Persian literature, ancient and modern
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PERSIAN LITERATURE. ANCIENT AND MODERN. BY. ELIZABETH A. EEED. Member of the Philosophical ......
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fyxmll Wimvmxt^
§
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date shows when this vqhxm6 was taken. To renew this book copy the caIL'^o.'an4i(ive to the librariao.
'
'
41 shall
sian
people.
thee,
the If
other Ahriman.^
the
it
Persian people are
protected by
Ormazd, the Good Principle, which has always the demon, will descend as ruler on this
destroyed »
house. all
The
the gods,
great Ormazd, is
who
is
the greatest
among
he who created the heaven, and created
iThis list of nations and provinces found at Persepolis is of great importance. It was executed after the first expedition of Darius to the Greel£ nations 496, B. C, or still later, and many Hellenic nations are enumerated as being subdued to the Persian power. 2 If Dr. Oppert's version is correct this text gives us the first mention of the name of Ahriman to be found in the inscriptions, although the warring of the evil elements against the good is introduced in a Chaldean legend of the creation, which will be noticed in the following chapter.
THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS.
49
who created the men and the Good Prinand who made Darius king, and gave to Darius
the earth, ciple,
the king, the royalty over this wide earth, which conmany lands; Persia and Media, and other lands
tains
and
other
plains,
on the
tongues,
of this side
of
mountains,
and
in
the
the sea, and on the side be-
yond the sea of this side of the desert, and on the side beyond the desert." The inscriptions of Darius ;
at
Mount Elvend,
at
Susa,
and
at
repetitions of the greatness of Darius
Suez,
and
are merely of
Ormazd.
IJS'SCRIPTIONS OF XERXES.
These are engraved upon the at
Persepolis,
employed
and
texts
of
tlie
staircase
texts
of
and columns
Darius, they are
chiefly to represent the greatness of the king,
and the greatness portant.
like
of
Ormazd.
Says Dr. Oppert,
"The
Xerxes are very uniform, and not very im-
The
real
resulting fact
is
the
name
of
the
Khsayarsa, which proves to be identical with* There are also Ahasuerus " of the Book of Esther. king,
'
legends on vases which were found in Egypt, at Susa
and Halicarnassus. The vase found at Halicarnassus is^ now in the gold room of the British Museum, bearing the inscription of "Xerxes the great king."
ARTAXERXES.
The
texts
of
this
monarch, which are written in
Median and Assyrian, are found on the bases columns at Susa, and also at Persepolis, as well as of They comprise the records of three upon vases. kings Artaxerxes I, II and III. Persian,
—
1
Commentaire sur
le livre d'Estlier, p. 4.
PERSIAN LITBEATDEE.
50
We
are
excavations of
indebted to the
Loftus at
Susa for the records of Artaxerxes II; these are far
more important than the inscriptions of his predecessor, which merely illustrate the egotism of their author. The text which is borne upon these columns brings down to us a new historical statement, to
the
that
effect
the
palace
under the reign of Artaxerxes
During
grandson. resided
his
Persian monarchs
and
Babylon,
at
and restored by
period the
this
principally
Susa was burned
at I,
Darius II
died
there.
The
great importance of these texts arises from the
fact that they give the genealogy of the Achsemenidse,
and confirm the statements transmitted to us on this subject by the Greeks, which are in direct opposition
modern
to the traditions of the
Persians.
The
text of
Artaxerxes III contains the genealogy of that king up-
ward
to
the
names
Hystaspes
of
and Arsames, who
were the father and grandfather of Darius Hystaspes of the
Achsemenian
line.
A LATER PERSIAN TABLET.
A
much
later tablet
is
merely a note of hand given
by a Persian king (Pacorus
"
in the
month
of
sun in Babylon," and This
witnesses.
little
Dr. Oppert in the
II),
with a promise to pay
lyar (April) in the it
also
tablet
clay
Museum
bears the
was
Temple of the names of four discovered
by
of the Society of Antiqua-
and has been carefully translated by interesting mostly from the fact of its
rians at Zurich,
him.
It
is
King Pacorus II having been contemporary with the Emperor Titus and Domcomparatively modern origin.
•
THE CUNEIFORM INSCRIPTIONS.
Some
itian.
names mentioned upon it them Persian. All the
the
of
51
are
Babylonish, and some of nesses, however, bear
be
King Pacorus
modern.
called
reign A. D. 77, and hence this
known, which belongs
far as
is
wit-
which may even
Persian names II
commenced
his
the only tablet, so
to the Christian era.
RESUME. These sculptured
temples and graven stones have
the path of the ages with silent
in
lain
but the
lips,
questioning hand of the nineteenth century has broken the spell and wrested the story of the past even from the
"heaps"
tain
fallen pillar
The age,
palace
wall,
comes the same
from the forgotten
to us
of
literature
leading
From moun-
Nineveh and Babylon.
of
from
cliff,
the
a splendid
from
and
corner-stone
historic voice that speaks
libraries of buried kings.
tablets
retinue
comes of
our own
into
historic
figures
Sargon, the early king of Accad, with his imperishable
library,
then
Assyria,
with
monuments and
the
"that great
Nineveh,
temples and palaces, where the gilded a
dome
flashed
Babylon,
tablets
city,''
of
with her
tiles of
many
a
back the glory of the setting sun
"the joy
of
the
whole
earth," and
"the
beauty of the Chaldee's excellency," who for centuries held her position as the queen of the world's commerce,
and through whose hands the wealth of the
Euphrates flowed down ylon, with her
vases
maze
and golden
of
to
the
life
and
vessels,
Persian color,
Gulf.
with her
Babsilver
with her princely halls and
gorgeous hangings, with the breath of the myrtle and the bay, borne upward from her terraced gardens and
moonlight meads.
PERSIAJSr LITliKATUKB.
52
Then
head of
the crown of
the
boweth down
ment
deans"
— Nebo
sits
in
is
within
grasp.
his
"Bel
stoopeth," and the seat of govern-
and "the daughter
the
is
Medo-Persian cohorts, and
his
Orient
removed,
is
and the kingly Cyrus
scene changes,
the
riding at the
dust beneath
of
the
Chal-
the foot of the in-
vader.
Later sian soil
still, ;
Darius the Great
is
enthroned on Per-
haughtily he wears the imperial purple, and
the crown of
many kingdoms,
while upon the face of
The king of But a reckless policy led the Persian host to a sure defeat upon the plains of Marathon, and prepared the way for the humiliation of Xerxes, and the Persia's
mountains,
he writes himself
''
kings."
later
triumphs of Alexander.
Then
the sons of the
mountain torrent over the plains of Iran, and the star and crescent flashed everywhere desert poured like a
from banners on Persian pitches
his
tent
and only the spade treasures.
soil,
while to-day
the
amidst the ruins of ancient
Arab cities,
of the explorer reveals their buried
CHAPTER
III.
THE POETRY AND MyTHOLOGY OP THE TABLETS.
—
PRIMITIVE
— — — — — —
SIYTHOLOGY ANtJ SEVEN EVIL SPIRITS ACCADIAN POEM ASSUR HEA NIN-CI-GAL SIN, THE MOON GOD HEA-BANI NERGAL MERODACH NEBO NINIP CHEMOSH INCANTATIONS TO PIRE AND WATER IM BAAL— TAMMUZ ISHTAR ISHTAR OP ARBELA ISHTAR OF ERECH LEGEND OF ISHTAR AND IZDtJBAB ISHTAE, QUEEN OF LOVE AND BEAUTY
—
— — — — —
—
—
—
—
—^THE
—
—
DESCENT OF ISHTAR.
THE East was the
home of poetry and the land of mythology before the hundred gates of Palmyra were swung upon their massive liiuges, or the crown of her beautiful queen had been set with .its moonlight A land which was rich with jewels and pearls. radiant with flowers, held in her background a mythology so
primitive that
it
appears
to
have been
the
Tablet and palace walls have mother of them all. alike been questioned concerning these early myths,
and behind the dust that
lie
beneath
of
them,
the centuries, in the legends
we
find
stories
of
gods like
" Indra, the storm-king of the Hiadus, and Jove of Northmen., like Odin and Thor of the Olympus Even the gigantic symbols that guarded the portals of
—
palace are replete with wonder, for have sheltered the very beginnings wings their strange
ancient hall and
54
PEESIAN LITEEATURE.
of mythology. ideas
the
of
Chaldea's cosmogonies comprehend the
wildest dreams
drawn from
The
—nay,
and Norseman Hindu and Persian
Greek of
this
common
even
are
the
apparently
source.'
intelligent study of
Persian literature compels an examination of the early myths and legends where her poetry and romance found their sources compels
—
study
the
not
only
but of the
kings,
of
the
inscriptions
Persian
of
which have brought down
tablets
to us the idols of a primitive people.
Therefore,
it is
the province of this chapter to give a brief yet com-
prehensive outline of the principal deities and legends
which seem to
form
the
basis
not only of Persian
mythology, but of the luxuriant growth of myth and fable which has permeated India, Greece, and Eome, as well as
A
Northern Europe.
Chaldean legend of the creation
clay tablet
is found upon a which contains a description of the struggle
between the
evil
powers of
darkness
the bright powers of light and order.
and
chaos,
This
is
and
doubt-
the origin of the struggle between good and evil
less
—the
unceasing contest between Ormazd and Ahriman
which forms the key-note of Persian thought
so fully
illustrated in the Avesta.
There are two contradictory
The one coming from
tablets of the creation.
the library at Cutha and the
other from the royal library at Nineveh. consists
of
seven tablets,
as the
creation
This latter is
described
1 The Cbaldean mythology represented by the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth appears to have been an organized system demanding the erection of a temple to Merodach, as early as the seventeenth century B. C, while the
Vedas are ascribed to the period between 1600 to 1000 and the greater portion of Hindu mythology appears only in much later
earliest songs of the
B. 0.
works.
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OP THE TABLETS. consisting of seven
as
successive acts.
curious similarity to the account before recorded in
Genesis, the
used to represent chaos
word Tiamat which
A
is
as the
radical difference,!,
found in the fact that in the Assyrian Tiamat has become a mythological personage
however, story,
is
the dragon mother of a chaotic brood. in
presents a
It
the creation Jong
of
seems to be the same
word tehom, the deep.
biblical
55
its
about
present
form
the time
of
by
assigned
is
The legend
The
Assur-bani-pal.'
Sayce to
Prof.
oldest
tab-
which are written in the primitive Accadian tongue, and many of these have been found those
are
lets
in the library of Assur-bani-pal,^ having evidently been
copied from the earlier text
and supplied with
inter-
linear translations in the Assyrian tongue.
The Assyrians counted no of
spirits
which
of
all
heaven and
appears
to
six
(as well as the rest
have
been
ancient
Babylonia
of
spirits
Indeed
was
common mythology' which
of
the
it
primitive
would appear
birthplace
the
earth,
their mythology)
borrowed from
population of that country. that
than three hundred
less
hundred
of
that
in various forms afterward
became the heritage of so many nations. Elaborate and costly temples were built for these deities of an idolatrous people, and when the image of a god was brought into his newly built temple there were festivals and processions, and wild rejoic-
among the worshippers. The principal gods mentioned
ing
may 1
2 3
in these early tablets
be briefly sketched as follows
Sayce, Rec. of P., Vol. I, pp. 133-130 Assur-bani-pal, king of Assyria, who reigned Hindu Literature, Cbaps. ii and ill.
:
from
668 to 625 B. C.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
56
ANU.
The sky god and whose
town
messengers
ruler
are
spirits.
mentioned
of Beth-anath,
for Anat, the wife of
the
as
seven
The
heaven,
Canaanite
Joshua/ was named
of
SPIRITS.
Anu
are
elsewhere described
been the
and
winds,
storm-clouds, or the
leader seems to have
dragon Tiamat
their ^
(the
who was defeated by Bel-Merodach in the war gods. The tablets have preserved an Accadian
deep),
the
of
in
highest
And.
SEVEN EVIL These messengers
the
of
evil
poem on sented
subject, the author
this
as living in
the
of wliich
Babylonian
city
is
repre-
of Eridu,^
where his horizon was bounded by the mountains of Susiani, and the battle of the elements raging around
summit suggested
their
of evil It
to his poet-mind the warring
spirits.
was these seven storm-spirits who were represented
as attacking the
tion of which
moon when
it
was
eclipsed, a descrip-
given in an Accadian poem' translated
is
Here they are regarded as the allies of the incubus, or nightmare, which is supposed to attack the moon. by Prof. Talbot.
ACCADIAN POEM ON THE SEVEN EVIL "0, rire-god!
those seven,
grew they up
SPIRITS.
how were they born? how
?
Joshua xix, 3S. There Is an Assyrian bas-relief now in the British Museum which represents Tiamat with horns and claws, tail and wings. 3 Eridu— the Rata of Ptolemy, was near the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, on the Arabian side of the river. It was one of the oldest cities 1
2
of Chaldea.
4Cun.
Ins.
West Asia, Vol.
IV, plate
15.
Records of the Past.
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
57
Those seven in the mountain of the sunset were born. Those seven in the mountain of the sunrise grew up. In the hollows of the earth have they their dwelling On the high places of the earth are they proclaimed.
Among
the gods their couch they have not
Their name in heaven and earth exists not.
Seven are they; they
in the
mountain
of
the
in the
mountain
of
the sunrise do
sunset do
rise
Seven are they; they
set.
seize upon the incubus Those baleful seven may he remove, and
Let the Fire-god
may he
their bodies
bind.
Order and kindness know they not. Prayer and supplication hear they not.
Unto Hea they Disturbing the
are hostile lily in
the torrents are they.
Baleful are they, baleful are they.
Seven are they, seven are they."
"They
are the dark storms
of
heaven which unto
fire
unite themselves
They
are
the
destructive
tempests which, on a fine
day, sudden darkness cause
With storms and meteors they
rush.
Their rage ignites the thunderbolts of Im,
Prom
the right
They
are seven, these
hand
of the thunder they dart forth. evil
spirits,
and death they fear
not
They
are
seven,
these
evil
spirits,
who rush
like
a
hurricane.
And
fall like fire-brands
iThis
is
on the earth. "^
one of the numerous bi-lingual
texts, written in the original
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
58
of
Here we have more than a suggestion of the origin some of the early songs of the Vedas, for these
seven storm-spirits are
the
Hindiis — "the
represented by the Maruts of
shakers of the earth"
— who
through the heavens in chariots drawn by dappled In this primitive mythology we find also
dash deer.
ASSUR.
The "god Assyria^ and
the
of judges" was
afterward
Assyrian
later
made
empire
the especial patron of
express the power of by becoming "father of to
the gods" and the head of the pantheon.
The Assyrian kings claimed
that their power was
derived from this deity, and in one of the inscriptions it
said that
is
"The
universal king,' king of Assyria, the king
whom
Assur,
King
of the spirits
of heaven, appointed with a king-
dom,
Without
From
rival has filled his hand.
the great sea of the rising of the sun
To the
great sea of the setting of the sun
His hand conquered and has subdued in In the inscriptions of Shalmanesar also
ascribed to this god;
the great lord, the king of
And
it
is
lord,
I
\
said:
my
"By
the
he all
is
II,
all
entirety."
all
honor
is
invoked as "Assur,
the great gods."
command
of Assur, the great
lord,
approached the mountain of Shitamrat
Accadian, with an interlinear Assyrian translation, which brought from the library of Assurbani-pal at Nineveh. 1 Rimmon-Nirari III. Records of Past, Vol. IV, p. 88.
have
been
THE POETEY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
The mountain I stormed. Akhuni trusted to the multitude
and came
of his troops
me
forth to meet
He drew up
in battle array.
launched among them the weapons of Assur,
I
59
I utterly defeated
my
lord;
them.
I cut off the heads of his soldiers
and dyed the mounmen.
tains with the blood of his fighting
Many
of his troops flung themselves against the rocks
of the mountains."!
On
his
return,
weapons in the
He
erected
sea,
victorious
and
sacrificed victims to his gods.
a statue of himself,
and inscribed
it
king
the
purified
overlooking the
his
sea,
with the glory of Assur.
HEA.
Hea^ was the god of choas or the deep; he was "the king of the abyss who determines destinies." In later times he was also called "the god of the waters," and from him some of the attributes of Nep-
may have been
tune
was his
derived.
It
was said that Chaos
wife.
of Shalmanesar II. Records of P., Vol. IV, p. 66. thought that the worship of Hea or Ea may have been a corruption of the worship of the God of Abraham, as Ea is another form of EI, and the early followers of Ea were evidently monotheists. Mr. Hormuzd Kassam, the eminent archaeologist, who is a native of Assyria, claims that the early Assyrians worshipped the true God, but under peculiar names and attributes, and that instead of practicing the revolting sacrifices which were made by other gentile nations "they imitated the saoriflees of the Jewish rites." He bases his proof largely upon his discovery of the bronze gate of Shalmanesar II, with its sculptured presentation of the sacrifice of rams and buUocliS, and he says that " the same king, Shalmanesar, took tribute from Jehu, king of Israel, as an act of bomage." Trans. Vic. Ins., Vol. XIH, pp. 190 and 214, also Vol. XXV, pp. 121. 1
Ins.
2 It
is
-
PERSIAN LITEEATDRE.
60
SriN-CI-GAL.
In later mythology Nin-ci-gal, instead of Chaos, was
—
Hea she was the "lady of the mighty This goddess country" and "queen of the dead." may have been the prototype of Proserpine, who was
the
wife of
carried
away by Pluto in
" queen
his golden chariot to be the
of hades." SIN".
This name
was the
of
Ishtar.
one," was one of his
A
and the moon-god
brightness,
signifies
father
JSTannaru,
"the
brilliant
titles.
golden tablet' found in the "timmin," or corner-
stone of a palace or temple at Khorsabed, contains an
account of the splendid II built in
a
King Sargon
temples which
town near Nineveh (Dur Sarkin) and
dedicated to Hea, Sin
(the moon-god),
sun-god), and Ninip, the god inscription^ states that
"I
Chemosli (the
of forces.
The
king's
constructed palaces covered
with skins, sandal wood, ebony, cedar, tamarisk, pine, ''
and wood of pistachio tree. presented on the tablets we find also cypress,
Among
the gods
HEA-BANI. This god was the companion of Izdubar, and on account of the peculiar circumstances attending his death was shut out of heaven. a satyr, with the legs, head, and
He
is
of
tail
represented as
an
ox.
This
It weighs 1 This tablet is almost three inches long and two inches wide. about three drams (Troy). The inscription was translated by Dr. Oppert. 2 These inscriptions contain an account of a lunar eclipse mentioned
by Ptolemy, which took place March 19th, 721 B. ascended the throne about the year V22 B. C.
C.
Sargon
II
probably
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. occurs very frequently on the gems,
figure
always be
61
and may
recognized by these characteristics.
He
is
doubtless the original of Mendes, the goat-formed god
and
of Egypt,
also of Pan, the goat-footed
Arcadian herdsman with his pipe of seven bani
is
god
of the
reeds.
Hea-
represented as dwelling in a remote place three
journey from Erech,
and
lived in a cave
was said that he and associated with the cattle and the
creeping things
of the field.
days'
it
NEEGAL, the patron
Outha,
deity of
is
with Nerra,
identified
the god of pestilence, and also with Ner, the mythical
monarch
of Babylonia,
fore the flood.
He
who
it
was claimed reigned be-
was "the god of bows and arms."
The cuneiform inscriptions show that the Lion-god, under the name of NergaP was worshipped at Kuti or where an elaborate temple was built in his honor, and an Assyrian copy of an old Babylonian Cutha,
text belonging to the library of Outha, speaks of
memorial stone which ship
of
Dr.
to
wrote for thee, for the wor-
I
Nergal which I Oppert,
Nergal
left
According
thee."
for
represented the
god of war,
hence the Grecian
" the
planet Mars,
" raging round the
field," appears to have been merely a perpetuation of
this early deity.
BEL IIEEODACH,
Marduk, whose temple, according to the inscription, was built by Nebuchadnezzar, with its costly woods, "its silver and molten gold, and precious or
1
The
fact that the "
2 Kings xvii, 30.
men
of Cuth " worshipped Nergal
is
confirmed by
PERSIAN LITEfiATURE.
62
stones" and
"with
(amber),
"sea-clay"
its
seats
of
and alabaster blocks,"
splendid gold, with lapis-lazuli
which are still found in the ruins of Babylon. And the king made the great festival Lilmuku, when the image of Merodach' was brought into the temple."
The inscription " within itself and
nations,
of
temple as receiving
also speaks'' of the
the all
abundant tribute
of
the kings of
peoples."*
NEBO.
From
this
and he was the
derived,
He was stower
god the name
favorite
of
thrones in heaven and
inscription
of
India House Collection, in Babylon
a temple
the king
all
peoples."
In a ten-
which
now forms
"to Nebo
who hath bestowed on me preside over
earth."
Nebuchadnezzar,
graved upon black basalt, and
the
deity of that king.
the eldest son of Merodach, and was "the be-
column
of
Nebuchadnezzar was
of
en-
is
part of the
speaks of building
of
lofty intelligence,
the scepter of justice
He
says,
"The
to
pine portico
shrine of Nebo, with gold I caused to cover,"*
Nebo" or Nabo and Merodach the component parts of the names etc.
are of
both used certain
as
kings
Babylon.
of
An allusion to the destruction of the image of Merodach is found Jeremiah " Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Jlerodach is broken in pieces. Her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." (Jeremiah 1, 2.) 1
in
:
2
4th Col., lines
1-6.
3
Col. 10.
This portion of Nebuchadnezzar's inscription is confirmed by the following statement in the book of Daniel: "And the Lord gave the King of Judah into his (Nebuchadnezzar's) hand with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god." (Daniel i, 2.) 4
5
Col. 3, lines 43-15.
fi
Nebo
is
alluded to as one of the heathen gods in Isaiah xlvi,
kindred passages.
1,
and
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OE THE TABLETS.
63
NINIP,
"the son
the zenith,"
of
"the
and
lord of strong
actions/' finds an echo in Grecian mythology as Her-
who received his sword from Mercury, his bow from Apollo, his golden breastplate from Vulcan, his horses from Neptune, and his robe from Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. cules,
Hercules, Mithras,
the
who
appears
mythology
Persian
in
unconquered sun,
Phoenician origin in the line of Baal. Persian
Mithras
both of
whom
represents
Therefore, the
Ohemosh and
sun-gods as well as the
are
forces," for the sun
is
as
traced back to his
is
Tammuz, "god of
the most powerful influence in
The mysteries of Mithras were with much pomp and splendor on the re-
the planetary world. celebrated vival
of
Persian
the
The word appears
in
religion
many
under the
Sassanidte.
ancient Persian names.
DAGOif.
The Assyrian Dagon was
usually
Anu, the sky-god, and the worship ried as far west as tablets
as
Canaan.'
"Dagon, the hero
He
is
of the
associated
of
both was
with car-
spoken of in the great gods,
the
beloved of thy heart, the prince, the favorite of Bel," etc.
The name
is
a word of Accadian origin, mean-
ing "exalted."
MOLECH.
Of Molech
"he 1
little is said
in the
tablets,
except that
took the children,-"^ but a curious fragment of
Compare Judges
xvl, 23; also
1
Samuel
v.
Tablets of Tel-El-Armana, " Dispatches from Palestine in the century before the Exodus," Kec. of P. Vol. I, p. 64. 2
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
64
an old Accadian
hymn
indicates
that the children of
were offered, as burnt offerings, and hence, says Prof. Sayce, in very early times these
highlanders
;
offered to Molech were no Sehanded on to them, with so much The else, by the Turanian population of Chaldea."^ Mosaic law was especially severe upon this "abomina-
"the bloody
sacrifices
mitic invention, but
tion"
human
of
sacrifices,
the
death
penalty being
ordered for every such offence.^
CHEMOSH. This sun-god was worshipped as the Supreme, and in his honor, his early worshippers sang praises, offered
and performed incantations.
sacrifices
The
success of
Mesha, king of Moab, in his revolt against the king
was commemorated by the erection of the
of Israel,
celebrated inscription vorite
Moabite stone ^ whereon ascribing
deity.
"Judge
of
The
his
principal
to
title
the
Chemosh, his faof Chemosh* was
heaven and earth," but he afterward held
a less important position
pantheon,
victory
was recorded
in
the
Chaldaic-Babylonian
which was adopted by the Assyrians, and
Babj'lonian Literature, p. 64. Compare Lev. xx, 2; Deut. xii, 31, aud kindred passages. 3 Tlie Moabite stone was about three feet and nine inclies long, two feet and four inches in breadth and fourteen inches thick. The inscription contained many incidents concerning the wars of King Mesha with Israel; see also 2 Kings, 3d chap. The literature connected with this 1
2
stone is very great, no less than forty-nine Orientalists having written in various languages upon this fascinating theme, aud although many of these productions are merely papers or brochures, there are at least eight different volumes upon this subject. The characters are Phoenician, and form
a link between those of the Baal-Lebanou inscription of the tenth century B. C. and those of the Siloam text. 1 Chemosh, who is called "the abomination of the Moabites," is alluded to In Numb, xxi, 39; also Jer. xlviii, 7, and various other passages.
THE POETRY AKD MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. was considered sometimes said
inferior to Sin, the
moon-god, who was
be his father.
to
65
There are
several
bearing magical incantations and songs to the
tablets
sun-god.
But the hideous
occupied
that
idols
the
palatial
temples of Chemosh at Larsam, in Southern Chaldea,
and at Sippara, in the north of Babylonia, became more refined in the poetry of the Vedas, and he appeared in the mythology of the Hindus as Surya, the, god of day, who rode across the heavens in a car of flame drawn by milk-white horses.
INCANTATIONS TO FIRE AND WATER also Assyrian incantations to fire and which represent the imagery of the primitive Babylonians, and these inscriptions also suggest a
There are
water,
foundation for the hymns of
possible
There
The
Hindus.
and
hymns
the early
tablets speak of
"An
mouth
Hea
of
Waters
they are
The god
bright.
chanter) to
— the
many
son of
holy
—in
flres
water
the
noble
waters they are
shining (clear),
the river puts
him
(the
In the incantation to
etc.
eloquent passages:
which
prince
warrior,
—the
established,
is
lit-
the
upon them. of
flight,"
there are also
god
shines
firmly
of
incantation to the
waters pure, the waters of the Euphrates in which the abyss
Rig-veda.
between the
a great similarity of style
is
erature of the tablets
the
is
the abyss
in the
—the
the house of
lofty
enfire,
"The
Fire-
country
—the
of fire
with thy
darkness, light
thou art
god
establishing.
Of Bronze and
lead, the
mixer of them thou
(art).
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
66
Of
silver
and
gold, the blesser of
them thou
(art)."'
This Fire-god of the Accadians was represented by the Hindu Agni, from whose body issued seven streams of
and by Loki, whose burning breath is poured from the throbbing mountains of the Northmen. glory,
IM.
In this pantheon of mythology, as defined by the
Im was
tablets,
Kimmon,
the god of the sky, sometimes
called
the god of lightning and storms, of rain and
He
among
the Hindus as tawny steeds to the With the Greek and Latins battle of the elements. he was personated by Zeus and Jupiter, ''the cloud-
thunder.
who
Indra,
compelling
is
represented
furiously drives
Jove,"
while
his
among
JSorthmen
the
wears the form of Thor, whose frown
is
he
the gathering
storm-clouds, and whose angry voice echoes in
of the
the thunder-bolt.
BAAL, or Bel acter,
(plural
and
was
Baalim),
indeed,
also
according to
an important charDr.
Oppert,
all
of
the Phoenician gods were included under the general
name
of
upon
their
Baal,^
cent temple in
where he had smaragdus.
of 1
Tablet
K
and human
blood-stained
Tyre,
were often made
He had
a
magnifi-
which was founded by Hiram,
symbolic
An
sacrifices
altars.
pillars,
one of gold and one
inscription' on the
4902 of the British
Museum
sarcophagus of
Collection, translated
by Ernest
A. Budge.
"They have builded
also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal," etc. (Jeremiah xix. 5. See 2
many kindred passages.) This inscription was translated by Dr. Oppert, and Esmunazar supposed to have lived in the fourth century B. C.
also 3
is
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
67
Bsmunazar, king of the two Sidons, claims tliat he, built a temple to Ashtaroth, and " placed there the images of Ashtaroth," and also "the temple of
too,
and
Baal-Sidon,
name
the
of
and the temple
The
the
temple
this Baal
of
;
of
" that
Astarte,
Astarte,
or Ashtaroth,
grossest sensuality characterized
the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth. only be compared to the
two thousand years Krishna and Siva. In the called
inscription
"the
King
that he was thus
the
Sidon.
at
some forms of Indeed,
unmentionable
can
it
which
rites
pertained to the worship of
Tiglath
Pilesar
Constellations,"
worshipped
is
Baal
I,
and
the
a peculiar
is
fact
explana-
condemnation in the book of worship of " the host of Heaven,"
of
the
is
repeatedly
altars
of
of
bears
frequent
tion of the
Kings which
later
who
the temple of Baal
is,
spoken
of
in
with
connection
of Baal.'
TAMMUZ. This
is
another form of the sun-god,
who
is
rep-
resented as being slain by the boar's tusk of winter.
June is the month of Tammuz, and his festival began with the cutting of the sacred fir tree in which A tablet in the British the god had hidden himself. dark fir tree which sacred that the Museum states grew in the
city
mother goddess.^ carried into the
1
2
The
the
there
devotees
Kings xvii, 16, and kindred passages. Western Asia Inscriptions, Vol. IV. p. 33.
3
the
couch
of
the
sacred tree having been cut and
idol-temple,
Tammuz, when
for
Eridu, was
of
came ran
the
search
wildly
about
PERSIAN LITEEATUEE.
68
for the
and wailing
weeping
themselves
His wife, Ishtar, descended
with knives.
to the lower world to search for
and the
him,
poem which seems
furnish another
lets
one/ and cutting
lost
to
tab-
celebrate
a temple similar to that recorded by Maimonides, in
which the Babylonian gods gathered around the image The statue of of the sun-god, to lament his death.
Tammuz
was placed on a bier and followed by bands
also
is
and
crying
mourners,
of
He
name
proper Syriac
singing
funeral
a
Duzi, ''the son."
called
dirge.
Tammuz
is
the
Adonis of the Greeks.
for
ISHTAE.
who
This goddess,
most
was the pantheon.
The
In Phoenician
Oppert
all
it
the
female
is
early
of this is
Astara.
Ashtaroth,^ and according to Dr.
Phcenician
afterward appeared
Astarte,
called
deity
Persian form of the word
under this general name.
and
sometimes
is
important
in
goddesses
were
Another form
Greek
included
of the
mythology
as
name
Asteria,
was applied to the beautiful goddess who
it
from
the
from
heaven into the
suit
of
Jove,
sea,
fled
herself
down
became the island
after-
and,
flinging
ward named Delos.
The
farther
we go
back
in
the
world's history
the nearer we approach to the original idea of monotheism, Ishtar
and originally or Ashtaroth,
there
was
only one
goddess,
personifying both love and war,
The prophet Ezekiel speaks of the fact that " there sat women weeping forTammuz," as even a "greater abomination" than burning incense to 1
idols.
(See Ezekiel
viii. 13-14.)
The worship of Ashtaroth, which represented the grossest licentiousness and demanded human sacrifices, is strongly condemned in Judges ii, 12-13, and many other passages. 2
THE POETRY AKD MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
69
but two such opposite characteristics could not long remain the leading attributes of the same deity, and hence after a time, there were mentioned three goddesses bearing the
same name.
ISHTAR OF AEKELA was
the
goddess
of
She was the daughteV the seven
evil
spirits,
the " Lady of Battles." Anu, whose messengers were and the favorite goddess of
war, of
King Assur-bani-pal, who bow from her, though he
claims that he received his declares in his inscriptions
he worshipped also Bel or Baal, and Nebo
that
;
he
frequently implores the protection of Ishtar. " Oh, thou, goddess of goddesses, terrible in battle,
queen of the gods Teiiman, king Elam, he gathered his army and prepared for war;
goddess in war, of
he urges
his
!
fighting
men
to
go
to
Assyria.
Oh,
thou, archer of the gods, like a weight, in the midst of
the
battle,
down and crush him."^
throw him
became the Bellona of and the Euyo of the Greeks. Under the name of Anatis, or Analiid, she was worshipped in Armenia, and also in Cappadocia, where she had a splendid temple, served by a college of priests, and Ishtar
Arbela
of
afterward
the Latins,
more than
six
thousand temple servants.
Her image,
according to Pliny,^ was of solid gold, and her high
calls
she
the king himself.
was second only to
priest
this goddess is
identical
taxerxes,
Enyo,
and
with Venus.
discovered
at
Susa,
I Annals of Assur-bani-pal, Cylinder 2PUny, Nat. Hist., Vol. II, p. 619.
B,
Strabo
Berosus considers that
The
inscriptions
call
her Anahid, which
Column
5.
of Ar-
PERSIAN LITEEATUBE.
70
name
Persian
was the
somewhat
seem
Greeks
but
name
the
it
Venus.
The
beauty,
may
Ishtar
Venus, and Cythera
of
of
Arbela,
be remembered that
will
one of the
Cythera,
of
worshipped an armed she took
the
variance with
at
the goddess of war,
the
planet
queen of
the
of
characteristics of Venus,
Ionian
from
islands,
island
this
the fable that
;
she
from the sea probably means that her worship
rose
was introduced into the
island by
maritime
a
peo-
doubtless the Phoenicians.
ple,
ISHTAE OF ERECH, the daughter of
of
Bit-ili
and Annatu,
goddess,
and
one
is
another form
of
the
Assyrian
at
the tem-
the dedication of horses
tablets refers to
ple
Anii
popular
of this
Erech,
at
where
the
king
dedicated white horses with silver saddles
Elam
of to
Ishtar,
the tutelar divinity of Erech.
In the an
sixtli tablet of
Izdubar
the
Ishtar whose characteristics
are
series,
either the goddess of love or the goddess of
we
are
constrained
the daughter of the
that
resembling the Hecate
of
name
war, that
must
it
refer
to
of
the
Greeks in
Indeed, Hecate was fabled to be
her funereal abode.
form
believe
find
from
She here appears as the queen of
Ishtar of Erech. witchcraft,
to
we
different
so
Asteria, Ishtar,
Astrateia whose worship
which
is
and Pausanius
'
mentions an
was brought to Greece from
the East. 1
merely the Greek
Pausanius,
III, 25.
THE POETRY AKD MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
71
LEGEND OF ISHTAR AXD IZDUBAR. COLUMN
"
1.
3.
.He had thrown
I.
tattered garments,
off his
pack of goods he had
his
lain
down from
his
back. 3.
(he had flung
off)
his rags of poverty
and clothed
himself in dress of honor. 4. 5. 6.
(With a royal robe) he covered himself, and he bound a diadem on his brow. Then Ishtar the queen lifted up her eyes
to
the
throne of Izdiibar 7.
Kiss
me,
thee
Izdiibar
!
she
said,
for
I
marry
will
!
8.
Let us
9.
thou shalt be
live together, I
my
and thou,
in one place
husband, and
I will
;
thy
be
wife. 10.
Thou
11. 12.
whose wheels are golden and its pole resplendent. Shining bracelets shalt thou wear every day.
13.
By
shalt ride in a chariot of lapis-lazuli,'
our house the cedar trees in green vigor shall
grow, li.
and when thou
shall enter
it
15.
(suppliant) crowds shall kiss thy feet
16.
Kings, Lords, and Princes shall bow down before
!
thee!
and plains they
17.
The
18.
thy flocks and thy herds shall
19.
thy race of mules shall be magnificent,
20.
thy
tribute of hills
shall
bring
to thee as offerings, all
triumphs in the chariot race
bear twins,
shall
claimed without ceasing, 1
Literally " blue stone
;
" it
was a
brilliant
dark blue.
be pro-
PERSIAN LITEKATUKE.
72 21.
and among the
chiefs thou
shalt
never have an
equal.
mouth and
22.
(Then Izdubar) opened
23.
(and said) to Ishtar the queen
24.
(Lady
!
full well)
I
his
know
:
thee by experience.
25.
Sad and funereal
26.
sickness and famine surround thy path,
(is
(false
Poor and worthless
29.
(Yes
!
thy dwelling place),
and) treacherous
27.
28.
I
have said
is
it)
is
know
I
thee by experience.
II.
1.
Wailings thou didst make
2.
for Tarzi thy husband,
3.
(and yet)
after
thy crown of divinity.
thy crown of royalty
COLUMN
year
spake,
year
with thy cups thou
didst poison him. 4.
Thou hadst
5.
thou didst strike him (with thy wand) and didst break his wings ;
6.
then he stood
a favorite
fast in
and beautiful
eagle,
the forest (only)
iluttering
his wings. 7.
8. 9.
Thou
hadst a favorite lion full of vigor,
thou didst pull out his teeth, seven at a time. Thou hadst a favorite horse, renowned in war,
10.
he
11. 12.
Twice seven hours without ceasing with burning fever and thirst thou didst poison
13.
His mother, the goddess
drank a draught and with fever thou didst poison him
!
him. Silili,
with thy cups thou
didst poison. 14.
Thou
didst love the king of the
laud
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
whom
15.
continually thou didst render
ill
73
with thy
drugs,
though every day he
16.
offered
and
libations
sacri-
fices.
Thou
20.
him (with thy wand) and him into a leopard. The people of his own city drove him from it, and his own dogs bit him to pieces Thou didst love a workman/ a rude man of no
21.
who
17.
didst
strike
didst change
18. 19.
!
instruction,
constantly
received
his
daily
from
wages
thee, 22.
and every day made bright thy
23.
In thy pot a savory mess thou didst boil for him,
24.
saying.
Come,
feast 25.
my
vessels.
servant and eat with us on the
day
and give thy judgment on the goodness
of our
pot-herbs. 26.
The workman
27.
Why
28.
Thou
29.
For
30.
and the thousand unclean things thou hast oned it with.
31.
Thou Thou
32.
replied to thee,
dost thou
I
!
didst
him (with thy wand) and
and didst place him
34.
I
have
not yet
more The
?
eat
I
pois-
hear that answer (and wert enraged),
didst strike
33.
said
didst
pillar,
in the midst of the desert!
a crowd
of things
!
many
have not added.
eagle, the lion, the horse, the king
to represent the
me
will not
should eat food bad and accursed,
I
change him into a
1
destroy
to
desire
art not cooking
numerous hridegrooms of
and the workman are supposed this treacherous goddess.
PEESIAN LITEEATUKE.
74
me
thou wouldst love
as
thou
hast done
35.
Lady
36.
Ishtar this speech listened to,
37.
39.
and Ishtar was enraged and flew up to heaven. Ishtar came into the presence of Anu her father, and into the presence of Annatu, her mother, she
40.
Oh,
!
the others.
38.
came.
my
father,
IzdHbar
has
cast
insults
upon
me."'
The student
of
the classic lore
throwing
of
ofE of his
mythology
comparative
nize in the above legend
the
Greece.
will
original idea of
of
and the
return,
Izdiibar's
recog-
much
disguise, suggest the adventures of
Ulysses as related by
Homer, and
his return to Ithaca
as a beggar.
" Next came Ulysses lowly
A
figure despicable, old
In squalid vests with
Propped on a
staff
at the door,
and poor
many
;
a gaping rent.
and trembling
as
he went."
Odyssey, Book
The
character of Ishtar as
presented in
xvii.
this tablet
is
apparently a prototype not only of Hecate, but also
of
Medea,
pents,
whose
and
the
with her magic that
chariot
was drawn by winged
cauldron or
pot,
which Ishtar
serfilled
herbs, suggests the statement of Ovid
Medea on one occasion spent no
less
than nine
days and nights in collecting herbs for her cauldron.^
The
character of Ishtar
of Circe, 1
may
IiiMTlptions
Western Asia, Vol. IV,
p.
48,
seum, and translated by H. Fox Talbot, F. R. Ovid's Metamorphoses, A^II, 2:14. 'i
have suggested that
also
who published by the British MuS.
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS.
"Mixed the potion, fraudulent of The poison mantled in a golden
75
soul,
bowl,"
and she loved Ulysses as Ishtar loved Izdubar, even though she had transformed all of his companions into swine.
In column II of the tablet under consideration, we find the story
a
No
the king whona Ishtar changed into
of
"and
leopard,
own dogs
his
bit
him
to
pieces."
one can doubt that we see here the original of the
Greek fable of Actseon, the hero who offended the goddess Diana, when she revenged herself by changing him into a deer, and his dogs no longer knowing their master, fell upon him and tore him to pieces.' The classic authors of Greece and Eome, however, attribute
the
strong
and graceful
fate
of
Actseon Diana,
allowing his eyes to rest upon
to
the
whom
vengeance of the
he
her rich
offended
by
beauty, while
the tablet ascribes the fate of the king to the wanton cruelty of Ishtar.
