Eine aegyptische königstochter. English

  CHAPTER I.

  The principal steward of the banquet went forward to meet the guests asthey entered, and, assisted by other noble staff-bearers (chamberlainsand masters of the ceremonies), led them to their appointed places.

  When they were all seated, a flourish of trumpets announced that theking was near. As he entered the hall every one rose, and the multitudereceived him with a thundering shout of "Victory to the king!" again andagain repeated.

  The way to his seat was marked by a purple Sardian carpet, only to betrodden by himself and Kassandane. His blind mother, led by Croesus,went first and took her seat at the head of the table, on a thronesomewhat higher than the golden chair for Cambyses, which stood by it.The king's lawful wives sat on his left hand; Nitetis next to him, thenAtossa, and by her side the pale, plainly-dressed Phaedime; next to thislast wife of Cambyses sat Boges, the eunuch. Then came the high-priestOropastes, some of the principal Magi, the satraps of various provinces(among them the Jew Belteshazzar), and a number of Persians, Medes andeunuchs, all holding high offices under the crown.

  Bartja sat at the king's right hand, and after him Croesus, Hystaspes,Gobryas, Araspes, and others of the Achaemenidae, according to theirrank and age. Of the concubines, the greater number sat at the foot ofthe table; some stood opposite to Cambyses, and enlivened the banquetby songs and music. A number of eunuchs stood behind them, whose duty itwas to see that they did not raise their eyes towards the men.

  Cambyses' first glance was bestowed on Nitetis; she sat by him in allthe splendor and dignity of a queen, but looking very, very pale in hernew purple robes.

  Their eyes met, and Cambyses felt that such a look could only come fromone who loved him very dearly. But his own love told him that somethinghad troubled her. There was a sad seriousness about her mouth, and aslight cloud, which only he could see, seemed to veil the usually calm,clear and cheerful expression of her eyes. "I will ask her afterwardswhat has happened," thought he, "but it will not do to let my subjectssee how much I love this girl."

  He kissed his mother, sister, brother and his nearest relations on theforehead--said a short prayer thanking the gods for their mercies andentreating a happy new year for himself and the Persians--named theimmense sum he intended to present to his countrymen on this day, andthen called on the staff bearers to bring the petitioners before hisface, who hoped to obtain some reasonable request from the king on thisday of grace.

  As every petitioner had been obliged to lay his request before theprincipal staff bearer the day before, in order to ascertain whether itwas admissible, they all received satisfactory answers. The petitions ofthe women had been enquired into by the eunuchs in the same manner,and they too were now conducted before their lord and master by Boges,Kassandane alone remaining seated.

  The long procession was opened by Nitetis and Atossa, and the twoprincesses were immediately followed by Phaedime and another beauty. Thelatter was magnificently dressed and had been paired with Phaedime byBoges, in order to make the almost poverty-stricken simplicity of thefallen favorite more apparent.

  Intaphernes and Otanes looked as annoyed as Boges had expected, onseeing their grandchild and daughter so pale, and in such miserablearray, in the midst of all this splendor and magnificence.

  Cambyses had had experience of Phaedime's former extravagance in mattersof dress, and, when he saw her standing before him so plainly dressedand so pale, looked both angry and astonished. His brow darkened, and asshe bent low before him, he asked her in an angry and tyrannical tone:"What is the meaning of this beggarly dress at my table, on the day setapart in my honor? Have you forgotten, that in our country it is thecustom never to appear unadorned before the king? Verily, if it were notmy birthday, and if I did not owe you some consideration as the daughterof our dearest kinsman, I should order the eunuchs to take you backto the harem, that you might have time to think over your conduct insolitude."

  These words rendered the mortified woman's task much easier.... Shebegan to weep loud and bitterly, raising her hands and eyes to herangry lord in such a beseeching manner that his anger was changed intocompassion, and he raised her from the ground with the question: "Haveyou a petition to ask of me?"

