Theconflictofzealandpersecutionrekindledsomesparksoftheirnationalspirit。Theyabjured，withaforeignheresy，themannersandlanguageoftheGreeks:everyMelchite，intheireyes，wasastranger，everyJacobiteacitizen；theallianceofmarriage，theofficesofhumanity，werecondemnedasadeadlysinthenativesrenouncedallallegiancetotheemperor；andhisorders，atadistancefromAlexandria，wereobeyedonlyunderthepressureofmilitaryforce。AgenerouseffortmighthaveedeemedthereligionandlibertyofEgypt，andhersixhundredmonasteriesmighthavepouredforththeirmyriadsofholywarriors，forwhomdeathshouldhavenoterrors，sincelifehadnocomfortordelight。Butexperiencehasprovedthedistinctionofactiveandpassivecourage；thefanaticwhoendureswithoutagroanthetortureoftherackorthestake，wouldtrembleandflybeforethefaceofanarmedenemy。ThepusillanimoustemperoftheEgyptianscouldonlyhopeforachangeofmasters；thearmsofChosroesdepopulatedtheland，yetunderhisreigntheJacobitesenjoyedashortandprecariousrespite。ThevictoryofHeracliusrenewedandaggravatedthepersecution，andthepatriarchagainescapedfromAlexandriatothedesert。Inhisflight，Benjaminwasencouragedbyavoice，whichbadehimexpect，attheendoftenyears，theaidofaforeignnation，marked，liketheEgyptiansthemselves，withtheancientriteofcircumcision。Thecharacterofthesedeliverers，andthenatureofthedeliverance，willbehereafterexplained；andIshallstepovertheintervalofelevencenturiestoobservethepresentmiseryoftheJacobitesofEgypt。ThepopulouscityofCairoaffordsaresidence，orratherashelter，fortheirindigentpatriarch，andaremnantoftenbishops；fortymonasterieshavesurvivedtheinroadsoftheArabs；andtheprogressofservitudeandapostasyhasreducedtheCopticnationtothedespicablenumberoftwenty—fiveorthirtythousandfamilies；^148araceofilliteratebeggars，whoseonlyconsolationisderivedfromthesuperiorwretchednessoftheGreekpatriarchandhisdiminutivecongregation。^149
[Footnote148:ThisnumberistakenfromthecuriousRecherchessurlesEgyptiensetlesChinois，tom。ii。p。192，193，andappearsmoreprobablethanthe600，000ancient，or15，000modern，CoptsofGemelliCarreriCyrilLucar，theProtestantpatriarchofConstantinople，lamentsthatthosehereticsweretentimesmorenumerousthanhisorthodoxGreeks，ingeniouslyapplyingHomer，Iliad，ii。128，themostperfectexpressionofcontempt，Fabric。LuxEvangelii，740。]
[Footnote149:ThehistoryoftheCopts，theirreligion，manners，&c。，maybefoundintheAbbeRenaudot\'smotleywork，neitheratranslationnoranoriginal；theChroniconOrientaleofPeter，aJacobite；inthetwoversionsofAbrahamEcchellensis，Paris，1651；andJohnSimonAsseman，Venet。1729。Theseannalsdescendnolowerthanthexiiithcentury。ThemorerecentaccountsmustbesearchedforinthetravellersintoEgyptandtheNouveauxMemoiresdesMissionsduLevant。Inthelastcentury，JosephAbudacnus，anativeofCairo，publishedatOxford，inthirtypages，aslightHistoriaJacobitarum，147，postp。150]
VI。TheCopticpatriarch，arebeltotheCaesars，oraslavetothekhalifs，stillgloriedinthefilialobedienceofthekingsofNubiaandAethiopia。Herepaidtheirhomagebymagnifyingtheirgreatness；anditwasboldlyassertedthattheycouldbringintothefieldahundredthousandhorse，withanequalnumberofcamels；^150thattheirhandcouldpouroutorrestrainthewatersoftheNile；^151andthepeaceandplentyofEgyptwasobtained，eveninthisworld，bytheintercessionofthepatriarch。InexileatConstantinople，TheodosiusrecommendedtohispatronesstheconversionoftheblacknationsofNubia，fromthetropicofCancertotheconfinesofAbyssinia。
^152Herdesignwassuspectedandemulatedbythemoreorthodoxemperor。Therivalmissionaries，aMelchiteandaJacobite，embarkedatthesametime；buttheempress，fromamotiveofloveorfear，wasmoreeffectuallyobeyed；andtheCatholicpriestwasdetainedbythepresidentofThebais，whilethekingofNubiaandhiscourtwerehastilybaptizedinthefaithofDioscorus。ThetardyenvoyofJustinianwasreceivedanddismissedwithhonor: