

There

have

governed at a
by fully two

era

also

been

numberless

alabaster

as

bear

cuneiform

historical
slabs which

in

Nineveh.

of

domestic

of masters

the

uninscribed

man

Such

adorned

These

of

sources

bas-reliefs

inscriptionsof
of science.
which

monuments

importance.
once

baked
un-

by the pick and spade

Assyria and Babylonia.

seals,statues, cylinders, and

which

of immense

of value

uncovered

value to the historian and

even

baked, others

some

"

in the tells of

excavator
are

utmost

scenes

Christian

the

clay tablets
the only monuments

not

are

innumerable

are

Babylonia was

inscribed

history which
the

by which

in

years.

the

But

the oldest compilation of laws

"

antedated

which

period

De

Morgan at
brought to lightby
Susa was
the important

the

Among

of tablets

stores

and

Bismya

at

preciousmonuments
distinguishedFrench explorer of

Susa.

of

Still other

Akkad.

and

Sumer

the

marvelous

the

There

are

also

the sculptured

are

cherib
palace of Sennabas-reliefs

life,the peculiar garbs

of

men

exhibit
and

and

slaves,of natives and foreigners

with almost photographic exactness.
They likewise show
spiritedrepresentations of battles and sieges,which portray

women,

in the most

lifelike

the types of the combatants,

manner

their divers instruments

inflictedby the victor

of the

monarch

Without

on

of

warfare, the punishments

helpless captives,and long processions

vanquished bringingtribute

of

to the

ant
triumph-

Assyria,

the knowledge of

singlecuneiform

[declares Professor Hilprechtl we

learned

the

character

principal

NINEVEH
of

events

study

Western

first clear

foregoing pages
made

in

their famous

the middle

of the

much, has

been

For
mounds
the

365

glance

mere
toms
cus-

Assyrians,at the same

time
of the whole civilization of

Asia."

that has been

began

WONDERS

government, and, from a

sculptured walls,we got familiar with

habits of the ancient

obtaining a

The

ITS

Sennacherib's

of those

and

AND

in the ruins

of Nineveh

in

last

century. But, although much, very

achieved, far more
remains
to be accomplished.
are,

the

we

are

assured, hundreds

cities in Western

pick of the excavator

that will equal, if not

rewarded

extraordinaryprogress
Assyriology since Botta and Layard

earth-covered

and

the

excavations

there

and

spade

show

the labors

surpass

Asia

of ruin-

awaiting

to disclose treasures

in value

any

that

have

yet

of the

explorer. Even such important

ruins as those of Babylon and Nineveh, where such splendid
results have
been
obtained, have so far yielded,there is
to believe,but a part,possibly but a small part, of
reason
their precious stores.
For it has been computed that to
the two
excavate
Kuyunjik and Nebi Yunus
principal
mounds
of Nineveh
would require the labor of a thousand
and seventy-four
men
working continuallyfor a hundred
'*The recent excavations and tunnelings at Kuyunjik''
years.
**fruitful as they have been
the Citadel of Nineveh"
of
little impression on the vast mass
in results,have made
ruin,and only prove how much might be gained by complete
"

"

"

clearance.
But

as

' ' "

is also that

so

of excavation

the work

is stillalmost in its infancy,

of decipherment and

coordination

of

the

of the world.
in the museums
myriads of inscriptionsnow
of AssyFor, notwithstandingthe wonderful achievements
during the last three-quartersof a century,many
riologists
of
generations must yet elapse before the vast amount
which
has been
material
already collected and to which
22
28

New

Op. cit.,pp.
tJew
Light
York).

118, 119.
on

the

Bible

and

the

Holy

land,

p. 10

(by

B.

T.

Evetts,

additions

being constantlymade,

are

and

Orientalists. As
a

complete grammar
of

account

the

signs

in

the

there

not

are

Assyrian

is in

fessional
pro-

neither

complete dictionary,and,
of

number

immense

who

ideograms

yet

on
un-

of polyphonous
astonishing number
Assyrian language" signs which have each

and

deciphered

nor

yet

preted
properly inter-

be

can

students

for

available

made

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

366

the

it is certain

syllabicvalues"

several

distinct

decades

will elapse before

that

many

difficulties can

the countless

be

overcome.

complexity of the problem

Orientalists at the beginnings of their

Considering, however,
which

confronted

the

that

researches, it is,indeed, a wonder

their

achievements

during the last two generationshave been so fruitful and

in a few decades
of so far-reachingimportance. For
they
have
conception of the ancient
changed completely our
that their
peoples of Assyria and Babylonia and shown
civilization

* *

stands

before

of the

great forces in

direct

or

the

us

in all its ramifications

ancient

history

indirect influence of which

of

is to be

as

mankind,
seen

one

the

in many

^*

culture."
phase of our modern
They have proved that
the Assyrian language was
tants
not only the speech of the inhabiof Mesopotamia but that it was
also long used as the
language of diplomacy by the Hittites and the Egyptians
and by the peoples of Syria and Palestine.
More than this,
it was
the Euxine
to the valley
a kind of lingua franca from
of the Nile and from Cyprus to the plateau of Susiana.
This
fact is most
strikinglyproved by the pricelesscollections
of cuneiform
inscriptionswhich, only a few years ago, were
found in Tel-el-Armana,Egypt, and in Boghaz-Keui, Asia
Minor.
These
finds are
indications that there are
other,
the
probably many
other, similar discoveries to reward
patient and well-directed excavations
of the explorer in
a

the

ruin-spreadlands of the Near East.

How
often,while wandering among
the

ruins

of Kuyun-

**TK"

Oivilitation

dtlphui,10^6).

of Babylonia and

Aasyna, p. 110

{hy

M.

Jastrow, Phila-

NINEVEH

jik,Nebi
home

to

Yunus,
the

me

the Near

AND

and

that

WONDERS

Khorsabad, have
have
made

were

been

367

I not

far-reachingchanges in

East, which

discoveries

ITS

our

brought
knowledge of

effected by the startling

of
three-quarters

in the palaces of Sargon and

had

Sennacherib

and

century

ago

AsurbanipalI

But

than
the first question
nothing impressed me
more
which
Scriptural students always make
regarding these
discoveries,**How do they bear on the Bible '^? It is the
same
question which has so often been asked about the
revelations of geology in their bearings on the Sacred Text.
Something is discovered which at the first blush is regarded
of the Sacred Scriptures.
as militatingagainstthe accuracy
After
further investigation,
this same
discovery is viewed
as being strongly confirmatory of the Bible,while still more
careful examination
shows
that the teachings of the new
science not only do not but, by their very nature, cannot
less impeach the veracity of the Book
of
question, much

Books.
It is true

that

view

one's

of the Bible

be

enlarged
with one's advancing years;
that one's understanding of
be improved by more
it may
profound study, and by the
of research; but science,whether
it appear
in the
progress
guise of geology, or Assyriology, or of what has falsely
been
called the science of evolution,can
invalidate
never
of the fundamental
a singleone
teachings either of Scripture
or

of the Church

may

of Christ.

This

with unwonted
force
borne in upon
me
thought was
I stood one
as
day above the ruins of Asurbanipal 's library.
Gazing at a cluster of !keleks4-skin rafts bearing their
the historic Tigris, as
they did when
light trajfic down
Assyria ruled the East, and recallingthe pictures I had
Nineveh
of
the great city" when
formed
as
a
boy I read
"

**

my

first

history of

paramount
after

life

"

an

the

influence

I asked

Bible
on

"

that

studies and

the

myself, ^*In

to-day differ from that which

I had
then, as Pasteur once

book

what

was

to exert

thoughts

respect does

I held three

score

said of himself

my

so

of my
faith
' '

years

ago

when

at the

BERLIN

FROM

368

zenith of his fame

mental

and

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Nineveh

gloriesof
campaigns

famous

Sennacherib

Babylon
and

of my

delightedto picture
and

dwell

Assuerus

striven to keep abreast

I have
movement

and

Breton

the

on

victories,the superb palaces and

and

of

entertainments

faith of

vigor,the

peasant." Since that far-off time when

the

BABYLON

time

and, in

and

with the intellectual

doing, I

so

chadnezzar,
Nebu-

have

never

sciences that could by any

be construed
as
being at variance
legitimateinterpretation

anything

found

of the

in any

with the teachings of the

new

religionof

We

boyhood.

my

now

history,the social and

condition of the ancient Assyrians and Babyeconomic
lonians
than we
did before the explorer brought to light
of Nippur, Telloh, Abu-Habba, and
the literarytreasures
petent
Nineveh; but we have discovered nothing which is com-

know

about

incomparably more

the

of the eternal verities

to discredit any

on

which

our

higher criticism may, indeed, cause

views regarding literaryor texof our
to modify some
tual
us
problems, but as to the basal truths of Scripture,they
stand absolutelyin all their divine immutabilityuntouched
and absolutelyunassailable.
It was, indeed, with a feeling
of joy and gratitude that I could,sixtyyears after my first
acquaintance with Nineveh, feel,while contemplating the
faith is founded.

The

of the famous

ruins

city,that there

was

still in my

soul

nothing changed of that faith of a Breton peasant a faith

most
which, as it was
precious inheritance in early
my
continued
to be my
youth, has ever
greatest consolation
"

from
and

then to

beyond

the

Scripturalage

of three

score

years

ten.

That

the discoveries

at Nineveh

or

elsewhere

should

ever

never
prove to be in conflict with revealed truth,has to me
seemed
possible. How could they be ? Science and religion

"" A
few years before his death, when
exerpresidingat the commencement
cises of the College of Dole, in the Department
of the Jura
he was
in which
born and
told his youthful audience :
brought up, Pasteur
has
"When
one
studied much, one
back
to the faith of a Breton
comes
peasant; as to myself,
had I ntudied
I should have
more
the faith of a Breton
The

peasant-woman."

4V0 Maria, February 14, 1920.

NINEVEH

belong

of

species,

of

creation,

this

of

the

and

of

I
of

that

of

be

can

science
of

this

also

unequivocally

tells

Delitzsch,

that

general
and

of

the

' '

in

all

be

of

Bossuet

2eBi6Zg.
and
2r

Babel

of

Dogma,
und

Testament

of

the

ing
speak-

testimony,

and

but

true

and

Faith,

and

with

VIII

Chap.
p.

of

(by

314,
J.

(Leipzig,

Zahm,

1903).

will

Hippo

may

them

will

mental
funda-

the
and

religion
the

to

be

days

those

Westminster.

(Baltimore,

315
A.

of

from

other
of

must

we

with

science

as

each

Augustine

Wiseman

p.

all

and

must

we

whatever

that,

Bible

just

which

lonia
Babyrate
inaugu-

to

viewpoint

our

more

in

estimate

Assyriologists,

Church

becoming

in

the

and

the

Friedrich

destined

way

that

matters

and

is

are

the

tell him

reconciled

Nyssa

Bibel,

science,

two,

excavations

and

with

Meaux

Science

both

harmonized

of

of

the

did

convinced

Lord

same

the

that

particular,

essential

been

Gregory

as

Assyriologist,

of

of

doctrines

always

the

conviction

discoveries

future

the

For

only unequivocally

results

must

we

in

**the

regards

as

^^

it,

eventually

have

the

Old

the

not

doctrines

firmly

as

religion, that

eminent

that

us

epoch

unchanged
be

the

it is

understand

the

origin,

one.''^"

Assyria

new

be

the

of

sanctification.

is

voice

must

of

from

am

God

of

must

therefore,

When,

**I

that

handmaid

testimony

matter,

are

theories

unreservedly

as

that

ago

Author,

that

form

repeat

They

the

are

gravitation.

anything,

same

as

of

369

thought.

Providence,

now

is the

the

universal

century

of

other

constitution

can

WONDEES

spheres

each

redemption.

reason

quarter
as

from

separated

electricity,

ITS

different

entirely

to

far

as

AND

Chicago,

1895).
1896).

Cf.

also

tion
Evolu-

of

tide

The

for ward-

And

**

it not

would

have

Rashid

of

type

would

for

both

taken

aviators

we

not

century

comforts

western

world

at

express-train

Tigris
and

even

if

we

conveniences

if

and

speed
of

there

car

of

in

an
an

been

ourselves

We
the

at

of

had

pilots.
of
we

twentieth-

by

historic

this

believe

disposal

these

no

aviator

rapidity

or

our

devices

these

in

and

luxury

and

aeroplane,

flying machines
for

in the

or

numerous

was

from

journey

to

they had

through

Harun-al-

of

reason

either

store.

had
a

were

time-saving

such

had

Eailway

found

destination

both

availed

sets

Bagdad

absence

have

one,

our

and

war

looking

have

Bagdad.

well-supplied

the

In

for

to

^was

"

to

the

by

before

city

city

made

aeroplanes

Even

transportation.
should

famed

have

to

us

and

not

were

the

the

Nights.''

even

"

luxuriously upholstered

still here

were

in

War,

the

to

sought

we

have

there

But

World

late

then

vicinity during the

that

at Mosul

transportation

our

wagon-restaurant.

might, had

who

the

Arabian

of the

wagon-lit accompanied

well-manned

old.

and

green

arriving

on

for

in

me,

places of interest

could

we

free

of fretted gold,

completed

Bagdad

to

latest

for

been

and

Mosul

we

did

we

of the

been

blew

home.

was

Recollections

"

arrangements

Had

gardens

Tennyson.

make

KELEK

summer-morn,

shines

High-walled

any

with

hack

flowed

Tigris

the

thing

of infancy,

sheeny

Bagdad's

By

dawn

joyful

ON

flowing tide of time;

many

Adown

of

of time

The

visited

TIGRIS

sail

the silken

In

we

THE

hreeze

the

When

first

XV

DOWN

FLOATING

The

CHAPTER

which

desire

valley

our

to
of

fly
the

disposition all the luxuries

We
railway president's private car.
at

our

370

to

Thanks

kelek

our

And

to

our

to start

prepared

our

on

journey

us

as

desired.

we

soon

as

counted

and

were

we

the river.

down

by twenty feet in dimensions

fifteen

of craft

exactly the size and kind

great joy it was ready for

knew

structing
con-

men
the work-

expeditedafter
specially

was

of

hosts, the work

Dominican

good

our

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FKOM

372

It

was

hundred

inflated skins. In the middle of the kelek

seventy-five
had
two lightcots,
had a good-sizedtent in which we
we
ets,
three lightfolding chairs,a foldingwriting table,ten pockand

other

and

land

was

of

Most

water.

or

luggage,

our

immensely

of the traveler

comfort

and

to the convenience

left outside of the tent in

well

as

of

care

which

but

little space

occupy

by previous experience contributed

found

we

things which

whether
our

as
our

on

visions,
pro-

good and

who
had been
Simoun, a middle-aged Chaldean
friends and
Dominican
to us by our
speciallyrecommended
service.
who was
guaranteed to give us devoted and intelligent
He took charge of everythingon the kelek and looked
after the kelekgis rowers
cook, and the commissary
department as well as our comfort and pleasure. Certain
Greeks and Armenians
had applied for the position which
we
men
experiencewith their countrygave to Simoun, but our
faithful

"

"

had

been

such

thenceforth
Chaldean.

For

When

we

rest

since

left

we

It meant

felt

were

on

happy

as

as

strenuous

of

the interior

kelek,ready to
schoolboys starting
our

week

of absolute

lives

we

most

welcome.

was
Constantinople,

of St.

sojourn in Mosul we
of the people of the city whom
at the point of embarkation
our

from

ourselves

at least

Besides the good fathers

during

selves
our-

passed.
fiduciarycapacity,absolutely unsur-

any

which, after the

we

entrust

little-understood

and

Turk

Osmanli

an

actuallyfound

vacation.

abused

to

tian
devotedness, a Chrishonesty, reliability,

depart for Bagdad,

on

resolved

had

we

to the much

Chaldean, like
Anatolia, is, in

that

bad been

rest

"

leading

Dominic, whose kindness

ber
can
never
forget,a numwe

had

to bid

us

learned

to know

Godspeed.

We

FLOATING

DOWN

THE

TIGRIS

speciallytouched by the presence

of some
school children
with whom, from having frequentlymet
them, we were

were

the

on

friendliest terms.
**are the

**

Children,

* '

the world

same

they will do anything for you."

thinking of the little Indian children
met

in the wilds

of South

had

never

into contact

come

after
wished

be

to

always

Anatolia,the
as

The

way.

of

voice bade

us

Usted

Bios!

friends and

Turkish

I heard

when

from

children

^may

"

finallygot

we

friends

my

on

the shore
^

clarion
youth^who,rJ7a

whose
with

go

you

through the

or

under

to

you

adios of the good children of

long journeys

during our
and

of

the touching Turkish

good-bye^^

hinterland

of the Andes
Amazon

o'clock

like the fond

American

souls

devoted

of

sSn.
affectionate

the South

our

who, although they

white man
came,
before,be-

charming Osmanli

Again how

con

often

and

The

me.

I had

have commended
Allaha-ismarladiq^we

words
God.

whom

Peru.

last words

those

were

and

nearly eleven

was

with

kindly
specially

then

was

panion,
com-

Syria, and the Chaldeans of

kindly treated,just as loving and
are, when
the youthful redskins of the broad
nesses
wilder-

of Brazil

It

near

I to my
Treat them

kindness,my

little Arabs

Mesopotamia
lovable

America,

little act of

said

over.

and

as

373

parting words

God

so

"

often

Vaya
cheered

the snow-clad

over

trackless

forests

mits
sum-

of the

the Orinoco.

less
journey down the Tigrisunder a cloudsky. During the early morning it had been quitechilly,
but, as the sun rose in the heavens, the atmosphere became

We

as

started

balmy

our

that of

as

; and

voyage

Nebi

on

Yunus

no

sooner

vanished

give the interior

of

would

circumstances

of the tent with

On

brought

us.

favorite

books.

our

in

morning
from
our

tent

May.

the minarets

our

sight^than we

as

homelike

an

had

these

was

we

ant
pleasand

proceeded

placed

the opening

friends
some

copy

to
as

appearance

decked

small

of Mosul

kind
our
flowers^that

writing table

Among

augured

had

permit. Simoun
some

All

of

had
our

in India

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

374

BABYLON

AND

in constant
use
was
during our
paper, of the Bible^whieh
journey in the Orient. Another was a small pocket edition

which, for years, had been my

There
companion to the most distant parts of the world.
also small editions of the Soliloquia of St. Augustine
were
of the Divina

and

of the select works

with

books
had

Commedia

been

me

because

old and

they seemed
the

as

one

we

I took these last two

of St. Teresa.

they, like

Dante's

friends

cherished

immortal

in other

poem,

cause
belands^and

ney
peculiarlyappropriate for such a jourthen undertaking. To these were
were

copies of Xenophon's Anabasis, Arrian's Anabasis

of Alexander, and The Oxford Booh of English Verse, The

added

other books

I had

brought with

me^Ileft in

trunk, as I

my

expected to spend most of my time on our way down the

riveraincontemplationof the many
objectsof interest with
which both banks were
everywhere studded.
A great part of the land in the vicinityof Mosul is under
in abundance.
and barley are
Wheat
cultivation.
grown
attention is given to cotton,
more
cultivatedjbut
especiallyalong the banks and on the islands which
to be as popular along
diversifythe river. Melons seem
of
the Tigrisas they are among
our
dusky population^south
is also

Hemp

Mason

and

Much

Dixon's

line.

of the land in this region is very

it

as

was

three thousand

fertile and, if irrigated

ago, would

years

vests
yieldhar-

less
extraordinaryas ever in the past. But the countinnumerable
and on
vicissitudes,
consequent on wars
inefficient government, through which this ill-fated region
as

has

passed since the fall of Nineveh, have

to the

growth

development

of what

was

once

of

to
agriculture,nor

the wealthiest

been

not

cive
condu-

the economic

country of Western

Asia.
I have

much
the

been

on

many

rivers

but

I have

genuine intellectual pleasure on

Tigris. It has not, indeed,the

Hudson

or

the

Columbia,of

any

natural

the Rhine

or

never

found

of them,
beauties
the Danube

as

so
on

of the
;

but

FLOATING
It has

somothing

attractions

DOWN

that

THE

appealed

for which

to

these famous

TIGRIS
me

far

876
than

more

tho

waterways of America

and

Europe are so justlycelebrated.

Charged with tho
myths and the legends,the traditions and the historical
associations
of six millennia,it offers to the thoughtful
student subjectsfor consideration
that cannot
bo found
olsewhore.

contemplating the old classic streams of Greece and

the Penons, the Tibur, the Po
I always
Ttaly,(tho^JUifilifl)
bordering on resjject. I
experiencea kind of admiration
am
impressed not by the volume of water which they carry
to the sea^but
by tho atmosphere
by their picturesqueness,
In

"

by tho venerablo
history in which they all rejoice.But when I gazed on tho
Tigris and its ruin-fringedbanks, a surge of emoticm pervaded
entire being,and T was
thrilled as by few other
my
of

that

hangs

earth.

Under

romance

objectson
of

one

the

rivers

it in his

(troHHcd

fleet

on

built

ever

by

Iliddikel it appears

name

as

the'prophet Daniel, who

**The
and from Susa, it was
he

its banks

It carried

an

and

To

journeys to

visions.

remarkable

the

of Eden.

River,'**and

Great

them

over

on

had

of his most

some

its waters

Assyrian potentate.

tho

This

greatest
when

was

inaugurated his campaign of

ing
devastation
in Babylonia and when, with the aid of seafarfrom
men
Cyprus and Phoenicia,he floated his boats to
B.

in 694

the

lower

C, Sennacherib

Tigris and

transportedthem

thence

to tho

phrates.
Eu-

that he applied
during this ruthless war
the; torch to tho great city of Babylon and left it with its
magnificent temples and palacesand its splendidworks of
ing
a vast,smolderart" the result of long centuries of labor"
ruin. It was
along the Tigris that Xenophon and his

It

heroic

Ten

was

returned

Thousand

battle of Cunaxa.

Greeks

This

famous

of the vast

the weakness

ful
after the event-

homewards
retreat

Empire

Persian

to tho

revealed

and

led

plishment
the Great and to *'the accomby Alexander
in the propheof the promises of God, as made

to its overthrow

iuiin"

which,

a"

we

have

leen,

if alio

appliedto

th"

Euphrates

BERLIN

FEOM

376

great empires which

evening sun

the

As

Zikr

Aawaze,

MosuLand

that

of the

As

of

of

those

as

the west,

here tied up

morning

the annals

of

the

below

the celebrated

are

now

about

two

miles

desired to visit the great tell of Nimroud

we

day, we
next

miles

twenty
near

were

we

roaring

formerly stood on the left

Tigris,but, owing to a shifting of the river's

towards

channel

about

the

clouds, we

ruins

ruins of Js[imrjaud-These
bank

of us,

cataract

noted

then knew

we

of the

gorgeous

of cumulous

range

ahead

distance

short

heard,
ul

disappearing behind

was

mountain

crimson

and

gold

coming

of the

of mankind/'

Savior

the

precede

to

were

for the third

the way

prepared

ciee of Daniel, and

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

we

on

were

our

and

of the most

the following

night. Early

to the

way

ruins

almost

Assyrian archaeology,are

Kuyunjik

some

kelek for the

our

Here

Khorsabad.

inland.

prized treasures

in

the

which, in
famous

as

earthed
Layard unthe Assyrian

and here, there are

department of the British Museum
to believe,are stillburied countless other treasures
reasons

equallyvaluable.
The

ruins of Nimroud

occupy

the site of Calah

mentioned

having been built by Assur, the founder

Nineveh.
But the people livingnear
by,are convinced
it was
before
built by Nimrod, **the mighty hunter

in Genesis

Lord," and

of

as

that

it

was

his

favorite

that
the

place of residence.

nazar
however, declare that it was built by SalmaAssvriologists,
it the capital of Assyria, a dignity
I.^who made
which it retained until the time of Sargon who removed
his
residence to the north of Nineveh
^where lie the ruins of
Khorsabad.
The

general aspect of the ruins

that of Nineveh.
of

The

of Nimroud

ruins constitute

parallelogramabout five hundred

thousand in length. At the northwest
a

"C/. R. I. Wilberforce

in The

Five

is not unlike

platform in

the form

feet in width
corner

Empires, Chaps. XV,

and

of this eleva-

XVIII

(London,

FLOATING
tion is

DOWN

conical tower

is

measurements,

THE

whose

377

height,according

hundred

one

TIGRIS

and

feet above

ten

plain. This is all that now

zikurat,or stage tower, that once

to recent

remains

the

of the

dominated

rounding
sur-

ing
impos-

the

great

capitalof Salmanassar.
In order

to

get

surrounding country,

we

From

of the tower.

of the

good view
lost

no

its crest

ruins,as well as of the

time in reaching the summit
we

had

view

as

ing
interest-

repletewith historic reminiscences. Our vision

enacted
of the
a
region in which were
ranged over
some
memorable
most
events of Mesopotamia and Persia.
Down
the Tigris passed the famous
fleets of Trajan and
nacherib,
Senand
the vast armies
of
along its bank marched
Esarhaddon, Cyaxares, and Nabopolassar. Within gunshot
as

it was

the emerald

were

waters

of the

Great

Zab

rushing to join

the

tawny current of the Tigris. On its banks the Persian

compact,
satrap, Tissaphernes, in violation of a solemn
treacherously seized Clearchus and several of his generals
and
ordered
them
sent them
to Artaxerxes, who
to be
It was
command
beheaded.
here that Xenophon assumed
of the memorable
an
expedition of the Ten Thousand
expedition that the distinguishedEnglish geographer, Rentary
**the most
splendid of all the milinell,has declared was
in ancient history."
been recorded
that have
events
"

Eastward

the famous

was

battlefield of Arbela, where

greatest battle in the record of the ancient world

fought; where
in
years

had

day

the

issue

; where

of centuries

the channel

opened with

been

the Great

had

had

struck

of history for

flyingwedge";

completed the

work

had

which

**the
been

their balance
a

thousand

where

ander
Alex-

was

begun

by his countrymen under Xenophon ",when they made the

of the Persian
colossus,
discovery of the innate weakness
for the
and thus prepared the public opinion of Greece
great campaign againstthe ancient Persian Empire which
all the nations of the earth with subjection
menaced
once
3

Alexander

the

Great, p. 368

(by

B.

I.

Wheeler, New

York, 1900).

BERLIN

FROM

378

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

irrevocably crushed when Alexander had

his crowning victory of Arbela.
won
After exploring the ruins of Nimroud, we returned to our
soon
kelek which, with much
creaking and quivering, was
which

but

**was

' ' *

is

This

dam

rises

water

dyke built

or
a

foot

more

or

Zikr

of the

the boiling waters

wrestling with

the

across

ul Aawaze.

during
river^^and

the surface.

above

low

It produces

frail craft
our
kelekgi conducted
Like other
without any difficulty.
its seething waters
over
in this neighborhood "this dam
works
remarkable
some
a
bridge is attributed by the inhabitants to
say it was
noted
The
French
Nimrod.
traveler,Tavernier, tells us
but

cataract

quite a

our

"

"

he

when

that

formed

Tigris,the
twenty-six feet high.

passed

waterfall

down

the

Zikr

ul Aawaze

He

assures

us,

this waterfall without

however, that his kelek went over
be permitted to suspect that in this
mishap.'' One may
he was
statement
striving,in recounting travelers' tales,
to emulate his mythical predecessor. Sir John
Mandeville.

fiftymiles to the south

the Tigris,is the great

About
of

bank
over
as

which, until

mound

the

right
Sherghat

on

of Kalah

hung as deep a mystery

that which so long enveloped the imposing tells of Nimroud
and Khorsabad.
To the Turks, in their ignorance,it
but

was

1900

as

few

of Nimroud,

a
a

fort made

years

ago,

of clay
"

distinguishedGerman

the wonderful
his

tell of Kalah

admiration,covered
noted cities of Assyria.*

Toprak Kale.
traveler

was

Even

of

one

excited

so

of

late
that

unaware

Sherghat, which

the remains

so

the

most

"Creasy's Decisive

Battles
of the World, p. 79 (New York, 1899).
to be settled once
for all the question of world
was
Arbela, where
that Alexander, when
counseled
Bupremaey,
by his generals to make
a
night
attack
on
Darius, gave the famous
answer
I
steal
KXevTot
ou
no
pUtjv
r-qv
his motto
victory words that were
and
brilliant
during his eventful
career.
^Voyages en Turquie, en Perse et aux
Indes, Vol I, p. 185 (Paris, 1677).
It

at

was

"

"

"Die

Beudentung des heutigen Namen's

Kal

'at

Schergat

ist bis

jetztun-

aufgeklttrt geblieben und

durfte
vielleicht
eine Altassyrische Reminiscenz
bergen. Vom
Mittelmer
Persischen
Golf. Vol. II, p. 210
zum
(by M. von
Oppenheim, Berlin, 1900).
His
countryman, Baron
Thielmann, writing of the
**i"lf
/^*"'* quarter of a century earlier, declares: "This great field of ruin
with its pyramid looks
distruly venerable, but science has as yet made
no

than

thousand

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

380

BABYLON

AND

old ,when Salmanassar

years

placed in

the

great temple enclosure^a record of his work on it and an

B. C,
account of its completion. For fullytwenty centuries,
Assyria,from Assur as a center,had begun to extend her
of that
northwards
and to lay the foundations
dominions
for so many
generations the
mighty empire which was
the dread

and

admiration

of the ancient world.

uncovering the temples and

and his colleaguesunearthed
Dr. AndrsB
made
quarter. In so doingi",they

palaces of Assur,
dential
a part of its resi-

Besides

discoveries

of the

itants,
greatest interest regarding the domestic life of its inhabfor the sanitary condition
and their care
of their
homes.
small, had suitable sewer
Every house, however
had
for
rooms
connections, while all the larger homes
and dependents.
domestics
But

students

to many

of

Assyriology the

most

notable

discovery made here by the German

expedition*took place
not in the temples and palaces of the venerable
city:but
in the space

between

its interior and

exterior

consisted in
a

hundred

unearthinga large number

and fifty
of which
stelae,some

and

limestone, while

basalt'^and alabaster.
it

was

evident

that

From

no

others
the

fewer

erected to the memory

walls.

of tombs.and

nearly

made

were

of sandstone

fashioned

were

on
inscriptions

out

of them
thirty-five
of rulers of Assyria.
^

royal tombs were

umasirpal III,and Shamsi-Adad
of the first-named

those
V.

king

of
Th6

were

Ashbelkala,Ashmassive

found

was

of

these stelae

than

Av^ongthe

This

to

agus
sarcoph-

be in almost

perfectcondition.
this
Confmenting
on

remarkable

find Dr.

This discoveryof these royal tombs

to the

Rogers

appeals most

writes

strongly

imagination. Before

this,Assyriology had seemed

80
in comparison with Egyptology which
poor
has from
the beginningbeen able to point to its
long series of royal
tombs, nay,

even

to the mummied

Egyptian Kings.
discoveries will

ever

There

is

remains

greatest of

probabilitythat Assyrian
match these,but the reproach

no

be able to

of the

FLOATING
that

neither

tomb

DOWN

Assyria

has been taken

More

monument

in the

event

legend which
The

uncovered

were

inscriptionon
in
really startling

notable

most

in the

woman

referred

place.

same

discoveryof this
its import and marked
a
of archeology. The

this stone pillarbears tells us

of the

royal

one

it .the

romance

stela of Sammuramat

The

even

any of the royal tombs

the

was

381

away,^^

the stelae that

to

TIGRIS

Babylonia had

nor

far .than
interesting

of
one
to^is
According

THE

that it is :

palace (thatis,the

of Shamsi-

consort

Adad,)
The

King

The

mother

of the

world,^Kingof Assyria,

of Adadnirari

The

King of the world, King of Assyria,

The daughter-in-law of Salmanassar

The

king of

But

who

the four quarters of the earth.^'^

Sammuramat?

was

Surprisingas

it may

seem,

she was, as scholars now

other than Semiconcede, none
ramis, the famous legendary queen of Assyria.
What
marvelous
a
vindication of
discovery! What
a

long suppressed truth!

of realityfor fiction,
of
for myth and legend!
To

has
and
and

other

no
so

many

any

one

What
fact for

of

woman

fancy,of

antiquityhave

brilliant achievements
of her

sex

authentic

history

there been

uted
attrib-

to Semiramis.

Nor

thousand

years

last two

conspicuous position in

occupied a more
legend,song and story.
the time

as

during the

more,

From

unexpected substitution

an

of Ctesias,the

physician of

myth

Artaxerxes

until the latter part of the last century,there was

career.
question about the main facts of her marvelous

Mnemon,
no

During

all this time

notable

rulers

10

Op. cit, Vol.

11

See

Die

of

she

regarded

was

antiquity
"

as

as

queen

one

of

of the most
consummate

I, p. 328.

Steilenreien

in

Asaur, p. ii (by Walter

Andr", Leipsic,1913).

and

of vaulting ambition

tells

Strabo

was

said,found

an

which

then

was

In this

world.

has

Nature

her

to

along the Tigris and

dominions

all the

most

the

the boundary

considered

inscriptionthe famous
the body of

given me

made

have

ruler

Euphrates and
Alexander
the Great, it is
distant Iran."
of hers on the frontier of Scythia,
inscription

in

those

whose

conqueror

attributed

tradition

us

stupendous works
even

as

as

flourishingregions of Asia and Africa.

her reputed activityand genius,that

the most

great indeed

So

BABYLON

exceptionalstatesmanship;

military abilityand
embraced

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

382

the

me

equal

of the inhabited
declares

queen

but my achievements
valiant of men.

woman

of the most

ruled the empire of Ninus which

the south
to the river Hinainanes,
on

I have

on

the east extends

to

the

country

of

the land of

myrrh, and on the north as far as the SacsB and

Sogdiana. Before me no Assyrian had seen any

of the

;I

incense

that

and

seas

no

had

one

flow where
flow

have

four of them

seen

reached

ever

I wished

which

them.

them

were

I have

forced

I have

to, and

they would be useful. I have

sterile earth fecund by irrigatingthem with

made
for

erected

With

them

to

rendered
these

the

rivers.

iron I have

roads

through impassable rocks. I have constructed

chariots highways through places which
the wild

my

beasts themselves
of these
and

fortresses.

impregnable

distant

rivers to

wished

only where

I have

so

my

had

traversed.

never

occupations I have found

pleasures.^*

Zenobia

Cleopatra

and

And

time for my

in the midst
amusements

distinguished for their

beauty, their genius, and the brilliancyof their achievements,
but,according to the testimony of Ctesias,Diodorus
Siculus,and other ancient historians,
they were
completely
eclipsedby the wonder-working queen of Assyria. So great,
"

"Many
Babylon, are
J2

^"

^^"

^"

other
extant

^^"

"

works
in

"

i^"

"

of
almost

"

^^"

"

were

"

"

"

Semiramis,"
part
every

earth-works

"

.^"

^"

writes
of

this

.^^_____

"

"

"

Strabo, "besides

those

continent,

example,

as,

for

of

which
of Semiramis,
are
called mounds
walls
and
fortresses,
aqueducts and cisterns for water, stair-like roads over mountains, canals communicating
with
rivers and lakes; roads and bridges." Geography, Bk.
XVI,

"Polyanui

Btrategemeta,VIII,

26.

FLOATING
tradition had
thousand

after

years

woman

^who had
as

Russia,
known

as

the

named

were

age,

impressed

so

her

most

of

eminent

personalityon

it is that

of the

two

female

the West

Catherine
the

II

of

Great,

is

North, while the

sovereign,Queen

to that remarkable

de Valdemar

sovereignthat

the rival of Peter

Semiramis

epithetis given

383

after this extraordinary

Thus

almost

was

the

as

time

the East.

on

who

her

TIGEIS

of their

well

THE

her abilities

it,were

rulers

as

DOWN

Norway, Sweden,

same

garet
Mar-

Denmark.

and

But

when, in the second half of the last century, Orientalists

began to decipher the cuneiform inscriptionsof Western
showed
Asia, the majority of them soon
a marked
ticism
skep-

regarding the
Assyrian

of her

period in

It

queen.

historical character
contended

was

in the

name

which

she

of the renowned

that there

Babylonian

was

no

tion
men-

records, during the

supposed to have lived^andthat

the silence of these records respecting a ruler who, according
to ancient
writers, played so important a role in
conclusive proof that she never
existed. It
was
antiquity,
of Ctesias,
that the work
furthermore
asseverated
was
was

which

for

so

history,was

no

of

progress

had

centuries

many

than

more

Assyrian

been

had

sober

as

.which

narrative

romantic

research

accepted

the

completely discredited.

further

not a woman
averred, was
of flesh and blood at all.but an entirelymythical character,
merely a creation of Ctesias and having no existence

And

Semiramis, it was

"

of his elaborate

outside
thousand
But
human

years

passed

scholars, while
personage

she
that

to concede

of

arbitrary creation
romancer
was

posing as

nothing

of her

more

than

which

romance
as

for

that

Semiramis

long believed
she was
nothing more
so

the fertile

creature

conspicuous positionin

diflScult of acceptance than

the

to

of

than

assumption

willing
unmere

Greek

that

would,
fancy^

the ancient

the

was

be, were

imagination of
The

historian.
a

two

serious history.

denying
was

than

more

in view

world, be

age-oldbelief

that

she

she

more
was

really,as

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

384

long considered, the great

so

queror
con-

Asia.

of Western

If,then, she

and

queen

neither

was

being,nor

human

ment
fig-

mere

Scholars, and
felt the necessityof findinga plausible,
Orientalists,
especially
to this question which
if not a satisfactory,answer
of the

imagination,what

she?

was

insistent. To obtain such an

and more
daily more
before, oriental history,
answer
they ransacked, as never
at least
mythology, and archaeologyand with results ^which,
to themselves, seemed
beyond question.
became

[declares

Semiramis

eminent

an

Orientalist] is not

but a divinitywhom
legend, as so often
personage,
of
happens in similar cases, transports into the domain
human
human

affairs.

