chronicle of the conquest of granada-第97章

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rust　forth；　blind；　helpless；　and　destitute；　upon　the　world。　　In　this　wretched　condition　the　late　Moorish　monarch　groped　his　way　through　the　regions　of　Tingitania　until　he　reached　the　city　of　Velez　de　la　Gomera。　　The　emir　of　Velez　had　formerly　been　his　ally；　and　felt　some　movement　of　compassion　at　his　present　altered　and　abject　state。　　He　gave　him　food　and　raiment　and　suffered　him　to　remain　unmolested　in　his　dominions。　　Death；　which　so　often　hurries　off　the　prosperous　and　happy　from　the　midst　of　untasted　pleasures；　spares；　on　the　other　hand；　the　miserable　to　drain　the　last　drop　of　his　cup　of　bitterness。　　El　Zagal　dragged　out　a　wretched　existence　of　many　years　in　the　city　of　Velez。　　He　wandered　about　blind　and　disconsolate；　an　object　of　mingled　scorn　and　pity；　and　bearing　above　his　raiment　a　parchment　on　which　was　written　in　Arabic；　〃This　is　the　unfortunate　king　of　Andalusia。〃*

*Marmol；　De　Rebelione　Maur。；　lib。　1；　cap。　16；　Padraza；　Hist。　　Granad。；　part　3；　c。　4；　Suarez；　Hist。　Obisp。　de　Guadix　y　Baza；　　cap。　10。



CHAPTER　XC。

PREPARATIONS　OF　GRANADA　FOR　A　DESPERATE　DEFENCE。


How　is　thy　strength　departed；　O　Granada！　how　is　thy　beauty　withered　and　despoiled；　O　city　of　groves　and　fountains！　　The　commerce　that　once　thronged　thy　streets　is　at　an　end；　the　merchant　no　longer　hastens　to　thy　gates　with　the　luxuries　of　foreign　lands。　　The　cities　which　once　paid　thee　tribute　are　wrested　from　thy　sway；　the　chivalry　which　filled　thy　Vivarrambla　with　sumptuous　pageantry　have　fallen　in　many　battles。　　The　Alhambra　still　rears　its　ruddy　towers　from　the　midst　of　groves；　but　melancholy　reigns　in　its　marble　halls；　and　the　monarch　looks　down　from　his　lofty　balconies　upon　a　naked　waste　where　once　extended　the　blooming　glories　of　the　Vega！

Such　is　the　lament　of　the　Moorish　writers　over　the　lamentable　state　of　Granada；　now　a　mere　phantom　of　former　greatness。　　The　two　ravages　of　the　Vega；　following　so　closely　upon　each　other；　had　swept　off　all　the　produce　of　the　year；　and　the　husbandman　had　no　longer　the　heart　to　till　the　field；　seeing　the　ripening　harvest　only　brought　the　spoiler　to　his　door。

During　the　winter　season　Ferdinand　made　diligent　preparations　for　the　campaign　that　was　to　decide　the　fate　of　Granada。　　As　this　war　was　waged　purely　for　the　promotion　of　the　Christian　faith；　he　thought　it　meet　that　its　enemies　should　bear　the　expenses。　　He　levied；　therefore；　a　general　contribution　upon　the　Jews　throughout　his　kingdom　by　synagogues　and　districts；　and　obliged　them　to　render　in　the　proceeds　at　the　city　of　Seville。*

*Garibay；　lib。　18；　c。　39。


On　the　11th　of　April；　Ferdinand　and　Isabella　departed　for　the　Moorish　frontier；　with　the　solemn　determination　to　lay　close　siege　to　Granada　and　never　quit　its　walls　until　they　had　planted　the　standard　of　the　faith　on　the　towers　of　the　Alhambra。　　Many　of　the　nobles　of　the　kingdom；　particularly　those　from　parts　remote　from　the　scene　of　action；　wearied　by　the　toils　of　war　and　foreseeing　that　this　would　be　a　tedious　siege；　requiring　patience　and　vigilance　rather　than　hardy　deeds　of　arms；　contented　themselves　with　sending　their　vassals；　while　they　stayed　at　home　to　attend　to　their　domains。　Many　cities　furnished　soldiers　at　their　cost；　and　the　king　took　the　field　with　an　army　of　forty　thousand　infantry　and　ten　thousand　horse。　　The　principal　captains　who　followed　him　in　this　campaign　were　Roderigo　Ponce　de　Leon；　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　the　master　of　Santiago；　the　marques　of　Villena；　the　counts　of　Tendilla；　Cifuentes；　Cabra；　and　Urena；　and　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar。

Queen　Isabella；　accompanied　by　her　son　the　prince　Juan　and　the　princesses　Juana；　Maria；　and　Cathalina；　her　daughters；　proceeded　to　Alcala　la　Real；　the　mountain…fortress　and　stronghold　of　the　count　de　Tendilla。　　Here　she　remained　to　forward　supplies　to　the　army；　and　to　be　ready　to　repair　to　the　camp　whenever　her　presence　might　be　required。

The　army　of　Ferdinand　poured　into　the　Vega　by　various　defiles　of　the　mountains；　and　on　the　23d　of　April　the　royal　tent　was　pitched　at　a　village　called　Los　Ojos　de　Huescar；　about　a　league　and　a　half　from　Granada。　　At　the　approach　of　this　formidable　force　the　harassed　inhabitants　turned　pale；　and　even　many　of　the　warriors　trembled；　for　they　felt　that　the　last　desperate　struggle　was　at　hand。

