Cast of Characters:
NEED 1963/1.64 |
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Now in a little while, when all the troops |
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He ordered [them] to bring blacksmiths, copper, brass, And heavy hammers, mortar, stone, and fire-wood. . . . The experts mustered, and he built two walls Across the mountain-pass from base to crest, One hundred royal cubits broad, one cubit Of charcoal, one of iron, in between Strewed copper, and showered sulphur in the midst . . . And when from top to bottom all was set, They mixed much ghee and naphtha, poured it over Those substances, and on the top shot charcoal In ass-loads. Then the Shah bade fire the whole, And five score thousand smiths blew up the flames . . . Thus passed a season with the fire in blast, And smiths a-toil. They ran the substances Together, fusing them in that fierce blaze. Thus was the world delivered from Yajuj And from Majuj, and earth grew habitable . . . Warner, VI, 164–65 |
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Now at Baghdad Ardshir assumed his seat Upon the ivory throne and donned the crown That maketh glad the heart, with girdle girt, The scepter of the Shahs in hand. … When as He donned the crown of majesty he spake, Victorious and glad, upon the throne Thus: “Justice is my treasure in this world, Which is reviving ‘neath my busy hands, A treasure this that none can take from me; … The world is wholly under my protection, My policy is to approve of justice.” The whole assembly blessed him and exclaimed: “Oh! May thy justice make earth prosperous!” Warner, VI, 258 |
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...The creature scratched |
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. . . And thus it chanced: A lion of the Shah’s had broken loose, And came along the road. Now at the time The shoemaker was still in drink—a sea That made his fingers thumbs. He ran, bestrode The roaring lion, and then reaching out He clutched its ears. The lion had been fed; The youth maintained his seat. Post-haste the keeper Came running after them, a chain in one hand, A lasso in the other. Warner, VII, 24 |
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Hasting to the stream he saw The dragon mid the gloom, its form, its writhing, And furiousness, fire flashing from its eyes. He strung his bow, he chose Shafts dipped in bane of milk, and ’gan to shower them Down on the dragon, wheeling all the while, Like horsemen in the fray, to left and right. The dragon’s body failed By reason of those shafts, and all the ground Ran with its gore and bane. Warner, VII, 125 |
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The world-lord called and told the dream to him. He [Buzurjmihr] heard, grew full of matter, and replied: “There is a youth disguised in women’s garb Within thy bower. Now put all strangers forth, That none may know our purpose, and command Thy ladies all to pass before thy presence With measured tread . . .” They came, those Idols of his bower, in all Their perfumes, tints, and beauty. They passed the second time and, when all thought The dream an empty one, a youth appeared Of cypress-stature and of kingly looks, But quaking like a willow and despairing Of his dear life. Warner, VII, 284–85 |
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. . . Those illustrious kings, All dudgeon and vindictiveness, then saddled Two elephants, each at his army’s center Took up his station, and assumed command. The earth grew pitch-like, heaven azure-dim With all the spears and silken bannerets, While air was ebon with the armies’ dust. While at the thud of battle-ax, of mace, And sword, a red reek went up from the deep, . . . . . . the hosts advanced, Troop after troop, while all the plain was filled With livers, brains, and hearts. Warner, VII, 416 |
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