पृष्ठ 924 / 1116

[FN#78] The geography is ultra-Shakespearean. "Fars" (whence

"Persia") is the central Province of the grand old Empire now a

mere wreck, "Rum" (which I write Roum, in order to avoid Jamaica)

is the neo-Roman or Byzantine Empire, while "Yunan" is the

classical Arab term for Greece (Ionia) which unlearned Moslems

believe to be now under water.

[FN#79] The Sun greets Mohammed every morning even as it dances

on Easter Day for Christendom. Risum teneatis?

[FN#80] Arab. "Nadim," a term often occurring. It denotes one who

was intimate enough to drink with the Caliph, a very high honour

and a dangerous. The last who sat with "Nudama" was Al-Razi

bi'llah A.H. 329 = 940. See Al-Siyuti's famous "History of the

Caliphs" translated and admirably annotated by Major H. S.

Jarrett, for the Bibliotheca Indica, Calcutta, 1880.