[Footnote 24: Literally, "Kings ought to be endowed with judgment and
discretion; no advantage can arise from impetuosity and rage." Gúdarz
was one of the greatest generals of Persia, he conquered Judea, and took
Jerusalem under the reign of Lohurásp, of the first dynasty of Persia,
and sustained many wars against Afrásiyáb under the Kings of the second
dynasty. He was the father of Gíw, who is also celebrated for his valor
in the following reigns. The opinion of this venerable and distinguished
warrior appears to have had considerable weight and influence with
Káús.]
[Footnote 25: Káús, in acknowledging the violence Of his disposition,
uses a singular phrase: "When you departed in anger, Champion! I
repented; ashes fell into my mouth." A similar metaphor is used in
Hindústaní: If a person falls under the displeasure of his friend, he
says, "Ashes have fallen into my meat": meaning, that his happiness is
gone.]
[Footnote 26: This is one of Firdusi's favorite similes.
"My heart became as slender as the new moon."]
[Footnote 27: The beautiful arbors referred to in the text are often
included within the walls of Eastern palaces. They are fancifully fitted
up, and supplied with reservoirs, fountains, and flower-trees. These
romantic garden-pavilions are called Kiosks in Turkey, and are generally
situated upon an eminence near a running stream.]
[Footnote 28: Milton alludes to this custom in Paradise Lost:
Where the gorgeous east with richest hand
Showers on her Kings barbaric pearl and gold.
In the note on this passage by Warburton, it is said to have been an
eastern ceremony, at the coronation of their Kings, to powder them with
gold-dust and seed-pearl. The expression in Firdusi is, "he showered or
scattered gems." It was usual at festivals, and the custom still exists,
to throw money amongst the people. In Háfiz, the term used is nisar,
which is of the same import. Clarke, in the second volume of his
Travels, speaks of the four principal Sultanas of the Seraglio at
Constantinople being powdered with diamonds:
"Long spangled robes, open in front, with pantaloons embroidered in
gold and silver, and covered by a profusion of pearls and precious
stones, displayed their persons to great advantage. Their hair hung in
loose and very thick tresses on each side of their cheeks, falling
quite down to the waist, and covering their shoulders behind. Those
tresses were quite powdered with diamonds, not displayed according to
any studied arrangement, but as if carelessly scattered, by handfuls,
among their flowing locks."
--Vol. ii. p. 14.]
[Footnote 29: In his descriptions of battle-array, Firdusi seldom omits
"golden slippers," which, however, I have not preserved in this place.]
[Footnote 30: The original is Sandur[=u]s, sandaraca; for which I have
substituted amber, Sandur[=u]s is the Arabic name for Gum Juniper.]
[Footnote 31: The banners were adorned with the figure of an elephant,
to denote his royal descent.]
[Footnote 32: The text says that he was also the son-in-law of Rustem.]
[Footnote 33: The word Guráz signifies a wild boar, but this acceptation
is not very accordant to Mussulman notions, and consequently it is not
supposed, by the orthodox, to have that meaning in the text. It is
curious that the name of the warrior, Guráz, should correspond with the
bearings on the standard. This frequently obtains in the heraldry of
Europe. Family bearings seem to be used in every country of any degree
of civilization. Krusenstern, the Russian circumnavigator, speaking of
the Japanese, says, "Everyone has his family arms worked into his
clothes, in different places, about the size of a half dollar, a
practice usual to both sexes; and in this manner any person may be
recognized, and the family to which he belongs easily ascertained. A
young lady wears her father's arms until after her marriage, when she
assumes those of her husband. The greatest mark of honor which a Prince
or a Governor can confer upon any one, is to give him a cloak with his
arms upon it, the person having such a one wearing his own arms upon his
under dress."]
[Footnote 34: Firdusi considers this to be destiny! It would have been
natural in Sohráb to have gloried in the fame of his father, but from an
inevitable dispensation, his lips are here sealed on that subject; and
he inquires of Rustem as if he only wanted to single him out for the
purpose of destroying him. The people of Persia are all fatalists.]
