Byron starts canto XVI of his famous Don Juan with an allusion to the old Persian manner of bringing up their children. He refers to the Persians who teach their children how to draw a bow, ride on horseback and, in accordance with the principles of Zoroastrianism, to be truthful ( Byron probably borrowed this piece of information from Herodotus's Histories ) :
... [مشاهده متن کامل]
The antique Persians taught three useful things,
To draw the bow, to ride, and speak the truth.
This was the mode of Cyrus, best of kingsA mode adopted since by modern youth.
Bows have they, generally with two strings;
Horses they ride without remorse or ruth;
At speaking truth perhaps they are less clever,
But draw the long bow better now than ever ( Stanza 1 ) .
