THE " ILIAD" AND " ODYSSEY " IN "SOHRAB AND RUSTUM" 85 



eth home from battles; and may he bring with him bloodstained spoils 

 from the foeman he hath slain, and may his mother's heart be glad." 



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— one child he had — 

 But one — a girl; who with her mother now 

 Plies some light female task, nor dreams of us — 

 Of us she dreams not, nor of wounds nor war. 



Several passages in Homer contrast the domestic tasks of woman and 

 the sterner business of counsel and war falling to the lot of man. Com- 

 pare Ody. 21 ^50 ff. : "Then seek your chamber, and attend to matters 

 of your own, — the loom and distaff, — and bid the women ply their tasks. 

 Bows are for men, for all, especially for me." Compare also Ody. 

 1:356 ff.; II. 6:490 ff. 



Page 85: 



The anguish of the deep-fix'd spear grew fierce, 

 And he desired to draw forth the steel, 

 And let the blood flow free, and so to die. 



Death follows immediately after the removal of the spear point, and in 

 Homer the soul at times seems to depart through the wound, II. 16 : 502 ff. : 

 "Even as he spoke thus the end of death veiled over his eyes and his 

 nostrils, but Patroklos, setting foot on his breast, drew the spear out of 

 his flesh, and the midriff followed with the spear so that he drew forth 

 together the spear point, and the soul of Sarpedon." 



Then with weak and hasty fingers, Sohrab loosed 

 His belt, and near the shoulder bared his arm, 

 And show'd a sign in faint vermilion points 

 Prick'd; as a cunning workman, in Pekin, 

 Pricks with vermilion some clear porcelain vase, 

 An emperor's gift — at early morn he paints, 

 And all day long, and, when night comes, the lamp 

 Lights up his studious forehead and thin hands — 

 So delicately prick'd the sign appear'd 

 On Sohrab's arm, the sign of Rustum's seal. 



The above simile has been compared for its verbal similarity as well 

 as for the Homeric addition of picturesque details to II. 4:141 ff.: "As 

 when some woman of Maionia or Karia staineth ivory with purple, to 

 make a cheek-piece for horses, and it is laid up in the treasure chamber, 



