Note 74 — THE BOOK OF THE MESNEVĪ
James W. (James William) Redhouse translation
“Mervites and Rāzites,” citizens of Merv and Rey (Rhages), two great Persian cities in former days, now in ruins. Merv is at present a Turkman camping-ground, aimed at by Russia as a halting place on the road to Herāt and India. Rey, the Rhages of the book of Tobit, not far from Tihrān, the Shāh’s present capital of Persia. The two parties were like Ireland’s Orangemen and Ribbonmen of our time.