Diana daughter
is
of
sometimes Asteria
characteristics of her
dess of
the moon.
with
identified
or
Ishtar,
and
Hecate,
the
she retains
the
mother by appearing
Her temple
at
as the god-
Ephesus, with
its
hundred and twenty-seven columns of Parian marble, was one of the " Seven Wonders of the World," but the
hideous
idol
within
it
was
roughly
carved
of
wood, not as a beautiful huntress, but as an Egyptian monster, whose deformity was hidden by a curtain." 1
The
in his
Is well illustrated by the fact that Ovid has preserved the individual names of all
great celebrity of this fable
Metamorphoses
(III, 206),
the dogs, thirty-five in number. 2 " Ye men of Ephesus, what man city of the
Ephesians
is
is there that knoweth not how that the a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
76
The same Diana, however, poets,
the hands of Grecian
in
becomes the strong and beautiful goddess of the
chase, followed
by her train of nymphs in pursuit of
flying deer with golden horns.
Assyrian literature has evidently furnished the basis
which are found in Ovid's Metamor-
of several stories
Pyramus and Thisbe, which,
phoses, besides that of
he expressly
ISHTAR, THE QUEEN OF LOVE Ishtar of
who
Nineveh,
the wife of Baal, became divine queen"
as
Babylon.
states, is a tale of
AND BEAUTY.
identified
is
with
Beltis,
goddess of love, "the
the
"divine lady" of Kidmiiri, which
or
was the name of her temple at Nineveh.
She was the
daughter of Sin, the moon-god
;
times represented
moon, for which reason
she
is
called
the
month
full
on the
the
as
the
full
goddess Fifteen
consisting fifteenth.
of
She
thirty
the Aphrodite
the
of
who sprang from
the
moon was
the Northmen, and
— the
foam
of
nymph
beautiful
the sea,
received in a land of flowers, by the
who
Assyria, because
in days,
among
Greeks
the soft
some-
is
the prototype of Freyja,
is
the weeping goddess of love
she
indeed,
and was
gold-fllleted
Sea-
Her drawn by milk-white swans, and her garlands were of rose and myrtle. Ishtar of Nineveh appears as the imperious queen of love and beauty, and was undoubtedly the origisons,
clothed
her in
garments
immortal.
chariot was
nal of the Latin Venus.
Indeed,
Anthon
says,
"There
image which tell down from Jupiter ? (Acts xix, 85.) This question of the town clerk is strangely illustrated by an inscription found by Chandler near the aqueduct at Ephesus, which states that " It is notorious that not only among the Ephesians, but also everywhere among the Greek nations, temples are consecrated to her," etc.
THE POETEY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. is is
whom
none of the Olympians of
the foreign origin
and she
probable as this goddess,
so
77
is
generally
regarded as being the same with the Astarte (Ashta-
We
roth) of the Phoenicians."'
legend
beautiful
went
in
search of her husband
was afterward represented
upon the
find
concerniug her
tablets a
to Hades.
visit
Tammuz,
as
She
Orpheus
as going to recover his wife,
when the music from his golden shell stopped the wheel of Ixion, and made Tantalus forget his thirst. So also Hermod, the son of Odin, in the mythology of the Northmen rode to Hel upon the fleet-footed Sleipnir in order to rescue his
was doubtless through the Phoenicians that
It
legend reached the in a
brother Balder.
Greeks,
form almost identical with the fable Adonis,
this
and was there reproduced of the tab-
who was the
hero, was by the tusk of a wild boar, even as Tammuz, the sun-god of Assyria, was slain by the boar's tusk
lets.
the
sun-god,
killed
Venus, the queen of love and beauty, was
of winter.
inconsolable at his loss, and at last obtained serpina, the queen
spend every alternate earth, while
hades.
the
Thus
six
months with her upon the time should be passed in
rest of the
also the Osiris of the
Egyptians was sup-
posed to be dead or absent forty days
in
during which time the people lamented his Syrians did that of of
Adonis,
and
Tammuz, also
as
from Pro-
permission for Adonis to
of hades,
the
as the
each year, loss, as
the
Greeks did that
Northmen
mourned
for
Frey. Ishtar
is
of darkness
represented
as
going down to the regions
wearing rings and jewels, with a I
Anthon's
Class. Diet.
diadem
PEKSIAISr LITERATI) RE.
78
aud girdle
set
with precious stones, and this fact would
seem to indicate that the ancient city, which afterward came under the rule of Persian kings, was the home of the idea that whatever was buried with the dead would go with them to the other shore. Hence India, for
burned the favorite wives, with the dead
ages,
bodies
her rajas,
of
women
the
in
other tribes
while
graves
of
their
placed
living
and our own
chiefs,
Indians provide dogs and weapons for the use of their
when they reach
braves
We
"happy hunting
the
give the following legend complete, as
upon the
it
grounds."
found
is
tablets:
THE DESCENT OF ISHTAE. COLUMN
"1. 3.
To
I.
the land of Hades, the region of her desire,
Ishtar, daughter of the
moon-god
Sin, turned her
mind. 3.
And
4.
To
the daughter of Sin fixed her mind (to go
there).
the house where
all
meet,
the dwelling of
the god Irkalla,
men enter men go but
5.
to the house
but cannot depart from,
6.
to the road
cannot return,
7.
the abode of darkness and famine,
8.
where the earth
9.
light
is
their food; their nourishment
clay; is
not seen; in darkness they dwell;
10.
ghosts like birds flutter their wings there,
11.
on the door and gate-posts the dust
lies
undis-
turbed. 13.
When
Ishtar arrived at the gate of Hades,
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. 13.
to the keeper of the gate she spake:
14.
Oh
15.
Open thy
16.
If
17.
I will assault the door; I will break
18.
I will attack the
19.
I will raise the
79
keeper of the entrance! open thy gate! gate! I say
again that I
thou openest not thy gate and
may
enter.
enter not.
I
down
entrance, I will split
the gate,
open the
portals,
dead to be the devourers of the
living! 20.
Upon
the living the dead shall prey.
21.
Then
the porter opened his
23.
and
23.
Stay,
Lady! do not shake down the door.
24.
I will
go and
25.
The
26.
These curses thy
27.
blaspheming thee with great curses.
28.
When
29.
she grew pale like a flower that
30.
she trembled like the stem of a reed.
31.
I will
said to the great
tell
mouth and spake
Ishtar,
this to
Queen
porter entered and said
Nin-ci-gal.
Nin-ci-gal
to
sister Ishtar (utters)
Nin-ci-gal heard this is
cut
off,
cure her of her rage, she said, I will cure
her fury, 32.
these curses will I repay her.
33.
Light
consuming
up
flames,
light
up blazing
straw. 34.
Let her groan with the husbands who deserted
35.
Let her groan
36.
husband's sides departed. Let her groan with the youths who led dishon-
their wives.
ored
lives.
with the
wives
who from
their
PEltSIAN LITERATURE.
80 37.
Go, porter, open the gate for her,
38.
but strip her, like others at other times.
39.
The
40.
Enter,
41.
Tlie Sovereign of
42.
The
porter went and opened the gate.
Lady
of Tiggaba^ city.
gate
first
Hades
will
It is permitted.
come
to
meet
thee.
admitted her, and stopped her
there was taken
the great crown from her
off
head. 43.
Keeper! do not take
my
from 44.
Enter, Lady
off
from me the great crown
head. !
for the queen of the land
demands
her jewels. 45.
The second gate admitted her and stopped her
46.
Keeper
there were taken oil the earrings of her ears.
47.
do not take
!
my
from me the earrings
ofE
of
ears.
Enter, Lady
for the queen of the land
!
demands
her jewels. 48.
The
third
gate
admitted her and stopped
her;
there were taken off the precious stones from
her head. 49.
Keeper
do not take
!
stones 50.
from
Enter, Lady
!
my
off
from me the precious
head.
for the
queen of the land demands
her jewels.
5L
The
fourth
gate admitted her
were taken
there
off
the
and stopped her small lovely
from her forehead. i
A
principal seat of Islitar's worship.
gems
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. 52.
Keeper
53.
gems from Enter, Lady
do not take
!
my
lovely
forehead
queen of the land demands
for the
!
from me the small
off
81
her jewels. 54.
The
her and stopped
admitted
gate
fifth
her
there was taken off the emerald girdle of her waist. 55.
Keeper
do not take
!
girdle 56.
from
Enter, Lady
my
from me the emerald
off
waist.
for the queen of the land
!
demands
her jewels. 57.
58.
The
sixth
taken
hands and
feet.
Keeper
!
my
Enter,
Lady
!
the golden rings of
off
do not take
rings of 59.
her and stopped
gate admitted
there was
me
from
off
hands and
the
her;
her
golden
feet.
for the queen of the land
demands
her jewels. 60.
The seventh
gate admitted her and stopped her
there was
taken
off
the
last
garment from
her body. 61.
Keeper
63.
ment from my body. Enter, Lady for the queen
!
do not take
off
!
from
me
the last gar-
of the land
demands
her jewels. 63.
After
that
mother
Ishtar
had
descended
into
Hades. 64.
Nin-ci-gal saw her and derided her to her face.
65.
Ishtar
lost
her.
her
reason
and heaped curses upon
PERSIAN" LITEKATURE.
82
mouth and spake
66.
Nin-ci-gal opened her
67.
to
68.
Go, Namtar
69.
Bring her out for punishment.^
Kamtar, her messenger, a command she gave
COLUMN
The
1.
divine
II.
messenger of the gods lacerated his
face^ before them.
He
3.
Words he spake
tore his vest (or vestments).
rapidly;
Sun approached,
the
3.
he
the Moon, his
joined
father.^ 4.
Weeping, they spake thus to Hea the king
5.
Ishtar descended into the earth
:
and she did not
rise again.
(Here follow a few lines which are unworthy of repetition,
as
they very coarsely describe the pitiable
condition of the world
when forsaken by the goddess
of love.)
Then
11.
the god
laid a plan
Hea
in the
depth of his mind
;
he formed for her escape a figure of a
13.
man
of
clay.
Go
13.
to save her.
portal of
Phantom
!
present
thyself at the
Hades
14.
the seven gates of Hades will open before thee
15.
Nin-ci-gal will see thee and will
come
;
to thee.
'The end of this line, and all the remaining lines of Column I, are but some mutilated fragments Indicate that Namtar is commanded
lost,
to afflict Ishtar with dire diseases of the
head, 2
A
eyes,
the feet,
the heart, the
etc.
sign of violent grief in the East,
Lev. xix,
forbidden in Deut. xiv,
1;
also
28.
SNabonidus says in his inscription (Col. temple, together with the moon, thy father.
II,
17)
Oh, sun, protect this
THE POETRY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. 16.
mind
AVhen her
17.
name her with
18.
Prepare thy frauds
mind
grown calm and her
be
shall
anger shall be worn
off
the names of the great gods
On
!
deceitful
tricks fix thy
!
19.
The
20.
This thing
31.
Then
33.
A
23.
Go
24.
Meats the
25.
Wine the most
chiefest deceitful trick
Bring forth
!
of the waters out of an
empty
fishes
yessel.
will astonish Nin-ci-gal,
to Ishtar she will restore her
clothing.
great reward for these things shall not save
83
Phantom
her.
of the people shall first
fail.
and the great assembly
!
crown thee
!
in the city shall be thy food. delicious in the city shall be thy
drink.
27.
A A
38.
Magician and conjurer
26.
royal palace shall be thy dwelling.
throne of state shall be thy
seat.
shall kiss the
hem
of thy
garment.
mouth and spake
39.
Nin-ci-gal opened her
30.
to ISTamtar her messenger,
31.
Go Namtar
33.
Adorn the images and the
33.
Bring
34.
Pour out for Ishtar the waters of her depart from my dominions.
35.
N"amtar went
36.
he adorned the images and the altars;
out
clothe the
!
Anunnaka.'
a
command
Temple
she gave
of Justice
!
altars.
Seat
him on
a
golden
throne.
;
life
and
let
and clothed the Temple of Justice;
1 A genius often mentioned, ing the absolution of Ishtar.
who
here acts the part of a judge, pronounc-
PEKSIAN LITEKATURE.
84
he brought out Anuunaka;
37.
he seated him
on a golden throne
;
he poured out for Ishtar the waters of life. Then the first gate let her forth, and restored to
38. 39.
her the
The second
40.
garment of her body.
first
gate let her forth
and restored
her the diamonds of her hands and
The
41.
third gate let her forth
to
feet.
and restored
to
her
the emerald girdle of her waist.
The fourth
43.
gate let her forth and restored to her
the small lovely gems of her forehead.
The
43.
gate let her
fifth
forth and restored to her
the precious stones of her head.
The
44.
sixth gate let her forth
and restored
to
her
the earrings of her ears.
The seventh
45.
gate let her forth and
restored to
her the crown of her head." Surely here
poetry
is
—the
haughty queen of love
and beauty imperiously demands an entrance into the land of shadows
She threatens and
raise
she
She
at
no
cost.
A
shrinks
may
love-lighted mission
from her head, but she precious stones
from
her,
may
recover her beloved.
the dead to devour the living
refused.
is
that
break down the very gates of hades
to
—her
and
still
stays
sacrifice
not.
presses
which
great crown
girdle of priceless
she
her wish
if
is
her
taken
Her jewels and gems is taken
—
forward in quest of
her love.
But when at last the seven gates of hades have upon her luxurious form, the world misses her
closed 1
Tablet K,
168,
British
Hecords of the Past, Vol.
1,
Museum,
translated by H.
1st Series.
Fox
Talbot, F. E.
S.
THE POETEY AND MYTHOLOGY OF THE TABLETS. joyous presence
—the —the
—the
splendor
eyes
crimson touch of
lips
doves
is
life
stolen
has
85
from Beauty's
faded from her
and sun-birds no longer chant their crowns of the palm trees, and the
love songs in the
sorrowing night bird closed and weeping to
forget
to
light
trills
roses.
the
plaintive tale to the
Nay, even the sky seems
up the couch
of
the dying sun
with draperies of crimson and gold, and is
in
all
shrouded in darkness and cold despair. his
mourn rescue.
ocean home,
hears
the absence of
The seven
But Hea,
the wail of the gods
Ishtar,
gates
the world
of
who
and he comes to the
hades swing again upon
and with crowns and jewels and girdle restored, the imperial goddess comes forth to resume her sway amid the flowers of a love-lighted earth. their hinges,
CHAPTEE
IV.
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY.
COMMON
—
—
—
OF SOURCE MYTHOLOGY MYTHICAL llOUNTAIXS RIVERS MYTHICAL BIRDS AHUKA MAZDA ATAR THE STORM GOD YIMA THE CHIlf-
THE
— — — — BRIDGE —MITHRA — RESUME.
VAT
WE
have
—
sketched in the preceding chapter
briefly
the more tolerable features of a mythology which
is
evidently
theons.
The
which are
common source of the later panhuman sacrifices, and practices
the
picture of
more
still
revolting, have been
unnecessary to the general purpose, figures
of these
ancient
myths
are
avoided, as
while
the
poetic
dwelt upon with
peculiar pleasure.
Persian civilization was to a great extent the prod-
uct of Babylonian
and her mythology was
elements,
born of that type of sensual
idolatry
too gross
for
But the Persians were a poetic people, and in their hands these ancient myths were refined and somewhat elevated. The hideous idols called sundescription.
images, which were used
gave place to
the
great source of
all
of Persia that the
down, and
also the
attendant horrors.
in
the worship of Chemosh,
adoration
of
the sun
itself,
as the
was by the hand
physical light.
It
sacred
Egypt was smitten
bull
of
golden couch of
But even Persia
Baal, with all is
its
accused of hav-
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. ing at times practiced the horrible
87
human
rite of
sac-
and the Babylonian Venus found admission, even among the people wh^se .king had stabbed the Egyptian Apis,' and overturned his shrine.' Persia was a land of extremes, and the richest part
rifice,
_
her dominions was fated to
of
and
snows,
the
feel
central portion
of
severity
of Iran,
beneath the early winter,
the country was
whose scorching simoons were as the snows of her northern settlers
lie
of
therefore,
as
one
much
while
vast
to be dreaded
The
table-lands.
were
the
desert,
early
forced to win their
bread and develop their resources by the most arduous labor, and the dreamy mythology of the Hindus
gave way in their minds to the
tween good and
The
sterner
conflict
be-
evil.
opposition between light and darkness became
a prominent feature of their mythology, for the bat-
which raged in Hindu skies between Indra, the storm king, and his constant enemy, Vritra, became tles
to
the sons of Iran a personal strife with the powof
ers
in
nature,
the clouds,
which that
form
were
and instead of dreaming
crowded
with
Ormazd and Ahriman, the
of
a contest
they sang of the daily battle in lives
background
of
by
his
their continual
the
although Persia took the sun called her kings
Hence
hardship. in
royal
national for
name
her ;
it
is
strife,
mythology,
emblem, and
a flashing globe
1 The statement of Herodotus concerniug ttie attack upon the sacred bull probably correct, eveu though the Egyptian monuments claim that Cambyses, and also the Roman emperors, bowed down to the Egyptian gods. We may conclude that Oarabyses, In doing reverence to the gods of Egypt, was following in the footsteps of his cool and politic father (Cyrus), and was guided in these acts by the precedent which his father had set in reference to the gods of Babylonia.
is
PERSIAN" LITEEATUEE.
88
was the
above
light
signal
imperial
the
and
tent,
vipon the ensign that
perched
the golden eagle was
the Persian troops to victory.
led
MYTHICAL MOUNTAINS.
The skies
command
change to that
human
and
ashen
by
gleam
tints
the
of
fires
heights,
where
the white
the
foot
man.
of
sunlight
crimson
setting
the fables of
in
With
reach up-
and
opal
of
always
peaks
the
in
go,
heart.
gray
the
feet,
unpolluted
the farewell
come and
ages
reverence of the
dim
to lies
frost-crowns
then,
while the
the
around their
forests
ward snow
mountains standing calmly beneath the
silent
of blue,
Their
noon,
of
or
light
beneath
No
wonder,
sun.
people the gods are
all
enthroned on wondrous heights. The old Assyrian kings wrote upon their strange tablets of " the world
mountain," which, although rooted in hades, ported the heavens with
world was bound to
which
the
it
with
their starry
a rope,
churned
was
sea
all
in
legend, for the lost ambrosia of
the
nether
about
Olympus.^
abode
of
the
earth,
This
I >
2
will
Hindu
exalt
my
after
The
that
with
Hindi!
later
gods,' or like the
it
binding
the
mountain
to
cord
was
the
was this of which
the
mythical
and
gods,
Babylonian king said
"
like
sup-
Homer with which Zeus proposed
golden cord of
suspend
the
tlie
still
hosts.
:
throne above the stars of
God
Literature, p. B9.
"Let down our golden everlasting chain, Whose strong embrace holds heaven and earth and men;
Olympus
I iix
the chain to great
And
the vast world hangs trembling in
height.
my
sight."— II.
vili, 19-26.
;
PEESIAN MYTHOLOGY. will
I
sit
upon the mount
89
the congregation in
of
the sides of the north I
will
ascend above the heights of the clouds
I
will
be like the Most High."'
was between the " Twin
It
sun passed in
rising
its
guarded
gates were
and
Mountains
by the
"scorpion
heads were at the portals of heaven, in
''
that the
and the
setting,
rocky
men," whose and their feet
beneath.^
hell
In the mythology of the Hindiis, Jlount Meru her solitary grandeur in
in
the
rises
very centre of
earth to the height of sixty-four thousand miles
;
the
and
there on her sun-kissed crown, amidst gardens of fab-
ulous beauty, and flowers that
where the like
we
skies are of rose
harmonies of
and
never
the
gods with Jove
When
when
assume their thrones of gold."
the chambers of the
floods of light
east
were opened, and
were poured upon the peak, the Greek
poet dreamt that
"The
air,
abode of the gods.'
Greeks the gates of Olympus open to
receive the imperial throng,
"The
winter hear
and the dream-
borne upon the
far-off voices are
find the heaven of Indra, the
Among
of
pearl,
:
sounding hinges ring on either
side,
The gloomy volumes pierced with light divide. The chariot mounts, where deep in ambient skies Confused Olympus' hundred heads
Where O'er
far apart the
all
Thunderer
arise
fills
his throne
the gods, superior and alone."
1
Isa. xiv, 13.
2
Ninth tablet of the Epic of Glsdhubar.
3
Hindu
Literature, pp. 126-148.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
90
But even
heights
storm-swept
the
Olympus,
of
gods were crushed to frag-
where the chariots of the
ments beneath the lightnings of Jove, were not lofty enough for the spirit of the Norseman. Odin's Valhal, with its roof of shields and walls of gleaming spears,
lies
in heaven
and higher
itself,
still
Gimle,
is
Far away to
the gold-roofed hall of the higher gods.
the northward, on the heights of the Nida mountains, stands a hall of
shining gold which
is
home
the
These are they who smelt
the Sindre race.^
of
earth's
gold from her rough brown stone, and flashing through
her crystals, the tints which are hidden in the hearts
changed
of the roses, they are
These are they
who make
to rubies
the
and mould
the fresh lips of the violet,
and
garnets.
blue with
sapphires
earth's tears
into her purest pearls.
In
we
mythology
Persian
find
a trace
of
"the
world mountain " of the old Assyrian kiags, as well
thought which
as a
akin to the vine-clad bowers of
is
and the Nida
Meru, the shining gates of Olympus,
mountains of the Norsemen, for here the Qaf mountains
surround the world
annular
system
This mythical range surrounds
it
He
a
white
has four thousand
it
ox,
giants, 1
2
years.
fairies
These
and
peris,
Anderson— Norse Mythology, Hindu Literature, p. 126.
the
manner
the
Maha-Bharata.^
emerald,
is
and
of
the
although
placed between two of
named Kornit
horns,
one horn to another could
hundred
in
pure
is
the world,
the horns of
after
described
or
Kajuta.
and the distance from
not be
mountains
traversed are
in
the abode
five
of
while their life-giving founpp. 104-434.
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. tains confer immortality
91
upon those who
taste of their
waters.
The
highest portion
of the
emerald range
is
the
Simurgh builds her colossal nest of sandal wood, and the woven branches of aloe and myrtle trees. Mount Alborz is represented as standing upon the earth, while her crown of light Alborz,! where the fabled
reposes
in
the
Hara-Berezaita
region (the
beyond the
far
lofty
endless light, where the
mountain)
It
stars.
— the
sphere
is
of
supreme god of Persian my-
own temple which is the "abode the "Mother of Mountains" and
thology dwells in his
This
of song."
from
the earth
around in
is
have grown
it
;
it
it
is
all
the heights that stand upon
the fabled center of
the sun,
moon and
stars
world, and
the
Hence,
revolve.
the Vendidad ^ we find the following
hymn
:
" Up, rise and roll along, thou swift horsed sun, Above Hara-Berezaita and produce light for the world. Up, rise up, thou moon Eise up, ye stars, rise up above Hara-Berezaita
And And
produce light for the world. mayest thou,
man,
rise
up
along
the path
made by Mazda Along the way made by the gods. The watery way they opened." EIVEES.
In the mythology of every people we find mystic rivers in connection with the worship of their divini1 Alborz, being chauged into Elburz, became the name of a mountain range on the southern shore of the Caspian sea, and Mount Demavend, its highest peak, is looked upon as the home of the Simurgh, and it is also the scene of many mythical adventures.
2xxi.
93
literature.
peksiajS"
They
ties.
Often
fable.
through
everywhere
winding
are
enchanted land of
born
the
in
the
high-
lands of the celestial mountains, they are represented as
coming down on
light
which
supposed
is
earth with the glint of
to
The
waves.
their
give
to
great to
life
the sun-
Egypt,
of
river
the gods
well
as
men, is thus fabled to have sprung from the mountains of the sky, and a "Hymn to the Nile," recorded on a clay tablet, begins with the words as
"Adoration
the Nile!
to
Hail to thee,
Who
comest
Thou Thou In
Nile to
give
!
Egypt
to
life
givest the earth to drink, inexhaustible one
!
descendest from the sky.^i
Greek
mythology,
flowing around the earth,
we
the
find
with
ocean
river
calm current
unbroken by storm, and unswerved by the angry tem-
The
pest.
sea,
its
with her sun-kissed billows,
her waters from this unfailing fountain,
yond
the
northern
gardens" gleamed rocked to
sleep,
mountains,
in the sunlight
there lived
a
received
and far be-
where the "golden
and the winds were
happy people, where
sorrow could not enter and death would never come.
Among first
the Hindus,
the
sacred Ganges
the earth from the divine feet of
to
flowed at
only through the blue fields of heaven,
Vishnu
and
fell
:
" And white foam clouds and silver spray Were wildly tossed on high, Like swans that urge their homeward way Across the autumn sky." 1
Trans, by Paul Guieysse.
Rec. of P., Vol. III.
p.
48.
The
belief in
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY.
The Norseman well
the
as
sings
also
which
Ifing,
he sings,
;
too,
heavenly
of
a
in
flows
current between the world of
gods
93
men and
as
the world of
the river Gyoll,
of
rivers^
never-freezing
which flows
nearest to the gates of Hel,i and over whose golden
bridge the countless bands of
In
the dead are
mythology there
Persian
a
is
passing.
stream
crystal
which gushes from a golden precipice of the mythical mountain and descends to the earth from the heavens, does
as
the
celestial
heavenly
the
Ganga
earth come down. Anahita which ever flows
the
.
the Hindiis.
of
from
spring
which It
.
.
in
a
This
the waters
is
of
the Ardvi Stira
is
current,
life-giving
man and
bringing blessings unto
all
receiving in return
the sacrifices of the material world.
This swiftly
each
has
river
and
channels,
a
each
thousand
mounted horseman can
channel
and a thousand
extend
far
as
an hundred windows and a thousand columns palaces
founded
surrounded
are
the
in
with ten channels
distant
thousand
and
covered
of
ume foot
the
greater
into the of
summit
than
bosom the
halls
the
are the
Sura Anahita, and
the Ardvi
down from
In
with pillows."
of
all
of
the
;
;
a in
with these
balconies
and " well scented
the
of
within their courts are luxurious beds,
around these palace
as
ride in forty days
a palace gleaming
stands
there
cells
these
of
river,
golden
ravines
wondrous fountains the
stream
rushes
the mountain with a volrivers
the celestial
Hara-Berezaita.
of
earth,
sea that
When
the
and
lies
at
waters
falls
the of
the celestial origin of the Nile survived in Egypt as lately as the time of (Histoire de Saint Louis, Chap. II.) 1 Hel, the world of the dead, irrespective of character.
Jolnville.
PBKSIAN LITEBATUEE.
94 the the
river
sea
the
into
fall
Vouru-Kasha, the
waves
of
the shores, and the billows chant
over
boil
a song of welcome.
This waters, tall
celestial
and shapely, who
river,
and pure
tain's
crown.
her hair
comely,
is
mighty torrent of ^ a maiden
its
—
born of a glorious
and noble, strong
stately
is
with
spring,
personified as a beautiful goddess
is
is
long
radiant
the snows
as
Her
race.
that
lie
She
mighty
as the current of a
on the moun-
beautiful arms are white and thick,
and luxuriant, with
the
she
for
is
large
glory of a perfect
and
woman-
hood.
This glorious maid of the mountain has four white
which were made
horses,
one
the snow, and one
is
are the rain
for
is
her by Ahura Mazda;
the wind, while the others
and the cloud; thus
upon the earth
it
is
happens that ever
it
snowing, or
the rain
where coming down to gladden the
flowers
is
some-
with
re-
freshing touch.
The
beautiful goddess springs from a golden fissure
in the highest
peak, and mounting her chariot draws
the reins above her white steeds and drives the steep incline, which of a
is
man, and continual
brightness and
them down
a thousand times the height sacrifice
is
offered
to
her
glory.
Clothed with a golden mantle and wearing a crown radiant with the light of an hundred gems, she comes 1
The
scription
first
record of the worship of Ardvi Sura is in n cuneiform inMnemon (404-361), in Avhich her name is corrupted
by Artaxerxes
Artaxerxes Mnemon appears to have been an eager promoter of her worship, as he is said to have first erected the statues of Venus-Anahita in Babylon, Suza, and Ecbatana, and to have taught her worship to the Persians, the Bactrians, and the people of Damas and Sardes (Clemens Alexandrians, Protrept. 6, on the authority of Berosus; about 260 B. C). into Auahata.
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY.
down
dashing
mountain
the
heart:
"Who
sacrifice
with libations ?"
The
will praise
—the
thinking
side,
Who
me?
cloud-sea represents the
the Hindus
95
will
"dewy
in
offer
her
me
a
treasures" of
which are held in the reluctant cloud, and only drawn therefrom by the lightning rains
of Indra, who is assisted in the battle by the Maruts when they "harness their deer for victory." The Persian Vendidad represents a continual inter-
bolts
change between the waters of the earth and sky.
"As
the Vourii-Kasha
is
the
gathering place of the
waters Eise up, go up the earth
The That
.
.
serial
large river that is
way and go down upon the
.
is
known
afar
as large as all the waters of earth
Jluns from the height down to the
sea,
Vouru-Kasha."^
MYTHICAL BIEDS. Birds have always held a prominent various mythologies.
Among
vulture
was the symbol of the "god
cloud,"
who was
attributes
of
place
in the
the Assyrians, the zu or
believed to have
of
the
storm-
stolen the laws
and
Bel for the benefit of mankind, and to
have been punished
for
the theft
by transformation
into a vulture.^
In Egyptian mythology, the tablets represent
Isis as
" For she is Isis, the charmer, the avenger a bird. of her brother, who seeks him without failing, who traverses 1
3
the earth with lamentations, without resting
2 Vendidad, xxi. Literature, p. 39. Sayce, Leo. Rel. Babylonians, pp. 293-299.
Hindu
PERSIAN LITEKATUEB.
96
—
found him creating the light with her wind with her wings, celebrating the sacred dances, and depositing her brother before she has
producing the
feathers^
in the
tomb
.
with immovable heart his
him grow,
in the great dwelling." of the
innocent
the
she makes
.
.
.
arm becomes strong In the Hindii poem
banishment of
remains of the god,
raising the
.
.
^
Eamayana, during the
and beautiful
the
Sita,
pitying birds dipped their pinions in the sacred waters of the Ganges,
and fanned her feverish
might not faint with the heat.^ have
descriptions
of
face, that she
In the same poem we
Garuda,
the
eagle-steed
of
Vishnu, and Sampati, the sacred vulture, who gave
in-
also
formation concerning
demon king
the
that
carried
away the beautiful princess. Hindii mythology also contains "the celestial birds," who were acquainted with right and wrong, and who, in one of the Puranas answered the questions of the sages, and also gave
an account of the creation. In northern Europe we find a wondrous eagle, who sits
—
amongst the branches of the Ygdrasil that beauNorse mythology, whose three great roots
tiful tree of
downward among the Anglo-Saxons, Scandinaand Germans. This great ash tree spreads its life-giving arms through the heavens, and on the topmost bough is the eagle "who knows many things," strike vians,
and between
his eyes sits the
keen-eyed hawk, Vedfol-
ner.^
We 1
Hymn
Mallet. 2
3
have also the to
Osiris on
Rec. o£
P.,
IV,
Griffin
the stele
of
of Amon-em-tia.
21.
Hindu Literature, p. 267. Anderson—Norse Mythology,
chivalry, the fabulous
pp. 75-190.
Translated
by D.
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. and half
monster, half bird
lion,
97
that protected the
gold of the
Hyperborean regions from the one-eyed Arimaspian^ and the Phoenix of Egyptian fable the bird of gold and crimson plumage, that is burned upon her nest of spices every thousand years, and as
—
life from her ashes. The Turks have and the Japanese their Kirni, while
often springs to
Kerkes,
their
China exhibits a nondescript dragon, which bination of bird and reptile.
have the imperial bird of Jove the
plumy
Among gigantic
kept
ofE
And
the
race"
bearing
— " Strong
a
is
Greek
In the
we
sovereign of
from
signal
a com-
Iliad
the
god.
myths we find the Karmak, a " which overshadowed the earth, and
the Persian bird
the
rain
the
until
rivers
were
law was brought to the Var of
bird Karsipta
who
recites
dried up."
Yima by
the
the Avesta in the language
of birds.
The raven was priests of the this bird
the
is
flying
things
—he
sacred to Apollo, and
sun were named ravens.
called
"the
creatures or none
however well
it
swiftest of all
...
in Persia the
In the Avesta
—the
he alone
— overtakes
highest of
of all
living
the flight of an arrow,
has been shot; he grazes in the hid-
den ways of the mountains, he grazes in the depths of the vales, listening to said of the
he grazes on
summit
the
Again it is the voices of the birds." Varengana or raven: "Take thou a feather
of that bird, with that feather
own body — with
that feather
thou
thou
; if a man holds a bone no one can smite or turn to
enemies bird,
of the trees
^
1
Bahram
Yast,
vii.
shalt
shalt
of
rub thine
curse thine
that
strong
flight that fortu-
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
98
The
nate man.
him
help,
bird of birds brings
feather of that
him the homage
brings unto
it
maintains him
in
departed from
Yima
glory."
It
^
times
three
raven, and the raven
is
of
men,
said that the
is
the
in
it
glory
shape of a
one of the incarnations
also
of the genius of Victory.
The Saena, which, Simurgh,
or
in later literature,
mythology.
His resting place
the tree of
the eagle; this tree
the Sinamrii
on the Jad-besh, or
is
the bearer of
is
and when the Simurgh leaves
seeds,
is
an important place in Persian
occupies
thousand twigs will shoot from the
it
all
in his flight, a
tree,
and when he
returns and alights thereon, he breaks off the thousand
and sheds the seed from them. Then the Ohanmrosh who always sits near, watching the
twigs,
will collect the seed
tree of all seeds,
which
may
gather the seed of
and may shower
it
the fountain where
to
it
the waters, so that Tish-
Tishtar (or Tistrya) receives tar
from the Jad-besh, or
falls
and carry
bird tree,
kinds with the waters,
all
down upon the world with the
rain.^
The Simiirgh was the son perhaps
"the holy falcon
builds his nest amidst the
of
AhUm-stut, who was
—praiser cliffs
of
of
the lord."
Mount
He
Alborz, and
woven with the branches of Around it gleam the white cliffs in the sunlight, and precious stones lie beneath it, for it is far beyond the reach of man. The Simurgh became, in later literature, a the gigantic structure the
aloe
and
the
is
fragrant sandal-wood.
mythical incarnation of supreme wisdom. 1
2
Bahram
Vast,
xiii.
Minokhirad—62 and
37.
Trans, by
West
PBRSIASr MYTHOLOGY.
99
AHtjRA-MAZDA. This
deity
is
represented
the Persians, the creator of of them all. The word Ahtira
supreme god of
as the
the other gods, and the
ruler
appears to
with Asura, of the Hindi!
much
have
mythology.
kinship
In the early
portions of the Rig-veda this word has a good meaning,
but in the latter
Asura
represented
is
Indra.
Among
Hindiis
Ahura is picwho is represented among the Varuna, who looks down from heaven
the.
as
the
of
a black
mitted fearful devastation tured as
same work the demon, who comuntil he was defeated by
part as
the Persians, Asura, or
sky-god,
with his countless starry
eyes
and "wields the
The heaven
of
Ahura-Mazda surrounds the high" Lofty Mountain " in the upper
est
peaks
air,
and it is called the "Abode " the maker Ahura-Mazda has
said
on
the
of
the
uni-
^
verse as the gamesters handle dice."
Hara-Berezaita,
the
of
Song."
built
a
It
is
dwelling
bright mountain around
With his arms which the daily stars revolve. immortality, Mithra, the lord of lifted up towards .
.
wide pastures,
drives
forward
a
.
beautiful
chariot,
wrought by Ahura-Mazda and inlaid with stars. "^ The attributes of Ahriman, the serpent, or evil principle, became personified, and the various forms and death became abstract of falsehood, darkness demons.
So,
also,
Ahiira-Mazda was afterward
wor-
and thus it hapshipped as a multitude of pened that victory, benevolence, sovereignty, and even deities,
1
2
Eig-veda Sanhita— Wilson's Trans., Vol. V, Yast, X.
p. 103
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
100
and
worshipped as a
each
health were
gathered together in the
separate
divinity,
heavenly councils as a
band of Yazatas or angels. These are numbered by but the one demanding the greatest rev-
thousands, erence
is
ATAE. This
is
the god of
fire.
was called the " most
He
great Yazata," and as such he commanded the undy-
ing worship of the
The
first
Persian devotee.
duty of each
cherish the sacred
ing
it
while
own
his
hearth,
to
feed-
only with delicate bits of fragrant sandal wood, the
fires
the
in
the care of the priests.
symbol of
The temples,
were
temples
Atar
is
Hindu Agni, the guardian
the
householder was
Pars!
upon
fire
committed
to
the Persian form of
of the
home, and the
social union.
cypress tree was planted in front of
and when
it
their fire
had reached a towering height,
by a gilded palace like a sheath more simple altars arose from their mountain tops and blazed with the sacred symbol. it
was surrounded
of flame,'
while
THE STORM GOD.
The Persian myth Apaosha, the drouth is
in
of the struggle
of Tistrya
with
order to obtain rain,
in
fiend,
merely another form of the battle of the elements the
flict
The and star
when Indra
Eig-veda,
and shoots
his
rides forth
to the con-
arrows into the gathering clouds.
early idolaters worshipped the host of heaven,
from
this
Sirius as
doubtless
the
arose
storm god 1
the
—Tistrya.
See the Bundehesh.
worship of the
The
rising of
PERStAK MYTHOLOGY. this
star
a prominent position
to
welcome
of the ever
101
marks the period
when the parched
rains,
earth
drinks in the refreshing flood, and the flowers
from the
The dog-days
are
supposed to represent the
Tistrya's great conflict with Apaosha,
of tle
time
and the
long and closely contested before
is
spring
soil.
bat-
he conquers
his foe.
The storm god comes forms
different of a
;
and
first
at
as
last
arena
the
into
three
in
form
attacks the foe in the
then
youth,
beautiful
horns,
he
white
a
caparison and golden ears.
resented as a black horse,
a
as
ball
with
golden
horse
with
golden
The drouth fiend is repand " They meet together
hoof against hoof, they fight for three days and three nights,
bright
and and
then
Tistrya then
and
Tistrya;
men do
praise,
not
invoking
too
strong
cries
out
for
him."
overcomes
he
from the sea and
flees
Ahura-Mazda, fice
Deva^ proves
the
glorious
:
" Oh
worship me with sacrime by my own name
worship me with sacrifice and praise, me by my own name as the other Yazatas invoked, they would bring me the strength of ten
should
they
invoking are
horses,
of ten
camels,
ten bulls,
ten mountains
and
ten rivers.
Ahiira then offers him a sacrifice, in which he is invoked by his own name, and which gives him the strength of ten horses,
mountains and ten to the
confiict,
of ten camels,
rivers,
and Apaosha
white horse being victorious, 1
This word
is
ten bulls, ten
whereupon Tistrya returns him.
The
the copious rains
come
flies
before
frequently spelled Daeva.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
102
down, glad brooks spring from the rocky they come with pearly sandaled
and mercy
"
We
the sun-parched plain
to
hymn
lowing
feet,
hillsides
laden with love
hence
;
the fol-
:
unto Tistyra, the bright and glorious
sacrifice star.
whom
For
men
herds and
longing flocks and
the
are looking forward
When
we
shall
glorious
whom
For
him
see
up,
rise
bright and
the
Tistrya
star
long the standing waters and the
run-
ning spring waters.
The stream waters and the
When
tiful places
And
and
rain waters
?
with a flow run to the beau-
will the springs
flelds ?
^
the roots of the plants that they
to
may grow
with a powerful growth ?"
YIMA.
The
god
Persian
from the Hindii
and the Judge however, he while
He
the
death
dead."
of the
appears
among
oiiered
of
Yama, who as
the
Persians
sacrifices
is
is
scarcely
"the king
changed of
death
Among the Hindus, first of men who died,
he
has
many
upon the summit
of
ancestors.
"the beau-
the gods to grant him Thus he became a king over men and even over the Devas. As the regions of tiful
mountain," and
prayed
power and dominion.
Pluto were guarded by the three-headed dog Cerberus,
Yama
and the path
of
dogs
" four-eyed tawny
of
the
1
was watched by two terrible
Tast,
viii.
breed
of
Sarama,"
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. SO
the souls
also
men
good
of
103
defended from
are
the howling and pursuing demons, by the dogs that
guard
THE CHINVAT BRIDGE.
