Atthedarkesthourofthenight，hescaledthemostaccessibleheight，whichhehaddiligentlysurveyed，aplacewherethestoneswerelessentire，ortheslopelessperpendicular，ortheguardlessvigilant。SevenofthestoutestSaracensmountedoneachother\'sshoulders，andtheweightofthecolumnwassustainedonthebroadandsinewybackofthegiganticslave。
Theforemostinthispainfulascentcouldgraspandclimbthelowestpartofthebattlements；theysilentlystabbedandcastdownthesentinels；andthethirtybrethren，repeatingapiousejaculation，\"OapostleofGod，helpanddeliverus!\"weresuccessivelydrawnupbythelongfoldsoftheirturbans。Withboldandcautiousfootsteps，Damesexploredthepalaceofthegovernor，whocelebrated，inriotousmerriment，thefestivalofhisdeliverance。Fromthence，returningtohiscompanions，heassaultedontheinsidetheentranceofthecastle。Theyoverpoweredtheguard，unboltedthegate，letdownthedrawbridge，anddefendedthenarrowpass，tillthearrivalofCaled，withthedawnofday，relievedtheirdangerandassuredtheirconquest。Youkinna，aformidablefoe，becameanactiveandusefulproselyte；andthegeneraloftheSaracensexpressedhisregardforthemosthumblemerit，bydetainingthearmyatAleppotillDameswascuredofhishonorablewounds。ThecapitalofSyriawasstillcoveredbythecastleofAazazandtheironbridgeoftheOrontes。Afterthelossofthoseimportantposts，andthedefeatofthelastoftheRomanarmies，theluxuryofAntioch^86trembledandobeyed。Hersafetywasransomedwiththreehundredthousandpiecesofgold；butthethroneofthesuccessorsofAlexander，theseatoftheRomangovernmentoftheEast，whichhadbeendecoratedbyCaesarwiththetitlesoffree，andholy，andinviolatewasdegradedundertheyokeofthecaliphstothesecondaryrankofaprovincialtown。^87
[Footnote85:ThePersianhistorianofTimurtom。iii。l。v。c。
21，p。300describesthecastleofAleppoasfoundedonarockonehundredcubitsinheight；aproof，saystheFrenchtranslator，thathehadnevervisitedtheplace。Itisnowinthemidstofthecity，ofnostrengthwithasinglegate；thecircuitisabout500or600paces，andtheditchhalffullofstagnantwater，VoyagesdeTavernier，tom。i。p。149Pocock，vol。ii。parti。p。150。ThefortressesoftheEastarecontemptibletoaEuropeaneye。]
[Footnote86:ThedateoftheconquestofAntiochbytheArabsisofsomeimportance。BycomparingtheyearsoftheworldinthechronographyofTheophaneswiththeyearsoftheHegirainthehistoryofElmacin，weshalldetermine，thatitwastakenbetweenJanuary23dandSeptember1stoftheyearofChrist638，Pagi，Critica，inBaron。Annal。tom。ii。p。812，813。AlWakidiOckley，vol。i。p。314assignsthateventtoTuesday，August21st，aninconsistentdate；sinceEasterfellthatyearonApril5th，the21stofAugustmusthavebeenaFriday，seetheTablesoftheArtdeVerifierlesDates。]