Penny Dreadfuls, 1900 · page 105 of 142
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and the Salaman and Absal of Jami — page 105: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose poetry from a Victorian edition of "Salaman and Absal," a Persian literary work. The visible text consists of quoted verse (appears to be a dramatic monologue or parable) followed by explanatory footnotes. The quoted lines address themes of love, honor, and submission, with references to Persian figures like Zal and Rustam. Below the main text, footnotes identify characters from Persian history—specifically Kai Khusrau and his father Noshiravan—and note that this passage was "declared" as a parable when the father fell before his son's dagger. The page is ornately bordered with decorative floral elements typical of Victorian printing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SALAMAN AND ABSAL. me ee “ Not, with no weapon but a wanton curl ‘* Tdly reposing on a silver breast. “‘ Go, fly thine arrow at the antelope ‘* And lion—let me not My lion see ‘¢ Slain by the arrow eyes of a ghazal. ‘“ Go, challenge Zau or Rustam to the Field, ‘And smite the warriors’ neck ; not, flying them, “ Beneath a woman’s foot submit thine own. ‘OQ wipe the woman’s henna from thy hand, ‘‘ Withdraw thee from the minion’ who from thee ‘* Dominion draws, and draws me with thee down ; ‘* Years have I held my head aloft, and all ‘¢ For Thee—Oh shame if thou prepare my Fall!” When before SutrtyEn’s dagger Kart Kuusrav,” his Father, fell, He declared this Parable— 1 «SHaug,” and “SHanip ” (A Mistress). | 2 Kuausrau Parviz (Chosroe The Victorious), Son of | Nosuiravan The Great ; slain, after Thirty Years of prosperous | Reign, by his Son SuirUyeEn, who, according to some, was in | love with his Father’s mistress Suirin. See further on one of i the most dramatic Tragedies in Persian history. he GOMMGIOOKSHEO =