OF THE KOMAN EMPIRE 48 tation and example of his father, the service, in every rank, of his wise and valiant officers, and a general system of adminis- tration, harmonized by time and political wisdom to promote the happiness of the prince and people. But the royal youth enjoyed a still more valuable blessing, the friendship of a sage who had presided over his education, and who always preferred the honour to the interest of his })upil, his interest to his inclination. In a dispute with the Greek and Indian philo- sophers, Buzurg'^ had once maintained that the most grievous misfortune of life is old age without the remembrance of virtue ; and our candour will presume that the same principle com- pelled him, during three years, to direct the councils of the Persian empire. His zeal was rewarded by the gratitude and docility of Hormouz, who acknowledged himself more indebted to his prece}it()r than to his })Hrent ; but, when age and labour had im})aired the strength and perhaps the faculties of this prudent counsellor, he retired from court, and abandoned the youthful monarch to his own passions and those of his favourites. By the fatal vicissitude of human affairs, the same scenes were rencAved at Ctesi])hon, which had been exhibited in Rome after the death of Marcus Antoninus. The ministers of flattery and corruption, who had been banished by the father, were recalled and cherished by the son ; the disgrace and exile of the friends of Nushirvan established their tyranny ; and virtue was driven by degrees from the mind of Hormouz, from his palace, and from the government of the state. '^^ The faithful agents, the eyes and ears of the king, informed him of the progress of dis- order, that the provincial governors flew to their prey with the ,y fierceness of lions and eagles, and that their rapine and injustice of Chosroes seems to be a vain invention of the Greeks, credulously accepted by Evngrius and Theophylact.] 1' t^u/.urg Mihir may be considered, in his cliaracter and station, as the Seneca of the liast ; but his virtues, and perhaps his faults, are less known than those of the Konian, who appears to have been much more loquacious. The I'ersian sage was the person who imported from fndia the game of chess and the fables of Pilpay. Such has been the fame of his wisdom and virtues that the Christians claim him as a believer in the gospel ; and the Mahometans revere Ruzurg as a premature Musulman. D Herbelot, Bibliotheque Orientale, p. 218. [Buzurg Mihr is a favourite figure in rhetorical literature, but is unknown to strict history. Cp. Xuldeke, 'fabari, p. 251. J 1- [This dark portrait of Hormizd is based on the accounts of the Greek historians, Theophylactus, Menander, Evagrius(to which add John of Ephesus, vi. 22). The Romans did not forgive him for renewing the war. Moreover Theophy- lactus doubtless derived his ideas of the charac;er of Hormizd from Chosroes f I. and the Persians who accompanied him to Constantinople ; and they of course painted it in dark colours. See Xoldeke, Tabari, p. 265. Hormizd attempted to depress the power of the magnates and the priests, and strengthen the royal