  "What can I find to wish for, now that the sun of my life has withdrawnhis light?" was her faltering answer, hindered by sobs.

  Cambyses shrugged his shoulders, and asked again "Is there nothing thenthat you wish for? I used to be able to dry your tears with presents;ask me for some golden comfort to-day."

  "Phaedime has nothing left to wish for now. For whom can she puton jewels when her king, her husband, withdraws the light of hiscountenance?"

  "Then I can do nothing for you," exclaimed Cambyses, turning awayangrily from the kneeling woman. Boges had been quite right in advisingPhaedime to paint herself with white, for underneath the pale colorher cheeks were burning with shame and anger. But, in spite of all,she controlled her passionate feelings, made the same deep obeisance toNitetis as to the queen-mother, and allowed her tears to flow fast andfreely in sight of all the Achaemenidae.

  Otanes and Intaphernes could scarcely suppress their indignationat seeing their daughter and grandchild thus humbled, and many anAchaemenidae looked on, feeling deep sympathy with the unhappy Phaedimeand a hidden grudge against the favored, beautiful stranger.

  The formalities were at last at an end and the feast began. Just beforethe king, in a golden basket, and gracefully bordered round with otherfruits, lay a gigantic pomegranate, as large as a child's head.

  Cambyses noticed it now for the first time, examined its enormous sizeand rare beauty with the eye of a connoisseur, and said: "Who grew thiswonderful pomegranate?"

  "Thy servant Oropastes," answered the chief of the Magi, with a lowobeisance. "For many years I have studied the art of gardening, and haveventured to lay this, the most beautiful fruit of my labors, at the feetof my king."

  "I owe you thanks," cried the king: "My friends, this pomegranate willassist me in the choice of a governor at home when we go out to war,for, by Mithras, the man who can cherish and foster a little tree socarefully will do greater things than these. What a splendid fruit!Surely it's like was never seen before. I thank you again, Oropastes,and as the thanks of a king must never consist of empty words alone, Iname you at once vicegerent of my entire kingdom, in case of war. For weshall not dream away our time much longer in this idle rest, my friends.A Persian gets low-spirited without the joys of war."

  A murmur of applause ran through the ranks of the Achaemenidae and freshshouts of "Victory to the king" resounded through the hall. Their angeron account of the humiliation of a woman was quickly forgotten; thoughtsof coming battles, undying renown and conqueror's laurels to be won bydeeds of arms, and recollections of their former mighty deeds raised thespirits of the revellers.

  The king himself was more moderate than usual to-day, but he encouragedhis guests to drink, enjoying their noisy merriment and overflowingmirth; taking, however, far more pleasure still in the fascinatingbeauty of the Egyptian Princess, who sat at his side, paler thanusual, and thoroughly exhausted by the exertions of the morning and theunaccustomed weight of the high tiara. He had never felt so happy as onthis day. What indeed could he wish for more than he already possessed?Had not the gods given him every thing that a man could desire? and,over and above all this, had not they flung into his lap the preciousgift of love? His usual inflexibility seemed to have changed intobenevolence, and his stern severity into good-nature, as he turned tohis brother Bartja with the words: "Come brother, have you forgotten mypromise? Don't you know that to-day you are sure of gaining the dearestwish of your heart from me? That's right, drain the goblet, and takecourage! but do not ask anything small, for I am in the mood to givelargely to-day. Ah, it is a secret! come nearer then. I am reallycurious to know what the most fortunate youth in my entire kingdom canlong for so much, that he blushes like a girl when his wish is spokenof."

  Bartja, whose cheeks were really glowing from agitation, bent his h
eadclose to his brother's ear, and whispered shortly the story of his love.Sappho's father had helped to defend his native town Phocaea against thehosts of Cyrus, and this fact the boy cleverly brought forward, speakingof the girl he loved as the daughter of a Greek warrior of noble birth.In so saying he spoke the truth, but at the same time he suppressedthe facts that this very father had acquired great riches by mercantileundertakings.

