Firdusi, the great Persian epic poet, compares human beauty to the growth of the cypress, as the highest praise he can give.

Indeed some trees were worshipped by the Persians; and as the tree of life in the Hebrew and Egyptian, so we find sacred trees in their Paradise.] No sound was to be heard except the one which had alarmed her, and this too died away at last on the morning breeze.

After a few minutes she heard cries and noise in the distance, then the great city awaking to its daily work, which soon settled down into a deep, dull murmur like the roaring of the sea.
Nitetis was by this time so thoroughly awakened from the effect of the fresh morning air, that she did not care to lie down again.

She went once more to the window and perceived two figures coming out of the house.

One she recognized as the eunuch Boges; he was talking to a beautiful Persian woman carelessly dressed.