“If we give any credit to Ferdosi, most of the laws of modern honour appear to have been understood and practised with an exception in favour of the ancient Persians, whose duels, or combats (which were frequent), were generally with the most distinguished among the enemies of their country or the human race. The great respect in which the female sex was held was, no doubt, the principal cause of the progress they had made in civilisation. These were at once the cause of generous enterprise and its reward. It would appear that in former days the women of Persia had an assigned and honourable place in society; and we must conclude that an equal rank with the male creation, which is secured to them by the ordinances of Zoroaster, existed long before the time of that reformer, who paid too great attention to the habits and prejudices of his countrymen, to have made any serious alterations in so important a usage. We are told by Quintus Curtius, that Alexander would not sit in the presence of Sisy-gambis till told to do so by that matron, because it was not the custom in Persia for sons to sit in presence of their mothers. There can be no stronger proof than this anecdote affords, of the great respect in which the female sex were held in that country at the period of his invasion.”[275] “Without thee, what were unenlightened man? A savage roaming through the woods and wilds In quest of prey; and with the unfashioned fur Rough clad; devoid of every finer art, And elegance of life. Nor happiness Domestic, mixed of tenderness and care, Nor moral excellence, nor social bliss, Nor grace, nor love, were his.”[276] CHAPTER XX. But you will say that I have ventured nothing like proof, of the paradoxical affirmation propounded a short while ago, as to the _Tuath-de-danaans_ having been mentioned, by all Eastern writers, in connection with Persia; and yet unnoticed, the while, by themselves, not less than unheeded by their readers? True: I but awaited the opportunity which has just arrived. Are you not aware, then, how that all Oriental writers, when referring to Budha, who was born at Maghada, in South Bahar, state that he was the son of _Suad-dha-dana_? And have I not already shown you that _Suadh_ and _Tuath_ were but disguises of each other, and both resolvable into Budh? Those first components, therefore, in each being the same, look at the entire compound words, _Tuath-de-danaan_, and _Suad-dha-dana_, and are not the rest, also, infallibly identical? Admitting this, you reply, how could they, in that early age, make their way to Ireland? which, from its extreme position, must have been the very last place they would have thought of!