thrice divorced from my bed: but if thou hast not courage to meet me in the field, mayest thou again receive _thy_ wives after they have thrice endured the embraces of a stranger.” 30 Any violation by word or deed of the secrecy of the harem is an unpardonable offence among the Turkish nations; 31 and the political quarrel of the two monarchs was imbittered by private and personal resentment. Yet in his first expedition, Timour was satisfied with the siege and destruction of Siwas or Sebaste, a strong city on the borders of Anatolia; and he revenged the indiscretion of the Ottoman, on a garrison of four thousand Armenians, who were buried alive for the brave and faithful discharge of their duty. 311 As a Mussulman, he seemed to respect the pious occupation of Bajazet, who was still engaged in the blockade of Constantinople; and after this salutary lesson, the Mogul conqueror checked his pursuit, and turned aside to the invasion of Syria and Egypt. In these transactions, the Ottoman prince, by the Orientals, and even by Timour, is styled the _Kaissar of Roum_, the Cæsar of the Romans; a title which, by a small anticipation, might be given to a monarch who possessed the provinces, and threatened the city, of the successors of Constantine. 32 27 (return) [ See the Institutions, p. 141, to the end of the 1st book, and Sherefeddin, (l. v. c. 1—16,) to the entrance of Timour into Syria.] 28 (return) [ We have three copies of these hostile epistles in the Institutions, (p. 147,) in Sherefeddin, (l. v. c. 14,) and in Arabshah, (tom. ii. c. 19 p. 183—201;) which agree with each other in the spirit and substance rather than in the style. It is probable, that they have been translated, with various latitude, from the Turkish original into the Arabic and Persian tongues. * Note: Von Hammer considers the letter which Gibbon inserted in the text to be spurious. On the various copies of these letters, see his note, p 116.—M.] 29 (return) [ The Mogul emir distinguishes himself and his countrymen by the name of _Turks_, and stigmatizes the race and nation of Bajazet with the less honorable epithet of _Turkmans_. Yet I do not understand how the Ottomans could be descended from a Turkman sailor; those inland shepherds were so remote from the sea, and all maritime affairs. * Note: Price translated the word pilot or boatman.—M.]