volume one

HISTOET or THE CRUSADES. 425
when lie felt more assured of his victory and confident of his
power. Two days were devoted by the Mussulmans to re-
turning thanks to Heaven for the victory with which it had
blessed their arms ;
and then Saladin gave his attention to all
the advantages that might be obtained from it. As soon as
he became master of the citadel of Tiberias, he sent the wife
of Raymond to Tripoli ;
and was, with his army, very shortly
under the ramparts of Ptolemais. This city, full of merchants,
and which, at a later period, sustained the attacks of
the most powerful armies of the Yfest, during three years,
did not stand out two days against Saladin. The inhabitants
had liberty to retire with their most valuable property ; and
the churches were converted into mosques, in which thanks
were offered up to I\Laliomet for the triumphs obtained over
the Christian soldiers.
The terror which preceded his arm}' opened to Saladin t e
gates of Naplouse, Jericho, Eamla, and a great number of
other cities which were left almost without inhabitants. The
cities of Csesarea, Arsuf, Jaffa, and Berouth shared the fate
of Ptolemais ; the yeUow standards of Saladin floated over
their walls. On the sea-coast, the cities of Tyre, Tripoli,
and Ascalon still remained in the hands of the Christians.
Saladin attacked Tyre without success, and determined to
wait for a more favourable opportunity to renew the siege.
Ascalon presented itself to him as a conquest of much greater
importance, as it would assure his communication with
Egypt. This city was besieged by the Mussulmans, but it
resisted, at first, with more firmness than Saladin had expected.
AYhen a breach was effected, the sultan proposed
peace ;
but the inhabitants, with whom despair supplied the
place of courage, sent back his messengers without granting
them a hearing. The king of Jerusalem, whom Saladin led
with him in triumph, then entreated the defenders of Ascalon
not to compromise the safety of their families and the
Cliristians of the city by a useless defence. After this
appeal, the principal among them came to the tent of the
sultan: "It is not for ourselves," said they, " that we are
coriie to implore mercy, but for our wives and children. Of
what importance is a perishable life to us r AVe look for a
more solid blessing, and that death alone can procure us.
Q-od alone, th'e master of all events, has allowed you to