the tongues of Barbary, the Algarabia,* and others. Lions, panthers, and zebras, in great cages of iron, with camels and civet cats, were among the objects transported into Spain by Zeiri Ben Atia, as were also dates of very rare kinds, such as those of Azarfan, with nuts as large as great goblets. He had in his company three hundred cavaliers of his family and kindred, with a train of three hundred esquires all carefully selected for that honour. When Muhamad Almanzor was made acquainted with the approach of Zeiri Ben Atia, he prepared for him a very pompous reception, and lodged him in the Alcazar of the Hagib Giafar. King Hixem received him with much distinction, granting him honours and immunities of the most distinguished favour. The Hagib Muhamad had commanded that the title of Vizier Quibir should be conferred on the guest, and all seemed proceeding most amicably. Yet in the midst of all these compliments and delicate exchanges of courtesy, there grew up offence and enmity between Almanzor and Ben Atia, who could indeed not fail to see each other with unfriendly eyes, since it was not in the nature of things that two men so great and so proud could live in contact with any hope of union. No long time had elapsed, therefore, before Zeiri Ben Atia requested permission from the King Hixem El Muyad Billah to return to Africa, whence he had received notices which caused him to hasten his departure. The king dismissed him to his Amilia accordingly, and, at parting, the Hagib Almanzor required him to renew those compacts of homage for the states of Magreb to which Ben Atia had previously agreed, as also for whatever else he had acquired in those provinces. When Zeiri Ben Atia had crossed the sea and landed in the territory of Tangier, he laid his hand on his brow and said, "At length I comprehend for what reason Muhamad Almanzor invited me to Cordova;" and when, in the making of the Chotba, there were some who named him as the * A sort of mixed language spoken at the period in question in all the provinces of Spain-a kind of Lingua Franca. The word has become obsolete, but may still be heard occasionally. It now means "jargon."-TR. Vizier Quibir, which was the title given to him in the capital, he exclaimed, "Not Vizier! by Allah, not Vizier! but Ameer, and Son of Ameer:" nor did he take pains to conceal that he had returned malcontent with the Hagib, but declared openly that his voyage had proved Muhamad Almanzor to be unlike what fame had reported of him. During the absence of Zeiri in Spain, affairs in Africa had not remained as he had left them. The Ameer Jadoc Ben Jali El Yaferini had invaded his territories with a powerful army, had entered Fez by surprise, and, although opposed by those of the Andalusian Quarter, had forced the gates of that Barrio, and during the moon Dylcada, in the year 382, had obtained possession of the whole city. With this fact Zeiri Ben Atia was made acquainted on his landing in Tangiers, and he forthwith prepared to march against the invader. Many battles were then fought between them, with varying fortune, for Jadoc Ben Jali was an able general, as well as a brave man; he was, besides, incited by the desire to avenge his father's death, and his troops, who were of the Cabilas of Yafur, were exceedingly valiant and well inured to war. Zeiri prevailed in the end, nevertheless he defeated the forces of Jador, and meeting himself in the mêlée, he slew him and cut off his head, which he sent to the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor, who was then at Cordova, at the commencement of the year 382. After this victory, Zeiri Ben Atia remained the undisputed master of almost all Magreb, and feared nobody. : In the year 382, and at nightfall of Thursday the third day of the moon Xaval, a poetical tournament or controversy was held in the Academy of Humanities, which, as we have said, was accustomed to assemble in the house of the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor; and on that occasion many excellent compositions in verse were read, to the great satisfaction of the hearers. The subject of some among these productions was the eulogy of King Hixem El Muyad Billah, and of his Hagib Muhamad Almanzor,-those most applauded being the works of the Secretary Ahmed Ben Derag El Casteli, and those of the Vizier Alchatib, Abdelmelic Ben Edris of Algezira, who was called Abu Meruan. There likewise appeared on that occasion the renowned poet, Muhamad Ben Elisai, a man greatly favoured by Almanzor, and who had in his house a garden of rose-trees which yielded roses in every month of the year; these he sent to the Hagib as a tribute, with many subtle conceits and elegant compliments. The General Jali Ben Ahmed Ben Jali was accustomed to offer a similar act of courtesy to Almanzor; and on one occasion the flowers he sent were accompanied by the following verses :— "When from my garden fair I send thee roses Her steps hath quickened. "No," they quick reply, The grateful multitude, "still hold their pace, The circling seasons, and this miracle That wakes our wonder, scarce should cause us marvel. Another of those who distinguished themselves in that assembly was the learned Ibrahim Ben Muhamad El Axarafi, so called from the place of his birth, seeing that he was born in the Axarafe, on the heights of the Senorio in Seville. He was Alchatib, or preacher, of the