An Oriental form of oath sometimes substitutes "salt" for "life;" as where the prime minister of Persia in a conference with James Morier, secretary of the English embassy, at Teheran, early in this century, swore "by the salt of Fatti Ali Shah"--the then reigning Shah of Persia.[69] Indeed, to swear "by the salt" is a common form of asseveration among Arabs; as to swear by the life, one's own or another's, is a well-known oath in the East.[70] [69] Morier's _Journey through Persia_, p. 200. [70] See, for example, Arvieux on _Customs of Bedouin Arabs_, p. 43, quoted in Rosenmüller's _Das alte und des neue Morgenland_, II., 15. Where we would say of one who is foremost in inspiriting and enlivening a social gathering, "He was the _life_ of the party," the Arabs say, "He was the _salt_ of the party." The "salt of youth" is synonymous with the virility and vigor of life, that show themselves in the age of strong passion. Thus Justice Shallow says to Master Page: "Though we are justices and doctors and churchmen, Master Page, we have some salt of our youth in us."[71] Iago refers to young gallants in their passion, "as salt as wolves in pride."[72] And Menecrates refers to "salt Cleopatra" in her loves with Antony.[73] Mrs. Browning seems to have a similar idea as to the significance of salt, when she says in "A Vision of Poets:" "And poor, proud Byron,--sad as grave And salt as life; forlornly brave, And quivering with the dart he drave." [71] _Merry Wives of Windsor_, Act II., Scene 3. [72] _Othello_, Act III., Scene 3. [73] _Antony and Cleopatra_, Act II., Scene 1. Even in Plutarch's day this truth was recognized by the Greeks as possibly having influenced the ancient Egyptians to forbid salt to their priests, who must be pure and chaste, because salt "by its heat is provocative and apt to raise lust."[74] It would seem, however, that the prohibition of salt as food to Egyptian priests is easier to be accounted for by the fact that it was recognized as the equivalent of blood and life. Therefore those priests were not to partake of salt, "no, not so much as in their bread."[75] [74] Plutarch's _Symposiacs_, Book V., Quest. X., §§ 1, 2. [75] _Ibid._ In this line of thought Florus says of salt: "Consider farther whether its power of preserving a long time dead bodies from rotting be not a _divine_ property, and opposite to death; since it preserves part, and will not suffer that which is mortal wholly to be destroyed. But as the soul, which is our diviner part, connects the limbs of animals, and keeps the composure from dissolution; thus salt applied to dead bodies, and imitating the work of the soul, stops those parts that were falling to corruption, binds and confines them, and so makes them keep their union and agreement with one another."[76] [76] Plutarch's _Symposiacs_, Book V., Quest. X., §§ 1, 2.