Diodorus

says

formally that she

adored

was

goddess and declares that her cult had two principal

in Philistia.
seats, Assyria and the city of Ascalon
That she was, of a truth,a goddess is evinced by her being
the daughter of Derceto
as well as
by the traditions respecting
her birth and by her final metamorphosis, which have
all a distinctly
mythologicalcolor.^*
as

Another
was

Orientalist
distinguished
the

not

name

Istar whose
historians

and

their Greek

when

Semiramis, who
history in great
those of Firdusi
the most

legend was

Semiramis," he will
history but to Greek
statement

of

he
is

part, of

human

nationalized

it, belongs
He

*'

ramis
Semi-

of the

dess
god-

**The
not

to

of

name

Babylonian
this

accentuates

Ctesias,the creator
Greek
Aphrodite, based

that

the
on

Persian

of later Arabian

legendary

by the Persian

followers.""

asserts

mere

but

queen

Romance."^"

only

positivethat

**

have

measure
or

is

annals

which

his

*'like

writers. consisted
tales and

of

for

rationalized

i*C/. LaLSgende
de Semiramis, pp. 22, 23
(by Francois Lenormant), in
de VAcademie
Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux
Arts
de
Belgique, Tom. XL
(1873).
in Herodotoa, loith Notes, Introductions
and
\*"4'
,?*^J^yce
Appendices,
p. 106 (London, 1883).

Memoxrea

i"

Ibid.,p.

303.

FLOATING

myths,'' in which
the mythology of
Another

the

noted

enriched

have

we

is not

which

writes

endeavored

history but
to prove

whose

legend

elements borrowed

is

these and
for

account

that would

way

of conceding.that she
of Ctesias

or,

from

primarilya goddess, and

only by virtues

so

much

of that

older than Euh'e-

as

historians

unmistakably that of the

for

accounted
but

an

her

maintained

either

so

that she

from

long taught,an

Semitic

Ishtar

translated

exploitsof
the

sity
neces-

arbitrarycreation

an

the character

myth

would

scholars
distinguished

the origin and

historical character

eastern

historythat

other

relieve them

was

Insistingthat

queen.

historical queen

an

in the East

to

Semiramis,ina

of

*'not the

learned paper

that **she is

several decades

was

385

"

merus."

she

TIGRIS

seek

quasi-historical
queen

euhemerism

For

to

in later times. with

religiousmyth,'' but
becomes

THE

Babylonians.""

scholar

that **Semiramis
was

DOWN

actual

of

ian
Assyr-

Semiramis

is

Astarte, some
by assuming that
or

into **the semblance

be creditable to the Greeks."

ers
Oth-

the

daughter of the fish-goddess

Derceto, while still others quite as vigorously contended
that **the legend of Semiramis
originated in Lydia,"
it found its way
to Persia .where Persian imaginawhence
tion
transformed

Babylonian

the

legend

daughter

Then

queen.

Semiramis

was

of

again it
from

fish-goddessinto

a
was

asserted

that

the

the

commingling of exaggerated
of a royal Assyrian lady,named
Samaccounts
miirat and certain myths regarding the Assyro-Babylonian
Astoreth.
this Semiramis,
To
Ishtar and the Canaanite
to the

as

time

that

exhaustive

an
*'

Ibid., p. 362.

18

Mr.

Robertson
1887.

Smith

in

comes
investigation,

The

course

in Asia

name

and

form

English Historical

of

Minor

Assyrian origin. Smith,

or

is

Semiramis

17

stupendous works

of the

of Hittite

were

result of

in

great Sesostris of Egypt, the Greeks

assignedmost

which

April,

arose

as

the

to the conclusion

of Astarte

Review,

Vol.

and

II, p. 305,

BEELIN

FEOM

386

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

AND

conquests in Upper Asia is a translation

history of the diffusion and
into the language of political
^"
victories of her worship in that region.''
the story of her

while Orientalists

But

wasted

so

cudgelingtheir brains in the

problem on which they had

midnight oil,Dr.

much

AndrsB

and

his associates

Orient-Gesellschaftunexpectedly

Deutsche

the

of

the

solve

to

endeavor

vain

were

made

the ruins of Assur.

By
astounding discovery among
structed
single stroke of the pick they nullified the carefullyconyond
theories of nearly a half century and proved beperadventurethat the romantic and mysterious Semi-

their
a

ramis

neither

was

of

creation

but

romancer,

to

Persian
an

actual

of the best

some

sovereigns of Assyria. As the

known
V

of Shamsi-Adad

wife

goddess,nor the arbitrary

the figment of a Greek
poet, nor
personalitywho was closelyrelated

Aramaean

an

and

the mother

of Adadinari

IV

III, who reigned

daughter-in-law of Salmanassar
over
Assyria from B. C. 860 to 826, the place of Semicertain and as fixed as is
ramis
in history is henceforth
as
that of Sargon II or Tiglath-pileser
IV, two of the most
the destinies of
brilliant monarchs
who ever
presided over
of her power
the vast empire of Assyria when
in the apogee
and splendor.
of
That romance
has so long been busy with the name
for history; that the
Semiramis
to leave small
as
space
in
were
myths about Derceto and Astarte and Ashtaroth
the course
of ages attached to the Assyrian palace lady who
made
so
great an impression on her contemporaries is not
Similar myths and romances
an
exceptional occurrence.
have clustered about the names
of Alexander
the Great,
about Charlemagne, about Harun-al-Bashid, about Frederick
bilities
Barbarossa,about Dietrich von Bern, and other notaand

the

of ancient

and

mediaeval

times.^"

i"Op. oit.,p. 317.

"o

As

fantastic stories are

Theodoric
Bern
related about Dietrich von
of the East
about
As
Goths
there are
the
Semiramis.
as
Aaiyrian queen was said to have been nursed by doves in her infancy and to
have been transformed
into a dove after her death so, the German
legendshave
th"

many

Great, King

"

"

BERLIN

FROM

388

days after leavingAssur

first two

The

along the

river

reaches

to

attract

encountered,

We

kelek.

AND

BAGDAD

TO

it is

from

current

usual, or where small islands were

but
somewhat
intricate,
navigation was
it roused

as

our

from

crew

but little

smoothly-gliding

our

than

this

found

we

true, occasional

the

where

river

in the

us

BABYLON

was
so

eddies, or
more

rapid
that

numerous

rather

we

their habitual

enjoyed

lethargy and

dispositionto spend all their time in

of breakers which
also met with quite a number
We
kaif
of them were
the river,but none
extended across
so violent
that
that of the Zikr ul Aawaze.
Many have maintained
as
the largest of these rapids are due to the ruins of bridges
that spanned the Tigrisin ancient times, but it seems
more
caused by the ruins of dams which
probable that they were
constructed
were
by the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamia
merable
**to insure a constant
supply of water to the innucanals which
the surrounding
spread like a network over
clear from
what
Strabo
country." This seems
to think that they
says of them, although he himself seems
their chronic

from

built to

were

prevent hostile fleets from

rivers of Mesopotamia and

The
from

Persians
without

ascending

the

Susiana.

[he writes],through fear of incursions

for the purpose

of preventing vessels
from ascending these rivers,constructed artificialcataracts.
Alexander
of them
on
as
arriving there destroyed as many
he could,those particularlyon the Tigris from the sea to

Opis."

and

[He declared

that] such devices

unbecoming
to men
who
victorious in battle and, therefore,he conare
sidered
this means
of safety unsuitable
for him and, by
easilydemolishingthe laborious work of the Persians, he
proved in fact that what

unworthy
A

short distance below

Assur

clear

passed the embouchure

mountain
in strong
waters were
we

Oeoaraphy, Bk. XVI, Chap. I, IX.

MArrUn'i

protectionwaja

of the name."

pf the littleZab whose

M

they thought

were

Anahaaii

Bk.
of Alewander, 1

VII, Chap. VII.

FLOATING

DOWN

TIGRIS

with the flood of the turbid

contrast

of these two
of

THE

rivers

Parysatis, the wife

Younger.

389

Tigris. Near

the

located the Median

were

of Darius

and

mother

of

fluence
con-

villages
Cyrus

the

These

villageshad, accordingto a Persian custom,

been bestowed
the queen
by the king for her
upon
girdle that is for the purchase of personal apparel and
"

How

ornaments.

supplying
The

below

scenery

about

that round
low

of

range

mountains

the Persian

generous
their wives with

"

yellow hills
Hamrin
such

scarcely deserve

plain on
right. The

the

on

differed but littlefrom

arid

an

"

and

in

were

the Little Zab

Assur

Jebel

pin money

monarchs

Jebel

the left and

Arabs

Makhul

call them
"

^but

they

exalted

appellation. In a recess
the remains
of a stronghold that
of Jebel Makhul
are
of similar ruins along the Danube.
reminds
It is called
one
Makhul

Kalat

"

an

the Castle

legend, this was

of a giant, who
was
Near
the river.
by was

of the Maiden.

Arabian

her

giant father.

of the warlike

the citadel
the

According to

of all who

terror

the citadel

"

Kalat

an

ter
daugh-

sailed
el Gebbar

down
"

of

The

legend apparently recalls the time

these strongholds were
when
occupied by bandits who, like
of the Rhine
and the Danube, formerly
the old robber barons
all the passing keleks or
who
levied tribute on
of all they possessed. These brigands
despoiledtheir owners
said to have infested certain reaches of the Tigris as
are
late as a third of a century ago, but, although the traveler
is still warned
to have changed
against them, they seem
their scene
of operations to fields where
they would not be
much
harassed
80
by government soldiery.
A few miles below the Giant's Castle,the river becomes
and
much
swifter, for it here cuts through the
narrower
which, on the
chain of hills called Jebel Hamrin
sandstone
tion
left bank of the Tigris,continues in a southeasterlydirecof the rugged spurs which
until it unites with the one

juts out

from

the mountains

of the river
is

locallyknown

through
as

El

of Luristan.

narrow

tion
sec-

Hamrin, which
-the aperture" is interesting

the range

Fatha"

This

of Jebel

BERLIN

FEOM

390

it is

because

Bagdad,

and

the

on

Outside

first half of the

except the

journey to
Kurd

numerous

and

houses

mud

and

vilayetsof Mosul
marked
a
point on the

Babylonia.
Assur, there is little during the
Bagdad to claim one's attention
villages,composed of squalid

and

of Nimroud

once

Assyria

frontier between

natural

stone

it

BABYLON

the

boundary between
because

and

AND

BAGDAD

TO

and

frequent

groups

of black

tents

Around
the Arabian
occupied by various tribes of Arabs.
occasionallyquite large flocks of
sees
encampments one
sheep and, in the vicinityof the stone and mud villagesof
itants
the Kurds, one will note the feeble attempts which its inhabto cultivate the land.

make

of

methods

irrigationthat

to find that

is not

here, one

prised
sur-

return
for his
poor husbandman's
In marked
contrast, however, to the

unpromising grain fields

fields of Indian
the

exist

the

small.

is very

labor

Considering the primitive

corn

on

the arid

the luxurious

plains were

in the small islands which

dotted

Tigris.

During

the entire

is never

journey between
of sightof ruins

Mosul

and

Bagdad

of some
kind or other
long out
ruins of old strongholds,ruins of monuments
to Moslem
and minarets, ruins of towns
and
saints,ruins of mosques
cities long since deserted
or
destroyed by the ruthless
invader.
They certainlygive the country a most desolate
but they, at the same
time, tell in the most
appearance,
eloquent fashion how great must have been the wealth and
prosperityof this ill-fated country in the palmiest days of
one

"

the great Caliphs and during the reigns of the wise and
beneficent monarchs
of the Sassanidae and the Achaemenidae.
However

rich the flora and

fauna

may

formerly have

been

along the Tigris,there is now

visible but little of either.
Older travelers speak of the long stretches of woodland
along the river. Now one sees littlemore
than small clumps
of Acacia
Beem

to

Wild
half of

and

Glycyrrhiza here and there and

be rapidly disappearing.

fowl
our

are

said to be

journey on

the

these

even

abundant, but during

Tigris we saw only a

the

first

few

shy

FLOATING

DOWN

francolins,pelicans,and
river,however, the number
them

Among^
duck

with

were

THE

cormorants.
of fowl

snipe

some

TIGRIS
Farther

down

the

appreciably augmented.

and

snowy-white plumage.

391

beautiful

species of

Singing birds

were

ceedingly
ex-

rare.

According
abounded
Jean

to

early travelers, large

the whole
Thevenot

de

assures

sheep

as

from

Nineveh

to

Bagdad.

Thus

in his

that in the

us

numerous

way

formerly

game

entertainingwork on the Levant

vicinityof El Fatha, lions were
as

elsewhere

des lions

"

Von

que

"

volt

aussi

en

grande quantite que des moutons

ailleurs.^^ He
of an extraordinarilylarge and powerparticularly
ful

tells us

lion which
own

that ventured

"

his

took

caravan

escaped

the ferocious

brute

from

man

to pass by
the payment

from

all

every caravan
that terrible

except his

"

place.

That

of the tribute exacted

others,was,

by

he

thing
opined, somebien glorieux pour

la
glorious ce qui devoit etre
notre
qui ne lui paia point ce trihut.
Judging by the precautionswhich, he informs us, he was
continuallyobliged to take against these feral terrors of
the desert,Thevenot
much
obsessed
as
was
by them as he
was
by the hot and poisonous wind which, he avers, was
such a deadly menace
in the valley of the Tigris. This consuming
the ventus
wind is,he declares,the same
as
urens
^mentioned
in the twenty-seventh chapter oi
burning wind
all the way
the book of Job and prevailsduring the summer
"

"

"

from

Mosul
inhales

one

to Surat
it

one

immediately becomes
it,the flesh falls
But
been

these
current
since

from

in distant

India

and

is

so

instantly drops dead, and

black as ink, and, if
as

fatal that if
his
one

corpse

touches

the bones."

only samples of travelers' tales that have

phere
regarding the East and its scorching atmosIt is, therefore, quite
the days of Strabo.''

are

au
Levant, Tom.
Ill, p. 200 (Amsterdam, 1727).
Ibid., III. p. 183.
26 So
hot
is it in Susa, the Greek
geographer writes, that "lizards and
the streets quick enough
cannot
cross
serpents at midday in the summer
to death midway by the heat."
to prevent their being burnt
Op. cit.,Bk. XV,
2*

Voyage

26

Chap.

III.

Thevenot

that

evident

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

392

did not

BABYLON

to allow

purpose

his

cessors,
prede-

includinghis countryman Tavernier, not to mention

others, to enjoy a complete monopoly in the recounting of
adventures.

and

wonders

of the Arabs

travelers

most

"

poison wind

the

to stories about

In addition

in the desert

"

have

the Samum

something

times
huge, yellow sand pillarsthat are somethe wings of the
the plain on
seen
scudding over
to travelers
whirlwind.
They are at times a positivemenace
and to the natives are
objects of terror. According to
which canJinnis of the Waste
Arab
not
superstitionthey are
be caught, a notion
arising, Burton tells,**from the

to

the

about

say

*'

'^

of the

fitful movements

electrical

wind-eddy

raises

that

'2^

them.'

stopped after entering the

the northern
vilayet of Bagdad, which embraces
part of
Tekrit is
old Babylonia, was
Tekrit.
Although modern
first

The

little more

place

than

at which

we

wretched

the
village,

Tekrit

of mediaeval

times,as is evinced by the vast area covered by rubbish and

a
ruins, was
large and flourishingcity. Writing of the
modern
able
to be favortown. Rich says its atmosphere
seems
to prosers, as the saying,*To talk like Tekreetli, which
is common
in these parts, apparently indicates."
To this
statement
he adds, *^If the women
in this
exceed the men
gift,in the due proportion of the sex, he is to be pitiedwho
^*

'

marries
The

27

^^

German
of

the

Tekreetli wife.''

"There

count
traveler,Baron von
Thielmann, in the achis journey down
the Tigris,gives his impression
few

are

'Zauba'ah,'as
measuring

the

sights more
Arabs

appalling than

call it.

Devils

sandstorm

in

the

desert,

clined,
pillars of sand, vertical and infeet high, rush
thousand
a
the plain lashing the sand
over
at their base like a sea
surging under a furious whirlwind; shearing the grass
clean away
from the roots, tearing up trees which
whirled
like leaves and
are
sticks in the air, and
tents and
houses as if they were
bits of
sweeping away
At
last the columns
paper.
sand
join at the top and form, perhaps three thoufeet above
the earth, a gigantic cloud
of yellow sand
which
obliterates
not
only the horizon but even
the mid-day sun.
These
sand-spouts are the
terror of travelers."
Thoumnd
and One
F.
Nights, Vol. I, p. 114 (by Richard
Burton, Benares, 1885).
2" Narrative
Nineveh
unth

148

or

of
a

a
Residence
in Koordistan
and
the
Site
on
Journal
the Tigris to Baadad,
of a Voyage down
^

(London, 1836).

of Ancient
"

Vol.

II."

p.
f

FLOATING
of the town

in

DOWN

THE

TIGEIS

893

singlesentence: *'As for ourselves we saw

nothing worth noticingin this miserable abode save
two
solitary palm-trees,the first which we had met with.''^^
he quotes as a statement of Karl Ritter,the
Incidentally,
a

celebrated

geographer, ''the strikingremark

palm-tree in the East always denotes

Arab

and

sway

Arab

that
the

the

thest
fur-

limit of

life.*'

But, if modern
Tekrit possesses
littleof interest for the
the
ancient city,
traveler,
long in ruins,still breathes proud
memories

of the distant

Blest,*'it
and

the seat

was

center

church

past. Once

whence

radiated

of the

as

''Tekrit

the

Monophysite metropolitan
of the Monophysite

missionaries

in all directions.

of Saladin,

known

of

one

the

It

also

was

celebrated

most

the
of

place
birth-

oriental

sovereigns, the famous

Coeur de
adversary of Richard
warrior whose
Lion, the Moslem
chivalry and generosity
the admiration

were

has

of the Crusaders

and

whose

memory

lived in

from the appearance

of
historyand romance
the Itinerarium
Regis Ricardi and the masterly Historia
Hierosolymitana of William of Tyre to the days when Lesand
der Weise
Scott in his Talisman
sing in his Nathan

gave
which

those

matchless

made

the

point

to

achievements

of Saladin

of Christendom.

the whole
can

name

portraits of

many
were

the

chivalrous

household
The

word

sultan,

throughout
Tigris

valley of the

whose
illustrious sons, but to none
immorbrilliant than those of the tal
more

of his gentleness,courtesy, and

who, by reason
truthfulness,and genernobilityof character,his justice,
osity
has been
signalizedin The Tales of a Minstrel of
in pagandom,
**the best prince that ever
Rheims
was
as
is given a place
of his kingly liberality,
and who, on account
ander
Alexin company
with such illustrious men
as
by Dante
the Great, the good King of Castile,the good Marchese of Monferrato, the good Count of Toulouse, Bertran
Kurd

'^

^"

Journey in
(London, 1875).

the

Convito, IV.

2.

^9

80

Caucasus,

Persia

and

Turkey

in

Asia,

Vol.

II, p.

138

BERLIN

FEOM

394

out

honors

Saladin

martiri

Caesar

with

in the noble

by placinghim

senza

"

^without

"

illustrious heroes

^he associates

"

Cornelia

and

of

heroines

and

castle of Limbo

torments

Brutus, Lucretia

and

BABYLON

And, although the

to the frightful punishment
the ninth
bolgia of hell,he

in

schismatics

to

meted

AND

eltro. ' '

Montef

Born, and Galasso of

Mohammed
poet condemns
of

where

BAGDAD

TO

and

other

antiquity.^^

Although Tekrit is in ruins and has been since it was

visited by the fell destroyer Timur, it will stillcontinue to
of our race
because it was
here
a place in the annals
occupy
that the baby eyes of Saladin first opened on the bright,
blue sky which canopied the broad lands of which he was
in
manhood
the humane
's prime to become
and the
conqueror
wise and beloved sovereign.
Tekrit
Below
the Tigris gradually widens
and deepens,
while the velocityof the river's current
becomes
markedly
less.

Obstructions

and
this of
Our

we
a

to

navigationrapidly diminish

able to sail

are

at

down

the

Mosul, was

three miles

hour

an

three hundred

while it was

and

feet,there is
The

of

The

means

^ifone

"

foresaw

we

Mosul

average

and

can

say

less than

been

its current, from

the

of the

name

named

before

"

As

one.
a

seven

two
on

Persian

river

barking
em-

rarely exceeded

Bagdad,

fall of less than

said to have

Hebrew

It

often less than

sixtymiles,is

Tigris is

swiftness

arrow.

an

Tigris,as

exceedingly slow.

fall of the river between

the

keel

even

an

ber
num-

craft that is keelless.

progress

mile.

on

in

the

distance

of

hundred
feet to the
of

account

for

word

Hiddekel

"

also

Judging, however, from the actual velocity

if not originally
of
river,this name,
given because
arrow.

of the

of its northern

rapids, is a very apparent misnomer.

Although we had four kelekgis two for the day and two
for the night their chief occupation was
not to propel our
kelek,but rather,by means
of their long wooden
to
sweeps,
some

"

"

keep
""

it away

Divina

from

rocks and

Comtnedia, IV,

v.

121,

et

sand
acq.

bars and

steer it clear

of

BERLIN

396

FROM

down

the

waste

floats
the

Changeless to
With

through

majesticTigris which

interest

renewed

ever

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

the broad

desert

changeless sea.

gazed

we

the

on

silent ruins

Rome
before that of Ancient
ended
history was
began. The Forum, the Palatine,the Colosseum, the Mole
of Hadrian
belong in their splendor to an age when the
hoary with the
more
imposing ruins along the Tigriswere
dust of centuries or long buried under the shifting sands

whose

of the desert.

spell of

the

falls under

exhibit

of the East

As

the

dust

the historic

and

of the desert

probably owing
an

land
lands
in

our

to the haze

dry
exceptionally

the horizon,the western

nears

sun

in

completely

of color unknown

fogs and
produced by impalpable

most

one

the sunsets

gorgecusness
mists.
This is

of

land

Tigris

the
For

it flows.

through which

that

of sunset

it is at the hour

But

phere.
atmos-

sky glows

of ruby and

and
topaz, emerald
amethyst and, after it has set, the zodiacal light,rising
from
where the sun disappeared, ascends to the zenith with
and gold and lilac
a display of all the delicate tints of rose
all the

with

of the
The

delicate hues

borealis.

aurora

glories of

sunset

but it is when

in

Mesopotamia

night

with

comes

are

indeed

her dewy

trancing,
en-

ness
fresh-

and
Her

starry shade

Of dim
when

the

and

solitaryloveliness;

silvers the river's wavelets

moon

and

its ruin-

banks, that one loves to lingerin this land of

historic past and contemplate at leisure
crested

Those

ruined

The

relics of

Amid

whose

Naught
MMoort'i

LaXla

shrines

and

towers

thai

splendid dream;
fairy loneliness
a

hut the

lapwing'scry

Rookh, p. 181

(New

is heard}^

York, 1890).

seem

great

FLOATING
How

reveled

DOWN

THE

TIGEIS

397

in those

glorious moonlit nights spent

on
our
tranquillyfloatingkelek on the enchanting Tigris!
**They say that Carl Niebuhr, the traveler,when old and
blind,used to lie and dream over the old Eastern landscapes
and night-skiesin his darkened
life, a perpetual world
we

"

of enchantment

otherwise?
where

to console

For

how

^^

him."

since

often

How

could

from

return

our

it have

been

the East

like

of the most delight^

Niebuhr, have spent some
ful days of our life,
ing
have we not also found ourselves dreamof the eventful
days and the fascinatingnights which
it was
skies of
our
privilegeto spend under the pale azure
the inspiringand enthrallinghome
of our
race?
we,

But

while,in

silent

rapture,

we

magnificent displays of the setting sun

in the beauties

of the

stars, *Hhe
"

thus

were

and

enjoying the
were

flowers of the

poetry of heaven," **the forget-me-nots of the

reveling
sky," **the
angels,"
"

festations
totallyindifferent to all these sublime maniof nature
and
completely buried in their kaif.
Louis
indeed
living pictures of what Eobert
They were
most
Stevenson
somewhere
aptly calls **the apotheosis of
turous
stupidity." As we noted in their placid features their rapand happiness we realized
expression of contentment
before the full force of the poet's words,
never
as

our

crew

was

The

Never
we

were

historic

between

heaven

of each is hut what

each

desires.

to Tekrit
during our journey from Mosul
of
place or monument
out of sight of some
ever
of these reminders
legendary lore. But the number
or
in our
sail
of the hoary past rapidly increased
five miles below SalaAbout
Tekrit and Bagdad.
once,

Dura.
of Iman
to the little town
birthplace we came
zar
According to tradition,it was here that King Nebuchadnezthe Hebrews,
set up his colossal golden statue which
Sidrach, Misach, and Ab^dnago,in defiance of the King's
din's

orders, refused
83
84

Life and Letters

Daniel, iii.

to
of E.

adore.'*
B.

Cowelh

It
V- 318

was

(by

near

Dura

that

G. Cowell, London,

the

1904).

BERLIN

FROM

398
Roman

pitched their

Jovian

under

army

death of Julian the Apostate and it was

Emperor

necessariam
the Persian
is

Dura

forced

was

to

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

conclude

an

tents

after

the

that the Roman

here

ignominious peace-"

quidem sed ignohilem,writes Eutropius with

King, Sapor the Great. A short distance below
"

small

the natives

which

stream

say

was

canal

it,on the left bank of the

Old Bagdad
**a
Tigris,begins the ruins of Eski Bagdad
mighty field of ruins, writes Thielmann, extending some
Situated in this long
twenty-fivemiles along the Tigris.
for
of Samara, as celebrated
field of ruins is the little town
monuments
its romantic historyas for its remarkable
which,
however, have only in the last decade or two received the
the part of scholars which
attention on
they so richly
dug by King

Near

Solomon.

"

"

* *

' '

' ' ^^

deserve.

The

ruins

of which

I have

here

given

brief account

after a visit to Samara]

archaeologist,
importance for the elucidation of the early

[writes a well-known
of the first

are

history of the arts of Islam.

They can all be dated within
a
period of forty years fallingin the ninth century, and
the earliest existing examples of
are, therefore, among
Mohammedan
architecture.
They bear witness to the MesoThe spiraltowers
potamian influences under which it arose.
of Samara
Dulaf
and Abu
an
are
adaptation of the temple
pyramids and Assyria and Babylonia, which had a spiral
path leading to the summit ; the technique of arch and vault
invented by the ancient East and transmitted
was
through
Sassannian
builders
to the Arab
invaders; the decoration
is Persian or Mesopotamian and almost untouched
by the
of
In the palaces and
the mosques
genius of the West.
Samara
the conquerors
themselves
we
can
see
conquered
by a culture which had been developing during thousands
of years on Mesopotamian soil,
which had received
a culture
indeed new
elements into its composition, which had learnt
from the Greek and from the Persian, but had maintained
in spite of all modifications its distinctive character.*"
""

Op. oit, II, 139.

L. Bell,in

""Gertrude

Amurath

to

Amurath,

p. 246

(London, 1911).

FLOATING
The

DOWN

D.

836

Abbassid
the

was

TIGRIS

399

complex of ruined

excites the admiration

A.

THE

to

892

and palaces which here

mosques
of the student dates from the time"

when

"

Samara

Caliphate. Mutasim,
first caliph who

the

was
a

made

of

son

his

capital of

the

Harun-al-Rashid,

residence

here.

So

and

the edifices which he called

magnificent were
into existence,
as
by an enchanter's wand, that the glories
of Samara
rivaled those of Bagdad in the days of her
soon
and prosperity. The
greatest power
magnificence of the
enlarged and embellished city was
expressed in the official
which
then given it,for, in lieu of Samara, it
name
was
called Surra-man-raa
^Who sees it,rejoices. Judging
was
from
the ground plan of the palaces of Samara
as
given
H.
M.
the
French
by
Violet,
Academician
distinguished
who,
during a visit to Samara, made a careful study of its imposing
this
of
not inferior to the
ruins,
buildings was
group
royal edifices of Versailles."
According to local tradition Samara, like Sestos and
As they lived in
Abydos, had also its Hero and Leander.
Leander
palaces on opposite sides of the river,the Samara
could see his immorata, who
the daughter of a sultan,
was
only by breasting the swift-flowingwaters of the romantic
fortunate than
Tigris. The lovers were, however, more
their Greek
were
prototypes,for their lives did not end in
the Romeo
the tragedy which
overtook
and Juliet of the
Dardanelles
in a happy
but, so the story runs, terminated
And
the
and Lalla Rookh.
marriage like that of Feramoz
of the devoted
pair is still kept green by the names
memory
which
have
the Arabs
given to the ruins of their former
numerous

"

homes

El

"

Aschik

"

the

lover

Maschuka

El

and

"

the

"

beloved.^"
37

"Le

Khalife, alors

tous

les

XIV

k Versailles.

embellir
du

grands
Samara

scheiks

tout-puissant,vivait Ik au milieu
de
de son
plus entoure
royaume,

II reservait
en

coustruisant

d'ailleurs

toutes

quelques

Palais^ de Al-Moutasim
Arabs
connus
Monuments

du

fa.veurs

ses

belles

de

residences

palais." Description
Samara
et de Quelques
a
and
plate XIV
(par M. H. Violet, Paris, 1909).
illuminating monograph on Samara.
38(7/.Von Oppenheim, pp. cit.,II, p. 221.

la

Cf.

ceux

et

de

que Louis
qui venaient

dans

le

voisinage

d'Haroun-al-Raschid

Fils
de

milices

ses

courtisans

Mesopotamia,

Sarre

und

Herzf

p. 23

eld's

and

of ruins

the number

Samara

Below

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

400

BABYLON
of historic

places

legendary interest seemed to increase in proportion

sailed southwards.
were
Particularlyinteresting
as we
the ruins of Opis which was
once, next to Babylon, the most
important cityin Babylonia. It was to this point that were
floated from the upper
Tigris the boats that Sennacherib,
in his celebrated
for use
centuries B. C, had constructed
seven
and

against

campaign

Chaldeans

the

and

Elamites.

transportedby camels overland

Opis the boats were
which
to the Euphrates, down
they sailed to the Persian
of the great Assyrian
Gulf. How
forciblythis achievement
of a similar exploitnearly twentyreminds
monarch
one
Mohammed
the Conqueror had a
two centuries later,when
the elevated section of land
part of his fleet conveyed over
Horn
between
the Bosphorus and the Golden
preparatory
1453
!
to his capture of Constantinople,May 29,
ander
Opis is also celebrated as having been visited by Alexthe Tigris
the Great
in his memorable
up
voyage
From

his voyage
up," as Arrian
existed in the
informs
us, **he destroyed the weirs which
river and thus made
the stream
quite level. ' ' ^^ More than
Persian

the

from

**In

Gulf.

twenty-one centuries afterwards, in 1839, the English

in this
steamer
ever
seen
Euphrates'^ the first steamer
region ascended the Tigris on its voyage of reconnaissance
**

"

"

it went

when
near

the

the river to the tomb

up

of the Greater

the mouth

navigationof
has

"

the

the

boats

"

terminated

is

at

under

Tigriswere

there

Tigris

reason

no

should

not

Abdullah

since that

at least for commercial

date
poses
pur-

If the country bordering

Bagdad.

stable and

enterprisinggovernment,
why light-draughtand light-tonnage
dad
ply regularlynot only between Baga

Opis but between Bagdad

explosives properly applied under

Op. cit.,p. 381.

and
Cf. TraveU
Armenia, Vol. II, p.

But

Zab.***

and

engineers, and

of Sultan

possibly

and

dam

Mosul

the
or

as

well.

direction
two

High

of competent

with

suitable

99

*o

Researches
162

(by W.

in
F.

Asia
Minor, Mesopotamiat
Aineworth, London, 1842).

Ohaldea

and

FLOATING
locks would

solve

the

towards
a

than

DOWN

THE

problem

TIGEIS

and

would

its former

restoringto

401

contribute

dition
flourishingcon-

country which, as we have seen, is now

desert overspread with ruins
where

little more

'*

paced*' and

kings have

where
The

the

fox litters safe

gray

Under

When

mensely
im-

the broken

Tigris shall

have

thrones.

for steam

cleared

been

gation
navi-

from

Bagdad to Mosul and the Bagdad Railway shall

be completed and in successful operation through its entire
length,we may hope to see the fertile .lands,through which
river flows

the famous
as

the home

more

of

teeming

lions
mil-

they constituted the richest and

Asia.
region of Western
flourishing
change in the aspect of
Opis we noted a marked

they

the most
Below
the

once

when

were

We

country.

were

passing through

now

rich alluvial

to be seen.
There
on
were
pebble was
with
fields enameled
both sides of the river broad, verdant
doofs
wild flowers and carefullyirrigatedby the primitive shahere as they are
still in use
and norias which
are

plain where

not

along

the Nile

land

is under

evinced

by

and

in all

parts of the Levant.

cultivation
flocks and

the

utilized for

or

with

herds

Much

of this

grazing,

which

the

is

as

country is

the river
everywhere dotted. As we slowly glided down
of villages surrounded
observed
ever-increasingnumber
an
we
by gardens and fruit trees and clumps of date
cially
palms. All these gratefulchanges in the landscape, espemore
which hourly became
the beautiful palm groves
and the little fleets of gufand more
attractive,
numerous

we

near

were

mislead;
Bagdad
kelek

was

for

hove
at

destination.

our

few

in
an

and

commodities

filled with

fahs

hours

sight and
end.

the world-renowned

We

passengers,
These

indications

later the domes

our
were

told

and

metropolis of

did

that
not

minarets

happy floatingon
last within the gates

week's
at

us

the Abbasside

of
a

of

Caliphs.

XVI

CHAPTER
BAGDAD

Romantic

Bagdad!
terror's

Awaking
For

there

the

And

Love

and

Prince

of

thrill

Worth
Thousand

nohle

Whose

knelt;

glorious reign

domain!

fancy's fair

minstrels

Gallia's

all hut

Bashid

whose

still Arah

deeds

rivaled

Who

Tales!

in

brightly shines

So

genii dwelt,

the
Al

good

to

dear,

pity's tear;

and

gloomed,

sorcerer

the

childhood

to

name

sing,
King,

Knightly

Michel.

