32 Life and Writings 
the usurper Zohak, and professing a reli- 
gion accounted by the Persians idclatrous, 
On his return, Mibraub sees in a balcony his 
daughter Roodabah, and his queen Seendocht, 
who stops him to make some enquiries, con- 
cerning the hero.—Mihraub replies: 
O beautiful silver-bosomed cypress! 
The world will never behold the warrior 
Who will surpass the illustrious Zaul ; 
In the painted palace, men will never behold 
The image of so perfect a hero. 
He has the heart of a lion, the vigour of an 
elephant, 
And the strength of his arm is as the sweep 
of the Nile. 
On his throne, he scatters gold before him; 
In the battle, the heads of his enemies. 
His cheeks are ruddy like the flower of the 
arghavan ; 
Youthful, sportive, and favoured by fortune; 
And, though his hair is white as if with age, 
Yet, in his rage, he would tear to pieces the 
water-serpent. 
He springs to the conflict with the fury of 
the crocodile; 
In the saddle he is asharp fang’d dragon, 
Staining the earth with blood, 
As he wields his bright scimitar. 
