And ruining Cities, shaken from their seat,
Crush'd all their habitants.
His other arm was rais'd, and its spread palm
Up-bore the ocean-weight,
Whose naked waters arch'd the sanctuary,
Sole prop and pillar he.
Fallen on the ground, around his feet,
The Sorcerers lay. Mohareb's quivering arms
Clung to the Idol's knees ;
The Idol's face was pale,
And calm in terror he beheld
The approach of the Destroyer*
270
Sure of his stroke, and therefore in pursuit
Following", nor blind, nor hasty, on his foe,
Mov'd the Destroyer. Okba met his way,
Of all that brotherhood
He only fearless, miserable man,
The one that had no hope.
" On me, on me," the childless Sorcerer cried,
" Let fall the weapon ! I am he who stole
Upon the midnight of thy Father's tent;
This is the hand that pierced Hodeirah's heart,
That felt thy brethren's and thy sister's blood
Gush round the dagger-hilt. Let fall on me
The fated sword ! the vengeance-hour is come !
Destroyer, do thy work !"
Nor wile, nor weapon, had the desperate wretch,
He spread his bosom to the stroke.
" Old man, I strike thee not !" said Thalaba;
u The evil thou hast done to me and mine
Brought its own bitter punishment.
For thy dear Daughter's sake, I pardon thee,
As I do hope Heaven's pardon. — For her sake
Repent while time is yet !— thou hast my prayers
271
To aid thee ; thou poor sinner, cast thyself
Upon the goodness of offended God!
I speak in Laila's name ; and what if now
Thou canst not think to join in Paradise
Her spotless Spirit, — hath not Allah made
Al-Araf in his wisdom ? where the sight
Of Heaven shall kindle in the penitent
The strong and purifying fire of hope,
Till, at the day of judgment, he shall see
The Mercy-Gates unfold."
The astonish'd man stood gazing as he spake,
At length his heart was soften'd, and the tears
Gush'd, and he sobb'd aloud.
Then suddenly was heard
The all-beholding Prophet's divine voice,
" Thou hast done well, my Servant !
Ask and receive thy reward !"
A deep and awful joy
Seem'd to distend the heart of Thalaba ;
With arms in reverence crost upon his breast,
Upseeking eyes suffus'd with transport-tears,
He answered to the Voice, u Prophet of God,
272
Holy, and good, and bountiful !
One only earthly wish have I, to work
Thy will, and thy protection grants me that.
Look on this Sorcerer ! heavy are his crimes,
But infinite is mercy ! if thy servant
Have now found favour in the sight of God,
Let him be touch'd with penitence, and save
His soul from utter death."
« The groans of penitence," replied the Voice,
" Never arise unheard !
But, for thyself, prefer the prayer ;
The Treasure-house of Heaven
Is open to thy will."
« Prophet of God !" then answered Thalaba,
" I am alone on earth.
Thou knowest the secret wishes of my heart !
Do with me as thou wilt! thy will is best."
There issued forth no Voice to answer him ;
But lo ! Hodeirah's Spirit comes to see
His vengeance, and beside him, a pure form
Of roseate light, the Angel mother hangs.
273
" My Child, my dear, my glorious— blessed— Child,
My promise is perform'd — fulfil thy work !"
Thalaba knew that his death-hour was come,
And on he leapt, and springing up,
Into the Idol's heart,
Hilt-deep he drove the Sword.
The Ocean- Vault fell in, and all were crush'd.
In the same moment, at the gate
Of Paradise, Oneiza's Houri form
Welcom'd her husband to eternal bliss.
NOTES TO BOOK XII.
A rebel Afreet lay.— P, 264.
One of these evil Genii is thus described in the
Bahar Danush : On his entrance, he beheld a black
demon heaped on the ground like a mountain, with
two large horns upon his head, and a long probo-
scis, fast asleep In his head the Divine Creator
had joined the likenesses of the elephant and the
wild bull. His teeth grew out as the tusks of a
boar, and all over his monstrous carcase hung shag-
gy hairs, like those of the bear. The eye of mortal-
bom was dimmed at his appearance, and the mind,
at his horrible form, and frightful figure, was con-
founded.
He was an Afreet, created from mouth to foot by the
wrath of God.
His hair like a bear's, his teeth like a boar's. Ne
one ever beheld such a monster.
VOL. II. 27
276
Crook-backed, and crabbed-faced ; be might be scent-
ed at the distance of a thousand fersungs.
His nostrils were like the ovens of brick-burners, and
his mouth resembled the vat of a dyer.
When his breath came forth, from its vehemence
the dust rose up as in a whirlwind, so as to leave
a chasm in the earth ; and when he drew it in,
chaff, sand, and pebbles, from the distance of some
yards, were attracted to his nostrils.— Bahar Da-
nush.
Al-Arafin his wisdom ? frc— P. 271.
Araf is a place between the Paradise and the
Hell of the Mahommedans ; some deem it a veil
of separation, some a strong wall. Others hold it
to be a Purgatory, in which those believers will
remain, whose good and evil works have been so
«qual, that they were neither virtuous enough to
enter Paradise, nor guilty enough to be condemned
to the fire of Hell. From thence they see the glory
of the blessed, and are near enough to congratulate
them ; but their ardent desire to partake the same
happiness, becomes a great pain. At length, at
the day of judgment, when all men before they are
judged, shall be cited to render homage to their
Creator, those who are here confined, shall pros-
trate themselves before the face of the Lord, in
adoration ; and by this act of religion, which shall
277
be accounted a merit, the number of their good
works will exceed their evil ones, and they will
enter into glory.
Saadi says, that Araf appears a Hell to the hap-
py, and a Paradise to the damned. — D'Herbelot.
THE END.
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