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〃gave birth to small men。 No region produced at once delightful fruits
and men of a war…like spirit。〃 Letters were to them； probably； then
unknown。 They borrowed them in after years； as they borrowed their art；
from Babylonians； Assyrians； and other Semitic nations whom they
conquered。 From the age of five to that of twenty； their lads were
instructed but in two thingsto speak the truth and to shoot with the bow。
To ride was the third necessary art； introduced； according to Xenophon；
after they had descended from their mountain fastnessess to conquer the
whole East。
Their creed was simple enough。 Ahura MazdaOrmuzd； as he has
been called sincewas the one eternal Creator； the source of all light and
life and good。 He spake his word； and it acplished the creation of
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heaven； before the water； before the earth； before the cow； before the tree；
before the fire； before man the truthful； before the Devas and beasts of
prey； before the whole existing universe； before every good thing created
by Ahura Mazda and springing from Truth。
He needed no sacrifices of blood。 He was to be worshipped only
with prayers； with offerings of the inspiring juice of the now unknown
herb Homa； and by the preservation of the sacred fire； which； understand；
was not he； but the symbolas was light and the sunof the good spiritof
Ahura Mazda。 They had no images of the gods； these old Persians； no
temples； no altars； so says Herodotus； and considered the use of them a
sign of folly。 They were； as has been well said of them； the Puritans of
the old world。 When they descended from their mountain fastnesses；
they became the iconoclasts of the old world； and the later Isaiah； out of
the depths of national shame； captivity； and exile； saw in them brother…
spirits； the chosen of the Lord； whose hero Cyrus； the Lord was holding by
His right hand； till all the foul superstitions and foul effeminacies of the
rotten Semitic peoples of the East； and even of Egypt itself； should be
crushed； though； alas！ only for awhile； by men who felt that they had a
mission from the God of light and truth and purity； to sweep out all
that with the besom of destruction。
But that was a later inspiration。 In earlier； and it may be happier；
times the duty of the good man was to strive against all evil； disorder；
uselessness； inpetence in their more simple forms。 〃He therefore is a
holy man；〃 says Ormuzd in the Zend… avesta； 〃who has built a dwelling on
the earth； in which he maintains fire； cattle； his wife； his children； and
flocks and herds； he who makes the earth produce barley； he who
cultivates the fruits of the soil； cultivates purity； he advances the law of
Ahura Mazda as much as if he had offered a hundred sacrifices。〃
To reclaim the waste； to till the land； to make a corner of the earth
better than they found it； was to these men to rescue a bit of Ormuzd's
world out of the usurped dominion of Ahriman； to rescue it from the spirit
of evil and disorder for its rightful owner； the Spirit of Order and of Good。
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For they believed in an evil spirit； these old Persians。 Evil was not
for them a lower form of good。 With their intense sense of the difference
between right and wrong it could be nothing less than hateful； to be
attacked； exterminated； as a personal enemy； till it became to them at last
impersonate and a person。
Zarathustra； the mystery of evil； weighed heavily on them and on their
great prophet； Zoroastersplendour of gold； as I am told his name
signifieswho lived； no man knows clearly when or clearly where； but
who lived and lives for ever； for his works follow him。 He； too； tried to
solve for his people the mystery of evil； and if he did not succeed； who has
succeeded yet？ Warring against Ormuzd； Ahura Mazda； was Ahriman；
Angra Mainyus； literally the being of an evil mind； the ill…conditioned
being。 He was labouring perpetually to spoil the good work of Ormuzd
alike in nature and in man。 He was the cause of the fall of man； the
tempter； the author of misery and death； he was eternal and uncreate as
Ormuzd was。 But that； perhaps； was a corruption of the purer and older
Zoroastrian creed。 With it； if Ahriman were eternal in the past； he would
not be eternal in the future。 Somehow； somewhen； somewhere； in the
day when three prophetsthe increasing light； the increasing truth； and the
existing truthshould arise and give to mankind the last three books of the
Zend…avesta； and convert all mankind to the pure creed； then evil should
be conquered； the creation bee pure again； and Ahriman vanish for
ever； and； meanwhile； every good man was to fight valiantly for Ormuzd；
his true lord； against Ahriman and all his works。
Men who held such a creed； and could speak truth and draw the bow；
what might they not do when the hour and the man arrived？ They were
not a BIG nation。 No； but