Boabdil　el　Chico　assembled　his　council　in　the　Alhambra；　from　the　windows　of　which　they　could　behold　the　Christian　squadrons　glistening　through　clouds　of　dust　as　they　poured　along　the　Vega。　The　utmost　confusion　and　consternation　reigned　in　the　council。　　Many　of　the　members；　terrified　with　the　horrors　impending　over　their　families；　advised　Boabdil　to　throw　himself　upon　the　generosity　of　the　Christian　monarch：　even　several　of　the　bravest　suggested　the　possibility　of　obtaining　honorable　terms。

The　wazir　of　the　city；　Abul　Casim　Abdel　Melic　was　called　upon　to　report　the　state　of　the　public　means　for　sustenance　and　defence。　There　were　sufficient　provisions；　he　said；　for　a　few　months'　supply；　independent　of　what　might　exist　in　the　possession　of　merchants　and　other　rich　inhabitants。　　〃But　of　what　avail；〃　said　he；　〃is　a　supply　for　a　few　months　against　the　sieges　of　the　Castilian　monarch；　which　are　interminable？〃

He　produced　also　the　lists　of　men　capable　of　bearing　arms。　　〃The　number；〃　said　he；　〃is　great；　but　what　can　be　expected　from　mere　citizen　soldiers？　　They　vaunt　and　menace　in　time　of　safety；　none　are　so　arrogant　when　the　enemy　is　at　a　distance；　but　when　the　din　of　war　thunders　at　the　gates　they　hide　themselves　in　terror。〃

When　Muza　heard　these　words　he　rose　with　generous　warmth。　〃What　reason　have　we；〃　said　he；　〃to　despair？　　The　blood　of　those　illustrious　Moors；　the　conquerors　of　Spain；　still　flows　in　our　veins。　Let　us　be　true　to　ourselves；　and　fortune　will　again　be　with　us。　We　have　a　veteran　force；　both　horse　and　foot；　the　flower　of　our　chivalry；　seasoned　in　war　and　scarred　in　a　thousand　battles。　　As　to　the　multitude　of　our　citizens；　spoken　of　so　slightly；　why　should　we　doubt　their　valor？　　There　are　twenty　thousand　young　men；　in　the　fire　of　youth；　whom　I　will　engage　that　in　the　defence　of　their　homes　they　will　rival　the　most　valiant　veterans。　　Do　we　want　provisions？　　Our　horses　are　fleet　and　our　horsemen　daring　in　the　foray。　　Let　them　scour　and　scourge　the　country　of　those　apostate　Moslems　who　have　surrendered　to　the　Christians。　　Let　them　make　inroads　into　the　lands　of　our　enemies。　　We　shall　soon　see　them　returning　with　cavalgadas　to　our　gates；　and　to　a　soldier　there　is　no　morsel　so　sweet　as　that　wrested　with　hard　fighting　from　the　foe。〃

Boabdil；　though　he　wanted　firm　and　durable　courage；　was　readily　excited　to　sudden　emotions　of　bravery。　　He　caught　a　glow　of　resolution　from　the　noble　ardor　of　Muza。　　〃Do　what　is　needful；〃　said　he　to　his　commanders；　〃into　your　hands　I　confide　the　common　safety。　You　are　the　protectors　of　the　kingdom；　and；　with　the　aid　of　Allah；　will　revenge　the　insults　of　our　religion；　the　deaths　of　our　friends　and　relations；　and　the　sorrows　and　sufferings　heaped　upon　our　land。〃*

*Conde。


To　every　one　was　now　assigned　his　separate　duty。　　The　wazir　had　charge　of　the　arms　and　provisions　and　the　enrolling　of　the　people。　Muza　was　to　command　the　cavalry；　to　defend　the　gates；　and　to　take　the　lead　in　all　sallies　and　skirmishings。　　Naim　Reduan　and　Muhammed　Aben　Zayde　were　his　adjutants。　　Abdel　Kerim　Zegri　and　the　other　captains　were　to　guard　the　walls；　and　the　alcaydes　of　the　Alcazaba　and　of　the　Red　Towers　had　command　of　the　fortresses。

Nothing　now　was　heard　but　the　din　of　arms　and　the　bustle　of　preparation。　　The　Moorish　spirit；　quick　to　catch　fire；　was　immediately　in　a　flame；　and　the　populace　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment　set　at　naught　the　power　of　the　Christians。　　Muza　was　in　all　parts　of　the　city；　infusing　his　own　generous　zeal　into　the　bosoms　of　the　soldiery。　The　young　cavaliers　rallied　round　him　as　their　model；　the　veteran　warriors　regarded　him　with　a　soldier's　admiration；　the　vulgar　throng　followed　him　with　shouts；　and　the　helpless　part　of　the　inhabitants；　the　old　men　and　the　women；　hailed　him　with　blessings　as　their　protector。

On　the　first　appearance　of　the　Christian　army　the　principal　gates　of　the　city　had　been　closed　and　secured　with　bars　and　bolts　and　heavy　chains：　Muza　now　ordered