'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎87] (118/582)

TO THE FRIENDS OF MY COMPANION. gy
upon them: but those that were more happy in being admired,
were honoured with the first seats at public exercises, and wore,
for a distinguishing badge of honour, a sort of garment richly
adorned; this they still retained after they arrived to man's estate,
in memory they had once been xXsm), eminent, which was the name
the Cretans gave to youths who had lovers. The lovers them
selves were called One thing was remarkable in this
place, that the lovers always took their boys by force ; for, having
placed their affections upon any one, they gave notice of it to his
relations, and withal certified them what day they designed to take
him: if the lover was unworthy of the boy, they refused to yield
him up ; but if his quality and virtues were answerable, they
made some slight opposition to satisfy the law, and pursued him
to his lodgings, but then gave their consent. After this, the lover
carried the boy whither he pleased, the persons that were present
at the rape bearing him company. He entertained him some
time, two months at the farthest, with hunting and such diver
sions ; then they returned him home. At his departure, it was
ordered by law that the boy should receive a suit of armour, an
ox, and a cup, to which the lover usually added out of his own
bounty several other presents of value. The boy being returned
home, sacrificed the ox to Jupiter, made an entertainment for
those that had accompanied him in his flight, and gave an account
of the usage he had from his lover; for in case he was rudely
treated, the law allowed him satisfaction. It is farther affirmed
by Maximus the Tyrian, that during all the time of their converse
together, nothing unseemly, nothing repugnant to the ancient
laws of virtue passed between them; and however some authors
are inclined to have hard thoughts of this custom, yet the testi
monies of many others, with the high characters given by the
ancients of the old Cretan constitutions, by which it was approved,
are sufficient to vindicate it from all false imputations. The same
is put beyond dispute by what Strabo tells us, that it was not so