Nicolas

We

Her

sunset.

noble

The
shade

and

Turks

and
struck

of

We

the

picturesque

spell which
us,

to

advised

at

the

of

home

and

only by the
of

felt that

the

Orient.

we

were

402

bay

darkening
of

the
lost

us

gave

and
under
of

the

Caliphs
no

Fathers,

generous

member

of

the

fretted

of

this,we

Once

of

feverishly
the

and

of

thrall

the

home

who

under

Throngs

men

drab

of

mystically

notes

the

the

Carmelite

the

arrival

our

is accorded

of

masses

gold.

red

women

walls

and

windows

fares
thorough-

Harun-al-Rashid.

in

but, notwithstanding
the

the

of

famed

cast

almost

color

gradually

once

and

pressed

of

of

city

rose

sunlight.

robes

with

the

light primrose;

and, trembling

The

green

over

felt ourselves

subtle

we

white

olive

projected

trees

Persians

streets.

and

delicate

departing
and

Mesopotamian

and

Sea, played

Kurds

and

of

amber

fountains

pleasant harmony

maroon

which

over

blue

with

stately palm

and

narrow

glory

most

Oman's

Arabs,

green,

the

from

the

through

full

the

and

quivering

the

in

of

gardens

breeze

gentle

with

crowns

over

the

glowed

mosques

minarets

her

in

Bagdad

entered

their

and

had

cast

time

in

who

had

welcome

warm-hearted
their

quiet

ing
repairbeen

such

as

sionaries
mis-

hospitable roof
religious family.

part

TO

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

titleof Bishop of Babylonia,which

created
a

BERLIN

FEOM

404

of the Persian

meantime,

In the
Ricouard

at the

put

"

at that time

Empire.
pious lady of Meaux, France
of the Holy See
disposition

was

Marie

"

six thousand

of
Spanish doubloons for the creation and endowment
the double condition
on
bishopricin partibusinfidelihus,

the

be reserved

should

that to the donor

presentation of the

following bishops should always

be of French
nationality.
Pope Urban VIII by his bull,Super Universas,decreed
named
should be appropriated
in June
1838, that the sum
to the See of
Babylon or Bagdad,'' with the formal stipulation
that the

first titular and

**

all future

that

of this

incumbents

bishopricshould

ing
obliged to reside there personallyunder pain of forfeitall right to the fruits of the Ricouard
foundation.
At
named
the first
the same
time the Sovereign Pontiff
as
be

bishop of

the

new

Bernard

Father

see

de

Sainte-Therese,

of

Paris, who had been proposed by the donor of the fund

mentioned, and ordained that thenceforth no one should be
promoted to this see unless he had been born in France.
This wish of the Pope and of the pious donor has thus far
been

never

transgressed,and

that it will continue

of her

one

sons

At

of

immense

of Louis

of

seeing

Bagdad.^

XIV,

consul

to doubt

reason

the honor

specialact, signed

in Basra

of

at

named

Constantinople
the

superior

of

France, in perpetuum.

consul

help to

King gave the title and prerogatives

to the Bishop of Bagdad.
This was
an
the bishop in his ministry for it gave him

increased power

with

the civil government

immensely his prestigeamong

the time

of Francis

commerce

the Sublime
1

no

later date the French

and

is

to France

assure

the See of

occupy

In the year 1677

by the Ambassador
the Carmelites

to

there

LeB

Missions

(Parin,1900).

I, when

the

and

enhanced

Mohammedans.

From

treaty of

signed by
Porte, the French

the French

was

CatholiqueaFrangaiaea au

peace

and

amnity

Government

had

enjoyed

XIXe

8ibcle"Tom.

full

and

religious

I, p. 223.

et

aea.

BAGDAD

libertythroughoutthe
for centuries

of

Ottoman

to be with

Europe.^
But, although

the

405

Empire and France

the Moslem

consular

ued
contin-

the favored

positions which

nation

held

were

by the Carmelite superior of Basra and the bishop of Bagdad

still
the treaty of amnity which had been
and,
more,
established

between

after
"-especially

Mesopotamia

in

the French
the Ottoman

A. D.

in the Near

they stillhad
that

East

Ottoman

governments

Turks

1534"

to confront

gained possession of
given the French missionaries

had

increased

and

power

difficultiesinnumerable

calculated

were

and

to

appall

all but

prestige,
and

the

fices
sacri-

noblest

heroes.
Their

however,
difficulties,
of Mohammed

followers

and

resources

expanding

from

work

not

much

so

the

did

paucity

of the mission.

from

as

of

proceed from
lack

of material

subjects for

So many

calls

their charityby the poor that they were

to live on only a singlepiece of dry bread

the

ever-

made

were

at times

on

the

forced

ing
day, with nothto flavor it but a small clove of garlic. Then both priests
decimated by the plague while ministering
bishops were

and

at the

occasion

one

without
taken

of the

bedside

of their

flock. On

superior of Bagdad saw himself

whatever.
Age and disease had

the Carmelite
assistants

any

him

all from

them

stricken members

after another.

one

In this extremity

letter after letter to his superior general in

he wrote

Eome, conjuring him

the generaPs answer;

to send
if you

him

**I have

men.

want

them,

none,

and

come

was

seek

them.''
The

superior.Father
Poor

his word.
camel

and

as

Job, he

alone, with

took

Marie-Joseph,
a

borrowed

singleArab

the

general at
enough to hire

money

and

sack

of dates

leather bottle of water, he started for Aleppo on the

miles"
through the
long journey" nearly eight hundred
inhospitableArabian and Syrian deserts. Twice his alertand

De

Ottoman,
Paris, 1914),
Jpnquifere,

Cf. Hisioire
la

de

V Empire

Tom.

I, p. 172

et. aeq,

(by

the Vicomte

TO

BERLIN

FEOM

406

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

eloquence saved him from bands of marauding

after untold difficultiesand sufferings
Bedouins.
But, finally,
His superior general
he reached
Aleppo and Rome.
in the Eternal
so
impressed by the magnificent
City was
audacity of the zealous missionary that he found a means
and

ness

sent

who

back

was

Father

Bagdad,

to be

he

whom

Bagdad

work

by

and

needed

any

godsend

and

of Edessa

nobly assisted

are

devoted

to the

sufferingpoor of
cine
supplied with medi-

gladly treated and

compensation whatever.^

As in the missions
of

much

ants
rejoicing.Among these assistDamien, formerly a practicingphysician,

proved

without

so

to his flock

him

soon

he

the assistants

him

procuring for

of

from

nuns

Mosul, the

in their

and

moral

But

France.

missionaries

civilizing

the life of these

greatest self-sacrifice. They

not, as did the Carmelite priests,have attempted to
may
took but one
of Alcantara, who
imitate St. Peter
repast
and
that of the most
three
frugal kind, only once
every
days ; but the privationswhich they for years had to endure
sisters is

devoted

would

daunt

they
they had

of the

one

all but

the most

the

reached

scene

souls.

courageous

Even

fore
be-

of their

missionary activities
experience that,for delicately
was
truly dishearteningfor

through an
reared
women
as
they were,
but those engaged in the service of the Master.
This
any
their long journey on
horseback
in great part
was
through a wild and forbidding desert from Beirut to Bagdad.
The
They were
twenty-four days in the saddle.
nights they had to spend in the filthy,
noisy, dilapidated
caravansaries
which were
scarcelyfit shelter for the beasts
that carried them.
And
yet these heroic religieusesalways
maintained
the same
cheerfulness
during this long and
trying journey as ever characterizes them in the performance
to pass

"

of their arduous

bedside
"

Du

of the sick and

Caucaaua

Meaopotamie,

an

p. 458

labors

in the

"

schoolroom

and

at the

suffering.*

Golfe Peraigue h travera

VArmSnie,
and
aeq. (by P. MUller-Simonis

et

le Kurdistan
H.

Hyvernat,

et

la

ington,
Wash-

1802).
*

8m

the

Busiane,p.

work
Intcrcflting
676

et teq.

of Mme.

(Pari*,1887).

Dieulafoy on

La

Perse, la Chald6e

et la

BAGDAD
But

the labors

of these ardent
in

even

drawbacks

that

of their

confront

augmenting,
them

house

and

the

Jews,

The
well

as

teachers

enough

secure

of

number

tians
Chris-

as

Mesopotamia, is

it is difficult for the

that

the

comfort

in vain.

not

are

rites in

For, in addition

them.

they have
and

numerous

pensation,
com-

Notwithstanding all

them

pupils,Mohammedans

of all the

souls is not without

this world.

that their sacrifices

knowing

407

good

to take

so

idly
rap-

to

nuns

of

care

the

to

ordinary branches of an
ous
elementary education,they teach their young charges variof needlework
kinds
the simpler principles of
and

domestic

economy.
children of

*'The

learn,'' said

to

question I
who

are

is that
have

said,in

very

eager
to

answer

not

the
in

Our

great grief

larger and that we

constantly increasing
But,'*

class-rooms.

our

Dieu

Bon

will

provide

time.''

did I

I did when

laborious

us

on

me

minds.

resignation,*^the

sweet

before
as

and

made

are

good

own

Never

more

sisters to meet

more

in

will you
find pupils
gratefulfor the opportunities

of

that

in His

or

to

nowhere

improving their
school-buildingsare

our

demands
she

studious

bright and

very

sisters

asked, **and

have

not

are

of the

one

had

more

they

Bagdad

regret that

much

so

I visited the schools

religieusesand

lionaire
mil-

perfervid
splendid results

of these

what

saw

not

was

at their
achieving with the very limited resources
they were
they could accomplish
disposaland learned how much more
If the good and generous
if they had the necessary
means.
could only realize the noble work which
people of America
the good Sisters of the Presentation are achievingin Bagdad
that
sure
and how very worthy they are of assistance,I am

would

many

pupils.

teachers

and

could

be

spent

that

these

by
and

ardent

the atrocious
that

to

for the benefit of both

their purses

wide

open

I know

better
souls

purpose.
are

Association

places where

of few

When

condemned
Laws

one

to

money

remembers

perpetual exile

of their mother

country

they frequently lack the ordinary necessities of

BERLIN

FROM

408

life because

they

gladlysuccor

them

work,

cooperate with them

help sympathizingwith
duty to help them in every

cannot

one

feel that it is one's

and

would

publicthat

and

in their needs

BABYLON

AND

to reach

unable

are

in their admirable
them

BAGDAD

TO

possible.

way

is recognized

Fathers
church

and

position in the
foreignersto be
is

of

reader

the

language with

the

commencement

to

know

the lowest

of the desert.

that

to the

the

study

"

of

highestclasses

of the pupils speak

result is that many
wonderful
At
facilityand correctness.

The

the

the

oasis in the midst

**a French

obligatory from

of the school.

Bagdad. It,with the

Fathers, occupies a capital
city and is pronounced by

of the

center

It will interest
French

the best in

as

monastery

of the Carmelite

the direction

school for boys under

The

exercises

at the

of the year they

made
a large audience
up of
It is in
play from Racine.

exhibit their

end

before
proficiency
the elite of the cityby giving a
of their thorough knowledge of the language of
consequence
Moliere
and Bossuet
that after leaving school they are
and
given high positionsin the leadinghouses of commerce
in all the

traveler

administrative

is often

offices of the

surprised

at the

the schools

under

and

East ; but when

collegesin the Ottoman

the direction

to which

extent

is spoken in the Near

The

government.

French

remembers

one

that

Empire, which are

and laymen
priests,sisters,

of French

numbered

It is
by the thousand, the wonder
ceases.
for this reason
that the empire is,in the words
of Pierre
Loti
un
try
presque
pays de langue frangaise almost a counof the French
language.''
are

"

"

The

missionaries

to the humblest

which

Divine

suffer.

Not

in

nun

Bagdad"

Providence
the

least

glorious position which

historyof
knew

the world.

little about

it

has

Archbishop

reason

called them
for

Bagdad

to labor

and

(Paris, 1913).

"

war
was

the average
in

some

way

to

is the

long occupied in

so

except that it

down

city in

to the

this attachment

Until the late

^Turquie Agoniaante, p. 137

the

greatly attached

are

"

from

the

reader
asso-

BAGDAD
dated
was

with the ''Arabian

so

Nights."

in his mind

vague

Bagdad

ever

famous

characters

had

that

he

in Thousand

And

this association
not

was

existence

actual

an

409

or

and

whether

sure

whether

One

it,like

the

Nights,belonged

to fable land.

only
For

this

it

this

chapter would be incomplete

without some
of the famous
account
citywhich,during "ve
hundred
the capital of the Abbasside
was
years,
Caliphs;
to believe,was
for a considerable
which, there is reason
period the largest city in the world; which, during many
centuries

reason

bore rule from

Caucasus

to the

his

Gulf

of

founded

Oman;
what

made

all the available

that
was

all the

among

celebrated

which, during

in

nights,even

along

half

the second
a

site for

the

lands

this

from

the

who

who

and

that the

us

spot

of those

summer

carefully
Tigris from

inform

select the

advice

Tigris

the

journeys and

historians
to

from

is to Christendom.

locations

for its freedom

that the

and

and

in winter

**

Rome

many

Moslem
Jarjaraya to Mosul.
Caliph was
finallyinduced
stands
Bagdad now
by the
both

and

and

A. D.

capital Al-Mansur

there

to the Nile

762,by Al-Mansur,
Caliphs. Before deciding on

Abbasside

examined

the Oxus

to Islam

millennium,was
Bagdad was
of the

seems

which

on

had

lived
him

assured

district

plague

especially
of

toes
mosqui-

were
height of summer,
furthermore, of the opinion,

in the

' '

We are,
pleasant.
they continued, ''that thou shouldst found the city here
because
thou shalt thereby live amongst palms and near

water,

* '

"

cool and

that if

so

late in its

district fail thee in its crops,

one

harvest,in

another

thy citybeing on the Sarat

brought thither by the boats of

through

Hither, up from
down

the

the

all these

plains,even

sea

Tigris from

Byzantine lands.
between

the

will

remedy be found.
Canal, provisions will be

Euphrates and by the

from
Egypt and Syria.
of China, while
the wares

the

brought goods from the

shall thy city be safe standing

Mosul

Thus

come

be

will the

Also

caravans

or

will be

streams, and thine

enemy

shall not reach

BERLIN

FEOM

410

thee,except it be by

Tigrisor
'*The

BAGDAD

TO
a

boat

by

or

AND

BABYLON

bridge, and

the

across

the

Euphrates."
practicalforesightshown

by

the

Caliph," in

the

firmed
capital,**has been amply conThe
city
by the subsequent history of Bagdad.
called into existence as by an enchanter 's wand
was, during
and
the Middle
Ages, second in size only to Constantinople,
Asia was
long unrivalled for splendor.
throughout Western
for all subsequent centuries
and remained
became
It at once
for
the capitalof Mesopotamia. "Wars, sieges,the removal
a time
by the Caliphs of the seat of government to Samara,
the almost entire destruction
of
higher up the Tigris,even
of these have
the cityby the Mongols in A. D. 1258, none
of Bagdad as
the
permanently affected the supremacy
capitalof the Tigris and the Euphrates country, and now,
after the lapse of over
Arabic
twelve centuries,the new
King of Mesopotamia stillresides in the cityfounded by the

selection of the site of his

Caliph Al-Mansur."'
of them
etymologies, most
fanciful,have been
Bagdad. It is said that when Al-Mansur
given of the name
finallyselected the site for his capitalhe found it occupied
by several monasteries, most of them Nestorian, and that
word
the capital derived its appellation from
the Arabic
who
of a certain monk
name
hagh garden, and Dad"ihe
had a garden there.
that the name
is derived
Others aver
from two Persian words, Bagh
founded
God, and Dadh
The
oflficialname,
signifyinga city founded
by God.
self,
himhowever, given, we are told by the Caliph Al-Mansur
was
Medina-as-Salam, which
signifiesthe *'City of
Peace."
it was
the Saracens
But among
more
generally
known
as
Dar-as-Salam,which also signifiesCity or Home
of Peace.
The Greeks gave it a name
Eirenopolis ^which

Many

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

is

it is
is
"

literal translation

by the older and

variouslyspelt
"

Baghdad during
Sources, pp.

Persian

the
12-14

of the Arabic
common

more

that
Ahbasaid

(by G.

the

name

"

Dar-as-Salam.
"

Bagdad

city of Al-Mansur

has

Caliphate from Contemporary

Strange,Oxford, 1900).

Le

But
"

which
gener-

Arabic

and

BERLIN

FROM

412

BAGDAD

TO

greatlycontributed towards
making it
Bagdad and towards

the rapid

What
of

the East,

the rich alluvial

enabled

the inhabitants

waters

of the

the

development

great emporium

system of canals which

the admirable

was

BABYLON

AND

of

sected
inter-

plainsof lower Babylonia and which

of this region to utilize the surplus
irrigating the fertile lands

for

Euphrates

lay between this river and the Tigris. Contrary to

what is so often thought, the Arabs, under the Caliphs,gave
attention to the canalization of Mesopotamia
much
as
as
which

their

had

But

predecessors,the

these

canals, besides

irrigation,likewise served
from

of their

distant

Persians

and

the

being

used

for

for

purposes

of

the

chandise
transportation of merstance
regions. Thus, to give a single in-

for this purpose,

use

Babylonians.

we

are

informed

that

loaded at Rakkah, Hhe port,'

great boats and barges were
it was
called,of the Syrian desert on the Upper Euphraas
tes,
from
the land-caravans
the corn
of
there taking over
from
and these
Damascus;
Egypt and the merchandise
the great river,and then along the Isa
boats, coming down
Canal, discharged their cargoes at the wharves on the Tigris
**

at the lower

banks

harbor

in Karkh.

' ' "

of the irrigatedregion
idea of the fertility
give some
of Mesopotamia during the reign of the Caliphs it suffices
of an Arabic
writer regarding certain
to quote the words
in the vicinity of Bagdad, where, we
cornlands
are
told,
the crops never
failed,neither in winter nor in summer,
and of the report given of a certain mill in which
there were
To

* *

' *

fewer

no

than

hundred

millstones

which

produced the

million dirhams,
extraordinary annual rental of a hundred
that was
a sum
equivalent to several million dollars of our
money.

Marco
vast
man

Polo, that king of mediaeval travelers,who, by the

of his journeys, was
better qualifiedthan any
compass
of his time to express
an
portance
opinion on the relative imof the cities of Asia, declares that Bagdad
^which
"

"

Le

strange,op. oit.,p.

71.

BAGDAD
he calls Baudas"

regions''and

is ''the noblest and

that it ''used

all the Saracens

in the

greatest cityof these

to be the seat of the

world, just as Rome

of all the Christians.''

Pope

413

"

But

is the seat of the

the illustriousVenetian

did not visit Bagdad until

voyager
the destruction
of the city by the

Hulagu

Caliph of

several

Mongol

decades

after

hordes

under

Khan.

The

question now
arises, if Bagdad was
so
great a
metropolis only a half century after it was
ravaged by the
what
it have been when
must
Mongols,
at the zenith of its
and magnificence? Some
authors
estimate that the
power
city counted no fewer than two million souls. D'Herbelot,
the celebrated
Orientalist,
can
says that one
conjecturethe
of the inhabitants
number
of Bagdad
from
statement
a
made
by Arab historians,who declare that the funeral of
Moslem
doctor
Eben
who
died with a
Hanbal, a famous
attended
dred
great reputation for sanctity,was
by eight hunand
thousand
women.^^
Then
men
sixty thousand
Polo tells us that the number
of Christians
again, Marco
it was
sacked
in Bagdad, shortly before
by Hulagu, was
than

more

hundred

thousand.^^

This

would

indicate

that

city,of which a very great

population of this Saracen
must
then, in the days of its
Mohammedan,
majority was
This seems
clear from
decline,have exceeded a million.
the "horrible
about
what
historians tell us
butchery of
and children," which lasted forty days, when
women
men,
sacked by the Mongols under Hulagu.
the citywas
the

Nearly all the inhabitants,to

ud Din, of eight hundred
Rashid
million

two

cities that

noblest
of the

Mohammedan

The

Yule,

Booh

of

London,

Ser

Marco

Makrizi

says

of the

concentrated."
I, p. 63

Polo, Vol.

(translated and

edited

by

H.

1903).

10

Bihliothbque Orientale,

12

History

III, p. 127

thousand"

to

one
passed away
the
had ever
graced the East"
cynosure
world, where the luxury, wealth and

culture of five centuries had

9

according

number,

thus

perished,and

"

the

of the Mongols

(by

H.

H.

Tom.

from

I, p.

326

the

Ninth

Howorth, London,

,^^^^

(The Hague, 1777).

to

1888).

the

Nineteenth

Century, Part

laid in ashes

was

question. The

by

it

before

splendor of Bagdad

the greatness and

About

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

414

Mongol invader, there can be no

torians
testimony of contemporary his-

the

concurrent

puts this beyond doubt. The walls which surrounded

such as to rival those of ancient
the cityin its infancy were
and DioBabylon and Nineveh, as described by Herodotus
dorus Siculus.
According to the noted Jewish traveler,
Benjamin of Tudela, who visited Bagdad in the second half
of the twelfth century, *Hhe palace of the Caliph of Bagdad
idea

An

in extent."

miles

is three

of the

be gained from

magnificence of the Caliph's palaces may

reception

brilliant

that has

account

an

Constantine

Bagdad, A. D. 917, by
genitus.^^ Before being introduced
sent

were

to

to

of the

us

ambassador^ who

Greek

the

accorded

down

come

Porphyro-

Commander

to the

of

conducted in state through the

Faithful,the envoys were
of
various buildings within the palace precincts. Each
these buildings,of which there were
ber,
twenty-three in numwas
a separate palace.
the riding academy, adorned
One of these was
with porticoes
the

of marble

On

the right side of this house

each

caparisoned
the left stood
and

by

columns.

with

five hundred

long head-covers;
a

groom

After

all

saddle

of

gold

with

mares

also

five hundred

stood

every

silver,while

or

brocade

mare

mares

was

saddle-cloths
held

in hand

magnificentlydressed.^*
this,and

Caliph,came

of the
to the very
presence
the ofiicers of state and the pages of the privy

leading

council,all in gorgeous
raiment, with their swords
with gold and gems.
Near them were
girdlesglittering
eunuchs
The
four
!"

"*

and

the chamberlains

number

of the

thousand

See Journal

9/7, A. D

of

them

and

eunuchs
white

of the Royal Asiatic

Decline

and

Fall

of

**the

was

seven

thousand

in all,

and

three

thousand

black;

Society, on
the

and

the black pages/'

Oreek

Embassy

(January, 1897).

Of. Qibbon'g

on

Roman

Empire, Chap.

LII.

to

Bagdad

BAGDAD
the number

of the chamberlains

415
was

the number

four

of the black
pages,
thousand.
On the

also

other

thousand

seven

than

the

and

eunuchs,

was

Tigris there were

skiffs and
wherries, barques and barges and other boats,all
cently
magnifiornamented, duly arranged and disposed.
The
...

number

of the

hangings

thousand.
thirty-eight
brocade
with

embroidered

in the

These
with

palaces of the Caliph was

were
curtains of gold" of

gold"

all

magnificentlyfigured

representations of drinkingvessels and with elephants

horses,camels, lions and birds.

The number
of
the carpets and the mats was
twenty-two thousand pieces;
these were
laid in the corridors and courts.
/"
and

hundred

lions

brought out, every lion being held in

by the hand of its keeper. Among other spectacles of rare
and stupendous luxury was
a tree of gold and
silver. The

tree had

eighteen branches, every

twigs, on which
large and small.
silver,but some
carrying leaves
moved

were

sat

all kinds

Most

gold

and

of the branches
of

were

of

branch

having numerous
silver birds,both

of this tree

gold, and they spread into

of divers

colors.

The

leaves

were

of

the air-

of the

tree

the wind

blew, while the birds,under the action

of mechanical
appliances,piped and sang.
Through this
of magnificence the Greek
ambassadors
scene
led to
were
as

the foot of the

Caliph's

throne.

The

the ambassador
and his suite
on
impression made
at the sight of such a display of wealth and luxury was, we
well believe,not unlike that produced on the Spanish
may
Conquistadores at the sight of the vast treasures of Cuzco
and Cajamarca, or on
the astonished
ambassadors
of foreign
when
admitted
of
to the presence
they were
powers

Abd-al-Eahman
famed

palace of Medina-al-Zahra."

audience

chamber

in the

tells U8, London

and
Paris
in
Burton
were
period, Sir Richard
spread with rushes."
quasi-savagery and "their palatial halls were
ifi Bagdad,
the
of its grandeur under
Harun-al-Rashid,
at the zenith
was
outrivalled
Nineveh.
It "had
of Babylon and
Damascus,
worthy successor
*the Smile
"was
of the Prophet,'
and
essentiallya city of pleasure, a Paris
world
all parts of the oriental
of the ninth
flocked
from
"Thither
century."
noted
and
the most
capable poets, musicians and artificers of the time; and
15

III in his gorgeous

At

state

this

of

"

has

Bagdad

But

compellingclaims to undying fame

palaces,superb mosques,
gorgeous

more

based

those

than

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

416

on

displays of fabulous
This splendidcapitalof the Caliphs will always
wealth.
and splendid
live in history's page as the seat of numerous
ostentatious

luxury, and

boundless

education

institutions of charity and

Caliphs who

letters of the Middle

and

the

Among
with many

munificent

the most

were

the home

as

of.

patrons of science'

Ages.

hospitalsof Bagdad

was

and wards, which

rooms

and

palatialstructure
furnished

were

in elaborate

gratuitously provided
with food and medicine and regularly visited by the physicians
here that Rhazes, the most
brated
celeof the city. It was
Mussulman
physicianof his time, gave his lectures
the great medical school which drew
students
and founded
Asia.
Rhazes is famous
not only
from
all parts of Western
the

style. Here

for his eminence

writer

as

medicine

on

nearly nine hundred

patientswere

physicianbut also as a voluminous

for having described
and
smallpox
before

years

this dread

on
investigations

began his noted

Jenner

disease.

more
however, the colleges,of which there were
each more
than thirty
that
magnificentthan a palace
One
gave Bagdad its greatest fame in the mediaeval world.
of these,called the Nizamiyah, founded
by an eminent vizier

It was,

' *

' '

"

"

the

first

thought

epeciallycurious
of

the

whom

Muslim
he

of the
or

Arabian

attractive

world, to

rarely failed

or

Persian

specimen

submit

to receive

it to

craftsman

of his
the

art

who
was

Commander

rich reward

for

to

had completed some

repair to the capital
of

his

the

Faithful

from

labors.

Surrounded
myrtle, refreshed by

by
pleasure-gardensand groves of orange, tamarisk, and
an
of running streams, supplied either by art or nature, the
unfailingluxuriance
the
is the theme
of many
on
an
Tigris
great city
admiring ode or laudatory
ghazel; and the poets of the time all agree in describingit as being, under
the
rule of the great Caliph, a^ort
of terrestrial
paradise of idlesse and
luxury, where, to use their own
expressions,the ground was
irrigated with
rose-water

and

the

dust

of

and

the

the

roads
flowers and
was
musk, where
verdure
air
was
ways
perpetuallysweet with the many-voiced
where
the chirp of lutes, the dulcet warble
iong of birds, and
of flutes and
the silver sound
of ringing houris rose
and
fell in harmonious
cadence from
of the streets
of palaces that stood
in vast
every corner
succession
in the

overhung

the

midst

of their gardens
and
orchards, gifted with
perpetual verdure by the
silver abundance
of the Tigris, as it sped its
flightthrough the thricearrowy
blest town."
Thousand
and
One Nightt, Vol. IX, pp. 333, 334
(translated by
"^

John

Payne, London, 1884).

BAGDAD
who

the friend of the

was

poet Omar

of its architectural

account

417

KJiayyam,

splendor, and

its

the

was,

on

celebrityof
the colleges

the
known
Mother
professionalstaff,
of
as
of Bagdad.''
Among its most illustrious lecturers were
Ghazzali,celebrated as a philosopher and a theologian,and
Bohadin, who achieved eminence as a historian,as a statesman,
*'

and

of the

endowment

only

not

the

as

to pay

biographer of
Nizamiyah was

the

Sultan

Saladin.

princelythat

so

The

it sufficed

the salaries of the

professors but also to

for the board and tuition of indigent students.
pay
tectural
Completely eclipsingthe Nizamiyah College in its archiof
grandeur, sumptuous equipment, and wealth
the College of the Mustansiriyah
the ruins
endowment
was
^which was
founded
of which
still exist
by the Caliph
put to death
Mustansir, the father of Mustasim, who was
by Hulago after the destruction of Bagdad. So great was
the splendor of this collegethat it is said to have surpassed
not only the most
It was
similar institution in Islam.
any
also its most
notable
seat of learning in Bagdad, but was
recalls the many
beautiful and imposing edifice. When
one
lous
of them
costing fabupalaces of the city many
gorgeous
"

"

"

sums

"

one

can

munificent

realize what

patrons

were

of wealth and how well this fairy

Bagdad's Caliph and men
capitaldeserved its reputationas the Orient's most famous
rival and
It had only one
of science and letters.
center
Ommaied
the famous
metropolis in Spain, so
that was

attractions,its schools and

libraries and scholars" a city which Hroswitha, the gifted
of Gandersheim, has so beautifullydescribed in a single
nun
celebrated

distich

for

its riches

and

famosa, locuplesde nomine dicta,

splendidacunctis.
rebus quoque
Inclyta deliciis,
Corduba

But

no

account

descriptionof Bagdad is complete without

eminent
Caliphs,especiallyof
of its more

Harun-Al-Eashid, who
with

the most

is

some

its immortal

"inseparably associated

charming collectionof stories

ever

invented

BEELIN

FEOM

418

BAGDAD

delight of

than

life of

romantic

gathered

His

and
the

Aaron

fascination

achievements

Jusf

Whenever

Caliphs.

name

the

were

to make

Anglicize his
abidinginterest.
"

and

followed

successors

short period the sciences which

spread themselves to the very
the

his

of

those

to

indebted

are

which they made

the rapid progress
built a mosque
for Harun
never
school.

around

King Arthur, or
Barbarossa, authentic history-

about

[Sismondi writes]

Arabians

The

*'

of supreme

one

"

brilliant

legends have

Charlemagne, or Frederick
tells us enough of his character

it

This

immemorial

in greater number

name

mankind/'

of all time.

time

the

BABYLON

AND

the illustrious
long been ranked among
For, notwithstandingthe fact that from

ruler has

Saracen
men

and

solace

the

for

TO

to him

in science
without

and

for

ture,
litera-

attachingto

his example, and in a

cultivated in the capital
of the empire of
assembled
to adore

extremities
faithful

Divinity,they found in this temple an opportunity of

rendering Him the noblest homage which His creatures can
by the cultivation of those faculties with which their
pay
Creator .has endowed
them.
Harun- Al-Eashid, besides,was
superior to the fanaticism which had previously
sufficiently
animated
his sect not to despise the knowledge which
the
head
of his
faith possessed. The
professors of another
schools and the first director of studies in his empire was
a
Nestorian
Christian
of John
of Damascus, of the name
the

"

Ebn

Mesua."

Christians

were

the

translators

of the works

of Plato

Aristotle ; of Galen, Hippocrates, and Dioscorides

Ptolemy, Euclid,and Apollonius Pergaeus.
and

No

Caliph ever

learned

men:

"

gathered round him so great a

poets, jurists,grammarians,

number
cadis

of

of
and

who
nothing of the wits and musicians
enjoyed his patronage. Personally, too, he had every
of
him
quality that could recommend
to the literarymen
his time. Harun
himself was
an
accomplished scholar and

scribes,
"

17

(New

to

Hiatorioal

say

View

York, 1827).

of the Literature

of the

South

of Europe,

Vol.

I, p. 30

FROM

420

BERLIN

loyal vizier,the

and

owed

so

So

Barmecides.

of the

atrocious

great

friends

'*the

it became

that

It is because

and

thousand

make

on

Harun's
his

temporaries
con-

and

in

the mutability

of this barbarous

cruelty

revoltingtreachery that the Harun of history is so

of legend,in which he is always painted
the Harun
monarch

merry

"

the

patron of scholars and the boon

companion of congenial friends.

that

refuse

must

we

Just'' and
as

of

did

his

unlike
as

family and

proverbial example

oriental history of the change of fortune

of royal favor.*'

he

impression did

an

of his best

treatment

to whom

than

more

Not

prison.

men

their

on

slain

until he had

not abate his anger

of

treatment

his fury

much, he vented

BABYLON

of Jaafer, into

father

this barbarous

with

content

AND

BAGDAD

TO

men

him

his

And

it is because

long-accordedtitle

of this
of **The

ments
Good," although, in view of his achievehis unfailing and generous
a ruler and
patronage
of science and letters,we
cannot
deny him the
''The

it not for the stain on his

Were
epithet of **The Great."
of the Barmetreatment
cides,
escutcheon, due to his infamous
of truth, say of this
semblance
we
could, with some

illustrious

Caliph of Bagdad,

in the words

of

Tennyson:

Sole star of all that place and

I

saw

The

One cannot

him
Good

speak

in his

time,
golden prime,

Harun-al-Bashid,

of the services rendered

to science and

without
referring to his
by Harun-al-Rashid
the Caliph Al-Mamun.
and
distinguished son
successor,
and the greatness of the empire had
Although the power
after the death of Al-Rashid,
suffered a notable diminution
the glory of Bagdad as a center of learning still retained
all its former
luster. Some, indeed, will have it that its
and that Al-Mamun
and not Harun
enhanced
prestige was
the father of letters and the Augustus of the Abbasside
was
Caliphate. For the first thing he did on ascending the

literature

as

nence

details
and

One

one

make

of the most
write

terrible

tragediesrecorded

in

historyand its horrible

our
day." Thousand

passionately on the subjectto this

Nights, Vol. X, p. 142 (Benares, 1886).
men

BAGDAD

421

throne
the

to invite the Muses

was

Byzantine Empire

to the

from

their favorite seats in

capitalof the Caliphs on

the

Tigris.

Study, books

and

men

The

learned

of letters almost

entirely
engrossed

his attention.

occupied alone in forwarding the

It might be said that the throne of

were

literature.
seemed

to have

his court
whose

his favorites and

were

been

from

all

existence

raised

for the

Muses.

parts of the world

he

acquainted, and

was

of
progress
the Caliphs

He

all the
he

his ministers

invited to

learned
retained

with

them

by rewards, honors and distinctions of every kind. He

collected from the subjectprovinces of Syria, Armenia
and
the
most
Egypt
important books which could be discovered,
in
and which,
his eyes, were
the most
precious tribute he
could demand.
The governors
of provinces and the officers
of administration
in preference to
directed to amass
were
everythingelse the literaryrelics of the conquered countries
and

them

to carry

to the foot of the

camels
but

might be seen
manuscripts and

to be

throne.

entering Bagdad
and

papers

those

Hundreds

loaded

which

with
were

of

nothing
thought

public instruction were

ligible.
that they might be universallyinteltranslated into Arabic
and commentators
Masters, instructors,translators,
which
of Al-Mamun,
formed
the court
appeared to be
rather a learned academy than the centre of government in
of
the Caliph dictated the terms
warlike
a
empire. When
to the Greek
Emperor, Michael the Stammerer, the
peace
tribute which
Greek

he

of

the purpose

demanded

him

from

was

collection

ancient

Rome,

also

so

in the

in

most

Orcecia capta ferum victorem

Latio.^^
Iniulit agresti
21

Sismondi,

22

Tamed

op.
Greece

tcith her

cepitet

cit.,I, 30.
to

arts

tame

her

victress

fair Latium
Horace,

now

began,

over-ran.

Epistles,Book

the

days
brilliant period of

repeating itself,for,

but

was

as

Bagdad

And

of

authors."

History
of

for

adapted

II, 1.

artes

BERLIN

FROM

422

learningthat
great

there

How

booksellers.
so

BABYLON

great during this brilliant literaryperiod was

So
of

AND

BAGDAD

TO

of

many

libraries that

the invitation of the Sultan

would

carriage of his books

were

count

private

even

of

Bagdad who
fused
reof Bokhara, because the
required four hundred

doctor

hundred

cities could

large

so

told of

are

we

than

more

modern

our

And

number?

Bagdad

in

were

the love

have

*'

camels.""
Nor

it in

was

for

Mamun

enthusiasm

alone

Bagdad

of

the

progress
for science and
of

patrons

that the zeal of Harun

knowledge

letters.

Under

had

established
equaledthat of Bagdad were
Caliphate in Cufa and Basra; in Fez

stimulated

these

of science

learning,homes

and

trious
illus-

two

that

almost

in all

parts of the
and Morocco; in
and Damascus
Cairo and Alexandria
spahan^ and
; in Balk,(f
Samarcand
ings
^many of which, in the splendor of their buildand in the equipment of their libraries,
rivaled the
famous
Arabian
schools of Granada, Seville,
and Cordoba,
in their heyday *'wha^ all that was
which were
polite or
"

"

elegant in
hum,"

and

fostered

reached

of western

classed

was

it is to be

And

created

had

literature

the

acme

by

the Studia

among
that

observed

these

the

institutions,
the Caliphs,

benign influence of
their glory when
the greater part

of

and northern

Arch

Europe

was

in

condition

of

parative
com-

darkness.
But

in

paying this tribute to the Caliphs of Bagdad

and his son
I do
Al-Mamun
especiallyHarun-Al-Rashid
not wish to appear
in
as
overrating their achievements
"

"

science

and

letters.

