PERSIA, OR IRAN. 



931 



offences of the lower class are visited with the bastinado. Theft, however, is severely punished. 

 Kinneir saw several thieves built into a wall, and left there to perish. 



The antiquities of Persia are the remains of a race more energetic than the present inhabi- 

 tants. There are few architectural monuments of modern dale, and the manner of building is 

 not distinguished for convenience or elegance. But the ruins of the ancient cities are imposing 



and grand, especially those of Per- 

 sepolis. Next to the pyramids of 

 Egypt and the colossal ruins of 

 Thebes, they have arrested the 

 greatest attention, and like them 

 they still remain an enigma, their 

 history, dates, and object being in- 

 volved in the gloom of antiquicj . 

 The royal palace, or the Takli-ee- 

 JumsJieed^ consists of a number 

 of superb buildings, forming both 

 a palace of ample magnitude, and 

 a citadel or bulwark lor the capi- 

 tal, on a situation of the most com- 

 manding aspect. It consists of an 

 artificial platform, 1,426 feet long 

 by 802 broad, on the south, and 

 926 feet on the north side, chls- 



Ruins of Persepolis. 



eled out of a mountain, and having a higher part of the same mountain connected with its east- 

 ern side, the other three sides presenting perpendicular precipices from the subjacent plain. On 

 the mountains to the east, called by Diodorus the royal mount, and which still preserves the 

 name Shah-koh, or royal mount, are the tombs of the kings, excavated in the rock. The only 

 way to the summit is by an ascent of steps on the western face, forming a double flight. The 

 steps are broad and shallow, 10, and sometimes 14, being cut out of one block of marble. So 

 easy is the ascent, that 6 horsemen may ride abreast to the top of the platform. Niebuhr de- 

 clares this staircase to be the most splendid, sublime, and durable ever reared by human hands, 

 many of the stones being 27 feet long, and many on the wall 55 feet long by from 4 to 6 feet 

 high. On reaching the platform, the first objects that meet the eye are 2 colossal bulls, of a 

 noble form and attitude, sculptured on the lofty sides of an enormous portal. Other symbolical 

 representations in granite, in basso-relievo, are found in different places. On a near approach 

 to the hall of columns, the eye is riveted by the grandeur and beautiful decorations of the double 

 staircase, which leads up to them. Beyond this, and rising from the landing-place, is another 

 double staircase, but smaller ; the windings of these staircases are covered with sculptures of 

 human figures, and a duplicate representation of a combat between a bull and a lion. What 

 artist sculptured the wonderful procession on the winding walls of the staircase is unknown, but 

 it seems to be of Ionian workmanship. At any rate, the finishing of the parts, and the grace 

 and truth of the bass-reliefs, proclaim a refinement worthy of the master chisels of Greece. As 

 for the platform itself, nothing can be more striking than the view of its ruins ; so vast, so mag- 

 nificent, so fallen, so mutilated, and silent. But every object is as desolate as it is beautiful ; 

 awakening the most poignant feelings, that a pile of such indefatigable labor, such complicated 

 ingenuity> should be left untenanted and unnoticed in the desert, or if noticed, be doomed to 

 the predatory mallet of some ruthless bigot or ignorant barbarian. This immense pile is 380 

 feet long from east to west, and 350 from north to south ; the greater part of which space is 

 covered with broken capitals, shafts of pillars, and countless fragments of buildings, some of 

 which are ornamented with the most exquisite sculptures. 



13. History. Persia, or Iran, long played a prominent part in the early history of the world. 

 The ancient empire of Cyrus was overthrown by the Macedonians ; and that of the Parthians, which 

 succeeded the Macedonian empire, was conquered by the Saracens and Turks, in the 7th cen- 



power of God ; the jewel in the ring of kings ; the orna- equal among the princes, exalted to majesty by the hea- 



ment in the cheek of eternal empire; the grace of the vens on this globe; a shade from the shade of the Most 



beauty of sovereignty and royalty ; the king of the uni- High ; a Khoosroo, whose saddle is the moon, and whose 



verse, like Caherman ; the mansion of mercy and justice ; stirrup is the new moon ; a prince of great rank, befor* 



the phcenix of good fortune ; theeminence of never-fading whom the sun is concealed." 

 prosperity; the king powerful as Alexander, who has no 



