A. O. STAFFORD

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Palgrave, “Essays on Eastern Questions,” 37 et seq.

[2] Huart, “A History of Arabian Literature,” 13.

[3] Nicholson, “Literary History of the Arabs,” 114.

[4] Huart, “A History of Arabian Literature,” 14.

[5] These are two selections from Antar’s Mu ’Allakat: 

     A FAIR LADY

     ’Twas then her beauties first enslaved my heart—­
     Those glittering pearls and ruby lips, whose kiss
     Was sweeter far than honey to the taste. 
     As when the merchant opes a precious box
     Of perfume, such an odor from her breath
     Comes toward me, harbinger of her approach;
     Or like an untouched meadow, where the rain
     Hath fallen freshly on the fragrant herbs
     That carpet all its pure untrodden soil: 
     A meadow where the fragrant rain-drops fall
     Like coins of silver in the quiet pools,
     And irrigate it with perpetual streams;
     A meadow where the sportive insects hum,
     Like listless topers singing o’er their cups,
     And ply their forelegs like a man who tries
     With maimed hands to use the flint and steel.

     THE BATTLE

     There where the horsemen rode strongest
     I rode out in front of them,
     Hurled forth my battle-shout and charged them;
     No man thought blame of me. 
     Antar! they cried; and their lances
     Well-cords in slenderness, pressed to the breast
     Of my war-horse still as I pressed on them. 
     Doggedly strove we and rode we. 
     Ha! the brave stallion!  Now is his breast dyed
     With blood drops, his star-front with fear of them! 
     Swerved he, as pierced by the spear points. 
     Then in his beautiful eyes stood the tears
     Of appealing, words inarticulate. 
     If he had our man’s language,
     Then had he called to me. 
     If he had known our tongue’s secret,
     Then had he cried to me.

* * * * *

Deep through the sand drifts the horsemen
Charged with teeth grimly set,
Urging their war-steeds;
I urged them spurred by my eagerness forward
To deeds of daring, deeds of audacity.

[6] Huart, “A History of Arabian Literature,” 13.

[7] Holden, “Library of the World’s Best Literature,” 586.

[8] Not in Text

[9] Edward S. Holden, “Library of the World’s Best Literature,” I, p. 587.

[10] Richard Gottheil, “Library of the World’s Best Literature,” II, 674.

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