Page:Philological Museum v2.djvu/201

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191
HEADERTEXT.
191

On the Position of Susa. 191 which Sapor built the Shadrewan before the gate of the city, because it lies on a hill, and the water does not come up to it. He built Shuster with stone and iron pillars. The body of Daniel (peace be with him) was formerly at Shuster, The people of Shus who were afflicted with a famine desired the body of Daniel (peace be with him) to turn away the famine. The body was sent to them to Shiis^ to turn away the famine. They hid the coffin in the river, and the elders of Shus swore that the coffin was not in their city. After this they asked the boys ; the boys said that the coffin was in such a place. Wherefore it is the custom to hear the testimony of boys. The glory of this city is the dyke Shadrewan on the river Meshrikan: its wares are rich stuffs and rice.^^ To this is added an extract from a Turkish geographical work, the Jehannuma, which, though it does not mention the transfer, yet on the whole confirms the statement of the Persian author. " DaiiieVs Tomb is on the west side of the city (Shus)^ they say it has remained there ever since the captivity in the time of Nebuchadnezzar. At the time of the (Moslem) conquest a coffin was found which was taken for that of Daniel, and was brought out in time of dearth and honoured with prayers. Abu Musa Elashari made a vaulted chamber of stone under ground by the bank of the river that flows by the city, in which he deposited the coffin and turned the river of Shus over it, out of reverence, that the body of a prophet might not lie in the hands of the people." The same Turkish author in mentioning Shuster notices the excellent quality of the water in digesting the coarsest food. Two observations of v. Hammer seem after this to set the question completely at rest : " In the first place the river of Susa can only be that which flows under the walls of the city, and not another flowing several miles off (as the Ab-zal), because Daniel stood at the gate of the city (viii. 2.) by the river of Ulai. In the second place it is by no means uncertain whether Susa stood on the eastern or western bank of the Euleus (as Mr Kinneir supposes), because Alexander on his march toward the east arrives first at the Choaspes and then at Susa. This circumstance has been clearly pointed out by Hoeck, to prove the position of Sicsa on the eastern