One

may,

always held literaryexcellence

may

admit

Lorenzo

that never,

the

not

did
Magnificent,

encouragement

and

the Saracens

the

nations

western

of science and
Gibbon,

of

of letters receive greater

men

rewards;

for centuries

2"

even

that they
indeed, concede
in the highest honor; one
in the days of Maecenas
and

were

acknowledge that
may
far in advance
of many
of

one

Christendom

in

philosophy,but, granting

op. cit.,Chap. LII.

branches
many
all this,the indis-

BAGDAD

putablefact stillremains
originators.

that they

All their achievements

and

mathematics

to Plato

and

Aristotle

parchus

and

Ptolemy;

their

owed
it

they

unable

were

the Christian

Khalif

his

was

to
so

Galen

of

pupils who

in

Honein,
that

and

and

of the works

masters

Dioscorides

for them
the

"

Hip-

; to

who

^ *

into Arabic

Almagest

the Arabic

of Galen

the works

which

original. Thus it was

the physician to the
was

translated

the

made

and not

thenes.
Euclid,Archimedes, and Eratosbe forgotten that the Saracens
science to Christians,for
Greek

read

scholar

of Euclid

* '

of

the

Ptolemy
of the

versions

**

ments
Ele-

; and

it

greater

and

Hippocrates.^* And it
to the celebrated Christian family, the Boktishos, and
school of Gondisapor, from which issued
the Nestorian
that the Saracens
scholars of distinction,
were
many

number
was

; to

to their Greek

translated

to

Motowakkel,
' *

due

not

who

borrowers

were

omy,
philosophy,medicine, astron-

were

knowledge

Christians

was

in

to

it must

And

423

the

many

learned

invited to his court

Mamun

of

works

Greek

philosophy.

science and

Among

other

of ^countless

versions

for

indebted

whom

men

contributed

**who

and

Caliph

the

far

Al-

more

subjectsto the reputationthat sovereign has

Leo the
deservedly gained in the history of science,''was
the Archbishop
Mathematician, who subsequently became
an
The
of Thessalonica.
Caliph desired to have made
than

his

own

this

of the

measurement

accurate

distinguishedGreek

important work because

be the superior to all the
mechanical

and
But
writers
almost

on

26

Arabs

ancient

he

called

to take

knowledge."^''

good

were

medicine, astronomy,
of

orbit and

charge of this
*'he was
universallyrecognized to
matical
of Bagdad in mathescientificmen
to his court

completely ignored

historians
24

the

while

earth's

the

Hejlas.

borrowers
and

from

mathematics,

Greek

they

great poets, orators, and

Never
cultivatingany lan-

Orientale, s. v. "Honain."
D'Herbelot's BiUiotUque
Vol.
II, p. 224 (by G. Finlay,Oirford,1871).
Cf. A History of Greece,

See

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

424

their own, they

literature
of Greek

but

guage

there

was

these

works

into

Arabic, none

matchless

the

reason

of

closed

many

as

for

of

Lysias

translations
made.

ever

Homer

of

books.

For
the

and

this

Greek

Demosthenes;

and

the

for the Saracens

noted

The

the masterpieces

translation,but

Trucidides,were

and

histories of Herodotus
so

were

poems

dramatists; the orations

as

except in

by the Saracens

demand

no

to read

unable

were

BABYLON

AND

Syriac author,

Bar-Herbrseus, does, indeed, mention a version of the Iliad

of Mount
and Odyssey by a Christian Maronite
Lebanon,
into Syriac and not Arabic.
but his translation was
the great reputationof the
These
facts show how much
for

Saracens

due

learning was

their

to

Greek

immortal

alid to the literaryactivityof their Christian

masters

jects,
sub-

Empire. It is
especiallythe Greeks of the Lower
totle
observes, that '*the Arabs studied Aristrue, as Freeman
of western
and taught him to the men
Europe ; but it
of eastern
the men
was
surely from
Europe that they
in the first instance.

him

obtained

at Samarcand
or

in

to be read

Thessalonica.
The

gave

that

Harun-al-Rashid

to educational

others

of the great Greek

reigns

power

the

did not
of the

splendor
which

But

was

his

son

Al-

by encouraging the

progress

will always

masters

conspicuous place in the annals

civilization.
monarchs

and

of Aristotle,Galen, Ptolemy, and

of the works

translation

at

' ' ^^

impulse

Mamun

in translations

read

was

Lisbon, when no one knew his

tinued
Edinburgh; but all the while he conhis own
tongue at Constantinopleand
and

at Oxford

name

He

successors

follow

in their

of

these

of

give their

science

two

illustrious

footsteps.Although
still unimpaired and

Caliphate seemed
apparently undimmed,

the

seeds

and

the
its

of decay,

destruction,were
already at work.
The vices of sloth and luxury and cruelty which prevailed
at the court and in many
of the most important departments
2^

The

led to ultimate

History

and

Conquests of

the Saracens, p. 167

(London, 1877).

BAGDAD

425

of the government
of the Caliphate,
slowly but surely entailed
their fatal consequences.
Besides these,there were
other causes
of decay and extinction. Chief
them
among
internecine strife and the separation of the
remoter
were^

provinces from

the

central

factors

Added

power.

to

these

integrat
dis-

the

Caliphate had become top-heavy,

and degenerate ruler like
a
Al-Mostassem,
the last of the Abbassides,its downfall was
inevitable.
In contemplatingthe fall of the
which was
for five
power
centuries the glory of the Moslem
world, one is led to compare
the close of the reign of the last of the Caliphs with
that of the last of the Byzantine Emperors :
and

under

The

weak

last and

weakest

of the

Caliphs without an effort of

arms
or
policyto stay his fall,sinks from senseless pride
terror
and expires amidst the tortures of a faithto craven
less
victor. The last and noblest of the Caesars,
after doing
all that mortal
could
do
for
the
deliverance of his city,
man
himself dies in the breach,the foremost among
its defenders.
of the traitor,not Augustulus
Not Darius
in the hands
resigning his useless purple, not the ^theling Edgar
Conqueror ever
spared by the contempt of the Norman
and unpitied as did
fallen greatness so dishonored
showed
of the
Billah al Wahid, the last Commander
Al-Mostassem
of Thermopylae, not
in the pass
not Leonidas
Faithful ;
Harold
Decius in the battle below
Vesuvius, not our own
"

27

the

Longfellow
tragic death

the

chosen

has

of AI-Mostassem
in which

well-known

poems

avaricious

Caliph

he

with
been connected
to have
of his
for one
of Hulagu Khan
at the hands
address the
executioner
his victor and
makes

grim episode said

following words:
the Caliph, "Thou

in the

/ said

to

Thou

hast

Thou

shouldst

no

need

of

not

have

so

of battle

But

through

And

have

In

into

Nor

his

left him
the honey

dungeon
there
cells

prayer,
heard
from
a

again

was

nor

useless

clear"
the

I locked

here.

swords,

and

and

it

near.

drone.

feed all alone.

of his golden hive;
to

those
the

and
these

land

shining
spring
keep thine honor sweet

Never
Was

the

hidden

and

hot

was

blades

into

Then
And

sown

gold;

heaped

Till the breath

To

old,

art

much

groan,
walls of stone,
alive.
seen

cry, nor
massive

CaUph

hoards.

BERLIN

FROM

426

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

gloriousdeath than
the hill of Senlac, died a more
the last Emperor of the Romans.'^'
Constantine PalsBologus,

upon

the

Among

given to Bagdad,

names

been

has

as

said in

precedingpage, was that of Dar-as-Salam, or Medina-astudes

vicissiIn view of the numerous
Salam"
City of Peace.
through which the erstwhile capitalof the Caliphshas
passed,the protractedsieges it has sustained,the frightful
destruction it has time and again undergone, the appalling
of bloodthirsty
at the hands
of its inhabitants
massacres
a

be difficult to conceive

invaders, it would

more

terous
prepos-

misnomer.
have

We

what

citywhen

the fate of the

was

it

was

rapacious hordes of (Hulagu

but a prelude to the
But this reign of terror was
that befell the ill-fated citywhen, less than a century
half later,the brutal Mongols again captured and
with the blood
its streets streamed
the city;when

given over
Khan.
horrors
and

seen

sacked

to the

of its defenders

savage

and

and

with

reechoed

the frenzied

shrieks

of

utterable
children,and when, as a climax of all this uncarnage,^"the Mongol leader, Timur, celebrated
the ruins of Bagdad a
his bloody victory by erecting on
tered
pyramid of ninety thousand heads of its slaughgruesome

and

women

inhabitants.^^
No

that

wonder

the

people

of the

East

wont

were

to

ing
a blessconquest by Turks or Saracens was
compared with fallinginto the jaws of the implacable
the Court
of Byzantium
reached
word
Mongols.'^ When
that the Mongols, under Timur, were
approaching the city,
the terror which they inspiredthat
so
popular
great was

declare

that

'*

* *

28

Freeman,

29

"Tamerlan

age, ni

sexe,

op. cit.,p. 132.

fit passer
fil de
au
ni

condition

batimens."
"o

D'Herbelot, op. cit.,s.

Cf. Gibbon, op. cit.,Chap. LXV.

cities was
often marked
by flourishing
or
by columns
pyramids of human
of Ispahan supplied seventy thousand
loftytowers."
Ibid.,Chap. XXXIV.
"

Vep^e

et fit raser
v.

tous

rez

ses

pied, rez

Habitants, n* epargnant ni
terre

tous

ses

principaux

"Timour."
"The

by

his"

heads."
human

had been
occupied
"abominable
trophies
"The people
Ibid.,Chap. LXV.
skulls for the structure of several

ground which
"

Timour's

"

BERLIN

FEOM

428

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

Bagdad, the fairycityof boyhood's dreams,

and pleasure,where
home
of pomp
the fair
the glittering
dwelt in a palace with spangled floors and marble
"-..^.Zoieide
there was
a riot of
stairs with golden balustrades ; where
broidered
curtains, silk tapestry, purple
sofas, damask
of the East; where
looms
famous
robes from the most
a
wont, to the
joyous group of bejeweled dancing girlswere
with
sound of harp and lute and dulcimer, to carol away,
the cares
that of Israfel,
voices as melodious
as
and'^asnui)
mistress.
of their pleasure-sated
Willingly I yieldedmyself to the hypnotic influence of
Aladdin
with his wonthe spiritusloci. In fancy I saw
derful
Yes, I

in

was

"^

cinating
lamp ; the one-eyed calenders as they told their fastales; the fishermen as they deluded the heavyJaifer as
and
witted jinn; Harun-al-Eashid
dered
they wantheir double-collared

under
streets
and

luxury, which

golden lamps

of

strains

of sweet

through

capital;the radiant homes

gleamed with the subdued

of the

myriad

cloak

and

music

reechoed

and

the

with the

gladsome

the

ber
som-

of wealth

light of a
heart-easing

voices

of midnight

revelry.
the illusion

But

mist

veil of tenuous

morning
Zobeide

and

sun

vanished

the
to

lifted under

mauve-shot

ardent

the

rays

of the

magic city of Harun and his favorite

row,
give place to the squalid houses,nar-

citywhich

war-battered

is

but

now

shadow

time-stricken,
of what

it was

days of its pristineglory.

As

wish

to

until

we

compliment

to

our

hosts

explore the city,which

we

visited their schools

had

did not

we

Tours.

donkeys for

and

which

pupilswe
Bagdad is

so

and

those

conducted

by

Visitation

of

sent for
so

a
express
far to see,

come

coworkers, the Sisters

After having spent several

teachers

even

had

their heroic

with

The

streets,and crumbling walls of

crooked

in the

of short duration.

was

of the
most
a

delightfulhours

trio of those white

celebrated.

Gentle

as

they

strong and hardy, they willinglykeep up an easy,

ambling gait for hours at a time without exhibitingthe

are

BAGDAD

slightestevidence

of

fatigue. I learned to valne them a

when travelingin Egypt and I was
a century ago
have an
opportunity of again availingmyself of

third of
to

glad

429

their service in the old capital on

take the

place of

cabs which

the

would

Tigris. Here

not

be

they

at all available

in the majority of the very narrow

streets of the city.
As the Carmelite
monastery is in the heart of the city,
found ourselves in the midst of a colorful scene
soon
we
that could
Damascus
such

be surpassed by anything similar either in

Stamboul.
Such a seethingcauldron of races,

not
or

utter confusion

an

of tongues, such

motley carnival

from

plain white and black to the gay fabrics

and the tawdry prints of Manchester!
of Madras
Here
of countless types and creeds and nationalities
meet
men
we
peans;
Turks, Afghans, Persians,Arabs, Indians,and EuroJews, Hindus, Christians,Parsees, Shiites,Sunof all the seventy-threesects into
nites,and Mohammedans
which the Prophet of Mecca
tually
predicted Islam would evenand
dialects
number
The
be divided.
languages
the traveler in Bagdad
than a score, for which reason
more
different tongues
would imagine that he hears fullyas many
of costumes

"

spoken by

were

as

difficultieswhich

not the least of the many

Turkish

appearance
of narrow,

from

of

on

when

the

sands
thou-

many

it

ing.

Then

little was

we

we

through the
ent
quite differ-

wandered

streets,was
first

saw

it from

palm-fringedTigris,or

enveloped in

upon

As

as

noisome
filthy,

gazed

which

Bagdad,

it seemed

what

moving kelek

covered

so

fronted
con-

ago.'*

of years

maze

which

same

for the old tower

the contractors

The

told, ''the

are

we

was,

army

the British

operationsagainst the

in their recent

encountered

forces

deed,
In-

of Babel.

the builders of the Tower

the delicate mist

visible except domes

of

our

when

ily
lazwe

early mora^^^.^

and

minarets

mosaics
tiles and scintillating
bright-colored
appeared to float in the opalescentatmosphere.

with

in the

case

enchanting at

Bagdad is
of all other eastern cities,
distance than when viewed from her

more
som-

BERLIN

FROM

430

TO

threaded

thoroughfares. And as we
through these dingy streets and byways,

flanked

way

our

BABYLON

intricate

unsanitary and

ber

AND

BAGDAD

either side by low, dun-colored,windowless

in
found it difficult to see in them, even

on

houses, we
the sumptuous

that

homes

mud

fancy,

the city in the time

adorned

difficult still to repeople them

Caliphs and more
and One Nights.
glamouring figuresof Thousand
these

with

of
the

and

gloomy
streets,that will scarcely admit a camel, into the spacious
ings
the most
unpretentious dwellcourtyards with which even
But

when

are

provided, one
of the

transformation
of beautiful

from

passes

one

and

trees

is often

surprised

Here

scene.

shrubs

and

narrow

finds

one

magic

profusion
with

plants loaded

the most
size and hue.
of every
Among
the palm, the orange, and the pomegranate

are

the

at

ers
flow-

conspicuous
whose

bright

foliageis in strikingcontrast with the flaming blooms

of the hibiscus in which the Bagdadi takes as much
pleasure
sisters in far-off Honolulu,
do her dusky Hawaiian
as

green

with
A

whom

brilliant flowers

these

of
peculiarity

the habitations

is the serdah, an

underground

eight or nine feet in height.

hot
lives during the terrifically

universal

are

favorites.

of the well-to-do
which

chamber

It is here
weather

that

that

of Bagdad

is

usually
the family

ing
prevailsdur-

But,
part of the spring and autumn.
although the temperature is here ten degrees lower than
summer,
in the upper
part of the house, the intense heat of midin the shade,
which often reaches 120'' Fahrenheit
is almost unbearable.
As so great a part of the people
to be
spend much of their time in the serdah, the city seems
almost lifeless during a greater part of the day. Towards
then reThe women
pair
sunset, however, it begins to revive.
to the terraces
of their dwellingswhere
they pass the
night in talking,smoking, drinking sherbets, and trying,
when
the mosquitoes permit, to get a little sleep. As to
the men, especially
the Moslem
portion of the population,
of misery in the
to find some
surcease
they endeavor
summer

Lethean

and

fumes

of

their

chibouks

and

hubble-bubbles.

BAGDAD
of

Most

431

them

congregate in the countless coffeehouses

which, during the everlastingdog days of Bagdad, are
thronged day and night with all sorts and conditions of
swelteringand par-baked humanity.

Passing so much time in a state of semi-torpor,

it is not
the strongest constitutions soon
surprisingthat even
cumb
sucto the enervatingclimate.
Because
of the intolerable
to find relief in
heat, Europeans endeavor
every few years
a
change of climate. But when this is not possible,the
majority of the foreign sufferers are short-lived. Thus
I

informed

that the average

life of the Carmelite missionaries
in southern Mesopotamia is only about nine years.

was

But

their

premature deaths do not deter them from continuing

the work
of charity to which
they are so devoted.
As soon
ately
one
as
drops out of the ranks his place is immeditaken by a zealous confrere who is only too willingto
serve

in the

cause

and

where

severe

What

with

of the Master
the

dangers

where
are

the trials

most

are

greatest and

most

minent.
im-

rance
climate,defective drainage,ignogrilling

the

neglect of the first principlesof hygiene, one is

not surprised to learn that the population of Bagdad is
periodicallydecimated by the plague. Cholera is frequent.
and

It

that

visitant

this dread

was

of the British forces

Commander-in-Chief

Maude,

off General

carried

during

the recent

campaign in Mesopotamia againstthe Turks.

visited all the places of interest in the citybut
We
in which
we

with

most

local color

hamals

Kurdish

were

of them

principalone

the

neared

crowded

found

we

the bazaars.
found

we

the

those
As
street

bearing incredible burdens,

quick-steppingwhite donkeys disputingthe way with

awkwardly racking camels which snappishly sputteredor
fully
while disdainnoses
proudly held aloft their supercilious
and

sniffingthe air
And

round

about

us

roughly jostlingone
themselves

into

the

the heads

above
was

another

of

shouting drivers.

vociferatingthrong
in their mad

alluring bazaars, which

rush
were

that

were

to force

already

BERLIN

filled with

all kinds

and

of Damascus

those

account

on

BABYLON

AND

idlers

or

prospectivepurchasers.

Bagdad are much

Constantinoplethey

of

smaller
are

than

teresti
in-

more

of the attractive wares, but

And
strange and motley crowd.

is not because

This
rather

of curious

the bazaars

Although

BAGDAD

TO

FEOM

432

of the

variety of garbs and what a medley of colors ! There

are
type and shade of oriental face; every style of
every
conceive.
one
can
variety of costume
headdress; every
Fezes, tarbooshes, keffiehs,turbans, the brimless hat of
the Baktiari,the long felt hats of the Lurs and the Kurds ;
what

the black astrakan

As

and

the Persians.

costumes, there is everything imaginable from

to

of the

primitivedhotee
apparel of

an

Indian

curios

or

the

graceful full-flowing

the

elaboratelyembroidered
the closelyfitting
frock coat
Europe in quest of strange
Khorassan
tapestriesfrom

or

from

old rugs

rare

to the

and

rajah

prodigal nabob

some

Hindu

mollah

aba of the Arabian

of

of the Russians

caps

and

Candahar.

and

The

of the

vesture

is

women

even

variegated and

more

Some
are
costly and resplendent than that of the men.
leaf. Some
garbed in rich silks of all the tints of the autumn
from
are
veiled,others unveiled, according as they come
the Moslem, Jewish,'
Christian quarter of the city ^but
or
all are
gathered around all the booths in which there is a
special display of feminine finery. There is no law in
"

Islam

to

prevent

whenever

they
much

they

they desire

start

out

on

delightas
have

from

women

to escape

shopping

visitingthe
the monotony
tour

in which

do their sisters in the

intention

bazaars

and

of the harem

they take

as

West./Frequently

of

making purchases than

have the Jiahituees of the great department stores of Fifth
Avenue or the splendidjewelryshops of La Rue de la PaiofJ
My attention was
directed to the large number
of Jews
no

more

who
of

had
them

cheap

shops in the city and stalls in the bazaars.

were

speciallyconspicuous on

misfit garments

from

account

English and German

Many
of their

manufac-

BAGDAD

tories,whicli
robes

contrasted

of

most

of them

made

in Vienna.
eyes,

the

flames, which

sharply with

of

some

their

black

wore

433

But

costlyand

customers.

skull caps

they

the

all had

For

gant
ele-

headdress

flaming red

or

the

fezes

dark, prominent
and
same
shining looks, like fanned
characterize the people of their races
so
in
same

hot

parts of Mesopotamia and the Near East.

I expressed surprise at the number
When
of

other

of Abraham

that

the

scendant
de-

only in the bazaars

of my
but in all parts of the city,one
companions informed
that they constituted fullyone-fourth of the population.
me
of the inhabitants of Bagdad is not defiThe exact number
nitely
known, but it is variously estimated to be from one
and
hundred
thousand.
There
fiftyto two hundred
are,
indeed, few, if any, other large cities in the Near East in
in

proportionto

not

saw

have

of Abraham

the children

which

we

so

great

that of the adherents

tion
representa-

of other

religious

beliefs.

majority of

The
those

who

deported

were

Nebuchadnezzai^

Bagdad
before

century and

quarter

to

Babylonia (by
Christian

the

era.

captivesthat
carried
to Assyria

earlier

III./Still others trace

by Sargoix and Tiglath-pileser
f rotn those who voluntarilysought refuge in
descent
and

of

Hebrew

from

descended

descendants

are

Judaea

from

six centuries

Others,doubtless,are
were

in

the Jews

their
potamia
Meso-

by the Romans
after the destruction of Jerusalem
centuries later,fell under
after the Holy City, many

of Islam.
the sway
conditions
The favorable

under

which

the

reign

of the

Captivity lived during

archs, and
induced

even

many

during

the time

of their brethren

of the
to

the

Jews

of the

Babylonian monAbbasside
Caliphs,

join them

in the fertile

So satisfactory,
plains of the Tigris and the Euphrates.
with their Babylonian
the relations of the Jews
indeed, were

rulers,that when, after they had

in

Cyrus
captivity,
to their native

the

Great

land, but

gave
few

seventy

years

turn
permissionto rethem, comparatively,

them
of

been

BERLIN

FROM

434

of the

availed themselves

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

profferedopportunity.

of Palestine

conditions

AND

and

the sad

The

settled
un-

experiences of

those of their fellow countrymen who had returned

decided the majority of the Jews to remain

to Jerusalem

in

lonia
Baby-

where, although nominally captives,they enjoyed

prosperity,and

peace,

more

even

freedom

more

find in the ravaged and

possibleto

desolate

than it was
land

of their

fathers.

fairlysettled in Babylonia, where

first to have enjoyed a great measure

Once
the

of life and

mode

of the Jews

fortunes

In their fatherland

change.

from
they seem
of freedom, the

underwent

the

time

plete
com-

their chief pursuits were

pastoraland agricultural.In Mesopotamia

for

avocations

of

lowed
also they fol-

their

forefathers.

Thanks, however, to the greater productivityof the soil

in the fertile Babylonian plain,which far surpassed that
of the richest fields of Judaea
keen

industry and

chance

no

to business

eye

to their native

thrift and

opportunities,which

them, it was

to escape

children of the exiles

and

livingin

not

long before

mitted
per-

the

and

comfort, while
in a positionwhich,
of them
found themselves
soon
many
as
compared with that which they occupied in Palestine
afforded them, in Johnsonese
phrase, ^Hhe potentialityof
growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice.*'
From
that time most
of the Jews of Mesopotamia began
to devote themselves
to commercial
pursuits,which, more
than anything else,influenced the subsequent fortunes
of
their countrymen throughout the world.
But not only did the descendants
of the Jews
of the Captivity
achieve distinction in the commercial
world; they
also became
letters.

celebrated

Under

century of

our

^were

able

state.

Here

"

and

the

Caliph Ali,in

to

ease

for their attainments

the Jews

era

and

the Jews

in science and

the middle

of Irak

"

of the seventh

Southern

almost
organize what was
flourished the great Talmudic

Pumbeditha

Abraham,

were

an

Babylonia
independent

schools

of Sara

here, in the country of their father

loved to fancy the survival of a prince

BEELIN

FROM

436

and

wonderful

and

then

the

in

position

their

TO

shall

of

Land

the

the

in

was

the

The

84

Ottoman

clever

this

to

the

still

may

long

title.^*

desert

Then

potamia
Meso-

of

once

that

in

more

shall

the
the

recall

Seleucia

and

and

Medinah-al-Salam

it

as

"

"

Harun-^l-Rashid

and

Mamun

of

much

contaminated

with

literature

dealing

it

by

into

that

of

Muslim

and

the

"There

is
the

studies

the

necessity

It
at

people

Cross,

good

pp.

its

rule

of

either

and

signs

its

holding

the

the

own,

public

been

English

litical
po-

the

by
finds

cumbent
in-

it

internal

affairs

freedom,

justice
follow

gradually
will

well-being

generate
de-

to

intended

the

or

use

has

begun

also

aegis

immediately
of

of

free

term

Christendom

of

Powers

incapable

the

notion

patronizing

'action

the

to

has

East
The

mighty

will

which

184,

cite

here

doing

are

settlement

should
the

to

Powers

political

are

the

of

charm

the

commonplace.

under
is

of

owing

sense

reference

term

the

spring

up

everywhere.

no

himself.

take

which

civilizing

the

direction

its

and

of

one

to

the

in

French

but

dignified

affairs

civilization

of
of

there

which

when

nation,

spread

introduction

here,

like

itself

upon

The

the

the

sound,

journalist,

vulgarity.
with

something

this,

is

term

and

writes

pertinently

diplomacy

impressive

an

politician

every

Halid,
of

language

have

made

the

Al

Halil

author,

"In

subject:

civilisatrice'

of

their

Great.

the

for

of

just

Babylon

too,

prime

golden

which

witness

and

of

Bagdad

to

broad

the

metropolis

splendor

of

so

see

old,

Rivers

and

Ctesiphon

of

as

Two
and

greatness

again

we

blossoming

them

gives

BABYLON

AND

nations,

of

family

history

only

BAGDAD

of
be

only

expense
submit
185

of
to

(London,

in

these

Eastern

the

sovereign

civilizing
1907).

that

rights

the

countries,

countries

remarked

the

of

examples

any

can

the

all
and

tutelage."

astounding
as

find

pains
national
The

any

ample

work
who

one

instances

taken

in

this

independence
Crescent

versus

CHAPTER
MOTORING

IN

the Lord

And
wherein
And

God

XVII

"THE

GARDEN

planted

OF

EDEN

garden in Eden

eastward

he placed man
whom
he had formed.
the Lord God brought forth of the ground all manner

of trees, fair to behold, and pleasant to eat of : the tree of

life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledge
of good and evil.
And

river went

is divided

thence

from
The

of the

name

And

the

name

that

Hevilath,where

of

is very

land

the onyx
stone.
of the second

bdellium, and
And

is Phison:

of that

gold

the

paradise,which

to water

into four heads.

one

land

passeth all the

of Eden

out

is it which

com-

gold groweth.
good: there is found

river is Gehon

the

is

same

of

Ethiopia.
of the third river is Tigris: the same
the name
And
passeth along by the Assyrians. And the fourth river is
Euphrates.
and put him into the garden
the Lord God took man
And
to dress it and to keep it.
of Eden
Genesis,ii : 5-15.

it that

inform

that the automobile

me

at the door

to

Babylon was
Rarely have
pronounced by
meant

so

would

seem

the final
in

to

far

me"

objectiveof
we

our

was

of the Carmelite

thrilled

so

imply. They

few hours,

which

bronze-visaged son

the

much
to

words

few

did

terumhil is ready.'' Thus

**Eifendi,your
Arab

all the land

compasseth

more

me

monastery.

as

did these then

of the desert.
the

than

m.eant that

young
take
to
us
a

we

They

simple words

were

at last

near

long and eventful journey; that,

should be

contemplatingthe

world-famed

the
from
Babylon; that in the short journey
historic city of
romantic
capitalof Harun-al-Rashid to the
should traverse a land which has long
Nebuchadnezzar)
we

ruins

of

437

BEELIN

FROM

438

TO

BAGDAD

celebrated in story and

been

AND

legend

BABYLON

the

as

cradle

of

our

race.

When

attempted

we

to

separates Bagdad

which

the swaying pontoon

cross

proper

from

bridge

its old suburb

right bank of the Tigris,we found our passage

of men
while by the heterogeneous crowd
a
and the long train of burdened
donkeys and

on

the

blocked

for

and

women

camels

that

shops and the bazaars of the old

this delay as it
capitalof the Caliphs. But we welcomed
us
an
which, during our
opportunityto study a scene
gave
wanderings along the river front of the city,had always
possessed for us a specialfascination.
headed

were

Here
which

for

assembled

were

the

the

Tigrisis
which

side-wheeler

so

the

strange and

noted.

varied

them

Among

brings freightand

people of

the West.

the

Scattered

were

steam

from

passengers

There
port of Basra on the Shat-al-Arab.
and barges and lightersof other varieties
familiar to

was

craft for

also

of modern

among

the

tugs
craft

these

were

mahailas, those primitive and picturesquehdhis

used by the Arabs
in the navigable parts of the
much
so
Tigris and Euphrates. With their pointed prows,
high
masts, and lateen sails,they are not unlike the dahabiyehs
numerous

of the Nile
and- xebec

simplifiedforms

or
once

so

Alongside of them
canoe-shaped boat
in the

much
were

felucca
fast-sailing
used by the pirates of Barbary.
countless
specimens of that long,

called by the Arabs

canals in and

narrow

the

of the

around

the

Basra

gondola in Venice.

helium
serves

"

the

^which
same

The

helium, to judge
from certain bas-reliefs found among
the ruins of Nimroud,
is but a slightmodification of the type of boat which Sennacherib
employed in his fleet during his celebrated campaign
But a far more
against the Elamits.
singularcraft than
purpose

any

as

of those

of willows

mentioned

is the kufa.

Its frame

is

woven

the

splitbranches of the date palm and, like

the Ark of Noah, is pitched within and without with pitch
which is procured from the hot, bitumen
springs of Hit, on
the Euphrates. It is circular in form and looks like a large
or

* *

' '

MOTORING
cauldron

THE

with its brim

Bagdad

at

IN

turned

and

the way
the other boats are

among

They

used

are

GARDEN

OF

inwards.

which

made

are

carrying freightand

to and

passengers

to

rotate

to attract attention.

sure

ferryboatsin crossingthe

as

439

Their great number

they

always

EDEN

river and

from

the

for

city and

the

adjoining country. Herodotus tells us that,after the

these curious craft surprised him more
city itself,
than
in Babylon. In form and size they
anything that he saw
similar

are

have

to the coracle

made

his famous

long centuries
a

before

New

World."

But

few keleks

are

dot the Tigris at

they

as

arrive

in which

from

voyage

Columbus

seen

from

are

sold for

price,while

the

deflated skins

they

to be

came

is

reason

fuel,for which
are

again used

America,

Leon

As

their

soon

wooden

fetch

they

gave

boats that

simple.

Diarbeker

and

frameworks
whence

to

the numberless

The

Mosul

Ireland

is said to

**to Castile and

among

Bagdad.

St. Brendan

good
places

returned

to the

in the

construction

of

other keleks.
in the world

Nowhere

one

see

so

great

variety of

Bagdad, or stylesof vessels which have

remained
of years.
thousands
For
unchanged for so many
the raftlike slow-floating
here one
finds everything from
kelek to the swift,surface-skimming glisseurwhich, with a
than
powerful engine,is capable of making a speed of more
The kelek and the kufa represent the
forty miles an hour.
two
of the shipwright's achievements
high-water mark
the glisseur is but
thousand
before our
era, while
years
of the many
engineers of the
one
triumphs of the marine
river

crafts

can

twentieth

the

After

side

other

us

by
the

side

creations

one

"

to Hillah

in West

which

in

era

and

we

live.

yet they

are

Forty
both

typifying the changeless East

West.
ever-progressive
the

the congested traffic on

to
sufficiently
leads

the

of

separate the two

here

and

at

century

centuries
seen

as

allow

and

Bagdad

us

to pass,

Babylon.
for

of the

we

took the stage road

There
old

bridge had diminished

that

nothing to detain
Round
City of Mansur
was

not
to

BERLIN

FROM

440

vestigeis now

get

the fanatical

AND

BABYLON

Many travelers make

the noted
Kazimayn mosque

visible.
of

view

near

BAGDAD

TO

Shiahs

allow

do not

Christian

detour

but, as
this

to enter

satisfied with the view I had had of it

shrine,I was
of the lofty old
through my field glass from the summit
sacred

of

minaret

Souk-El-Ghazl,^^/
did

Neither

to

go
"

occupies so conspicuous
Arabian
Nights and in many
Arabian

Zenobia

queens

lauded

Thousand

chronicles.

and

the

the western

on

of Zobeide, who

tomb
in

place

lion

other

that

see

the much

Tigris

of the

bank

we

With

Queen

of

One

and

the renowned

Sheba,

Zobeide

will always live in story and

of the most
legend as one
According to an Eastern
prominent figures of the East.
zade
tradition,she shares with the mythical Sultana Scheheraof having composed those fascinating tales
the honor
Arabian
known
*'The
as
Nights.'' We did not visit the
which is said to contain her tomb, for
crumbling monument
that it has been
the simple reason
proved beyond doubt
that this was
the last resting place of Harun-alnever

Rashid's

favorite

until nearly nine

few

A
we

in the heart

there

countless
land and
and

Mesopotamia.
tent

the

"

few

human

years
as

was

Once

we

far-distant
their long

attract
dotted

habitations

the

of

an

met

of

once
a

desert

land

and

as

of

the

level

towns
flourishing

few

palms here and

this extensive region
reed

Arabs

that

except

expanse

sections

Bedouin

thicklypopulated

or

broad

occasional

of

in

so

death.

attention

our

the

as

homes

her

to be

leaving the city of the Caliphs

broad alluvial plain of Babylonia.

irrigatingcanal

Outside

humble

as

Holland

old

treeless

as

after

the exception of

some

almost

of the

considered

never

all that remained

covered

cities. With

was

after

that

mounds

was

years

little to

was

there along

and

hundred

short hours

were

But

wife

"

of northern
hut

or

^we

saw

black
but

during thousands of
carefullycultivated

the valley of the Rhine.

a

Mecca

small
and

of

caravan

Medina.

journey through

the

pilgrims coming from

Although travel worn
by
burning sands of Arabia

MOTORING

IN

THE

GARDEN

to be
they seemed, nevertheless,
They were
happy in the thought

the precept of the Koran

the Faithful
least

shall,if

in his

once

at all

and

very

of

EDEN

joyous

441
company.

having complied

with

which

requires that every one of

possible,make a pilgrimage,at

to
life-time,

enclose the Kaaba

OF

the venerated

the tomb

of the

shrines which

Prophet. Even

The

camels, tufted o'er with Yemen's

shells,
Shaking in every breeze their light-tonedhells,
seemed

into the spiritof their cheerful and

to enter

godly

riders.
the green-turbaned hadjis I observed

Among

enabled

means

Arabian

with

steeds.

to

After

indulge in the luxury of genuine

the delightfulexperience I had had

Arabian

pure-blooded

East

them

horse

years ago, I have

these noble animals
without

whether

"

seemed
road

of

as

but
the

the

been

never

Raphael

or

horses

two

travelingin

Murillo.

had

made

I do not
the

know

long journey

of

nearly fifteen hundred

if they did, they failed to show
it,for they
livelyand as vigorous as if they had been on the
of the characteristics
few days. But this is one

and
but

these

not

or

to Mecca
miles

of

masterpiece

when

able to pass one

of
scrutinizingit as closelyas I

many

would

whose

two

return

"

horse

Arabian

true

distance

"

its remarkable

powers

of

long distances without

food or water.^
Judging from their delicate forms, their
well-fashioned
heads, their large beautiful eyes, their agile
steeds in question must
the two
and supple movements,
two of the five pure-blooded
have been bred from
or
one

endurance,even

races

for

of horses

has been

so

forced

when

which,

to travel

from

time

immemorial,

Arabia

celebrated.^

of
"Neejdee horses are especiallyesteemed for great speed and endurance
them.
To
to
come
can
pass
none
this
latter
indeed
in
up
quality
fatigue;
without
tainly
and
drink
flagging is cerwithout
road
the
on
twenty-four hours
and
labor
abstinence
conjoined
something; but to keep up the same
at a stretch is, I believe,
hours
under
the burning Arabian
sky for forty-eight
Narrative
of a Journey Through
Personal
of the breed."
peculiar to animals
G.
London, 1869).
W.
Palgrave,
310
Eastern
Central
(by
and
Arabia, p.
1

The

namely,
descended

prized

most
to

one

from

of

horses

the

in

Mohammed's

Arabia

belong, it is said, to

breeds, which,
five favorite mares.

Kehilan

according

to

the

Khamsa,

tradition,

are

442

BERLIN

FROM

to

According

the horse

create

Arabian

He

called the South

thy bosom

from

Wind

will be for man,

of happiness and riches and

born.

'You

' '

God

wished

to Him

and

to

said,

being. Condense
thy fluidity/' The wind
new

thyselfby depriving thyselfof

obeyed. The Lord then took a handful
it
become
malleable,breathed upon
*

BABYLON

legend, when

an

to take

'*I wish

AND

BAGDAD

TO

of that element,now
the

and

horse
* '

the Lord

then said,

he will render

was

source

himself

trious
illus-

by ridingyou."
It is said that

the births of

are

And

happiestevents in
she-camel,of a son,

'the
a

the Arab

highly does

so

camels, that he

his young
*'the nearer

as

Bedouin"

the

on

the

judge by
prefers his

to

higher rises
at

to his

horse

evening the

his

own

which
and

In

for his guest."

is that

* '

Allah has

he

stands

would

times, one
For

puts the

the

of the

care

there is

that he

camels

are

supply
family. Not
'*work

saying that

saying among
great giftsfor man

the Bedouins

good horse,
this is the adage
a

"

Similar to
good wife and a good blade.
that **the greatestblessings are a wise wife
' '

and

fruitful

' '

mare.

