The father of the great Jaafar was Yahya the Barmekide, the friend and
vizier of Harun Ar-Raschid. From this family Ibn Khallikan claimed
descent. Yahya was "highly distinguished for wisdom, nobleness of mind,
and elegance of language." One of his sayings was this: "Three things
indicate the degree of intelligence possessed by him who does them: the
bestowing of gifts, the drawing up of letters, and the acting as
ambassador."
Another: "Spend when Fortune turns toward you, for her bounty cannot
then be exhausted; spend when she turns away, for she will not remain
with you."
He said also, very comfortingly: "The sincere intention of doing a good
action and a legitimate excuse for not doing it are equivalent to its
accomplishment."
He died in 805, after long imprisonment by the illustrious khalif whose
pleasure it had been to address him always as "My father."
Such was Jaafar's parent. One of the greatest men in the whole work is
Jaafar himself, called Jaafar the Barmekide, also vizier to Harun
Ar-Raschid. Of his somewhat sardonic shrewdness this is a good example.
Having learned that Ar-Raschid was much depressed in consequence of a
Jewish astrologer having predicted to him that he would die within a
year, he interviewed the Jew, who had been detained as a prisoner by the
khalif's orders.
Jaafar addressed him in these terms: "You pretend that the khalif is to
die in the space of so many days?"
"Yes," said the Jew.
"And how long are you yourself to live?" said Jaafar.
"So many years," replied the other, mentioning a great number.
Jaafar then said to the khalif: "Put him to death, and you will be thus
assured that he is equally mistaken respecting the length of your life
and that of his own."
This advice was followed by the khalif, who then thanked Jaafar for
having dispelled his sadness.
At the other extreme--though akin in sardonic humour--is this incident.
It is related that one day, at Jaafar's, a beetle flew towards Abu Obaid
the Thakefite, and that Jaafar ordered it to be driven away, when Abu
Obaid said: "Let it alone; it may perhaps bring me good luck; such is at
least the vulgar opinion."
Jaafar on this ordered one thousand dinars to be given him, saying: "The
vulgar opinion is confirmed."
The beetle was then set at liberty, but it flew towards Abu Obaid a
second time, and Jaafar ordered him another present of the same amount.
Such was the affection the khalif felt for Jaafar that he caused a robe
with two collars to be made which they could wear at the same time.
Fickle, however, are princes, and Jaafar's end came in the usual way,
through treachery. He was killed, by the khalif's orders, by Yasir.
Yasir having put Jaafar to death, carried in his head and placed it
before the khalif.
The khalif looked at the head for some time, and then ordered Yasir to
bring in two persons whom he named. When they came, he said to them:
"Strike off Yasir's head, for I cannot bear the sight of Jaafar's
murderer."