the emperors, one after the other confiding it to a single engineer at a time, not even the worst being so foolish or so treacherous as to let the secret escape.
In the spring of 673 the Saracenic fleet set sail for the Dardanelles, and passing without opposition through these straits, found themselves before Constantinople. They were strong enough entirely to surround the three sides of the city which face the sea. With the fleet was Caleon, bravest of the Saracens, and Yezid, son of the caliph. But courage was a thing cheaply valued by the fanatic Moslems. What gave them hopes was the presence among them of three old men, the last surviving companions of the Prophet, who had gone safely through all the fighting, and were now among the faithful to animate them, to promise them the joys of heaven, and to recall to their minds a prophecy that whoever was happy enough to fall in the taking of Constantinople, to that sinner should be remitted in full the whole sum of his sins, however many. No doubt there were many among these warriors who felt that, what with the plunder of towns and the madness of victory, the sum of sins to be remitted was sufficiently great. One of them, Abu Eyub, died during the siege, and was buried near the walls: his tomb is still an object of veneration to the Moslems.
The first year's attack lasted for five months. The Saracens lost a large number of ships and men by the Greek fire, which astonished them beyond measure. By means of its use they were probably prevented from coming to close quarters in such numbers as could have
