It is said that, when the Caliphate devolved on Omar bin Abd al-Aziz (of whom Allah accept), the poets resorted to him, as they had been used to resort to the Caliphs before him, and abode at his door days and days, but he suffered them not to enter, till there came to him 'Adí bin Artah, who stood high in esteem with him. Jarír accosted him and begged him to crave admission for them to the presence; so Adi answered, " 'Tis well;" and, going in to Omar, said to him, "The poets are at your door and have been there days and days; yet have you not given them leave to enter, albeit their sayings abide and their arrows from mark never fly wide." Omar, said, "What have I to do with the poets?" and Adi, said, "O Commander of the Faithful, the Prophet (Abhak!) was praised by a poet and gave him largesse, and in him is an exemplar to every Moslem." Omar, said, "And who praised him?" and Adi, said, "'Abbás bin Mirdás praised him, and

The Caliph And The Poets. 31 he clad him with a suit and said, O Generosity, cut off from me his tongue!" Asked the Caliph, "Do you remember what he said?" and Adi answered, "Yes." Rejoined Omar, "Then repeat it;" so Adi repeated,

"I saw you, O you best of human race, Bring out a Book which brought to graceless Grace. You showedst righteous road to men astray From Right, when darkest Wrong had ta'en its place; You with Islám did light the gloomiest way, Quenching with proof live coals of frowardness; I own for Prophet mine Mohammed's self; And man's award upon his word we base; You made straight the path that crooked ran, Where in old days foul growth o'ergrew its face. Exalt be you in Joy's empyrean And Allah's glory ever grow apace.

"And indeed" (continued Adi), "this Elegy on the Prophet (Abhak!) is well known and to comment it would be tedious." Omar, said, "Who is at the door?" and Adi, said, "Among them is Omar ibn Abi Rabí'ah, the Korashí"; whereupon the Caliph cried, "May Allah show him no favour neither quicken him! Was it not he who said these verses,

Would Heaven what day Death shall visit me I smell as your droppings and drippings' smell! Could I in my clay bed on Salmi lie There to me were better than Heaven or Hell!'

"Had he not been" (continued the Caliph) "the enemy of Allah, he had wished for her in this world, so he might after repent and return to righteous dealing. By God, he shall not come in to me! Who is at the door other than he?" Adi, said, "Jamíl bin Ma'mar al-Uzri is at the door;" and Omar, said," 'Tis he who says in one of his elegies,

'Would Heaven conjoint we lived, and if I die Death only grant me a grave within her grave: For I'd no longer deign to live my life If told upon her head is laid the pave.' "

Omar, said, "Away with him from me! Who is at the door?" and Adi, said, "Kuthayyir 'Azzah"; whereupon Omar cried, " 'Tis he who says in one of his odes,

'Some talk of faith and creed and nothing else And wait for pains of Hell in prayer seat; But did they hear what I from Azzah heard, They'd make prostration, fear full at her feet.'

"Leave the mention of him. Who is at the door?" Adi, said, "Al-Ahwas al-'Ansárí." Omar cried, "Allah Almighty put him away and estrange him from His mercy! Is it not he who said, berhyming on a Medinite's slave girl, so she might outlive her lord,

'Allah be judge betwixt me and her lord! Who ever flies with her and I pursue.'

"He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other than he?" Adi replied, "Hammám bin Ghálib al-Farazdak;" and Omar said, "'Tis he who says, glorying in whoring,

'Two girls let me down eighty fathoms deep, As low sweeps a falcon wi' pinions spread; And cried, as my toes touched the ground, 'Do live To return, or the fall has it done you dead?'

"He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other than he?" Adi replied,

The Caliph And The Poets. 33

"Al-Akhtal al-Taghlibí" and Omar said, "He is the Miscreant who says in his singing,

'Ramazan I never fasted in life time; nay I ate flesh in public at undurn day; Nor chide I the fair, save in way of love, Nor seek Meccah's plain in salvation way: Nor stand I praying like rest who cry 'Hie salvationwards' at the dawn's first ray. But I drink her cooled by fresh Northern breeze And my head at dawn to her prone I lay.'

"By God, he treads no carpet of mine! Who is at the door, other than he?" Adi said, "Jarír ibn al-Khatafah"; and Omar cried, "'Tis he who says,

But for ill spying glances had our eyes espied Eyne of the antelope and ring lets of the Reems. A Huntress of the eyes by night tide came and I Cried, 'Turn in peace, no time for visit this, meseems!'

"If it must be and no help, admit Jarir." So Adi went forth and admitted Jarir, who entered, saying,

"Yea, he who sent Mohammed unto man, A just successor for Imám assigned.

His ruth and justice all mankind embrace, To daunt the bad and stablish well designed. truly now I look to present good, For man has ever transient weal in mind."

Omar, said, "O Jarir, keep the fear of Allah before yours eyes and say nothing save the truth." And Jarir recited these couplets,

"How many widows loose the hair in far Yamámah land How many an orphan there abides feeble of voice and eye, Since faredst you who wart to them instead of father lost When they like nested fledglings were sans power to creep or fly! And now we hope, since brake the clouds their word and troth with us, Hope from the Caliph's grace to gain a rain that never shall dry."

When the Caliph heard this, he said, "By God, O Jarir, Omar possesses but an hundred dirhams. Ho, boy! Do you give them to him." Moreover, he gifted him with the ornaments of his sword; and Jarir went forth to the other poets, who asked him, "What is behind you?" and he answered, "A man who gives to the poor and denies the poets, and with him I am well pleased."