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1871.] The reign of Mu'izz-uddin. 
When that rnin of the Moslem faith heard these lines recited, 
he retorted again in verse, singing in still sweeter and more seduc¬ 
tive tones: 
My looks bewitch both saints and shrews, 
My smile,—no spells withstand it; 
Nor curst ascetic can refuse 
The wine-cup when I hand it. 
At this display of his charms, his graceful mien, his musical 
voice, and courtly address, the spectators remained spell-bound, 
forming a hundred wishes to sacrifice themselves for him.*' He 
meanwhile made his horse curvet and caracole, and seizing his 
bow, and fitting an arrow to the string, went seeking a partridge 
under the stones. The sight was one which struck the whole army 
dumb. The reins fell from their hands, their eyes were chained, 
and their road was forgotten, while their souls flew circling round 
that mine of graces. Suddenly the king arrived at his pavilion 
and alighted. A banquet was prepared. That fomenter of distur¬ 
bances was called, and the king with unconcealed ardour said, “We 
will drink wine from no hands but yours; you shall be our Gany¬ 
mede to-day.” He replied— 
“ Though my beauty surpasses bright Artemis’ ring, 
Not the less am I slave of the slaves of the king.” 
Repeating this couplet, he filled the bowl and handed it to the 
king, who took it in his hands, and dazed with the sight of his 
world-illuminating beauty, repeated this verse— 
“ When the circling bowl comes round to me, 
Sweet cup-bearer, prithee pass me by ! 
Let me drink love’s wine as I gaze on thee, 
And gaze and drink till I die!” 
The cup-bearer bowed his head to the ground, and with play¬ 
ful empressement, a curve in his brow, and a twinkle in his eyes, 
twice said “ Drink, king of the world, drink ! The king said— 
" If thou present the wine-cup to the king, 
Who’ll dare to call it a forbidden thing ?” 
* Literally * to whirl themselves over his head,’—an allusion to a super¬ 
stitious ceremony, which survives, I think, in India in the practice of twirling 
a chapdti round a bride’s head, and then throwing it to a distance—All her 
ill-luck is supposed to be drawn into the chapati and fly away with it. 
