would not have been the reflecting, calculating, and shrewdly observant man he appears in history, if they had not impressed upon him the danger of inviting one foreign power in order to get rid of another, and taught him to rely on Arabs alone for the security of his country against foreign domination. He was wise enough to learn a lesson where many others remained uninstructed.

Galling as the tribes of Southern Arabia felt the yoke of Abyssinia, they did not summon enough patriotism and heroism to shake it off, but rather looked abroad for help. This they found in Persia; but thus they only passed from one foreign oppressor to another. Ibn Ishak interestingly narrates this change in the following words: 'When the oppression of the Himyarites had lasted a long time, the Himyarite Abu Murra Seif went to the Emperor of Byzanz, requesting him to drive the Abyssinians out of the country and to take possession of it in their stead. But as the Emperor did not listen to him, he departed, and applied to the Persian Governor of Hira, who accompanied him to the Persian court and presented him to Chosroes. The audience took place in the saloon where the king's golden crown, studded with hyacinths, smaragds, and pearls, was suspended from the cupola by a golden chain. As it was too heavy to be worn, the king only put his head into it, and every one who saw him for the first time had reverentially to prostrate himself before him. Accordingly Seif did the same, saying to the monarch, "O king, strangers have subdued our land, and I am come to seek thy help and to ask thee to take possession of it." Chosroes excused himself, on the ground that the country was far off and offered few advantages; and then presented Seif with the gift of 10,000 dirhems and a beautiful garment. After having quitted the king's presence, Seif distributed the money amongst the people. When the king, who gathered from this that he must be of high rank, asked him for the reason of his conduct, he replied, "What should I do with this money? The mountains of the land from which I come consist of gold and silver, for which reason it is so much coveted."

'Upon this Chosroes assembled his satraps to consult

them about Seif's request. One of them said: " O king, thy prisons contain many who are condemned to death whom thou mightest send with him. If they perish, thy will is accomplished; and if they conquer, thou hast gained another kingdom." Chosroes being persuaded, sent with him 800 men out of the prisons, and gave them an elderly man from one of the noblest families for a commander, whose name was Wehrez. They embarked in eight vessels, of which two were lost and six landed safely at Aden. There Seif collected from his countrymen as many as he could and brought them to Wehrez, saying, "My foot shall stand by thine, till we together conquer or die."

'Meanwhile Masruk also, the Abyssinian prince of Yemen, had collected his troops. Wehrez first sent his own son against him, in order to exercise him in the practice of war; but he was slain, and his death greatly increased the wrath of the Persians. When afterwards the two armies met in battlearray, Wehrez took up his bow, which was so strong that none but himself could bend it, and aimed at the Abyssinian commander. His arrow cleft the hyacinth worn by Masruk between his eyes and penetrated his head to the neck, so that he reeled and fell from his mule. Then the Persians made an impetuous attack, defeated the Abyssinians with great slaughter and dispersed them in every direction. On arriving before the city of Sana, Wehrez had the gate demolished; for he said, "My banner shall not enter bent but erect."'

'Thus the Persians occupied Yemen instead of the Abyssinians. On the death of Wehrez, Chosroes appointed his son Merzeban to succeed him; and his second successor was Badzan, who remained Governor of Yemen till the time of Mohammed. In those days Chosroes wrote to him: "I have heard that a Koreishite in Mecca pretends to be a prophet: go to him and tell him to desist; and if he does not comply, send me his head." Badzan forwarded Chosroes' letter to the Apostle of God who sent him the following reply: "God has sent me the assurance that in such and such a month and on such and such a day Chosroes will be slain." Badzan, on receiving this letter, waited to see what would happen, thinking, if he is a prophet, then what he has foretold will come to pass. God actually slew Chosroes by the hand of his son Shiruweih