'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.' [‎88] (119/582)

88
.V s VISITS AT KERMANSHAH,
much the external beauty of a boy as his virtuous disposition, his
modesty, and courage, which recommended him.
4 From the Cretans pass we to the Lacedaemonians, several of
whose constitutions were derived from Crete. Their love of boys
was remarkable all over Greece, and for the whole conduct and
excellent consequences of it every where admired. There was no
such thing as presents passed between the lovers, no foul arts
were used to insinuate themselves into one another's affections ;
their love was generous, and worthy the Spartan education; it
was first entertained from a mutual esteem of one another's vir
tue ; and the same cause which first inspired the flame, did alone
serve to nourish and continue it; it was not tainted with so much
as a suspicion of immodesty. Agesilaus is said to have refused so
much as to kiss the boy he loved, for fear of censure : and if a
person attempted any thing upon a youth besides what consisted
with the strictest rules of modesty, the laws (however encouraging
a virtuous love) condemned him to disgrace, whereby he was de
prived of almost all the privileges of free denizens. The same
practice was allowed the women toward their own sex, and was so
much in fashion among them, that the most staid and virtuous
matrons would publicly own their passion for a modest and beau
tiful virgin, which is a farther confirmation of the innocency of
this custom. Maximus the Tyrian assures us the Spartans loved
their boys no otherwise than a man may be enamoured with a
beautiful statue, which he proves from what Plutarch likewise re
ports, that though several men's fancies met in one person, yet did
not that cause any strangeness or jealousy among them, but was
rather the beginning of a very intimate friendship, whilst they all
jointly conspired to render the beloved boy the most accomplished
in the world; for the end of this love was, that the young men
might be improved in all virtuous and commendable qualities, by
conversing with men of probity and experience ; whence the lover
and the beloved shared the honour and disgrace of each other ;