  [The Persians were forbidden by law to contract debts, because debtors were necessarily led to say much that was untrue. Herod. I. For this reason they held all money transactions in contempt, such occupations being also very uncongenial to their military tastes. They despised commerce and abandoned it to the conquered nations.]

  He then told his brother how charming, cultivated and loving his Sapphowas, and was just going to call on Croesus for a confirmation of hiswords, when Cambyses interrupted him by kissing his forehead and saying:"You need say no more, brother; do what your heart bids you. I know thepower of love too, and I will help you to gain our mother's consent."Bartja threw himself at his brother's feet, overcome with gratitude andjoy, but Cambyses raised him kindly and, looking especially at Nitetisand Kassandane, exclaimed: "Listen, my dear ones, the stem of Cyrus isgoing to blossom afresh, for our brother Bartja has resolved to put anend to his single life, so displeasing to the gods.

  [The Persians were commanded by their religion to marry, and the unmarried were held up to ridicule. Vendid. IV. Fargard. 130. The highest duty of man was to create and promote life, and to have many children was therefore considered praiseworthy. Herod. I. 136.]

  In a few days the young lover will leave us for your country, Nitetis,and will bring back another jewel from the shores of the Nile to ourmountain home."

  "What is the matter, sister?" cried Atossa, before her brother hadfinished speaking. Nitetis had fainted, and Atossa was sprinkling herforehead with wine as she lay in her arms.

  "What was it?" asked the blind Kassandane, when Nitetis had awakened toconsciousness a few moments later.

  "The joy--the happiness--Tachot," faltered Nitetis. Cambyses, as wellas his sister, had sprung to the fainting girl's help. When she hadrecovered consciousness, he asked her to take some wine to revive hercompletely, gave her the cup with his own hand, and then went on at thepoint at which he had left off in his account: "Bartja is going to yourown country, my wife--to Naukratis on the Nile--to fetch thence thegranddaughter of a certain Rhodopis, and daughter of a noble warrior, anative of the brave town of Phocaea, as his wife."

  "What was that?" cried the blind queen-mother.

  "What is the matter with you?" exclaimed Atossa again, in an anxious,almost reproachful tone.

  "Nitetis!" cried Croesus admonishingly. But the warning came too late;the cup which her royal lover had given her slipped from her hands andfell ringing on the floor. All eyes were fixed on the king's featuresin anxious suspense. He had sprung from his seat pale as death; hislips trembled and his fist was clenched. Nitetis looked up at her loverimploringly, but he was afraid of meeting those wonderful, fascinatingeyes, and turned his head away, saying in a hoarse voice: "Take thewomen back to their apartments, Boges. I have seen enough of them--letus begin our drinking-bout--good-night, my mother; take care how younourish vipers with your heart's blood. Sleep well, Egyptian, and prayto the gods to give you a more equal power of dissembling your feelings.To-morrow, my friends, we will go out hunting. Here, cup-bearer, giveme some wine! fill the large goblet, but taste it well--yes, well--forto-day I am afraid of poison; to-day for the first time. Do you hear,Egyptian? I am afraid of poison! and every child knows--ah-ha--that allthe poison, as well as the medicine comes from Egypt."

  Nitetis left the hall,--she hardly knew how,--more staggering thanwalking. Boges accompanied her, telling the bearers to make haste.

  When they reached the hanging-gardens he gave her up to the care of theeunuch in attendance, and took his leave, not respectfully as usual,but chuckling, rubbing his hands, and speaking in an intimate andconfidential tone: "Dream about the handsome Bartja and his Egyptianlady-love, my white Nile-kitten! Haven't you any message for thebeautiful boy, whose love-story frightened you so terribly? Thinka little. Poor Boges will very gladly play the go-between; the poordespised Boges wishes you so well--the humble Boges will be so sorrywhen he sees the proud palm-tree from Sais cut down. Boges is a prophet;he foretells you a speedy return home to Egypt, or a quiet bed in theblack earth in Babylon, and the kind Boges wishes you a peaceful sleep.Farewell, my broken flower, my gay, bright viper, wounded by its ownsting, my pretty fir-cone, fallen from the tall pine-tree!"

