The Arabs had little political aptitude and no political experience, and this great empire with its capital now at Damascus, which stretched from Spain to China, was destined to break up very speedily.

• 阿拉伯人既没政治才能，也缺乏政治经验，此刻定都在大马士革的这个庞大帝国从西班牙一直延伸到中国，注定要迅速瓦解。