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 382 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xlii of Persia, and sustained with firmness the angry, and perhaps the just, reproaches of that haughty Barbarian. « You see my ten fingers," said the great khan, and he applied them to his mouth. " You Eomans speak with as many tongues, but they are tongues of deceit and perjury. To me you hold one language, to my subjects another; and the nations are succes- sively deluded by your perfidious eloquence. You precipitate your allies into war and danger, you enjoy their labours, and you neglect your benefactors. Hasten your return, inform your master that a Turk is incapable of uttering or forgiving false- hood, and that he shall speedily meet the punishment which he deserves. While he solicits my friendship with flattering and hollow words, he is sunk to a confederate of my fugitive Varchon- ites. If I condescend to march against those contemptible slaves, they will tremble at the sound of our whips; they will be trampled, like a nest of ants, under the feet of my innumer- able cavalry. I am not ignorant of the road which they have followed to invade your empire ; nor can I be deceived by the vain pretence that mount Caucasus is the impregnable barrier of the Romans. I know the course of the Dniester, the Dan- ube, and the Hebrus ; the most warlike nations have yielded to the arms of the Turks ; and, from the rising to the setting sun, the earth is rny inheritance." Notwithstanding this men- ace, a sense of mutual advantage soon renewed the alliance of the Turks and Eomans; but the pride of the great khan survived his resentment; and, when he announced an impor- tant conquest to his friend the emperor Maurice, he styled himself the master of the seven races, and the lord of the seven climates, of the world. 44 state of Disputes have often arisen between the sovereigns of Asia, r. e D S1 5ob-538 f° r the title of king of the world ; while the contest has proved that it could not belong to either of the competitors. The kingdom of the Turks was bounded by the Oxus or Gihon ; and Touran was separated by that great river from the rival monarchy of Iran, or Persia, which, in a smaller compass, contained perhaps a larger measure of power and population. 44 All the details of these Turkish and Roman embassies, so curious in the his- tory of human manners, are drawn from the Extracts of Menander (p. 106-110, 151-154, 161-164 [frs. 18, 19, 20, 21, 43, in F. H. G. iv.]), in which we often regret the want of order and connexion.