  "How dare you speak in this impudent manner?" said the indignantprincess.

  "Thank you," answered the wretch, smiling.

  "I shall complain of your conduct," threatened Nitetis.

  "You are very amiable," answered Boges. "Go out of my sight," she cried.

  "I will obey your kind and gentle hints;" he answered softly, as ifwhispering words of love into her ear. She started back in disgust andfear at these scornful words; she saw how full of terror they were forher, turned her back on him and went quickly into the house, but hisvoice rang after her: "Don't forget my lovely queen, think of me nowand then; for everything that happens in the next few days will be akeepsake from the poor despised Boges."

  As soon as she had disappeared he changed his tone, and commanded thesentries in the severest and most tyrannical manner, to keep a strictwatch over the hanging-gardens. "Certain death," said he, "to whicheverof you allows any one but myself to enter these gardens. No one,remember--no one--and least of all messengers from the queen-mother,Atossa or any of the great people, may venture to set foot on thesesteps. If Croesus or Oropastes should wish to speak to the EgyptianPrincess, refuse them decidedly. Do you understand? I repeat it,whoever is begged or bribed into disobedience will not see the lightof to-morrow's sun. Nobody may enter these gardens without expresspermission from my own mouth. I think you know me. Here, take thesegold staters, your work will be heavier now; but remember, I swear byPlithras not to spare one of you who is careless or disobedient."

  The men made a due obeisance and determined to obey; they knew thatBoges' threats were never meant in joke, and fancied something greatmust be coming to pass, as the stingy eunuch never spent his staterswithout good reason.

  Boges was carried back to the banqueting-hall in the same litter, whichhad brought Nitetis away.

  The king's wives had left, but the concubines were all standing in theirappointed place, singing their monotonous songs, though quite unheard bythe uproarious men.

  The drinkers had already long forgotten the fainting woman. The uproarand confusion rose with every fresh wine-cup. They forgot the dignityof the place where they were assembled, and the presence of their mightyruler.

  They shouted in their drunken joy; warriors embraced one another witha tenderness only excited by wine, here and there a novice was carriedaway in the arms of a pair of sturdy attendants, while an old hand atthe work would seize a wine-jug instead of a goblet, and drain it at adraught amid the cheers of the lookers-on.

  The king sat on at the head of the table, pale as death, staring intothe wine-cup as if unconscious of what was going on around hint. But atthe sight of his brother his fist clenched.

  He would neither speak to him, nor answer his questions. The longer hesat there gazing into vacancy, the firmer became his conviction thatNitetis had deceived him,--that she had pretended to love him while herheart really belonged to Bartja. How shamefully they had made sport ofhim! How deeply rooted must have been the faithlessness of this cleverhypocrite, if the mere news that his brother loved some one else couldnot only destroy all her powers of dissimulation, but actually depriveher of consciousness!

  When Nitetis left the hall, Otanes, the father of Phaedime had calledout: "The Egyptian women seem to take great interest in the love-affairsof their brothers-in-law. The Persian women are not so generous withtheir feelings; they keep them for their
husbands."

  Cambyses was too proud to let it be seen that he had heard these words;like the ostrich, he feigned deafness and blindness in order not to seemaware of the looks and murmurs of his guests, which all went to provethat he had been deceived.

  Bartja could have had no share in her perfidy; she had loved thishandsome youth, and perhaps all the more because she had not been ableto hope for a return of her love. If he had had the slightest suspicionof his brother, he would have killed him on the spot. Bartja wascertainly innocent of any share in the deception and in his brother'smisery, but still he was the cause of all; so the old grudge, whichhad only just been allowed to slumber, woke again; and, as a relapse isalways more dangerous than the original illness, the newly-roused angerwas more violent than what he had formerly felt.

