The passage describes how Hasan-i-Sabbah sold the drug called hashish, which was made from Indian hemp
founded the Isma'ili branch of Islam
fought against Persian terrorists
was eventually killed by one of his enemies
established a group of Muslims called Nizaris
The group of killers referred to in the passage were originally called by a name meaning people who use a particular drug
the old men of the mountain
those headed for paradise
great mountain fortress
the secret order of Muslims
According to the passage, for two hundred years the Nizaris ran a drug smuggling operation which brought hashish from India
led a secret life of silence and prayer as Isma'ili Shi'ites
instilled fear in the inhabitants of the Middle East
established a political system in the Islamic world
built a magnificent fortress beside the Caspian Sea
107 ETERNAL ART, TRANSITORY TECHNOLOGY Technology suggests permanent change and improvement. Once a new technique is discovered and adopted, society does not attempt to revert to the former technique. The automobile displaced the horse; the electric light replaced kerosene lamps; sound movies replaced silent films; and word processors are rapidly making typewriters obsolete. This forward march of technology is called progress. In the fine arts such progress does not exist. The skill of the artist rests upon knowledge and experience, just as the skill of the technician does. But the creative processes involved seem to be different. Today, for example, one can admire the design of a Roman chariot, but few people would ever want to depend on it as a regular means of transportation. By contrast, it is still possible to walk into the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and be astounded by the magnificence of Michelangelo's frescoes. These paintings have an excellence that will never become outmoded. A work of art, whether it is a painting by Titian or a concerto by Mozart, is not a steppingstone to something else that will someday be considered better. It is not like the vacuum tube, which served its purpose well enough until the transistor was invented. Each artwork stands on its own - distinctive for all time. Even poor imitations cannot damage the goodness and integrity of the original.