The Chinvati and
Alborz,
Gatherer,"
it
or is
over
Xinyad bridge reaches to Mount called the " Bridge of the
also
which
the
souls
pass easily into the abodes of fall
from
into the
it
of
a
righteous
while the wicked
den of falsehood and
The Mohammedans call represented in the Koran thread
the
of
bliss,
famished
it
being
as
spider
iniquity.
and
the Al-Sirat,
and sharper
is
it
than
finer
the
than
a
two-edged sword.
More arch
and
of
beautiful by far
earth,
"A A And
the Bi-frost,
rainbow
bridge of rainbows thrown across gulf of tears and sighs.-"
every day the gods come
hall,
or
link that binds us to the skies
The
ment
is
—
Norseman the bridge between heaven which was also borrowed from Chaldea
the
of
Udar
the
the great ash tree and across the bridge of
ride
many
down
fountain,
at
to
the judg-
the
roots
of
back on heavenly steeds
hues.
MITHEA.
As
fire
is
the
favorite symbol
of
the Persian,
so
and
of
the sun-gods are their most important these skrit 1
deities,
One of the SanMithra stands at the head. names for the sun is Mitra, and the Persian
Chinvat, the popular orthography of this word,
sents the pronunciation.
is
adopted as
it
repre-
PERSIAN LITEEATUKE.
104
form of the word retains and he
shrine,
His
terrible
not
fail to
without
never
is
also represented
is
as the
significance,
full
its
The sun
pure light of day.
human
in the
his
form.
power, especially in tropical climes, could be recognized, and hence the Persian swore
by the sun, while the temples and images consecrated this
to
god of day arose in every part of the land. and
Persian decrees of the fourth
manded fire
and water should receive were persecuted
tians
centered
inferior
refusing
for
apostasy
his
mitted him to
call
Chris-
perform these
to
philosophy
the
in
while
itself,
service.
Eoman Emperor
Armenia' and the
services in
centuries de-
fifth
highest worship for the sun
the
Julian
which
per-
sun the living image of God
the
and even God himself.^ Mithra
is
represented in the Avesta as riding across
the broad arch
ver,
while
and a first
are
feet
god
himself
He
silver breastplate.
of
who,
the
the
summits, and
in
battle
from
shod with gold and represented as
is
array,
thence
golden
wears a
who
heavenly gods
foremost
drawn by milk-
of heaven, his chariot
whose
white steeds
hold
looks with
" The
over Hara,
reaches
takes
sil-
helmet
a
of
the
beneficent
eye over the abodes of the Aryans, where the valiant chiefs
the
draw up
high
yield plenty to salt
swell
stands
and
hurry.
1
2
all
rich
the cattle
water
chariot,
many
their
mountains,
of the
;
where
;
.
.
.
troops
array;
in
and
pastures
in
where waters,
where the deep lakes with wide
the
Four
same white
flowing
stallions
color,
rivers
draw that
living on heav-
History of Vartaii by Elisaeus (Newman's trans.), p. Gibbon, Chap. S3.
9.
PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. enly
and undying.
food
.
.
.
105
The hoofs
of
their
fore feet are shod with gold, the hoofs of their hind feet are shod with silver."
This
^
the Persian picture of
the Hindii myth, where the god of day is represented as coming out of the crimson chambers of the east, in his fiery car,
is
while his white steeds are led by the fair god-
dess of the
morning, wearing her garments
and changeful opal
The mythology
of
silver
fire.^
Mazdeism is very rich with which belong to the IndoIranian period. The Vedic Yatus are found unchanged in the Avesta, and these are demons who can assume any form they choose. The Pairikas in demons, many
of
classes of
the oldest Avesta are the the gods
and
men
fiendish
females,
heavenly
the
of
who rob They
waters.
hover between heaven and earth in the midst of the sea Vourii-Kasha, to keep ofE the rain floods, in harmony with Apaosha, the drouth are many other female demons, which it
working
There
fiend. is
unnecessary
to describe, as their characteristics are most revolting.
There
a host of
also
is
storm
fiends, called
"the
running ones" on account of the headlong course of a storm
the fiends in crew."
The Devas
—
"^'the
represent
onsets of the wounding demons which belong to
the Indo-European mythology, and the term originally
meant "the gods in heaven." verted
into
evil
the heavens"
or the
When
they became
spirits
fiends
who
they were
"the
assail
con-
fiends in
the sky, but
they afterwards became the demons of lust and doubt.
Death gave
rise to i
Yast, X.
several abstractions, such as Sauru, 2
Hindu
Literature, p. 27.
PERSIAN LITEEATUKB.
106
which was identical in meaning as well the Vedic Saru,
The same
arrow of death, as a god-like being. is
idea
conveyed by Isus, the self-moving arrow, a designa-
which
tion
The god
killed his foe.
from the fact
for
becoming the arrow of lightning, with which the
before
India,
in
was the arrow of
death,
god
perhaps accounted
is
that Sarii,
form
of death in another
becomes "the bone divider"
who,
Yama
like the
of
Maha-bharata, holds a noose around the neck of
the all
name with
as
"the arrow/' a personification of the
In the conflict between gods and
living creatures.
he takes
fiends
The
an active part through the
more than an
sacrifice is
act of
the
assistance to
drink and food
strong
it is
an
men, need
like
men, they need
like
;
and encouragement in order
praise
sacrifice.
worship,
Gods,
gods.
be
to
act of
to be brave
not strengthened by the sacrifice they
fly
;
when
before their
foes.
Sraosha into
he
the
is
bundles
and
sang
the
first
holy the
the night,
the terrors of ;
from the
death,
terrors
It
Ormazd and vanquished.
hearth
of
of
be
will
it
the
is
altar,
of
a
offerings
most of
and
assault
sacrifice
divinities
during the Indo-Iranian period. brings her
the
fiends
he who protects the dead
Ahriman
that
number
of the liv-
when
from the
through
Sraosha
A
sticks
AhUra;
to
hymns and thrice each day demon crew with his up-
rush upon the earth
man.
tied the
first
sacrifice
and thus protects the world
club,
ing from
up
offered
and night he smites lifted
he
priest-god,
will
Piety, to
Ahri-
finally
be
sprang from the
them
prayers
of
performed by
having
who the
existed
every day altar,
was
PEKSIAN MYTHOLOGY. worshipped
who
the Vedas morning and
in
every
107
Aramati,
as
the
being
evening,
goddess anointed
with sacred
butter, offers herself up to Agni. She was praised in the Avesta as an abstract genius, but
there are yet a few practices which preserve the evi-
dent
traces
of
the
old
union with Atar, the to heaven
myths in relation to her The riches that go up of man, and come down to
fire-god.
in the offerings
earth in the gifts of the gods, were deified as Eata,
more vividly in Parendi, the keeper of treasures, who comes on a sounding chariot, a sister to the Vedic Puramdhi. Thus we have seen the fabulous " world mountain "
the
Ashi,
gift,
and
felicity,
Babylonia
early
of
the
pervading
the
Europe and Asia, taking the form Olympus on the ^gean sea, and
mythologies
of
Meru, with her
fadeless flowers, in the valleys of India.
Europe
it
is
of
of the star-crowned
In northern
represented by the Nida mountains with
and
their golden palaces,
Hara with her crown of The Chaldean river
Persia by the beautiful
in
living light. of
death,
Datilla,
flows
also
through the realms of Grecia under the name of Styx,
and in the regions and to
the north
of
also the Gyoll.
mount upward,
and from
Ganges
springs
through
the starry
silvery torrents
of
it
becomes the
Again the mythical like
the
the
of
Persian
Ifing,
seems
heavenly Nile, the heights
celestial
highlands
river
heaven,
and while
flows
the
stream come pouring
down from the white summit of the Hara-Berezaita. The early Baal, with all the unspeakable abominations
attending
his
worship,
form of Zeus or Jove, who
becomes refined in the
hurls his
lightnings from
PERSIAN LITEKATUEE.
108
the brow of Olympus, and in the Ahura-Mazda of the Persians,
whose
" the lofty mountain." whose hideous images called
throne
is
Tammuz and Chemosh, forth
contempt of the prophets,
the
appear in the
Persian pantheon as Mithra with his glittering steeds;
Ashtaroth of Sidon, and Diana of Ephesus, lay aside revolting
their
chaste fair
and
goddess
sensuality,
of
the
forth
as
the
poetry,
or
the
dawn among the Hindus and
The germs
logy
therefore found
where
come
strong Diana of Grecian
Persians.
are
and
of
the image-worship
European and Asiatic mythoin
that
of
Babylonia
cradle
of
rebuke of the prophets, and where the red Baal and Moloch were stained with
idolatry,
received the
human
altars
of
blood even
amidst the highest forms of early art and culture.
DIVISION The Period
11.
of the Zend-Avesta.
CHAPTER
V.
THE ZEND-AVESTA. DERIVATIOIir
AND LANGUAGE — DIVISIONS — AGE
OF THE
— MANUSCRIPTS — ZAEATHUSTEA — THE PARSIS — THE MODERN PAESIS.
ZEND-AVESTA
EARLY
TTTE *
that
use
it
correct term.
whether
this
According
to
the sacred text, and Zend in
the
work
is
Pahlavi
is
however,
seems
to
claim is
an
only
Pahlavi translation, but the
original
although there
is
no
Neither the word Avesta
nor Zend occurs in the original Zend Avesta,
it
the original and
themselves,
called the Avesta-Zend,
reason given for this course.
Orientalists
Zend-
the Parsis, Avesta means
its
translations
the word,
Avesta-Zend,
the
called
of
some
though
for
should be
open question
form
ordinary
the
Avesta,
'
texts.
The word
be the Sanskrit avastha,
meaning "authorized text," while Max Miilleri claims name Zend was originally a corruption of the Sanskrit word .ff'Aandas, or "metrical language," which
that the
I
Chips, Vol. 109
1,
p. 82.
PERSIAN LITEEATUEE.
110
name given by the Brahmans to the hymns The word Zend, or Zand, is also used
a
is
the Veda.
of to
designate the language ^ in which the greater part of
the Avesta
is
written.
In relation to while
considering
upon many
differing
Veda
the
the
to
any
seem to be mere
many
in the Zoroastrian
protest
nature which
much
is
it
would appear
religions
the worship of
all
found in the Veda.
striking similarities
Although there
the two tongues,
and
many
between the gods of the two my-
not
does
to be a sol-
the powers of
prove that portions
necessarily
Zend-Avesta were borrowed from the Veda.
of the
does prove,
however,
from a common source proves that live side
the
that of
Sanskrit
the
Aryan
It
two works proceeded
and it also Zend continued to
tradition,
and the
by side long after they were
common
the
of the gods of the Zoroastrians
kinship between
thologies,
the gods which are
of
more primitive gods times the tendency to monotheism
against is
in
under-
reflections of the
of the Veda, but at
emn
an
same name in Sanskrit and in
worshipped under the Zend, and indeed
and
points, agree
key to
to
Indo-European nations are
the
of
safest
Many
standing of the Avesta.
unknown
Zend ranks next
such authorities as Westergaard
the Sanskrit, and Spiegel,
antiquity, the
its
separated
from
stock of the Indo-European tongues.
There are decided differences between the themes Veda and the Avesta, but the link which binds
of the
them
to a
common
source
entalists claim that there
is
never broken.
Some
Ori-
was a schism between the two
Prof. Darmesteter and M. de Harlez claim that the Zend was the language of Aryan Jledia. I
THE ZEND-AVESTA. and that the
differences
revolution, while
others
the result
are
argue that
long and slow movement which grees, the
to the
Ill of a
religious
was
there
only,
a
by insensible de-
led,
vague dualism of the Indo-Iranians onward
sharply
defined dualism of the Magi. It has been clearly shown that the mythologies of Europe and Asia have a common origin in the idolatry found
the valley of the Euphrates; so also the
Veda and the Zend-Avesta are two great literary productions flowing from the same fountain head, which is found in the Indo-Iranian period. DIVISIONS.
The Zend-Avesta, a
really
part,
the
collection
or sacred books of the Parsis, of
various
which may be called the Vendidad,
Vendidad logical
is
the
A vesta and
Visparad
is
first
proper, contains
Yasna.
the
The
a compilation of religious lore and mytho-
tales,
the Visparad
is
a
collection
for the sacrifice, while the Yasna, too, litanies,
The
fragments.
but
it
also
is
of
hymns
contains five
written in a different dialect, which
litanies
composed of or Gathas
older than the
is
language of the greater part of the Avesta.
These three books are found in manuscripts in two different
forms.
Sometimes
of
either
them
is
found
alone or accompanied by a Pahlavi translation, or the three are mingled
ments of the
The second
together
portion of this work
as the Khorda.-Avesta, ers,
according to
the require-
liturgy.
and
is
is
which are recited not only by the
the faithful, at certain
generally
composed
moments
of
of
known
short pray-
priests but
the day,
by
month
all
or
PEESIAN LITEEATUKE.
113
and
year, It
small
the
A\resta,
Yasts
Khorda
the
in
hymns
or
elements.
different
customary to include
also
is
of the
the presence
in
of
praise
to
a
or the
to
several Izads or Yazatas.
The tent
the Avesta
sacredness of
which was written during the
work
upon a
reflected
is
Pahlavi, or
in
Sassanian
merly much greater than now. the Veudidad
eighteen
Parsi
It
for-
claimed
is
that
the only survivor of the twenty-one
is
which
or books
revealed by
Persian,
the
to
bulk of Zoroastrian literature was
traditions the
Nosks
medieeval
According
age.
certain ex-
Bundehesh,
the
called
Ormazd
to
were
Yasts
formed
the primitive Avesta
Zoroaster, originally
and
the
that
also
thirty
number,
in
who preThe classic
there having been one for each of the Izads side over
the thirty days of the month.
authors agree with the
ParsJs in
the statement that
much more
the early books of the Zend-Avesta were extensive the
than
at
Zoroastrians
sequence
the
of
and
Greeks
the
present,
sacred
having suffered heavy ravages
Arabians.
the
of It
literature losses
Persian
appears
from
of
con-
in
empire by the
third
book of the Dinkard that at the time of Alexander's invasion there were only two complete copies of sacred books,
one of
which
was traced
the
upon skins
in
golden letters and deposited in the royal archives
at
Persepolis,
whera
it
was
burned
by
Alexander ^
while the other having been placed in another treas-
ury
fell
lated
into the hands of the Greeks,
into
their
language.
and was
trans-
The Arda-Yiraf-namak
mentions only one copy of the Avesta. which was de1
See page
20.
THE ZEND-AVESTA. posited in the archives
Alexander
many
the priests and nobles.
of
counts were written, they describe,
and burned by
Persepolis
at
mentions the fact that he
also
it
;
113
it
Both
these ac-
of
true, long after
is
killed
the events
they merely represent the tradition
so
which had been handed down from one generation to the next, but as they were written before the Arabian conquest^
they cannot have
Alexander with those
of
their accounts
confounded
of
the
the
ravages
Mohammedans, and
are freely confirmed by classic writers.^
AGE OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. There
is
may
Avesta
no data by which the age be
however, that as the Zend so also the Avesta
later
is
that this work
certain
generation,
as
is
the
work,
are writen in
than the Vedas.
the
the the
old
have
and
earliest
tribes,
from their into
forms
in
in consequence of
their separa-
brethren in
neglect
the
evident that
Avesta.
or
disfavor.
Haug's Rel. of Parsis, p. 123. 2Diodorus (xvil, 72) and Curtius
It
Iran,
tranged from them, and their most slowly
but
is
the later portions of the
migrating
be-
portions.
Hindiis are absent from the
deities
although they reappear in various
the
It is also
portion of the
Aryan metre,
Gathas,
tion
certain,
intervened latest
favorite
of
is
not the product of any one
earliest
The Gathas which form
It
than the Sanskrit,
later
centuries
several
tween the dates of
is
the Zend-
of
determined.
definitely
soon became favored
gods
Considerable
esfell
time
1
(v. 7) declare that Alexander burned the citadel and royal palace at Persepolis In a drunken frenzy at the instigation of the Athenian courtezan Thais, and in revenge for the d°structiou of the Greek temple by Xerxes. Arrian (Exped. Alex., iii, 18) also speaks of his burning the royal palace of the Persians.
PERSIAN LITEEATUEU.
114
must have been required
accomplishment of
for the
a few centuries this
therefore fall
so
may hymns
oldest portions of the Avesta
The
great a change.
side of
the
of the Rig-veda, while the oldest portions of the later
Avesta may he placed at a period somewhat later than
We have a right to suppose that the hymns and other portions of the Avesta which were then in existence were gathered together and committed to writing about the time of Darius, and according to Darius. 1
Dr.
rendering
Oppert's
the Persian king
says:
of
Behistun
the
"By
have made the writings for others in the
which was not done before
guage,
the law and the collection.
and
abroad
sent
I
countries
I
Thus Darius claims
...
for
the
;
Aryan
and the
lan-
text
of
made and wrote, writings among all I
then the old
;
restored
inscription,
the grace of Ormazd, I
sahe
of the
people."^
to have restored the writings that
had been destroyed or injured by the Magian
revolt,
but the word Avesta had not yet become a technical
term
;
'
it
was the care of Dai'ius that gave
and
restricted
ing
the
gathered,
either
oral
traditions,
form
in the
a fixed
Five centuries afterwards, dur-
sense.
Sassanian
it
period,
from and
these
scattered
books
were
manuscripts or
again
from
the later Avesta took a definite
Adarbad under King Shapur II,* aimed at the extirpation of the Christian faith. Mazdeism having been shaken by the Manichean heresy, a definite form was who,
like
hands
of
another Diocletian,
Sacred Books of the East, Vol. IT, Int., p. 39. This is a literal rendering of the passage, the meaning of all the words being certain, except the four which are written in italics. 3 In tlie Elamite and Babylonian versions Avesta is simply rendered "law'' or " laws." I Shapur II ascended the throne about A. D. 809. 1
2
THE ZEND-AVESTA.
115
thus given to the religions code of Iran, and then
promulgated
We may
modern portions the
Parsis
are
There has been no
ruins of a
other great
monuments
that left such poor
of
religion.
the world
its fallen
splendor.
and the
the value of the Avesta,
is
in
belief
era.
also
belief
few surviving Parsis, in the eyes of the histo-
of the
they present to us the
rian, as
which
prevailed
which preceded birth
most
the
belong to a
the ruins of a people, so
books represent the
their sacred
Yet great
cannot
the Avesta
of
the nation.
of
even
that
therefore,
than the fourth century of the Christian
later date
As
law
the sacred
as
conclude,
was
it
of
Christ.
Iran
in
last reflex of
during
the
five
the ideas centuries
and the seven which followed
By the help we are enabled
and the Avesta, momentous period
in
of the
to
the
Parsi religion
go back to that
the history of literature which
saw the blending of the Aryan mind with the Semitic, and thus opened the second stage of Aryan thought.^
MAKUSCEIPTS.
The
recovery of the manuscripts of the Zend-Avesta,
and the translation
of
them proved to be a herculean more than one valuable life
task for Orientalists, and
has been given largely to this work.
For an hundred
years this great problem has cost tireless solution
demanded
as
much
ciphering of the cuneiform
effort,
for its
pioneer work as the deinscriptions of the ancient
kings.
We
are largely indebted to Anquetil Duperron, the
young Frenchman who was 1
Sa.
Books of
so fearless in his enthusi-
East, Vol. IV.
Int.,
p.
3.
PERSIAN" LITERATURE.
116
asm that he
^
enlisted
a private soldier in
as
order to
secure a passage to India, and spent six years in that
country collecting the manuscripts of the Avesta, and in
a knowledge of
trying to obtain from the Dasturs
their
But
contents.
was
his
work, and
pioneer
his
which was made with the assistance of DastUr Darfib, was by no means trustworthy; it was in fact a French translation of a Per-
translation of the Avesta,
had
which
sian rendering
made from
been
itself
Pahlavi version of the Zend
a
original.'^
Afterward Dr. Rask went to Bombay in the interests of
government and
the Danish
after collecting
valuable manuscripts, wrote his essay "
On
many
the Age and
Genuineness of the Zend Language."
About the middle
who
gaard,
also
is
the present century, Wester-
of
a Dane,
and one
of the
most
complished Zend scholars of Europe, published an
acedi-
tion of the sacred books of the Zoroastrians.
Bopp were
Spiegel and
Burnouf,
also
enthusastic
students of these books of the Magian literature, and after a time Dr. Haug, a young and enthusiastic German, was appointed to a professorship of Sanskrit in the Poona College; while here he availed himself of his opportunity to
ature
of
lection of
There
the
make a thorough study
ai-e
at
of
the
and the
characters and 1
About
2
Chips, Vol.
3
published
1764.
under was ^
at 3
I,
p. 119.
editions,
Zend-Avesta.
second
col-
subject.
present five
graphed and published
of the liter-
contributed a valuable
"Essays" on the
complete,
Paris,
He
Parsis.
The
more
first
Burnouf's
was
or
less
litho-
direction
in
transcribed
into
Roman
Leipsic by
Prof
Brock-
1839-1843.
4 1850.
THE ZEND-AVESTA. The
haus. ters,
and
117
third edition was presented in Zend charac-
was prepared
^
by Prof. Spiegel,
and the
fourth was published at Copenhagen, 2 by AVestergaard there are also one or two editions of the Zend-Avesta
published in India with Gujerati translations, which are
sometimes quoted by native
The Yasna, being containing the original
hymns
which
Gathas, of
scholars.
that portion
Zoroaster,
Zend-Avesta
are supposed to be the is
important part of the Magian
of the
the oldest and most
literature.
Early in the
Kask succeeded in bringing to Europe a celebrated manuscript of the Yasna with Pahlavi translation which is now in the University Library of Copenhagen, and this is the only document of the kind upon the continent of Europe. Another priceless manuscript has for centuries been
present
century,^ Dr.
""^
hereditary property in the family of a
the Parsis,' sity at
Max
who has now presented
Oxford, and through
Miiller
we
High
Priest of
the Univer-
to
courtesy of Prof. F.
enabled to give our readers a fac
are
simile representation
the
it
^
famous Yasna manuscript
of this
which constitutes one of the fundamental documents of Zend philology. It contains nearly eight hundred pages,'' and was written by Mihirapiln Kai-Khusro, the
same copyist who transcribed the Copenhagen manuscript, but it is from a different original. 1
3
2
1851.
1852-1854.
Codex numbered Dastur Jamaspjl Minoeheherji Jamasp Asana, Ph. About
1826.
*
5.
of Tubingen, Hon. D. C. L. Oxon. Dr. L, H. Mills applied to the Dastur for the loan of his manuscript to enable him to complete a critical edition of the Zend and Pahlavi texts of the Gathas. and Dastur Jamaspji not only loaned it to Dr. Mills, but most generously presented it to the University 5
of Oxford. 6 See page xx.
'
382 folios.
D.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
118
ZARATHUSTRA. Zarathustra or Zoroaster i
prophet
the
hymns
books
the fact
have been
to
the
of
earliest
that the composition
Zend-Avesta,
the
of
supposed
is
and the author
or Cluthas, but
the
of
Iran,
of
extended
over a
period of several centuries, precludes the possibility of
authorship by any one individual.
their
historic record
and
Zarathustra,
amount
the birth, the
of
this
fact,
or
life
with
together
myth and legend which
of
There
is
no
the death of the
vast
grown up
has
around his name, has led some Orientalists to question whether or not such a man ever lived at all. FirdusI teaches in a mythical
time of Darius.
to the
others claim
Persian
who
that
Zerdiisht,
Hyde,
Prideaux and several
Zarathustra was the
great
between the
lived
way that he belonged the
patriarch
beginning
of
same of
as
the
the
the
Magi,
reign
of
Cyrus and the end of that of Darius Hystaspes, while others
an
claim that the prophet of Iran belonged to
still
earlier date.^
itable
personage,
It
seems probable that he was a ver-
who,
although
not necessarily
the
author of any considerable portion of the Zend-Avesta,
may have
led the departure in this direction
from the
mythology of the Vedas, toward the simpler forms of Mazdeism,
but
whether
he
lived
aiad
first
taught
Clement, who is supposed to have written in the first century of the Christian era, claims that the original name was Nebrod, but that " the magician being destroyed by lightning, his name was changed to Zoroaster by the Greeks on account of the living (Zunar) stream of the star {aarepog) being poured upon him." Clementine Ilomilieti, IX, Chap. 5. 1
2
Aiasudi, the noted
Arabian historian and traveler
who
wrote about
A. D. 950, remarks that ''according to the Magi, Zoroaster lived two hundred and eighty years before Alexander the Great," or about 610 B. C, in
the time of the
Median king Oyaxares.
THE ZEXD-A VESTA.
among
the mountains
Baktriana,
Media,
of
119
or
land
of
an open question.
is
Indeed, the controversy which prevails ars
the
in
upon the
among
Zend-Avesta
of the
exegesis
schol-
one
is
of
unusual severity, and while the storm seems to center
upon the value
of
there are
the Asiatic translations,
other questions which are involved; the personality of
Zarathustra^ those
the
is
not only questioned, but even amongst
who admit
that he was an
historical personage,
of his early labors, the exact time
field
he belonged, and many other points are spirited
In
of
discussion.
Gathas, or
the
pears
which
to
subjects
as
seem to have been greatly his concern
hymns, Zarathustra ap-
earlier
a toiling prophet,
and
were provinces as well
masses as well as
sphere does
his
The
restricted.
individuals.
as villages,
His
circle
not
objects of
and the
was
largely
composed of the reigning prince and prominent chieftains and these, together with a priesthood compara-
—
tively pure,
were the greater part of his public.
king, the people, and the peers were It is
claimed that
these were
three
played
Zarathustra
priests,
little part,
warriors
and
and
The
portions of
had three
respectively the fathers
classes,
all
it.
sons,
and
of
the
chiefs
herdsmen
;
they
however, in the Mazdean system, and
are possibly only three subdivisions of Zarathustra,
who
was " the
first
first
priest,
the
first
warrior and
the
husbandman."
But when the student
leaves the
Gathas and turns
to the Yasts or the Vendidad, he goes from ground I Dr. Haug, while maintaining the personality of Zarathustra Spitama, claims that after his death, and possibly during his life, the name of Zarathustra was adopted by a successiye priesthood. (Essays, p. 29rj.
PERSIAN LITEEATURE.
130
which
is
apparently historic into a land of
leaves behind
him the
toiling
prophet,
He
fable.
who
appar-
is
and meets the Zarathustra of these latter He productions in the form of a fantastic demi-god. truth is no longer described as one who brings new and drives away error, but as one who overthrows demons the valiant smiter of fiends, like Tistrya and ently
real,
—
Vayu.
He
them
smites
chiefly, it is true,
ual weapons, but he also repels
man with
the
which are
as
were
that
stones large
a
spirit-
Ahri-
—stones
house i— missiles like
those
at their foes by Indra, by Agni These are " the flames wherewith, as
the
a stone,^
storm-god
Pliny, and later Pars!
tradition,
mortals laughed while being
smites
the fiend."
is
was the
A
according to
that
he alone
of
This tradition
born.
would indicate that his nativity was
which
of
which Ahura gave him
singular incident of Zarathustra's birth,
all
with
assaults
hurled
and by Thor. with
as
the
in
the
birthplace of the Vedic Maruts
region
—those
storm genii which are "born of the laughter of the lightnings."
Zarathustra
is
not the only lawgiver
which the Avesta recognizes.
and
even
G-ayo
and prophet
Maratan,
the bird Karsipta,^ appear under
Yima
different
names, forms and functions, as god-like champions in the struggle for light, and they 1
Vendidad, Farg. xix,
knew the law
as well
4.
Rig-veda, ii, 30, 40. 3 The bird Karsipta dwells in the heavens. Were he living on the earth he would be the king of birds. He brought the law into the Var of Yima, and recites the Avesta in the language of birds (Bund, xix and xxiv). As a bird, because of the swiftness of his flight, was often considered an incarnation of lightning, and as the thunder was supposed to be the voice of a god speaking from above, so the song of a bird was often thought to be the 2
utterance of a god.
THE ZEND-AVESTA.
Many
as Zarathustra.
of
the
121
features
Zarathustra
of
point to a god, but the mythology has probably grown
up around a man, and the existing mythic elements have been woven into a halo to surround a human There has been much of individual genius in
face.
the formation of Mazdeism, but the system as a whole
was probably produced by the elaboration of successive generations of the priesthood.
THE EARLY It is evident
PAKSTS.
ords of the
human
race,
but
thing of the
whom
it
character
its
who
value the rec-
influence
and habits
peculiarly belonged.
the world's history
for
good or
won
the
of
religion of
all others.
final
the Parsis
had and thus
conquest of Greece, the worship
Ormazd might have become the
whole civilized
to
If Persia
the battles of Marathon and Salamis,
succeeded in the
people
There have been periods
when the
threatened to dominate over
of
all
cannot be determined without understanding some-
evil
in
that the Zend-Avesta
to the historian
should be carefully studied by
religion
of
the
Persia already ruled over the
world.
Assyrian and Babylonian empires
;
the Jews were under
her power, and the sacred monuments of Egypt had
been mutilated by the Persian soldiery. Again, during the faith
had revived
to
Sassanian
dynasty, the national
such an extent that Shapur II
gathered the sacred books and issued their code of law to
the people, while the sufEerings of the persecuted
Christians in the east were as terrible as they had ever
been in the west
work
of cruelty.
— Rome
herself
But the power
being rivaled in of Persia was
the
broken
PERSIAN LITEEATUKE.
122
by the
Mohammedan
Moslem was is
conquest, and the war-cry of the
the herald of defeated tyranny;
hence
it
that Mazdeism, although once the fear of the world,
has for a thousand years had but for the historian.
powerful empire, but
it
was virtually driven away from
native soil by the sons of
its
the
Deprived of
political
an
votaries
of
became
its
soil
almost disappeared under
Mohammedan
century
their
who remained
upon
In
rule.
nearly
defeat,
their
policy, or
native
conquered were
soil
rulers, either
by the attractive power
who clung to the new home in the land
simpler creed, while those their fathers sought a
than a
less
the
all
brought over to the faith of their new or
many
priesthood,
few
of
persecution
star
altars.
of
the iron hand
people
broken
exiles in a foreign land, while the
that remained on Persian
after
its
and without even the
influence,
enlightened
and the
desert,
and crescent waved in triumph above prestige
except
little interest
was once the state religion of a
It
by
of-
a
faith of of
the
Hindus, and found a refuge on the western coast of India and the peninsula of Gujarat.
Here they could
worship their old gods,
repeat
old
perform their old
and here they
rites
;
their
prayers,
and
live,
and
still
thrive to a certain extent, while their co-religionists in
Persia are daily becoming fewer in numbers.
The
Farsis of
and
similar
aster
fingers
practices were
compared to some ceremonies.
used mats for
the old school
and ate with their
of
their
from cleanly
platters,
and
revolting
seats,
but these
refined
when
and loathsome
A]ithon says, "If the religion of Zoro-
was originally pure and sublime,
generated and
allied
itself
to
many
it
speedily de-
very gross and
THE ZEND-AVESTA. hideous forms of superstition its
we were
if
;
tendency by the practice of
133
its votaries,
to judge of
we should
more harshly than it may have deserved. The court manners were equally marked by luxury and cruelty by luxury refined until it had killed all natural enjoyment, and by cruelty carried to the most loathsome excess that perverted ingenuity be led to think of
it
—
could suggest.
It
women
the Persian chronicles with their most
that
fills
horrible stories,
is
above
all
the
barbarity of the
and we learn from the same sources
the dreadful depravity of their character, and the vast extent of their influence."^
the world's history
woman
cipled
yields to her
that the
much
is
known
It is a well
infiuence
stronger
an unprin-
of
over
fact in
man who
a
power than is the influence of kindness win him to higher associations, and there-
and truth to we find that at a certain period, the men of Persia, cramped by the rigid j)Ower of ceremonials, and surrounded by the ministers to their artificial wants, became the slaves of their priests and concufore
bines.
had
It is
lost
their
probably true that even after the people
much
manners,
and simplicity
of the original purity
noble
the
youth of Persia were
educated
in
which
represented as nearly resembling that
is
the severe
discipline
of
Spartan, but gradually the ancient
of
still
their ancestors,
discipline
either wholly obsolete or degenerated into
of the
became
empty forms.
THE MODERN PARSIS.
The
religion of the Parsis
ism, on account of 1
Chips, Vol.
its I,
is
sometimes called Dual-
main tenet
p. 167.
2
;
it
is
called
Clas. Diet., p. 1015.
Maz-
PEKSIAN LITERATURE.
124 deism, because called it
supreme god
its
is
;
it
is
priesthood are the Magi
its
called Zoroastrianism, as representing the doctrines
is
of
Ahura Mazda
Magism, because supposed
its
founder, and
Worship, because
ceived the adoration
1
also
is
it
Fire
called
has for centuries apparently re-
fire
of
the people.
At present the number estimated at
the
of
Parsis in western
hundred thousand,
one
about
India
is
while
Yezd and Kerman together can claim only about thousand. Heuce, while the colonies upon
fifty-five
the
soil
India
of
have retained their strength
the others, the grand total
better than
is
being only about one-tenth of one per cent, population
the
of
Fire- Worshippers,
name,
They
world.
are
although they
as indicating that they
mere
are
the
idolaters.
It
was wor-
shipped, and Atar, the fire-god, held high rank the Zoroastrians.
The
blazed,
and the Farsis
of adoration,
youth they are taught
to
still
face
among
Aryan hearth, upon
primitive
which the sacred element
as
against
itself
fire
of the
known
still
protest
doubtless true that at one time
is
much
very small,
was also an object
admit that in their
some luminous object
while worshipping God, although they claim that they look upon
There
is
instinct
fire as
merely an emblem of divine power.
certainly the existence
— an
indescribable one
of
a strong
— which
is
felt
national
by every
The Persians, first taking coals from the lightning which Clement says from heaven, preserved them by ordinary fuel, and honoring the heavenly fire as a god, were honored by the fire itself, with the first Ijingdom, as ils first worshippers. After them the Babylonians, stealing coals from the fire that was there, and conveying it safely to their own home and worshipping it, they themselves also reigned in order. And the Egyptians, acting in like manner, and calling the fire in their own dialect Phthaf, which is translated Hephalstus or OsirU. he who first reigned amongst them is called by its name."— Clementine Homilies, IX, Chap. vi. '
1
fell
:
'
THE ZEND-AVESTA. Parsi in regard to both light and
who
only Eastern people
and they
will not
125
They
fire.
are
the
from smoking,
abstain entirely
even blow out a candle unless com-
pelled to do so.
The modern use
a
Their
meals.
Parsis well
as
table,
believe
prayers are
who
listen
who
fire
or pays
Among
him.
old
repeats,
nor
any claim to a knowledge have
these
Zend they
Every
said.
is
only
of
priests,
twenty who can lay Zend-Avesta, and
the
of
re-
the priest to recite
the whole body
there are perhaps not more than
even
their
the
in
temple when he chooses and
cites his prayers himself,
for
forks at
can understand a word that
one goes to the
them
and
recited
language, although neither he
and
monotheism,
in
knives
as
the meaning
learned
of
the
words they are taught, without knowing the language either philosophically or grammatically.
The modern
among is
the harem are
is
also object to
The high
so.
the others
are
tached
their
glory,
and
the orders,
do
to
and
belonging
it
called
it
felt
priest
many
to
essential
on
of
a
of
obligatory called
is
They
can
priest
upon him while
Dastiir,
are of
greatly atits
former
the relinquishment of all
Still
unconsciously
doctrines of Christianity, and
if
it
that was most sacred
their forefathers.
points,
another creed.
Their priesthood
account
that
would be the giving up
and precious
not
Mobed.
religion
is
anything which
to
son
the
is
and hence
abolished from
eat
beef and pork.
None but
hereditary.
take to
They do not
the people.
prepared by a cook
They
monogamists,
are
Parsis
the manifold evils of
they have,
approached
in
the
they could but read
PERSIAN LITEEATUEB.
126 the
they would find that their faith
Zend-Avesta
is
no longer the faith of the Yasna or the Vendidad.^
As
historical
value, vitality
human
but of
as
relics
the
principle
works
these oracles
of
necessary
will
faith
for
character. 1
Chips, Vol.
I,
pp. 102-177.
always
they the
be
lack
building
of
the of
CHAPTER
VI.
THE TEACHINGS OP THE ZEND-AVESTA.
—
—
THE GATHAS THE WAIL OF THE KINE THE GATHA THE MARRIAGE SONG THE YASNA MENTARY ON THE FORMULAS THE YASNA TANG-HAITI THE SROSH TAST THE YASNA
—
— — —
—
LAST
— COMHAPCON-
CLUDING.
rr^HE -*-
teachings of the Zend-Avesta have been par-
tially
treated
mythology, but
demand
attention
ent world
beings
is
the chapter devoted to Persian
in
here.
Brieiiy
two-fold, being the
—Ahura-Mazda,
evil
good in the present
of
and
history
of
all
presented,
work
of
the good principle,
Mainyu, or Ahriman, the former,
the work
other features of
state
that
the world
is
is
evil
seem to the
pres-
two hostile
and Angra All that
principle.
is
things comes from the
from
the
the
The
latter.
the
history of
conflict
between these two powers, as Angra Mainyu invaded the world of Ahura Mazda, and marred its beauty
and truth.
Man
being revealed
to
is
active
him
in
in the
conflict,
duty
his
the law which was given
by Ahiira Mazda to Zarathustra. Although of later date, it is evident that the religion of the Parsis is derived from the same source as that of
Aryan
the Hindus
forefathers of
—derived
from the
the Hindus 187
and
faith of
the
the
Iranians.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
128
We
therefore find two strata in the mythology which the one comprises all the gods under discussion and myths which were already in existence during is
;
the Indo-Iranian period, and the other comprises the
gods and myths which were only developed after the separation of the two mythologies.
There are two principal points in the Indo-Iranian that
First,
religion.
that there
second,
there
is
law in nature, because splendor and
and
time
the
its
There
and
the
;
war
because
nature,
in
contains
it
seed-
fruiting,
succeed each other with unfailing regularity. is
is
golden
its
mystery
eloquent
planting
and
nature;
day returns with
night with
harvest,
a law in
is
war in nature.
also
There
powers
that
work for evil, as well as those that work for good. Hence the unceasing struggle goes on, and it is never more apparent to the human eye than in a storm,
where a fiend seems to bear away the waters
which the earth god who
Amidst
at
last
the
all
system there
development
however,
lost
sadly needs,
brings
But both
dualism. ther
is
and fights with the them to the thirsting plants. various myths of the Indo-Iranian a monotheism and an unconscious so
of
of
these
Hindii
neither of
disappeared in the fur-
mythology.
two
these
ideas
Mazdeism, ;
it
clung
them both. Hence we have the Ahiira-Mazda, " the lord of He was high knowledge," "the all-embracing sky." Hindus, but of the this Varuna name was lost the strongly to
in Iran, or remained
— the Varena.
only as the
name
of
a mythical
which was the scene of a mythical fight between a storm-fiend and a storm-god. region
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. Ahura, the heaven-god,
white,
is
and
his
129
body
is
the fairest and greatest of bodies. He is wedded to the rivers, and the sun is his eye, while the lightnings are his children, and he wears the heavens as a star-spangled garment.
In the time of Herodotus, the Persians, while invoking Ahura-Mazda as the creator of heaven and earth,
still called the whole vault of the sky the supreme god. This deity slowly brought everything under his sway, and the other gods finally became,
not only his subjects, but also his creatures.
Mazdeism do not differ from those of the Vedio and the IndoEuropean mythology generally, still the grouping of "While the single elements of
essentially
Thus we
form.
find
referred either to as its source,
new
them in a new Mazdeism everything is Ahiira Mazda or to Angra Mainyu
these elements in a
order presents
that in
and hence the world is divided into two which a strong unity prevails, repre-
parts, in each of
senting the dualism of this system.
goodness
truth, or
Ahriman,
Ahiira
is
all light,
and knowledge, while Angra Mainyu,
is all
darkness, falsehood, wickedness and
ignorance.
Man, according to his deeds, belongs to Ormazd or Ahriman. He belongs to Ormazd if he sacrifices to him, and helps him by good thoughts, words and deeds he enlarges his dominion and makes the if to
;
realm of Ahriman smaller by destroying his creatures; while the
man who
sents evil thoughts tures of
Ormazd,
is
is
Ahriman and reprewho slays the creademon. Even animals
a friend of
and
evil deeds,
classed as a
are classified as belonging to
one
spirit
or the
other.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
130
had been
in accordance with the idea that they
nations of either the god or the fiend. Kilhng the Ahriman creatures is killing
and many
himself, killing
sins
can thus be atoned
incar-
Ahriman for,
while
Ormazdean animals is an abomination like the The struggle between the good the god.
killing of
and
evil,
however,
the world
limited, for
is
and Ahriman
last forever,
is
not to
will be defeated at last.
