Abdallah Ebn Kort, who was present in all the
wars in Syria, says that he never saw so hard a battle as that which was
fought on that day at Yermouk; and though the generals fought most
desperately, yet after all they would have been beaten if the fight had
not been renewed by the women. Caulah, Derar's sister, being wounded,
fell down; but Opheirah revenged her quarrel and struck off the man's
head that did it. Upon Opheirah asking her how she did, she answered,
"Very well with God, but a dying woman." However, she proved to be
mistaken, for in the evening she was able to walk about as if nothing
had happened, and to look after the wounded men.
In the night the Greeks had another calamity added to their misfortune
of losing the victory in the day. It was drawn upon them by their own
inhuman barbarity. There was at Yermouk a gentleman of a very ample
fortune, who had removed thither from Hems for the sake of the sweet
salubrity of its air. When Mahan's army came to Yermouk this gentleman
used to entertain the officers and treat them nobly. To requite him for
his courtesy, while they were this day revelling at his house, they bade
him bring out his wife to them, and upon his refusing they took her by
force and abused her all night, and to aggravate their barbarity they
seized his little son and cut his head off.
Pages:
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530