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EPISTLE II, CHAPTER VII, 5-VIII, 5.
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not now abandon routine of that kind, then your children, your own precious ones who are belovedof whom I know that you make them love you, and do not, moreover, diminish in your protection of them— shall be your accusers; and they shall abandon confidence in me as refuge and guardian, and in the sacred beings, through want of advice and want of guardianship. 3. The fires of the sacred fires whose manager is a guard and protection such as I, lest they should not obtain such an officiating priest (zôto), will have in defence and guardianship of themselves to make back to their Shiraz abode. 4. And I myself shall have to retire (agvirazidano) from the countries of Irân, and to wander forth to far distant realms where I shall not hear a rumour about your evil deeds. 5. In my occupation, moreover, my fortune (sukan) may be to wander forth by water even to China, or by land even to Aruml; but to be carried off by Vâê?, that uplifter, is much more my desire than when I am there where, owing to you, I hear that, as regards the glorifying of the sacred beings, which, because of my reply obtained above, would then be as much as death to me; it would also be the ending of that internal strife, so distasteful (a parvârako) to me, which is like his who has to struggle with his own life.
* The eastern empire of the Romans, that is, Asia Minor and the neighbouring regions.
* The bad Vaê, who carries off the soul (see Dd. XXX, 4).
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