ll the others being free
invention. Other Persian poets besides Hafid also furnished material.
Thus the opening passage of Sa'di's _Gulistan_ was used for "Im
Athemholen," p. 10, where the sense, however, is altered and the line
"So sonderbar ist das Leben gemischt" is added. A number of poems are
based on the _Pand Namah_ of 'Attar, e.g. pp. 58, 60,[105] and two are
taken from Firdausi, namely "Firdusi spricht," p. 75 (Sh. N. i. p. 62,
couplet 538; Mohl, i. 84; Fundgruben. ii. 64) and "Was machst du an der
Welt?" p. 96 (Sh. N. i. p. 482, coupl. 788, 789; _Red._ p. 58). But it
was not only the poetical works of Persia that were laid under
contribution; sayings, anecdotes, descriptions, remarks of any kind in
books of travel and the like were utilized as well. Thus Hammer in the
preface to his version of Hafid relates the _fatva_ or judgment which a
famous _mufti_ of Constantinople pronounced on the poems of the great
singer, and this gave Goethe the idea for his "Fetwa," p. 32.[106] In
the same preface[107] is related the well known reply which Hafid is
reported to have given to Timur, when called to account by the latter
for the sentiment of the first couplet of the famous eighth ode, and
this inspired the poem "Haett' ich irgend wol Bedenken," p. 133.
Similarly "Vom heutigen Tag," p. 94, is based on the words of an
inscription over a caravansery at Ispahan found in Chardin's book. The
story of Bahramgur and Dilaram inventing rhyme[108] gave rise to the
poem "Behramgur, sagt man," p. 153. And so we might cite poems from
other sources, _Quran_, Jones' _Poeseos_, Diez' _Buch des Kabus_, etc.,
but the examples we have given are sufficient to show how Goethe used
his material.

Throughout the _Divan_ Persian similes and metaphors are copiously
employed and help to create a genuine Oriental atmosphere. The adoration
of the dust on the path of the beloved, p. 23 (cf. H. 497. 10); the
image of the candle that is consumed by the flame as the lover is by
yearning, p. 54 (cf. H. 414. 4); the love of the nightingale for the
rose, p. 125 (cf. H. 318. 1); the lover captive in the maiden's
tresses, p. 46 (cf. H. 338. 1); the arrows of the eye lashes, p. 129
(cf. H. 173. 2); the verses strung together like pearls, p. 193 (cf.
H. 499. 11), are some of the peculiarly Persian metaphors that occur.
Allusions to the loves of Yusuf and Zalicha, of Laila and Majnun and of
other Oriental couples are repeatedly brought in. Moreover, a whole b