How

well the Bedouin

of his horse is

care

Indeed,

of his horse before

Another

real

is for his horse, for his brother

man

three

the

to

think

when

the children

the desert

does not belittle a

she-foal."

colts receive their regular

the true Arab

ease.

of

Bedouin

his love for his horse.

son.

of the lacteal fluid before

only this,but

cares

and

his young
colts,as well
for them as children and

social ladder

his actions

in the

milked

value

the life of

of the desert.

For

common

is rewarded
theme

for his affectionate

of the stories and

the prized animal

which

speak of the Arab's

horse

songs

occasionally
exhibits almost human
intelligence
fully reciprocates his
master's
affection and serves
him in danger and out of
danger with a loyalty that is proverbial and with an
falters as long as strength
unswerving devotion that never
and

life endure.

But

one

cannot

saying something of

his intimate

associate

"

without

the camel.

also
So

BERLIN

FROM

444

"

all the

shows

his master

care

interest

no

vindictive to
for

revenge

in him

real

some

that

have

sooner

the

ing
and, notwithstandlavished upon
him,
Besides
this,he is

whatever.

later he will seek

or

fancied

injury is so well known

always on his guard against its

or

is

driver

the horse

may

degree, and

that the camel

malice

of
intelligence

the

docilitynor

BABYLON

general opinion,neither

^he has, contrary to

pensable

AND

BAGDAD

TO

and

fury.
explorer of central and eastern
Palgrave, the adventurous
Arabia, who had a rare opportunity of studying **the ship

If docile

in his desert

' '

of the desert

camel

is the very model

intended
to designate
in its rider

far

so

his

as

intentions

of

and

animal

an

beast

can,

that

takes

that in

some

them

shares

or

good ; in such a case the

docility.But if the epithet is

stupid,well

means

writes

home,

in

interest

an

way

stands
under-

subordinate

fashion,that obeys from a sort of submissive or half fellowfeeling with his master, like the horse and elephant, then
I say that the camel
is by no means
docile,very much the
contrary

; he

whether

he

takes

be

on

no

his back

agoing, merely
and
then, should
aside;
set

once

branch

this
back

allure

direction

new

into the

last

to

him

out

he

because

right road.

stupid to
thorn

path, continues
he

because

simply

is too

tempting

some

of the

undomesticated

an

of his rider ; pays no

attention
not ; walks straighton when
or

heed

and

to walk

green
in
on

dull to turn

word, he is from first

animal, rendered
savage

In
...

is too

or

turn

serviceable

skill

master's

except that

of

an

habit

by stupidityalone, without much

part or any cooperationon his own

on

his

nor
even
passiveness. Neither attachment
impresses him; never
tame, though not wide-awake

extreme

enough

to be

exactlywild.*

and
Mecca
from
Shortly after meeting the caravan
one
Medina, we overtook
going in the opposite direction.
This was
composed of pilgrimson their way to the sacred
the holy cities of the Shiites.
shrines of Nejef and Kerbela
"

"

Op. oit.,pp. 25,

26.

MOTORING
A

sorrier

IN

and

THE

GARDEN

mournful

more

crowd

OF

EDEN

could

not

445

easily be

imagined. It was
composed of Persian Shiites who were
convoying their dead to Kerbela
and
Nejef for burial.
Among the departed were
but recentlydeceased,
some
while
others

had

remains

been

had

for

and

years

their

moldering

been exhumed

in and

ground

dead

for final interment in the sacred

Kerbela
and Nejef. There were

around

no

funeral

sumptuous

for

cars

transportingthis

gruesome

freight. Only jades and donkeys and mules, all worn

by their long journey through the sandy desert. Nor
there any
Far from

costlycaskets to enclose

the remains

it. Some

in reeds

others

packed
slung from

they
which

in

were

were

wrapped

were

bags

and

baskets.

the backs

of the

out
were

of the dead.

and

while

rugs

In this condition

jaded pack animals

conducted

by friends or servants of the deceased.

In Nejef are
preserved the ashes of Ali, the husband of
Fatima, daughter of the Prophet of Mecca, while in the
were

of

mosque

Kerbela

is the

last

resting place

of

his

son,

Husein.

considered
By his followers Ali was
the first
Hasan
and
Husein
legitimate Caliph and his sons
have
since their tragic death been venerated
ever
as
martyrs.
It was
the dispute about the first lawful Caliph that occasioned
the great schism which
divides the Moslem
world
into two
sects: the Shiites,who
reject the first three
as
Caliphs Abu-Bekr, Omar, and Othman
usurpers
; and
the Sunnites,who recognizeAli as well as the three Caliphs
named, while they regard the Shiites as '^forsakers of the
"

truth.''

"

The

they have

Shiites include

the

Persians, besides

whom

the Mohammedans

large representation
among

of India.
It is the ardent

desire of every

devout

Nejef or Kerbela, for

places,so he firmlybelieves,assures
either

is

in

cherished

tradition among

the first to rise

that all who

are

on

the

day

interred

life of immortality and

the

sacred

him

of

soil of these

paradise. There

the Shiites that Ali will be

general resurrection
Nejef will rise with him

of the
in

Shiite to be buried

happiness.

and
to

Nejef and Kerbela.

these two places is said

permits at
million

dollars

Persia

alone,who

Husein

is estimated

In

at

nearly all of whom

and

less than

no

have

we

Sunnites

are

seen
"

are

every

of

to

nearly

pilgrimsfrom
of Ali

and

souls.
sixty thousand
that the pilgrims
"

that

fullytwo hundred

number

Mecca

to amount

annually visit the shrines

preceding chapter

The

that

cost of the burial

the number

while

year,

BABYLON

thousands

in

interred

year

for the countless

accounts

This

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BERLIN

FROM

446

yearly visit Medina

ing,
Consider-

thousand.

however, the relative populationsof Shiite and Sunnite

pilgrims are found at the shrines of Ali
countries,more
and

Husein

at those

than

the

But, although both

Prophet

and

great Moslem

the Kaaba.

recognize

sects

tion
prophet and have the greatest venerafor him, the most
profound hatred separates one from
other. The Shiites regard the Sunnites as impure and

Mohammed

the

of the

detest

their

as

them

because

of their

Jews, something which

and

association

the followers

with

Christians

of Ali

consider

intolerable.
Unlike

the

Sunnites, the Shiites,especiallythose

in the

valleys of the Tigrisand the Euphrates, lead a retired life

and studiously avoid relations with all except their coreligionists.
at home,
Those of the well-to-do class are, when
and
ences.
confercontinually engaged in religious ceremonies
read of the tragic
On these occasions accounts
are
deaths

of Ali and

his

So moved

sons.

are

all

present that

their grief by sobs and lamentations.

These
they express
reunions, which usually last two hours, take place for the
in apartments speciallyreserved
for them
and in the
men

harem

for

the

demonstrative
are

they by
that

women.

But

the

women

are

much

more

the men,
for so moved
the recital of the cruel deaths of Ali and his
in their

sorrow

than

piercingshrieks,strike their breasts,

and, when carried away
by their delirium,disfiguretheir
faces with their fingernails.
But what is passing strange is that these ceremonies
of
mourning take place on such occasions of rejoicingas a
sons

they

utter

MOTORING

wedding

IN

the birth of

or

born, live,and

The

of the

GARDEN
child.

In

in the midst

die

lamentations.
the wall

THE

EDEN

447

word, the Shiites

of tears

wailing of the

temple

OF

Jews

and

are

and

moans

in Jerusalem

of their forefathers

but

occurs

at
once

while

the dolorous reunions of the Shiites

week,
far
are
the
first
more
frequent. During
ten days of the month
of Moharrem
and every
day during the pilgrimageto Nejef
and Kerbela
they are obligatory.'
a

it is not my

But

in this

chapterto give more

than
a cursory
glance at the present condition of Babylonia and
its people. For, during my wanderings in this historic land,
rather occupied with its myths and
thoughts were
my
and persistent
legends and, above all,with that interesting
tradition which, from
time immemorial, has here located
the Garden
of Eden
^what the
dise
Vulgate" calls the Paraof Pleasure
and what
is frequentlyknown
the
as
purpose

**

"

Terrestrial

Paradise.

Of

the many
subjectstreated of in the book
interesting
of Genesis, few have received more
attention from
scholars
and

interpretersthan

Paradise.

Even

that which

in the

relates

earlydays

of

to the

Terrestrial

men
Christianity

began

them
dispute about it. Some, among
Origen" and St.
Ambrose, not to mention
others, inclined to the opinion
to

that

be

the Genesiac

account

of the cradle

of

our

race

interpreted allegorically.Others, however,

was

like

to
St.

Augustine,^maintained that the Scriptural

preted
to be interof Eden
narrative regarding the Garden
was
literally.Even at the present time Biblical students
the words
exhibit the same
difference of opinion respecting
Jerome

St.

and

of the Sacred
as

displayed by

was

Church.
the much
"See
"

La

"Who

life, visible

teeth
'

De

obtained
Oeneai

primitive
interpretationof
allegorical

narrative

and

Fathers

while others

Bagdad,

de

foolish

80

an

of Paradise
of the

contend

that

we

(by Habib K. Chicha, Cairo, 1908).

p. 108
man,
of a husbandthat
God, after the manner
suppose
it a tree
in
and
placed
paradise,in Eden towards the East,
the
fruit
bodily
the
of
by
that
one
tasting
and

Province
is

relate to the Garden

the writers
favor

Some

discussed

planted
of

which

Text

as

to

palpable,so

life?"
ad

De

PHncipiia, Bk. IV, Chap.

Litteram,

Lib. VIII,

Cap.

I.

I.

BEELIN

448

FEOM

must

adopt

St.

hold with

Paradise

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

interpretation.**So concrete," they

trial
Augustine, **is the descriptionof the Terresit without doing
cannot
that one
allegorize
literal

violence to the text."

Frederick
Delitzsch,in an
Assyriologist,
insists that **the
study of this long vexed question,

eminent

The

elaborate

of being fabulous
for lack of

For

the narrator

hesitate

one

Tigris and

reality. He
of the

respectingthe meaning
Not

the Gehon.
"

of the

obscure

Phison

and

"

It is for this

reason

that he

his readers

can

But, notwithstanding

the

of Eden

is in nowise

he know

to instruct his readers

the second

the Euphrates, is

names

but he wishes

which

the lines.

exactly their signification

that of the Tigris and the Euphrates

only does

exactly as

as

is

nor

of Eden, with its four rivers,

the Garden

well-known

and

to the sense,

as

clearness, obliged to read between

the Phison, the Gehon, the

manifest

indication

no

enveloped in semi-

extravagant, or

or

obscurity. Neither need

one,

contains

of Eden

of the Garden

Biblical record

concerningthe subject.

gives explanations and

control."

of
explicitness

the

chapter of Genesis,the localization of

bristles with

many

and

dations
eluci-

"

grave

author

of

the Garden

difficulties. Ever

since the days of Philo Judaeus,scholars have

been

seeking a

problem, and, although they have written

trial
countless books on the subject,the actual site of the Terresof uncertainty.
still remains
Paradise
a matter
How
diverse have been the views of learned men
ing
respectis evinced by the fact that they
the site of Paradise
have located it almost
everywhere on the earth, above the
earth,and under the earth. Some, following the Ptolemaic
solution

of the

of the
system of astronomy, have contended that the home
first parents was
in the third heaven; others that it was
in the fourth ; others still that it was
in the middle region of the
or
moon,

in the heaven

air,or in

some

of the
hidden

from
the knowledge of mortals.
Others
place far removed
again with a great display of erudition have attempted to
"Wo

Lag

das

Paradiea, p.

44

1881).
(Leipsic,

MOTORING

IN

that it was

prove

THE

GAEDEN

OF

EDEN

449

situated in Syria,or

or
Palestine,
Arabia,
Persia,or Armenia, or Assyria,or India,or China, or
Tartary. Still others,who were
little more
a
specificin
their speculations,
placed the Garden of Eden on the banks
of the Ganges, in the Canaries,or in
Ceylon, or on the
Mountains
of the Moon, where
the Nile was
supposed to
have its source.
Hebron, Jerusalem,Damascus, and Babylon
or

have

each

spot where
fell from

considered

first parents

our

being

as

created

were

the

on

and

some

identical

where

they

their

high estate.
Benedictine,Ralph Higden, who follows
of the Fathers
of the Church, tells us

The
of

been

that the Terrestrial

chronicon

Paradise

region in Eastern Asia. Gautier

Monde, is in essential agreement
to

the

race

as

location

of the

de

is in

in

opinion
his Poly-

inaccessible

an

Metz, in

with

the

his

the learned

Garden

du

Image

tine
Benedic-

of Eden.

is,he
surrounded
to it through its
by flames,and access
avers,
singlegate is precluded by an armed angel who is always on
Floridus describes the primeval home
guard. Lambertus
as

of

our

insida in

in oriente.

oceano

But,

ocean

"

like Gautier

Paradisus
de

Metz, he

it is surrounded

it to be inaccessible because

declares
wall

island in the Eastern

an

It

by

of fire.

Lombard, the famous Master of the Sentences,who

is followed by other mediaeval writers,teaches that Paradise
Asia
in Eastern
is located on
so
high mountain
a
very
high that the waters of the Deluge, which rose above the
summit
of Ararat, submerged only its base.'' Another
Peter

"

author

informs

earth.

on

flood

was

nor

Lib

II

unde

as

hail
dist.

neither
or

nee

Paradise

17,

c.

hollow

rain, but
5, "Unde

interjacente
spatio vel

longo
homines

**

is neither

in heaven

higher
forty fathoms
heaven
it hangeth between
of all things made
the Ruler

and

is there

snow,

that
It is

...

wonderfully,
There

us

nor

there

volunt

maris

vel

in

hill;nor
is

Noah's
earth

and
it.

is there

frost

fons vita,that is,the

paradisum,
parte esse
mcolant
regionibus quas
circulum
pertmgentem,

orientali

terrse a
ad lunarem

secretum, et in alto situm, usque

diluvii illuc pervenerunt."
aqu"

than

nor

BEELIN

FROM

450

shines
dwell

doomsday.

' ' "

Anglo-Saxon

an

nice"

hunger,

nor

ever

descriptionof

Of similar import is the

in

heat

night,but always day. The sun there

Therein
times brighter than on this earth.
seven
innumerable
angels of God with the holy souls till

is there

nor

BABYLON

is there neither

There

well of life.

AND

BAGDAD

TO

poem

translation

"

of the Pseudo-Lactantius
I have

In

eastern

land

far hence

Phce-

the poet declares

nohle
renowned.

men

That

tract

Over

mid

Fellow

of the **De

parts

most

Amongst

in which

"

contained

tell

heard
there is

That

Paradise

of earth is

not

earth

to many

Peopled lands;
it is withdrawn

But

Through the Creator's

wicked

From

is all the

With

plain,
delight Messed,

With

the sweetest

Beauteous

Of
the time

From

might

doers.

earth's

of

odors.

Indicopleustes,who

flourished

in the

explorers have
cated
of Eden, and geographers have indithe places they imagined it should
their maps
on
satisfied with a conjecturallocation,
Some
were
occupy.
but others,basing their speculationson the data given in
minded
that the probthe second
lem
chapter of Genesis, were
so
was
simple that it could be answered off-hand. They
who
were
quite like Hudibras

sixth

century, to our
sought for the Garden

the seat

Could

tell in what
as

Above
10

Cf.

Gould,

CuriouM

London,

Myths
1892).

he

was

the

moon

of the

and

of Paradise^
degree it lies,
disposed could prove

Knew

And

travelers

own,

or

Middle

below

it

it.

Age$, p.

266

et

acq.

(by

S.

Baring

FROM

452

BERLIN

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

hear
noise,and so great a tempest, that no man
may
another in the ship,though he cried with all the might he
could.
Many great lords have essayed with great will many
to pass
times
Paradise
with full
by those rivers towards
great companies, but they might not speed on their voyage ;
and many
died for weariness
of rowing against the strong

huge

and

of
many
the noise of the

waves;

from

lost in the waves,

so

that place without

the

Columbus,

that

America.

South

discovered
that he

man

specialgrace

were

approach

may

to

of God."

of Eden
he

in the northern

not

was

He

the east coast

deaf

his letters,
thought he had

from

True,

and

many
perished and

some

mortal

no

continent.

new

blind

water; and

learn

we

became

the site of the Garden

found
of

as

them

that he

aware

under

was

part

the

had

impression

of

Asia, the ocean-laved shores

of far-off Cathay.
He accepted as true one
of the traditional
beliefs which located Paradise
in farther India, or
to the eastward
and was
yet more
fully persuaded that he
of the rivers that
had, in the Orinoco, discovered
one
was

on

Eden.

watered

Writing
of the

to his

and
Royal patrons, Ferdinand
Isabella,
the headwaters
of the Orinoco, he says :

region at

I have

that,if I could pass below the equinoctial

line,after reachingthe highestpoint of which I have spoken,
I should

doubt

no

find

the stars and

much

milder

in the water

; not

point to be navigable, nor

there; indeed I believe
because

Paradise

am

convinced

whither

no

it

I suppose
that there

impossible

to

variation

in

that elevated

is any water
ascend
thither,

that it is the spot of the Earthly

can
permission.
go but by God's

one

There

are

great indications

of

being the Terrestrial

Paradise, for its site coincides
the opinions of the holy and wise theologians whom
I

with

have
with

mentioned; and moreover

the supposition,
for I have

of fresh water
n

that

indeed

[Continuing,he adds]
this

temperature and

The

Voyage

coming
and

Travaile

in

so

the
never

large

of Sir John

other

evidences

either read

quantity in

Mandeville, Chap.

XXX.

or

agree

heard

close

con-

MOTORING

IN

junctionwith
by

THE

the water

GARDEN

of the

the blandness

sea

OF

EDEN

453

the idea is also corroborated

of the

temperature ; and, if the water

of which
I speak does not proceed from
the Earthly Paradise,
it appears
to be more
marvelous, for I do not believe
that there is any river in the world so large and so
deep.
The more
I reason
the subject [he concludes] the more
on
satisfied I become
the

spot

that the Terrestrial

I have

described

; and

Paradise

ground

is situated

opinion upon
the arguments and
authorities already quoted. May it
please the Lord to grant your Highnesses a long life and
health and peace
to follow out so noble an investigation
in
which
I think our
will receive great service,Spain
Lord
on

considerable

increase

much

consolation

and

name

of the Lord

will

But

Columbus
of

home

of its

greatness and

all Christians

pleasure,because by
be published abroad.^^
not the

was

my

in South

only

one

this

the

means

to locate the

original

America.

Only a few years ago

Bolivian
scholar,Emeterio
a patriotic
Villamil,maintained
of Eden
the eastern slope
that the site of the Garden
on
was
of the mighty Sorata, while the Argentine geologist,Dr.
that the mother
region of mankind
Ameghino, contended
of Monte
within the shadow
Hermoso, in southern
was
our

Argentina.
not

here

race

could

There

discover

the

be

doubt

no

about

it.

For

of the first man?

skeleton

did he

And

did

testifyto the faith that was in him by giving to the

of Tetraprothomo Arthe imposing name
Argentine Adam
gentinus?
According to M. Mayo, however, all those who would
in Asia, or in Europe, or
place humanity's first hearthstone
In an ingenious study
in America
entirelymistaken.
were
he argues
*'Les Secrets de Pyramides de Memphis''
on
he not

"

that the desert

of Eden.

believes

he

it

of Sahara

embraces

True, it is

now

once

was

fertility.There

was

land

time, he

what

was

bleak and

arid

of marvelous
avers,

when

den
the Gar-

once

desert, but

beauty
it

was

and

watered

(translated
of Christopher Columbus, pp. 141-147
Select Letters
R. H. Major and
printed for the Hakluyt Society,London, 1870).
13 La
Revue, April 15, 1893.
Nouvelle
12

See

bj

FROM

454

BERLIN

by large rivers and meandering

rich verdure

with

AND

BAGDAD

TO

streams

luxurious

and

BABYLON
when

it

was

ered
cov-

vegetation; when

it

densely populated and the happy home of a peaceful

and prosperous
reading of Genesis, in the
people. A new

was

hieroglyphicalinscriptionsof the
dynasty regarding the pyramid of Cheops will,he

light of

certain

long enshrouded
Gizeh and repeal the reason
why

mystery that has

us, solve the

monument

of

hitherto

made

Nile, he

The

proved futile.

will have

all

attempts

Scripture have

it,formerly flowed

it divided

where

Sahara

the

through

of

assures

the famed

so

to localize the Paradise

twelfth

into four

branches,

At this
constitutingthe quadrifurcateriver of Genesis.
then were
time the people of Egypt, who
even
a powerful
and
highly civilized nation, suffered from lack of water
and cast about to increase their supply of this all-important
of the
element.
They obtained it by deflectingthe course
ing
Nile and directingit through their own
country. By makelevation near
Khartoum
a large cut or ditch through an

they appropriated
the

neighbors in
this

to

and

the only

and

made

waters

shut

It

entrance

was

God

not

of the great
off from
their

of

source

depend.

quixotic Frenchman,

Paradise

closed

Sahara

country could

their

which

equatorialAfrica

of

reservoirs

the

to themselves

irrigationon
thus,
but

man

ing
accord-

who

into it impossible

by

taking from it the water that gave it fecundity and life.

Ignatius Donnelly. **Amen,"
Fudge,*' vociferates
according to these worthies
ejaculates linger. Paradise
'*

was

not

situated

of the

in any

existingcontinents,for

its

in the lost Atlantis.

Accepting
of the Atlantis,as given in the Timaeus, as
Plato 's account
veritable
history, the paradoxical Donnelly attempts to
of Eden
not only the Garden
but
that Atlantis was
show
seat,as

can

be

proved, was

also the only

possiblecenter
now
people the

races

which

more

than this.
home

have

Not

of mankind

eradiated

all

our

of distribution

Old

and

the New

for the various

World.

only,he asseverates, **was

but it was
cereals

it the original

likewise the focus

and most

useful

And

whence

plants and

MOTORING
fruits

and

IN

all

claims, many
blessed

our

GARDEN

domestic

our

of the most

had

OF

science,and

valuable

In

the

455

Here,

too

inventions which

their

literature and

EDEN

animals/'^*

origin.
plausibleauthor, Atlantis
race

believe this

THE

word, if we

people who

ever

to

are

the home

was

he

of

art,

inhabited it not

only enjoyed all the peace and happiness of which the ancient
poets speak as being the lot of the privileged
mortals
of the Golden
Age but they were
the prototypes of the
gods, demi-gods,and heroes of a later and less fortunate
period.
**

Nonsense,"

the German

exclaim

astronomer, Herr

certain forced

on

and
of

traditions
the

reach
race

was

Warren,
Kohl,

and

the results

on

the

various

of

Arctic

Count

Saporta, and

Basing their opinions

of
interpretations

regions within
the

Dr.

ancient

legends
scientific explorations

Circle,these gentlemen

startlingconclusion that
in the circumpolarNorth.

the

first home

of

our

The

investigationsof botanists,they remind us, declare

the singular, but as yet inexplicablefact, that **all the
floral types and forms revealed in the oldest fossils in the
earth,originatedin the region of the North Pole and thence
spread first

the northern

over

hemisphere, proceeding
also be said of

from

and
north

then

over

the

to south.''

southern
The

same

and

important representatives
of the world 's fauna.
Why then,they inquire,are we
not justifiedin placing humanity's birthplacewhere
the
animals and plants which serve
and on which
he subsists
man
and which
have accompanied him on his migrations
the earth's surface
known
to have
over
are
originated?
''Only from the circumpolar regions of the North," aflSrms
Count Saporta, could primitive
humanity have radiated as
may

numerous

**

from

center

to

spread into

the several continents

at

give rise to successive emigrations toward the

This theory best agrees
with the presumed march

and

to

human

races.""

"i^* Atlantis,
16

The

World, p. 455 (New York, 1884).

Monthly, p. 678, September, 1883.

Antediluvian

Popular Science

once

south.
of the

quarter of the world,'' ^Hhe

mesomphalos,

of

navel

**the umbilicus

"

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

of the earth, therefore,**the sacred

Pole

the North

At

TO

BERLIN

FROM

456

the

earth/' **the

orhis terrarum,*'

are

to

we

the long lost Eden, for the cradle of mankind.

in all its splendor,
borealis is seen
where the aurora

for

look
There

by palpitatingand wafting draperies,

of primatic
quivering curtains and shining streamers
first
hues of varying intensityand matchless
our
brilliancy
parents spent the first happy days of their existence and
under

formed

canopy

there,amid a frozen desolation lie buried the

of Humanity's earliest and loveliest home/'^"
But

of those

the views

who

have

**

hearthstone

located Paradise

in **the

tentions
satisfactorythan the conof those who have placed it on the elevated plateau
mountain
of the Andes, or on the top of a cloud-piercing
of farther India or beneath the shiftingsands of the Sahara
in the fabled Atlantis or in some
mythical Hyperborean
or

f airie North

' '

been

have

has

more

no

for

ice bound

been

million

land

which

Far

fascinating,however, is the subjectthat

of science stillcontinue the quest of humanity's original
dwelling place and still elaborate theories respecting

men

from

it.

years

or

more.

So

its location that

are

quiteas

fantastic

as

were

those of the

of the past. Thus, according

speculators and paradox mongers
in Prussia
the shores of the
to Hasse, it was
on
Baltic ; Herder
ingstone
imagined it to have been in Cashmere
; Livsought it in equatorialAfrica and hoped to find it
of the Nile, if he could be fortunate
at the headwaters
Daumer
maintained
that it was
enough to discover them.
in Australia whence
and thence,
man
emigrated to America
by way of Behring's Straits,to Asia and Europe.
eminent
The
anthropologist,Quaterfages de Breau, is
disposed to consider the loftyplateauof Pamir as the original

hearthstone

This is also the view

of mankind."

of the

distinguishedOrientalist,Frangois Lenormant, whose

have
^"Paradise

irThe

Human

Found, p.

led him
433

Speotea,p.

fby W.
176-177

to believe that the four

P. Warren.

(New

Boston, 1885).
York, 1890).

rivers

vestiga
in"

MOTORING
the

IN

THE

GARDEN

OF

Phison, the Gehon, the Tigris,and

which

watered

known

Gan-Eden,

the Indus, the

as

Here,

world";

this

the

Paradise,were
Oxus, the Tarin,and
or

too, curiously enough,

**

EDEN

central

Boss

on

this

457

Euphrates"
what

are

now

the Jaxartes."
**Roof

of

the

of

Asia," is the spot where

locate the holy Mount
the puranas
Meru, the primeval
Aryan Paradise ; the center, according to the traditions of
the Parsees, whence
radiated the first Aryan migrations,
of the regions of the earth which
and one
dan
Mohammeeven
teaching has assigned as the cradle-land of our species.^'
on

the

From

foregoing opinionsentertained

the reader

times

in the

have

seat

which
at various
investigations
with a view of determiningthe geographical

numerous

made

been

prominent

thors
au-

part wild conjecture,

fancy, and love of learned paradox have

can

unbridled

played

infer how

by divers

of Paradise.

And, be

it

sion
remembered, alluhas been made
to only a few of the opinions that have
in times
past been promulgated respecting humanity's
Nearly a hundred different theories regarding
pristinehome.
at one
have been advocated
the birthplaceof our
race
discarded
all of which are now
time or another,practically
as
highly fanciful or supremely ridiculous.
the Garden
have done, look upon
Must
we, then as many
of Eden as a religious
myth? Has modern
a philosophic
or

research

"

research
especially

in the domain

of the

new

ence
sci-

nothing toward clearingup the

mystery which has so long enveloped the site of the Biblical
all hope of even
Paradise, or are we forever to renounce
an
approximate solution of the great enigma? Not at all.
of

We

Assyriology"

can

still say
Asia

Sendo

done

with the Florentine

la

prima parte

innocenie

stava

dove

Poet, Leonardo

Dati

Vunomo,

in Paradiso.

I, p. 96 et 8eq. (Pans, 1881).

the Church
and
of Eden, in Science
Garden
Site
The
18 See chapter on
for the
d
rawn
have
I
which
extensively
from
(by J. A. Zahm, Chicago, 1896),
presenttreatment of the subject,
"^sHistoire

Ancienne

de

Orient, Tom.

of the

BERLIN

FROM

458

AND

BAGDAD

TO

leaving out of consideration

And

the

BABYLON

vagaries

of certain

polygenistsand the lucubrations of

paradoxers like those just referred to, it
and

transformists
noted

of

asserted

truth

that

the

general

tain
cer-

be
may-

of the

consensus

ing
trustworthy authorities is agreed in locatin that part of Asia
the cradle of humanity somewhere
which is embraced
by the Tigrisand the Euphrates.
have
been
There
much
doubt
would, probably, never
about this matter, at least on the part of Scripturalscholars,
had it not been for the imperfect geographicalknowledge
of early Christian writers and for the errors
that had
been given currency
by The Seventy in their version of the
from
Old Testament
Hebrew
into Greek.
They made no
about the Tigris and the Euphrates, which
mistake
were
it came
to them, but when
well known
to the Phison
and
the Gehon
they went completely astray and gave to these

highestand

most

rivers

two

an

question by
than

more

the Phison

they

even

the

thousand

with

confused

so

of the

interpretationwhich

the

Ganges

Paradise

afterwards

that

of the
it is stated
from

that

it

in their identification of

with

Genesiac

long

Nile,
turies
cen-

narrative

serious

more

study of

Text.

that many

had

second
been

misled

by

Genesis

of

chapter
a

they

ing
misunderstand-

eighth verse.

There, according to the Vulgate,

that **the Lord God planted a paradise of pleasure

the

But

beginning/'

careful

examination

the Hebrew

word, mid-quedem, which is here

the beginning,should,they found, indicate

than

the

until

not

was

of the

making

Reading carefullythe
discovered

exegetes for

respecting the actual site

students
of

Biblical

the Gehon

and

all researches

Terrestrial

Sacred

For,

years.

bethought themselves
the

learned

most

accepted without

was

time.

The

real

sense

of

should, therefore,be:

'*The

Lord

eastward

And

in

that the word

Eden."

mid-quedem

the

words
God

made

to

space

rather

above

planted

they furthermore
meant

eastward

of

from

nify
sig-

quoted
garden

discovered
Palestine

BERLIN

FROM

with

the words

of Genesis

out

of Paradise

went

which

which

declare

the

river

into four

heads,"

natural

meaning

of these

in the Edenic

is that the four rivers mentioned

words

that

*^is divided
The

that is,into four branches.

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

460

But

rative
nar-

each

river,as has
The only answer
distinct source.
been
said, has its own
of the theory have been able to give is
that the defenders
fact
that is warranted
^namely that past
one
by no known
revolutions of the earth's surface have materiallychanged
of Eden."
the topography of the originalsite of the Garden
There
other objectionsto the theory which
were
many
had

the

and

one

source.

same

"

Paradise

the

located

the

Tigris and

of

Not

Euphrates.

rigorous climate of

the headwaters

Delights at
the

least

of the

of these

the

was

Armenian

the

son,
uplands. For this reaand for others that need not here be specified,
scholars
favorably the hypothesis which
began to consider more
somewhere
in southern
placed the Garden of Eden
lonia.
Babythe first of these
John
Calvin.
He
was
Among
and
identifies the Gehon
with the Tigris and
the Phison
he gives the names
the Euphrates, in as much
Gehon
as
to the two lower reaches of these rivers,which
and Phison

the Shat-el-Arab

connect
's

theory regarding the

with the words

of the

with

the

location

of the Sacred

antiquityof

el-Arab
the

with the Persian

the two

Persian

Gulf

of Paradise

Text

channels
is

vin
Cal-

ance
is at vari-

while his assumption

which

the Shat-

connect

completelynegatived by

teachings of science respecting the

these

Gulf .^^ But

recent

formation

of

watercourses.

first

The

who

one

ventured

to

state

preciselyin

what

located was
Pierre Daniel
was
part of Babylonia Eden
This he did in his
Huet, the learned bishop of Avranches.
de Situ Paradisi,a book which had so
celebrated Tractatus
"

"

2"

Of.

23

Duo

Ita

Dom

flumen

et duo

the

the

Garden

in

unum

coeunt

est in confluente; duo

mare

in

qui

amnea

unum

versus

mentariuB
renders

Calmet,

Bunt

littSral

Commentaire

poatquam
The

Oeneain.

author'a
of Eden.

view

ruraus

map

of

""

"

""

"

"

"

"

la Qenbse, p. 61 (Paris, 1715).

deinde
abeunt
in diversas
partes.

sur

autein

inferioribus

alveis

quite clear, although

it doea

not

capita,

sunt

longiua dividi incipiunt. See

Babylonia, which
accompanies

his

Com-

the

specifythe

text

site of

MOTORING
great

IN

THE

GARDEN

OF

EDEN

that it passed through

many
translated into several
languages. So

was

vogue

the indications of the

were

461

editions and
clear to him

Genesiac

narrative respecting
that he declares /^I have often
marveled
that interpreters have
shut their eyes to them
and have
worried
with many
and so various conjectures
which were
little in keeping with the
so
words
the site of Paradise

plain

Text/'
the

Garden

exact
was,

As

for himself
of Eden.

he

was

doubt

sure

he

about
could

Sacred

the site of

indicate the

the first pair lived before the fall. It

opined,in a bend of the river now
known
the
as
and

at

point which, accordingto Ptolemy's

is located in latitude 32" 39' and

This, as
near

He

no

spot where

Shat-el-Arab
map,

he had

of the

the

map

Aracca"

Huet's

drawn

the Erech

view

as

in

longitude80" 10'.'
shows, was

to illustrate his view

of

Scripture.

to the location of Paradise

essentially
lowed
theory was
closelyfolnot only by the theologians of Louvain
but also by
Joseph Scaliger the father of modern
chronology" and by
other scholars innumerable.
But, although the good bishop
the exact
thought he had determined
spot where the first
human
the light of day and, although
pair first saw
very
of his contemporaries seemed
to share his views, it
many
not long until other hypotheses were
was
promulgated regarding
the much
disputed site of humanity's original
home.
Not counting,however, the fanciful and ingenious
speculationsof certain authors already mentioned, the general
of scholars,since the time of Dom
consensus
Calmet,
southern
favored
to have
seems
Babylonia as the land in
which
*^the Lord
God
planted" the ever-mysterious, the
the

same

as

that

of Calvin

was

whose

"

ever-elusive

Garden

of Eden.

This is particularlytrue since investigatorshave

had

the

and all-importantsciences of geology

powerful aid of the new
tic
fantasand Assyriology. They have eliminated many
serious
the works of the most
notions that so long marred
that certain assumptions
shown
of science and have
men
be regarded as quite
formerly made by exegetes must now

FROM

462

BERLIN
the

impossible. And

the

corroborate

and

chapter of

of the second

statements

of these

general trend

illumine

to

been

has

BABYLON

AND

BAGDAD

TO

sciences

two

much

Genesis

debated

in the

most

unexpected manner.
Thus,
in

of the

one

Creation, as

given
decades
some
ago by
carries us directlyto

discovered
inscription

cuneiform

of

accounts

oldest

**

T. F. Pinches,
Orientalist,
Babylonia. In this the creation of the earth is but

the noted

for

that

in the

Eden,

center, it would

watered

was

by

parted into

was

river which

two

and
the

were

The

of the world.

after

den
gar-

its
fulfilling

flowed

great

preparation
in

eastward

stood

which

seem

*four heads'

Of these

streams.

Garden

of the

in four

different

of the

rivers

work

lonian
Baby-

plain,the Tigris and the Euphrates ; the others bear

which have not yet been identified with certainty.
names
**The
however, is entirelyBabylonian. The
scenery,
in which the garden was
Eden
planted,was the plain
itself,
of the
from
the evidence
know
of Babylonia. This we
It was
called by its inhabitants Edinu, a
texts.
cuneiform
Sumerian
word borrowed
by the Semites from the Accado
edin, *the (fertile)plain.' To the East of it lay the land
in Genesis and Manda
in the
Nod
of the nomads,' termed
inscriptions. The river which watered the Garden was the
Persian
to the Babylonians as Hhe river,'or
Gulf, known
more
regarded as
fully *the bitter' or *salt river.' It was
"

the
the

of

source

spots where

received

no

See

**

Though

it is

into the

whose
source

heads'

which

were

at

once

' ' ^*

which
the

Chief

whose

rivers

other

flowed

Sayce,

doubt.