  He thought and thought, but he could not devise a fitting punishment forthis false woman. Her death would not content his vengeance, she mustsuffer something worse than mere death!

  Should he send her back to Egypt, disgraced and shamed? Oh, no! sheloved her country, and she would be received by her parents withopen arms. Should he, after she had confessed her guilt, (for he wasdetermined to force a confession from her) shut her up in a solitarydungeon? or should he deliver her over to Boges, to be the servant ofhis concubines? Yes! now he had hit upon the right punishment. Thus thefaithless creature should be disciplined, and the hypocrite, who haddared to make sport of him--the All-powerful--forced to atone for hercrimes.

  Then he said to himself: "Bartja must not stay here; fire and waterhave more in common than we two--he always fortunate and happy, and I somiserable. Some day or other his descendants will divide my treasures,and wear my crown; but as yet I am king, and I will show that I am."

  The thought of his proud, powerful position flashed through him likelightning. He woke from his dreams into new life, flung his goldengoblet far into the hall, so that the wine flew round like rain, andcried: "We have had enough of this idle talk and useless noise. Let ushold a council of war, drunken as we are, and consider what answer weought to give the Massagetae. Hystaspes, you are the eldest, give usyour opinion first."

  [Herod. I. 134. The Persians deliberated and resolved when they were intoxicated, and when they were sober reconsidered their determinations. Tacitus tells the same of the old Germans. Germ, c. 22.]

  Hystaspes, the father of Darius, was an old man. He answered: "It seemsto me, that the messengers of this wandering tribe have left us nochoice. We cannot go to war against desert wastes; but as our host isalready under arms and our swords have lain long in their scabbards, warwe must have. We only want a few good enemies, and I know no easier workthan to make them."

  At these words the Persians broke into loud shouts of delight; butCroesus only waited till the noise had ceased to say: "Hystaspes, youand I are both old men; but you are a thorough Persian and fancy you canonly be happy in battle and bloodshed. You are now obliged to leanfor support on the staff, which used to be the badge of your rank ascommander, and yet you speak like a hot-blooded boy. I agree with youthat enemies are easy enough to find, but only fools go out to look forthem. The man who tries to make enemies is like a wretch who mutilateshis own body. If the enemies are there, let us go out to meet them likewise men who wish to look misfortune boldly in the face; but let usnever try to begin an unjust war, hateful to the gods. We will waituntil wrong has been done us, and then go to victory or death, consciousthat we have right on our side."

  The old man was interrupted by a low murmur of applause, drowned howeverquickly by cries of "Hystaspes is right! let us look for an enemy!"

  It was now the turn of the envoy Prexaspes to speak, and he answeredlaughing: "Let us follow the advice of both these noble old men. We willdo as Croesus bids us and not go out to seek an enemy, but at thesame time we will follow Hystaspes' advice by raising our claims andpronouncing every one our enemy, who does not cheerfully consent tobecome a member of the kingdom founded by our great father Cyrus. Forinstance, we will ask the Indians if they would feel proud to obey yoursceptre, Cambyses. If they answer no, it is a sign that they do not loveus, and whoever does not love us, must be our enemy."

  "That won't do," cried Zopyrus. "We must have war at any price."

  "I vote for Croesus," said Gobryas. "And I too," said the nobleArtabazus.

  "We are for Hystaspes," shouted the warrior Araspes, the oldIntaphernes, and some more of Cyrus's old companions-in-arms.

  "War we must have at any price," roared the general Megabyzus, thefather of Zopyrus, striking the table so sharply with his heavy fist,that the golden vessels rang again, and some goblets even fell; "but notwith the Massagetac--not with a flying foe."

  "There must be no war with the Massagetae," said the high-priestOropastes. "The gods themselves have avenged Cyrus's death upon them."

