[414] For a description of the shameless demoralisation that prevailed, especially among the youth of Damascus and Baghdad, I must refer to the learned and elaborate work of H. von Kremer, Culturgeschichte des Orients unter dem Chalifen.
[415] One of the wives was a captive maiden from Yemen, who, having, as his bond-maid, borne him a son and daughter, became, ipso facto, free. No mention is made of other slave-girls in his harem; but this affords no presumption that he did not consort with such; for no account is made of servile concubines, and they are rarely or never mentioned, unless they chanced to bear offspring.
It was his daughter from whom the tradition is derived that he had no special weakness for the sex, and married chiefly for the sake of issue.
[416] In the tradition both the maidens are spoken of as Omm Kolthûm; but that must have been by anticipation, since they were so called as having sons of that name.
[417] On one occasion Hind repaired to Syria and warned Muâvia against giving money to his father, Abu Sofiân, who was in need, lest he should incur the reproach of Omar and the people; and Muâvia accordingly sent him away with only one hundred dinars. But tradition, through Abbasside channels, begins now to take so strong and bitter a tinge of hatred against the Omeyyad family, that tales regarding it must be received with caution.
[418] By some authorities he was now sixty-three; but this was a favourite age with traditionists, being that at which the Prophet died (supra, p. 119). He was born before the ‘Sacrilegious War,’ which lasted ten years, A.D. 580–590 (Life of Mahomet, p. 14); but his birth was probably at the end of the last great battle, which terminated that war. This would make him twenty-six at his conversion, and fifty-five at his death. If born at the commencement of the war, he would now be ten years older. The true date may lie between the two extremes; and it is not unlikely that he was near sixty years of age at his death.
[419] Moghîra, when recently appointed to Kûfa, may have left him at Medîna; or, more likely, he may have accompanied his master from Kûfa to the Hejâz, it being the season of pilgrimage when the governors presented themselves.
[420] The following story is told even by the earliest authorities:—Káb (the converted Jewish doctor, of whom mention has been made already) came to the Caliph and said, ‘Omar, thou hast but three days to live.’ ‘Strange,’ said Omar, ‘for I feel quite well and strong.’ ‘Nevertheless,’ continued Káb, ‘thus and thus I find it foretold in the Towrât.’ Next day he came again, and told Omar he had but two days left. After he was struck down, Káb came to visit him, and Omar said, on this occasion, to those about him,—‘Káb spake the truth,’ adding this couplet—
Káb warned me that in three days I should die; in the prophecy of Káb there is no doubt;
I fear not death; and verily I am dying; but the fear of the wolf followeth in its wake.