Euphrates

times.

they

the rivers

narrative,Mr.
to have

four

fed them.

and

Regarding

the

the

are

mentioned

in the Edenic

distinguishedOrientalist,seems
among

them

are

the

Tigris and

early Accadian
questionable," he writes, whether

names

date

back

to

**

and
the Verdict
of the Monuments,
Higher Criticism
pp. 95, 9tt
in the Light of the
Sayce, London, 1894). Cf. The Old Testament
Historical
Records
and
Legends of Assyria and Babylonia, Chaps. I, II (by
T. G. Pinches, London, 1908); The
Chaldean
Account
of Genesis, p, 305 (by
Qeorge ISmitb, London, 1876).
2*

(by

A.

The

H.

MOTORING
the

detected

Kerkhah,

the

which

endeavors

whole

land

the

rivers he

of Havilah.

six thousand

rubbish

heaps

years

ago,

of which

other

of Abu-Shahrein.

rivers also

great salt

river,'as

four in all at
As

have

the Gehon

sees

been

the
a

of Genesis

no

from

seen

Huet,

and

was

' '

great sea-port of
remains

now

When

Sayce,

flowed
it

' '

according to Accadocityof Eridu which,

**the

was

nothing

the sea-coast,''continues

but

be identified.""

classical writers, and

it was,
the sacred

inscriptions,
near

Babylonia,'* but
on

difficultto

' '

to the location of Eden

Sumerian
some

it is not

**compasseth the whole land of Gush," while in the

he recognizes the Phison
which
*'compasseth the

second

As

of

463

have hitherto been

they must
show, must

to

EDEN

represented by the PallakopasCanal.

now

In the first of these two

which

the Gihon

which

Choaspes
is

OF

monuments,

the rivers with

rivers,he

GARDEN

and

the cuneiform

on

determine

stream

THE

of the Pison

names

These

IN

**not

into the

Eridu

still stood
the

Tigris

Gulf.

The

only

Persian

termed, received

great distance from

but **the

the waters

the walls

of

of Eridu."

^*

the foregoing paragraphs, Sayce like Calvin,

other

scholars,also placesthe Garden

of Eden
in southern Babylonia and only about twenty miles
from
the spot so
confidentlyindicated by the scholarly

bishop of
No

many

Avranches

as

the site of the Terrestrial

Paradise.

Sayce 's view, which is based

entirelyon the teachings of Assyriology,is the conclusion
son,
J. W. Dawarrived at by the noted Canadian
investigator,
from data supplied by the science of geology of which
he was
With
a
Sayce he agrees that
recognized master.
less

the Kerkhah

interestingthan

river Karun, instead

confrere

We

[the author
25
2"

of the

maintains, is

thus

of Genesis

is the Gehon

find,that
of the

Ibid., p. 97.
Op. cit, pp. 97, 98.

but contends

Pallakopas Canal, as

his

that the

English

the Phison.

if

we

second

place our ancient geographer

chapter of Genesis] where he

BERLIN

FROM

464

places himself,and
and

three

the

TO

BAGDAD
he

suppose

principalrivers

AND
refers

BABYLON

to

confluent

the

with

Euphrates
it

near

its

Gulf, we obtain a clear idea of

of his
the sources
his meaning and find that, whatever
information
rect
respectingthe antediluvian Eden, he had corinto the Persian

entrance

ideas of the Idinu

of his

own

time

and

of its surrounding

him, the primitive seat of

in the south of the Babylonian plain,in an irrigated
was
man
and having in its vicinity
district of great fertility
tracts abounding in such mineral
mountain
products as
According

inhabitants.

of

were

use

to

to

primeval man.^^

the localitydesignated by
Curiously enough, it is near
the site of the Garden
of
and Sayce and Dawson
Huet
as
that an
Eden
age-old tradition of the Babylonian Arabs
has

located

present confluence

at the
a

Terrestrial

the

characteristic

so

of the

for its beautiful

spot noted

Paradise.

of southern

For

Euphrates

it is at Kurna
and

the

and

Tigris,

statelydate palms trees

Babylonia where its fruit has
"

that this
staplefood of its inhabitants
and Eve.
tradition places the pristinehome
of Adam
Aside
from any legends that might have been associated with it,
have made
its lovelypalm grove
must
so
sion
strong an impresthe swarthy sons
of the desert that they naturally
on
concluded
that it could have been naught else but a beautiful
vestige of the originalGarden of Eden where the first
human
happiness during their short
pair enjoyed supreme
life of originalinnocence.
in localizing
The great difficulty
the site of the Terrestrial
formed

the

Paradise

has

always

"

hitherto

arisen

from

the

impossibility

of

with any degree of certainty

the rivers Gehon
identifying
and
Phison.
Assyriologists,however, are
optimistic

enough

to believe

discovered
beneath

among

^T

Modern

the

some

document

cuneiform

the ruins of ancient

long controverted
critical

that

will

eventually be

inscriptionsstill buried

Babylonia that shall

settle this

question to the satisfaction of the

investigator.
Science

and

Bible

Lands, pp. 197, 198

(New

York, 1889).

most

MOTORING

But, in
to

IN

the absence

THE

GARDEN

of the tablet

OF

EDEN

monument

or

m
which

is

supply us with the eagerly sought information

respecting

these

two

and

puzzlingrivers,exegetes

and

historians,
gists
geoloarchffiologists,
Assyriologists
and anthropologists

still continue

their quest of some

clue that may
to solve the riddle which has hitherto
so

enable them

completelybaffled

attempt

every

Among
have

the

essayed

at its solution.
most
to

distinguishedof

clear up

savants, E. Glaser

and

result of

study

careful

the

F.

recent

mystery

Hommel.

scholars
the

are

The

who

German

former, as

the

of the

geographical indications
given in the cuneiform inscriptions,
arrives at a conclusion
which, so far as it respects two of the rivers named
in the
Biblical account

of

Eden, is toto ccelo different from that of

of his predecessors in this
field of inquiry.
fascinating
he insists,
surprisingas it may seem, that the Gehon

any

For

is the Wadi

al-Rummah

and

the Phison

which, in early post-glacialtimes were

that, after flowing eastward
through

the Wadi
two

Dawasir

great rivers

central

came
Arabia, beconfluent with the Tigrisand the Euphrates at a point
the Persian Gulf.
near
This was, we are told,when Arabia,
now
a sun-parched desert,
was
a land of magnificentforests
and luxuriant vegetation;of extensive
and fertile prairies
watered
by frequent rains; of a temperate and equable
climate
ideal home for a people who were
an
yet ignorant
of the arts of civilized life and whose
only shelter was
abodes of the most primitive
type. Glaser,however, agrees
with those of his predecessors who locate the Garden
of
Eden in southern
Babylonia.^^
Professor
Hommel, of Munich, goes stillfarther for,not
"

identifyingthe Gehon and the Phison with the

two
wadis
demanded
by his learned compatriot's novel
theory,he contends that the Hiddikel of Genesis" usually
Sirhau
other than the Wady
called the Tigris ^was
none
which traverses
northern Arabia and ancientlyemptied itfi|
with

content

"

28

bi8

Skizze
zum

der

Gesahichte

und

Propheien Muhammed,

GeograpMe Ardhiens
Vol. II, p. 317, et aeq.

von

den

dltesten

(Berlin,1890).

Zeiten

FROM

466

BEELIN

into the

waters

Euphrates

three

theory, the

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Kuf ah.^"

near

Arabic

According to
mentioned
formerly

rivers

into

BABYLON
this
charged
dis-

estuary at points not

This estuary has long since
another.
far distant from one
been replaced by the alluvial land of southern
Babylonia
their waters

and

through

to the Persian

its way

on

and
must

it the lower

Glaser, Hommel
be sought in

tioned
All

of the

bed

Gulf.

Euphrates now
passes
Like Huet, Sayce,Dawson,
that the Garden

also teaches
the

Babylonian

of the three

the confluence

near

shallow

Arabian

with

the lower

Euphrates.

these

eminent

exegetes and

countless
Caetani

"

named

might be
^justlyesteemed
others

for

lowland

"

his

somewhere

rivers

of

men
are

and

at

one

of Eden

just men^

science
with

contributions

and

"

Prince
to

our

^when he declares that the

knowledge of the Near East
description of the Terrestrial Paradise, as given in the
alludes to an
Sacred
imaginary place,
Text, in no wise
but, on the contrary delineates with great precisiona real
Asia.
This it does
and determinate
localityin western
not only by naming the four rivers which arise in it but also
by specifying the countries watered by them and by giving
"

**

list of their

principalproducts.

**It is clear that the author

in view

place that

whatever

well known

and

minutely that there

regarding the country which

describe

to

was

of the Genesiac

it

so

narrative

that he took
could

be

he wished

no

had

pains
doubt

cate.
to indi-

''""

But

of all the recent

works

which

locate the site of Eden

attention or produced
has attracted more
Babylonia none
Delitzsch's masterly
a
profounder impression than Professor
The fact that its author is
Wo
Lag das Paradies.
recognized as the most eminent of contemporary Assyriologistsand as one who has in lower Mesopotamia made a csLTe-

in

Alhandlungen, p. 273 et seq. (Munich, 1901).

della Genesi ha ayuto,dinazi
chiaro che il narratore
nel detto brano
agli occhi un luogo ben noto, e si e data la pena di discriverlo mimutamente,
affinche non
poteasero surgere dubbi sul paese che eglivoleva indicare." Studi
di StoHa
Orientale, Vol. I, p. 121 (Milan, 1911).
^^Aufaiitze und

80

"E

BEELIN

FEOM

468

the

through
was

as

fragrant and

music

Symphony
Wagner's

BAGDAD

TO

or

mystic

lover under

Parsifal.

BABYLON
of Paradise.

groves

spellof Beethoven's

the

entranced

one

as

AND

the sublime

by

Oblivious

Ninth

harmonies

actual

of my

of

environment

indifferent,for the time

and

hypotheses of

of science

men

and
my

home

first

our

of the Paradise

Beatrice, from

whom

he

wont

he had

where
been

to

portray of the

Dante's

I recalled

parents.

of the beauties

where

description

he met

his beloved

long separated and

so

made

was

and

Pure

disposedto

mount

the stars,^^

unto

Yes, youthful impressions and poeticfancies

in immortal

restrial
Ter-

imagination was

early youth,
of

and

thought only of the simple narrative

the pictures,based
it,which, in my
upon

Paradise,
of Genesis

being, to the theories

respectingthe site of the

verse

meant

to

more

me

than

embalmed

did the

latest

teachings of geologistsand Assyriologistswith all their

This was
larly
particudisplay of learning and cocksureness.
first caught sight of the palm-fringed
true when
we
ruins of Babylon.
The
Euphrates and the sand-mantled
the
river which
great majority
Euphrates is the one
of serious students have always held was, without
doubt,
And
of the four rivers of Eden.
one
Babylon, I hardly
know why, I have always looked upon as being as intimately
associated
Both

with

of them

the cradle
were

then

site of the Terrestrial

das

Paradies

I could

of
to

our

me

Paradise

race

as

is the

Euphrates.

tangible landmarks
and

when

I read

the

on

Wo

Lag

hope that future researches

would prove
that the scholarlyBerlin Professor
had at last
succeeded in locatingthe site of humanity 's birthplaceand,
in so doing,had definitively
dles
solved one
of the greatest ridnot

but

of the ages.

And
have
""

as

we

formed

came
a

part

Purgatorio, XXXIII,

near

of
145.

to Hillah

Babylon

"

in the

^which

days

is

supposed

of its

to

greatness

MOTORING
and

"

IN

caught

THE

GARDEN

first view

our

OF

magnificent groves of
they were, as the Talmud

palms, I loved to fancy that

teaches,the actual scions of those which
of God**

the father

But

and

and

mother

469

of its

date

''Garden

EDEN

which

flourished in the

supplied food

and

shelter

to

of mankind.

It was
charming sight was
awaitingus.
a
beautiful garden adjoiningthe home
where
a
kindly and
well-to-do Arab
while we visited Babylon
gave us hospitality
and its vicinity. In this garden were
statelydate
palms, waving lazilyin the soft and scented breeze,orange
and other trees laden with golden fruits,and the plantain
named
most

more

the

Paradisaica^^

Musa

colors and

gorgeous

of
planted,''

which

flowers

countless

of

gratefulfragrance. How
one
by God **in the East of
sings:

most

vividlythis garden recalled

Eden

and

the

Milton

pleasantsoil
His far more
pleasant Garden God ordain'd;
Out of the fertile
ground he caused to grow
All trees of noblest kind for sight,smell,taste.
this

In

And

how

caused
of the

favored

this fair

blissful bower

happiest and

most

rill'*of the Edenic

by
nook, distinguished

garden

to remind

us

ers,
riot of flow-

vividly

stillmore

parents found their

Watered
blissful home!
by **many a
river which flowed gently by it,
where

first

our

It

was

place

hy the sovereignplanter,when he framed

use; the roof
All things to man's delightful
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade,
and myrtle, and what higher grew
Laurel
Chosen

Of firm and fragrant leaf;on

and

Acanthus

Fenced

up

Rear'd
33

not

So
the

Adam's

each odorous, hushy shrub,

the verdant

Iris all hues,

either side

roses

high their

wall, each beauteous

jessamin
heads
flourished
and

between

tradition that it
Eastern
of an
called because
forbidden fruit in Paradise.
apple which was the

fig.

flower,
and

was

wrought

the
It is

Plantain and

alsoknown

as

BERLIN

FROM

470

^d

Older

Br

Yes,

spot

of

was

the

9*

Paradise

home

goodliest

fairest

to

believe

was

Elysian

the

perides,
what

also

which

Lost,

or

Our

Bk.

that

we

of

prototype

Father

in

men

the

Heaven.

sweetly
the

spot
on

those

since

tion
tradiwell

was

of

some

which

here

the
tered
shel-

horn
Eve.

here

saw

the

Garden

Isles

the
of

this

daughters

her

of

figure

IV.

of

the

that

gazing

man

ravishing

on

believe

near

of

Fields,
and

type
of

at

and

trees

to

actually

was

the

sons,

wished

stone

garden

wished

descendants

the

His

that

that

Adam,

arboreal

and

with

than

lovely

Paradise

located
and

founded
floral

this

Euphrates,

murmuring

"

stately

the

of

blooms

which

colored

more

contemplated

and

shrubs

inlay

rich

emblem.^*

as

ground,

the

costliest

Of

with

hyacinth

and

Crocus

BABYLON

violet.

the

foot

under

Mosaic;

AND

BAGDAD

TO

of

Celestial

the

of

remnant
of

the

Blessed
Paradise

Hesand
and

CHAPTER

XVIII

BABYLON
A

labyrinth of ruins, Babylon

Spreads o'er the blasted plain;

The

wandering

Within
Her

Arab

his tent

sets

never

her

walls; the shepherd eyes afar

devious
towers, and
drives his

evil

Alone

unchanged,

flock.
bridgeless tide,
rolls along.
free

Euphrates
Eternal

and

nature's

work.

SOUTHEY.

Hillah
of

era

and

site

of

our

of the

founded

was

and

legends

is said
ancient

its

chief

of

its

date

of

the

and

those

orchards
which

their

of

that

gardens

of Hillah

graceful

fronds

of the

in the

Arab, in
sixty

the

to

beauty
the

graced

meridian
with

"

of her

dor
splen-

important part

an

theory regarding
that

stately palms
of trees

scendants
de-

dens
gar-

be true, it is reasonable

Eden

scions

world,
of

oases

that

the humbler

humid
of

not

Algeria, will
On

district
date
into

in the

even

palms

date

Euphrates.

run

the

adorn

now

raised

once

to
the
their

shrubs

plants

and

valley

of the

Paradise.

of

varieties

estimated

of

with

doubtless,

once

if Delitzsch^s

And,

part

interesting

and

were,

which

people

high above

fertile

of the

her

number

them

in the

Babylon

are

in the

groves
course

trees

of the

some

Terrestrial

Nowhere
or

of

Garden

suppose

of

noble

its

connected

the

was

Some

southern

from

them

century

capital of Nebuchadnezzar

us

supplied

the

of

eleventh
the

occupy

Aside

famed

for

in the

to

many

the

nutriment.

site

some

"

palms.
of

and

by

Arabs

Babylon.

attraction

and

the

traditions

of Babel

Tower

by

of

as

the

471

sees

one

west

bank

Pasra, there

palms while
hundreds

one

the

find

such

along

the

of the
are

of

number

of millions.

more

It

Nile
nificent
mag-

lower

Shat-elthan
trees

is

is, indeed,

472

FROM

BERLIN

from

this

region that

TO

BAGDAD

AND

exported

are

BABYLON
of the dates

most

of

commerce.

But

these

delicatelyflavored fruits are

not a modern
back in early
staple of commerce.
Way
dates of Akkad,*' as they are
called in
Babylonian times
cuneiform
invoices of the period, were
change
exported in exfor gold, sheep, and oxen.
With
and flocks
corn
and herds they were
the principalsources
of the
among
The
country's wealth.
early Babylonian kings specially
encouraged the development of date plantations and it is

nourishing and
**

related of

of palms

as

certain governor
that he considered the
the most
notable achievements
among

planting
of his

administration.
And

there

for

reason

was

to the cultivation

attachingso

of the palm, because

useful

of all known

supplies the oriental with

but also furnishes

him

with bread

and fuel,matting and

sugar

chairs,benches,beds,and
and material
he

lives.

So

of the

We

have

informs

than

articles of diet

wine, meal

cordage,cages

and

us

that

three hundred

of the house
the

are
a

uses

Persian

and

ture
furni-

in which

of the
poem

gar,
vine-

baskets,

and

other articles of household

manifold, indeed,

fewer

no

and

for the construction

palm that Strabo

it is not

of his chief

one

importance

only *^the
Humboldt
declared,but
For
trees.
it not only

prince of the vegetable world,''as

also the most

much

date

ates
enumer-

sixtyvaluable

erties
prop-

palm.
how

dependent the oriental is on the horse

and the camel, especially
the latter. But the date palm is
less essential to his well-beingthan the camel.
no
What
an
incomparable blessingit is in his eyes is evinced by an
eastern
saying: '*The palm is the camel and the camel the
And
it as
palm of the desert."
so
highly does he revere
a
giftof God that he would regard the wanton
injury of
the palm tree as nothing less than a mortal
sin.
"Honor
the palm," enjoinsMohammed,
**for it is your
maternal

seen

aunt ;

on

the stony soil of the desert it offers you

BABYLON
a

fruitful

this noble
is

now

growth

of sustenance.

source

tree has

to be found

in which

their homes.
tree is

' '

And

Islam

it is to be noted

in all its

the high estimation

universallyheld
declares

in the East

that it

from

was

date

palm that God formed

not, then, surprisingthat a tree
a

in which

is shown

that

conquests and

in every clime which

is favorable
the followers of the Prophet have

But

legend which
It is

followed

473

by

to its
made

this useful
Arabian

an

the slime that

rounded
sur-

the first man.

that

plays so tant
imporbe long
a role in the life of the oriental should
never
from
his thoughts, especiallywhen
absent
from
the
away
land of his fathers.
For, as the Swiss when abroad longs
for his native
mountains, so does the Arab pine for the
are
statelypalms whose feathery and umbrageous crowns
synonyms

of home

and

Abd-er-Rahman

I, the

founder

to him

sWeet

repose.

of the Ommiad

Caliphate

Spain the absence of

the beautiful tree which had been the delightof his youth.
palm brought from Syria
He, accordingly, had a young
It was
and planted in the garden of his villa at Eusafah.
of his native land, that
to this tree, the lovely reminder
:
the homesick
Caliph addressed these patheticverses
of

Cordova,

was

Oh, Palm, like

An

to endure

unable

me

stranger here.

exile in the alien west,

Driven

from home

dispossessed

and

"

But, ah! thou'rt mute,

Happy

to have

Heart-ache
CouWst
In

in

no

hut

yearning love

thou shed

tear.

sentient soul!

like mine
thou

canst

nor

thou

canst not

feel,thy
and

know;

tears would

without
grief,

flow

control.

tears for eastern groves

Aye, homesick
That
shade Euphrates; hut the tree
Forgets; and I, compelledto flee
loves.
By hate, almost forget my former

When

one

reads

these

impassionedverses,

one

recalls

BERLIN

FROM

474

touching lines
Dyene, wrote:
the

BAGDAD

TO

of the

poet Juvenal
Mollissima

generidare

Humano

se

Natura

of the homesick

those

on

of the exiled Roman

words

BABYLON

who,

in his exile in

corda

fatetur

QucB lacrymas dedit; hoBC nosiri

The

AND

optima

pars

almost

seem

$ensus"^

commentary

Arab.

leaving Hillah for the ruins of Babylon, our

of happy, laughter-lovarrested by a group
attention was
ing
children.
Having always been speciallyinterested in
in those of Anatolia
the children of the Near
East, particularly
As

were

we

Mesopotamia,

and

We

their mirth.
which

games

But

what

found

seemed
our

was

of these sunburnt

them

to

the

of

cause

intentlyengaged in various

afford

them

surprise to find
children

to learn

stopped

we

keenest

the

that

delight.

the favorite

in the immediate

games

vicinityof

the

the games
that are
as
Babylon were
justthe same
the boys and girls of America.
And
so
popular among
I had
of them were
as
quitethe same
stranger still,
many
frequently seen
played by Indian children on the plateau
The boys played
and in the wilds of Brazil.
of the Andes
ball and marbles
and leap-frog,while the girlswere
equally
preoccupied with tag, cat's cradle,and hopscotch.

ruins of

It would

be

blood

in these

Hillah

know

if there

children

"

was

lonian
Baby-

any

^theyseemed

to be

which
if the games
afforded them
in vogue
the young
exquisitepleasure were
among
of Babylon in the days of Paltasar
and Hammurabi.

pure

Arabs

interestingto

commend

and

"

these

subjects to

those

ardent

love to trace

tales which
the nursery
of to-day back to times primeval.^
1

Nature

race, as she
131-133.
vv.
2

back

origin: "Alles
Melben

p. 324

folk
I

folklorists

delightthe

who
child

herself confesses
to have
given the tenderest hearts to the human
tears; this is the best part of our faculties. Satire XV,
gave them

According to

traceable

so

such

Dr.

German
Fries, an eminent
old light myth
which
Ballapiel,"he writes, ja his
to

Oedanken-den

an

scholar, all games of ball

was
presumably Babylonian
herah

Liohtkampf-zuruckgeht."
(Leipsic,1910).

zum

Studien

Lawn-Tenia
zur

are

in

auf deru-

Odyaaee, Vol. I,

BERLIN

FROM

476

that

answer

same

was

of fossils

occurrence

it is the

And

of the Alps.

the summit

one

the

for

account

to

generationsago

BABYLON

will say, but it is

given by learned men
only a few

''A foolish answer,"

the Deluge."
the

AND

BAGDAD

TO

explanation
that was
given by the distinguishedgeologist,Buckland,
which were
found
of early man,
in many
of the remains
Diluviance
of Europe.
of the caverns
They were
reliquce
on

same

Deluge and the majority of the

of his day were
scientific men
clusion
disposed to accept his conIt is,then, not so long ago that savants
correct.
as
to questionsthat were
quite as naive as that
gave answers
relics of the Noachian

"

Arab

of the untutored
-^

the Arabs

But

who

"

of

to-day.

live in the

fantastic stories.

tell more

neighborhood

They

assure

of

Babylon

that the ruins

one

by evil spiritsand by malignant jinn and that

the ruins after nightfall.
it is dangerous to wander
among
They also declare that there is at the foot of one of the
here a rocky pit,although quite invisible to mormounds
tals,
haunted

are

the wicked

in which
condemned

by the Almighty
sins,until the day

for their
But

remarkable

more

of

"

lower

part

are

one

which

King

And

one

James

utter

96.

"But
down

to

dogs

and

Rome.

and

to

eat

to

The
their

partake of the upper

to the human
species.

ruin and

desolation

which

and

listens to the strange stories

recalls the words of Isaiah
^Iquote from
"

version:

Babylon,the glory oT

the

the Chaldees' excellency,

shall be
Sodom
and Gomorrah.

sent

were

usually supposed

Greece

of its resemblance

overpowering

of the Arabs,

are

with

them

contemplates the
so

Marut

judgment.*

mythologies of

said to hunt

account

on

here

the

of

and

suspended, in punishment

half, although they decline

As
are

of the

to be

Harut

is their belief in the existence hereabouts

creatures

satyrs

be creations
natives

angels

the beauty of
God overthrew

kingdoms,
as

when

the devils believed not, they taught men

sorcery
to the two angels at Babel, Harut
and Marut.'*

and

that

The

Koran, Sura

which

was

II,

BABYLON
It shall
from

tent

shall it be dwelt in

there; neither

shall the

shepherds make

their

there.

But

wild

houses

beasts

of the desert

shall be full of doleful

dwell

there,and

Babil

is

and
of the
its

neither
inhabited,

generation to generation;neither shall the

Arabian

pitch
fold

be

never

477

satyrs * shall dance

it is for this

parts of the ruined

summit, which

towers

plain,one
ruins

as

immediate

that

reason

has

there;and

creatures; and

in southern

shall

lonia
Baby-

visited it before
any
Chaldean capital. From
we

seventy-one feet above

magnificentview

their

owls

there.

of the loftiest eminences

one

other

shall lie

not

the

only

rounding
sur-

of the

whole

but also of many

notable features in their
vicinity.To the west and southwest are the

of Arabian
palm-fringedEuphrates and a number
villages
and gardens along its banks.
Several miles southward
is
Hillah
with its gleaming minaret, while
six miles
some
towards

the

southwest

sippa,called by the
by many
European
of Babel

The

of it is the

natives

famous

Birs Nimrud, and

travelers

**the top whereof

was

tower

long supposed

to be identical with
to reach

of Bor-

the tower

to heaven."

prospect that greets the vision of the spectator from

but to the student

Babil is always interesting,

profane history the

of sacred

and

word

interestingbut feebly expresses

This
one's
emotions.
is particularlytrue when, at the
hour of sunset, the long amethystine shadows
cast on
the
dun-colored
plain,bring out into bold relief the rich golden
lines of the spell-weaving ruins of that great city which,
in her glory, ruled over
the kings of the eastern
world.
loves
the prospect is absolutelythrilling.Then
Then
one
such a solitude as Babylon is
to be in media
solitudine
a burnished-gold
to-day to watch the magnificentsunset
splendor shading up star ward into delicate rubies and emer"

"

"

Chap. XIII, w.
^the hairy ones

piloai
"

text.
0

Genesis

zi: 4,

"satyrs" the Vulgate has

In lieu of the word
in keepingwith the originalHebrew
^which is more

19-21.
"

FEOM

478
aids

BERLIN

to be alone

"

with

one's

gloriesof what was

powerful capital,where
The
Show

Wed

but of which
of

Greek

is

we

can

**The

proudest and

Kings harharic pearl and gold

"

now

is contained

say

in the words

**the

"

great city

the

Semitic

old

Bab-ili

name

^which

"

fies
signi-

the ancient name

of the
Gods,'' was
locallyused it now
designates the most
the great city. It is,doubtless,because

of the

Gate

cityof Babylon.
northerly mound

of

of its

many

that

name

the

centuries

for

poet, quoted by Strabo,

deserf

from

"

her

comic

great

Babil

all

on

earth's

once

on

with richest hand

East

gorgeous

BABYLON

thoughts while musing

vanished
most

AND

BAGDAD

TO

As

have

travelers

it for the

mistaken

spoken of in the eleventh chapter of Genesis.

John
Thus
Eldred, an English merchant-traveler,who,
three journeys from Aleppo
in the sixteenth century, made
^which he calls New
to Bagdad
Babylon
speaks of seeing
olde mines
of the
not only **at his goode leisure many
mightie citie of Babylon" but also of having
sundry
Tower

of Babel

"

"

**

times"

visited **the olde tower

however,
took for the tower
have

been

kuf which
which
The
Babil

would

one

of

few

not

rather

miles

the

was

Pietro

to

give

of which
ruin

imposing
of

he
we

of Aker-

Bagdad,

and

Tower."
an

elaborate

descriptionof

della Valle.

Its situation and

form

[he writes] correspond with that

pyramid which Strabo calls the

of ruins
height of this mountain
^

his descripti

From

the Babil

to the northwest

is locallycalled Nimrod's
first European

"

infer that the ruin which

Babel, was

speaking but
is

of Babell."

Tower
is not

of Belus.
in every

The
.

part equal,

EpijixlafieydXr}iartv ijfieyaXrfir6Xty,Bk. XVI, I, 5.

The
Discoveries
and
of the
Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traijiques
burgh,
English Nation, Vol. X, Part I, p. 63 (collected by Richard
Hakluyt, Edin8

1889).
"The

inhabitants
of these
parts are as fond of attributing every vestige
those of Egypt are
to Pharaoh."
on
antiquity to Nimrod
as
Rich, Memoir
the Ruins
of Babylon (London, 1818).
9

of

BABYLON
but exceeds

479

the

highestpalace of Naples. It is a misshapen

there
is no appearance
mass,
of regularity.In some
it
places rises in sharp points,craggy and inaccessible;
in
others it is smoother
and of easier ascent.
There are also
where

of

traces

caused
torrents,

by violent rains,from the

summit

to the base."

The

pictureof

this mound, which

he had

made

by

an

artist

who

accompanied him, gives one a very good idea of what

has been considered by many
to be the Tower
of Babel but
which, after the noble Roman's
visit to it,was
long known
Delia

as

But

Valle's

the

Ruin."

excavations

schaft^'under

of

the

the direction

**

Deutsche

of Dr.

Orient-Gesell-

Koldewey

have

pletely
com-

exploded
hitherto obtained
of Babil.
Far from being the Tower
regarding the mound
of Babel, or Nimroud
has been asserted by many
or Belus,
as
writers and travelers,it is now
demonstrated
to be the
all the theories that have

Nebuchadnez^zar.

ruin

of

And

it is highly probable that it is the structure

of the

one

this monarch
declares
On

refers in

roof.

as

Double

That

of the
to

oggidi

Babel.
12

as

et

the

me,

seq.
doubt

no

is

"che

conisciuta

Op. cit.,p.

Koldewey,

had

effect:
secondo

c'6 dubbio,

ancora

old

of Babel

Tower
this

of cedar

and

cedar

Mighty

I, p. 382
Valle

Delia

bricks

with

he

trunks

of bronze

op. cit.,p. 11, et seq.

I made

I laid

on

with

it for

copper,

did I set up

in its

**May Nebuchadnezzar
restorer of Esagila.
' ' "

that

the

that

mound

from

the

antica
il sito

tale, ed in Arabic"

384.

...

named

quellaBabel
perehe oltre che
per

inspired

bitumen.

over-laid

wood

quite evident
sia

heart

my

protectionof Babylon.

however, other ruins

Op. cit.yTom.

he makes

to which

in which
inscriptions,

the north

the

hinges made
building I

grow

were,

"That

doors

and

doorways.
live,may he
There

mountain.

threshholds

non

palace for

its summit

it high

ruin

of his

the brick wall towards

raised

10

one

of

to build

me

palaces

numerous

of

have

Babil

at various

was

really the

positivestatement

which

di Nembrotto,
lo dimostra, da' paesani
fe la torre

fe chiamata

volgarmente

FEOM

480

BERLIN

identified with

been

times

AND

BAGDAD

TO

Tower

the

BABYLON

of Babel.

Among

that of Borsippa, commonlythese,as has been stated,was

lies some
six miles southwest
called Birs-Nimrud, which
of Hillah.
Benjamin of Tudela, who visited these parts in
the twelfth

century,speaks of it as

**the tower

built

by

the

struck by
dispersed generation'*and declares that it was
a heavenly fire which
splitit to the very foundation"
*'

^^

"

distinguishedexplorers

The

Rich, and

Porter

Ker

Robert

its present appearance

quite applicableto

is

descriptionthat

Carsten

Niebuhr, Claudius

also of the

were

opinionthat

of Babel, the stuthe very tower

pendous
in the plain
artificialmountain
erected by Nimrod

in Birs-Nimrud

of Shinar
the

and

**we

on

see

of Babel

the tower

that of Belus

and

just quoted from]

in the work

Nebuchadnezzar

were

there hardly exists a doubt.

suddenly arrested
stupendous work was
we

not

only

other ancient
every
was

were

from

the

Holy

and

the same,
that the first

And

before

completion

Scriptures but from

in direct terms

authors

ter,
[writes Por-

one

I presume
learn

raised

^*

temple of Belus."

That

in after ages

which

and
.

eral
sev-

almost

testimony agrees in statingthat the primeval tower

but partiallyovernot only stopped in its progress
turned
ning
by the Divine wrath, attended by thunder and lightthat
and
and a mighty wind,
the rebellious men
who
and

its builders fled in horror

the preternaturalstorm.
state most
likelythe tower

confusion

In this ruined

...

remained

who, in

of face before
and abandoned

till Babylon

was

re-

harmony
by Semiramis;
feel a proud triumph in repeopling the city
would
with a colony from the posterityof those who had fled from
of the great
it in dismay and, covering the shattered summit
tory
new
erection,would there place her observapilewith some
founded

and

(by
!"

her

acter,
char-

altar to Bel.^'

^"0p. cit.,p.
1*

with

Travels

in

Robert

Ker

Op. cit.,p.

"Nebuchadnezxar'B

101.

Georgia, Persia, Armenia,

Porter, London,
317.

The

Jews

prieon,"for

Ancient

Babylonia^ Vol. II, p.

365

1822).
of

what

Babylonia
reason

call

is not

the tower
clear.

of Birs-Nimrud

BABYLON
But

the tradition which

with

rud

that of

481

identifies the tower

Babel, which

is often

oldest building in the world,''rests

does

than

that which

would

arrested

' '

was

progress

of

researches

by

on

make

spoken

Babil

the confusion

of

''the

as

better foundation

no

which
Assyriologists,

of Birs-Nim-

the
of

tower

whose
' '

tongues.

have

thrown

The

such

flood of

lighton many
Scripturalsubjects,have so far been
of Babel, or to indicate where
unable to identifythe Tower
the famous

structure
of Babil

the tower

of them

that

nor

the famous

was

in
especially

of

Neither

Borsippa

the

begun by the
plain of Shinar, for

the East, *'is fickle-minded

of

renown

that either

proves

tower

in the

of Noah

located.

was

ambitious
the

in this

scendant
de-

populace,
in other

as

holy fanes have the periods when they are in

the fashion,just like everything else. ^^
it may
much
Incredible
as
as
ignorance long preseem,
vailed
of Europe respecting the site
the learned
among
and

matters

' '

of the

city of Babylon

generally supposed
in

or

last

century,

at the

indeed

departed when

amid

bewildered
The

author

same

words

he

when

Arabs, that
of time

"its

much

as

its site cannot

even

when

and

scholar

beginning

place be said to have

with precisionbe ascertained

the
the

antiquary and

the

perplexityof

traveler

their

y/,e

and
18

alike

are

researches.''"

opinion in different
writes of Babylon, called Babel by the
vast remains
lay for ages in the depths
expresses

forgotten by

the

same

the learned
"

been

of the

declared, ''Well

of Europe
Even

city of the antediluvians."

in the dark
geographer, Djihannuma, was so

had

the

about

glory of this renowned

the

may

English

was

its walls

within

neighborhood. Writing

learned

either

located

capital of Nebuchadnezzar

famed

which

that of the tower

about

to be

immediate

its

as

as

if it

the Turkish

Old

Profane,

in

Testament

on

the

Ruins

Ibid.,Vol. II, p. 336.

the

Light of Historical

of Bahylon, p. 2

(by

1.

about

le
the loca-

Legends
R^fordsand
Maurice,

i^onao

of

BERLIN

FROM

482

tion of the ruins of

TO

BAGDAD

Babylon

AND

that he

BABYLON

placed them

at

Teluja,

nearly eighty miles northwest of their actual site.

the ignorance of Europeans during the
How
great was
Middle Ages regarding the capitalof the ancient world may
of Sir John Mandeville, who
be gathered from
a statement
tells his readers that **Babylone is in the grete desertes of
the kyndome
toward
the waye
men
as
Arabye, upon
gon
durste neyhe
But it is fulle longe sithe ony man
of Caldee.
to the toure, for it is alle deserte and full of dragons and
fulle deverse

grete serpentes and

veneymouse

bestes

alle

abouten.''
guished
part of the last century the distinexpedition
Oppert, head of the French
Orientalist,
to Mesopotamia in the years 1851 to 1854," was
entirelyin
Influenced,no doubt, by the
error
as to the site of Babylon.
ical
of Herodotus, Diodorus
accounts
Siculus,and other classwriters regarding the vast extent of Babylon, he made
full
it to embrace
both Babil and Birs-Nimrud, which are
fifteen miles apart from each other,and to include an area
in the

Even

second

that the researches

demonstrated

of the

**

Deutsche

Orient-Gesellschaft*'

to be

preposterously large.^^
lon
But, in order fullyto realize how greatly the size of Babystand
was
exaggerated by the ancient writers and to underof years
how
this capital of thousands
was
able,
the
throughout the ages, to cast so great a spell upon
of their
peoples of the earth,one must brieflyconsider some
statements
respecting its vastness and magnificence. Only
in this way
is it possibleto appreciatethe glamour that has
for the
so
long attached to it and to discover the reasons
countless
it has given rise
to which
legends and romances
since the days of Nebuchadnezzar
and Semiramis.
Of the ancient writers who have given us the most minute
Siculus
and Diodorus
descriptionsof Babylon, Herodotus
have

19(7/.Expedition

Mesopotamie, Vol. I, Lib. I (Paris, 1863).

von
Babylon and Boraippa, p. 59 (by Dr. Koldewey,
Leipsic, 1011), that speaks of Oppert 's verkehrter
Babylon and
Stadtplan von
who
declares
to
that Borsippa, as an
relation
bore
the
same
independent city,
20

See

Babylon

also

as

Die

doea

de

Tempel

Charlottenburgto

Berlin.

