Matthew Arnold's Sohrab and Rustum and Other Poems Part 21

"The introduction of the tranquil pictures of the Oxus, both at the beginning and close of the poem (ll. 875-892), flowing steadily on, unmoved by the tragedy which has been enacted on her sh.o.r.e, forms one of the most artistic features in the setting of the poem."

=3. Tartar camp.= The Tartars were nomadic tribes of Central Asia and southern Russia. The so-called Black Tartars, identified with the Scythians of the Greek historians, inhabited the basin of the Aral and Caspian Seas, and are the tribe referred to in the poem. They are a fierce, warlike people; hence our expression, "caught a Tartar."

[156]

=11. Peran-Wisa.= A celebrated Turanian chief, here in command of Afrasiab's army, which was composed of representatives of many Tartar tribes, as indicated in ll. 119-134.

=15. Pamere=, or Pamir. An extensive plateau region of Central Asia, called by the natives the "roof of the world." Among the rivers having their source in this plateau are the Oxus, l. 2, and the Jaxartes, l.

129.

=38. Afrasiab.= The king of the Tartars, and one of the princ.i.p.al heroes of the _Shah Nameh_, the Persian "Book of Kings." He is reputed to have been strong as a lion and to have had few equals as a warrior.

=40. Samarcand.= A city in the district of Serafshan, Turkestan, to the east of Bokhara; now a considerable commercial and manufacturing centre, and a centre of Mohammedan learning.

=42. Ader-baijan.= The northwest province of Persia, on the Turanian frontier.

=45. At my boy's years.= See introductory note to poem.

=60. common fight.= In the sense of a general engagement. Be sure to catch the reason why Sohrab makes his request.

=61. sunk.= That is, lost sight of.

=67. common chance.= See note, l. 60. Which would be the more dangerous, a "single" or "common" combat? Why?

=70. To find a father thou hast never seen.= See introductory note to poem.

=82. Seistan.= A province of southwest Afghanistan bordering on the Persian province of Yezd. It is intersected by the Helmund River (l.

751), which flows into the Hamoon Lake, now scarcely more than a mora.s.s. On an island in this lake are ruins of fortifications called Fort Rustum. This territory was long held by Rustum's family, feudatory to the Persian kings. =Zal.= Rustum's father, ruler of Seistan. See note, l. 232. [157]

=83-85. Whether that ... or in some quarrel=, etc. Either because his mighty strength ... or because of some quarrel, etc.

=85. Persian King.= That is, Kai Kaoos (or Kai Khosroo). See introductory note to poem; also note, l. 223.

=86-91. There go!= etc. The touching solicitation of these lines is wholly Arnold's.

=99. Why ruler's staff, no sword?=

=101. Kara Kul.= A district some thirty miles southwest of Bokhara, noted for the excellence of its pasturage, and for its fleeces.

=107. Haman.= Next to Peran-Wisa in command of Tartar army. See Houman, in introductory note to poem.

=113-114. Casbin.= A fortified city in the province of Irak-Ajemi, Persia, situated on the main route from Persia to Europe, and at one time the capital of the Iranian empire. Just to the north of the city rise the =Elburz Mountains= (l. 114), which separate the Persian Plateau from the depression containing the Caspian and Aral Seas.

=115. frore.= Frozen, from the Anglo-Saxon _froren_.

"... the parching air Burns frore, and cold performs the effect of fire."

--MILTON. _Paradise Lost_, ll. 594-595, Book II.

=119. Bokhara.= Here the state of Bokhara, an extensive region of Central Asia, touching the Aral Sea to the north, the Oxus to the south, and Khiva to the west. It has an estimated area of 235,000 square miles, and contains nineteen cities of considerable size, of which the capital, Bokhara, is most important.

=120. Khiva.= A khanate situated in the valley of the lower Oxus, bordering Bokhara on the southeast. =ferment the milk of mares.= An intoxicating drink, _Koumiss_, made of camel's or mare's milk, is in wide use among the steppe tribes.

[158]

=121. Toorkmuns.= A branch of the Turkish race found chiefly in northern Persia and Afghanistan.

=122. Tukas.= From the province of Azer-baijan.

=123. Attruck.= A river of Khora.s.san, near the frontier of Khiva; it has a west course, and enters the Caspian Sea on the east side.

=128. Ferghana.= A khanate of Turkestan, north of Bokhara, in the upper valley of the Sir Daria.

=129. Jaxartes.= The ancient name of the Sir Daria River. It takes its source in the Thian Shan Mountains, one of the Pamir Plateau ranges, and flows with a general direction north, emptying into the Aral Sea on the east side.

=131. Kipchak.= A khanate some seventy miles below Khiva on the Oxus.

=132. Kalmucks.= A nomadic branch of the Mongolian race, dwelling in western Siberia. =Kuzzaks.= Now commonly called Cossacks; a warlike people inhabiting the steppes of southern Russia and extensive portions of Asia. Their origin is uncertain.

=133. Kirghizzes.= A rude nomadic people of Mongolian-Tartar race found in northern Turkestan.

=138. Khora.s.san.= (That is, the region of the sun.) A province of northeastern Persia, largely desert. The origin of the name is prettily suggested by Moore in the opening poem of _Lalla Rookh_:--

"In the delightful province of the sun The first of Persian lands he s.h.i.+nes upon," etc.

=147. fix'd.= Stopped suddenly, halted.

=154-169.= Note the effect the challenge has on the two armies.

=156. corn.= Here used with its European sense of "grain." It is only in America that the word signifies Indian corn or "maize."

[159]

=160. Cabool.= Capital of northern Afghanistan, and an important commercial city.

=161. Indian Caucasus.= A lofty mountain range north of Cabool, which forms the boundary between Turkestan and Afghanistan.

=173. King.= See note, l. 85.

=177. lion's heart.= Explain the line. Why are the terms here used so forcible in the mouth of Gudurz?

=178-183. Aloof he sits, etc.= One is reminded by Rustum's deportment here, of Achilles sulking in his tent and nursing his wrath against Agamemnon.--_Iliad_, Book I.

=199. sate.= Old form of "sat," common in poetry.

=200. falcon.= A kind of hawk trained to catch game birds.

=217. Iran.= The official name of Persia.

=221. Go to!= Hebraic expression. Frequently found in Shakespeare.

=223. Kai Khosroo.= According to the _Shah Nameh_, the thirteenth Turanian king. He reigned in the sixth century B.C., and has been identified with Cyrus the Great.

=230. Not that one slight helpless girl, etc.= See ll. 609-611, also introduction to the poem.