cal strength of the Persian and Turanian forces
appears prodigious on all occasions, but nothing when compared with the
army under Xerxes at Thermopylae, which, with the numerous retinue of
servants, eunuchs, and women that attended it, is said to have amounted
to no less than 5,283,220 souls.]

[Footnote 9: Herodotus speaks of a people confederated with the army of
Xerxes, who employed the noose. "Their principal dependence in action is
upon cords made of twisted leather, which they use in this manner: when
they engage an enemy, they throw out these cords, having a noose at the
extremity; if they entangle in them either horse or man, they without
difficulty put them to death."--Beloe's transl. Polymnia, Sec. 85.]

[Footnote 10: Istakhar, also called Persepolis, and Chehel-minar, or the
Forty Pillars. This city was said to have been laid in ruins by
Alexander after the conquest of Darius.]

[Footnote 11: Kai-kaus, the second King of Persia of the dynasty called
Kaianides. He succeeded Kai-kobad, about six hundred years B.C.
According to Firdusi he was a foolish tyrannical prince. He appointed
Rustem captain-general of the armies, to which the lieutenant-generalship
and the administration of the state was annexed, under the title of "the
champion of the world." He also gave him a taj, or crown of gold, which
kings only were accustomed to wear, and granted him the privilege of
giving audience seated on a throne of gold. It is said that Kai-kaus
applied himself much to the study of astronomy, and that he founded two
great observatories, the one at Babel, and the other on the Tigris.]

[Footnote 12: The armor called Burgustuwan almost covered the horse, and
as usually made of leather and felt-cloth.]

[Footnote 13: In this hunting excursion he is completely armed, being
supplied with spear, sword, shield, mace, bow and arrows. Like the
knight-errants of after times, he seldom even slept unarmed. Single
combat and the romantic enterprises of European Chivalry may indeed be
traced to the East. Rustem was a most illustrious example of all that is
pious, disinterested, and heroic. The adventure now describing is highly
characteristic of a chivalrous age. In the Dissertation prefixed to
Richardson's Dictionary, mention is made of a famous Arabian
Knight-errant called Abu Mahommud Albatal, "who wandered everywhere in
quest of adventures, and redressing grievances. He was killed in the
year 738."]

[Footnote 14: As a proof o