. History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria . THE KING ON HIS THKONE. 270 THE LAST DAYS OP THE OLD EASTERN WORLD respect as in other Oriental nations was paid only to thegods: this was but natural, for was he not a despot, whowith a word or gesture could abase the noblest of hissubjects, and determine the well-being or misery of hispeople ? His dress differed from that of his nobles only bythe purple dye of its material and the richness of the goldembroideries with which it was adorned, but he was. A VIEW OF THE AP^UJANA OF SUSA, RESTOKED. distinguished from all others by the peo
. History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia and Assyria . THE KING ON HIS THKONE. 270 THE LAST DAYS OP THE OLD EASTERN WORLD respect as in other Oriental nations was paid only to thegods: this was but natural, for was he not a despot, whowith a word or gesture could abase the noblest of hissubjects, and determine the well-being or misery of hispeople ? His dress differed from that of his nobles only bythe purple dye of its material and the richness of the goldembroideries with which it was adorned, but he was. A VIEW OF THE AP^UJANA OF SUSA, RESTOKED. distinguished from all others by the peouhar felt cap, orhidaris, which he wore, and the blue-and-white band whichencircled it like a crown; the king is never representedwithout his long sceptre with pommelled handle, whetherhe be sitting or standing, and wherever he went he wasattended by his umbrella- and fan-bearers. The prescrip-tions of court etiquette were such as to convince hissubjects and persuade himself that he was sprung from a ^ Drawn by Boudier, from the restoration by Marcel Dieulafoy. THE ETIQUETTE OP THE PERSIAN COURT 271 nobler race than that of any of his magnates, and that hewas outside the pale of ordinary humanity. The greaterpart of his time was passed in privacy, where he wasattended only by the eunuchs appointed to receive hisorders; and these orders, once issued, were irrevocable,as was also the kings word, however much he might desireto recall a promise once made. His meals were, as arule, served to him alone; he mig
Size: 2366px × 1056px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecthistoryancient, booky
