"سرد لإقامة في كردستان وفي موقع نينوى القديمة؛ مع مذكرات رحلة إلى بغداد عبر نهر دجلة ووصف زيارة إلى شيراز وبرسبوليس." [‎١‎٠‎٨] (٤٥٠/١٣٩)

108
RUINS OF HATHA.
[CH. XVII.
I have tried in vain to bring about an expedition
to the ruins of Hatra*, or A1 Hadhr, which are
affecting details of which are so powerfully described by Gibbon
in the " Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," vol. ix., p. 343
346. Yezid had been acknowledged Caliph in most parts of
the Arabian empire, except at Mecca and Medina, where the
family of Ali disputed the succession with bim. Yezid died in the
year of the Hejira 64, a.d . 683. He is described as cruel, avari
cious, and irreligious, but as a man of some genius, and a poet.
According to D'Herbelot, the Mahometans still call a man who is
without religion, Yezid, and he quotes the following anecdote :
" It is said that the famous Persian poet Jami was of this class;
and one day a man of the name of Mezid having walked into the
midst of a large assembly at the poet's house, for the express pur
pose of insulting him, cried out with a loud voice, " May the
curse of God rest upon Yezid! " Jami, who immediately un
derstood that these words referred to him, answered in the same
tone of voice," May that curse ftill on Mezid." The point in
this repartee consists in this, that the words "on Mezid" mean
likewise <c More and more.'
* Hatra appears to have been a strong fortress, or castle, of an
Arab chief, called by the ancient writers Barsuma. He and his
family seem to have taken part with the Parthian sovereigns
against the Romans. This fortress resisted the attacks of Tra
jan and Sevcrus; and it is mentioned by Ammianus Marcel-
linus in his history of the retreat of the army of the Emperor Jo
vian after the death of Julian. See U'Anville, L'Euphrate ct le
Tigre, vol. i. 4to, p. 92. The following is a further account of this
place by INI. de St. Croix" La situation de cette ville seroit pour
nous un probleme si 1'on adoptoit 1'opinion errone'e d'Herodien qui
confond les Atreniens avec les Atramites, anciens habitans d'm-
dramaut. D'aillcurs, on voit que 1'armJe Romaine, apres la mort
de Julien, ayant passe 1c Tigre, s'approcha a grandes jouriiecs
d'Aires, situee an milieu des deserts. Properantesque itinenbus
magnis, prope Hatram venimus, vetus oppidum in Mediae schtiuhne
positum. (Amm. Marcel, lib. xxv. cap. 8.) Hc'rodien nous re-
presente Atres comme etant situee sur une moutagne entouree de
fortes murailles et defendu par uu grand nombre d ai chcrs. (Lib. i