There had been an old myth that the world would end in a fearful winter like that of the Eddie Pimbul,
which would be succeeded by an eternal spring, but a
storm
which
the ordinary symbol of
is
obtained in their mythology,
finally
as
the view
strife, is
the pre-
diction that the world will finally end in a battle
of
the elements.
The a
to
came
Parsis
certain
this
change may have been
fluenced by the creed of the
one
Mohammed
God, and
pure monotheism, and
at last to a
extent
in-
Moslem that "there
is
prophet," but the
his
is
sentiment cannot be ascribed to any one
diflEerence in
generation, for
it is
movement which,
really deeper
in
and wider than the
earlier times,
brought the
Magi
from an imperfect form of dualism to one which was
much more
decided in
its
presentations. ^
THE GATHAS.
The
Gathas which
five
Zarathustra are
etical matter,
of the 1
been
earliest
They comprise seventeen
Zend-Avesta.
hymns
have
doubtless the
attributed
to
portions of the sections of po-
equal in extent to twenty-five or thirty Rig-veda.
They
are
composed
Sa. Bks. of the East, Vol. IV, Int., pp. 56, 83.
in
the
THE .TEACHINGS OF THE ZEKD-AVESTA. ancient Aryan metre, and
Ahura Mazda, who
131
supreme power
ascribe
opposed constantly by the
is
to
spirit
of evil.
In these early songs, the kine, as the representative of the people, laments the
Iranian labor
The
life.
burden which
win
effort to
is
their bread
upon
laid
by honest
opposed, although not entirely frustrated, by
is
the Deva- worshipping tribes, Zarathustrians for the kine, therefore,
lifts
who
still
struggle with the
control of the
The who responds the being who is territory.
her wail to AhUra,
by the appointment of ZarathuStra as entrusted with her redemption
and he, accepting
;
We
commission, begins his labors.
then have a
his
series
and praises addressed by Zarathustra immediate associates to Ahiira also exhorta-
of lamentations
and
his
;
which are addressed to the people. These hymns were composed amidst an agricultural
tions
many
people,
whom
of
were
land and their cattle being erty,
the
upon
as
raids
most
terrible
ized
visitations.
we have
these invasions,
Their
most valuable prop-
Deva-worshippers were looked
the
of
herdsmen.
also
their
also
In
the
course
of
intimations of an organ-
on the part of the foe to overwhelm the
effort
Zarathustrians,
and
it
nearly accomplished
appears that at times they very
their
being repeatedly alluded the prevalence of
object, to.
It
sanguinary conflicts
may
be inferred by
tone in the
the thankful
Gathas,
that the Zarathustrians were not conquered during the
Gathic period,
hymns
although
at
the
time
that
the
last
of the series were written, the struggle was by
no means There
over. is
an
historical tone
in the Gathas,
which
PERSIAK LITERATURE.
132
should be carefully obseryed.
an
concern
hortations
Their doctrines and ex-
movement,
religious
actual
which was taking place at the time of their composition, and that movement was apparently pure and earTheir tone is always serious, and nearly all the nest.
myths
are dropped
even the old Aryan gods, who
;
re-
appear in the later Avesta, being ignored with a single exception.
In the
first
senting the voice
of
lamentation.
in
she was made,
since
the Iranian
She
why and
asks
afflictions
people,
raises
for
her
whom
compass her and her
constantly threatened by the incursions of pred-
life is
She
atory tribes. tals
Gatha, the soul of the kine, as repre-
herds
to
also beseeches
Immor-
the Bountiful
instruSt her as to the benefits of agriculture,
and confirm her protectors in the remedy for her sufferings.
THE WAIL OF THE
"Unto
you,
science, as
the only
EI2SrE.
Ahura and Asha, the
soul
of the
kine cried aloud,
whom did ye create me ? And for whom did ye fashion me ? On me comes the assault of wrath and '
For
of violent
power
The blow of desolation and thievish might. None other pasture given have I than you; Therefore do ye teach
For the
fields,
me good
mine only hope
tillage
of welfare.'"
All lira speaks:
" Upon
this the Creator of the kine
eousness,
asked of Right-
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA.
'How was
thy guardian for
133
kine appointed
the
by thee, "When having power over
all
her fate ye made her
?
In what manner did ye secure for her, together with pasture
A cattle-chief who was Whom did ye select as Who
both skilled and energetic? her
life's
might hurl back the fury
master of the
wicked
?
'
Asha answers:
To him
the Divine Righteousness answered:
"Great was our perplexity;
A
chieftain
who was
capable
of
smiting
back
their fury
And who was himself without hate Was not to be obtained by us." ZarathuStra intercedes: "
The Great Creator Of
is
himself most mindful
the uttered indications
which have been
ful-
beforehand
filled
In the deeds of demon gods.
The Ahiira So
shall it
Therefore
the discerning arbiter;
is
be to us as he shall it
is
that
we
will.
both.
My
soul
Are
working our supplications for the two worlds
To
and the soul
of the
mother kine,
Ahiira, and he will answer,
'ISTot
for the righteous
for the thrifty tiller of the earth.
Not Shall
there
be
wicked?'"
destruction
together
with
the
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
134 Aliura speaks
:
Upon this the Lord "Xot in this manner
spake thus:
Therefore thee have
For such a head .
.
This
.
Who
a spiritual master found;
is
named
I
to the tiller of the ground.
man
found
is
alone has hearkened to our enunciations:
Zarathustra Spitama give
I will
And
him the good abode
authoritative place."
Voice of the Kine:
"
Upon this the soul Woe is upon me
the kine lamented:
of
Since I have obtained for myself in
A
who
lord
The
my wounding
powerless to effect his wish.
is
voice of a feeble and pusillanimous
Whereas
And
I desire
one who
is
man;
lord over his will.
able as one of royal state,
Who
is
able
to
accomplish what he
desires
to
effect."
Zarathustra:
"Do
Ahura, and thou,
ye,
Righteousness,
Grant gladness unto these:
Bestow
upon
them
peaceful
the
amenities
of
home
And quiet happiness Do ye now therefore
.
.
.
assign unto us your
aid
in
abundance For our great
May we
cause.
be partakers of the
bountiful grace of
these your equals,
Your
counsellors and servants."
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEWD-A VESTA. Zarathustra, having entered upon the
composes a liturgy for the
office,
leagues,
which
given
is
doctrine of dualism
the
in
thankfulness
offered
in
of his
The
The
progress and
There
gratitude
his col-
second hymn.
struggles of the cause are presented. of
duties of
benefit
next taught.
is
135
for
a song
is
improved
fortunes.
In the third Gratha, salvation versal
for
and
believers,
of
Zarathustra
of
Ahura.
announced
is
as uni-
the reflections
also contains
upon the sublimity and bountifulness
There are
hopes and appeals.
also personal
THE LAST GATHA. While the matter of
with
composed
having been
of
this
hymn
that of the other Gathas,
Zarathustra's
life.
The
in
subject
it
the is
a political and religious character. vigor ence,
the
of if
may
occasion,
indicate
latter
daughter must have
portion
of
a marriage song of
The
freshness and
Zarathustrian
The marriage
not authorship.
prophet's
self
style
homogeneous
is
bears some evidence
been
influ-
festival of
a
the
semi-political
and the author would naturally express himwhich was still going
in reference to the struggle
on.
THE MAKEIAGE
SON"G.
"That best prayer has been answered. The prayer of Zarathustra Spitama That Ahiira Mazda Might grant him those boons Which flow from the Good Order Even a
And
life
that
also those
is
prospered for eternal duration
who
deceived
him
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
136
May
he also grant him.
As the good
word and
faith's disciples in
in
deed."
The master
of the feast, then
" And him
Oh
speaks as follows
:
will they give thee.
Pouroukista,
Young
thou art of the daughters of
as
Zarathustra,
Him
will
they give thee
As a help in the true service Asha and Mazda, As a chief and a guardian. Counsel well then together.
And The "
just action."
act in
bride answers
:
I will love
him.
Since from
my
father he gained me.
For the master and
And
toilers.
for the lord-kinsman,
He, the Good Mind's bright
The pure
And
to
me
blessing.
pure ones.
to the
be the insight which
I
gain from his
counsel.
Mazda grant Priestly
for
good conscience forever."
master of the feast
" Monitions I
it
:
for the marrying,
speak to you, maidens.
And heed By
ye
Obtain ye the
On
my
saying
:
these laws of the faith which I utter life of
the good
earth and in heaven.
mind
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA.
And
137
and bridegroom.
to you, bride
Let each one the other in righteousness cherish. Thus alone unto each shall the home life be happy.
Thus
real are these things, ye
From
the lie-demon protecting
A
guard
And And
o'er
my
men and
women
ye
faithful
grant progress and goodness
so I
the hate of the
lie
with the hate of her
bondsmen would expel from the body
I
Where is then the righteous lord them from life And beguile them of license ? Mazda there is the power which !
smite
that will
will banish
and
conquer." 1
THE TASNA.
The word Yasna means worship was the which confession,
This in
including
principal liturgy of the
and praise are
all
in the middle of
Visparad
is
positions
of
invocation,
Zarathustrians,
prayer,
exhortation
combined.
The Gathas
and
Vendldad Sadah
it
in the
interpolated within its
sacrifice.
kind,
it
is
it.
largely
are sung ;
the
Like other com-
made up
of
the
fragments of different ages and modes of composition.
We in
have no reason to suppose that the Yasna existed its
present
thu^tranism,
form
in
the earlier periods
but the fragments of which
it
of
Zara-
is
com-
posed, may, some of them, reach back to that era, and
even
its
present arrangement 1
Sa.
is
comparatively early in
Bks. of the East, Vol. XXXI, pp. 6-194.
PEESIAN LITEKATUKB.
138 the history of tracts
Mazdean
been
have
The following
literature.
chosen
the
representing
as
ex-
finest
specimens of poetic fervor to be found in the Yasna:
COMMENCEMENT OF THE "
I
announce and
will
to Ahiira
I
SACRIFICE.
complete
will
my Yasna
Mazda,
The radiant and glorious, the greatest and The one whose body is the most perfect.
Who
has fashioned us.
And who
Who "
I
has nourished and protected us.
the most bounteous spirit.
is
will
announce and
to
And
best,
to
the
I
.
complete
will
.
.
my Yasna
Good Mind,
Eightcousness the best.
To the Universal Weal and Immortality, To the body of the Kine and to the Kine's soul. And to the fire of Ahura Mazda, Who, more than all the Bountiful Immortals Has made the effort for our success. .
"
I
will
to
announce and I will complete Mithra of the wide pastures.
Of the thousand
The Izad "
I
celebrate
of
ears,
and
of
the
my Yasna
myriad eyes
the spoken name'.'
and complete
my Yasna
the Fra-
to
vishas' of the saints.
And
to
those
women who have many
sons,
Having an especial Yasl. 2 The flrst month is called Pravisha, and indicates the particular time of this celebration. Fravisha also means the departed souls of ancestors, and these angels or protectors are numberless. Every being of the good cre1
living, dead or still unborn, has has existed from the beginning.
ation,
whether
angel,
who
its
own Pravisha
or guardian
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA.
139
And
to a prosperous home life Which continues without reverse throughout the year.
And "
I
to
might which
that
announce and complete
strikes victoriously.
my Yasna
.
"
I
announce and complete feasts.
.
.
my Yasna
"
I
all
who
those
full
.
to
the yearly
my Yasna
the seasons, lords of the ritual order.
announce and complete
To
order.
to the
.
Yea, I celebrate and complete
To
ritual
.
.
Mahya,
to the
The monthly festivals, lords of the To the new and the later moon, and moon which scatters night.
.
.
Lords of the ritual order.
.
my Yasna
the thirty and three,
are
.
.
'^
.
" To Ahiira and to Mithra, to the star Tistrya, The resplendent and glorious. To the moon and the resplendent sun. Him of the rapid steeds, the eye of Ahura Mazda."
The
sacrifice
naming are
of
then
long continued, and the gods are
is
again approached
with
interminable
ritual,
the objects of propitiation;
made
to
each
of
the
gods,
and
the
the offerings the
fire
of
earth receiving especial attention, as well as the stars of heaven
At each
and
all
the Bountiful Immortals.
presentation of the offering by the priest,
the object of propitiation
is
named.
There are invo-
1 Haug was the first to caU attention to this striking coincidence with Hindu mythology; in the Aitareya, and Satapatha iJrahmanas, in the i\ tharva-veda, and in the Kamayana, the gods are numbered at thirty-three.
PEESIAN LITERATURE.
140
and dedications almost without number, Zarathustra being also mentioned as an object of worship. cations
" And we worship Zarathustra Spitama
in our sacri-
fice,
The holy
And we And we
lord
of the
order.
worship also the Fravisha of Zarathustra
Spitama, the
And we his
ritual
worship every Izad as we worship him;
saint.
worship the utterances of Zarathustra and religion,
His faith and his
And we
love.
worship the former religions of the world
devoted to Righteousness,
Which were instituted at the creation. The holy religion of Ahiira Mazda, The resplendent and glorious. And we worship the milk offering and .
.
.
the liba-
tion.
The two which cause the waters
to
flow forth.
And we worship all waters and all plants. And all good men and all good women." i COMMENTARY ON THE FORMULAS. This commentary
and
is
athustra
with
written in the Zend language,
is
valuable as a specimen of early exegesis. is
Zar-
here represented as holding a conversation
Ahiira Mazda,
Ahiira says:
and in
" Whoever
in
reply this
to
his
questions
world of mine shall
mentally recall a portion of the Ahuna-vairya (formulas),
and having thus recalled
and then utter
it
aloud I
;
it,
shall
undertone
whoever
shall
worship thus,
Yasna, xvi.
it,
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. then
even
bring
his
with
threefold
I
who am Ahura Mazda
it
to heaven, the best
"And
and
safety
speed I
over the bridge of A'invad
soul
will
and
life,
whoever,
him
help
141 will
(Ohinvat).
over
pass
to
to the lights of heaven."
Zarathustra,
undertoning
while
the parts of the Ahuna-vairya, takes aught therefrom, I
who am Ahura Mazda
the better world
will
far
yea, so
;
draw will
soul
his
off
withdraw
I
from as
it
and wide. " And this word is the most emphatic of the words which have ever been pronounced, or which are now spoken, or which shall be spoken in the future, for
the earth
large
is
utterance
this
is
of
such a nature that
ing world should learn it,
if
all
the
and learning, hold
it,
liv-
fast
by
they would be redeemed from their mortality." ^
THE YASNA HAPTANG-HAITA. "Seven Chapters" appears
This Yasna of the
rank next in antiquity to the Gathas, but is
of
although the dialect remains
considerably changed,
We
the same.
have here
a
the Bountiful Immortals,
stronger
while
Ahura and
the Immortals, to
fire,
"Soul both
of
theKine"
earth
and
Mazda made,
is
sacrifice to the
also given, and the sacrifices to
heaven,
also
wor-
still
is
find here praise
to the creation, to
The
the earth and to sacred waters.
personification
fire
We
shipped; also the earth and grass. to
to
the tone
to
to
the
stormy
the
peaks
of
wind
the
that
beautiful
mountain. "'
And we
of the saints.
worship the Good Mind and the
And we
sacrifice
iSee Yasua, xix.
to the
fish
of
spirits fifty-
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
lis five
and
fins^
and
kaslia,
Haoma,
We to
to the
to
golden
sacrifice
to
Unicorn wliich stands in Vouru-
sea
tlie
where he stands, and to the growing on the heights.
flowered,
Haoma, that driveth death
afar,
and
the flood streams of the waters, and to the great
flight
the birds, and to the approacli of the Fire-
of
priests
as
approach us from
they
afar,i
and seek
to
gain the provinces and spread the ritual law."^
The Yasna also includes several Yasts, some of which contain poetry praise. As Sraosha is the only divinity praise,
groups mentioned in
the
which
him appears
next
dedicated to
is
Gathic
fragments
those
to
first
or
hymns
of
as
well
as
of the later
four Gathas, the Yast
which
to
rank in antiquity
are
found
in
the
The name of Sraosha appears still to meaning as the abstract quality of obedience
dialect.
retain its
although
it is
personified.
THE SRAOSHA YAST. " Propitiation be
to Sraosha, Obedience the blessed,
the Mighty,
The incarnate mind "Whose body
Him For
"We
of reason,
the Mithra,
of the daring spear devoted to the his worship,
Lord
homage, propitiation and
praise.
worship Sraosha, the blessed, the stately.
Him who For
is
smites with the blow of victory.
his splendor
and
his glory.
For his might and the blow which smites with victory. This expression probably points to an immigration of Zarathustrauism. "Yasna, xlii. I
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA.
143
"I will worship him with the Yasna of the Izads. And we worship all the words of Zarathustra And all the deeds well done for him. .
"
We worship Whom four
.
Sraosha, the blessed. racers
draw
in harness,
White and shining, beautiful and powerful Quick to learn and fleet. Obeying before speech. Heeding orders from the mind. With their hoofs of horn, gold-covered. Fleeter than our horses, swifter than the winds;
More rapid than the rain-drops Yea,
fleeter
as they fall,
than the clouds or well-winged
Or the well-shot arrow as it flies Which overtake not these swift ones As they fly after them pursuing. But which are never overtaken when they Which plunge away from all the weapons
And draw
the blessed.
" We worship Obedience, the blessed. Who, though so lofty and so high, yea, girdle
For For
flee.
Sraosha with them.
The good Sraosha and
Yet stoops
birds.
to
Mazda's
creatures,
so stately.
even
to
the
....
and his glory. might which smites to victory. worship him with the Yasna of the
his splendor
his
I will
And may he come He who smites with
to aid us.
victory.
Obedience the blessed." 1
Yasna,
Ivii.
Izads,
144
LITERATURE.
PEESIAJSr
THE YASKA CONCLUDING. This Yasna, having been composed long after the
supposed time of Zarathustra, in its present
shape.
can hardly be genuine
may, howeyer, be an elabor-
It
ation of an earlier document.
" Prashaostra the tra,
'
What
the
of
in
is,
holy, asked the saintly
very truth, the
What
rites?
memorized
recital
completed delivery of the
the
is
Zarathus-
Gathas?'" "Zarathustra our
we
sacrifice to
'We
said,
worship AhUra Mazda with
the holy lord of the ritual order, and
sacrifice as
Zarathustra likewise as the holy lord of
the ritual order, and
we
the
to
sacrifice
Pravisha of
Zarathustra, the saint.
'And we
the Bountiful Immortals, the
sacrifice to
guardians of the saints, good, heroic and .
.
.
And we
ones and the
and we
bounteous worship
sacrifice
Pravishas
of
to
the
the
all
saints.
the five Gathas, the holy
all
and the sounding of
entire Yasna,
its
chants.
'And we to the water
to
sacrifice
streams
and
forest
and
to all the stars,
trees,
and
all
the springs of water and
and
well,
to
the entire land and heaven,
sacrifice to the active
of
the
strength
and
.
man and
good intent, for the hindrance of ing
to
and to the moon and sun, even
to all the lights without beginning.
'We
growing plants
as
life,
to the
man
of
darkness, of wast-
and
to
health
and
healing. '
We
sacrifice
to the
Yasna's ending words,
them which end the Gathas, and we
sacrifice
and
to
to the
THE TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. bounteous hymns themselves, which rule in the course, the holy ones.
'And we are
the
sacrifice
Pravishas
that lofty Lord
.
to
of the
who
is
.
the
ritual
.
souls
saints,
Ahiira
145
of the
and we
dead which sacrifice
Mazda himself.'"
to
CHAPTER
VII.
TEACHINGS OP THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED.
—
—
THE VElirDiDAD FARGAED II THE VARA OF YI3IA THE LAWS OF PURIFICATION' DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD PUNISHMENTS THE PLACE OF REWARD THE VISPARAD TEACHING OF THE MODERN PARSIS.
—
—
—
—
—
^T^HIS -*-
portion
tion
of
claims that
has
often
it
the Zend-Avesta
of
fragments, although
is
the
also
The Yendidad
has been preserved entire.
been called the book of the laws of
the
hut the greater portion of the rules here given
Piirsis,
pertain
to
chapters
laws of
the
deal
largely
The
purification.
with
mythical
first
dealing with the
creation
marring of his work by the
evil
two
first
matter,
remnants of an old epic and cosmogonic the
a collec-
ParsT tradition
and
are
litei-ature
Ahiira and the
of
principle,
and the
second treating of Yinia as the founder of civilization.
Three chapters of a mythical nature about the origin of medicine are placed at the end of the book, and the nineteenth Fargard lation of the law
or
section treats
of
by Ahiira to Zarathustra.
seventeen chapters
deal
largely
the
reve-
The
other
with observances and
ceremonies, although mythical fragments are occasionally
met with, which
with the text, lations
of
many
a later
have
of
date.
iFrom
more
or
less
connection
them, perhaps, being interpo-
About eight
the fifth to 14B
tlie
twelfth.
chapters'-
are
TEACHIl^GS OF THE ZEWD-AVESTA, CONCLUDED.
147
devoted to the impurity of the dead and the method of
dispelling
it
this subject
;
Fargards, while two long care of
order
is,
perhaps,
The apparent to
pression which was adopted by the
the Vendidad.
The law
of
first
revealed
Zarathustra, and as these
lack
the form of ex-
composers of
by Ahiira in a
which are given in reply
series of answers,
tions
is
to the
due him and the
is
largely due
other
in
are devoted
sections
the dog, the food which
penalties for offenses against him.^ of
treated
also
is
to the ques-
queries
are not of
a general character, but refer to details, the matter
is
presented in fragments, each of which (consisting of a question with
its
answer) appears as an independent
passage.
FARGAED This is
is
II.
the most poetical chapter in the work, and
Ahura here proposes that Yima, Vivanghat, shall receive the law from him
devoted to Yima.
the son of
Yima, however, refuses to do and carry it to men. bidding so, whereupon Ahura gives him a commission, him to keep his creatures and make them prosper. Yima, therefore, makes the creatures of Ahura to thrive and increase, keeps death and disease away from them, and three times enlarges the earth, which had
become too small
for its inhabitants.
On
the approach
was to destroy every
liva dreadful winter, which Vara built a Ahura, ing thing, Yima, being advised by
of
to preserve the
seed of
and there the blessed
all
animal and vegetable
still live
life,
happily under his rule.
Ardvi Sura, tl,e goddess of the a dog dies his spirit passes to celestial sea. The penalty for frightening the into pour that living waters 1
When
to two hundred stripes. a pregnant dog was from ten
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
148
The
world, after lasting a long year of twelve millen-
end in a dire winter, to be followed
niums, was to
by an everlasting spring, when men, being sent back to earth from the heavens, should enjoy upon the earth the same happiness which they had found after
death in the realms of Yima.
But when a more
defi-
form was taken by the Mazdean cosmology the world was made to end by fire, and therefore the Vara nite
of
Yima, instead of remaining the paradise from which came to be a compar-
the inhabitants of earth return,
modern representative of Noah's Ark. In the Yama ic the first man, the first priest and "the first of all who died"; he brought worship here below, as well as life, and " first he stretched out the atively
Vedas,
thread of sacrifice."
Yima had
at
first
prototype to the lost
as
it,
the
title of
in the course of
his
Hindu
religion,
but he
same right
a founder of
the
as
development of Maz-
deism, Zarathustra became the law-giver.
asked of Ahiira Mazda
" Who was the
first
Zarathustra
:
mortal before myself, Zarathus-
tra,
With whom
To whom
Ahura answered " The
fair
thou, Ahiira Mazda, did'st converse
thou teach the law of Ahiira
did'st :
Yima, the great shepherd,
holy Zarathustra!
He
was the
With whom
Whom
I
The law
first I,
mortal before thee
Ahura Mazda, did converse
taught the law of Ahiira of Zarathustra.
?
?
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED.
"Unto I,
him,
149
Zarathustra,
Ahura Mazda,
spake, saying 'Pair Yima, son of Vivanghat, Be thou the bearer of my law.'
But the
fair
Yima
replied,
'I was not born, 1 was not taught
To be the preacher and the Then I, Ahura Mazda, said
bearer of thy law.'
thus unto him
'Since thou wantest not to be
And
my
the bearer of
my
:
preacher
law,
Then make thou my worlds Make my worlds increase
to thrive
Undertake thou to nourish, to rule to watch over my world.'
And And
the fair
I will
Yima
replied unto
make thy worlds
'Yes, I will
make thy
me
thrive
worlds increase
Yes, I will nourish and rule
And watch Then
I,
over thy world.'
Ahura Mazda,
Brought the implements unto him, A golden ring and a poniard Inlaid with gold,i
Behold here Yima bears the royal sway." Thus, under
the
sway of Yima,
three
hundred
winters passed away.
And
the
earth was
replenished with flocks
and
and with
red
herds.
With men,
and
blazing
fires,
dogs
and
birds,
I As the symbol and instrument of sovereignty. by the strength of the ring and of the poniard.
He reigned supreme
PBESIAN" LITEEATUEE.
150
was no more room for flocks and herds
'Till there
and men.
Then Yima stepped forward toward the luminous space
To meet
sun, and
the
he pressed the earth with
the golden ring
And "
bored
it
with the poniard, saying, thus
Spenta Armaiti/ kindly open asunder, and stretch thyself afar
To
bear flocks and herds and men."
And Yima made than
it
the earth grow larger by one-third
was before, and there came
and men,
at his will, as
many
THE VAEA OF AhUra Mazda then and here he spake
to
called
Yima
as
flocks
and herds
he wished.
YIIIA.
a
council
sajang,
of the
"Upon
gods,
the ma-
1 Spenta Armaiti is a general name for heavenly counsellors, and tbey represent also the genii of the earth and waters. Under Ahura were six Amesha Spentas, which were at first mere personifications of virtues and moral powers, but as their lord and father ruled over the whole world, in later times they took each a part of the world under especial care. The dominion of the trees and waters was vested in Haurvatad and Ameretad, or Health and Immortality; here we find the influence of the old IndoIranian formulse, in which waters and trees were invoked as the springs of health and life. Perfect Sovereignty had molten brass for his emblem, as the god in the storm established his empire by means of that " molten brass," the fire of lightning, and he thus became the king of metals in general. Asha Vahista, the holy order of the world, as maintained chiefly by the sacrificial fire, became the genius of fire. Armaiti seems to have become a goddess of the earth as early as the Indo-Iranian period, and
or Good Thought, had the living creation left to his superintendence. These Amesha Spentas projected, as it were, out of themselves as many demons who were hardly more than inverted images of the gods they were to oppose; for instance, Health and Immortality were opposed by Sickness and Decay, but these very demons were changed into the rulers of hunger and thirst when they came in contact with the genii of
Vohu-mano,
the waters and the trees. Vohn-mano, or Good Thought, was reflected in Evil Thought, and after these came the symmetrical armies of numberless gods and Henis.—Darinesletei- in Sa. Bks. E.
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED. earth the fatal winters are going to
terial
make the
shall
perish
that
that live on
the
that
and deep on the mountains, and all the beasts
snow-flakes
peaks of the highest shall
fall
151
live
thick
and
in the wilderness,
mountains, and those
the bosom of the vale.
Therefore
those
that live in
make
thee a Vara,
long as a riding-ground on every side of the square, to be an abode for men and a fold for flocks.
There shalt
the
thou settle
make
shalt
birds
never-failing
the waters flow, there thou
by the evergreen There
food.
banks that bear thou
shalt
establish
dwelling places and bring the greatest, the best and the finest of the earth, shalt bring
men and women; thou
both
the animals, and the seeds of
two of every kind to be kept shall stay in
there,
the trees,
long as
so
And Yima made
and brought into
a Vara,
the varieties of cattle and of plants, and the the Vara which
Yima made,
was the bird Karsipta. the
golden
ring,
of
Ahura
And Yima and
lie
into the
all
in
life,i
Vara
up the Vara
sealed
made
it
men
happiest
live the
and he who brought the law with
men
the Vara."
door and
a
a
window which was self-shining within. And Ahura Mazda said "There the stars, the moon and the sun, only once a year seem to
rise
and
set,
and the year
seems only a day."
THE LAWS OF PUEIFICATION.
The
larger portion of the
Vendidad
is
devoted to a
description, with numberless repetitions, of the
Mazdean
1 According to the hymns of the Rig-veda, "Yama the king, the gatherer of the people, has descried a path for many which leads from the
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
152
laws of purification and the long ceremonies pertaining to
may
Impurity or uncleanness
them.
be described
as the condition of a person or thing that of a
demon, and the process
triumph
of the
demon, and therefore
when
cause of uncleanness;
has left
soul Driij,
purification
of
a
body, the
the
man
it
is
for the
is
is
the
the principal
dies, as
soon as the
Nasu, or Corpse-
Driij
comes from the regions of
possessed
Death
evil presence.
expelling the
purpose of
is
hell,
and
falls
upon
the body, and whoever thereafter touches the corpse
not only unclean himself, touches
is
"a
every
whom
one
is
he
also unclean.
The Druj did, or
but
is
expelled from the
dead by the Sag-
"a
four-eyed dog," or
"the look
white one
dog;"
of the
with yellow ears," must
made
be
brought
upon the dead, and as soon as he has done so the Druj hastens back to hell. ^ The Druj is expelled from the living by a proThe cerecess which is too revolting for description. near the body, and
to look
monies are accompanied by the constant repetition of spells
Perish,
brood
Perish away to to give
The
"Perish,
like the following:
of
the
the
fiendish
Eush away,
fiend!
Driij!
regions of the north, never
more
unto death the living world." feeling
out
of
which
these
ceremonies grew
was not original with Mazdeism; the Hindii sidered
Druj!
himself in danger
while
also
con-
burning the corpse,
depths to the heights; he first found out a resting place from which nobody can turn out the occupants; on the way the forefathers have gone, the sons will follow them."' Rig-veda, X, 14, 1. 2. I The Uruj went back to hell in the shape of a fly. The fly that came to smell of a dead body was thought to be a corpse-spirit that came to take possession of the dead in the name of Ahriman.
—
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED. and
"Away, go away,
he cried aloud,
injure not our sons and our
The
men."
153
Death!
^
Parsis, not being able to find a four-eyed dog,
interpreted the law to
mean
above
in practice
tlie
while
eyes,
dog
a
two spots
with
they are
less
still
and the Sag-dTd may be performed by a house-dog, or by a dog four months old. As birds of
particular,
prey are fiend-smiters as well as the dog, the devotee
may
claim
The
hand. nally
their
services
when
four-eyed dogs
is
dog
at
which the ceremony
origi-
"the
the tawny breed
of
no
is
doubtless a reproduction of
four-eyed dog,
called for,
there
of
Sarama," be-
longing to Yama,^ which guard the realms of death in
The
Hindfi mythology. of the Parsis with
the
identity of the four-eyed dog
Yama
dogs of
confirmed by
is
the tradition that the yellow-eared dog watches at the
head of the Ohinvat bridge, and, faithful
he barks
pass over,
who would drag them down is
to
to hell.
carried, death walks beside
house to the
it
all
who
of the
away the
fiend
Wherever a corpse the way, from the
and the
resting-place,
last
constantly threatens the living
as the souls
drive
presence
fatal
are near
the path-
way.
DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD.
As the centre
of contagion
is
in the corpse,
be disposed of in such a way that death spread abroad.
The
in this respect been
The
may
it
must
not be
old Indo-European customs have
completely changed by Mazdeism.
corpse was formerly either burned or buried; both
of these customs, however, are 1
Rig-veda, X,
18, 1.
2
held to be
Hindu
Literature, p.
saoreligious 35..
PERSIAN" LITEKATUKE.
154
The
in the Avesta.
elements,
and water, are
earth,
fire,
and even during the Indo-Iranian period they
holy,
were already
represented
considered, being
so
in the
Vedas as objects of worship. But this did not prevent the Hindus from burning their dead, and the dead man was really considered as a traveler to the other world, while the kindly fire was supposed to carry him on pinions
flashing fire,
to
like that of the
from earth
heavenly
his
funeral
was the god that goes
sacrifice,
heaven, the
to
The
abode.
mediator most friendly to
man. In Persia, however,
it
remained more distant from
him and represented the purest enter of
the
Parsis
which
by
fiends
are is
is
an
everlasting
fire
is
still
fiends.
sacred
this
breath
unclean
;
is
No
kept,
in
is
it
therefore
is
the time of Strabo
with the
^
it
in the
it
the
most
was a capital
list
of sins for
light,
and throw-
no atonement.
ing dead matter into
it
in the
was
pollute the sacred flame with are said to
blowing
even
element,
Water was looked upon
bath-houses,
kills
a crime, because the outgoing breath
burning the dead ;
it
degradation must be inflicted
and the Avesta places
which there
by the wind,
flames are carried
its
criminal act crime,
In every place where the
blaze.
its
settled,
thousand of
human
to
always fed by perfumes and costly woods, and
wherever
upon
the good
only function appears to be the repelling
Its
it.
offspring of
no uncleanness could be allowed
therefore
spirit;
same
as its
unpardonable as presence.
to
The Magi
have overthrown a king for having built
and the Jews were forbidden 1
strabo XV,
14;
Herod.
I,
138.
to practice
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED. their
ablutions
;
some
in
bidden to drink
155
cases the sick were even for-
it was decided that death would be caused by longer abstinence. The earth was
equally holy,
Armaiti,
unless
it,
for
bosom there dwelt Spenta earth, and to defile her
her
in
the goddess of
the
sacred dwelling by burying the dead was also a deed for
which there was no atonement. In earlier times the Persians practiced burial even burning had been forbidden. Cambyses aroused
after
the
national
their
by
indignation
Amasis, and years
cremating
later the Persians
still
law became dominant, the worship of the earth was cluded,
although
it
sidered as sacred as
was sometime before fire
and water.
Persians builded Dakhmas, or
the bodies
of
their
dead
;
it
in-
was con-
In later times the
"Towers
these
of
burying
when the Mazdean
Afterward, however,
dead.
the body
were
of Silence" for
towers
were
about
twenty feet high, and they enclosed an annular stone
pavement
on which
were
the bodies
placed.
These
towers were usually built on the summit of a mountain
from the haunts
far
of
men.
A
barren
from trees or water, and separated from the earth herself,
cliff
was chosen,
the tower was
free
for
a layer of stones and bricks, while
it
it
even
was isolated by
was claimed that
a golden ihread ran between the tower and the earth.
Here, afar from the world of men, the dead were to
lie
mentary are "it
is
left
The Avesta and comemphatic upon this point, for
"beholding the sun." especially
as if the
since he can
still
dead man's
life
were thus prolonged,
behold the sun."
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
156
PUNISHMENTS.
The
penalties for the
were very severe, very
value,
little
violation
the Persian law
of
and human life was considered of capital punishment being inflicted
even for the killing of a dog.
Their
were far
laws
England in Sir AVilliam Blackstone's time, when one hundred and sixty ofmore barbarous than those
of
fenses ^ were declared by act of Parliament to be worthy of instant death;
for their
flicted,
Two
scription. tilled
a
in
and death was the most humane of when it was promptly in-
methods
were too terrible
corpse had
the mother Four hundred
year, or
if
of
a
if
very
puppy was
five
one
young
child
were the penalty
stripes
he covered the whole body.
for killing a
if
been buried with-
one covered with a cloth a dead man^s
hundred
for de-
hundred stripes were awarded
land in which a
drank water. if
^
punishments,
Persian
the
hundred
feet,
and eight
The penalty
stripes,
six
hun-
dred for killing a stray dog, eight hundred for a shepherd's dog, and ten thousand stripes for killing a water-
dog.^
In the old Aryan legislation there were many crimes which were considered more criminal than murder, and Persians who defiled the earth were not more severely
punished -than were the Greeks who defiled the ground of Delos, nor 1
The
Jlosaic
would the Athenians, who put Atarbes
law mentions only seventeen crimes as being worthy of
capital punishment.
Blackstone's Commentaries, IV, 4. 15, 18. Says Prof. Darmesteter: " It may be doubted whether the murder of a water-dog could actually have been punished \yith ten thousand stripes unless we suppose that human endurance was different in ancient Persia from what it is elsewhere; in the time of Chardin the number of stripes inin the old German law, flicted on the guilty never exceeded three hundred two hundred in the Mosaic law, forty."—Sn. Bks. E.. Vol. IV, p. 99, Int. 2 3
;
;
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEIS'D-AVESTA, COKCLUDED.
157
death, have wondered at the awful punishment in-
to
flicted for the killing of the Persian water-dog.
There few laws in the Vendidad, however absurd, that may not find a counterpart in the legislation of are but
the Greeks or Latins.
Every crime, according guilty
mani
and another attached to
many
was concerned. vat of
world, but in ancient Persia,
and the
crimes, fine,
was
there
legislation,
caped by paying his
so far
money value
a rich
criminal
him
bridge,
his
;
when he comes
es-
this present world
as
In the next, however, his money
to
no value
to the Persian law, makes the two penalties, one here on earth
in the next
modern
in
as
to
liable
to
is
of
the head of Chin-
conscience becomes a maiden, either
divine beauty,
or
The
of
fiendish deformity,
according
which reaches over the awful chasm of hell to the heavenly shore on the other side, widens, if he be a good man, to the width of nine javelins but for the souls of the wicked it narrows to a thread and they fall down into hell. to
his
merits.
bridge
itself,
;
THE PLACE OF REWAKD.
"0, Maker
of the
material world!
where are the
rewards given? where does the rewarding take place?"
Ahura Mazda answered " When the man is dead, when his time is over, then the hellish evil-doing :
penalties for uncleanness in men were far more severe upon after giving birth to a child she was forbidden to taste of water, as her touch would defile the element, and at times her food was handed to her upon a long-handled spoon. Woman was made a creature of contract, and disposed of by a bill of sale like land or cattle, she was classed 1
The
woman
;
;
being considered more valuable than cattle,, but far cheaper than real estate. They were sometimes sold in the cradle See Dosabhoy Framjee^s and often when only two or three years of age. work on The Parsie, p. n.
under "the
fifth contract,"
—
PERSIAN LITEEATUKE.
158
assail him; and when the third night is gone— when the dawn appears and brightens np, and makes
Daevas
Mithra^ the god with the beautiful weapons, reach the all-happy mountains, and the sun fiend carries off in live
in
sin.
The
bonds
^
Then
rising.
is
the
the souls of the wicked, who
soul enters the
way made by Time,
and open both to the wicked and the righteous. At the head of the Chinvat bridge, the holy bridge made by Mazda, they ask for the reward for the goods
Then comes
which they have given away here below. the well-shapen,
strong and
noble maiden,
with the
—she
dogs (that keep the Chinvat bridge) at her side is
graceful and of high understanding.
She makes the soul of the righteous one
to go
up
above the Hara-berezaita; above the Chinvat bridge she places
it
in
the presence
Vohu-mano from How hast thou come to
selves; '
golden
his
thou
us,
seat
Ahiira
exclaims,
from
holy one,
that decaying world into this undecaying one pass the souls
them-
of the heavenly gods
?
Gladly
of the righteous to the golden seat of
Mazda^to
the
abode of
all
the
other
holy
beings."^
THE VISPARAI).
The word Visparad means " all the chiefs," referring to " the lords of the ritual," therefore the various chapters are merely used in the course of the sacrifice.
The following
definite idea
tion
extracts will
give
the
reader a
concerning the literary merit of this por-
of the Zend-Avesta:
1 Bvery one has a noose cast around his neck; when a man dies, if he righteous, the noose fails from his ueclt but if wiclfed, they drag him with that noose- down toheli. i^Farg., V, S.) 2 Fargard, xix, 27-33.
is
;
TEACHINGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA, CONCLUDED.
159
In this Zaothra, with this Baresman, I desire to
Which
approach the lords of the ritual
are spiritual with
my
praise;
And
I desire to
approach the earthly lords as
And
I desire to
approach the lords of the water with
my And And
praise
the lords of the land; I desire to
approach with
Those chiefs which
And And
well.
my
praise,
strike the wing.
those that wander wild at large.
who
those of the cloven hoof,
are chiefs of the
ritual.
And
in this Zaothra with this
Baresman,
I desire to
approach thee, Zarathustra Spitama,
I desire to
approach the
man who
recites
.
.
the ritual
rites
Who And
is
maintaining thus the thought, well thought,
the word well spoken, and the deed well done.
I desire to
The holy
And
I
approach the seasons with
lords of the ritual order,
desire
to
my
praise
.... mountains with
approach those
my
praise.
