OF THE BAS-RELIEFS. 
629 
not surprising to see the same emblematic flower carried in a pro¬ 
cession to their honour, which would be found “ breathing sweet 
incense,” amongst the symbols of an entirely religious festival. 
The very mutilated range of figures above these lotos-bearing 
nobles, and on the upper line of the stair-case, I have described 
in a former page, are preceded by a file of military ; and being- 
in part composed of horses, chariots, bulls, and other objects 
likely to be selected as fit oblations at the vernal feast, I have 
no doubt that a continuation of a similar train went along the 
exterior inclining wall of the steps, in the manner of the cor¬ 
responding bas-reliefs still existing down those to the west. It 
would be a vain task to attempt assigning to the particular par¬ 
ties, divided by the marble avenue of cypress-trees, each its sepa¬ 
rate country, according to its different costume. The account 
Herodotus has left, of the national dresses of the various people 
who accompanied the great expedition of Xerxes, is so purely 
military, that little resemblance can be expected between their 
garb of war, and that of peace. Particular details of the dress 
of the Medes and Persians, under both circumstances, he, as 
well as Xenophon, has given us ; but with regard to the home 
garments of any other of the satrapies, we have only a few 
scattered remarks. However, sufficient variety presents itself in 
the respective groups, to make it evident that they came from 
parts of the empire as distinct in climate, as different in the 
fashion of their garb ; some being so lightly clothed as merely 
to wear what decency demands; and others covered up from 
the sock to the chin. Yet none of them shew any of the heavy 
furs, which might designate the most northern tributaries; nor 
could it be expected that nations from those remote regions, 
would bring shelters from the cold, to a climate of the south, 