BEELIN

FEOM

484

AND

BAGDAD

TO

BABYLON

he attributes this colossal

Semiramis, to whom
in building the wall of
work, employed two million men
Babylon and that she built it at the rate of a furlong a day
and had it completed in the space of a singleyear.
of the immense
wall of Babylon,
circumference
The
less than four hundred
no
according to Herodotus, measured
somewhat
than fifty-three
and eighty statia
more
the circuit of the citybut a
miles. Ctesias,however, makes
that

declares

"

triflemore

than forty miles. In either

by the wall

was

within

which

The

walls of Paris

or

largestcity site in

is the

the

enclosed

area

and far greater than that included

enormous

the extended

case

within

king,
those of Nan-

China.

city of Babylon [writes Herodotus]

is

an

exact

that it
but certain recent investigatorsmaintain
square,
in the form
of a rectangletwelve miles wide and fifteen
was

miles

long. But whatever

given of its area by

many

modern

scholars

that it was

city,the
gate

the

across

land
groups

and

which

whole

than

led

than roads

more

have

tended
con-

regular
from
gate to
tivated
through cula

distributed

buildings were

in

patches.^^
asserts

positively**that

was

the

case

we

the

enclosure

arable land to support the

sufficient pasture and

populationduring

If such

said to have

are

which

over

staggering that they

being no

area

Quintus Curtius
contained

so

inclosed district rather

an

streets

mates
of the city,the estiancient authors have appeared to

the form

''^*
long siege.

should

the population of the city was

be forced

out

of all

to conclude

that

proportion to

its

English geographer, Rennell," is disposed to

allow to Babylon during its most flourishing
period a population
of a million and a quarter,but this is but a surmise,
and all estimates of the number
of inhabitants in the great
city are, at best,the merest conjectures.
size.

The

23

Rich, op. cit.,p. 43.

i*

De

26

The

Rehua

Qeatia

Alexandri

Oeographioal System

Magni, Lib. V, Cap. I.

Examined
and
of Herodotus

Explained, p.

347.

BABYLON

485

For

nearly twenty-five
centuries
Strabo, Herodotus, and the writers
the Great

to the East

the size and

the accounts

were

who

of

Ctesias,

ander
accompanied Alexsole authorities

our

specting
re-

the

magnificence of the great capital

the Euphrates. Since,however, the
on
Deutsche OrientGesellschaft'' have begun to publish the results of
their
excavations
carefully conducted
find that we
we
must
greatlymodify many of our views concerningthe cityabout
'*

which

there

has

envisage it
been

have

by

Dr.

been

in the

so

much

lightof

submitted

to us,

legend and romance,

and
the cold,scientificfacts which

as

the results of

long research,

Koldewey and his scholarlyassociates. While many

and other early writers
descriptionsof Herodotus

of the

found

to be

clear that many

of their
accurate,it is now
measurements
require very considerable revision. Thus,
in lieu of the fifty-three
miles which Herodotus
has given as
the circuit of the city and the fortymiles at which Ctesias
has estimated it,Dr. Koldewey finds that these figuresmust
eleven
be reduced
learned
miles.
to
The
investigator
noting that the circumference
given by Ctesias approximates
is lead
closelyto four times the correct measurement
mistook the figuresrepreto suspect that the Greek writer
senting
are

**

the whole

for the

circumference

measure

of

one

side

' ' ^"

of the

square.

The

excavations

of the

'*

Deutsche

Orient-Gesellschaft*'

therefore,to prove conclusivelythat Babylon, far

and London
from covering an area
so large that both Paris
in reality,
as
could find place within it,side by side,was
or Dresden."
Delitzsch declares,no larger than Munich
But in spite of the great reduction that Koldewey found
of the
himself
compelled to make in the measurements
in
classical writers he does not hesitate to declared **that,
the greatest
in circumference, was
any
case, the city,even
seem,

28

Op. cit.,p.

27

/m

to

Oppert

that
the

Lande

of

the

Paris

Seine.

2.
des

Einstigen Paradieaes, p.
of Babylon embraces

great wall
in

1859

and

Ibid.,Vol. I, p.

as

234.

extended

as

30
an

that

(Stuttgart, 1903).
area

of

fifteen times

the

entire

According
as

great

department

as

of

BERLIN

FROM

486

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

of any in the ancient East, Nineveh, which in other respects

rivalled Babylon, not excepted/' He also pertinentlyobserves
that **it must

city was
the walls.

and

Our

that

ancient

an

of which

the inhabited part

protectedby

the

cities

of

encirclinggirdleof
an
entirelydifferent

fortress

primarily a

surrounded

was

always be remembered

modern

are

character;they are inhabited spaces open on all sides. A

reasonable comparison can, therefore,
only be made between
Babylon and other walled cities and, when compared with
them, Babylon takes the first place,as
of its enclosed

and

time

spending some

area,

not

^"

times."

also for modern

After

inhabited

regards the extent

only for ancient but

on

and

round

about

the mound

proceeded to explore the ruins in the southern

part of the city. On our way thither we strolled along the
east bank of the Euphrates which, in places,is fringedwith
are
always a delightto
statelypalms whose feathery crowns
the eye.
Indeed, the palm is so indispensablea feature of
eastern
an
landscape that no pictureof a town or a river
and clumps of this most
seems
complete without groves
of Babil

we

picturesqueof
of them

oriental trees.

was

glad

to find

so

many

Euphrates and the western ruins of

Babylon, as I had always imagined that they must here,
ronment.
than anywhere else,be an essential part of the envimore
of
But, although I was
delightedto find so many
these

bordering

noble

the

trees, it

speciallylooking. I

was

not

for

them

that

was

then

seeking rather a specimen of the

graceful Salix Bahylonica which, in

was

the
weeping willow
is the most
ray mind, has always been associated with what
written in any language. I refer
pathetic threnody ever
to the plaintiveelegy of the Children of Israel during their
captivityin Babylon. Seating myself under an umbrageous
cluster of delicate weeping willows, I said to
a
palm near
myself: **This is the one place in the world where one can
best appreciate the overmastering sadness
sick
of the homeexiles when
their captors asked them to sing the songs
"

2"

Op. oit,,p. 6.

"

BABYLON

487

^''^^""
r'lwV'^^r
/^^^^^^^^

pocket I read again

most

affectmghnes

gentle reader,on
ruined

and
ever

^^^^^^^yf^om

^^

again what

then seemed

composed.

Put

the bank

to

my

the

me

yourself,in fancy
Euphrates in sight of the

of the

palace of Nebuchadnezzar and read aloud

the lamentation
of the disconsolate
Hebrews, as given in
Psalm

Upon

the rivers of

Babylon

there

sat and

we

remembered
Sion :
On
the willows
in the midst
thereof
instruments.
For
there they that led
of
required
the words
us
of songs.
And
they that carried us
said:

137:

wept: when

we

hung

we

away

hymn

of the songs

How

shall

our

us

Sing

ye

to

us

of Sion.

sing the

we

up

into captivity

of the

song

Lord

in

strange

land?
If I

forget thee,0 Jerusalem,let

Let

my

tongue cleave

to my

jaws

right hand

my

if I do

not

be forgotten.

remember

thee:
If I make

Is

it

'*Home

not

Jerusalem

possible
Sweet

to

the

beginningof

put in words

Home''

than

more

my

joy.

soul-subduing

this

affectingSuper flumina
Bahylonis of the heart-broken captives of Israel!
But it
is only when
it is sung
in its beautifullyrhythmic Hebrew
that one
can
fully appreciate its depth of pathos and
exceeding beauty of expression.
of rare
Our walk from
Babil southward
one
was
delight
and interest. It was
through gardens and cultivated fields
and attractive palm groves which occupied the greater part
of the narrow
strip of fertile land which separates the
ployed
emEuphrates from the great city of ruins. The methods
those used in
the soil here are the same
as
in tilling
the days of the Jewish Captivity. There is the same
tive
primiof treading out and winnowing
plow, the same
process
of irrigatingthe land as obtained
methods
grain, the same
when
teachers

the

prophets Daniel

and

the consolers

and

Ezekiel

were

here

of their exiled countrymen.

the

FROM

488

BERLIN

three

than

the

Euphrates

inches

its bed

except when

year,

AND

BABYLON

varies

according to the
subtropicalland is rarely

the river is

is filled by the annual

of Armenia.

mountains

BAGDAD

the rainfall in this

As

season.
more

of

width

The

TO

At

Babylon

quite shallow,
flood from

the

it is

than
rarely more
feet wide ; and during the dry season
four hundred
its surface
is considerably below its banks.
For this reason
the
inhabitants from the earliest times have, in order to irrigate
their lands,had recourse
ous
not only to canals but also to varidevices for liftingwater from a lower to a higher level.
the
Among these contrivances are the dolah or chain pump,
na'ura or water
wheel, and the djird,a huge leather bag,
of a simple
which, when filled with water is, by means
machine
operated by an ox, lifted the desired height and
automatically emptied into the channel by which the field
or
garden is irrigated.The strident notes of these various
of the native
elevators and the accompanying songs
water
attendants
often the only sounds
that penetrate the
are
solemn stillness which reigns amid the venerable
ruins that
the ground from the mound
of Babil on the north to
cover
the villageof Djumdjuma
in the southern
part of Babylon.
tells us that in his time the Euphrates divided
Herodotus
the cityinto ^*two distinct portions.''But the present bed
of
of the shifting river is considerablyto the westward
that which existed in his day. As a result of this shifting,
appeared
the western
part of the city has almost completely disremains
the right side
for nothing of it now
on
of the present channel
except slightvestiges of its once
massive
halves

walls.
of the

The

as

the

there is

the

near

this feat of
no

record

writer

also tells

connected

city were

spanned the river

attributes

same

center

by
of

engineeringto

of this queen,

us

that the two

bridge which
the metropolis. He
Queen Nitocris,but,
stone

either in Berosus

or

in

it is probable that Herodotus

Babylonian inscriptions,
misinformed
about her existence,or that he had in
was
mind
Queen Amuita, the Median wife of Nebuchadnezzar,
who is said to have suggested to her royal consort the con-

BABYLON

489

struction of the famous

hanging gardens

ranked

wonders

the

among
however, will have
to whom
notable

seven

it that the

antiquityascribes
works.

But

which

long
Diodorus,^"
due to Semiramis,
of Babylon's most
were

of the world.

bridgewas
other

many

in

spite of the determination of the

ancient historian to give the credit of this remarkable
achievement
to a woman,
and in spiteof the denials of
many
modern
writers that such a bridge ever
existed,or that its
construction was
even
possiblein the age in which it is said
been built,the
to have
Deutsche
Orient-Gesellschaft'* in
1910 actuallydiscovered incontestable remains
of the much
that its construction
disputed bridge and demonstrated
was
due not to Nitocris,or Amuita, or Semiramis, but to the
Nebuchadnezzar
renowned
to his father,Nabopolassar.
or
At the spot once
occupied by the eastern bridgehead of
**

this notable
Procession

structure
Street

features

which

found

we
was

ourselves

long

one

on

the

of the most

famous
able
remark-

of

Babylon. This was the street along which

the
passed the great processions of Marduk-Merodach
tutelar deity of the Chaldean
capital,and of Nabu-Nebe
"

"

his

In this

son.

respect it served

the

same

as
purpose
from
Athens

the

to
Sacra, which extended
used by the solemn Panathnaic
Eleusis and which was
cession
proi
n
which
was
annually held for the celebration, the
great Elusinian temple, of the impressive mysteries of
Demeter, lacchus, and Persephone. An inscribed brick
had
recently found informs us of the part Nebuchadnezzar
in the construction of the Sacred Way of Babylon and gives
to his gods,
the characteristic prayer that he addressed
us

magnificent Via

which

reads:

Nabu

joy,may

you traverse
rest upon
benefits for me
your
the
for
body.
and well being

and

these

Marduc, when

days
eternal age.^"

29 Op. cit.,II, 8.
soKoldewey, op. cit.,p.

54.

streets

in

tant
lips; life for disMay I attain
.

BERLIN

FROM

490

TO

Passing eastwards

BAGDAD

along Procession
two

ruins

of the famous

Tower

ourselves

between

Merodack

and

AND

the

BABYLON

Street

we

of the

of Zeus

all of
and

gold.

the

"

Before

**

is

the

it sits and

whereon

the throne

throne

gives to
figurestands
he

name

placed

likewise

are

of

great temple
of Babylon.

In the temple, according to Herodotus, there

statue

find

soon

the
a

was

sitting

Merodach

god

"

large golden table

the base

of

which

on

the

gold^' the weight of

objectsaggregating eighthundred

the gold of these divers

"

talents.

this temple, of which

he

**the fosterer,''says

calls himself
of the

wealth

of

speaking

Nebuchadnezzar,

and

sea

adorned

mountains

the

and

it with

that

cedars

of my

brought from

shrine

The

"

best

the

all conceivable

valuables, gold and silver and precious stones.

to gleam
of Merodach, he declares, **I made
The

he

the

as

sun.

Lebanon, the

for the

roofingof the chamber

which cedars I covered with gleaming gold.
of his lordship,
of this temple I make
the restoration
For
supplication
every morning to Merodach, the king of the gods, the lord
be
his inscriptions,
it would
To judge from
of lords."
difficult to find a pagan
more
prayerful or
king who was
exhibited greater devotion
to his gods than did this
who
proud ruler of old Babylonia.
forest,I sought

noble

It

in

was

"

of the

of the sick

healer

pis

of the sanctuaries

one

in that

it would

who

bowshot

be

*Ho

away,

suppliant to be cured
god saying that he was
a

but that it would

This

answer

was

be

the Great

and

more

by
not

better

into

him.
to be
form

his

**

desirable

ill in
lying critically
carried

life and

and

identified with

Alexander

be better

then

was

of wisdom

the Greeks

^whom

"

of this temple, apparently

lord

god Ea,

generals of

that the

god whether

out

Sera-

asked

the

for Alexander,*'

palace but a
temple in order as

voice
carried

to remain

issued
into

the

where

reported by the Companions

from

the

temple
he

and

was.
soon

BERLIN

FROM

492

hundred

''in

feet

TO

length

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

and

which
breadth, upon
was
raised a second tower and on that a third,and so on up to
the eighth,
above which there is a great temple.
ing
Accordthis quadrangular pyramid was
to Strabo,^''
**iive hundred
' ' ^*

feet

of Gizeh.
of

Babylon

^nineteen feet

higher than the great pyramid

As, however, the existingruin of the tower
not yet been excavated
it is impossible,
by

high"
has

"

actual measurements,
writers

to control

its

the statements

of ancient

scribed
But, from an old intablet which
has been
translated
by the noted
G. Smith, and more
Orientalist,
recentlyby Father Scheil,
the distinguishedFrench
Dominican, we gather that the
estimates
of the Greek
writers were
probably excessive,
of the
for, accordingto the tablet in question,the summit
tower
feet above
the surrounding
was
only three hundred

regarding

magnitude.

plain.
Diodorus

^"

Chaldeans

as

dust-laden

informs
an

for the
of

was

astronomical

atmosphere

frequent,such

so

that this tower

us

of

successful

Babylonia.

by the
the thick,

observatory. In
Babylonia,where sand storms
would

lofty structure

used

observations
''The

are

be

sity
quite a necesof the priest astronomers

greatly renowned

clearness

of

the

Babylonian sky," as Koldewey truly observes, "is

largely a fiction of European travelers who are rarely
accustomed
to observe the night sky of Europe without the
intervention of citylights."
Cicero,therefore, was
quite
^^

mistaken

as

as

modern

travelers

when

he

thought that

the

visible on all
plains of Chaldea, where the sky was
sides,'''^
were
speciallyfavorable to star-gazingand the
the poet who
cultivation of astronomy. Equally misled was
broad

sang

34
88
8"
87

of Chaldean

shepherds who

Op. cit.,Bk. I, Chap. 181.

Geography, Bk. XVI, Chap. I, Sec. 6.
Op. cit.,p. 196.
Ibid.,p. 196.

88"Principio Assyrii"
"

the

Chaldeans

"propter planitiem magnitudi-

coelum
omni
ex
regionum quos
incolebant, cum
nemque
parte patens
observaverunt."
apertum intuerentur, trajectionesmotusque stellarum
Dwinatione, Lib. I.

et
De

BABYLON
Watched
Those

from the

radiant

centre

493

of their sleepingflocks

Mercuries that seemed

to move,
'

Carrying through ether,in perpetual

round,

Decrees

and

resolutions of the gods;

And, by their aspects,signifyingworks

Of dim futurityto man
revealed.
it

No,
who

not

was

*^made

who,

those
of

report

from

the

shepherds

*4ii boundless

solitude''

'"

stars, but the Babylonian priests

summits

of

their

zikurrats,or

templetowers, laid the foundations,

broad and deep, of the sublime
science of astronomy centuries before
Hipparchus and

Ptolemy began
rendered

them

those

which
investigations

Babylon

greatly impressed

which

us,

but

we

we

idea of the greatness and

the

have

immortal.

All the ruins of

had

admirable

Babylonian Kings

until

Arabs

stillcall the Kasr,

which

was

or

had hitherto inspected

did not yet have a concrete

splendor

of the

capitalof

visited that part which

we

castle.

It

begun by Nabopolassar

the great palace

was

and

the

his

completed by

illustrious son, Nebuchadnezzar.

historians
By the Eoman
it was
called the Arx, by the Greeks
the Acropolis. It
served

not

of the

king

only as
and

citadel but also

the

as

the favored

as

to the

approach

Merodach, already referred to, which

was

residence

great temple
the most

of

famous

sanctuary in Babylonia.
Not
have

until

we

in great

appreciate the
and

wey

saw

his

ruins of the Kasr, which

the wonderful
been

measure

excavated, were
of work

amount

enormous

associates

splendid contributions

have

which

here

we

which

made

to

Dr. Kolde-

accomplished

they have

able

and

the

to the science

the greatest
Assyriologyand to our knowledge respecting
capitalof the ancient world.
of

"

The

were

of

the walls

of the citadel"some

of

fiftyfeet in thickness" and the vastness

Nebuchadnezzar's
palace with its countless chambers
the remnoteworthy were
more
amazing. But even

them
of

massiveness
more

than

BERLIN

FEOM

494

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

adorned
with
once
Way, which were
of brilliantly
of life-size figuresof lions made
eled
enambricks,and the great Ishtar Gate which spanned Babylon's
Via Sacra, where
it entered the older city. The
of the Sacred

nants
scores

TO

which cover
dragons, in brick relief,
the delicate modeling of the figuresprove

of bulls and

hundreds

the walls, and

conclusivelythat
have

period must
Before

the

glyptic art of the Neo-Babylonian

attained a very high degree of perfection.
the

of these

discovery

wonderful

works

of art,

be

quite skepticalabout the

traditional splendor of Babylon, but, when
he unearthed
of the Sacred Way and the Ishtar Gate, which
the marvels
is **the largest and most strikingruin of Babylon," he was
compelled to admit that the fabled splendor of the city
Koldewey

disposed

was

foundation.

not without

was

Adjoining
remains

Ishtar

Gate

among

the Seven

of the semicircular

view

what

are

Wonders
arches

these gardens makes

they

called hanging

were

by Quintus Curtius

^^

and

which

which

are

it difficultto understand

pensiles hortus

"

other ancient writers.

court

historian

far

less of

calls it,than

is

miraculum,

ported
sup-

why

described

as

"

garden

and

But

said to have

wonder

can

antiquity

of the World.

judge by an inspectionof the ruins now

of antiquitywas
than
nothing more

one

to be the

supposed

are

Gardens

Hanging

of the famous

classed

to

So far

as

this
visible,
an

elevated

the Eoman

as

ordinary roof garden on one

of our modern
sky-scrapers.*'
In the same
palace,of which the Hanging Gardens formed
an

**

so
room

the large
conspicuous an ornament, is shown
of the Babylonian Kings. Speaking of this Dr.

does not hesitate to say

out for this purpose
that no
as

to its

audience

having

been

chamber."

should

desire

"Op, oit.,Uh, V, Cap.

used
And

to
I.

that *4t is
reasonable

doubt

can

Kings'

he furthermore

adds:

localize the

"

scene

wey
Kolde-

clearlymarked

the

as

their

so

throne

"

of

be

felt

principal

'*If one
anyBelshazzar's

BABYLON
eventful

banquet, he

accuracy

in this immense

Among

495

surely place it with complete

can

' ' *"

room.

the other

objectsof interest among the marvelous

complexus of ruins are a huge lion of basalt,
the remains
and
of Persian
Parthian
buildingsand the debris of a
Greek

theater

Great

the

this remote
loath

to

may

believe,
was

for the benefit of his

founded

ander
by Alexcountrymen who, in

capital of the East, would

forego those

been

had

which, one

so

So much

devoted
has

have

intellectual amusements

been

to which

quite

they

in the land of their birth.

knowledge

of

Babylon been increased

by the excavation of one-half of the citythat we hope that
Dr. Koldewey and his scholarlyassociates will be able to
the other half. Should
uncover
anything interfere with
their completion of the great undertaking in which they had
already achieved such splendid results,both science and
history would suffer a loss that cannot easilybe estimated.
From
examination
of the ruins of Babylon, that which
an
size of the city,of its
most
impresses one is the immense
of Belus
walls and palaces and temples, and that tower
of the Old Testament
'*the Jews
which
regarded as the
of human
essence
presumption." Compared with these
colossal

ruins

Delphi and

our

the

Sparta

remains
and

of

such

Olympia

celebrated

fade

almost

cities
into

as

nificance
insig-

descriptionsof the Babylonian capitalleft us

impression made
by the writers of antiquity,the dominant
is that of the wealth and splendor and magnificence
on
us
From

the

of this famous

metropolis. This impressionis emphasized

by the inscriptionsof its kings,who tell us how lavishly

embellished by the rarest
their palaces and temples were
of ivory and silver
of the East and by vast quantities
woods
**I filled
and
gold. Thus Asurbanipal proudly declares,
and made
Esagilla with silver and gold and preciousstones
Ekua

to

shine

Nebuchadnezzar
40

Op. cit.fp. 103.

as

the

constellations in the

rejoicesin

the treasures

sky."

of art and

And
learn-

FEOM

496

BERLIN

TO

ing which

he

amazement

of mankind.''

But

how

had

BAGDAD

AND

accumulated

in his

BABYLON

palace for

''the

these

grandiloquentstatements of monarchs
and historians substantiated
of the
by the investigations
Orient-Gessellschaf t 1 That Babylon
Deutsche
are

' '

' '

Far

Outshone

that,as

of Ormus

Indus

Or

Caspian wave

there is

or

of the Greek

and

"

of

structures

of

notions

our

from

the

glowing descriptions

writers, we

are

also led to

city especiallyits temples

beauty and grandeur the imposing

under

of the German

from

to the Nile

the

under

Athens

edifices of Rome

many

But

Latin

and

rivaled in

palaces

of Ind;

rocky shore,

buildingsof

the

infer that

Oman's

for doubt.

room

no

and

center,its activities extended

trade

the wealth

"

Pericles

The

Augustus.

excavators

and

compel

regarding the

the

sumptuous

however,
discoveries,

us

famed

greatly to revise
palm-embosomed

the

Euphrates.
One of their most
startlingrevelations is that,so far as
enable them to determine, hewn
stone
their investigations
tion
was
employed '4n bulk for building,''only in the construcof the northern wall of the Kasr, the Sacred Way, the
the Euphrates and in the arches that supported
bridge over
In this respect Babylon was
Gardens.
the Hanging
far
stone was
behind Nineveh, its great Assyrian rival,where
a
common
Nearly all of its buildings,
buildingmaterial.
its most lauded temples, were
of suneven
composed chiefly
dried bricks.
Only in certain parts of the larger temples

capitalon

were

kiln-dried bricks

employed.

such

mud

and

Baalbec
of Thebes

structures

and

Palmyra,
and Abydos

contrast, even,

between

or
on

What

contrast

between

the

superb marble temples of

the highly polished granite fanes
the banks

the mud

of the Nile!

temple

What

of Marduk

"

^the

BABYLON

497

greatest in Babylonia~and the

immense

The

dwellinghouses
mostly three

were

the evidence
houses

based

like most

of the

flat mud

roofs

heat

exactly like

of

Babylon,accordingto Herodotus
four stories high. So
far,however'
that private

singlestory. They were

probably,
one-storyhouses in Babylonia
to-day~with
a

which

of

served

and

as

dormitories during the

Such

summer.

the modern

visible in New

Temple

of

excavations goes to prove

on

of but

were

intense

or

stone

dwellingswere

almost

one-storyadobe houses everywhere

Old Mexico.

The

Mexican

ever,
houses,howwmdows, while those in Babylon had none-at
the side facing the street. In
on
this respect, however,
they were
not unlike so
many
dwellinghouses seen in
have

least

the Near
As

East

to-day.
contemplated the large mud

Babylon,
Great Chimu,

I could

remains

but

not

whose

ruins

compare
are

now

buildingsof

them

with

those of the

the most

among

ancient

able
remark-

of

pre-Hispanic Peru.
To look at them
one
would imagine that.some
jinnee had picked up a section of
"the Babylonian city and transported it to the
far-distant
shore

of the South

With

Pacific,*^

the

exception of the Sacred Way and a few other

streets,the thoroughfares of Babylon were
unpaved. But
of
none
the great Via Sacra,although polthem, not even
ished
and
continuous use, exhibits any trace,as do
by long
the pavements
wheeled

of

traffic.

traffic,
even
Still

in the

Pompeii, of having
This

would

seem

to

ever

been

indicate

Neo-Babylonian period,was

used
that

rare

or

for
such
existent.
non-

surprising is the fact that the excavations,

show but few traces
of the larger buildings,
outside of some
of a drainage system. How
flourishinga city
so large and
more

pared
description of the ruins of Cuzco and the Great Chimu, as comDown
the
and
Andes
Amazon,
the
of
with
those
Babylon, see Along
York, 1911).
(by J. A. Zahm, New
Chaps. XIII, XV
41

For

BERLIN

FEOM

498

TO

endured

could have

BAGDAD

long without

so

BABYLON

AND
is

one

mystery that

to be solved.

remains

light,then, of the German

excavations,it is apparent
that Babylon, on whose
splendor and magnificence the
and concerning whose
old classical writers so loved to dilate,
beauty and grandeur legend and tradition have long spun
such wonderful
fairytales,was a citythat was remarkable
In the

of its publicbuildingsthan

rather for the vastness

eleganceof design
and
roofs

or

palaces were

and

from

were,

Even
ples
the tembeauty of execution.
low, squat structures with flat mud
architectural point of view, quite
an

to many

various

parts of the East.

and showed

of the

none

creations

Such

purityof

one

richness
taste that

of Phidias

and

they

as

and
so

find in

now

may

ornaments

of barbaric

evidences

the matchless

that

caravanseries

inferior

were

for their

sessed
pos-

prodigality

characterized

Ictinus.

But, although Babylon was, in its architectural features,

well
much
overrated
city,it has, nevertheless,deserved

of the world
as

has contributed

and

did few

other

of civilization

to the advance
the

cities before

rise of Athens

and

For, as has been observed, Babylon is ^*the oldest

the
And
^*when
West
of earthly empire."
seat
was
tradition
that neither history nor
in a darkness
shrouded
Eome.

penetrate,

can

roamed

over

while

the future

wild

beasts

sites of Athens

or

and

naked
Rome

savages
and

ence
Flor-

laying the foundations

London,"*^ Babylon was
tion
of art and science,of law and literature and of that civilizawhich was
subsequently developed and elaborated by
and

the great nations

Trade

and

of the West.

commerce

and

agriculture[assertsDelitzsch]

ics,
geometry, mathematprime and th^ sciences
and, above all,astronomy, had reached a degree of
the astronomers
even
development which again and again moves
Not Paris,
and astonishment.
of to-day to admiration
at their

were

*2

The

History and Oonqueata of

London, 1877).

"

the

Saracens, p.

et

aeq.

(by

E. A.

man,
Free-

BERLIN

FROM

500

TO

BAGDAD

AND

BABYLON

by early Assyrian bas-reliefs and by stillearlier Sumerian

inscriptions.
Yet

exhaustive

more

in the two

scriptused
of

language
that of

researches
countries

Babylonia, which

Egypt

lead to the

regarding

and

was

the relations
a

Semetic

conclusion

same

the

as

early
of the

tongue,
do

to

tions
investiga-

of wheat* from

the land of
respecting the introduction
it still grows
the Euphrates, where
wild, into that of the
machines
which have
Nile,and the identityof the irrigation
been in continuous

in both lands

use

for thousands

of years.

indeed, be admitted that no one of these facts is,

that the culture and the
of itself,
sufficient to demonstrate
Babylonian in origin;
engineeringscience of Egypt werB
but,when they are all found to point in the same
direction,
the argument based
them has a cumulative
force that is
on
Dr. Sayce gives judgment in a single
quite unassailable.
It may,

when

sentence

he

declares

*'it is difficult to avoid

the

clusion
con-

that the

Semitic-speaking people who brought the

science of irrigation
and the art of writing to the banks of
the Nile came,
from
like the wheat
the
they cultivated,
Babylonian plain.
Those, however, who are interested in this fascinating
theory, which ascribes to Babylonia not only Egyptian
of the historical Egypcivilization but also the ancestors
tians,
work
the subject by
should read the remarkable
on
of profound scholarshipand
Hommel
Professor
a work
' ' ^*

*^

"

which

one

has convinced

that there
and

But

can

culture of

as
interesting

relations
notice of

longer be

Egypt
are

between

contributions

any

doubt

eminent

alists
Orient-

that the civilization

from
originally
Babylonia.
discoveries respectingthe cultural
two countries in question,no

came

the

the

Babylonia would

to her

have

no

of the most

many

ence
refercomplete without some
the science of astronomy. Here

be
to

than has hitherto been

positiveinformation
available regarding the primeval intercourse
the
between

we

**The
"5

more

ArchcBology of the Cuneiform Inscriptions,p. Ill

Der
hahylonische Uraprung der agyptisohen

Entitled

(London,
Kultur

1908).

(1892).

BABYLON

501

peoples of the Euphrates and the Nile. As one might

expect,however, in dealingwith subjectscarrying us back
into the mists of antiquity,
find that the question of
we
Babylonian astronomy is
myth and legend, but such
the

corroborate

concerning

and

historians

and

of the astronomers

in
to

archaeologists

of old Chaldea.

question regarding the originof astronomy,

concerning the beginnings of civil engineeringin

in that

Egypt,

that

boasted

old debate

same

the

were

the

or

the

note

we

to who

as

deeply involved
legends as help

in the

Even
as

myths

findingsof

the labors

that is

one

ancient

more

Babylonians.
Hermes

or

learned

astronomers, the Egyptians

people of the Nileland

The

Osiris

the

among

the

was

founder

of their

system, while the Chaldeans, that is the Babylonians,

claimed that the first astronomer
was
Belus,*^the

astronomical

of

son

reputed

builder

confused

with

the

according
observatory.

Chaldean

of Babel.

of Bel

tower

to Chaldean

as

certain

strict

for

chronology
did not

heavens

is known

as

very

to which

an

the

era

first astronomical

of years
have

before
us

the Chaldean
B.

C,

the Christian

believe, that

science.

exact

This

observers

be

of

of the

they adopted
Previously there

when

of Nabonnassar.

certainty regarding the calculation of

March
Not, indeed, until the first recorded eclipse,
raised to the dignity of an
astronomy
721 B. C, was
could

was

the absence

simple reason"

attain until 747

the

and

tower, often
by Herodotus,

described

would

became

of Noah
This

legend, the

writers

astronomy

possibleand

what

grandson

not, however, thousands

was

era,

not

the

was

of the Tower

was,

It

who

Nimrod,

time.

no

21,
exact

science.
centuries of
fact, during the first twenty or thirty
Belgian
Mesopotamian history [writes the distinguished
obCumont] nothing is found but empirical
savant, Franz
In

Pliny, speaking of BeluB, says:

Historiae,"Lib. VI. Cap. 30.
Naturalis
46

"Inventor

hie

fuit sideralie

scienti*,

BERLIN

FROM

502

BAGDAD

TO

AND

BABYLON

to indicate omens,
and the rudimentary
servations,intended chiefly
knowledge which these observations
display is
hardly in advance of that of the Egyptians, the Chinese or

the Aztecs/''
It is only

the

during

last quarter of

century that
the advances
been
able to determine
made
have
we
by
astronomy at different periods of Babylonian history and
this knowledge almost
entirely to the persistentwe
owe
labors
of three
Jesuits, Fathers
Epping, Kugler, and
Straszmaier/^
form
By a long and careful study of the cuneiof which
inscriptionsbearing on astronomy, many
they have deciphered,interpreted,and published,they have,
for the first time,put the history of Babylonian astronomy
And
time
a firm, scientic basis.
on
they have at the same
Chaldean
completely dissipated the poetical fancy of
of eclipseswhile watching
shepherds discoveringthe causes
their flocks'' and the oft repeated fable that it was
lonian
Babythe precession of the
who
discovered
astronomers
that was
due to the genius of
equinoxes an achievement
a

**

"

Hipparchus

of Nicaea.

Thanks, however,
named, it must now
have

which

be credited

discoveries

were

be

of the seasons,

conceded

that

been

attributed

certain

savants

discoveries

Hipparchus should
these
of Babylonia. Among
astronomers
regarding the inequalitiesof the lengths

hitherto
to the

of the three

to the researches

of

the methods

to

determining in

advance

the

phenomena of the ^ve known

synodic revolutions,and the

planets,the duration of their

dates of the phases and eclipses
of the moon.
In a remarkable
cuneiform
dated
inscription,
as
early as 523 B. C, is given what is practicallya monthly
and eclipsesbut
ephemeris not only of the sun and moon
also the more
notable
phenomena of the planets. With
*7
Astrology
1912).
48

See

and

Religion

among

the

Greeks

and

Romans,

p. 8

(New

York,

Chalder
Babylon, oder das Wissen
J. Epping, in collaboration
with
J.
Straszmaier, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1889); Die Bahylonische Mondrechnung
(by F. Kugler, Freiburg im Breisgau, 1900).

dder

uber

especiallyAstronomisches
den

gestirnten

Himmel

aus

(by

BABYLON
does Father

reason

document
And

of the

does

oldest known

astronomy of the Chaldeans "

impressed by the marvelous astronomical
constructed

were

Babylonia that
One

consider this ^Hhe

scientific

greatlyis he

so

tables which
of

Kngler

503

he declares

know

not

by the priestastronomers

which

to

admire

the

the

more,

extraordinaryaccuracy of the periods which is imphed by

the drawing up of each of the columns
of figuresor the
with
which
these old masters
ingenuity
contrived to combine
all the factors to be considered/^

Recent

has

calculations

accurate
of

research

Ptolemy, have

of

have

of the very
periods which, from the time

attributed

observers,who
are

been

that

to

had

some

Hipparchus, should

to the astronomers

precision which

should

shown

of lunar

been

realitybe ascribed
these ancient

also

of

That
Babylonia.',^
of the instruments

none

available in

now

able to make

so

in

exact

observatories,

our

calculations is

velous
mar-

in the extreme.
the discoveries of the
Equally noteworthy were
Chaldean, Seleucus,who proved that the movement

tides is due
the view

to the action

which

48

Cf. Dumont
A

of

ancient

will

as

Periods

periodsas given by Babylonian

exact

calculations

the

were

as

thousand

of

by

and

the

modern

observers

of

draconitic

Mean

anomalistic

calculated

given by

by

29

month

synodic

...

month.

27

month..

27
29

Mean

draconitic

month

27

Mean

anomalistic

month

27

foregoing figures it
and

ancient

one-fifth

pp. 24, 40, 46.

of

modern

second!

days,
days,
days,
days,

7 hours, 43' 14"

hours, 44' 31.3"
5' 35.8"
6 hours,

12
13

hours, 18' 34.9"

astronomers:

month...

synodic

27

month

modern

sidereal

astronomers:

27

month...

Mean

Mean

the

by Babylonian

sidereal

Mean

Mean

minimum

how

calculated
Mean

as

the heliocentric

"

show

to

Chaldea.