Which
And And
I desire to
Asked
And And And
shine with holiness, abundantly glorious.
Mithra of the wide pastures, of
approach the question,
Ahura, and the
lore of the lord
the farm-house of the
man
possessed of pastures,
the pasture produced for the kine of blessed the holy cattle-breeding man.
gift.
PERSIAN LITERATURE,
160
And we And the And we And we And the
worship the
fire
Ahura Mazda's
here,
Izads, having the seed of
fire
son,
them;
in
worship the Fravishas of the saints worship Sraosha
who
smites to victory
*********
And we
We
holy man, and the entire creation of the clean.
sacrifice to the fields
take up our
And And
homage
and the waters.
to the
.
.
good waters.
to the fertile fruit-trees.
the Fravishas of the saints, and to the kine.
And we
sacrifice
to
that
listening,
that
hears
our
prayers,
And to that mercy, and to the hearing of our homage. And to that mercy shown in response to our praise. And we sacrifice to that good praise which is without hypocrisy.
And which With
has no malice as
end.
this chant fully chanted.
And which is for And by means of
We
its
the Bountiful Immortals these ceremonial actions.
desire to utter our supplications for the kine.
It is that
chant which the saint has recognized
As good and
fruitful of blessed gifts.
And which the sinner does not know. May we never reach that misfortune That the sinner may outstrip us in our
chanting.
Nor in the matter of the plan thought out. Or in words delivered, or ceremonies done. Nor yet in any offering whatever, when he approaches us for harm.' I
Visparad,
II.
Y, XVI,
XXU.
TEACHIKGS OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. CONCLUDED.
TEACHING OE THE MODERN
161
PARSIS.
This resume of the ancient books will be closed by a brief explanation of their faith in Dualism, as given
by some learned Indian Parsis of Bombay to Sir M. Monier- Williams during his stay in India. In spealfing of the Dualism of Zoroaster, as understood in modern times. Prof. Williams says
"The
me was
explanation given to
although a
believer
in
one
that Zoroaster,
Supreme Being, and
a
teacher of Monotheism, set himself to account for the existence of evil, which could not have
an
source in
its
all-wise Creator.
He
therefore taught that two opposite
posing, forces, which he in the nature of the
Ahiira
Mazda
Supreme Being,
(or in Persian
—but
not op-
were inherent
'twins,'
calls
called
by him
Ormazd), and emanated
from that Being, just as in Hindiiism, Vishnu and Siva emanate from the Supreme Brahma. These two forces were set in motion by Ahura Mazda, as his appointed
mode
of
maintaining the continuity of
the
Universe.
The one was constructive, the other destructive. One created and composed. The other disintegrated and decomposed, but only tive principle
to co-operate
with the crea-
by providing fresh material for the work
of re-composition.
Hence there could be no new no existence without non-existence. Hence, ally
no
The ficent
also,
life
according to Zoroaster, there was origin-
really antagonistic force of evil
creative energy was called spirit
without death,
(Spento-Mainyus),
opposed to good.
Ahura Mazda's beneand
the
destructive
162
PEBSIAN LITERATURE.
force was called
his
(Angro-Mainyus,
maleficent spirit
afterwards corrupted into Ahrimau), but only because the idea of evil
connected with dissolution.
is
The two spirits were merely antagonistic in name. They were in reality co-operative and mutually helpful.
They were
to
essential
and
construction
the alternating processes of
dissolution,
through which the
cos-
mical being was perpetuated.
The
only
was
antagonism
real
that
alternately
brought about by the free agent, man, who could hasten
the
work
destruction,
of
construction by his
own
that the so-called dualistic doc-
It is therefore held,
trines
of Zoroaster were
unity of the one
the work of
retard
or
acts.
compatible with the absolute
God (symbolized
by
especially
fire).
Ultimately, however, Zoroastrianism crystallized into
a hard and uncompromising dualism.
That is to say, bacame merely an-
in process of time, Spento-Mainyus
other of
name
good,
altogether
for
while
Ahura Mazda,
as
the eternal principle
Angro-Mainyus or Ahriman became
dissociated
from Ahura
verted into an eternal principle of
Mazda,
and con-
evil.
These two principles are believed to be the sources of
two opposite creations which
were
incessantly
at
war.
On of
which
at the
to
the one side is
is
a celestial hierarchy, at the head
Ormazd; on the other is Ahriman.
side,
head of which
each other as
light
to
darkness
a demoniacal,
They
—as
are opposed
falsehood
to
truth.
The whole energy
of
a religious
Indian
Parsi
is
TEACHINGS, OF THE ZEND-AVESTA CONCLUDED.
make himself
concentrated on the endeavor to
speak
—demon-proof, by
plished deed),
and
absolute
purity
symbolized by
can
this
only
He
whiteness.
— so
to
accom-
be
word and on his
thought,
(in
163
ever
is
guard against bodily deiilement, and never goes out to his daily occupation, without first putting
white shirt and a sacred white girdle.
educated and Anglicized ParsTs are
highly
orous observers of this custom, though that their real creed has
and
on a sacred
Even the most
superstitious
little
common
demons and
in
belief
in
it
most
rig-
probable
is
with the old evil
spirits,
but rather consists in a kind of cold and monotheistic pantheism.
How
far Zoroastrian dualism
had
affected the
relig-
ion of the Babylonians ai the time of the Jewish captivity
doubtful,
is
but that the Hebrew prophets of
those days had to contend
probable from these words is
none
I
else.
form the
with dualistic ideas seems '
:
I
light
am
and create darkness
make peace and create evil. I things.'' 1 The New Testament, might be thought by a
the Lord, and there
the Lord do
...
point out, however, that the Bible igin,
nature, and destiny of
fers,
toio cmlo
riman and monistic,
his
I
on the other hand,
superficial reader to lend
support to dualistic doctrines.
;
these
all
I
some
need scarcely
account of the or-
Satan and his angels
dif-
from the Zoroastrian description of AhISTor need I add that the various host. and
pantheistic,
dualistic
theories,
briefly
alluded to in this paper, are utterly at variance with
the Christian doctrine of a Personal, Eternal and nite
Being,
existing
and 1
working
Isaiah xlv,
6.
outside
Infi-
man, and
PBESIAX LITERATURE.
164
He
outside
the material universe, which
created,
and controlling both, and in the case of hu-
man
beings,
working not only outside man,
and through him." 1
Sir
has Himself
but in
i
M. Monier-Williams, Trans. Vic.
Ins.,
Vol.
XXV,
p. 10.
DIVISION The Time
of the
III.
Mohammedan Conquest
AND THE Koran.
CHAPTER
VIII.
THE KORAN. SUCGESSOK KOKAN"
—
OF THE
— FIRST
ZEND-AVESTA AUTHOR OF THE REVELATIONS THE HlffRAH CON-
—
—
—
—
TINUED WARFARE DEATH OF MOHAMMED RECENSION OF THE TEXT TEACHING OF THE KORAN HEAVEN HELL PREDESTINATION POLYGAMY LITERARY STYLE OF THE KORAN.
—
rr^HE Koran -*-
the
—
—
—
or Qur'an
^
was the immediate sncces-
sor of the Zend-Avesta upon. Persian soil. star
and crescent
of the
the Pcirsis were stricken down, selves
When
Arabian banners floated
triumph over the land of Iran, and the
in
— —
altars
of
when the people them-
were either driven from their native land or hu-
miliated by their conquerors, then the
new
creed sup-
planted the old, and the war-cry of Islam became the iThe word Qur'an, a reading, comes from the verb qara'a, "to read." also called El Porqan, "the discrimination," a word borrowed from
It Is
the Hebrew. It is also designated by the words El Mus-haf, volume, or El Kitab, the book. 165
PEESIAN LITERATURE.
10 G
watchword
of
new
the
invaders
their own, the
By methods
faith. i
peculiarly
up the standard
set
of their
prophet, and his law became the law of the land.
The Arabian peninsula extends southward from Babdown to the Indian Ocean its east-
ylonia and Syria
ern coast
is
while the
Eed
Sea.
;
washed by the waves
western boundary forms the shore of
The low
on these shores
lands
the
coast
of
This
Eed Sea
the
rugged
whence the desert attacks
of the
was
had
the
the for
effectually
Persia,
Egypt and Eome
Arabia and conquer
its
hardy
defenders.
and towns, and
most important were Mecca and
The
religion
its
still
heaven,
their
these the
of
Medina, where
the
home.
the Arabs was Sabaenism,
of
worship of the host of
Mohammed
early
whose
race,
wealth consisted largely of camels and horses, cities
rocky
penetrate this
tried to
Although the Arabs were mostly a nomadic
creed of Islam found
from
who fought around them
had each unsuccessfully
country contained
beyond
barrier
resisted
tribes
the dominion of the Orient.
fortress of
at the
lie
highlands
to the
frontier
nations
the
which lead upward from
feet of barren ranges of hills,
them.
of the Persian Gulf,
but in
or the
the time of
the comparatively simple star-worship had
been greatly corrupted, and countless superstitious
and practices had
been
introduced.
The
rites
wandering
Arabs had peopled the desert wastes with imaginary beings,
and. they fancied that every rock and cavern
—every
stream in the oasis
its
—and
every
palm
tree
had
presiding genius.
1 The chronology of this conquest is in many points uncertain, as the accounts differ. The most important event, however, in the long war was the battle of Nehavvend, which took place probably about A. D. G41.
THE KORAN.
The
167
vast solitudes, with their terrible stillness— the
—
simoon and the sand column the breaking of a storm on a distant mountain, and the change of a dry ravine into a rushing torrent
—these
and other surroundings upon the vivid imaginations of the children of the desert and at last their pantheon contained three hundred and sixty-five idols. produced a strong
effect
;
When, therefore, the voice of Mohammed rang out upon the startled air, with the cry " There is one God, and Mohammed is his prophet," it came as an omen of strife and bloodshed. Devotion to his tribe and to gods being one of the strongest characteristics of
his
the Arab,
innovations
were
fought against, with
A
the fierceness of a vindictive race.
gathered around the series of conflicts,
resulted
in
new
all
few followers
prophet, and then began that
which, after years of fraternal
the triumphant rule of the
new
strife,
creed.
Christianity had long been partially established in
and some of the more important tribes had embraced it, but neither Christianity nor Judaism was generally accepted by these restless sons of the desert; the logic of the sword, however, is an argument that every man can appreciate, and Mohammed proved to Arabia,
be a successful military leader, giving
war
the
to his followers in this world as well
of reward in the next.
action
among
his
Knowing
followers,
spoils
of
as promises
the value of unity of
he never
abandoned
his
designs upon" Syria, and thus the turbulent tribes of
the
desert
found ample scope for their warlike proa successful raid was always rewarded
pensities, while
with rich booty.
The triumphs
of
Islam were largely
PEESIAN" LITERATURE.
168
due
and the
exciting raids,
to the love of
desire for
the spoils of conquest.
AUTHOR OP THE KORAN.
TH]E
However
among
the Zend Avesta,
scholars in
successor.
may
fiercely the contest
the origin of
The
relation
is
down immediately,
them
no question
authorship
the
to
individual portions of the
not always written often repeated
be waged around
there
as
however
several times, sometimes forgetting it
;
he
"Whatever verse we may annul or cause we will bring a better one than it or one is seriously questioned among the Arabs
:
thee to forget, like it."i
its
Mohammed
the original statement, and sometimes changing says,
of
Koran were
It
whether he could read or write
— one
party
claiming
that he could and the other maintaining that he could
On some
not.
he
occasions
amanuensis, and tradition quently direct in
should
be
placed.
however, was
The
left
exact date
but he began
life
which
certainly
claims that he would siirah
the
passage
an fre-
dictated
The arrangement of the Koran, those who came after him. of Mohammed's birth is uncertain,^
to
in the
shadow
The boy having
lost
poverty;
of
he inherited from his father being slave girl.
employed
five
his
all
that
camels and a
mother when he
was only six years old was obliged, in his youth, to attend the sheep and goats of the Meccans in order to obtain a livelihood, and this position
is
still
considered
by the Bedawin to be very degrading to any one except a
woman.
a rich widow, i
Chap.
2 It
At the who was
age of twenty-four he married fifteen years his senior,
II, V. 100.
was probably about A.
D. 571.
and
it
THE KORAK.
169
said that this marriage was eminently a happy one. Three years after her death he married Ayesha, who was in the habit of saying that she never was jealous
is
of
any
of his wives except the
first.
born of this marriage, two of they died at an early age.
Six children were
whom
were sons, but
PIRST REVELATIONS.
Mohammed had
reached his fortieth year when he
claimed to receive the
revelations.
first
might be considered the natural life^,
his habits
ical condition.
Perhaps they
result of his
mode
of
of thought and especially of his phys-
For many years he had suffered from
nervous troubles, and tradition claims that the disease
was epilepsy.
Medical
men
of to-day would, perhaps,
be more likely to diagnose the case as one of the forms of
hysteria,
nation,
which
and
also
is
often
accompanied with
with a certain amount of deception,
both voluntary and otherwise. afflicted
halluci-
Persons
who were
thus
were supposed by the Arab to be possessed by
and the complaint is made in various that he was regarded in this light His faithful wife Hadi^ah, howby his own people. The earlier chapever, believed, in him from the first. enthusiasm, and they ters of the Koran are full of an
evil spirit,
places in the
Koran
indicate that the author at that time believed in the reality of
his revelations.
His daughters soon became
converts to his teachings, and they were followed by
other
relatives
and
verts were mostly
friends.
women and
Although slaves,
his
first
con-
he afterward
cured the adhesion of influential chiefs.
se-
But the new
faith incurred the open hostility of the great majority
PEESIAK LITEKATUKE.
170
and the position of its converts beWhile the more powerful were comparthe weaker ones, especially the slaves
of the Meccans,
came
critical.
atively
secure,
women,
and
were
cases they suffered
The surroundings became
med
advised his
band
little
Abyssinia until the
one hundred
Moham-
dangerous that
so
of followers to seek safety
and they emigrated
in flight, of
and in some
persecuted,
severely
martyrdom.
the Christian country
to
numbered about
colony there
The Qurais were much annoyed
souls.
by the escape of the Muslims, and sent a deputation king of Abyssinia demanding the return of the
to the
The
fugitives.
request was refused, and the failure of
their attempt increased the hostility of the Qurais to-
ward those who Being danger,
left
Mohammed The
mise.
still
remained in Mecca.
and exposed to constant
almost alone,
conceived the idea of a compro-
promised that
Quriiis
if
he would recog-
nize the divinity of their three principal
idols
— Allat,
Al 'Huzza and Manat, they would acknowledge him to be the apostle of
He, therefore, recited one
Allah.
day before a public assembly, the following words from the
Koran
-.^
"Have
ye considered Allat and Al 'Huzza
and Manat the other third ?"
He
are the two high-soaring cranes, cession
may
to the last
be hoped for."
then added
and
When,
words of the chapter,
:
"They
verily their inter-
therefore, he
"Adore
came
G-od, then,
and worship," the Meccans, true to their promise, prostrated themselves to the ground and worshipped as they were bidden.
A
great
victory was
political 1
Chap,
liii,
V. 19-30.
thus
gained, at
the
THE KOEAK.
171
many
however, of the very principle that
sacrifice,
his followers
had given
their lives
of
He
maintain.
to
own humiliation in the matter, and on morrow he hastened to recant from his new position, and condemned his own cowardice in a manly Jseenly felt his
tlie
way, declaring what he undoubtedly believed, that the
words had been put into his mouth by Satan. The recantation brought upon him redoubled hatred, and at last his whole family were placed under a ban to such an extent, that they could not join the Meccan caravans, and being unable to equip one of their own, ,
they
means
At
last
they took
refuge, with what few provisions they could
collect, in
lost their
a ravine in the
mountains, being able to
only during
for food
of livelihood.
forth
months, when every
the sacred
man's person and property were
sally
safe.
After two years
became tired of the restriction which they had placed upon the clan, and voluntarily of privation their foes
allowed the prisoners to mingle with the rest of the world.
Mohammed, however, of the public
already
again incurred the
by adding another wife
possessed.
It
was
not
the
household that created the Arabian fact that
the
new candidate
for
his
to the
contempt three
number
he
of
his
scandal, but
the
favor had been
divorced from her husband with this object in
view-
having been surrendered by him when he learned that
Mohammed admired The prophet
her.
claimed, however, that he had a reve-
lation sanctioning his conduct in this matter.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
172
THE HlffEAH. Between the inhabitants of Yathrib and those of Mecca there existed a strong feeling of animosity, and tlierefore the former tribe were inclined to favor After some careful the claims of the new prophet. negotiations, the leaders espoused his cause, and the persecution of the Qurais then became so violent that the followers of Mohammed at Mecca fled from the At last there were only three members of the city. new faith left in the community, and these were Abii Bekr, AlT and Mohammed himself. His enemies now held a council of war, and decided that eleven men, each belonging to one of the
most influential families in
the city, should simulta-
Mohammed, and by
neously attack and murder
thus
dividing the responsibility, avoid the deserved penalty, as the clan
of
the prophet would not be sufficiently
powerful to avenge themselves upon so
Mohammed, however, signs,
and giving
All
his
mantle,
ordered
couch
usually
the
attention
pretend to be asleep on the
by
himself,
eaemies.
and thus
many
families.
received a warning of their de-
divert
In the meantime
him
to
occupied of
his
Mohammed and Abu Bekr
escaped from a back window in the house of the
latter,
and hid themselves in a cavern of a mountain more than a mile from Mecca, before their absence was discovered.
A
vigorous search was at once instituted,
and for three days they lay concealed, while tradition claims that a spider wove a web across the mouth of the cave and the pursuers, thinking that no one had entered it, passed by in their search.
THE KORAN.
173
At length they ventured out once more, and ceeded
reaching
in
Yathrib in
were soon joined by AH, leave after a few
celebrated
era
As soon institute
possible
regular
Abyssinian
been allowed to This was the
from which
"flight,"
suc-
they
Mo-
the
dated.
is
as
or
Mohammed
Medina,
had
hours' imprisonment.
Hi(/rah
hammedan
who
Here
safety.
He
rites.
slave,
he was established mosque and proceeded
after
built a
to
appointed
also
the believers
call
Bilal,
to
five
at
to
an
daily
He tried to conciliate the Jews of Medina by adapting his religion as far as possible to their own, but when it became evident that they would never accept him as their prophet, he withdrew his concesprayers.
sions,
and instead
while
prayer,
in
of turning his face toward Jerusalem
he
turned
toward
the
Kaabah
at
Mecca.
As soon
as he felt sufficiently strong,
which had compelled him
birth,
ders, in order to save his
upon
he began to
the idea of a crusade against the city of his
agitate
their property he
to fly
from her bor-
After some petty raids
life.
decided to attack a rich cara-
van which was returning from Syria laden with valuable merchandise. of them,
The returning Arabians
influential
men
of
swift messenger to the city for aid.
sponded
to
by nearly
many taken.
;
some of Mohammed's were
prisoners
Of the captives 1
It
Their
a thousand men,
the contest was long and bitter, victory
many
call
the Muslims
and
rich
re-
won the
booty
were executed by
took place on June
was
but although
bitterest foes were slain,
captured six
were,
Mecca, and they sent a
16,
A. D. 622.
was
Moham-
PERSIAN LITEfiATUEB.
174
med's order, some embraced his views and others were
ransomed by their
friends.
Mohammed
This victory! gave prestige that
he
lost
so
much
military
no time in following up the ad-
The Jews were
vantage thus gained.
the
first
people
upon whom his vengeance was visited, and his first victim amongst them was a woman, who was put to death, and soon afterward a whole Jewish tribe was attacked, their property confiscated and the people sent into exile.
CONTINUED WARFARE. Years of bloodshed followed the early military
umphs
of
Islamism, and
the
tri-
Mecca
contest between
and Medina was continued, with varied results, until a truce of ten years was agreed upon;- any of the Mec-
who chose to do so were allowed to join the ranks Mohammed, by the conditions of the treaty, while upon the other hand those who preferred to leave him cans of
and espouse the cause
of the
Meccans were permitted
to do so.
This was a political triumph for
Mohammed,
as
it
recognized his position as an independent chief, and he availed himself of
the opportunity thus given
reduce the neighboring tribes to submission.
wrote
letters to the
Emperor and the reply
governor
of
only
ruler of Abyssinia, ordering
was received,
Egypt, and he sent
presents two female slaves, one of 1
He
to
also
king of Persia, to the Byzantine
embrace his faith and submit to his orable
him
A. D. 6e4.
2
rule.
them to One fav-
which came
from a
in addition
to other
whom
About A.
D. 689,
was a Coptic
THE KOKAN.
whom Mohammed
girl,
added to his already numerous
family of wives.
The Muslim
enced
defeat
a
terrible
175
troops afterward experi-
on the Syrian
but
frontier,^
the prestige of the leader was soon re-established
new
Yictories
and the accession
by
Two
of various tribes.
years after the conclusion of the treaty, a tribe which
was under the protection of Mohammed was attacked by a tribe which was an ally of the Meccans. This was a violation of the compact, and himself
availed
Mohammed
the opportunity thus
of
gladly
him
offered
Explanations and apolo-
for the renewal of hostilities.
and he prepared for an expe-
gies were alike useless,
dition against Mecca.
On becoming
master of the capital of Arabia, his
Kaabah, or ancient shrine
act was to repair the
first
of Arabian worship,
amnesty,
the
and
then proclaiming a general
Meccans readily embraced the creed
of
Islam, and flocked to his standard, hoping for the re-
wards which the prophet promised iu Paradise, as well as the rich spoils from the conquered tribes around them.
In his
more than
first victories
he gave the Meccan chiefs
their share of the booty, for the purpose of
kindling their enthusiasm, but in so doing he incurred the
displeasure
of
his old adherents,
and he only ap-
peased their wrath by promising never again to his residence at
Mecca
or to desert their
own
make
city.
DEATH OF MOHAMMED. The ninth
year
year of deputations," as
numerous
the
after it
marked
tribes to his cause; it 1
flight
A. D, 639.
is
called
"the
the adhesion
was also the
last
of
year
PEKSIAN LITERATURE.
176 in
which
Mohammed
peditions
in
fickleness,
were not
was able to conduct military exThe Arabs, with characteristic
person.
always
and
ard of revolt,
them
controlled
close attention of the
required the
chieftain during tlie last years
He
their chief, even
loyal to
Tribe after tribe raised the stand-
during his lifetime.
of his
life.
them occu-
largely by keeping
pied
with new conquests, and animated by the con-
stant
hope of
still
bond of unity, else,
and this became the more than anything
greater booty,
which,
perhaps
saved his newly established government from dis-
ruption.
At the time
his
of
Mecca he
pilgrimage to
last
stood upon an elevation and addressed the assembled
thousands of his followers, admonishing them to stand firmly by the faith
which he had taught them.
afterward his health failed, but he rallied a
went
mosque
to the
gation
had
at
and
Medina, where a large congre-
gathered to
hear
the
Mounting the lower
their leader.
Soon
little
latest
news
from
steps of the pulpit,
he said a few parting words to the people, and then gave
some
careful
injunctions
he had entrusted with the Syria; having
rooms
of
favorite
his
last.^
tary leaders,
is
of Persia
That
the
general
whom
an army
of
to
admonitions he went to the
finished his
breathed his
to
command
wife,
Ayesha,
and
here
he
his successors were able mili-
abundantly
proven by the
later
story
and other conquered lands.
EECEXSIOX OF THE TEXT. At the time edition of the
of Mohammed's death, no collected Koran was in existence. Many frag1
June
8,
A. D. 035.
THE KOEAN. ments were in possoBsion of been written down at
his
177 followers,
different times,
which had
and upon
vari-
ous materials, but by far the greater portion was preserved only in the memories of men, and liable at any
moment
to be carried away by death. Abii-Bekr, or Omar, had a collection made during his reign, and he employed a native of Medina to collect and arrange the text from the best available material. This he collecting the texts
did,
leaves, skins,
which were written on palm-
blade-bones, and other
material,
besides
recording what could be gathered from the memories
He
of men.
then presented the Caliph with a copy,
which was, perhaps very much like the one we now have. It was compiled without reference to any chronological order, and with very little regard to the logical
connection
of
The longer
the various portions.
chapters were placed at the beginning, and the shorter
ones at the end, without regard to the order in which
they were written, and
there were
many odd
verses
no other reason, than because they were in harmony with the rhythm. There were very few vowel points, and these often make a great The wording of difference in the meaning of words. inserted, apparently for
many
passages which were
copied from memory, was
disputed, for the reason that the persons
who remem-
bered them did not agree in their statements.
In the present recension of the text there are comfew different versions recognized, but it is
paratively
evident
that
great
time when the
first
variations
copy was
have existed from the collected, as
even then
the various wordings were hotly contested.
Some twenty
years
later,
the
Caliph
Othman
ap-
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
178
pointed a commission, consisting of Zaid, the original
and three men
editor,
decide more
When
of Mohammed's own upon the proper text.
definitely
was
edition
this
copies to all the principal his recension has
schools of
all
gians from the time of
No
cities
sent
empire,
and
the
in
its
to
Othman
remained the authorized
by
been adopted
completed,
tribe,
text,
having
Mohammedan
theolo-
completion
i
to the present.
attempt was made in this work to present any
chronological arrangement, although the chapters have prefixed
were
to
them the name
supposed
to
be
the place where they
of
Attempts
revealed.
made by both Arabic and European pare an
chronological
intelligible
work is The most critical effort upon most successful, has been made rangement is the best which bined with European criticism, will be
seen that the
have been
scholars
to pre-
arrangement, but
one of great this
it
difficulty.
subject,
and the
by Noldeke, whose
ar-
com-
Arabic tradition, can furnish.
TEACHING OF THE KORAN.
The Koran is largely composed of fanciful stories, which have been woven around the characters and inThere are however some cidents of Biblical narration. cardinal points
of
doctrine
which are
freely
taught,
and the great central creed of Mohammedanism "There is no god but God, and Mohammed
is
that
is
his
is
the
prophet."
The first
confession
of
this
Kelimah,
or creed,
duty of every convert, and after this he
quired to pray,
fast,
give alms, and 1
A. D. 660.
make
is
re-
pilgrimages.
THE KOEAN.
The name
God
of
the article
of
al,
in Arabic
very old Semitic word and
Allah, being composed
is
"the," and is
179
"a
ilah,
god."
It
is
a
evidently connected with,
or derived from the
El and Elohim of the Hebrews. According to Muslim theology, Allah is eternal, and
—comprehending
everlasting
hended
of
things,
all
compre-
but
His attributes are expressed by
nothing.
ninety-nine epithets which are used in the Koran, and
which in Arabic are forms,
ticipial
words, and generally par-
single
but in the translation they are some-
times rendered by verbs as
"He
"He
creates" for
is
the creator." Besides a belief in G-od, the in
angels
;
distinction
is
it
Two
nor drink.
requires a belief
claimed that they are pure, without
sex; are created
of
Koran of
and neither eat
fire,
human
angels are appointed for each
being, and one stands at his right hand, and the other
the one recording his good deeds, and the
at his left;
other
kir are the two angels tion
Munkir and Na-
his transgressions of the law.
of
the tomb."
who They
preside at the visit
man
a
in
"examinahis
grave
immediately after his burial, and examine him concerning
soundness of
the
that there
his faith.
they beat is
If
but one God, and that
they allow him to
prophet,
that he
is
him with heard by
rest
in
he
acknowledge
Mohammed peace,
is
his
otherwise
iron maces until he roars so loud all
the beings in
the
universe,
They then press the earth except men and ginns. down upon him, and leave him to be torn by dragons and serpents
until the resurrection.
The ginns (collectively gahn) represent a beings who are inferior to the angels, but they
class
of
are also
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
180 created out of
abode
is
fire,
Mount
and are both good and
Their
evil.
Qaf, the mountain of emerald which,
in Persian mythology, surrounds the world.
HEAVEN".
Heaven, according to the Koran and the traditions,
The Garden of The Abode The Abode of Eest The Garden of Eden— The Garden of Eesort— The Garden of Pleasure The Garden of the Most High, and The Garden of Paradise. "Who created seven heavens in stories ? Why, look again canst thou see a flaw ? And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared them for the torconsists of seven divisions, as follows:
Eternity
—
Peace
of
—
—
.
.
.
.
.
!
.
;
ment
of the blaze."
"And
the fellows of the right hand
fellows
—what
right lucky
!
These are they who are brought nigh in gardens of pleasure
And
!
gold-weft couches, reclining on them
Around them
shall
ewers and a cup of flowing wine
;
no head-ache
they feel therefrom, nor shall their wits be
shall
dimmed
And And And And
!
go eternal youths, with goblets and
fruits
!
such as they deem the best
flesh of fowls as
they desire
;
bright and large-eyed maids like hidden pearls
the fellows of lows
the right
!
Amid thornless And trees with
lote trees piles of fruit
— what
right lucky fel-
THE KORAN.
And And And
outspread shade.
water outpoured
*********
abundance, neither bitter nor forbidden
fruit in
And God and
And
181
will
guard them from the
will cast
evil
of that day
on them brightness and joy
their reward for their patience shall be
and
silk
Paradise
!
Eeclining thereon upon couches, they shall neither see therein the sun nor piercing cold;
And And And
down upon them
close
lowered over them
shadows
shall be its
its fruits
to cull
they shall be served round with vessels of
and goblets that are Flagons of
silver shall
silver
as flagons
they mete out
!
.
.
.
.
And there shall go round them eternal boys When thou seest them thou wilt think them
scattered
pearls;
And when
thou seest them thou shalt see pleasure and
a great estate
On them
shall be
!
garments of green embroidered satin
and brocade;
And
they shall be adorned with bracelets of silver."
i
HELL. Hell also has seven divisions, which are arranged in the following order: Gehenna
Raging
Fire
Blaze— The
that
splits
Scorching
— The
everything
Fire— The
—The pieces — The
Flaming Fire to
Fierce
Fire— The
Abyss. 1 Koran, Chaps. 56, 67, 76, Palmer's Trans. of these descriptions are necessarily omitted.
The more sensuous
portions
PERSIAN LITERATCTEE.
182
"It
is
thus that we reward sinners; for them
couch of
awning
with an
hell-fire
Thus do we reward the unjust
The
.
!
.
the
is
them
above .
fellows of the fire shall call out to the fellows of
upon us water, They
Paradise, 'Pour out
or something
G-od has provided you with/
them both
has prohibited lieve.'
.
will say
those
to
God
'
misbe-
that
.
.
Faces on that day shall be humble, laboring, toiling shall broil
upon
a burning
fire
shall be given to
;
drink from a boiling spring
No
they have
food shall
which
from the foul thorn,
save
shall not fatten
nor avail against hunger!
—what
And
unlucky fellows
the fellows of the left
!
In hot blasts and boiling water;
And
a shade of pitchy smoke.
Neither cool nor generous
!
Verily, they were affluent ere this,
mighty crime and say have become
and did
in
persist
when we die and shall we then in-
AVhat,
'
dust and bones,
deed be raised?'
Then
Oh
ye.
who
ye
err
who
!
Shall eat of the Zaqqiim tree
say
And And And
drink thereon of boiling water
This
is
fill
yourselves with
it
it
a
is
lie
!
!
!
!
drink as drinks the thirsty camel.
on the judgment day
their entertainment
Whenever a new troop thrown into hell they boils,
for
it
shall
is
brought
shall hear
well
forward its
nigh burst
!
be
to
brayings as for rage,-
it
and
the treasures of hell shall come forward and shall
ask them,
'
Did not
a warner
come
to
you
?
'
They
THE KORAN. shall
stay,
And
'
him
called
a
!
warner came to
and we
us,
a liar,'
'Had we but listened or had we had not been among the fellows of the
they shall sense blaze
Yea
183
!
'
"
say,
1
PREDESTINATIOK.
The
Koran
teaches the doctrine
of predestination
most radical form; every act of every living being having been written down from all eternity in "the preserved tablet/' This predestination is called taqdir in its
"meeting out," or quismeh, "apportioning." It is said in the Koran that " God leads astray whom he will, and guides whom he will."^ The Arabians were glad to argue that they were not responsible for their deeds, but every act of theirs
being foreordained
it
was therefore
were forbidden to turn back in
back "save turning
down upon
brings resort
is
hell,
or
fight
ill
them, but
exonerated from
it
rallying to
journey shall
it
and
his
be."
charge of
all
troop,
a
killing
" Ye did not was God who slew them nor didst
unbelievers, even in battle, for slay
he who turns
himself wrath from God,
and an
They were
to
They
justified.
battle, for
it
said,
is
;
thou shoot, when thou didst shoot, but God did shoot."
When
the
Abyssinian,
upon Mecca with
a
Abrahat body
large
^
Asram, marched
el
of
troops
and
ele-
phants, he was suddenly defeated, and when the Koran was written it was said, " Hast thou not seen what
thy Lord did with the fellows of the elephant
he not make their strategem lead 1
3
Chap, Chap,
vii,
Y.
viil, v.
88, 56, 67. 15.
2
them
Chap, xiv,
v. 95.
?
astray,
Did and
PEESIAN" LITERATURE.
184 send
down on them
blades of herbage eaten
forms in Oriental
?
"
^
The
story.
like
This legend of the
flocks of birds
has been
beaks
their
in
down
throw down
and make them
clay,
army by
destruction of an stones
to
in flocks,
birds
on them stones of baked
who
carried
repeated in
various
of the
invader
object
was supposed to be the destruction of the Kaabah, a shrine
which
to
This was the one thing which the scat-
immemorial.
common, and which gave
tered Arabian people had in to
them
a national feeling.
not abolish
been paid from time
devotion had
it,
but cleared
Mohammed,
therefore, did
of its idols
and dedicated
it
to the new faith. As it was predestinated that the Kaabah should stand throughout the ages, it was
it
that even the birds of heaven would
readily supposed
repulse the forces of the infidel invader.
POLYGAMY.
One Islam
ygamy. in
the
most
the
of is
fatal
blots
upon the
the open countenance which
We
it
creed
gives
of
to pol-
have not here the case of a prophet placed
midst
of
an
ignorant and barbarous people,
who confronted and modified
institutions
could not at once suppress, but
which
he
we have Mohammed
inculcating the doctrine of polygamy, by both precept
the Koran, " Marry what seems good women, by twos, or threes, or by fours. "^
and example.
It
is
repeatedly taught in
and men are commanded to
you of
When
his
to
other wives objected to the introduction of
Mary, into the harem of
the Coptic slave
girl,
med, he claimed
to receive a revelation
i
Chap. XV.
2
Chap,
iv, v.
Moham-
from heaven 1.
jus-
THE KOKAN.
He
tifying his conduct.
185
also divorced the
woman who
gave the information to the others, and banished them (except the
all
Coptic
from
girl)
He
space of a month.
presence for the
his
enjoined his followers to treat
their wives and slaves more kindly, but they could marry and divorce them at pleasure the Koran, however, states that " If he divorce her a third time, he ;
cannot marry her after that until she marry another
husband:" the
first
if the new husband may marry her again.
divorces her, however,
They were is
said
also allowed to exchange wives, but it " If ye wish to exchange one wife for an-
:
and have given one
other,
not take from
it
They required the most
it
was
them
careful
Again
then do
conduct and seclufor adultery
was
but of their partners in guilt
life,
"if they turn
said,
alone. "2
talent,
^
and the penalty
sion in their wives,
imprisonment for
them a
of
anything."
it
is
again and
said,
"Men
amend, leave stand superior
But those wives whose perversethem and remove them into a bedchamber and beat them but if they submit to you, do not seek a way against them."^ The Mohammedans of Persia have by no means forgotten their early training, and they still fill their Anderoons with as many women as they can afford. Every Persian house is constructed on the plan of No windows are visible from the street, but secrecy. to
women.
.
.
.
ness ye fear, admonish
;
the interior
is
built
around courts
or
gardens, with
beautiful fountains and fragrant flowers; indeed, there
may
be groves of
iChap.
iv, Y.24.
fruit 2
Koran,
trees
which cannot
iv, v. 15-30.
3
Koran,
be seen iv,
v. 38.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
186
from the
In the main portion of the house
street.
the lord of the mansion lives and ness during the day, while
kept in
roon are
some
and possibly acquiring
They
rigid
cannot
out
embroidery,
fine
proficiency
go
passing
seclusion,
may, in doing
their time as best they
painting.
the inmates of his Ande-
most
the
transacts his busi-
at
music or
in
without
all
a
which covers them from head to foot and when the wives of the Shah go upon the street mantle or
veil
they are not only followed by the royal guards,
the
event
announced
is
and the
closed
Still, it
ignorance, the
and
and they
wives,
man
one
if
all their
wishes the assistance of
the wives of the
visit
and amount
seclusion
of Persia have a certain
he confides the matter to one or
another,
is
women
but
shops are
must be deserted.
streets
claimed that with
is
of influence,
by a herald, the
all
of his
man whose
aid
needed, and by solicitation and costly presents the
object
is
often
accomplished.
It
is
that
said
many
important transactions in Persia are conducted in this way.
LITERARY STYLE OF THE KORAN.
The language the
be remembered, tion
of
made
it
the
Koran
the
form
book,
as
a
for
generally considered It
must
that the acknowledged posi-
work
of
divine
any Muslim to
regard to
doctrinal teaching.
is
Arabian speech,
of
however,
impossible
Koran, either in its
of
most perfect
On
its
mode
of
the contrary,
authorship, criticize
the
expression or it
became the
standard by which other Arabian compositions must be judged.
All literary critics assumed
that the
Koran
THE KORAN-. must be
right,
and
proached
merit
in
successfully
rugged
elegant
model
this literary
less
Mohammed
rude and startling eloquence
of Arabia
though
even
forcible,
or refined.
they more or
as
style.
its
of
and
works only ap-
other
proportion
imitated
The language surely
therefore
IS?
it
spoke
often
there was no
;
is
not
is
with a
mistaking
the language of his fierce denunciations, for instance those who disbelieve in our signs, we them with fire whenever their skins are done, then we will change them for other skins,
"Verily,
broil
the
taste
Each chapter These
wall.
ferent
including
other
The
flight.
to be
earlier
only
received
The
the principal doctrine found
and the author seeks their called
and
rather
emotions
upon
style
clung to their of
to
a
dif-
the at
revelations
Medina
after
of
is
not found
these
earlier
rather
them
to
He
future 1
is
monotheism,
;
by appealing to reason.
He
witness the presence of
God,
who
still
than
vengeance
idols.
the
in
impress his followers by his
than by his logic
nature
proclaimed
pictures
in
often poetic, and sometimes almost sublime
is
eloquence
—an
Surahs have a tone of enthu-
the later productions.
chapters
bricks
of
siasm and impassioned eloquence, which in
Surah
called a
is
a course
the one claiming to have been given
;
Mecca, the
which were supposed the
Koran
signifies
Surahs resolve themselves into two
classes
that
torment. "i
of the
Arabic word which
at
well
;
may
they
will
to
against
also
those
gave the most glowing
reward of
Chap.
their
Iv, T. 59.
believers,
and the
188
LITEEATUEE.
PEllSIAN"
most revolting descriptions of designed for those
who
the unending
tortures
refused to accept his message.
In the Surahs of the later portion of the Meccan
we find long stories which way around the characters
period, fanciful tive,
showing, however, more or
still
and
fire
are
eloquence
in a
the poetic
less of
Mohammed's
of
woven
Biblical narra-
of
produc-
earliest
tions.
At tary
he appears in Medina, as a mili-
a later period
and
leader of great ability
surrounded,
not only
is
and accompanied him
shared his persecutions, flight,
He
influence.
now
by the loyal friends who have in
his
but also by a large class who have been forced
to adhere to his cause,
and whose sincerity
so ques-
is
tionable that they are openly called "hypocrites."
The
style of
the Surahs
which were given amidst
these surroundings, and during the
later years
of
the
from that of the earlier chapters. We find here incidents which are scarcely embellished, and which are often expressed in the author's
life,
most prosaic appeal of
varies
greatly
language.
Instead
of
the
an orator, we have the more
language of an acknowledged chief,
whatever instruction they
may
impassioned authoritative
giving his people
require.
He
still
fol-
lows, however, the rhythmical style of expression, which
has so long been characteristic of the Arabians.
Arabs of the desert in
their
still
it
formal orations, while the
the Koran remains their lence.
employ
standard
to
peculiar of
The
a great extent
literary
style of
excel-
DIVISION
IV.
The Period Succeeding the Mohammedan Conquest.
CHAPTER
IX.
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI.