Aljama in his native place, but had been invited to Cordova by the Hagib Almanzor. His excellence as a preacher was equal to his ability as a poet. With these eminent men came also Ismael Ben Abderahman, a very learned Cordovan, who had been long in Egypt, but now lived in his native city, where he had fixed his dwelling in the neighbourhood of the Cadi Abulabas Ben Dekuen. The prize given by the Hagib Muhamad to the successful competitors in these trials of poetical skill, was one hundred gold doubloons, which he had distributed at given times from the first establishment of the academy. He furthermore caused a collection to be made of such poems as he considered to be of merit. In the numerous campaigns and expeditions made by the Hagib, it was his custom to take with him two or three of these active spirits, and those men were wont to compose their verses beneath the shade of the warlike pavilion, describing the battles delivered, and the various circumstances of each conquest, in graceful song. Thus, to Gallicia and the siege of Santyac, Muhamad Almanzor took Aben Derag and Abdelmelic El Harizi, poets who emulated each other in the fulness of thought, facility of expression, and elegant polish of their verse. There was even one occasion wherein El Harizi, on the very night succeeding a great battle, had presented himself to the Hagib with his completed composition, and Almanzor, turning to Aben Derag, enquired of him-" And thou, Aben Derag, couldst thou do the same ?" whereupon, between that hour and the dawn of morning, the latter also produced a description of the battle, with that of the march which had preceded it, the country through which the army had passed, and the spot whereon the combat had taken place, every incident, in short,—even to the most minute; a task which he accomplished to the admiration of all who understood the matter, and who exclaimed in their gladness, "We need not yield to any people when good poets are the question, for, with only our Harizi and Aben Derag, we may safely compete with Habib and Motenabi." Another distinguished member of this Academy, and one greatly favoured by the Hagib Almanzor, was Ibrahim Ben Edris El Olui Alhasani El Munios, called Mûbal. He produced an admirable composition in eulogy of Ben Hudheil Aben Razia, the lord of certain fortresses in the East, which were called the Santamaria of Aben Razia, who was a particular friend of Muhamad Almanzor. About this time one of the most brilliant spirits in Spain, Casim Ben Mohamad El Meruani namely, known as El Xibenisi, from the name of his country, had been detained some time in prison by the Cadilcoda; whereupon, becoming wearied of that long detention, Casim wrote a supplication to the Hagib Muhamad, and this being composed in verses of much elegance, did in effect procure him the desired deliverance. CHAP. C.-OF THE INCURSION MADE BY ALMANZOR ON THE TERRITORIES OF GALLICIA, AND THE CAPTIVITY OF THE KING GARCIA. In the first opening of the spring of the year 384, the Hagib Almanzor assembled his banners of Andalusia, Merida, and Toledo, and departed with a mighty host of cavalry for the frontiers of Gallicia. He defeated the Christian troops opposing his passage, destroyed the fortresses of the Infidels, and burnt their churches; to say nothing of the large spoils which he took from their towns, and the vast number of the captives whom he bore away, young men and maidens alike. Having gained the Marismas or marshy plains of Gallicia and Bortecala, Muhamad Almanzor attacked the church of Santyac, which he burnt; but the Christians had themselves despoiled that temple of its riches, and for this the Hagib destroyed the neighbouring city, commanding, moreover, that the bells of the church, which the Infidels had not removed, should be taken to Cordova. He then returned to the capital, which he entered in triumph, preceded by four thousand captives-youths and damsels. The day was one of great festivity in the city of Cordova; and the bells which Almanzor had brought with him were given by him to the Aljama, where they were assigned a place in the court of the building. At the Easter of the Victims in this year, the Toleic Maron Ben Abderahman was set at liberty, having been in prison sixteen years, according to the sentence pronounced on him for the slaying of his father, as before related. This event was celebrated in numerous verses by the poets of Andalusia; among others, by Nafe Ben Riadhi, of Algezira, and Abderahman Ben Xablac El Hadrami, of Seville, a competitor, in the elegance of his metre, with the renowned Abu Amar Jusuf Ben Harun El Ramedi. This erudite and ingenious Xablac, whom some call Xibrac, is the author who relates of himself the following circumstance as having taken place when he was very old, and he lived, in effect, to a very great age, departing from life but a short time before the accession of the Beni Hamud. He tells us, then, that being in a dream, he beheld himself seated in a Macbora, or cemetery, of very great beauty,-rich in flowers, and shaded by trees of abundant leaf and very green, beneath which El Xablac thought he was laid, amidst bright and odoriferous blossoms. In that cemetery was a sepulchre surrounded by closely planted cypresses and myrtles, amidst which reposed a large company, who were drinking and making much noise, as they reclined on the delicate flowers |