Periods

From

of the

who, contrary

generally prevailed,taught
the solar system
^nearlytwo

op. cit.,p. 60.

comparison of the lunar

astronomers

and

moon

then

theory

50

of the

hellenized

days,
days,
days,
days,

7 hours, 43'

11.5"

hours, 44'

2.9"

12

5 hours,

13 hours,
the maximum

5'

36"^^

18.39.3"

difference of time,
that
seen
the
half minute;
a
observers, is less than
See Kugler'eDie BabyloniacheMondrechnung,
is

504

FROM

BERLIN

years

before

the

BAGDAD

TO

AND

BABYLON

of

epochal achievements

Copernicus and

Galileo.

foregoingparagraphs clearlyevince

The

that it

the

was

of astronomy, and
Babylonians who laid the foundations
not, as Buckle, Draper, and others would have us believe,

Caliphate. ''The place of

science,therefore," a place which for ages was

the Arabians
in

under

honor

the

ceded
con-

"

Epping's

Babylonians and
studies, has been won

henceforth

remain

which, through

the

to

for

uncontested

to them

them

Father

anew

"will

"

and incontestable.

' "^

order, however, to have a correct idea of the farmust know

one
reaching influence of Babylonian civilization,
to science,art, and
its contribution
about
it than
more
literature.
One must know
dition
something about the social conand customs
of the people and of their manners
as
For
described in their history and reflected in their laws.
In

this

few

wonderful

code

Babylonia

more

and

who

will suffice and

words

two

king

thousand

the real founder

was

the

of Hammurabi,
than

will be based

these

of her

years

who

on

ruled

before

the
over

our

era

greatness."

great legalcode which bears his name

was, like all other ancient codes, based to a great extent on
of which,
precedent and on earlier collections of laws, some
Hammurabi's
there is reason
to believe,antedated
great
But it is
than a thousand
compilation by more
years.
because it is chieflya codification of preexistinglaws that
the great code of the Babylonian King is so valuable
and
instructive.
find that, unlike the warlike Assyrians,
We
the Babylonians were
not only a peaceable and intelligent
It is true

81
82

Kugler

op.
Hammurabi's

diorite

was

cit, p. 206.
code

which

is

found

it had

been

carried

found

from

on
a
large stele
distinguished Dominican

carefullyengraved

by M. de Morgan
the
Scheil, among

log^st,Father
whither

that the

and

the

ruins

of

Babylon

Susa
as

"

loot

the

by

Susan
the

of

the

Elamites.

of

black

archseoBible

"

When

in December, 1901, and January, 1902, it was

in fragments but the parts
tion
translaeasily rejoined. In October, 1902, there appeared an admirable
of it by Father
Scheil which
everywhere excited the greatest interest among
scholars
both of the Old and the New
World.
In many
respects,it is the most
of old Babylonia which
has yet
interestingand valuable inscribed monument

were

been

brought

to

light.

BABYLON
but also
words
and

of

for

who

one

laws

humane

very

of the

deeplyreligious
people.

has made

people

forty-threeyears

It is

and

startlingto

505

over

special study of the history

whom
Hammurabi
bore rule

find how much

has really come

distinctlyour own
great people who ruled the Land
need

be ashamed

not

It is from
bears
of

the

no

the

laws

of the

thousand

been

to

that

only

can

thought

from

us

Streams.

trace back

it descends

of extreme

at home

that

We
far.

so

to

It

us.

antiquitybut
of

in ancient

em
mod-

lon
Baby-

Europe.''^

especiallyremarkable
rights and privilegesof
have

down

citizen
right-thinking

great Babylonian legislator

that

are

should

have

we

of the Two

probably feel more

in mediaeval

Among

not

...

that

anything we

ancestors

savage

citywould
than

of

**hall mark*'

sterlingworth.

In the

those

are

married

enacted
shows

and

which

That

women.

enforced

better

safeguard
more

the

such

laws

than

four

than

anything else the

to which the Babylonians had
high plane of social progress
thus
To
the distinguished
early attained.
quote from
L. W. King, they ^Hhrow
an
Orientalist,
interestinglight
in the Babylonian
the position of the married
on
woman
not only unexampled in antiquity
community, which was
and
pendence
indebut compares
favorably in point of freedom
years

ago

her

with

status

in

many

countries

in

modem

Europe.''"
One

of the many

results of the

discovery of Hammurabi's

ite
curiouslyenough, completelyto demolish a favorargument of certain Biblical critics respectingthe laws

Code

was,

of Moses.

So

elaborate

code
legislative

as

that attributed

able
lawgiver was, they contended, quiteimprobat the early date assignedto it,and it must, therefore,
have had its originat a subsequent periodwhen societywas
to the Jewish

53

H.

Babylonian

Assyrian Laws,

York, 1904).
Johns, New
186.
cit.,
Op.
p.

W.
6"

and

Contraots

and Letters, pp. vii,

viu

(by C.

506

FROM

more

highly organized.

BERLIN

been

have

TO

AND

BAGDAD

BABYLON

It must, then, the

the work

critics maintained,

of the Jewish

later days of Israel,who, in order

to

priesthood in the
give it the necessary

What
sanction,falselyattributed it to Moses.
have been their surprise and confusion, on the
of Father

that it was

Moses, and

Scheil 's translation

that with

it revealed

that described

Higher Critics
And
to

its two

more

years

hundred

and

's
older

must

appearance

Code, to
than

find

that of

ments
eighty-twoenact-

social organization than

elaborate

in the

this is only

But

five hundred

than

more

of Hammurabi

then

one

have

violentlyattacked Book of Exodus?

of many
similar surprises which the
found in the monuments
of Babylonia.

continue
proportion as the cuneiform
inscriptions
disclose their long-withheldsecrets,so also,we
feel
may
in

will they, in all essential

sure,

corroborate

and

last bird

Our

matters, be found

the declarations

of the Sacred

's-eyeview of the abomination

to

verify

Text.
of desolation

from the highestaccessible point of

Babylon was
the great royal palace on the Kasr.
It was
at the hour
the noonday sun
when
was
pouring his irradiatingbeams
the scattered
and crumbling ruins of temples and palaces
on
seemed
been
to have
and citadels,which
blasted by the
and
to be lying under
a
lightningsof a wrathful heaven
maranatha
of an offended Deity. In this
major anathema
accursed haunt of serpents and scorpions, and the Arabs
add
dragons and satyrs the earth was
absolutely verNo four-footed
dureless.
thing trod the earth; no winged
creature
circled through the air ; not a tree or a shrub
mound.
the brown, sun-baked
adorned
stood
Where
once
the Hanging Gardens
the glory of an
that were
arrogant
of a marveling world; where
potentate and the wonder
once
were
halls,with throne of ivory and gold;
gorgeous
where kings and nobles feasted in bejeweled robes ; where
loud choruses swelled to the joyous notes of harp and cymbal
and
brazen
drank
bacchanals
to Bel
psaltery; where
from golden gobletslooted from
Salem's desecrated
temple,
that

was

"

"

there

"

now

was

the silence and

the

vacuityand

the oblivion

FEOM

508

BERLIN

these

Eeading
the

can

one

*^

60

but

Forever,

Psalm

graphic
the

of

presence

cxviii

exclaim

Lord,

89.

BAGDAD

TO

ruins
with

thy

AND

of

words
of

Babylon

the

Royal

word

the

as

inspired
they

Psalmist

standeth

BABYLON

prophet

appear

in

to-day,

firm

in

heaven.''

^^

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Persian
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Les

Missions

INDEX
"Aaron

the

Abbasside

Just," 418
Caliphate, the, 172

Abd-el-Kader,

Abdul

life of

Algerian ruler, 249

Abd-er-Rahman
Abdul

Anatolia,

I,

Hamid

473

Andrae, Dr. Walter, 379

Angel de Villarubbia,Fra,

King, 285,
Patriarch, 253, 275, 294
Abydas, Strait of, 77
Abyssinia, 312
Achilles, Ashes of, 36
296

Abraham,

Adadinari

Anglo-French

Anthimos

"Apostle

I,

Alexander

the

110

horses, 441
Arabians, life of the, 442
Arab
robbers, protection against,

78

Aracca,

400

plain

of

Aratus,

gary,
Hun-

Ali, first legitimate Caliph,

Argos,

260

Caliph,
founder

does

America,

about

of

Aristotle,83
Armenian

know

truth

the

or

about

care

Armenians,

key,
Tur-

massacre

Anathema

question, 208
business

ability of, 271

of 1909, 205

responsible in great part for

211

207

Marcellinus, 297

Ammianus

Samothrace, 106

of

Aristarchus

453
not

232

420

Bagdad, 409

201
42

44

Arianism,

237

Scripture, 461

language, 272

Argonauts,

445

of

201

Archimedes,

19

Dr.,

Erech

the

Aramaic

Alfold, great central

Anadoli

266

Great, 27, 46, 78, 83,

289

Ameghino,

201

and

202

Russia,

of

194, 217,

Al-Mansur,

Beautiful," 218, 255,

Arabian

255,

Al-Mamun,

arch,
Patri-

Proto-Martyr among
172
Women,"
of
the
"Apostle
GentUes," St. Paul,

263

Alexander

Amuita,

the

Antipater,
Men,*' 87

105

Aleppo,

Amru,

VII, (Ecumenical

"Antioch

122

Magnus,

Al-Khader,

dad
Bag-

289

Agamemnon,
"King
Agostino, Padre, 263
Aim6e
Dubuc
de Rivery,

Alexandria,

hostile to

336

of

Alca3us,

292

Antakia, 255

center, 197

Aegean Sea, 90
Afium-Kara-Hissar,

Albertus

press,

157

railway, 166

IV, 386
commercial

Adana,

Allah,

of,

Osmanlis, 121

106

Railway, 99, 121,

Anazarbas, 199

159

II, Sultan, 50, 110, 268

Abgar,

the

Anatolian

I, Sultan, 110,

Hamid

ruins

183

Arrians, 101, 305

316

Queen,
Kavak,

488

Artemidorus,

45

Ashbelkala,

Maran-atha,

201
380

Ashurnasirpal III, 380

327

617

sacres,
mas-

518
Asia

INDEX
Minor, 183

great trouble
rich in natural

Aspasia, wife

of, 149

of

resources,

184

104
Pericles,

Bagdad railway (Continued)

Germany gets concession for,158
in
meeting of Czar and Kaiser
1910 in regard to, 164
of far-reaching political
source
cataclysm,169
splendidlybuilt,167

Asshur, cityof, 294

"Association
Laws," 292
Assuerus, King, 353
tunnels of the, 255
Asur, builder of Nineveh, 345, 379
Balkan
Assyrian Empire, 347
peninsula,22
and
peoples of, hated one
Astronomy, foundations
another,
tice
practhe
than
501
more
Turks, 22
of, by Babylonians,
of
Barbarossa, Frederick,78, 121
Asurbanipal, the Grand Monarch
353
Barmecides, Slaughter of the, 419
Assyria,
"A Thousand
Nights and a Night," Barnabas, 171
261
Basra, 264
Bayazid I, Sultan,46
Attica,104
Bazaars
of Bagdad, 432
Attila,23
Earl of, 63
of
369
Beaconsfield,
Augustine
Hippo,
Beames, William, 265
Augustus, Emperor, 11
Bedouins, 268
Aurelian,Emperor, 217
life of,442
477
mound
Beirut,310
of, 475,
Babil,
Beith Allah, house of God, 235
Babylon, 471-508
view
desolation
of
of, Belgrade,19
bird's-eye
506
Belus,first astronomer, 501
ers,
writBenjamin of Tudela, 414, 480
descriptionsof, by ancient
483
Berosus,priestof Bel, 348
Berlin,1
great wall of,483
Bessarion,Cardinal,335
hanging gardens of, 282, 494
Bethsabee,275
present day, 486
Bianca
491
tower
Capello,110
of,
122
Bilejik,
Bagdad, 41, 260, 402-436
ancient gloriesof, 412
Bir,281
bazaars
Birs-Nimrud, 477
of, 432
Black Forest,5
Carmelite priestsof, 403
Black
Obelisk
of Salmanasar
II,
etymologicalnames
of, 410
200
fall of, 425
Black
Sea, 30
founding of,409
Black
medans,
427
Stone,worshiped by Mohammodern,
235
visited by the plague,
periodically
431
"Blue Mosque," 175
populationone-fourth Jewish,432
Bohadin, 417
the future of,435
Borsippa, 480
the women
of,432
Bosphorus, 161
Bagdad railway,151
plan for tunnel under, 166
aim and purpose
168
of,
proposed bridge over, 166
Bossuet of Meaux, 369
completion of, held up by World
370
War,
Botta, Paul Emil, 349

INDEX
Bourse, the,163
Bozanti

Khan,

Catherine de
188

Catherine

Bralia,31
Bronze

519

of

Lysippus,58
Br6au, Quaterfages de, 456
Bruin, Cornelius de, 358
Brusa, 94
Budapest, 18
Bukcovitz,Stephen, 114
Bukharest,cityof, 29
Bulgar Dagh, the, 189
Burckhardt, discovers black basaltic
block,275
Burnouf, Eugene, 362
Byron, Lord, 43
313
Byzantine liturgy,
305
Byzantines,
Byzas, son of Neptune, 67

Cerularius,
Michael,325
97
Chalcedon,
Chaldean
church,307
Champollion,Jean Francois,356
Chansans
de
Geste, untruths
in,
concerningMohammedanism,
222

Chardin, Jean, 358

Charlemagne, 10, 324

Chateaubriand,52
Chesney, Colonel,152
Chilat,298
Chosroes I, 194, 281, 287

Christianity,
in

relation to

the

need

Benedictine,459

Camels, trains of, 185

Canals,
34

Cantacuzenos,
manlis

Caravans,

the

Os-

into Europe, 113

20

186

in

communication

friends

by homing

kept

East, 251
the golden city,96
Chrysopolis,
Chrysostom, St. John, 71
Churches of the East, 303-340
Church of Holy Wisdom, 56
Cicero,171
Cilician Plain, or Cilieea Campes-

with

fought on, 194

Citadel,at Aleppo, 273
the,29
"City of Delight,"
"City of the Blind,"the,97
"City of the Saints,"Bagdad, 260
Cleopatra, 204
345, 364, 504
Code of Hammurabi,

pigeons, Coffee,great beverage

lems,
of the Mos-

179

267

protectionagainst Arab

robbers,

266

trade,264
of Bagdad,
priests,

Cassandra, 91
Castle of Simeon,

256

181
Coffeehouse, Oriental,

Columbus,

452

Comnena,

Princess

Anna,

72

328
Conquest of Constantinople,

Carchemish, the, 276, 282

Carmelite

of the

of Eden, 214
three decisive battles of the world

244

Capistrau,St. John,
Capuchins, the, 291

attitude
the

the Garden

Mohammedanism,
introduces

toward

populationof,198

153

of

change of

tris,189

Danube-Oder, 34
Danube-Salonica,34
Ludwig, 33
law

of
West

Calycadnus,the,191

Danube-Elbe,

Mohammedanism,

247

Caetani,Prince,466
Caliphs,triumphs of the,281
Callicolone,87
Calmet, Dam,

Ambassador,

79

C8Bsaropapism,326

Canon

II, of Russia, 61, 383

French
Caulaincourt,

Horses

Suez,

Medici,110

403

Constantine IX, Emperor, 325

Constantine Paleologus, 68
414
1 Constantine Porphyrogenitus,

INDEX

520
Constantine

Great, 68, 321

the

Constantinople,51
people of, 65
Constanza, 37
Consul Lirius,84
Coptic church, 312
Copts, of Egypt, 312
Corinth,217
Cos, 105
Council of Florence,327
Crassus,297
Creation,one of the oldest
of, discovered,462
Crescent and the Cross,27
Crimean

Deutsche

accounts

Wall, 9
Diana, Temple of, 217
Diering,Professor,on

315

Phrygia and Lycaonia, 187

in the footstepsof the, 171

of
a

new

but different, Dominicans

252

Dacia, 26
Dacians,the, 30
Damascus, 289, 313

sword, 331

Dandolo, Henricus, 68
Dante
247, 295
Alighieri,
31
Danube, 4,
Darius, 194, 281

Hystaspes, 31
of Akkad," 472

Dati, Leonardo, 457

David, King, 275
Dawson, J. W., 463

Debora,

nurse

of

Tours, 308

osten, Trend

East,

toward

the

155

Leopold, of Austria,10
Dunkelboden, 7
Duke

Earthquakes,218
Churches, 303-340

Eastern

reunion

with

the Mother

Church,

334

Edessa, 284
legend connected with, 284
school of, 297
Egyptian monophysites,312
Eldred, John, 265, 478
El Farruch, Earth-Divider,74
Elgin,Lord, 57
Endocia, Empress, 257
Trismegistesof
Enoch, the Hermes
Orientals,284
Cordiale, 165

the
Entente

Ephesus, 103
Epicureans,201
Ermeni

Rebecca, 298

tion
Presenta-

of Mosul, 307

nach

Drang

of, 375

Cunaxa,
Cyaxares, 345
Cydnus, 203
Cydnus, the, 190
Cyrus, Bishop, 297
Cyrus the Great, 433
of,171
army
Cyrus the Younger, 281
battle

Sisters of the

327

for

come

and the Suez Canal, 153

Disraeli,
Djerabis,282
"Doctrine of Addai," 286
Dominican

of the, 257

Crusade, Fourth,

"Dates

Germans,

100
Diocletian,
Diodorus
Siculus,201, 483
Dionysides,201
Dioscur, Patriarch of Alexandria,

in

Darius

the

168

castles built by, 257

Damoclean

387
Orient-Gesellschaft,

Devil's

Crusaders,

time has

Canal,

Delitzsch,Friedrich,363, 369, 448

Delta of the Nile,317
Dervishes,
dancing or whirling,173
howling, 96

CroBsus,King of Lydia, 184

Cross and the Crescent,27

route

Suez

the

165

99

War,

Deggendorf, 8
De
Lesseps, and

Eski

Millet,318

Bagdad,

old

Bagdad,

398

INDEX
122
Eski-Shehr,
Etchimiadzin,
monastery of, 311

Germany,dream
the

Eudocea,Empress, 71
Euphrates,the,278, 488
Eusebius of Caesarea,
285
Eutyches,309
Sea, 6, 35

Father

Damien, 247

"Father

of

the Koran,

Garcia

de

Sylva

y,

Crusade,327

Diavolo, 195, 196

319
Fragistan-Europe,
a

as

121
Bouillon,
Golden Fleece,
44

protector of Turkey,

Horn, 47
Gordianus III,297
Goths,the,217
Gourea,Antonio de, 357
"Granary of Northern Syria,"278
Grand
Opera House,of Paris,55
"Great

of

railway in

French

the

East, 160
always encouraged scientific

research, 349
not

tions
willing to give recommendato
railway
Bagdad

project,
on

Assassin,"Abdul

Great

Britain

with

Ottoman

Government, 155

160

Turks, 159

attitude toward
wish

does not

to know

fear of protectorateover
by Teutonic powers,

163

Cemetery, 96
Great Chimu, 497

Galambocz,24

"Great

Schism," 325

Galata, 65
Galatz, 31

Great

214

one

Wall

Greeks,business

the, 437

of the oldest accounts

48

of

274

location of, 447

in

Water,

Sweet

China,483
Greece,people of, in ancient days,

Great

motoring

Turkey
162

Great

Idea," 332

Eden,

truth

tion
willingto give recommendato Bagdad railwayproject,

"Great

of

the

Turkey, 211

about

not

friars,262
Francis I, of France, 155
Frankish States,328
Fra Oderic of Pordenone, 39

Coast,

Bagdad railway,

attitude toward

163

friendly terms

the Gold

and

250

Franciscan

Garden

Hamid,

159

Near
has

12
Schonbrunn,

Godefroy de

160
fate

way,
rail-

Golden

357

France,

Bagdad

465

Glorietta of

Medicine,"105

Feringees,319
Figueroa,Don

Fra

for

417
Ghazzali,
ruins
Girgenti,
of,475
281
Gisdhubar,
29
Giurgero,
Gladstone,
William,64

96

Fourth

in

power

East,155
158

Glaser,
E,

Fatihah,first chapter of

of world

gets concession

309
Eutychianism,

Euxine

521

of

tion
crea-

462
discovered,
298
Gargar, valleyof,
Genghis Kahn, 113
to build Bagdad
Germans, determined
166
railway unaided,

abilityof, 271

Gregorians, 310
Gregory

of

Nyssa,

369

360
Grotefend,Georg Friederich,

Hadj,

annual
244

pilgrimageto Mecca,

INDEX

522

98

Ibrahim, 117

Hainburg, 14
Halicarnasus,
Halil

Janos, 20

Pasha, military hospital, Hunyady

Haidar

Konia, 122, 151

Iconium, now
Iconoclasts,doctrine of, 102
Ida, 87
Iliad and
Odyssey, 81.

217

Halid, the Anatolian,210

Frere

Hamme,

Lieven

de, 263

Hammurabi, Code of, 345

Hanging gardens of Babylon, 282,

Illock,20
.

494

Imam,
Iman

Hannibal, 94
Haran, cityof, 293
Harem, explanation of,

Imperial
and

ing,
mean-

of

the

astery
Mon-

Sinai,331

Commission, for regulation

33
of traffic,
lo,priestessof Hera at Argos, 45
Ionia,104

International

Hazret, Mevlana, 175

Hebron, 275
Hedja railroad,267
Hellespont, the Thacian, 77

Irene, Empress,
Iron gate, 26

Heraelius,194, 281
Herbert, Thomas, 358
Hergenroether,Cardinal,229
Herodotus, 281, 347, 488
Hieron, cityof,46
Higden, Ralph, the Benedictine,449
Hillah,villageof,349, 471
Hincks, Edward, 362
Hipparchus of Nicaea,105, 502
Hippocrates, 105
Hippodrome, in Constantinople,58
Hissarlik,hill of, 86
able
Hittites,language of undecipher-

102

of Babylon, 499
Irrigation,

Isaac, 295
Ishtar gate, 494
Islam, creed of, 227

policyof,116
eign
opposed to influence of forlaw
or
theology,
science,

liberal
not

243

past and present, 220

"the lay religionpar excellence
Island

of

Achilles,36

Ismid, 100
Italy, recent

campaigns in Tripoli,

250

Egj^t
Jacobites,309

Babylonia,275

nian
ArmeHogarth, David G., on
question,208
Holy City of Jerusalem, 187
Holy DirectingSynod, 331
Homer, 36, 81
Hommel, F., 465
Howling Dervishes,96
Hudibras, 450
Huet, Pierre Daniel,460
Hugo, Victor,on the Danube, 5
Hulagu Khan, 426
the

"

233

yet, 276

great empire with

and

Independent Church
Indicopleustes,450

Harnack, Professor, 338

Harpies, 44
Harum-al-Rashid, 46, 417

third

nople,
Constanti-

of

Museum

of Mount

126

as

of, 397

273

126-129

Haremlik,

the, 236
Dura, town

Jacob, Patriarch, 284

Janissaries,corps of,114

Jappa,

Gate

Jason, 44
Jebel Hamrin,
Jebel
Jebel

of

Jerusalem,262

389

Makhul, 389
Sinjar,300

Jelal-ed-din-Rumi, tomb
Jenghiz Khan, 216
Jerablus, 278
Jerusalem, 263

of, 172

524

INDEX

Marmora, Sea of, 77

Maronites,313
Marquise de Pompadour, 110
Marracci, Padre Lodovico,221, 226
Mar
Shimum, Lord Simon, 306
Mar
Yohannan, 308
Mausolus, King of Caria, tomb of,
184

Monogamy, 125
Monophysitism, 309
Monotheism, preached by

med,
Moham-

230

Montague, Lady Mary

Turkish

the

Wortley,

women,

Mopsuestia,cityof, 197,
law

Moslems,

on

181
199

allowed

177
story-teller,
Medes, the,345

to
by
erect tombstones, 259
characteristics of, 134
creed of the, 227
forbidden tobacco, 178
great use of coffee,179
of a deeply religiousnature, 221

Mehemet

orthodox,

Mayo, M., 453

McGahan, Januarius A, 27, 28
Mecca, hadj, or annual
pilgrimage
to, 224
Medak,

or

Ali, 189

Melchites,310
Merodach, temple of, 490
Mesopotamia, 283
Metz, Gautier de, 449
Mevlana, tomb of, 172
Meyer, Professor Wilhelm,
Michael

not

like

the

vishes,
der-

173

piety and

devotion

of,124

237

prayers,

regard paintings and

impious, 175
361

Cerularius,325

Prellos,326
Midas, King of Phrygia, 184
Moawiah, Saracen, 61
accomplishments of,
Mohammed,
Michael

230

his followers, 224

and

do

not

women,

their

statues

as

place in things,129

Mosques, the, 234

Mosul, 298, 299, 303
Mount
Athas, community of, 331
Mummius, 217
Murad^ II, Sultan, 108
Muslin, derivation of the word, 298
Mustansiriyah College,417

of, 227

creed

notions

erroneous

concerning,224

preaches monotheism,
of

reformation

by,

his

230

countrymen

229

Nabonnassar, era of, 501

Nabopolassar, 345
Nahr
Belikh, 293

Napoleon,

78

ficationNazienzus, St. Gregory, 71

Mohammedanism, campaign of viliEast
Near
question, modified by
against,225
the
Bagdad railway, 151
changelessin doctrine,242
Nebuchadnezzar
in relation to, 247
II, 281, 397, 490
Christianity
365
has a reverence
for our
Saviour, Nehi Yunus,
249
Nejef, sacred shrine of,444
much
admire
to respect and
in, Nestor, 201
270
Nestorianism,297, 305
nople,
not on the wane,
240
Nestorius,Patriarch of Constanti305
"the lay religionpar excellence,"
233
Nibelungenlied,11
238
Nicaea,101
theologianscomment
on,
Mohammed
II, Sultan,57, 68, 108, Nicene Creed, 102

311,
Mohammed

321

V, Sultan,125

Nicomedia,

101

Niebuhr, Carsten,349, 358, 480

INDEX
98
Nightingale,
Florence,

Palmyra,217

Nimrod, 284
Nimrod's

a force
Pan-Islamism,

tower, 478

must

Nimroud, general aspect of,376

ruins

625

greater

of, 376

strengthening
of,268
57
Parthenon,

by Asur, 345
early historyof, 345
"Niobe of nations,"310
Nippur, ruins of, 364
Nisibis,
289, 296
Nitocris,
Queen, 488

Parthian

Passau,7
Patriarch
the

417
Nizamiyah College,
351
deluge,

head
Alexandria,

Antiochenus

362

Perez,Father,403

Pergamus,kingdom of, 185

201
Peripatetics,

Weeping," 298
Obbanes,281

356
Persepolis,

CEcumenical

councils,102

CEcumenical

330
Patriarchs,

Persian Gulf,466
Persian Kings of the Achsmeuian

dynasty,356
417

Opis,400

Persian

satraps, 310

Persian

445
shiites,

school of the,290
Persians,
Oppert, head of French expedition
Pescennius Niger, 194
to Mesopotamia,482
the
of

Peter

Dignitas Ecclesiarum

Pope

Orkhan, second

Leo

XIII,

ruler

340

of the Osman-

95
lis,
of Osman, 107
son
Orthodox churches,320

Osman,

of

founder

the

Osmanli

dynasty, 107

Osmanlis,characteristics of, 133

great sin, one
than

of omission

rather

women,

49

PsBstum, ruins of, 475

Pagans, 304
Palace

of the Star, 49

Paleologus,Theodore, 114
Palgrave,on Mohammedanism,

Great,331
Table,"298
"Peuteringian
Peter the Venerable,Abbot
of
252
Cluny, 232,
Petervarad,20
Phanar, the Vatican of the Ortho.
dox church,330
love of one's race, 330
Philetism,
Photius,71, 323
Phrygian language,171
Pietro della Valle,263

commission, 219

tolerance to, 150

plea for more
Oshoene, kingdom of, 284
Ottoman

Maroni-

305
Paulinists,
Paul-Simon,
Father,403

of

Orientalium

of

Copts,312

tarum, 314

of, 462

Olympus, 90
Omar
Khayyam,

of

Patriarchus

305
Novatians,

"Oak

Kings,491

297
Parthians,

Noachian

Norris,Edwin,

than

the

built

land

with,243

missionary force

ever, 244

Nineveh,341-369

Nod,

which Christianity

reckon

241

Pillars of Hercules, 325

Pinches,T. F., 462

Plague, in Bagdad, 431
201
Platonists,
the Divine," 172
"Plato
Pliny the Younger, 94
Polygamy, 125
Pontus
Axenus, 39
of
Pool
Abraham, 291
Porter, Robert Ker, 480

526

INDEX

Potsdam, meeting at, in 1910

Czar and Kaiser, 164
Poverello of Assisi,142
Pozsony, 18

of

Prceclara,335

Prayer, of the Moslems, 237

Priam, cityof, 88
of the Melchites,
Primate
313
Princes Islands,99
Prophet Daniel, 375
Prophet Jonas, mound
of, 352
Prophet Zephaniah, 345
Psametik, King of Egypt, 171
Cilician Gates, 188
or
Pylce Cilicice,
Fylce-Tauri, gate of Taurus, 189

"Queen of the East," 194

Royal Art Gallery of Dresden, 3

"Royal Road," 121, 253
Rum

Russia, attitude toward the Bagdad

railway,160
campaigns in the Transcaucasia,
250

waives

of, across
Mesopotamia, 152
Rameses
II, the greatest of the
Pharaohs, 274
Ramsay, Lady, 129
Sir W.

M.,

129

of San Sisto,3
Raphael's Madonna
ud Din, 413
Rashid
Rassam, Ormuzd, 351
Ratisbon, city of, 3
Rawlinson, Sir Henry, 361, 411
Rebecca,294

Reign of

in France, 212

Terror

Rhazes,

Mussulman

Bhenus

Superbus,

Rhine,

river,11

Richard

CoBur

physician,416

Armenian
Nihilist,
inspiredby,
Russians, 28

tionists
revolu206

Safia,the Venetian, 110

of Alexandria,335
St. Athanasius
St. Augustine,228
340
St. Basil's liturgy,
St. Bernard, 299
St. Cyril,Patriarch
of Alexandria,

James, 349, 480

St. Jerome, 232, 299

St. John

of

St. John

of Damascus,

St. John

of

333

231

Jerusalem, Knights of,

217

St.

Mary of Kanobin, 314

St. Paul,171,189
life and career
of, 202-205
of Alcantara, 406

Prosper

St.

of

Aquitaine,216

Stylites,257

Stephen, cathedral

of, 12

St. Theodore

of Studium, 339
Theresa,247
St. Thomas, church of, in Malabar,
St.

314

St. Vincent

60

builders of

Chrysostom,

St. Thecla, 172

Malabar," 314
Robinson, Reverend
Paschal,141
Roman
Empire, 324
road

Dominic, Sons of,341

Ephrem, 290
St. Francis,Sons of, 142
St. George and the dragon, 24
St. Gregory Mazienzen, 333
St. Gregory the Illuminator,
310
St.

St. Simeon

Lion, 10

of

RoBwf^ova,

St.

St. Peter

Ricouard, Marie, 404

Rio de Janiero, 66

Romans,

way,
Bagdad rail-

Russian

St.

de

Rich, Claudius

"Rite

in

315

construction

Ramsay,

all share
164

Rachel,294
Railway,

Millet, 318

de Paul, 247

antiquity, Sainte-Th6r^se,Father

254

Roumania, 26
Roxalana, the Muscovite,109

404

Saladin,Sultan, 223
of, 393
birthplace

Bernard

de,

INDEX
Salmanassar

I, 376
II, black

Salmanassar

Sisters of St. Francis from

obelisk of '

200

Salmanassar

527

III, 386

381
Sammuramat, or Semiramis,
87
Samothraee,
San

Marco, Cathedral of,58

San Stephano,treaty of, 63
Santa Sophia,church of,53
Sapor I, 297

"

Skobeleff,
General,28
Smith,George,351
Sobieski,
John, 13
Solyman the Magnificent,
108
Solyman Pasha,78
Sons of St.
Sons of St.

Dominic,303
142
Francis,

Sanusiyahs,
the,246

Sappho, 105

Stamboul,48
Stanley,Dean,
201
Stoics,

Saracens,317
203
Sardanapalus,

Sargan II, 386

Sarzec, M. Ernest de, 363
Satyrs,476
Saulcy,M. de, 362

Schneider,Siegmund, German

Lens

292

Stone

of Nebi

337

Yunus, 352

Strabo,201
Suez Canal,153
neer,
engi-

166

the,445
Sunnites,
Syrians,
the,272

Syrian Uniates,310

George, 328
Scholarios,
School

of

Edessa, 297
Persians,"290
Schrader,Eberhard, 363
Second
Council of Lyons in 1274,
of the

"School

Tabriz,cityof,41
Tallyrand,34
Tarsus,190, 202
once

the center
and

327

of Greek

Selamlik,127
Seleucia,cityof,491

Tartars,306
Taurus Mountains, 183
Tekrit,392

305
Seleucia-Ctesiphon,

Telloh,city of, 364

See

325
Constantinople,

of

the, 316
Seleucids,
Nicator,491
Seleucus,the Chaldean
Seleucus

503

thought

knowledge,201

Temple of Fame, 6
Tenedos, 87
Ten
Thousand
Greeks,the,171
astronomer,
Terrestrial Paradise,dispute as to,

447
I, Sultan,108, 117
of Leo XII," 335
"Testament
Seljuk Sultans of Rum, 172
Teufelsmauer,Devil's Wall, 9
Semiramis, 381
Teutonic
Powers, 162
family and connections of,386
the
of
"Semiramis
North," the, Thadd^e, Father, 403

Selim

61

Sennacherib,375
Septimus Severus,14, 194, 297
Serbians,against the Turks, 148
Serpent Column from Delphi,59
Seven Sleepers,legend of the,197
Shamsi-Adad

Simeon,
"Siren

380

of, 256
the Nile,"205
Charity,247

castle

of

Sister of

V,

Thapsacus, 281
Thare, 294
"The

Great

River"

of the Jews, 282

Theodora, daughter of Cautacuzenos, 114

Theodora, Empress, 102

Theodosius II, Emperor,
Round
City," 411
"The
Terrible Turk," 148
"The
Th^venot, Jean de, 391

257

INDEX

528
"Thirty pieces

of

silver,"295

Via

Thracian

Hellespont, 77
Tiglath-Pileser I, King

of

Assyria,

386

293,

Tigris,the,278
Timok
River, 27
Timur, 113, 216
Tobacco, use
of,

not

Trade

forbidden

lems,
Mos-

by

the,

32

von

154

von

Babil

of

mound

the

Koran, 225
Bieberstein,Baron Marschall, 158
on

von

Babel,

von

Hammer-Purgstall,
Moltke, 156
Pressel, Wilhelm,

479

304

German

neer,
engi-

166

of the Near

routes

River,

339

Voltaire,269

Tomi, 37
Tonietti, Sig. A.,
of

Vienna, 13
Villamil, Emeterio, 453
Violet, M. H., 399
Vladimir, King of Russia,
Volga

178

Tower

Sacra, of Babylon, 497

East,

253

von

Siemens,

Dr.

George,

156

298

Trajan, Emperor,
Trampe, Herr, 168
Treaty of San Stephano,

Wahabis,
63

War,
Troubadours, the, 222
Troy, glory of, immortal, 93
plain of, 88
"Turk," applied by Osmanlis
referring to a brutal man,
Turks, propaganda
of the

treatment

Turkey,

Great

against,

Wiseman
when
112

123

131

women,

out
cannot, with-

Powers

trouble, treat,
nation, 213
Tyre, city of, 217

as

179

Wallaehians, 114
Whirling dervishes,173
"White
City" of Serbia, 21
Whitman, Sidney, on the Turks,

319

Trojan

the,

Wo

Wolf

of

Lag
of

Paradies,

466

Capitol

the

in

Rome,

59

bronze,
Worship, freedom
the

of,

allowed

by

145

Turks,

pariah
Xenocrates,
Xenophon,

97

46, 189, 281

Xerxes, 59, 77,

Copts, 313
Uniates, 308
Urban
VIII, Pope,

369

Westminster,

das

147

83

Uniate

Urf a, 284
the
"Uriah
Ur

of the

Yashmak,
404

Hittite,"275
Chaldees,

294

Bozanti, 188
della,357,
Valle,
da Gama,
Vasco
73, 264
58
Venice,

Vale

women,

of

Pietro

478

veil

worn

by

Moslem

128

Zab, the,388
Zenobia, "Queen of the East,"
Zeno, Emperor, 201, 297
Zeus, 45, 91
Zikr ul Aawaze, 376
Zobeide, tomb
of, 440
Zoroaster, religionof, 256
(1)

194