[Footnote 35: This passage will remind the classical reader of the
speech of Themistocles, in Plutarch, addressed to Xerxes. The Persian
King had assured him of his protection, and ordered him to declare
freely whatever he had to propose concerning Greece. Themistocles
replied, that a man's discourse was like a piece of tapestry which, when
spread open, displays its figures; but when it is folded up, they are
hidden and lost; therefore he begged time. The King, delighted with the
comparison, bade him take what time he pleased; and he desired a year;
in which space he learned the Persian language, so as to be able to
converse with the King without an interpreter.]
[Footnote 36: Hujír was the son of Gúdarz. A family of the extent
mentioned in the text is not of rare occurrence amongst the Princes of
the East. The King of Persia had, in 1809, according to Mr. Morier,
"sixty-five sons!" As the Persians make no account of females, it is not
known how many daughters he had.]
[Footnote 37: The Kulub-gah is the centre or heart of the army, where
the Sovereign or Chief of the troops usually remains.]
[Footnote 38: Ahirmun, a demon, the principle of evil.]
[Footnote 39: This girdle was the gift of the king, as a token of
affection and gratitude. Jonathan gives to David, among other things,
his girdle: "Because he loved him as his own soul."--I Samuel, xviii. 3.
4.]
[Footnote 40: A crocodile in war, with Firdusi, is a figure of great
power and strength.]
[Footnote 41: It is difficult to account for this denial of his name, as
there appears to be no equivalent cause. But all the famous heroes,
described in the Sháh Námeh, are as much distinguished for their address
and cunning, as their bravery.]
[Footnote 42: The original is Um[=u]d, which appears to have been a
weapon made of iron. Um[=u]d also signifies a column, a beam.]
[Footnote 43: Thus also Sa'di "Knowest thou What Zál said to Rustem the
Champion? Never calculate upon the weakness or insignificance of an
enemy."]
[Footnote 44: Rustem is as much distinguished for piety as bravery.
Every success is attributed by him to the favor of Heaven. In the
achievement of his labors in the Heft-Khan, his devotion is constant and
he everywhere justly acknowledges that power and victory are derived
from God alone.]
[Footnote 45: The expression in the original is remarkable. "Assuredly,
as thou hast thirsted for blood, Destiny will also thirst for thine, and
the very hairs upon thy body will become daggers to destroy thee." This
passage is quoted in the preface to the Sháh Námeh, collated by order of
Bayisunghur Khan, as the production of the poet Unsarí. Unsarí was one
of the seven poets whom Mahmud appointed to give specimens of their
powers in versifying the History of the Kings of Persia. The story of
Rustem and Sohráb fell to Unsarí, and his arrangement of it contained
the above verses, which so delighted the Sultan that he directed the
poet to undertake the whole work. This occurred before Firdusi was
introduced at Court and eclipsed every competitor. In compliment to
Mahmud, perhaps he ingrafted them on his own poem, or more probably they
have been interpolated since.]
[Footnote 46: Jemshíd's glory and misfortunes, as said before, are the
constant theme of admiration and reflection amongst the poets of
Persia.]
[Footnote 47: These medicated draughts are often mentioned in Romances.
The reader will recollect the banter upon them in Don Quixote, where the
Knight of La enumerates to Sancho the cures which had been performed
upon many valorous champions, covered with wounds. The Hindús, in their
books on medicine, talk of drugs for the recovery of the dead!]
[Footnote 48: Zúára conducted the troops of Afrásiyáb across the Jihún.
Rustem remained on the field of battle till his return.]
[Footnote 49: Maníjeh was the daughter of Afrásiyáb.]
[Footnote 50: Theocritus introduces a Greek singing-girl in Idyllium xv,
at the festival of Adonis. In the Arabian Nights, the Caliph is
represented at his feasts surrounded by troops of the most beautiful
females playing on various instruments.]
[Footnote 51: Kashán is here made to be the deathplace of Alexander,
whilst, according to the Greek historians, he died suddenly at Babylon,
as foretold by the magicians, on the 21st of April, B.C. 323, in the
thirty-second year of his age.]