  Cambyses sat for some moments, quietly and coldly watching theunrestrained enthusiasm of his warriors, and then, rising from his seat,thundered out the words: "Silence, and listen to your king!"

  The words worked like magic on this multitude of drunken men. Even thosewho were most under the influence of wine, listened to their king in akind of unconscious obedience. He lowered his voice and went on: "I didnot ask whether you wished for peace or war--I know that every Persianprefers the labor of war to an inglorious idleness--but I wished to knowwhat answer you would give the Massagetan warriors. Do you considerthat the soul of my father--of the man to whom you owe all yourgreatness--has been sufficiently avenged?"

  A dull murmur in the affirmative, interrupted by some violent voicesin the negative, was the answer. The king then asked a second question:"Shall we accept the conditions proposed by their envoys, and grantpeace to this nation, already so scourged and desolated by the gods?" Tothis they all agreed eagerly.

  "That is what I wished to know," continued Cambyses. "To-morrow, whenwe are sober, we will follow the old custom and reconsider what has beenresolved on during our intoxication. Drink on, all of you, as long asthe night lasts. To-morrow, at the last crow of the sacred bird Parodar,I shall expect you to meet me for the chase, at the gate of the templeof Bel."

  So saying, the king left the hall, followed by a thundering "Victory tothe king!" Boges had slipped out quietly before him. In the forecourt hefound one of the gardener's boys from the hanging-gardens.

  "What do you want here?" asked Boges. "I have something for the princeBartja."

  "For Bartja? Has he asked your master to send him some seeds or slips?"

  The boy shook his sunburnt head and smiled roguishly.

  "Some one else sent you then?" said Boges becoming more attentive.

  "Yes, some one else."

  "Ah! the Egyptian has sent a message to her brother-in-law?"

  "Who told you that?"

  "Nitetis spoke to me about it. Here, give me what you have; I will giveit to Bartja at once."

  "I was not to give it to any one but the prince himself."

  "Give it to me; it will be safer in my hands than in yours."

  "I dare not."

  "Obey me at once, or--"

  At this moment the king came up. Boges thought a moment, and then calledin a loud voice to the whip-bearers on duty at the palace-gate, to takethe astonished boy up.

  "What is the matter here?" asked Cambyses.

  "This fellow," answered the eunuch, "has had the audacity to make hisway into the palace with a message from your consort Nitetis to Bartja."

  At sight of the king, the boy had fallen on his knees, touching theground with his forehead.

  Cambyses looked at him and turned deadly pale. Then, turning tothe eunuch, he asked: "What does the Egyptian Princess wish from mybrother?"

  "The boy declares that he has orders to give up what has been entrustedto him to no one but Bartja." On hearing this the boy looked imploringlyup at the king, and held out a little papyrus roll.

  Cambyses snatched it out of his hand, but the next moment stampedfuriously on the ground at seeing that the letter was
written in Greek,which he could not read.

  He collected himself, however, and, with an awful look, asked theboy who had given him the letter. "The Egyptian lady's waiting-womanMandane," he answered; "the Magian's daughter."

  "For my brother Bartja?"

  "She said I was to give the letter to the handsome prince, before thebanquet, with a greeting from her mistress Nitetis, and I was to tellhim ..."

  Here the king stamped so furiously, that the boy was frightened andcould only stammer: "Before the banquet the prince was walking withyou, so I could not speak to him, and now I am waiting for him here, forMandane promised to give me a piece of gold if I did what she told mecleverly."

  "And that you have not done," thundered the king, fancying himselfshamefully deceived. "No, indeed you have not. Here, guards, seize thisfellow!"

  The boy begged and prayed, but all in vain; the whip-bearers seizedhim quick as thought, and Cambyses, who went off at once to his ownapartments, was soon out of reach of his whining entreaties for mercy.

  Boges followed his master, rubbing his fat hands, and laughing quietlyto himself.

