676 
COMBATS OF THE 
vices, for he had a sufficient number of both, he so far followed 
the track of Darius, as to declare war against image-worship; 
and not only the shrines of Babylonia felt his indignation, but 
every country through which his conquering eagles flew. Greece, 
above all, writhed under the load of her temples levelled with 
the dust; while the orphans of the slain, clasping the broken 
swords of their fathers in the smoking ruins, swore a signal 
vengeance on the violater of their hearths and their altars. 
After-times saw the vow fulfilled on the banks of the Granicus ; 
the blood of Xerxes flowed from the bosom of his descendant 
X 
Darius Codamanus; and Thais the Athenian, terribly visited the 
devastation of her native city on the imperial walls of the capital; 
before whose relics so many pilgrim footsteps have stood, pon¬ 
dering the terrible event. Nevertheless, the Persian poets forget 
all these calamities, while dwelling on the splendour of the 
actions to which they were a retribution ; and ambitious of 
equalling their idol Isfundeer, with his predecessors Roostam 
and Kai Khoosroo, they describe even his unfortunate enterprises 
in the same figurative style of vain-glory, with which we find his 
progress towards the capture of the great strong-hold of Scythia? 
emblazoned and recounted. He approached the city through 
seven enchanted gates. The first was defended by two savage 
wolves, the second by two enormous lions, the third by a dragon, 
the fourth by a ghoul, or daemon-devourer of the dead, the fifth 
by a griffin, the sixth by an ever-flowing cataract, the seventh 
by a lake and boundless mountains : all of which marvellous 
succession of impediments he overcame and surmounted, gained 
the city, and killed Argasp the king. 
I do not doubt, that the contemplation of the bas-relief 
combats in these ruins, has assisted the romance-writers of Persia 
