Sanscrit Writing and Language. 147 



Nations, prefixed by Richardson to his Persian, Arabic, and English dictionary, 

 London, 1806. — " Bahaman, the sixth king of the Kaianian dynasty, had mar- 

 ried his daughter Homai, whom he left pregnant at his death ; disinheriting his 

 son Sassan, in favor of this lady and her offspring, Homai was declared heiress 

 of the empire, if not delivered of a son, and regent, in that event, till he was of 

 age to reign. Avei'se even to the distant prospect of resigning sovereign power, 

 the queen ordered the birth of her son to be concealed ; and sent him privately 

 to be exposed in a casket on the banks of the Gihon ; the rising of the waters 

 soon swept him away, and threw him on a dyer's bleaching ground. The rich 

 stuffs and valuable jewels, which the poor man found in the casket, convinced 

 him that he was a child of elevated birth ; he educated him, however, as his own 

 son, and wished him to follow his profession; but the prince, unwilling to 

 believe himself the son of a dyer, urged his reputed father so strongly, that the 

 good man discovered at length all he knew ; and delivered to him the jewels 

 which he had carefully preserved. Young Darab determined immediately on 

 the profession of arms ; and set out for the army, which was then marching 

 against the Greeks. He arrived on the eve of a battle ; in which he distin- 

 guished himself with such heroism, that his fame reached the queen. The 

 prince was sent for ; Homai was struck with his presence ; she discovered him 

 by the jewels and the old man's testimony, and resigned the diadem to him, after 

 having reigned with great reputation about thirty years. This Darab is repre- 

 sented as an accomplished prince, and a successful warrior. Philip of Macedon, 

 amongst others, according to Khondemir, drew upon him his resentment, by 

 refusing to acknowledge his authority. He marched against him ; and, forcing 

 him to take refuge in a fortress, Philip sued for peace, which was granted, on 

 condition of giving his daughter in marriage to the Persian king, and paying an 

 annual tribute of a thousand beizets, or eggs of gold. The young queen did not 

 please her royal consort ; though pregnant, he returned her to her father's court, 

 where she was afterwards delivered of the famous Alexander, whom Philip edu- 

 cated as his son ; and left him his kingdom, with the secret of his birth. Darab 

 having, in the mean time, espoused another lady, she brought him Darab the 

 younger ; who mounted the throne on the demise of his father. This prince is 

 represented by the historians of the East in very different colours from the gentle 

 and amiable Darius Codoraannus. His cruelties and oppressions rendered him 



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