silencehimquickly，lesthekindletumultanddiscordinthecity。Ifhepersevere，weshalldrawourswordsagainsthimandhisadherents，andthouwiltberesponsibleforthebloodofthyfellow—citizens。\"TheweightandmoderationofAbuTalebeludedtheviolenceofreligiousfaction；themosthelplessortimidofthedisciplesretiredtoAethiopia，andtheprophetwithdrewhimselftovariousplacesofstrengthinthetownandcountry。
Ashewasstillsupportedbyhisfamily，therestofthetribeofKoreishengagedthemselvestorenounceallintercoursewiththechildrenofHashem，neithertobuynorsell，neithertomarrynottogiveinmarriage，buttopursuethemwithimplacableenmity，tilltheyshoulddeliverthepersonofMahomettothejusticeofthegods。ThedecreewassuspendedintheCaababeforetheeyesofthenation；themessengersoftheKoreishpursuedtheMussulmanexilesintheheartofAfrica:theybesiegedtheprophetandhismostfaithfulfollowers，interceptedtheirwater，andinflamedtheirmutualanimositybytheretaliationofinjuriesandinsults。AdoubtfultrucerestoredtheappearancesofconcordtillthedeathofAbuTalebabandonedMahomettothepowerofhisenemies，atthemomentwhenhewasdeprivedofhisdomesticcomfortsbythelossofhisfaithfulandgenerousCadijah。AbuSophian，thechiefofthebranchofOmmiyah，succeededtotheprincipalityoftherepublicofMecca。A
zealousvotaryoftheidols，amortalfoeofthelineofHashem，heconvenedanassemblyoftheKoreishitesandtheirallies，todecidethefateoftheapostle。Hisimprisonmentmightprovokethedespairofhisenthusiasm；andtheexileofaneloquentandpopularfanaticwoulddiffusethemischiefthroughtheprovincesofArabia。Hisdeathwasresolved；andtheyagreedthataswordfromeachtribeshouldbeburiedinhisheart，todividetheguiltofhisblood，andbafflethevengeanceoftheHashemites。
Anangeloraspyrevealedtheirconspiracy；andflightwastheonlyresourceofMahomet。^117Atthedeadofnight，accompaniedbyhisfriendAbubeker，hesilentlyescapedfromhishouse:theassassinswatchedatthedoor；buttheyweredeceivedbythefigureofAli，whoreposedonthebed，andwascoveredwiththegreenvestmentoftheapostle。TheKoreishrespectedthepietyoftheheroicyouth；butsomeversesofAli，whicharestillextant，exhibitaninterestingpictureofhisanxiety，histenderness，andhisreligiousconfidence。ThreedaysMahometandhiscompanionwereconcealedinthecaveofThor，atthedistanceofaleaguefromMecca；andinthecloseofeachevening，theyreceivedfromthesonanddaughterofAbubekerasecretsupplyofintelligenceandfood。ThediligenceoftheKoreishexploredeveryhauntintheneighborhoodofthecity:theyarrivedattheentranceofthecavern；buttheprovidentialdeceitofaspider\'swebandapigeon\'snestissupposedtoconvincethemthattheplacewassolitaryandinviolate。\"Weareonlytwo，\"saidthetremblingAbubeker。\"Thereisathird，\"repliedtheprophet；\"itisGodhimself。\"Nosoonerwasthepursuitabatedthanthetwofugitivesissuedfromtherock，andmountedtheircamels:ontheroadtoMedina，theywereovertakenbytheemissariesoftheKoreish；theyredeemedthemselveswithprayersandpromisesfromtheirhands。Inthiseventfulmoment，thelanceofanArabmighthavechangedthehistoryoftheworld。TheflightoftheprophetfromMeccatoMedinahasfixedthememorableaeraoftheHegira，^118which，attheendoftwelvecenturies，stilldiscriminatesthelunaryearsoftheMahometannations。^119
[Footnote116:InthetimeofJob，thecrimeofimpietywaspunishedbytheArabianmagistrate，c。21，v。26，27，28。I