REIGN OF SHÂPÛR BIN ASHAK.

He succeeded his father in the government, and it is recorded in the Târikh Ja’fari that he spent most of his time in the plains of Arabia. His queen was a descendant of Yusuf the veracious; he founded the city of Madâin [in reality two, Ctesiphon and Seleucia, on the opposite banks of the river], and built the iron bridge across the Tigris, which subsisted till the time of Kesra. Wais and Râmin* lived during his reign. Shâpûr was a magnanimous, wise, and just prince, always engaged in the acquisition of knowledge, and in the discussion of philosophical themes, till the time of his death. According to Hâfez Abru, he reigned forty-two years, but according to Hamdullah Mustoufi, about sixty years, which is an ugly discrepancy between these two great historians. His epithet was ‘golden.’ A few of his sayings are as follows: ‘Ignorance is a misfortune which meets with no reward.—Skill and prudence become manifest in conquering the difficulties of life.’ It is said that the mission of I’sa—o. w. p.—took place in his time.