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occasionallylaybarethepoliticalcontextofthisorthatghazalorline,buttellus
nothingabouttheunvaryingphilosophicalsubtextofallḤāfiẓ’spoems,whichis
love.Eroshispolis,notShīrāz;Eros,theobjectofhispraise,notthecourtofany
princeorvizier:
YouknowIneverdidonceperuse
ThosetalesofAlexanderorDarius,
Sodon’teveraskmereciteelse
Butthewordsoffaithandlove.^259
ḤāfiẓandtheReligionofLoveinClassicalPersianPoetry