—
—
THE WORK PREFACE THE BEES AND — THE TWO PIGEONS THE BLIND MAN AND HIS WHIP AHICABLE INSTRUCTION THE PIGEONS AND THE RAT THE ANTELOPE AND THE CROW THE ELEPHANT AND THE JACKAL GEMS FROM THE HITOPADESA.
HISTORY
OF
THEIR
^
HABITS
—
-*-
skrit
—
—
—
nnHBRE
—
—
were two collections of early fables ia Sanliterature, called
the
Pancatantra and
the
Hitopadesa, and during the reign of the Sassanian kings a quaint old book containing these stories was brought to
the Persian court and translated into the Pahlavi
tongue.
Aryan
This was a notable event in the history of literature,
and since that time
tions than
has the
'
this rare collec-
has passed through more muta-
tion of simple stories
Roman Empire;
it
is
now
extant,
under various names, in more than twenty languages, 1
About
A, D. 570.
189
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
190
the Persian version being
as the Anwar-i-Suhali,
known
It is recorded that King or -'The Lights of Canopus."i Nushirvan commissioned an officer of state to procure
this
a translation of
years of difficulty,
the
it
being obtained after
and,
work,
was deposited in the cabinet of
most precious treasures, and was regarded model of wisdom and didactic philosophy. But the time of the Arabian conquest, this work, with king's
as a at
many
was
others,
by
destroyed
More than a hundred
desert.
discovered and translated into
then passed through
it
and
poets,
was
Arabic by Almokaffa,^
retranslated
into
Persian,
by Eudaki in the tenth century, and
first
into verse,
into
prose in the twelfth century by Nasrallah.
early
the
as
the
of
hands of several Arabic
the
afterward
vandals
the
years later the book was
eleventh
century
the
As
work
Arabic
of
Almokaffa was translated into Greek by Simeon, and
Again the Arabic
text
was translated into Hebrew by Rabbi Joel, and
this
then passed into the Italian.
Hebrew
became the
version
European
books
of
principal
Before
fable.
source of
the
the end of
the
John of Capua had published a and a more elegant Persian rendering
fifteenth century,
Latin version,
was made in the beginning of the by Ilnsain
Va'iz.
made
in the
early
A
Turkish
tenth
Hindiistrini version until
translations
indicated
translation
century,
much
the
fifteenth
had
but there
later.
century
been
was
The number
no of
extreme popularity of the
Canopus was a star which stood at the right in the heavens when the observer was loolciug from Hirat, and conseqnently it lay in the direction of Arabia, which the prophet claimed as the home of wisdom, and therefore wisdom was represented by Canopus. 2 Translated by. Almokaffa about A, D, 7T0. 1
THE ANWAE-I-SUHALI. work
in Europe,
read
in
and in the sixteenth century
German,
many
and
Hitapodesa,
The
Mijller have translated
Eastwick has given us a
Prof.
Husain
faithful reproduction of
was
although both Sir
versions,
Max
William Jones and Prof.
it
Spanish and French.
Italian,
English has not so the
191
Va'iz's work,
the An-
war-i-Suhali.
The Persian the
for
version
position
is
the book which candidates
interpreter
of
are required to read
number
after the Gulistan, as the great
the variety of
its
make
style
words and
of
the best book in the
it
language to be studied by one who wishes to make rapid
progress
in
(JoUege at Haileyburg,
seventh
book of
In
Persian.
Major Stewart, professor
the
of Persian
present century
at the East
India
published a translation of
and dedicated
work,
tiiis
it
the
to
the
and military employes of the East India Company. The repetition of metaphor and highly florid civil
style
est
composition
of
attraction
many
is
often ofPensive to the English
but these very characteristics form
reader,
stories are delightful
some or repulsive
to
to
them which
the simpler
as sitting
on thrones
other kings to serve them.
wise, valiant
are weari-
represented
as stable as the firmament, while
they touch the stars with their all
great-
taste of the western
In this fanciful work kings are
student.
its
Persian litterateiirs, and
the eye of
in
foreheads,
Eoyalty
and most beneficent
is
and have
always Just,
—ministers
are invari-
ably gifted with intellects which are an ornament to
the world,
and they
single thought.
height,
and
all
can
Mountains
solve rival
all
problems with a
the planets in their
gardens are fair as dreams
of
para-
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
193
dise, while the heroes
conquer animals so furious that
even their appearance frightens the constellations out These absurdities are so prominent of the heavens.
away in disgust, but those who patiently peruse the book will discover many beautiful thoughts, many striking and practical ideas, which are forcibly and often beautifully exthat they tempt the student to turn
pressed.
The
preface
similar to that of
is
many
other Per-
being composed very largely of a eulogy
works,
sian
upon Mohammed, and especially upon the royal dignitary to whom the work is dedicated. A brief extract from this literary curiosity wiU the
give
example of
an
reader
which Persian
the kings or court
the
fulsome praise
thought best to bestow upon
authors
officials
who encouraged
their pur-
suits.
"And
he
excellences limity
of
is
the great Amir, the place where
and high his
qualities centre,
spirit,
.
.
.
all
through the sub-
who, without
compli-
Canopus shining from the right hand of Yaman, and a sun diffusing radiance, from the dawning place of affection and fidelity. ment,
is
the
star
Where Oanopus falls thy ray, and where Thou risest, fortune's marks are surely there. With a view
to
the universal diffusion of what
is
advantageous to mankind, and the multiplying of what is beneficial to the high and low, he condescended to favor
me
humble
with an intimation of his high
individual, devoid of ability,
and
will, that this
this insignifi-
cant person of small capital, should be bold enough to
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI.
193
clothe the said book in a
new dress, and bestow fresh ornament upon the beauty of its tales of esoteric meaning, which were veiled and concealed by the curtain of obscure words and difficult expressions, by presenting on the stages of lucid style and the chambers of becoming metaphors
after a fashion that the eye of every
examiner, without a glance of penetration,
may
enjoy
a share of the loveliness of these beauties, of the orna-
mented
bridal
chamber
every wise person,
may
of
and the heart
narrative,
of
without the trouble of imagining,
obtain the fruition of union with those delicately
reared ones of the closet of the mind."i
A the
this kind is surely calculated to deter from seeking further for the beauties of
preface of
student
work, but when divested of the cumbersome verbiage these stories will be found both quaint and pleasing. A few of the best of them are here this peculiar
given in simple phrase
:
THE BEES AND THEIE HABITS. There stood in the garden an old
had
fallen,
and there was no
The hatchet
place them.
mutilated
its
tree,
with which to
vitality
of
the
whose leaves
peasant
re-
Time had
and the saw of the carpenter Forits teeth in making shreds of its The centre of the tree had become
limbs,
tune had sharpened
warp and woof. hollow, and a busy swarm fortress. tle
When
of
bees
workers, he inquired of his sage
sects gathered in the tree,
resorted
to
the meadow. 1
had made
it
their
the king heard the buzzing of the
why
these
lit-
little in-
at
whose command they
Then
the minister replied:
and
See preface, Eastwick's version,
p. io.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
194
"0, fortunate
are
they
prince,
a tribe doing
They have a queen
much
larger
in good and little harm. placed their heads on bulk than themselves, and have
the line of
upon
obedience
to
her majesty
to their several
offices
;
is
is
seated
her vizier and chamberlain, her
The
porter and guard, her spy and deputy. of her attendants
she
and she has appointed
a square throne of wax,
ingenuity
such that each one prepares hex-
agonal chambers of wax, having no inequality in their
and the best geometricians would be unable such work without instruments. When this
partitions,
do work approaches completion they come forth from their abode at the queen's command, and a noble bee explains to them that they must not exchange their to
cleanliness
for
nor pollute their purity by
grossness,
evil
associations.
fair
lily
They
therefore
or fragrant rose,
the purest honey.
When
sit
their sacred
trust is
beside
the
order to draw therefrom
in
they come to the
warders try them by smelling, and
permission
only
and avoided
all
home
the
they have kept
if
impure associations,
given them to re-enter the immaculate
But there are many bloschambers of white wax. soms which, though beautiful to the eye, will poison those who touch them, and the foolish bee who is attracted by their deceitful
by their
fatal
breath
of the hive the quick fact
if
;
loveliness
when he comes
however,
is
also
to
polluted
the portals
scent of the warders detect the
he has been polluted by
the offender
is
evil
surroundings, and
quickly punished by decapitation.
the warders should be negligent
enough
If,
to
allow the culprit to enter, and the queen of this spotless
palace should
detect
the
offensive taint, both
the
THE AN\VAR-I-SUHALI.
195
and the careless warders will be conducted to the place of punishment and the warders will be execulprit
cuted the
It is
first.
recorded that Jamshid, 'Emperor of
World/ borrowed from
these wise disciplinarians the
regulations respecting warders and guards, the appoint-
ment
of chamberlains and door-keepers, and also the arrangement of thrones and regal cushions, which, in
the course of time, perfected our customs."
Upon
hearing this wonderful illustration of the effects
company upon the unfortunate bee, and ing that every man carries with him a portion of bad
vileness
of his
evil
learnof
the
companions, the king exclaimed
"I have been convinced
to-day that the society of some more hurtful than the poison of a viper, and the association with them more dangerous than a position which involves the peril of one's life, and I
persons
is
reason therefrom that
may
it
But the sage
elusion."
be better to live in
replied
:
" Great
se.
leaders have
preferred the companionship of the good and true, but
when
a sincere friend
solitude
is
is
not to be found, then indeed
better than society."
THE TWO PIGEONS. There were two faithful pigeons who
at
one time
consorted together in one nest, with their loyal hearts
undisturbed
by treachery, and
One was named Bazindah
free
(playful),
from misfortune. and the other was
called N^awazindah (caressing), while every
morning and
evening their voices were mingled in the
soft
love. evil
But some were envious counsellors
attempted to
from friend divide."
notes of
happy pair, and "sever love, and friend of the
PERSIAN LITEEATUEE.
196
anxious desire for travel was carefully instilled
An
and he
into the ambitious heart of Bazindah, his loving mate,
"
How
said
to
long shall we continue in one
and spend our time in one abode ? I feel a desire to wander through different parts of the world, for, in a few days of travel, many marvelous things There is are seen, and many experiences are gained. no honor awarded until the sword comes forth from the scabbard upon the field of the brave the sky is ever journeying, and it is the highest of all things, while the earth which is ever still is always trampled down, and kicked by all things, both high and low nest,
;
:
'
View the
earth's sphere
This sinks by
Travel, man's tutor
On
travel,
From
No To
treasure
and the revolving
and those by motion
rest,
and
is,
skies,
rise
glory^s gate.
and instruction
wait.
place to place had trees the power to move,
saw nor ax could wrong the
this his gentle
thou removest
mate
replied,
thy heart from
"
stately
My
the
grove/"
beloved,
society
own, thou dost sever the cord of unity
;
of
when thine
thou mayest
unite with new comrades, but never wilt thou find them so loyal, as those which long years of trial have shown to be true. Kemember the precept of the wise
man, and
'Do not an old and For new allies, for
Thou mayest
transgress,
well tried friend forego this will
and what impression
word have upon thee then '
He
?
Eemember
shall his foeman's fondest
Who
end in woe,'
to well wishing friends
wish
will
my
that
fulfill.
bends not his will.'"
TUB ANWAE-I-Sl'IIAH. Bazindah,
however,
tore
197
away from
heart
his
his'
loving mate, and set forth upon the wing, exulting in his liberty
With
and freedom from her gentle admonitions.
great curiosity,
and
perfect
eled for a while through the blue
the bright
hills
a time he
came
beautiful
and gardens of
meadow
to a its
;
the gardens of heaven,
down from
the cool
pleasure,
roses
he trav-
and passed over
air,
and
mountain, and at
lilies.
After
its feet
lay a
green surface was delightful as
and the northern breeze swept
hills,
laden with the perfume of a
thousand flowers.
" There countless roses their pavilions kept, The grass moved wakeful, while the waters The roses painted with a thousand hues,
slept.
Their heavenly fragrance each a league diiJuse."
The setting sun was bathing the hills with its glory when the weary pigeon reached the lovely spot, and he nestled gratefully down amidst the green grass and fragrant flowers
to
spend the night in peace and
happiness; with his head tucked under his wing, he did not see that a shadow had darkened the fair sunset
;
he did not see that
its
glory was shaded by
the restless wind But an angry storm-cloud. was tossing the canopy of clouds into the high court of the air, and Bazindah's heart was quaking with
soon
terror as the fiery lightnings flashed around him, con-
suming the hearts less hail
dashed
of the tulips beside
the
bright
narcissus
him to
;
the
piti-
the earth,
while the thunderbolts seemed to tear the very heart of the mountain.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
198
"In
mountain's
pieces was the
by the
breast,
light-
ning's arrows riven,
And
earth to
its
foundations shook,
the fearful
at
voice of heaven."
Bazindah had no shelter from the storm
—
no refuge and searching wind in vain he tried to hide beneath some friendly branch or amidst the leaves and grass, still the cruel hail pelted him
from the
pitiless hail
;
some remorseless poured upon him. like
" Night
!
foe,
gloomy night
!
and
— Heaven's
What tempest shower so fierce What care the gay in banquet Our
perils
do not mar their
In terror and
the
cold
rain
awful voice
as this ? halls ?
bliss."
the traveler passed the
peril,
still
night
who him from the storm with her own pinions, and who was even now grieving her life away in loneliness, because he came not. But whatever feelings of penitence may have been thinking of the home-nest, and
would
so
the
gentle mate
gladly shield
were quickly
cherished during the perils of the night, dissipated by the beauty of the
" From the
east
morning
light.
then drew the sun.
His golden poniard bright.
And
through the earth's dark regions
Spread a flood of yellow light."
Bazindah again arose upon pursued
his
journey
;
abroad looking for prey, the head of
its
faithful
wings,
and
but a royal white
falcon
was
his
— a falcon which
quarry,
descends upon
swifter than the
rays
of
the
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI. sun,
and
when
on high
soaring
199
he reaches
heaven
quicker than the sight of man.
"Attacking now,
And
the thunderbolt behind,
it left
soared more swiftly than the chilling wind.''
For the
pitiless bird
had marked the pigeon
for his
prey, and the victim's heart began to flutter, while his
wings, paralyzed with fear, seemed to lose
power of
all
motion.
" "When on the dove the rapid falcon swoops, The helpless quarry unresisting droops." In
moment
that
helpless
of
Bazindah
terror,
thought again of his faithful mate, and quickly
re-
solved that couid he but escape this deadly peril, he
would be content beneath
already
flashing eye
of
home
at
an
whose talons were
in her
claw
the
eagle so
of fell
downy
the
nest.
falcon,
upon them,
sharp that
He was
when the
—an
the sign of
eagle
Aquila
was not safe in the nest of the sky, and who, when hungry,
off from the meadows and Capricorn.
carried
signs of Aries
"Aries
of
heaven the
through fear of him
itself,
Would gaze not on
the sky.
Save that Bahram,i the blood drinker
Bach day stood watchful by." This fearful bird was on the wing searching for food, and seeing the falcon and the pigeon, he said to himself, "Although this pigeon is only a mouthful, nevertheless one may break one's fast upon it," and quickly he dashed at the falcon: 1
The planet Mars.
PERSIAN LITERATUKE.
200
"The
feathered rivals then to fight began,
The
While the self
from between them ran."
quarry, dodging, fight
went
Bazindah threw him-
fiercely on,
under a stone, and crowded himself into a hole
hardly large enough for a spa.rrow, and here he passed the day and another night, quivering with terror and
But the morning
distress.
mountain peaks,
dawn began
to
the
for
fly
again illumined
light
the
white-pinioned dove of the
from the nest
and the
heaven,
of
black raven of night went to his rest like the Simurgh,
behind the
began to
stiades of the distant
his
flutter
mountains.
Bazindah
and look
weai-y wings,
hungrily
around him, when he gladly spied another pigeon, with a
grain
little
but
Rejoicing to
see
he fluttered eagerly to the grain,
species,
was caught in a snare.
his foot
alas!
before him.
scattered
one of his own
''Satan's the net, the world's the grain.
Our Our
lusts the enticements are.
Soon
lures within the snare."
hearts, the fowl
which greediness
upon the captive pigeon who he trembled and struggled, until he broke the decayed net, and turned his tired face toward the home-nest, and flew as rapidly
With
bitter reproaches
had thus lured him
would permit.
as his forlorn condition
tempt again to compelled to
A
his hunger,
rest, at last,
thoughtless
wounded he
satisfy
destruction,
to
boy sent
fell,
Fearing to
on a wall near a an
field of corn.
arrow toward
him, and
but he lay so quietly that the young
hunter failed to find his game, and at
wounded,
at-
he was nevertheless
hungry
and
discouraged,
last,
he
weak and
fluttered
by
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI. short
flights
of his wings,
homeward. Nawazindah heard the flutter and flew joyously out to meet him saying:
my
"'Tis I whose eyes expand,
How
201
shall I
thank thee
— thou
love to find so true
and kind."
But when she had caressed him, she saw that he was weak and thin, and she exclaimed, "Oh, beloved, where hast thou been?" Bazindah
"Ask me
replied:
not what woes,
my
What pangs have been my
love, lot.
All the grief that parting brings,
—ask
I've
tasted
For
travel's
conflict
With home and
The truth
me
not. I'll
not lust again.
friends perpetual pleasures reign."
of the matter
experience, and as long
as
is,
I
that I have had
much
not
make
live,
I
will
another journey, nor go forth until compelled from the corner of our nest."
Then the
gentle wife flew out and
brought him the daintiest food she could derly she bill,
caressed the
and no thought
find,
and
ten-
wounded wing with her loving
of reproaches entered her grateful
him back to health and and together they cooed and nestled in their quiet home. heart.
Gently
she
nursed
strength,
THE BLIND MAN AND HIS WHIP.
A
sage, who was discoursing to a king upon lessons wisdom and morality, gave him the following illus" Once upon a time tration of an important principle: making were a journey toa blind man and his friend
of
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
202
gether, and they halted in a wild place for the night;
the morning found them cold and
for the
little rested,
weather had suddenly grown severe.
In searching for
whip the blind man picked up a frozen snake^ which he found smoother and more nicely polished his
than
and greatly pleased he mounted
whip,
his
His friend,
lost.
his
whip which he had however, could see, and when he be-
the faithful
horse, forgetting
old
held the snake in the hand of the blind man, he cried out:
my
'Oh,
friend!
what thou takest for a whip
poisonous snake, fling
jealous of
my
to
one, and I
a
his
in finding so
'Oh, friend!
it is
good luck, that I have found a better
am
not going to be wheedled
good fortune by plead, but
his great success
and he answered:
beautiful a whip,
owing
is
makes a wound
it
But the blind man fancied that
upon thy hand.' friend was
away before
it
the
idle
man was
out of
my
His friend continued to
tales.'
and conceited, as became angry and frowned upon while he clung closely to what he obstinate
well as blind, and he his faithful friend,
believed
sun rose
to
be a beautiful
higher in
the
thing.
heavens,
After a time
and
the
air
the
grew
more balmy, the snake was also comforted by the warmth of the blind man's body, and recovering from her torpor, she turned backward, and bit the poor fool who had clung to her because he fancied she was beautiful; he died of the
Then
said the
sage,
"
I
venom given
in the wound.''
have adduced this story that
thou mayst not be deceived by appearances or fascinated with outward charms, which are as deceitful as the beauties of a
snake.
and delicacy of
Be not
flattery
attracted by the softness
and hypocrisy, for their poison
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI.
wound
deadly and their
is
is
to listen to the admonitions
though
his advice
fatal
203 it
;
far
is
better
of a faithful friend,
may not
even
always be agreeable, than
to be led into the snare of the flatterer,
by the poison
honeyed words.
of her
'Think not sweet sherbert from the world
Honey with poison
to drink.
mingled there.
is
That which thou, fondly, dost sweet honey think. but the deadly potion of despair.'"
Is
AMICABLE INSTBUCTION.l It
that
said
is
there
lived
and
a wise
virtuous
who was greatly afflicted with the conduct of sons. The young princes "knew no books and
prince, his
were continually working in raja
asked
himself,
be born
should
Of what use
is
evil
"Of what
who has
neither
ways," therefore the use
is
it
learning
a blind eye except to give pain?
unborn, dead or ignorant, the
a child
two
make us unhappy but
since they
preferable,
that a son
nor virtue
the last by continual degrees. der such circumstances
is
A
?
Of
first
are
once,
and
numerous family un-
poison, as
is
a young wife to
an old man." Considering these things, the king gave orders for a council of learned
men
to
be called,
in
order
that
of his problem, and method by which his sons might be taught the lessons of morality and wisdom.
they might devise,
study the
possible,
if
Among
the
solution
some
wise
men who were
gether, there was a great philosopher
sarman
^
who understood Wm.
1
From
2
Sometimes called Pilpay.
Sir
the
thus
called
principles of ethics.
Jones' revision of the Ilitopadesa.
to-
named Vishnu-
He
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
204 declared
that as
young
these
good family there was
and he
tion,
give
to
offered
princes
born of
were
a hope of their reforma-
still
them the necessary
in-
struction.
His proposition was gladly accepted by the anxious
and soon the
father,
roof of
The
sage.
and
also
teacher
was called together on the
decided
the to
instruction of the
interest
his listeners,
convey the lessons of morality by repeat-
to
ing fables.
Therefore, with
and carefully told
class
the palace to receive
pointing the
them the following
many
wise admonitions,
moral of each
lesson,
he
stories
THE PIGEONS AND THE RAT. Near the Godavari river there stood a large Saltree, on which the birds found their nightly rest. One morning, when the darkness had just departed,
mali
leaving the
moon
mansion,
his
a
—friend raven
of the night flowers
who
sat
in
the
fowler approaching like the genius of death, said
and
The
himself,
to I
know fowler
not
—
tree
still
in
saw
a
and he
"This morning an enemy appears, what poisonous fruit is ripening."
went on,
scattering grains of rice.
however,
Soon a
fixing
his
net
and
flock of pigeons, led
by their prince Citagriva, or painted neck, came flying that way.
scending,
They saw the rice and were eagerly dewhen the leader counseled caution, for he
away by their appetites, they downward upon the rice, being followed, even by the leader, who was unwilling to desert the flock. In a moment more they were snared. But although covetousness had brought them into trouble, the leader feared a snare; but led all
flew
THE Alf\VAR-I-SUHALI.
305
counseled that a wise unity of action might even yet
them from it. He ordered that they should and doing so, they raised the net and carried it along with them. They were followed by the fowler, who expected to see them soon fall into deliver all fly
together,
his power.
In a wood near by dwelt a
rat, who was a friend him they directed their flight, coming down near his hole. The prisoned birds then besought him to gnaw the strings that held them. The rat replied that "to abandon our own is not the
of Citagriva's, and
to
man
conduct of moralists.
Let a
lieving
preserve
wealth
his
distresses
him
let
and riches weak," said as
preserve
his
let
him
he,
"and my
wealth by his and by both wife himself." " I am but ;
wife,
preserve
teeth are small,
but as long
they remain unbroken will I continue to cut thy
And gnawing
strings."
their bonds
dilligently
and received them
Thus the sage taught the ness leads to
He
for the sake of re-
his
taught
also
and the weak, friend
who
lust, to
is
that
beneficial,
"covetous-
princes that
fraud and
anger, to
the
he severed
away,
as guests.
union,
and
even of
also that
illusion."
the small the humble
stands by us faithfully, in the hour of ad-
more value than the flatterers, who are watching for our prosperity, in order that they may
versity,
is
of
absorb our gain.
THE ANTELOPE AND THE CROW. In the country of Magadha there was a forest, in which an antelope and crow had long dwelt in friendThe antelope was fat, and his flesh was greatly ship.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
206
by a
desired
ing
jackal,
who sought Going
confidence.
his
like a
and alone fi'iendship
servant," and
Then
crow.
she
friendless
and
again,
live
I
will
tree,
be thy
ever
home
his
where dwelt the friendly
the crow inquired of the antelope, "Who And the antelope replied, of thine ? "
comrade
this
''It
am
I
saying this, she slipped into
under the branches of a
is
"
by gain-
it
therefore,
dead creature, but having gained thy
shall
I
him,
saying,
friendship,
pleaded for his
to obtain
to
a Jackal
is
who
is
my "
beloved," said the crow, confidence with too
much
"0 my
chosen friend."
it
is
not right to place thy
But
celerity."
in vain the
faithful bird pleaded with the infatuated antelope, still
eagerly
listened
aggrieved
the
until
the flatteries
to
and
disgusted
the
of
friend
who
jackal,
away
flew
to another part of the wood.
" her
My
beloved antelope," said the jackal one day in
and sweetest
softest
wood
a field of
is
antelope found there he fed
spread
The
captured.
"
isfy
my
wily
strong
a
self,
freely.
the
his loss as
corn,
the
corn
"at one
tones, I
will
rich
of
take thee there."
and
The owner jackal
side
the
The
tender, and going
of the corn perceived
had
anticipated,
net there, wherein
and he
the antelope was
jackal crept softly near, saying to her-
It has befallen as I wished,
appetite on
and soon
his tender flesh."
I shall sat-
As soon
as the
antelope perceived his false friend he was glad, for he anticipated
self that it
by the gnawing of his bonds. examined the net, and congratulating herwas strong, she said, " Oh, my beloved, I
cannot
do
it
deliver
thee,"
The
jackal
deliverance
but to-morrow I will come and and going away a short distance she
to-day,
THE ANWAR-I-SUIIALI. awaited for herself
him
upon
307
to die in order that she
The
his flesh.
might regale
crow, however, in flying over
the wood^ saw the condition of
his imprudent friend, " This," said the antelope and hastened to his side. " is the consequence of rejecting friendly counsel. The
man who
listens not to the
will give joy in the
"Where is
words of affectionate friends,
moment
of distress to his enemies."
" waiting to feed
near by," answered the antelope,
upon my
"I
trust
;
"This
flesh."
escape
"She
the jackal?" inquired the crow.
is
such
I predicted,"
calamities
said
the crow.
no
because I place
the wise are continually in dread of wicked asso-
ciations.
A
pretended friend who
flatters thee
be shunned as a dish of milk with poison at
Contract no friendship with
flatterers
;
at
strange
tunes in
should brim.
its
first
they
at your feet in their anxiety to drink your blood
hum
such
;
fall
they
your ears with soft murmurs,
and, having found an opening, they
will ruin
you with-
out remorse."
The
faithful
crow watched until he saw the farmer
approaching, then he said to the antelope, "Feign to be
dead and remain motionless until thou hearest
me make
a noise, then run swiftly away."
The owner
of
the corn, with
his eyes flooded with
joy, saw the antelope who pretended to be dead, so he took away the snare, and was busily engaged in taking
care of his net,
when the crow
cried out,
lope hearing the signal, bounded
to
and the ante-
his feet
and ran
The disappointed farmer threw struck the deceitful jackal, who and him, after club a thus it is written: "In for bush, a was hidden in away with great
speed.
PERSIAN LITEKATUKB.
208
three years, in three months, in three days, the fruit of
may
great vices
be reaped, even in this world."
THE BRAHMAN AND THE ICHNEUMON. There was a Brahman named Modeva, who lived One alone with his wife and their infant daughter. day the mother went away to perform her ablutions and She therefore left the child in the acts of adoration.
Soon
father's care.
mony
left
bestow rich
and
priest,
It is
upon the
that
if
other would be called in care of
child
his
officiating
obey the
to
away a
Brahman
or
to a
he did not go promptly anhis
place, he
faithful
committed the
ichneumon, which he
had long cherished, and having done
away
the ghosts of
to
was an opportunity that ought not to
Knowing
lost.
a great
customary upon these occasions to
presents this
home
to perform a religious cere-
called the Sraddha, or offerings
his ancestors.
be
mother
after the
Brahman
raja sent for the
call of the raja.
so,
he
terrible serpent crawled into the little
He was
approached the child. the faithful ichneumon,
who
hastened
Soon after he went
home and
attacked, however,
killed
him and
cut
him
by in
pieces; then seeing his master returning the animal ran
to meet him, even while his
mouth and paws were still Seeing him thus,
wet with the blood of the serpent. the
Brahman promptly decided
child,
and
going to fully
in his rage
his
that he had killed the
he slew the ichneumon.
with the mangled body of the snake beside
Then, indeed, he knew that, in his able anger, child.
Then
house he found the babe sleeping peace-
luiste
it.
and unreason-
he had slain the faithful protector of his
Therefore, he
who knows not the
first
principle,
THE anw1r-i-suhali. and the wrath,
and who
cause,
first
tormented
is
form an act
subjection to his
Let not a
like a fool.
Want
hastily.
in
is
209
of circumspection
man is
per-
a great
cause of danger.
THE ELEPHANT AND THE JACKAL. In a forest there lived an elephant in quietness and in peace, but there were hungry jackals around him who thirsted for his blood. They conferred among themselves, and decided to accomplish by stratagem that which they could not hope to effect by force.
Then
phant,
and saluting him
dressed him,
view?"
why
a
wily
"Royal
"Who
old
sir,
me an
thou grant
wilt
the
said
ad-
inter-
"and
elephant,
come hither?" "I am a jackal," he "and my name is Little and Wise. I am
dost thou
replied,
sent into thine august presence
to
be
compelled
by the assembled
in-
Since this vast forest ought
habitants of these woods.
not
ele-
most humbly he thus
thou,"
art
approached the
jackal
to
exist
without
a
king,
it
is
therefore determined to perform the ceremony of wash-
ing thee, and thus installing thee as the sovereign of the forest.
It is said that
in virtue and justice to
be the ruler of the
thee as our king. lest slip
he who
—he who
Now
is
world. I
is
eminent in birth,
perfect in words,
is fit
we salute come quickly,
Therefore,
beseech thee to
the fortunate time for thine inauguration should
away."
So saying he walked hastily away, and
the conceited elephant elated with the hope of royalty,
followed the jackal until he came into a
wherein
his
sink in the
immense weight caused him
mud
at the bottom.
little
to
pool,
slowly
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
310
me
said
he
have fallen
into
the
I
?
cannot
rise
feast
Then
my
indeed, true that
good, then
but
if
"Such
sadly,
the fruit
is
speeches.
deceitful
It
is,
into the
company
of
the
wicked,
indeed."
fall
So saying he resigned himself to his
became the food
of
his
no friendship
tract
to
elephant.
thou enjoyest the company of the
if
fallest
then thou wilt
who were
those
find
thou thyself be happy and virtuous,
wilt
thou
to
your
in
for
deeply that I
so
flesh of the
the elephant
said
confidence
mire
Thereupon the jackal laughed
out of it."
and rushed away with him upon the
loudly
of
"what can be done
"Friend Jackal,"
flatterers.
— not
It
fate,
and soon
safe
is
con-
to
even acquaintance with the a
coal,
which
when hot burneth the hand, and when
cold
black-
deceitful, for
ens
the
hypocrite
resembles
it.
GEMS FROM THE HITOPADESA.
As of
many gems
there are
fables
best of 1.
in this quaint old
volume
which are well worthy of preservation, the
them are here presented "Always avoid flatterers and hypocrites;
their
with honey, while
their
:
covered
tongues claim to be hearts are
fi.lled
with poison, and a desire to suck the
blood of their victim."
"The
3.
science to die
;
learned
and wealth,
man may
as if
his
fix
thoughts
on
he were never to grow old or
but when death seizes him by the locks
he
must practice virtue." 3.
"Knowledge produces mildness
ness of speech a
good
character
;
a
of speech
;
mild-
good character
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI. wealth, and wealth,
if
211
virtuous actions attend
it,
pro-
duces happiness." 4.
"Among
eminent
the
:
possessions,
all
wise call
never can be
it
knowledge
supreme
appears
riches, because
it
has no price, and can at no time
lost,
be destroyed." 5.
places river
"Knowledge acquired by a man of low degree him on a level with the prince, as a small at
attains
last
the
ocean,
and
fortune
his
is
then exalted." 6.
"The
are both
science of arms
and the science
causes of celebrity,
lous in an
old
but
man, and the
the
first
second
of books
in
is
ridicu-
is
all
ages
respectable." 7.
" Learning
many
dissipates
doubts,
things otherwise invisible to be seen, and of every one that
is
poison,
food
is
poison
a numerous family is the indigent, and a young wife is poison ;
poison to to
causes
the eye
not absolutely blind."
"Knowledge forgotten is him who cannot digest it
8.
to
is
an old mate." 9.
"Life, action, property, knowledge, and death,
these five were formed for all." 10.
"The
potter
moulded
clay, so a
11.
"Prosperity
forms
man is
what
he
accomplishes his
pleases
with
own works."
acquired by exertion, and there
is no fruit for him who doth not exert himself; the fawns go not into the mouth of a sleeping lion." "Knowledge is destroyed by associating with 12.
the base, with equals equality
is
gained, and with the
distinguished, distinction." 13.
"Virtues to those who know their value are
PERSIAK LITERATURE.
213
but even these, when they come in the way as rivers of sweet water are of the vicious, are vices excellent, but when they reach the sea are not fit to virtues,
;
be tasted." " He 14.
who
erately, give birth to 15.
hero
;
"In in
son,
restrains his appetite, a dutiful
and good
a prudent
wife,
contracted
who
he
consid-
acts
no misfortune.''
we
perils
and
prove
friend
a
a
fortunes
in
;
battle
man, and
wise
a in
calamity our kinsmen." 16.
"Thus may
sons be described
;
then drink your
the character of treacherous per-
at first they fall
blood
thus
;
"Make
Water, though well
quench, nevertheless,
their stalks
them 19.
"
minds admit are
"
the
fire
that
of
warmed, would
warmed
no long change
lotus are
more
treachery."
broken,
it."
good be interrupted
If the friendship of the
of the
of
and and
no league with an avowed enemy, or
witli a flatterer.
18.
feet,
friends
false
mode
black gnats practice alike eveiy 17.
your
at
the
the
;
when
as
the
filaments within
visibly connected."
Charity,
forbearance,
participation
and pleasures, goodness of heart, and truth
;
in
pains
these are
the sciences of friendship." 30.
" Goodness and truth are discerned by a man's
discourse, but cowardice
and a variable mind are
easily
discerned by his conduct." 31.
"It
whose heart
is is
one thing to hear the words of a friend
pure as water, and another to hear the
words of a base dissembler." 33.
"
A
wise
man
walks slowly and circumspectly.
THE ANWAR-I-SUHALI. and
313
one place, nor having seen another station
lives in
should he desert his former abode."
"
23.
It
easy
is
for
with a great mind
to
men
all
in instructing others, but
it
is
form
display learning
to
the part of one endued
himself by
the rules
of
justice."
" As those
24.
who have caught cold^ take no who have fever, in the so the mind of a woman delights
pleasure in moonshine, or those
heat of
the sun,
not a husband where there 25.
tooth,
""It
and "
26.
is
better to pull
is
great disparity of years."
up by the
roots a loose
a wicked counsellor."
He
is
chased, and he
whom favors have not purman who is not subdued by his
a friend is
a
senses."
''The seed of good advice must be cherished
27.
with extreme care, tle,
if
it
;
it
will
it
"A
28.
wicked
be,
must not be broken ever
so
lit-
not grow."
hundred good
words are
lost
upon
the
a hundred wise words are lost upon a fool
a hundred good precepts are lost upon the obstinate,
and a hundred sciences upon those who never 29.
"A
serpent drinking milk
venom, thus a
fool being
not benefitted.
A
admonished
sensible
reflect."
only increases is
man may
his
provoked, but
be admonished,
but not a fool." 30.
"He who knows
be routed by 31. is
"A
flatterers
great
not his
own weakness must
and enemies."
man becomes
little,
and
his
virtue
diminished by associating with an unprincipled per-
son."
CHAPTER
X.
PERSIAN POETRY.
—
—
SEYEN ERAS THE FIRST PERIOD THE HOMER OF IRAN THE SHAH NAMAH HISTORY OF THE PERSIAN" EPIC FIRDUST INVECTIVE— MUTESHIM THE SHAH's REPENTANCE DEATH OF FIRDUSi THE POEM.
— —
—
— —
iHE
r
—
—
history of Persian poetry
may
be divided into
I
-'-
seven distinct periods of from one to two cen-
turies each.
The
first
period reaches from the beginning of the
tenth century to the close of the eleventh^ and be said to rep"^esent the national poetry in
its
it
may
original
Previous to this time^ there had been fragments
purity.
which had been composed by Bahram Gor, a
of verse,
Sassanian king, and a few other authors, but this early
had perished
literature
at the
hands of the Moslem
The conquerors not only
vaders.
possible, the literature of Iran,
language,
using Arabic in
vitality of the
destroyed,
but even discarded the
all official
Persian tongue,
in-
as far as
documents.
however,
The
was so great
that the patriotic people finally founded another national literature,
To called
under the patronage of the Samanian kings.
this
"The
period
Rudaki, who
belonged,
father of
said to be the author of one
who was
hundred volumes
of verse,
besides his metrical version of the
am
has been
poetry," and
Persian
work which has been
PERSIAN POETRY. discussed
the previous chapter
in
215
under
the Persian
name of Anwar-i-Suhali. To this period also belonged Omar Khayyam, who was a mathematician as well as a His beautiful quatrains are a great improvement
poet.
upon the
ruba'i of
Abu
who was
Sa'Id,
his predecessor
in this peculiar style of verse, and his rhapsodies
upon and wine resemble those of Hafiz. The position of " King of Poets/' which was established by MahmM the Ghaznevide, is still maintained love
at the court
of
Tennyson
long
so
Persia, as
well
the
filled
as
office
in England,
Poet
of
FirdusI was the great literary light of the of Persian poetry,
first
his great epic will always
tion
among
period
Homer of command the first
indeed he was the
and
where
Laureate.
Iran, posi-
the poetical productions of his native land.
THE SHAH NAAIAH. During the reigns
of the
Sassanian and Ashkanian
princes over Persia, extensive researches were
the
collect
most authentic
history of that country.
plished during the called
upon the
^
for
made
a
to
general
This work having been accom-
reign
priests
materials
of
of
Yezdejird, that monarch
the Fire worship to write
out the annals of Persia from the reign of Keiumers
down
to
work
was
the
end of that of Khosru Parviz.
completed, but
this
manuscripts were carried away
and
other
Their valuable
with the spoil of the
That there were historic materials of great antiquity, we have the testimony of Herodotus and Ctesius, and also of the book of Esther— " On that night the king could not sleep and he commanded to bring the books of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king." —Esther ri, 1. Also it is written, "And all the arts of his power and 1
and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, are they not ?" written in the hooks of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia
his might
—Esther
x,
2.
PERSIAN" LITERATURE.
216
conquerors after the great victory of Saad Vekas over Yezdejird.i
with
it,
It
was brought before Omar, and ho sent the spoils to the king of
other portions of
who had several copies made, and distributed them among his friends in different portions of In this way the valuable work was prethe East. Abyssinia,
and
served,
in the course of years
In the ninth century Leith
called
a
reached Khorasan.
Yakub
the Persian king,
^
council
of
the
most
learned
bin
Fire-
worshippers, and with their assistance selected the best
down
to
the final defeat of Yezdejird, and they also added
to
materials for continuing the history of Persia
it
the ancient history by Danishber Dehkan, which in
the meantime had been translated into modern Persian.
Shah
AVhen
Mahmfid Sabuktugin
came
the
to
throne, he conceived the idea of having the history of
Persia versified in such a form that ciated tests
of
by
his
would be appre-
it
poetry-loving people,
and
after
many
the poetic ability of his literary subjects,
finally confided the
works
to the
he
hands of
FIRDUSl.
whose true name was Abul
This celebrated poet,
Kasin,^ was a native of Tus, a city of Khorasan, and
many happy hours banks
of
the
of
course near his home. sionally 1
flooded
his
beautiful
their
A. D. 636.
The name of Firdasi
boyhood were spent on the river
But the banks, 2
that
swept
along
rebellious waters
leaving
ruin
in
its
occatheir
A. D. 837.
him by the Governor o£ Tus, because his garden, which was called Ferdus (Paradiee), was looked after by the father and brother of the poet, and it was in this delightful spot that he began the versification of the great national epic, the Shah Namah. 3
is
said to liave been given
PEKSIAN POETKY.
;J17
path, and the
dream of the young poet's life was the hope that some day he might command the means to build a suitable bridge over this turbulent stream, and
also
to confine
masonry.
banks of
solid
therefore, he received the royal
com-
its
When,
rising waters within
mission to write the long Persian
epic,
he
felt
great public improvement was within his
this
that
reach,
and he gladly undertook the task. After several samples of his poem had been presented to the Shah, the prime minister was ordered to pay the poet a thousand drachms of gold for every thousand couplets which he produced until the work was completed.
