344 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book I.

Beyrout, Ramla, Hebron, Bethlehem, Gaza, Daroum,Ascalon, and other towns, were only preparation forJerusalem. He however wished to leave it fulltime; and though he spoke severely, to try tofrighten the Franks, his real object was to reduceit to a quiet capitulation ; for it is the holiest ofcities, to Mahometans as well as Christians. Nordid he wish to defile it with blood: the less so,that it would seem like imitating the Giaours.Besides, there was, what he counted on more, thetreason of the unquiet Greek within it, and MelkiteChristians. 1 He expected much glory from taking thecity of God; and he would be the first since Omar,who took it from the Christians; that he and Omarwould be the only two that ever took it from theChristians—if on a Friday, 2 the greater the glorythrough all Islam; and that such lofty repute wouldbe a solid recompense. 3 “ From Gebail to Egyptnothing along the coast, or near it, remains to theChristians, but Tyre and Jerusalem,” wrote Saladin.“ So I’ll go and take the Holy City; and -when itpleaseth the great God, well go to Tyre ! ” 4 Andon the 21st of September he left the sea for the

1 Michaud: Hist., ii. 286. 2 Arab. Chron., 204.

3 Ibn-Alatir: 59.—Michaud: Hist., ii. 283, 288.

4 Arab. Chron., 204.