From the context, which is "the problem of race" (Pound's phrase) I don't think "murderer" is likely. I supposed Pound was alluding to the Shashai because in the Book of Ezra they are listed among those who had been found guilty of intermarriage: "Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them 'You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt.' The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: 'You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside.'" (10:10-13) Though, if my supposition is correct, I don't know why the Shashai have been singled out from a rather lengthy list of men who were said to have angered the God of their fathers by taking foreign wives. Tim Romano ----- Original Message ----- From: Martin Knepper <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, November 18, 1999 9:30 AM Subject: Re: Schaschan? > >Are the 'Schaschan' to whom Pound alludes at the end of broadcast #43 (31 > >May 1942) entitled 'Brain Trust: Second Spasm' --"Who are the Schaschan? > >I ask you?"-- the _Shashai_ mentioned at the end of the Book of Ezra? > > > >Tim Romano > > I think Pound is thinking of the chinese term sha-shang, meaning to kill and > wound, inflicting causalties on etc, and can be used (especially in > classical chinese) in a nominal form, too. > (I do not know the broadcast, would murderer or so be suited?) > >