Futuhusham_-_The_Islamic_Conquest_of_Syria_-_Al_Waqidi

Futuhushdm
Patrician: Call him to have a dialogue, then when he is alone grab his throat and call
out to men whom you had arranged to lay in ambush.
Warden : I can never reach him because firstly, he is a powerful, stem warrior;
secondly, I cannot (bring myself to) speak to him; (thirdly), I will never be able to
catch him.
Patrician: Do not worry, I will tell you of a plan which if you implement you will
reach him without harm. Hide ten top warriors and then call him for talks. Sit with
him near the ambush. Engross him in dialogue until he is completely at ease with
you, then attack him. Call the others to help finish him off and then you will be
relieved of his troubles. His men will automatically scatter until not even two will be
seen together.
Warden was most delighted with this scheme and said, "Let us accomplish this work
before morning ends."
He called a Christian Syrian from Him~ called David and said, "I know you to be an
extremely eloquent orator who is capable of proving the way of salvation and
disproving the enemy. I want you to go to the 'Arabs and ask them to put off the
battle until tomorrow. In addition, their commander should come to us at the crack of
dawn so that I can personally negotiate peace with him. Possibly we can achieve
peace, whatever money they want we will give them."
David: Alas, Caesar has sent you to fight the 'Arabs, but you make peace with them.
The world will brand you as a frightened coward. Never until Judgement Day will I
enter into peace negotiations with them, for then Caesar will execute me.
Warden: No, shame on you! This is my plan to get their commander so that I can kill
him, resulting in their dispersion and massacre.
Then he explained the whole conspiracy to him.
David: 0 wrongdoer, conspiracy always ends in humiliation. It is better that you
fight like a man with your army and abandon this scheme.
Warden (angry) : I am not asking for your opinion. I am ordering you to give my
message. Do not oppose me.
David: Very well.
He left still opposing the plot in his heart and said to himself, "He speaks as if he
wants to join his dead son." He paused near the Muslim camp and shouted, "0
104