A
magnificent
was
residence
erected
Firdusi
for
near the palace of the king, and the best painters of the age were employed to portraits of kings
cover
the walls with
and heroes, with paintings
the
of battles
and sieges, with the most imposing military scenes, and everything that could excite the martial valor and fire
the imagination of the writer.
The only member
of the court with
whom
the poet
was not upon friendly terms was the conceited prime minister, as
much
himself.
who
expected, and generally received, almost
adulation from the
court poets as the king
him
Firdusi refused to render
homage, and not only
so,
this
servile
but finally ignored him to
such an extent that he would not go to his house to receive
the payment of
upon the completion
gold
coin
which became due
of each thousand couplets.
The
only reason he gave for this was that he preferred to receive
the
whole amount
at
once,
and
thereby be
enabled to carry out his favorite project and build a bridge in his native
city.
PERSIAN LITBBATUKE.
218 All of these
part of
the poet combined
and gave
the vizier,
opportunities
envious
other
to
on the
oilensive to
and curses upon the head
himself,
flatteries of
make him
to
the favor of the prime minister
to cultivate
courtiers
by
exhibitions of animosity
little
of
FirdusJ.
At the end
Namah
was
couplets.
of thirty years of
completed,
The
hard work the Shah
consisting
of
sixty
thousand
then revenged himself upon the
vizier
poet by misrepresenting the condition of the treasury
urging upon him the absurdity of
the king, and,
to
paying such an enormous price for a poem, he
induced
him
drachms
of
to
send
silver
the
to
instead
of
poet
sixty
finally
thousand
the gold which he had
promised. FirdusI was coming out of his bath of
silver
when
thp bags
the treasury, and learning the
arrived from
value of their contents he contemptuously gave them
away, the
giving recklessly,
sum was
and without judgment, until
exhausted.
This insult to the Shah was duly reported and exaggerated by the prime minister, and while the
was furious with rage, the poet, the vizier, was elephants.
royal
residence,
trampled to death by
he took advantage of
at the king's feet,
that fact and
suing for pardon, and
was granted upon the condition of his immediate
departure from the
with
to be
monarch
the suggestion of
His apartments, however, being close to the
threw himself this
condemned
at
indignation,
king's favorite
city.
he
Sick at heart,
sought
the
attendant, Avaz,
a faithful friend to the bard.
and burning
apartment
of
the
who had always been To him Firdusi related
PEKSIAN
219
I'OETfiY.
and from him received the fullest sympathy. Here he wrote a bitter poetic invective a.gainst the Shah, and having sealed it up, requested Ayaz to his story,
deliver
him
to
it
after the poet's
to choose the time for doing so
departure,
when some
and
defeat
also
had
rendered the Shah more low-spirited than usual.
INVECTIVE.
" In
Mahmud shall we hope to find One virtue to redeem his miud ? A mind no generous transports fill.
To
truth, to faith, to justice
" Sou
of
In vain
a
chill.
His diadem
slave.
may glow
with
many
a gem.
Exalted high in power and place, Outbursts the meanness of his race.
" Place thou within the spicy
Where the bright phoenix A raven's egg and mark
—
When
nest.
loves it
to
rest
well.
the vile bird has chipped
its
shell.
Though fed with grains from trees that grow Where Salesbel's sweetest waters flow Though airs from Gabriel's wings may rise To fan the cradle where he lies Though long these patient cares endure. '
;
"
It
proves at last a bird impure.
A
viper nurtured in a bed
Where roses all their beauties spread. Though nourished with the drops alone Of waves that spring from Allah's throne, of which are claimed I The sacred well at Mecca, the waters wondrous healing power.
to
have
PEKSIAN LITEEATL'RE.
220
found.
Is still a poisonous reptile
And
with
its
venom
taints the ground.
" This truth our holy prophet sung All things return from whence they sprung. Pass near the merchant's fragrant wares.
Thy robe the scent of amber bears Go where the smith his trade pursues. Thy mantle's folds have dusky hues. " Let not those deeds thy mind amaze A mean and worthless man displays.
An
Ethiop's skin becomes not white.
Thou canst not change the clouds What poet shall attempt to sing The praises of a vicious king ?
of night.
" Hadst thou, degenerate prince, but shown One single virtue as thy own.
Had
My
honor, faith, adorned thy brow.
But thou hadst
And
now
fortunes had not sunk as
built
gloried in
my
thyself a deathless
" Oh Mahmud, though thou
fame.
name.
fear'st
me
not.
Heaven's vengeance will not be forgot. Shrink,
And
tyrant,
from
my
words of
fire.
tremble at a poet's ire."
The indignant and unfortunate bard escaped from Ghizni by night, on foot and alone, for his dared not incur the
ennaity
ing him any assistance.
of
Ayaz
the
friends
king by render-
alone had the gener-
ous courage to brave the Shah's displeasure by aiding the refugee.
He
sent
a
trusty
slave
after
him, who
PERSIAN POETRY.
221
soon overtook him, and giving him the horse and a
sum
of
ney,
besought him
out
of
his
life.
money and the
other in
of
territory
comforts for his jour-
little
name of Ayaz to hasten Shah Mahmud if he valued
the
MUHTESHIM. In the meantime reports of
and of the
animosity
the vizier's
sultan's cow^ardice were spread all over the
country, exciting universal detestation of the king and his minister.
The accounts
of
the poet's misfortunes
and the king's
injustice reached
Muhteshim, the prince
of Kohistan, about the time the fugitive approached his seat of government. of
This prince was the dear friend
Shah Mahmiid, and bound
to
him by
ties of grati-
tude for countless favors, but he hesitated not to show his
genius, and he and distinguished men
respect for
learned invite
him
flattering
to the royal presence.
sent to
a deputation of
meet Firdusi and
In the midst of this
and honorable reception Miihteshim learned
that the offended poet intended to publish
a satirical
work, holding up to the detestation of the world the treachery of
him from
Mahmud, and he endeavored
this act of revenge,
worthy of the greatest
stated in a letter sent
dissuade
literary genius of the age.
him an hundred indignant might destroy them himself.
poet afterward sent that the prince
to
which he considered un-
The
couplets,
Firdusi
with the lines that, although he
dreaded not the anger of Mahmiid, still, out of grateful friendship for the generous Miihteshim, he gave up the cutting rebuke.
"On
The
closing paragraph states that
thy account, most amiable prince, do I now con-
222
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
sent to transfer
my
from
Just revenge
this vain world
to a higher court."
Miihteshim presented Pirdusi with a goodly sum of money and forwarded him on his journey, fearful lest the sultan's rage or the vizier's malice might overtake
and ruin him. This proved to be a wise precaution, for the king
had discovered a sarcastic epigram which FirdusI had written on the wall of the great mosque the night of his departure, and on the next day Ayaz delivered to the furious monarch the insulting letter which the poet had left with him for that purpose, and a large reward was offered for the apprehension of the fugitive. At length, however, the sultan received a long letter from his friend Muhteshim, who related his meeting
with Pirdusi, now, in his old age, a penniless wandafter having devoted the best years of his life in
erer,
the constant exercise of his great talents for the execution of his king's wishes, and gently reproached the
Shah
for allowing himself to be
imposed upon by the
malicious courtiers
evil
advice of
him
of the forgiving spirit the poet
destroying his at
the
own
monarch's
brilliant satire
expense,
and
;
he also
informed
had manifested in
which was composed by
closed the letter
quoting the couplet which Firdusi had
used
in the
letter to himself.
The complaints from to
the royal ears,
reproaches of his a strange
and
own
his subjects also all
of this,
began to come
together with the
conscience, produced in his
mind
combination of grief and rage, of indigna-
tion and regret. lie disgraced the malicious vizier, and fined him sixty thousand drachms of gold, the
PERSIAN POETRY.
223
same amount which he had prevented him from paying to Pirdusi, and deeply regretted his own injustice to the gifted bard
cutting
him by Ayaz,
;
but
of the
satire
still,
letter
he could not forgive the
which had been
brought
which the poet had taunted him with
in
low birth as being one of the causes of his cow-
his
ardice
and meanness.
DEATH OF FIRDUSI. Firdusi was protected by the Arabian government,
and
after
some years returned and
at Tus,
ily
and
but he was
at last he died
in
lived with
old, grieved
home,
his quiet
In the meantime Shah
eighty-three.
fam-
his
and broken down, the age of
at
Mahmud,
hear
ing of his return to Tus, and anxious to render justice,
though
man
tardily, to the
he had wronged, sent
an envoy with sixty thousand drachms of gether with quantities of other costly presents,
But
as
gate
of
brocades,
silks,
Firdusi
to
as
gold,
to-
velvets,
and
a peace
oflferiug.
the royal train of loaded camels entered one the
city
a
mournful procession went out of
another, and followed the dead
poet
to
the
place
of
his burial.
The
Shah's
ambassadors
offered
the
presents
in-
tended for Firdusi to his only daughter, but she possessed
her father's
and haughtily dismissed the gifts with proud disdain.
spirit,
courtiers, rejecting their
The Shah, wishing to make some offering to the memory of the departed poet, ordered the sum which had been intended for him to be expended in erecting a caravansera
and bridge
in
Firdusl's life-long ambition.
Tus,
in
accordance with
These monunients of the
224
LITERATUKE.
PERSIAJSr
poet's
fame and
many
years,
of the king's tardy justice existed for
until
by an invading army of
destroyed
Ousbegs under Obeid Khan.
THE POEM. This
great
favor,
though
scorn,
is
tongue
was
which Persian
that
it
royal
In the Persian
classic.
manuscript form, and
exists only in
it
was written under
author afterward suffered from royal
a valuable
corrupted
extent (a
epic, its
by ignorant
transcribers
to
its
text
such an
the indignation of the sultan
excited
grandson of Timur, who reigned
in
the fifteenth
and he collected a vast number of copies of the work; from these he had a transcript made, which was, perhaps, tolerably correct. century),
But
since
that
time
copies
multiplied and their contents is
have diflfer
been so
greatly
so widely, that
it
only by a careful collation and comparison of man-
hope to arrive
that scholars can
uscripts
executed
and
piece and titles
highly
reasonfinely
ornamental, having the frontis-
beautifully
with gold; the volumes
at a
These manuscripts are
able degree of correctness.
iUuminated and sprinkled
are of ton
profusely illustrated
They cost about one hundred guineas, or about five hundred and But although these manutwenty-five dollars each. by
colored drawings
scripts
of
exquisite
finish.
can only be multiplied at such great expense,
the original work has lived through eight centuries, and is
still
the
most popular epic in the Persian
The author
of
the Shiih
Namah
^
has
to-nguc.
often
been
1 In addition to ttie Sliah Xamah, Firdusi composed a poem of nine tlioueand couplets on the loves of Yusutand Zulaikha, tUat abounds In elegant
PERSIAN POETItY.
Homer
called the
same position
Homer
in
of the
East, Firdusi occLipying the
relation to
has so long
235
other
Persian poets that
Like Homer, he describes a rude age, where muscular strength and animal courage were chiefly valued. The correheld in the West.
too,
spondence
is very striking between the old heroic times which were described by Firdusi and Homer, and the pictures which are sometimes given us of the age of
European
chivalry.
It
carried into Spain the
and
Persia,
is
well
known
that the Moors
poetry and romance of Arabia
and some of our best from that source.
fiction
is
supposed
to be derived
Although Firdusi wrote in the beginning of the century, it was not until the twelfth that the romances of chivalry began to amuse the Western world. The " Orlando Innamorato," a poem by Bayardo, which was afterward improved and paraphrased by Berni, gave life and character to a great number of the stories of chivalry. In a similar way the Shah Namah was largely iadebied to the Bustau-Namah, eleventh
which comprised the chronicles, tions of the Persians, collected
Yezdjird, the
the beautiful of the
king of the Sassanian
last
Ramayana and the
Hindus, the Sliah
tory in rhyme.
It is
and achievements
histories,
of
Kaiflmers^ down to
and
tradi-
under the patronage of race.
Like
martial Maha-bharata
Namah
claims to be a
his-
supposed to comprise the annals the ancient kings of Persia from the
Saracenic
invasion and con-
and spirited diction, but it is inferior to the greater epic, partly in consequence of his adoption of the same metre which he used in the Shah Namah, and which was well adapted to that martial poem, but not at all appropriate for the expression of the gentle strains of a love song. 1 Kaiumers is represented as the grandson of Noah,
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
226
estimated period
an
quest of that empire/
But
than three thousand six hundred years. can lay but
lyric
than
mock
little
Hindu very name the
can the
more claim to historic accuracy epics whose gorgeous colorings The Shah Namah, of history.
the other Oriental poems,
like
more
of
this bold
abounds in adventures
of the wildest description, in fabulous feats of strength
and
valor,
intrepid
and the heroines
and beautiful
of the Persian bard are as
the maidens
as
who conquered
the heroes of Western poetry.
The dragons,
legends of
which
nations are rich with terrible
all
by
vanquished
are
unconquerable
Even England has her St. George, and other countries boast of cavaliers who were equally valiant. The hero of the Shah Namah is Rustem, the knights.
Persian
and
Hercules,
the
similarity between
strong
the myths pertaining to them
another argument in
is
favor of the
common
The
labors
of
Eustem,
while those
of
Hercules were twelve.
Namah,
origin of
however,
Isfendiyar has
his
mythologies. ^
various
were
only
In
seven labors
seven,
the as
Shah
well as
Eustem, and both succeeded in the overthrow of devouring monsters, and the destruction of talismans and
works of enchantment. nied, however,
Isfendiyar
is
always accompa-
by a troop of horsemen, while Eustem
performs his exploits alone, being mounted upon his magnificent horse Eakush. often remind the reader
Hindu "Lord
of
of
This splendid animal
will
the horses of Indra,
the
the Thunderbolt," or Jove with his
"steeds of light,"
" Adorned with manes 1
About
A. D. 636.
2
of
gold,
and heavenly bright."
See Hindu Literature, Cliapters II and
III.
PERSIAN POETET. Indeed, the boldest heroes of
upon
tle
337
people rode to bat-
all
gallant chargers like those of Ehesus,
which were "swift as the wind, and white as winter snow."
The have
splendid picture of
lost
footed
its
Sleipnir,
and Neptune were scarcely the king
ocean without his
of
Northern god would
the
force without the presence of the fleet-
celestial
steeds,
Fed with ambrosial herbage from
' '
And
hand,
his
their fetlocks linked with golden band."
Achilles, too,
drew the reins over
" Xanthus and Balius, of immortal breed. Sprung from the wind, and like the wind
*********
in
speed.
Prom
their high
manes they shake the
dust,
and
bear
The kindling
Buddha and
is
to
represented,
child, riding
which was
chariot through the parted war."
said
upon
to
that
flowed
as
deserting his wife
Kanthaka,
be thirty feet in length, and able
clear the high gates
rivers
too,
his coal-black steed,
of
across
the his
or
palace,
pathway,
the broad
a
at
single
bound.
The is
Persian poem, like the colossal epics of India,
of such
interminable length
modern times would not be
that
willing
to
the readers scan the
pages of endless description and hyperbole. fore give,
We
in simple phrase, the best incidents
heroic legend.
of
many there-
of this
CHAPTEE XL STORY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
— —
—
SUWAR THE SIMUEGH's lifEST THE FATHBE's DEBAM EtJDABEH THB M AEEIAGB EUSTEM THE TUEANIAN" INVASION THE WHITE DEMON'.
SAM
—
TN
—
—
the golden age of Persian chivalry there lived a
Sam
famous warrior by the name of
-*-
vras
—
Suwar.
He
the son of the great chieftain Nariman, and he
was the commander-in-chief of the Persian armies, and not only a valiant hero upon the battlefield, but more
than once he had warred against the
demons, and come
off
of
dient rein, he battles
fire,
made
son
would
heart was
filled
heir born to him,
of
the color
beneath the obein
all
his
later
and knowing that
own power and fame, his with exultation. But when the child
inherit
his
was placed in his arms, rior
war horse
his
it
it
conquered
with the demons.
Suwar had an a
and, bringing
hosts of
allied
He had
Soham, which was
the furious monster
and nature
victorious.
this
dark-haired Persian war-
was appalled, for the babe, otherwise perfect, had
a head of silvery white hair.
" His hair was white
as a goose's
wing.
His cheek was like the rose of spring,
His form was straight as a cypress
But when the
sire
tree.
was brought to see
STORV OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
That child with hair
229
so silvery white,
His heart revolted at the sight."'
The
gentle mother
but the
Zal,
gave
superstitious
the
child
the
that this white-haired child was an evil
house of Suwar. the
into
Surely
family.
"
If
omen
to the
could bring only calamity
demon
race,
or,
not a demon, he, at
Appears a
The
of
must be that in some way the
It
belonged to the
child
it
name
begun to whisper
people
least.
parti- colored beast."
father bore the sneers and reproaches of
the
and then resolved to abandon the the mountain crags to be destroyed by
people for a time,
boy upon
In vain the faithful mother pleaded
beasts of prey.
to be allowed to retain her babe
in vain she promised
;
keep him in seclusion so sacred that the sight of
to
him
her
should never again offend the father's eye;
child was torn from her arms, and carried to a distant
mountain in the depths of the night, and there cruel and superstitious father.
de-
serted by the
THE SIMUEGH'S
An
inaccessible
to be the
home
golden plumage,
clifE
of the
who
N"EST.
of the Alborz
Simurgh,^ a
mountains
mammoth
is
said
bird with
carries elephants to her nest for
her birdlings to feed upon.
wondrous nest
Far beyond the reach
of
hidden amidst the white
man,
this
clifEs,
which are threaded thickly with veins of goldwhile around the base of the structure
en 1
quartz,
Unless otherwise indicated, the poetical quotations in this legend wUl be
from Atkinson's Translation. 2
is
The Anka
of the Arabians.
PERSIAN" LITERATURE.
230
gleam
there
the
topaz and ruby, sunset
have
fires
The
opal.
bird
and
seem
to
left
— the
amethyst,
their
warm
the
glow in the heart of the
golden plumage loves
of
back the
fiash
her
The night was
beauty.
fire
the rocks not far away the
in
for they
cious stones,
of
stones
and
heart
these preof her eye,
fire
with their gleaming
dark, for even the stars were
hidden behind the floating clouds that told of a coming storm, then
"
A
thus addressed
voice not earthly
The Simiirgh in her mountain To thee this mortal I resign.
nest
Protected by the power divine.
Let him thy fostering kindness share,
him with maternal
ISTourish
care
For, from his loins in time will spring
The champion of the world, and bring Honor on earth, and make thy name The heir of everlasting fame." The
bird listened to the
and peering down
voice,
between the mountain crags and rocky a
man
one of the
Her mother-heart
foot-hills.
moment
while she waited a storm,
cliffs,
she saw
with coward heart leaving a tender babe upon
and
then
the
listening
strong
through the darkness, and flight,
she swept nearer
and
babe.
Down
at
she
came
moved
wings
circling
round
nearer last,
beat faster the coming
to
and
to
upward
in
the
the
stately
desolate
little
one
looked up with wondering eyes upon the great mass of
plumage that seemed
him upon and the boy smiled
to have been borne to
the wings of the coming storm,
STOEY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
and reached out
baby hands toward his new-found
his
The tender mother-bird
friend.
carefully
in
his
231
her
fastened
and
dress,
little
talons
away
floated
past
mountain stream and rocky crags, beyond the foothills and the higher peaks, until she reached the wondrous nest hidden amidst the stones of
together,
and
here, in the
ished child was laid,
storm
sweet,
more
closely
newly made space, the ban-
and
was
night
that
A
fire.
familiar note caused the nestlings to cling
shelter
his
the
golden
from the cruel feathers
of
the
Simiirgh.
When lighted
the
sunlight
up the
in
fires
touched
the white
clifEs
and
ruby and opal, the great bird
was awakened by a strange cry beneath her wing, and
human
she remembered the
Then,
tion.
from her
" Wide
the
like
nest,
nestling within her habita-
sacred bird
of Jove,
she rises
and some palace gate displayed.
as appears
So broad the pinions stretched their ample shade.
As stooping dexter with resounding wings. The imperial bird descends in airy rings." ^ Not as a guide Simurgh wheel her
to the
lofty
tent flight,
of
the helpless babe within her walls.
within
her
bill
she
comes
Achilles does the
but to find food for
again
With dainty to
her
bits
mountain
home, and the stranger babe is fed before her own The Simiirgh's nestyoung have broken their fast.
from the mother-bird the lessons of and soon on tender wing they too brought dainties to the banished child, and year after
lings
learned
mercy and
love,
niiad, B.
24.
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
232
year he lived in the Simurgh's home, or played amidst
the rough jewels in the crags around her nest.
THE father's dream. The way
went by with muffled
years
The
had
a
left
cruel
her child had been torn from her arms
in which
by the unnatural father, to sufEer a fate,
bringing no
feet,
to the heart of the bereaved mother.
balm
wound
had no power
later kindness
more
still
cruel
in her heart that her husband's
to heal.
The
father, too,
was ashamed of his own brutality, but too cowardly to confess
his
passed his
upon tain
no
fault,
word
The only
lips.
his head, for the
had grown
as
dark locks of the Persian chiefwhite as
silvery
night
haunted
night
dreams.
One night there
after
troop
of
the
hair
of
the
and troubled
by strange
flashed
gallant youth of martial bearing,
a
ever
remorse was seen
of
His sleep was disturbed, and he was
banished child.
of
repentance had
of
sign
horsemen, with
before
who
his
vision a
rode at the head
banners
•
flying
before
him, and coming into the warrior's presence, he cried " Unfeeling mortal, hast thou from thine eyes
Washed out That
sense of
shame
to have silvery tresses
See thine
And
all
own head
is
is
?
Dost thou believe
a crime
?
covered with white hair,
were not both spontaneous gifts from heaven?"
Suwar awoke with a scream and called the astrolThey declared that the boy was him. still alive, and in the early morning the father went to the lonely mountain, and climbing into its cliSs as his child and prayed far as possible, he bemoaned ogers around
STOBY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
333
His cry went up to the wondrous nest
for his return.
amidst the stones of
fire, and the Simurgh shook her golden plumage as she looked lovingly down upon the
white-haired child that
upon the
cliffs
played with
unpolished gems
beneath her.
Rising from her nest, she nestled down beside him, and while he stroked her feathers, she caressed him with her beak, and said "I have fed and protected thee, but now the Persian warrior has come for his boy, and I must give thee up." The child wept and flung his arms around the soft neck of his foster mother, but the Simiirgh told him it were better so, and taking from her wing one golden plume, she gave it to him with the promise that she would not " Take this," said she, " and when thou desert him. art in danger put the feather upon the fire, and I :
will instantly
Then
the
come to thine aid." Simurgh took the boy
carefully in
her
and in graceful circles she slowly swept down toward the wondering father. "Receive thy son," said "He is worthy of a throne and the wondrous bird. talons
Then
diadem."
the repentant father gladly caught his
his arms, and bore him exultingly homeward, where he placed him in the glad arms of his mother, who wept tears of joy over the whiteThe beautiful plume was laid carefully haired child.
rescued boy in
away
as one
of the
treasures
of
the household, to be
used by the boy only in times of greatest need. When the Persian king Miniichir heard the
he sent to
by the
Suwar
heir
to
a splendid
the
throne,
story,
troop of horsemen,
led
and they conveyed the
PEBSIAH LITEBATUEE.
334
royal congratulations
escorted
them
to the warrior
and
into the royal presence.
and
son,
his
Here
"Zal humbly kissed the earth before the king, And from the hands of MiniTichir received A golden mace and helmet. Then those who knew
The stars and planetary signs were To calculate the stripling's destiny; And all proclaimed him of exalted That he would be prodigious in
told
fortune.
his might.
Outshining every warrior of the age."
The
delighted
king then presented
the boy with
Arabian horses and gorgeous armor, with gold and rich garments, and appointed the father to be the ruler of Kabfll, Zabiil,
and lud.
Zal accompanied his father
upon the return homeward, and then he was placed under the care of renowned instructors at Zabulistan.
KUDABEH. While the Persian youth was reaching the age of manhood, in the delightful pursuits of art and science, he was also occasionally intrusted with the care of the province during the
father's
the provinces which the
Suwar,
had
Mihrab, chieftain
been
who was still
absence.
ruled over
descended
retained
Kabiil, one of
Persian king had assigned to
a
by a chieftain
from
named
Zohak, and this
subordinate position
government by paying an annual tribute
to
in the
Suwar.
Mihrab had a beautiful daughter named Rvidabeh, and although she was kept in the most careful sion,
still
seclu-
the fame of her great loveliness was spread
among the neighboring
princes.
STOET OF THE SHAH J^TAMAH.
235
"If thou wouldst make her charms appear. Think of the sun so bright and clear,
And
brighter far with softer light.
The maiden strikes the dazzled sight. Think of her skin, with what compare
?
Ivory was never half so fair
Her stature like the sabin tree. Her eyes so full of witchery. Glow like the Nigris^ tenderly. Her arching brows their magic fling. Dark as the raven's glossy wing. !
Soft o'er her blooming cheek
spread
is
The rich pomegranate's vivid red Her musky ringlets unconfined In clustering meshes
roll
;
behind.
Possessed of every sportive wile, 'Tis
heaven,
'tis
bliss,
to
see
her smile."
Zal was not insensible to the charms he had heard so vividly described, but
he remembered that Mihrab
was descended from Zohak, the Serpent King,^ and he
knew
that
if
he made
daughter of the 1
The Narcissus,
to
any advances
fatal line
toward the
fair
he should provoke the rage
which the beautiful eyes of Eastern womeu are often
compared. 2 Called the " Serpent King " because he at one time allowed an evil creature to kiss his shoulder, and from the spot two fearful serpents sprang that required human brains for their food. The king used to select the victims
by
and when the blacksmith Kayeh found his name upon the fatal reghe tore the document in pieces, and
lot,
ister
" On his javelin's point He fixed his leathern apron for a banner. And lifting it high he went abroad
To call the people to a task of vengeance." The multitude of rebels joined a foreign foe, and the hated Zohak was destroyed, and then the leathern banner was splendidly adorned with gold and jewels, and it is said that this legend gave rise to the blacksmith's apron as the royal ensign of Persia.
PEKSIAN LITERATURE.
236
and also of the Persian monarch Minu-
of his father, chir.
Mihrab had occasion
to
communicate with
Zal,
and
on his return homeward his wife, Sindokht, inquired after the white-haired youth,
and
asking what he was like
and what account he gave his stay with the Simurgh. Mihrab described his host in the warmest terms form
in
feature,
admiration, telling of his valor,
and
manly
his
beauty,
his
his
only
of
of
accomplishments, defect
being
the
strange crown of silvery hair.
The
beautiful
princess was
dark eyes fixed
upon her
every word
of
his
toward
stranger.
the
apartments, she
eulogy,
When
confided
present,
and, with her she drank in
father's face,
to
and
her
warmed
heart
she
retired
her
maid the
to
her
own
fact
that
she was deeply impressed with the description she had
and a few days
heard,
later
she declared to the at-
tendant that she was deeply in love with the stranger,
and besought the maid's
The
assistance.
servant was startled and frightened by this con-
and remonstrated with her beautiful mistress upon the absurdity of her position: fession,
"What, All
hast thou lost
all
value for thy honored
That thou in
sense of shame.
name
I
loveliness supreme,
Of every tongue the constant theme. Should choose, and on another's word.
The nursling
A
of a
mountain bird
!
being never seen before.
Which human mother never bore
!
STORY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
And
A
337
can the hoary locks of age
youthful heart like thine engage
?
But her remonstrance was in vain, the willful Perbeauty had set her heart upon a man whom she had never seen/ and she quietly answered:
sian
"My
attachment
And when
my
is fixed,
election
hearts are enchained
Neither Kizar nor Paghfur
I
'tis
made.
is
vain to upbraid.
wish to behold.
Nor
the monarch of Persia with jewels and gold;
All,
all
I despise, save the choice of
And from
When was
so
his beloved
the
image
attendants
learned
deeply in earnest
her
feelings
way
in
enough
far
they aid
to
my
heart,
I never can part."
the
that loyally
princess
entered
into
her in every possible
bringing about a meeting with
man
the
she
loved. It
and
was springtime in the beautiful the earth was
rich
with
many
vales
of
colored
Persia, flowers,
appears to have been not unusual amongst the secluded women of the East to fall deeply in love with men of whom they knew very little. .Josephus claims that the king's daughter betrayed the city of Sava In Ethiopia into the hands of Moses, having fallen in love with his valor and bravery as she saw him from the walls of the city gallantly leading the Egyptian host. Dido was won merely by the fame of ^neas, and Kotzebue has pictured Elvira as enamored of the glory of Pizarro; but when at last she discovered the savage and merciless disposition of the conqueror, she taunted him with being a fraud. The lovely Desdemona affords another 1
It
instance:
0th.
— " Her father loved me
oft invited me the story of my life.
******
Still
questioned
" I ran
it
me
;
through, even from my boyish days. I spoke of most disastrous chances.
Wherein
" She loved me for the dangers I had passed. And I loved her that she did pity them." {Othello, Act.
I,
3c. 3)
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
238
while the breath of hyacinths and floated
upon the
The
air.
lilies
the valley
of
glittering pheasant
moved
through the undergrowth, and the bulbul sang his love song in the lofty trees. A party of maidens strayed near the tent of Zal in their earnest quest for the
most beautiful
found in that sunny
Already their baskets were
vale.
laden with fragrance, but
to invade
He
territory.
his
they lingered, until the
still
prince asked his attendants
be
roses to
why
these girls presumed
was told that the dam-
were sent by the beautiful princess of Kabiilistan
sels
from the palace
Mihrab
of
to
gather roses
for
her
boudoir.
His eyes brightened, and calling a servant
to bear his
bow and
arrows, he rose carelessly and started
winding
for a ramble along the
He was
river.
not far
from the maidens, when he sent an arrow through a beautiful
bird
their very feet,
When skillful
that
and
The
above them.
sailing
his servant
bird
fell
was sent to bring
at it.
he approached them they inquired who this
He
archer was.
this
is
Zal,
The maidens then
the greatest told
"
answered,
him
Know
warrior ever
you not
known."
that they belonged to a
beautiful princess, the star in the palace at Mihrab, and
cautiously inquired why, as these
young people were
of
equal rank, a marriage might not be arranged between
The
them.
and Rudabeh. master,
"
servant
was
sent
reported
the
back with
question
royal
to
his
presents
for
—
They who to gather roses came went back With precious gems and honorary robes.
And two
bright finger-rings were secretly
Sent to the princess,"
STOKY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
The maids returned full of peril,
an
even
and
exultant, but
still
between the
however, a beautiful
summer
the way was
seemed
political difficulties
interview
239
lovers.
to forbid
There
was,
seldom visited in
retreat
the absence of the Persian king, which was luxuriously
furnished and adorned with paintings of Persia's most illustrious
two
chieftains.
stood
It
midway between the
and
to this resort the princess and her maids retired while on a pleasure excursion, and Zal was duly invited by the attendants to visit them as territories,
soon as the stars came out.
The shadows
evening had fallen upon the rose
of
gardens, and the air was heavy with their fragrance,
when
the young warrior cautiously approached the bal-
cony from which he heard a sweet voice singing. the low
a manly voice
musical tones of
upon the breeze "
How
Soon
were borne
he softly chanted
as
often have I hoped that heaven
Would in some secret place display Thy charms to me, and thou hast given My heart the wish of many a day. "
And
soon the singer stood by the
They passed hand
in
bers,
where the porphyry
work
of gold
halls
in
woman
he sought.
hand within the gorgeous cham-
the
pillars
roof,
and
upheld the rich the vast
fret-
illuminated
were silent and bright, save the gentle music of
the waters fountain.
that
The
were royal
rippling
from
many
a jasper
abode was glowing with
softly
colored lights, which reflected the rare beauty of paint-
ing
and
statuary,
art"
had
done,
but Zal could scarcely
for
his
eyes
and
see
thoughts
what were
PEKSIAN LITERATURE.
240 with
absorbed
Long " It
How
he hears
of this
waking dream
still
I
am
may love.
me
of rapture
!
will
for
But
" Thou hast won
sue in vain
"
How
?
reproach
this
high heaven
I call
my
Then
;
Zal,
thou art alone
sacred
vows,
And Kud-
my heart, and kings my warrior and my
with fond adieus,
from the balcony and hastened
of
when
King Mindream ?
thine, affianced thine, forever. "
abeh answered,
each
and exclaimed
rose
whoever may oppose
to witness that
love.
of
father rave with anger
adventure
indignantly
uchir
his
be forgetful of the path
my
will
of
admiration
in
warrior
becomes uB not to
prudence.
this
rapt
At length the
other.
radiance
witching
the
remained
they
softly
descended
to his tent.
The loyal son wrote a letter to his father, frankly telling him the stoi-y of his love, and asking his sympathy and co-operation. To his great joy, these were promptly accorded, and he wrote an exultant letter to the princess,
informing her of the the
fact.
But the
girl
was detected by
queen in carrying messages and presents to the
and the queen approached her daughter, who it was thus communicated to Mihrab, whose rage knew no bounds. The infuriated princess,
frankly told the story, and
king drew his sword, daughter's
room and
and would have rushed her upon the spot,
slain
to his if
his
wife had not thrown herself at his feet and pleaded that
time at least might be given her.
The daughter was then summoned to her father's but she disdained to come as a culprit or
presence,
a suppliant,
therefore
royal presence,
her betrothed.
she
and proudly She
retired
fearlessly
told
from
him
appeared of the
in
the
valor of
his presence without
STORY OF THE SHAH KAMAH.
241
harm, but when Minuohir, king of Persia, was apprised of the loves of Zal and Kudabeh, another storm broke over the heads of the royal lovers, for he anticipated only the ruin
his
of
kingdom
so valiant
if
member
a warrior as Zal joined his fortunes with a of the house of the Serpent King.
When Suwar
returned, however, from his successful
expedition against the demons, he ingeniously pleaded his son's cause before the king
"I am thy servant, and Have seen my prowess. Wielding
my
twice sixty years
Mounted on my
steed.
battle-ax, overthrowing heroes,
Who
equals Suwar the warrior ? I destroyed The mighty monster^ whose devouring jaws
Unpeopled half the land, and spread dismay Prom town to town. The world was full of horror
No
air, no beast of prey from the stream he dtew the eagle from the sky.
bird was seen in
In plain or forest
:
The crocodile Armed for the strife, I saw him towering rise Huge as a mountain, with his hideous hair :
Dragging upon the ground Shut up the path Forward I sprang, and ;
A
:
his long black
tongue
his eyes two lakes of blood.
in a
moment
drove
diamond-pointed arrow through his tongue,
Fixing him to the ground.
Another went
Down his deep throat, and dreadfully he ivrithed And deluged all around with blood and poison. There lay the monster dead, and soon the world Regained its peace and comfort. Now I'm old, 1 This picture is highly suggestive of the Demon King of Ceylon, so prominent in Hindu mythology, especially in the Ramayana.
who
is
PERSIAN" LITERATURE.
343
my youth is past and gone. And it becomes me to resign my station To Zal, my gallant son." The
vigor of
But while approving
cordially
the work already
of
he gave the warrior a new commission, which
done,
was no
less
than the destruction of Kabiil by
and
fire
sword, especially the house of Milirab, and declared that the ruler of the serpent-race and
were to be put to death.
all
of his adherents
In vain the horror-stricken
warrior pleaded the cause of mercy, the king's vindictive intentions
were well known, and the greatest con-
sternation reigned at Kabul, especially in the family of
Mihrab.
Mihrab himself a
tyrant,
and consequently a coward,
could see no way of avoiding the king's wrath except
by putting
At
last
to
letter
and daughter to death.
his wife
in his
Suwar
desperation,
the king, and
sent
it
sent
an earnest
by the hand of
Zal,
who thus obtained permission to plead his own cause. The king finally consulted the astrologers, who informed him that the marriage was most propitious, and
from
strength
it
and
would valor
born
be
— the
a
hero
champion
of
of
matchless
Persia.
So
at
last
the faithful lover
bore back to Riidabeh the joy-
ous
tidings
greatest
after
which
that it
the
obstacle
was removed,
was an easy matter to pacify Mihrab,
and the approbation of
all parties
was
finally secured.
THE MARRIAGE. The marriage was retreat of
celebrated at the beautiful royal
where the lovers
first
unequaled magnificence.
met, and it was a scene There were splendid horses
STORY OF THE SHAH NAMAH. with gold and
silver housings,
243
and multitudes
of richly
attired damsels bearing golden trays of jewels
and perThere were camels laden with the richest brocades and velvets of the East there were Indian swords fumes.
;
and elephants
there were bowers of roses and orange
;
and garlands
blossoms,
of fragrant
and finally Having consented
lilies,
there was a golden crown and throne. to the union, the Persian king taxed
utmost to make
the
the grandest
it
the treasury to
wedding in the
land.
After several days had been devoted to the the newly
ties,
and
roses
the
married pair
fruits
of
their
white crown of a
river that flowed
settled
vine-wreathed home.
distant
festivi-
down amid the
mountain down
From to
by their garden temples, the very
the air
seemed tinted with a golden haze, while every breeze was laden with rich perfume.
The time chieftain
passed blithely and rapidly to the young
and
his beautiful wife
;
but one night there
was darkness in the garden temples, and gloom in the thickets of roses where the night-bird trilled his sorrowful song to the drooj)ing flowers. There was dark-
upon the inner room, for the shadow of death was falling upon court and hall the fair young wife lay in terrible peril, from which there seemed to be no ness
—
The
rescue.
joining room,
court physicians held council in the ad-
agonized husband bent over
while the
his suffering wife.
At and,
was
he bethought him of the Simiirgh's plume, hastily unlocking the casket, the golden feather last
laid
upon the
fire.
waited and listened,
His heart stood
and
lo,
there
still
while he
came the rushing
PERSIAN' LITERATUKE.
244
sound of a tempest,
as the
wing
of the
Simurgh gleamed
through the darkness, and she stood beside her foster Zal's eyes lighted up with hope and gladness child. as
he threw his arms around her
soft
leaned upon the gorgeous plumage.
golden neck, and Then she bent
her head caressingly toward his face and whispered a few directions into his ear. Immediately her command
was obeyed and the court physicians were interrupted in their solemn conclave, for the cry of a newly-born
and the young wife
babe was wafted to
their
ears,
was shedding happy
tears
in the
arms
of her
joyous
husband.
EUSTEM.
The boy who was born
that night was a herculean
As
he became the champion of Persia. ^
babe, and
the years went by his marvelous strength became the
wonder
the nation,
of
and the
especial
pride of
his
father and the old chieftain. Suwar.
" In beauty
No
of
form and vigor
mortal was ever equal to him."
Before Eustem reached the age of of Persia of
of limb.
died,
and the kingdom
The Tartar
weaker princes.
manhood the king
fell
into the hands
chieftain,
Afrasiyab,
1 Firdusi thought proper to bestow upon his hero a gigantic stature and marvelous physical powers, but other classic writers have done the same. It will be remembered that Hercules had but completed his eighth month before he strangled the serpents that Juuo sent to devour him, and Homer says of Otus and Ephialtes " The wondrous youths had scarce nine winters told, When high in air, tremendous to behold, Nine ells aloft they reared their towering heads. :
And
full nine cubits
broad their shoulders spread.
Proud of their strength and more than mortal The gods they challenge and affect the skies."
size.
Odyssey XT.
310.
STORY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
245
improved the opportunity which he long had sought, of making an invasion upon the rich provinces of Persia, and collecting an immense army he marched to the front,
under the pretext of avenging old wrongs.
" Afrasiyab
And And
a
mighty army
desert wild, filled
With consternation and
The Persian was
chief
people
raised.
passing plain and river, mountain high. all
the Persian realm
universal dread."
hosts were in confusion, for the Tartar
continually
threatening
the border.
The
looked to Zal as their natural preserver, but
Zal decided to place his boy at the head of the army,
although very young,
for
Eustem had been
carefully
trained in warlike exercises, and the long line of warrior
whence he came,
blood from
thrilled
his
veins
with martial valor. All the horses of the imperial stables were brought forth,
that
commander might take from bear him through the campaign. But
the young
them a steed to Rustem was not content to choose from these, for his eye fell upon a wild horse of wondrous strength and beauty which was the offspring of a demon. fearful struggle the magnificent animal
and placed beneath saddle and
rein,
After a
was conquered,
when the young
warrior rode into the conflict.
THE
TiJRAliriAlSr IISrVASIOK.
Mihrab, the ruler of Kabul, was the leader of one
wing of the Persian army, and Gustahem of the other, while Rustem led the front, and the glorious banner of
Kavah' was
flung 1
to
the
breeze.
The blacksmith's apron.
