a dungeon,
where he expired on the fifth day. The Greeks and modern Persians
minutely describe how Chosroes was insulted, and famished, and tortured,
by the command of an inhuman son, who so far surpassed the example of
his father: but at the time of his death, what tongue would relate
the story of the parricide? what eye could penetrate into the tower of
darkness? According to the faith and mercy of his Christian enemies, he
sunk without hope into a still deeper abyss; [107] and it will not be
denied, that tyrants of every age and sect are the best entitled to such
infernal abodes. The glory of the house of Sassan ended with the life of
Chosroes: his unnatural son enjoyed only eight months the fruit of his
crimes: and in the space of four years, the regal title was assumed by
nine candidates, who disputed, with the sword or dagger, the fragments
of an exhausted monarchy. Every province, and each city of Persia, was
the scene of independence, of discord, and of blood; and the state of
anarchy prevailed about eight years longer, [1071] till the factions
were silenced and united under the common yoke of the Arabian caliphs.
[108]

[Footnote 1041: The Schirin of Persian poetry. The love of Chosru and
Schirin rivals in Persian romance that of Joseph with Zuleika the wife
of Potiphar, of Solomon with the queen of Sheba, and that of Mejnoun and
Leila. The number of Persian poems on the subject may be seen in M. von
Hammer's preface to his poem of Schirin.--M]

[Footnote 105: The words of Theophanes are remarkable. Young princes who
discover a propensity to war should repeatedly transcribe and translate
such salutary texts.]

[Footnote 1051: His name was Kabad (as appears from an official letter
in the Paschal Chronicle, p. 402.) St. Martin considers the name Siroes,
Schirquieh of Schirwey, derived from the word schir, royal. St. Martin,
xi. 153.--M.]

[Footnote 106: The authentic narrative of the fall of Chosroes is
contained in the letter of Heraclius (Chron. Paschal. p. 398) and the
history of Theophanes, (p. 271.)]

[Footnote 1061: According to Le Beau, this massacre was perpetrated
at Mahuza in Babylonia, not in the presence of Chosroes. The Syrian
historian, Thomas of Maraga, gives Chosroes twenty-four sons; Mirkhond,
(translated by De Sacy,) fifteen; the inedited Modjmel-alte-warikh,
agreeing with Gibbon, eighteen, with their names. Le Beau and St.
Martin, xi. 146.--M.]

[Footnote 107: On the first rumor of the