The Bible in Spain

Chapter 82

_Oulem_ is the Arab "_Olam_. The following lines are the first poem in the _Targum_, a collection of translations by Borrow from thirty languages, printed at St. Petersburg in 1835:-

"Reigned the universe"s Master, ere were earthly things begun: When his mandate all created Ruler was the name he won; And alone he"ll rule tremendous when all things are past and gone, He no equal has, nor consort, he, the singular and lone, Has no end and no beginning; his the sceptre, might and throne.

He"s my G.o.d and living Saviour, rock to whom in need I run; He"s my banner and my refuge, fount of weal when called upon; In his hand I place my spirit at nightfall and rise of sun, And therewith my body also; G.o.d"s my G.o.d-I fear no one."

{348} In 1684, on the familiar official plea of "economy."

{349} "Good morning, O my lord."

{351} "There is no G.o.d but one."

{354} "Buy here, buy here."

{357a} This youth followed Borrow to England, where he was introduced to Mr. Petulengro as a _pal_, but rejected by him as "no Roman." See _The Zincali_, Preface to Second Edition.

{357b} "Hail, Mary, full of grace, pray for me."

{357c} "Remove the faithless race from the borders of the believers, that we may gladly pay due praises to Christ."

{359} This has been already alluded to as regards Southern Spain.

{360} Algiers.

{361} Essence of white flowers. The Arabic _attar_ = essence is well known in combination as _otto_ or _attar_ of roses. _Nuar_ is a form of _Nawar_ = flowers.

{362} This was still market-day in 1892.

{364} Nowhere has the destruction of locusts been undertaken in a more systematic manner, or carried to greater perfection than in the island of Cyprus, where a special tax is levied by the British Government to defray the expenses of what is called "the war." The system is the invention of a Cypriote gentleman, Mr. Mattei.

{365} More commonly known as the p.r.i.c.kly pear (_Opuntia vulgaris_).

{367a} The house of the trades [Borrow], or rather "of the handicrafts."

{367b} Seash.o.r.e. See the Glossary.

{372} Friday.

{375} The etymology of Granada is doubtful. Before the invasion of Spain by the Arabs, a small town of Phnician origin, known as Karnattah, existed near Illiberis (Elvira), and probably on the site of the more modern city of Granada. The syllable _Kar_ would, in Phnician, signify "a town." The meaning of _nattah_ is unknown (Gayangos, i. 347; Casiri, _Bib. Ar. Hisp. Esc._, ii. 251; Conde, _Hist. Dom._, i. pp. 3751). The supposition that the city owes its name to its resemblance to a ripe pomegranate (_granada_) is clearly inadmissible. As in the case of Leon, the device was adopted in consequence of its appropriateness to an existing name-although the modern city of Granada is probably not older than 1020. The Arabic word, moreover, for a pomegranate is _roman_; and Soto de Roma, the name of the Duke of Wellington"s estate in Andalusia, means "the wood of the pomegranates;" and an _ensalada romana_ is not a Roman, but a pomegranate salad (see Pedaza, _Hist. Eccl. de Granada_ [1618], fol. 21, 22; Romey, _Hist._, i. 474, 475).-Burke"s _Hist. of Spain_, vol. i. p. 116.

{376a} The most powerful, or the most respected, man in Tangier. Power and respect are usually enjoyed by the same individual in the East.

{376b} "It does not signify."

{378} See note, vol. i. p. 240.

{382} "Algerine, Moor so keen, No drink wine, No taste swine."

{383a} "That is not lawful."

{383b} "Everything is lawful."

{383c} "Hail, star of the sea, benign Mother of G.o.d, and for ever virgin, blessed gate of heaven."

{395} Andalusian for _ciego_.

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