  The king's attendants began their work of disrobing him, but he toldthem angrily to leave him at once. As soon as they were gone, hecalled Boges and said in a low voice: "From this time forward thehanging-gardens and the Egyptian are under your control. Watch hercarefully! If a single human being or a message reaches her without myknowledge, your life will be the forfeit."

  "But if Kassandane or Atossa should send to her?"

  "Turn the messengers away, and send word that every attempt to see orcommunicate with Nitetis will be regarded by me as a personal offence."

  "May I ask a favor for myself, O King?"

  "The time is not well chosen for asking favors."

  "I feel ill. Permit some one else to take charge of the hanging-gardensfor to-morrow only."

  "No!--now leave me."

  "I am in a burning fever and have lost consciousness three times duringthe day--if when I am in that state any one should..."

  "But who could take your place?"

  "The Lydian captain of the eunuchs, Kandaules. He is true as gold, andinflexibly severe. One day of rest would restore me to health. Havemercy, O King!"

  "No one is so badly served as the king himself. Kandaules may take yourplace to-morrow, but give hum the strictest orders, and say that theslightest neglect will put his life in danger.--Now depart."

  "Yet one word, my King: to-morrow night the rare blue lily in thehanging-gardens will open. Hystaspes, Intaphernes, Gobyras, Croesus andOropastes, the greatest horticulturists at your court, would very muchlike to see it. May they be allowed to visit the gardens for a fewminutes? Kandaules shall see that they enter into no communication withthe Egyptian."

  "Kandaules must keep his eyes open, if he cares for his own life.--Go!"

  Boges made a deep obeisance and left the king's apartment. He threw afew gold pieces to the slaves who bore the torches before him. He was sovery happy. Every thing had succeeded beyond his expectations:--the fateof Nitetis was as good as decided, and he held the life of Kandaules,his hated colleague, in his own hands.

  Cambyses spent the night in pacing up and down his apartment. Bycock-crow he had decided that Nitetis should be forced to confess herguilt, and then be sent into the great harem to wait on the concubines.Bartja, the destroyer of his happiness, should set off at once forEgypt, and on his return become the satrap of some distant provinces. Hedid not wish to incur the guilt of a brother's murder, but he knew hisown temper too well not to fear that in a moment of sudden anger, hemight kill one he hated so much, and therefore wished to remove him outof the reach of his passion.

  Two hours after the sun had risen, Cambyses was riding on his fierysteed, far in front of a Countless train of followers armed withshields, swords, lances, bows and lassos, in pursuit of the game whichwas to be found in the immense preserves near Babylon, and was to bestarted from its lair by more than a thousand dogs.

  [The same immense trains of followers of course accompanied the kings on their hunting expeditions, as on their journeys. As the Persian nobility were very fond of hunting, their boys were taught this sport at an early age. According to Strabo, kings themselves boasted of having been mighty hunters in the inscriptions on their tombs. A relief has been found in the ruins of Persepolis, on which the king is strangling a lion with his right arm, but this is supposed to have a historical, not a symbolical meaning. Similar representations occur on Assyrian monuments. Izdubar strangling a lion and fighting with a lion (relief at Khorsabad) is admirably copied in Delitzsch's edition of G. Smith's Chaldean Genesis. Layard discovered some representations of hunting-scenes during his excavations; as, for instance, stags and wild boars among the reeds; and the Greeks often mention the immense troops of followers on horse and foot who attended the kings of Persia when they went hunting. According to Xenophon, Cyrop. I. 2. II. 4. every hunter was obliged to be armed with a bow and arrows, two lances, sword and shield. In Firdusi's Book of Kings we read that the lasso was also a favorite weapon. Hawking was well known to the Persians more than 900 years ago. Book of Kabus XVIII. p. 495. The boomerang was used in catching birds as well by the Persians as by the ancient Egyptians and the present savage tribes of New Holland.]