The Turanian
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
246
king rode in black armor at the head of his dark legions, while his ablest generals led the wings and proarmy.
tected the rear of his vast
There was one as
heaven and earth had
if
The
seemed
it
closed in deadly conflict.
trump-
clattering of hoofs, the shrill roar of the
and
ets
onslaught in which
terrific
the rattle
with the hastened
cries of
mingled
were
dying men, while the glittering spear
the
to
believed that
drums
brazen
of
and
deadly work,
the
the Tartar king
crown of Persia was just
imperial
within his reach.
When the tide of battle ebbed for a moment, Rustem shouted to his father that he intended to engage the hostile monarch in single combat, but Zal endeavored to dissuade him from so hopeless a task. "
My
son, be wise
Black
is
and
peril not thyself;
and
his banner,
He
wears an iron helm
cuirass
his
His limbs are cased in iron
—on
— and
black
his head
high before him
Floats the black ensign; equal in his might
To ten strong men. Then beware of him. Rustem replied Be not alarmed .
.
:
My He foe,
my
bravely urged
my
his
dagger, are
At
last,
my
castle.^"
horse toward the
splendid in
me
for
'
arm,
and the warriors closed
struggle. belt
heart,
.
a long and doubtful
however, Rustem caught him by the
and dragged him from
his horse.
He
intended to
drive his captive thus to the Persian king, but the belt
gave way and the Tartar
was
quickly borne
off
fell
by his
upon the ground, and
own
warriors,
but not
STORY OF THE SHAH NAMAH.
247
before Eustern had snatched off the monarch's crown, which he carried away as a trophy with the broken girdle.
The shook
now became
fight
with
general again, and the earth
trampling of the
the
drums
steeds; the
clamors from the troops echoed
rattled; loud
around,
and by the mailed hands of contending warriors many a life was sacrificed. With his huge mace, cow-headed,
Eustem
flooded the ground
with the crimson blood of
and wherever seen he was impatiently urging
his foes,
forward his withered
horse.
fiery
in
leaves
Severed heads
dreadful day,
his
with sword and dagger, battle-ax
and
making and their
brave, slaying and fled in
the
that
cut and tore,
he
like
On
sword, horseman and steed falling
noose,!
fell
autumn when he brandished
dismay,
and
together.
broke and bound the
captive.
The Tartar hordes
black banner trailed upon
the earth until captured by the Persian troops.
Day their
day the conquered legions pursued their
after
noiseless
foes
burdened
which with
back to the
neither
for
retreat,
way they
drum nor trumpet told The Persian host,
took.
a multitude
of
prisoners,
fell
slowly
where Eustem was received with
capital,
Soon there came joy. from Turan a messenger bearing proposals of peace. To this the Persian king replied that the war had not the wildest demonstrations of
been of
his
tures of peace
but
seeking,
upon
he would accept the over-
condition that Afrasiyfib take his
solemn oath never to cross the boundary
by
the
river
Jihun,
or
disturb the
line
formed
Persian throne
1 Herodotus speaks of a people confederated with the army of Xerxes who- employed the noose.
PERSIAN LITEBATUEE.
248
Peace was accordingly concluded, and the high-
again.
Eusest honors were conferred upon Eustem and Zal. tem was appointed captain general of the armies, under the title of the "champion of the world.'' He was also given a golden crown, and the privilege was granted him of giving audience while seated upon a golden throne.
THE -WHITE DEMON. After
many
new
years a
Kai-kaus,^ ascended
king,
Lacking the wisdom of
the Persian throne.
his father,
he sought the fascinations of the wine cup, and while
under
this
he astonished
influence
people by his intense day, .when he was age,
a
half-crazed with
demon, disguised
him and sang
and
self-admiration
as
mortified his
and
pride.
One
his favorite bever-
musician, waited upon
a
a song extolling the beauties
of
Mazin-
deran
" And thus he Mazinderan native
j\Iy
wai'bled to the king,
is
the bower of spring,
home
;
the balmy air
Diffuses health and fragrance there.
So tempered
Nor
the genial glow
is
heat, nor cold,
we
know;
ever
Tulips and hyacinths abound
On
every lawn; and
Blooms
like a
all
garden in
around its
prime,
Fostered by that delicious clime.
The bulbul
And 1
sits
on every spray.
pours his soft melodious lay;
Kai-kaus, the second Persian king belonging to the dynasty of Kain-
anides.
STOKY OF THE SHAII NAMAlI.
Each Each
rural spot
streamlet
And mark me,
the dew of roses.
that uutraveled
Who
never saw Mazinderan
And
all
the charms
Has never
No
sweets discloses,
its is
24:9
man
powers possess.
its
tasted happiness."
sooner had the
king
heard the minstrel's
lay-
concerning the unknown land than he began to foster the desire for conquest, and he declared to his warriors that the glory of his reign
most
should
illustrious predecessors.
tious, protested against
their
The
exceed that of his warriors,
more cau-
monorch's insane idea of
making war upon the demons, and Zal was chosen as the most influential of their number to bear their protests to the king. But the conceited king announced that he was superior in might and influence to any of his predecessors
— that
he
had
army, and a fuller treasury haughtily announced that
a bolder heart, a larger
than any of
them.
Kustem, that they might stay
at
home and
care for the
kingdom, while he himself conducted the campaign
The keys
person.
of the treasury
ber were left in the hands to act
great
the
conceited
king,
in
and the jewel cham-
of Milad, with instructions
Then
under the advice of Zal and Kustem.
army was put
He
he needed neither Zal nor
in motion, while
with his
magnificent
the
head rode
at its
retinue
of
richly caparisoned horses and camels.
When
the
columns came near to
J!ilazinderan,
the
king ordered his favorite general, Giw, to select two thousand of his bravest men, the boldest wielders of the battle-ax, and proceed rapidly toward the
accordance with the king's
command,
this
city.
In
was a vandal
PEBSIAN LIXEKATUKE.
250
marked by fire, sword, and the pitiless murder women and children. While the terrible work of slaughter and destruction was going on under the hands of his chosen men, maroli,
even of
the Persian king was encamped in splendid state on a plain near the city, indulging in the wildest dreams of
complete victory, and intending to follow his advance
guard with the main body of his army the next day.
But when the insulted king ruthless invasion of his
White Demon
'
hailstones
morning tered,
the
fell
light
upon the
many
while
conceited
king
the
of
night the dark
panic-stricken
his
army.
The
and
scat-
dismayed
troops
them were
with
this
Persian host, and pitiless
over the
found
Mazinderan saw
realm, he called the
and that
his aid,
to
storm-clouds rolled
of
beautiful
killed
leading
outright,
warriors
and were
smitten with blindness.
There were selected from the demon army twelve thousand chosen warriors to hold in custody the Iranian captives, which
were easily taken, together with
the treasures and horses of
demon
the
leaders,
Arzang, one of
Kai-kaus.
having
taken possession
of
the
wealth, the crown, and jewels of the audacious invaders,
escorted the captive king and his troops to Mazin-
deran, where they were placed .
in
the custody of the
guards.
The
blind
king,
however, succeeded in sending in-
formation concerning his condition 1
In the Shah Namah, where so
toric fact,
we
find, as in
Hindu
much
to
Zal,
and that
founded upon so little hisan active race of demons. These shape, with horns, long ears, and
fiction Is
literature,
are generally defined as being in human sometimes with tails, like the monkeys in the Ramayana. Again, they assume the characteristics of the Eakshasas iu Hindu mythology, and appear as enchanters, sorcerers, etc.— Compare Hindu Literature, pp. 189-232.) (
STORY OF THE SHAH-NAMAH. warrior, though imbecile, was
and turning
to
conduct of the royal
furious over the
still
enough
loyal
Eustem, he
to
said,
unsheathed since Kai-kaus
attempt his rescue,
"The sword must
bound
is
351
be
a captive in the
dragon's den. Rakush must be saddled for the field, and thou must bear the weight of this campaign." Eustem replied that it was a long journey to Mazinderan, and the king was six months upon the road.
But Zal being
replied that there were two roads, one of
very
short,
but
filled
with
them
dangers, lions and
demons haunting the pathway. Still, if he could overcome these foes, he might reach the capital city of demon-land in seven days.
The
gallant warrior promptly chose the shorter road,
saying:
"It
is
not wise, they say.
With willing feet to track the way To hell: Though only men who've lost All love of
life
Would rush
And
die,
I gird
my
loins whate'er
richly caparisoned Eakush,
tiful
mother in
mounting
his
known dangers
his
may
be.
wait for victory."
then donned his armor and
ing for his master.
lair.
poor reckless victims there
And work and He
by misery crossed.
into the tiger's
who
The young
walked toward the
stood impatiently wait-
warrior took his beau-
arms and kissed her tenderly, then
gallant steed
he rode away into the un-
of his perilous campaign.
CHAPTER
XII.
THE HEPT-KHAN, OR SEVEN LABORS OF RUSTEM.
—
A LION SLAIN BY RAKUSH ESCAPE FROM THE DESERT THE DRAGON SLAIN THE ENCHANTRESS CAPTURE OF AULAD VICTORY OVER DEMONS SEVENTH LABOR, THE WHITE DEMON SLAIN THE MARRIAGE OF RUSTEM SOHRAB.
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
TTTITH '
company, the upon his perilous atrescue the infatuated monarch from the foe only
young
'
tempt
to
his
faithful
chieftain
whose hands he was
in
set
so
horse for
out
justly sufEering.
erous steed pushed rapidly forward,
The gen-
making two
days'
journey in one, and after a time they entered a gloomy forest,
which
pressed with
was
chase, and at which was quickly
the
A
filled
with
hunger, Rustem last
herds
of
gor.'
Op-
saw not the dangers of
captured
one
of the animals,
slain.
was built, and a portion of the meat was upon the point of his spear, while Rakush His hunger appeased, the grazed near his master. young warrior lay down upon the wild herbage with his faithful sword under his head, and fell asleep. The fire
roasted
odor of
the gor's flesh
and a pair
had attracted another enemy,
of fiery eyeballs
moved
The gor is
stealthily
the onager, or wild ass of the Bast, a very dangerous foe to encounter. Its flesh when the hunter is driven to extremity. 1
252
and is
around the
in Its native wilds is
often used
for food
HUFX-KHAN, OK SEVEN LABORS OF RUSTEM. dying he
The watchful
fire.
stepped a
horse scented the
little closer to his
253
and Here
foe
unconscious master.
waited
for the attack, and soon a huge lion bounded from the underbrush, and would have struck the sleeping man, but he was received with a terrific and well- aimed kick that sent the astonished assailant back into the bushes from whence he came, and before he had time to recover from his amazement the furious horse was upon him, and was still stamping, in his rage, the now lifeless carcass when Eustem awoke.
"Ah To
Rakush,' fight
For had
why
so thoughtless grown.
a lion thus alone it
?
been thy fate to bleed.
And
not thy foe.
How
could thy master have conveyed
Oh
gallant steed
His helm, and battle-ax, and blade
!
?
Then Eustem again composed
himself to sleep, and morning light tinted the distant mountain peaks with rose and amber, then rising, he rested
the
until
saddled his faithful horse,
and pursued
his
perilous
journey. was evidently the custom, even among the Greeks
also, to haranp^ue repeatedly puts these speeches into the mouths of his heroes. Hector addresses his horses in the Eighth Book; " Be fleet, be fearless, this important day, And all your master's well-spent care repay. Now swift pursue, now thunder uncontroU'd, Give me to seize rich Nestor's shield of gold." And in the Nineteenth Book, Achilles reproaches his horses with the death of Patrocles, when " The generous Xanthus as the words he said Seemed sensible of woe and drooped his head; Trembling he stood before the golden wain, And bowed to dust the honors of his mane," before he makes a spirited reply foretelling his master's death. lit
their horses, for
Homer
PEKSIAN LITEKATUEE.
254
ESCAPE FROM THE DESERT.
The morning honrs passed quickly to both man and horse, but when the noontide sun poured its heat upon the heads of the travelers it found them in a where the burning sand seemed to possess the fire. Horse and rider were tortured with
desert,
elements of
At last, unable to endure Rustem alighted and vainly wandered around in search of relief until his eye fell upon a desolate sheep, which he followed, and came to a fountain of the most maddening thirst. longer,
it
He
water.
he
again
hunger.
afterward killed a gor, roasted
By
the savory
flesh
and lighting a and satisfied
fire
his
time the shades of night were com-
this
ing on, and he gladly sought for a resting place in the desert, while Rakush fed ui3Gn the stunted herb-
him.
around
age
Before
lying down,
however,
he
gave his horse a parting injunction
" Beware, my steed, of future strife. Again thou must not risk thy life But should an enemy appear. Ring loud thy warning in my ear. "
THE DRAGON" SLAIN.
The to
startled.
length of
bright constellations in the tropical sky pointed
the hour of midnight,
A
colossal
moved
when the horse was again
dragon-serpent
slowly toward them.
eighty It
yards
in
was the terror
the desert, and neither elephant,
dared to venture near
its lair.
to his unconscious master
lion, nor demon Rakush stepped nearer
and neighed loudly, but the
noise so startled the dragon that
and
when Rustem awoke
looked around he could see nothing,
and lying
HBFT-KHAN, OK SEVEN LABORS OF
down he went
to
The darkness became
sleep again.
thicker and more impenetrable,
watchful
but in
its
midst the
horse again saw the gleaming
of
the
snaky
who
rose
up
and again he roused
eyes,
alarm
but
around
in
tried
vain
Then
him.
master,
his to
Why
annoyed
thus again disturb
When
sleep
I told
thee
had if
the
penetrate
by
my
in
darkness apparently
these
needless alarms, he spoke sharply to
"
255
EUSTEJI.
Rakush
rest.
softly soothed
my
breast
?
thou chanced to see
Another dangerous enemy To sound the alarm but not to keep Depriving me of needful sleep." ;
Rustem again watcher
stood
grieved
and
went
to
while
sleep,
undaunted by his wounded by unjust
side,
the
tireless
even
though
The
reproaches.
dragon appeared, and the faithful horse tore up the earth
with his feet in trying to
Rustem again awoke, and sprang but in that eyes
of the
moment he caught foe,
a
arouse
his
master.
angrily to his feet,
gleam of the snaky
then quickly he drew his sword and
huge monster. Dreadful was Rustem but when Rakush saw that the contest was doubtful, with his keen teeth he furiously bit and tore away the dragon's scaly hide, when quick as thought the champion severed the ghastly head, and deluged all the plain with closed in strife with the
the shock, and perilous to
;
horrid blood.
THE ENCHANTEESS.
When Rustem lay
again resumed the saddle,
through a land of enchantment.
his
way
The feathered
PERSIAN LITEKATUEE.
256
palm
whispered to
along his way
trees
the listening
and the softly breathing pipal boughs told to Citrons and the south wind the story of their lives. rose-apples lay in rich profusion upon the ground, and gods,
the broad bananas flaunted their
ripening
the
A
fruit.
crystal
silken
stream
between verdant banks of luxurious bulbuls chanted in the depths of the in this beautiful wilderness
around
flags
flowed
along
and the
foliage,
And
wood.
lo,
was a daintily spread table
awaiting the hungry traveler, where the richest tropical fruits
were
an
lay beside a roast of venison,
filled
and the cups
with purple wine, while the sweet voice of
invisible
was borne upon his
singer
ear.
As he
and approached the table, the voice of the came nearer, and soon there stood revealed
alighted singer
upon the other
side
of
the tempting table,
a
woman
of peerless beauty.
Her
complexion was
like
shell-tinted
ivory,
and
ner dark, love-lighted eyes were curtained with long,
Her cheeks were
sweeping lashes.
color, like the pearly tints of tiful
figure
tinted
with rose
morning, and her beau-
was scarcely concealed by the misty Ori-
Rustem gazed upon her rich while she came nearer, and nearer singing as she came, and holding out her little hands to him. At last she stood almost ental robes that she wore.
beauty in a dazed and helpless way,
—
within
his arms,
towards
his,
she
and turning her beautiful
with the warrior for a place in his heart.
— one
perilous
face
up
chanted a low love song, pleading
moment
— he
wavered, and
A
moment
nearly be-
came her victim, but his conscience and his mancame to his rescue. "Away," he cried, "thou
liness
HEFT-KHAN", OR SEVElir LABORS OF Rl'STEM.
357
beautiful sorceress," and as he drew his sword the
ure vanished,
was
heard
with
its
and the low, mocking laugh
in
the
viands and
the beautiful enchantress
again
— and
poisoned
fig-
a fiend
Gone the dainty
distance.
tempting
of
wine
table
—gone
the brave warrior was
the victor.
CAPTURE OF AULAD. Then, proceeding on his way, he approached a gion destitute of light, a void of utter darkness.
moon nor
ther
star
through
shone
choice of path remained.
the
gloom
re-
Nei;
no
Therefore throwing loose the
rein, he gave Rakush liberty to travel on unguided. At length the darkness was dispersed, the earth became a scene of light, and the soil was covered with waving grain. There Rustem paused, and dismounting from his steed, he laid himself down and slept,
with his shield beneath his head and his sword before him.
While he slept his faithful horse grazed upon the growing corn, and the keeper of the grounds came
and saw, and, hastening away, told his master, Aulad, that a black demon and his horse were destroying the growing grain. Then Aulad hastily gathered his troops to take the warrior prisoner, but their leader was killed by Rustem, and great numbers of his men were Aulad himself was scattered lifeless over the plain. taken prisoner, for the warrior needed a guide, and thus he spoke to his captive
:
" If thou wilt speak the truth, and faithfully point
out to rior
me
chiefs,
the caves of the White
where
Kai-kaus
is
Demon and
prisoned,
his war-
thy reward
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
258 shall be the
kingdom
for I myself will
of Mazinderan,
But
me
thou play'st
place
thee on
false,
thy worthless blood shall answer for the foul de-
that throne.
if
ception."
"
Be not wroth," Aulad at once replied. "Thy be fulfilled, and thou shalt know where wish Kai-kaus is prisoned, and also where the White Demon Between two dark and lofty mountains, in reigns. two hundred caves, immeasurably deep, his people Twelve hundred demons keep the watch by dwell. night upon the mountain's brow, and like a reed the But hills tremble whenever the White Demon moves. Stay!
shall
dangerous thee,
is
the way.
A
stormy desert
lies full
before
which the nimble deer has never passed.
Then
a broad stream two farsangs wide obstructs thy path,
whose banks are covered with a host
mons guarding the passage
of warrior de-
Mazinderan. o'ercome such fearful obstacles as these ?" to
Canst thou
The cham" Show me but the way." Aulad proceeded, Rustem following fast, mounted upon Rakush. Keither night nor day they rested on pion simply
said,
—
they
went until they reached the
was
Kai-kaus
piercing clamor
blazing
fires
overcome.
echoed
fatal
field
where
At the midnight hour through
the
woodland,
a
and
were seen, while numerous lamps gleamed
side. Rustem inquired what this "It is Mazinderfin," Aulad rejoined, "and the White Demon's chiefs are gathered there." Then Rustem bound to a tree his obedient guide to keep him safe and, to recruit his strength, laid down awhile and soundly slept. When morning dawned he rose, and mounting Rakush put his helmet on. The
brightly
might
on every
be.
—
—
HEIT-KHAN, OR SEVEN LABORS OP RUSTEM. tiger skini defended his broad chest,
he sought the
him
Demon
chief,
359
and sallying forth and summoned
Arzang,
to battle with such a call that stream
and mounArzang sprang up on hearing a human voice, and from his tent hastily issued. The champion met him, and tearing off the gory head, he cast it far
tain shook.
into the
ranks
of
fled,
lest
back and
the
shuddering demons,
they
should
likewise
who feel
fell
that
dreadful punishment.
VICTORY OVER DEMONS.
The met
principal chieftain of the
this
death
fearful
at
the
White Demon having hands
of
the Persian
Aulad from his bonds, and commanded the guide to show him the way to the place where Kai-kaus was confined. Entering Mazinderan by night, the guide led the way to Kai-kaus and his fellow captives, the blind and helpless warriors. Great warrior, he released
rejoicing heralded his arrival, for the to
Eustem
for a deliverance
blind king told
The
where to find the
demons, away in the caverns of the
Seven Mountains, where, lived the
prisoners looked
their sorrows.
the Persian hero
stronghold of the
recess,
from
within a deep
and horrible
White Demon.
" Conquer him, destroy that
fell
magician, and re-
1 This " tiger skin " is supposed to be a magic garment which had the power of resisting the impression of every weapon. It was proof against According to some classic authorities, he fire, and would not siulj in water.
it from his father, Zai; others say it was made from the skin of an animal which Rustem killed on the mountain of Sham. It will be remembered that the heroes of ancient poets frequently wore the skins of animals. Hercules wore the skin of the Xemeean lion. The skins of panthers and leopards were worn by the Greek andTroian chiefs, and Virgil says of Alcestes " Rough in appearance,. with darts, and a Libyan bearskin around him. Whom once a Trojan mother had borne to the river Cremisus." (^n., Booh r, 36.)
received
PEESIAN LITERATUEE.
260 to
store
all
wise in cures declare that the
The
train.
and
thy suffering king
sight
his
warrior
warm
blood
from the White Demon's heart dropped in the eye cures all blindness. It is then my hope that thou wilt the
slay
and save us from the misery
fiend,
of dark-
ness without end."
Eustem therefore hurried on toward the enchanted heights
the Heft-khan,
of
or
Seven Mountains.
found every cave guarded by companies of
and, consixlting with his guide, he determined to
the attack
noonday, when the
at
demons were
powered by the heat, and were accustomed
He
to a tree, he
drew
who were awake, and then
slumbering
blow
death
When
fiends.
first
the few
senti-
rapidly destroying the
one awoke he received his
suddenly that he had no time to give
so
The mountain
the alarm.
oversleep.
sword and rushed
his
into the horde of demons, slaying nels
to
make
waited the auspicious hour, and binding
therefore
Aulad again
He
demons,
ravines received the slaugh-
tered demons, and the few that escaped fied screaming into the deepest caves,
upon
SEVENTH LABOR In the
and
left
the
Persian victorious
his chosen field.
.this
recesses
— dismal
cerers could
the White
be
as hell itself seen.
holding his faithful
came
discovered
Demon, and he deterfiends. Advancing he looked down, down into its gloomy of
to give battle to this
to the cavern,
slowly
WHITE DEMON SLAIN.
preliminary carnage Rustem had
stronghold
mined
—THE
in sight
king of
— but
not one of the sor-
Awhile he stood and waited, falchion in his grasp, until there
a mountain
form,
with flaming
HEFT-KHAN, OR SEVEN" LABORS OF RPSTEM. and covered
eyes,
with
over
mouth
colossal shape filled the
long
white
forth he came, bearing a great stone in one
hand.
His
as
mammoth
came quickly, and
breath
fiery
The
hair.
huge cavern
the
of
2(31
eyes
his
flashed with ire, as he haughtily asked:
" Art thou
Thou Tell
A
so tired of
me
thy name, that
may
I
demons
?
not destroy
nameless thing."
The warrior then sent by Zal,
my
now
When
"
My name is Eustem, who was descended from Sam
replied,
father,
Suwar, to be revenged on being
that reckless thus
life
dost invade the precincts of
thee
;
the king of Persia
a prisoner at Mazinderan."
demon heard the name of Suwar he Then springing forward he hurled huge stone against his adversary who fell back, the
cringed with fear. the
and thus avoided the fearful blow.
The demon frowned more
darkly, and
Eustem
ing high his sword, severed one dreadful limb.
wield-
Then
they grappled in a death struggle, and the mountain
The flesh of both was torn, and the streaming blood crimsoned the earth. As the fearful strife went on, Eustem said in his heart, "If I survive this dreadful day I am surely immortal," and the White Demon muttered to himself, "I now detrembled beneath the shock.
spair
of
comed
And
life
at
— sweet
life
—nevermore
shall
I
be
Wel-
Mazinderan."
still
they struggled on, while sweat and blood
were mingled at every strain of muscle, until Eustem, gathering
all
the gasping
his
power for one
demon
in
his
last
effort,
raised
up
arms and threw him over
PERSIAN LITEEATUKB.
262 the
face
of
The monster
the
cliff
yawning chasm below. oozed from the
a
into
and the
fell,
life-blood
Then rushing down the
crushed and mangled form.
steep incline, beside the mountain, he tore out the heart
the conquered
of
demon, and releasing
fettered
his
guide he hastened away to restore the sight of the king
and
his helpless warriors.
" The Champion brought the demon's heart
And
squeezed the blood from every part. Which, dropped npou the injured sight.
Made The
things visible and bright."
all
monarch immediately returned
restored
throne,
and the return march
triumphal
one
;
quered the whole
of
to
his
warriors was a
his
Kustem stayed until he condemon host, and placed Aulad upon
but
the throne of Mazinderan, according to the promise he
Then he returned
had made.
to
highest
receive the
honors the Persian king could lavish upon him.
THE IIARRIAGE OF RCSTEM. Weary
at
last
of the luxuries
and honors pertain-
ing to the court, Eustem set out upon a hunting expedition.
Mounted upon
his
splendid
steed
he soon
passed the confines of the Persian domain and reached the beautiful wilds of
Tiiran
;
here the herds of ona-
ger roamed at will from the sullen
grandeur of the
uplands to the fairer vales below them. gallant Eakush on through wood and
He
urged the
glen, while
the
swift-footed gor dashed through the thickets or sported
over the plain
;
his
quivering darts
were often
sent
through the glossy skin of the dangerous game, and
HEPT-KIIANj OR SEVilN LABORS OF RUSTEM.
when he wearied shade of
of the
sport the
363
hunter sought the
a thicket, and
far above his head the palm waved their plumes, while doves and sunbirds fluttered through their swinging crowns. A little trees
stream near by, flashed in
sunbeams and rippled
the
The
away midst the
flowers.
to graze while
the master slept, and tempted by the
gallant horse was allowed
wandered away from the sleeper. A band of Tartar horsemen saw his perfect form and marked liis splendid chest and well-poised head. Slowly rich herbage he
they approached and quickly flung a noble head,
noose over the
make the capture
then coming near to
sure tlie animal charged upon his foes, and two of them bit the dust beneath his steel-clad hoofs. The others had grown more cautious, and another noose was thrown. Then another horseman ventured near,
only to be torn in pieces by the quick feet of
Another was thrown, and
the horse.
this time
no ap-
proach was made, but with long lines on either
was led between
the victim
they reached their
the
Tartar
chiefs
side
until
own encampment.
Kustem awoke and
called his
steed, but
no answer-
Long he searched, He knew that Eakush had not
ing neigh rang out the glad reply.
but searched in vain. willingly
strayed
away,
and
his steps to Samenegiln, the
indignantly
capital of
he
traced
THran, for the
broad track of his horse led that way.
As he approached the shining turrets of the city he met the king with all his court, anxious to do honor But Eustem haughtily reto the distinguished guest. fused the proffered he restored.
friendship until his horse should
PEESIAN LITERATURE.
264
"
I've traced his footsteps to 3-our royal town.
Here must he
be,
But
—
if
retained
protected by your crown.
not from fetters freed.
if
My
vengeance shall o'ertake the felon deed."
"
My
honored guest/' the wondering king replied,
"
Shall Eustem's wants or wishes be denied If still within the limits of
The well-known
my
?
reign.
courser shall be thine again.
For Eakush never can remain concealed No more than Rustem on the battle-field."
Then again he urged
his royal hospitality
Persian hero, as ho sent out
men
upon the
to look for the horse.
Pacified with the royal promise of restoration,
accepted the hospitality of the king.
Rustem
Soon
" The ready herald by the king's command. Convened the chiefs and warriors of the land,
And And And And
When
soon the banquet social glee restored. china wine cups glittered on the board cheerful song, and music's matchless power. sparliling tlie
royal
wine beguiled the festive hour." banquet was
over
a
magnificent
couch was prepared for the great chieftain, and in the
perfumed bed the weary
traveler slept soundly.
One
watch of the night had already passed when Rustem was awakened by a light in his room, and there before his astonished
Tartar king in
eyes stood the peerless daughter of the all
her wondrous beauty.
She stood
with frightened look, the rich color flushing her olive cheeks, her dark eyes
beaming beneath the splendid
and her mouth, flower-soft and sensitive, seemed moulded for an expectant kiss. Her black ringlets were
lashes,
HiiFI-KHAX^ OR SEVEN LABOES OF RUSTEM.
Her graceful hands were with henna upon the
snares' for a warrior's heart.
formed and
perfectly
265
stained
But she was fully robed, and she, the king, had not come alone into the room of this stranger guest her faithful maid stood beside her, and bore the taper from which a soft dainty palms.
daughter of
the
—
radiance
filled all
the room.
The astonished warrior asked what stranger this, " What is and why she had broken upon his rest. thy name?" he said. "Pair vision, speak!" Then from the mouth of rose and pearl there fell the accents of sweetest music
" No curious eye has
My
yet these features seen.
voice unheard beyond the sacred screen.
But often have
To thy
I listened
with amaze
great deeds, enamoured of thy praise.
How
oft
And
thought of thee, and sighed, and sighed in
from every tongue
I've
heard the strain,
vain.
The ravenous
eagle hovering o'er his prey.
Starts at thy gleaming sword
Thou
And
art the slayer of the
stories of
away
!
thy fame.
fluttering heart responded to thy
Oh, claim
Ask me 1
flies
the fierce monsters of the echoing wood.
Enchanted with the
My
and
demon brood
my
hand, and grant
in marriage of
my
my
name.
soul's desire,
royal sire
!
Compare Shakespeare— "Here in her hairs The painter plays the spider— and hath woven A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men Faster than gnats in cobwebs
:
but her eyes." —Merchant of
Venice, Hi,
2.
PEESIAN LITERATURE.
366
word was
a
ISTot
out
beat
a
glad
upon Riistem, whose heart
lost
response
her
to
and
plea,
before
another day had passed his suit had been duly presented to the king.
"
O'erjoyed the king the honoring suit approves,
O'erjoyed to bless the doting child he loves,
And
hapiDier
To be The riage
still
in showering smiles around,
nuptials were
.
"
not long delayed, and the mar-
bower were crowned with roses and decked with
white
lilies,
music and
while the royal abode was light.
It
him on
a golden shore
with
flooded
Eustem that all the wave, had rolled away and
seemed
world, like some vast tidal left
renowned.
allied to warrior so
to
— alone
with his beloved.
SOHEAB.
Not long could the Persian warrior remain with
his
Tartar bride, for his king claimed his allegiance, and
summoned him
to
lead
important campaigns.
was born he was called away, but he
their son
Before left a
radiant bracelet set with rare and peculiar gems as a
mounted upon
heritage for his child, and
Rakush he was borne away to the
The
wife
drous boy
Tamineh was
—the
the father's
image of
later
his
blessed
noble
fond inquiry came,
the
be taken away
Persian
and
blood,
court,
she
sent
her
thus
But when
coward-heart of
Fearing that
and educated
alienated
husband
with a won-
sire.
the mother betrayed her into falsehood. the boy might
his faithful
field of conflict.
word
from that
his it
at
the
Tartar
was
a
daughter that had been born unto them, and the fact
HEFT-KHANj OR SEVEN LABORS OF BUSTEM.
267
was carefully hidden from the father that he had a son. So little were daughters prized in the East, that he never asked to see the child, and the boy came to
manhood with very
little knowledge Sohrab bore the splendid physique of
his
father.
hunter or wrestler he had no equal in
a
as
of
his noble race all
the
The Tartar king placed him at the armies, and mounted on his splendid
realms of Tiiran.
head of horse
his
—the
son of Rakush
—the
gallant youth took his
place at the head of the glittering host.
" His grandsire pleased beheld the warrior train Successive throng and darken all the plain.
And
bounteously his ti'easures he supplied.
Camels and steeds and gold. Sohrab was seen His brow
The
—and
—a
In martial pride
Grecian helmet graced
costliest
mail his limbs embraced.
insidiouD king sees well, the tempting hour
Favoring his arms against the Persian power.
But treacherous,
To keep For
first
his martial chiefs he prest
the secret fast within their breast
this bold
youth shall not his father know.
Bach must confront the other as his foe. Unknown, the youth shall Eustem's force withstand,
And
soon o'erwhelm the bulwark of the land.
Rustem removed, the Persian throne
An By
is
easy conquest to confederate powers."
the careful
intrigues of
the
king,
host was soon arrayed against Persia, and to
each,
the Tartar all
unknown
the father and son were drawn up in battle
array against each fell
ours.
other.
upon the magnificent
When figure
the eye of of the
Rustem
young Tartar
PEESIAX LITERATURE.
208
prince, he was astonished at his martial bearing, for he seemed to wear the manly form of his own race. He marked the strong shoulders, so much resembling
and knew that
Zal,
knight
this strong warrior
splendid horse like Eustem's
" He cannot be
my
spn
unknown
Reason forbids the thought
sat his
He thought
self.
—
:
me;
to
cannot be.
it
At Samenegan, where once affection smiled, To me Tahmineh bore her only child. That was a daughter. "
Then the
the trumpets' clang announced the attack of
invader,
The
fight.
the
wild
disorder
seemed
earth
Tartar
the
as
horde
sprang
the
into
troops of horse and foot were blended in
dust driven in
Oriental
of
and the
battle,
very
shake beneath the shock, while the
to
dark eddies whirled high in
air,
ob-
scuring the very face of heaven.
The but
bright steel armor glittered over
alas,
often as
The as
it
until
it
the
forms
flashed
glittering
seemed
from
the
spears
as
Thus the
tide
gold
night came
it
of
battle
of
tween
should the
heroes
as
down
leudeis
shields
surface,
plain.
side,
until the shades
ujion the fearful scene.
the
that
be
bright
ebbed and flowed, while
the chiefs on either side
was decreed
victory
the plain,
the clouds were pouring showers
if
thousands were falling on either council
all
fallen
emblazoned the
struck
amber upon the
of sparkling
of
of
shielded the daring hearts of living riders.
it
light
the
covered
next
decided of
the
was
day the
by
forces.
Then
called,
question
a
and of
combat beThus was Eustem
single
HEFT-KBAJS", OR
brought
into
and
Father in
awful
SEVEN LABOKS OF RUSTEM.
close
with
conflict
unknown
son,
only
his
each
to
child.
struggled
other,
while the treacherous Tartar
strife,
looked gladly on,
269
chiefs
in the thought that they
glorying
would be rid of either a dangerous foe or a still more dangerous rival possibly both. The younger blood and stronger sinews of Sohrab won the first victories, but Rustem sprang again upon him and in-
—
wound was
fatal,
my
hoping to find
"Who
instead."
mother
"
out,
that his
felt
I
came here
thy father?" demanded the
My
father
The words went through poisoned spear, and he
of
Per-
and
Eustem,
is
King
the daughter of the
is
he
fell
have found only death
father, but is
"
champion.
sian
As Sohrab and he cried
a fatal blow.
flicted
my
Samenegan."
the father's heart like a
almost unconscious beside
fell
" Ungird my mail," faltered the his murdered boy. dying warrior, " and behold the bracelet my mother
bound upon heart
—that
The
sight
Rustem, for
murdered
was ever at
instinct
thou wast not
of it
son,
" Prostrate he son,
my
Uprooted.'
He
in
only thy servant led thy troops." the
amulet was a fearful blow
proved
once
at
the
and the falsehood
of
identity his
of
'
falls.
son
is
By my
unnatural hand
—and
slain
from the land
Frantic in the dust, his hair
rends in agony and deep despair.
The western sun had disappeared And still the Champion wept his
in gloom. cruel
to his
treacherous
wife.
My
my
but the Tartar chiefs
me nay—that
always tuld
the fight
An
arm.
thou wert Rustem,
that
ever and
my
doom.
PERSIAN LITBBATUEE.
270
His wondering legions marked the long delay,
And seeing Rakush riderless astray, The rumor quick to Persia's monarch sped. And there described the mighty Rustem dead." men were
riie king's chosen rior,
whether he be
in his terrible grief,
slain or
sent to
the
find
war-
wounded. They found him
and the war-spirit seemed dead
in
his bosom.
"Go,"
"to the Tartar chiefs, and say to war between us stain the earth with blood.' " A moment more, and the young warrior was dead, and on a Persian bier his lifeless form was them,
laid,
'
said he,
No more
while
shall
Rustem,
sick
of
martial
pomp and
show,
ordered the gorgeous pageantry of war to be consigned to the flames,^ for all the
and ashes
warrior's pride
lay
ing place which was provided for Sohrab.
mother was carried the most
fearful
But
laid
at
her feet the coat of
mail
worn, while they told the story of his father's
hand.
What
a
terrible
to
the
blow, when the
Tartar chiefs led back the splendid steed
and
in dust
as he followed the bier to the imperial rest-
all riderless,
son had
her
fall
beneath his
penalty her falsehood
had brought upon her head and heart " Distracted, wild, she sprang from place to place.
With frenzied hands deformed her beauteous face. The strong emotion choked her panting breath. Her veins seemed withered by the cold of death. Then gazing up, distraught, she wept again,
And 1
111
pile to
frantic, seeing
midst her pitying train
Virgil there is a similar scene, where Dido bids her burn the arms and the presents of .Eneas.
sister erect
a
HEFT-KHAN, OR SEVEN LABORS OF ROSTEM.
The The
371
steed— now more than ever dear
favorite
hoofs she kissed and bathed with
Clasping the mail Sohrab in
With burning
many
a tear
;
wore.
bat-tie
lips she kissed it o'er
and
o'er.
His martial robes she in her arms comprest.
And Day her
like
an infant strained them to her breast."
after
helpless
day, grief.
by turns for one
and she found Consoler."
way to Unceasingly she raved and wept
night after night,
long year,
rest in the
then
she gave
nature gave
arms of Death
— " the
way, great
CHAPTER Xm. ISPBNDIYAR.
—
THE HEFT-KHAN OF ISFENDIYAR THE BRAZEN FORTRESS THE CONFLICT WITH EUSTEII THE FALL OF THE WARRIORS.
—
—
"
~r)USTEM -L V*
had
seven
great
labors
— wondrous
power
Nerved
in danger's needful hour.
Pirdusi's legend strains declare
The seven
When
arm
his strong
And now
great labors of Isfendiyar."
the old Persian king, Kai-Khosrou, abdicated
in favor of his successor,
minions
of
and
Zabul,
he gave to Eustem the do-
and A'imruz, and in
Kabtil
course of time Gushtasp,i the Constantine of the Fire-
came monarch had two worshippers,
and the
other
was only second
and had,
throne
the
One
of
Persia.
of
them was
This
Bashiitan,
was Isfendiyar, a knight whose valor to that of
father's armies in
Hindustan
to sons.
many
Rustem.
a long
and Arabia, and
to a greater
or
less
He had
campaign several
led
his
—had invaded
other countries,
extent, established the
religion of the Fire-worshippers in
them
all.
But Ar-
a demon king, had invaded the Persian empire, and carried captive two daughters of Gushtasp. The jasp,
1
There
U
a tradition that
son isfendiyar was Xerxes.
Gushtasp was Darius Hyst?ispes, and that
his
ISFEXDIYAR. were confined
fair prisoners
273 brazen
a
in
fortress
on
the top of an almost inaccessible mountain, which was
home
also the palace
most
Arjasp, and he required
of
the
from the Persian maidens.
servile labor
THE HEFT-KHAlf, OR SEVEN LABORS OF ISFEXDIYAR, were therefore undertaken in order to conquer Arjasp,
and
the sisters of the
restore
he chose the
and most
shortest
of his journey he slew
puted his advance.
an immense he slew tains
lion
and
his ferocious mate.
dis-
with
fear,
while
he withstood
the
of a
wiles
most
beauteous
whom
home and
poisonous foam
the
Upon
piteously to
the power of a demon,
In the third
made the very moun-
roar
his hideous jaws.
her from her
to
stage
two monstrous wolves who
dropped from
appealed to him
first
In the second stage he conquered
a dragon, whose
tremble
passage
perilous
and in the
stronghold of the enemy,
the
Like Rustem,
warrior.
the fourth day
woman, who
rescue her from
she claimed had stolen
friends.
She
expressed
strongest admiration for Isfendiyar, and pleaded
the
with
him " To
free
And
me from me to
bear
Where I may
his loathed embrace.
a
fitter
in thy circling at last be
place.
arms more
softly pressed,
truly loved and blest."
and dropping words and she came beaming with Then he of sweetest fiattery from her crimson lips. threw his noose around her, and writhing in the bonds she could not break, the enchantress became first a Isfendiyilr called the beautiful tempter to him,
smiles,
cat,
then
a wolf,
and
at
last
appeared in her true
PERSIAN LITEEATUEE.
374
issuing from
character of a black demon, with flames
her mouth, whereupon she was slain by Isfendiyar.
On
the iifth day he had the misfortune to offend
a Simurgh,
away
who
him intending
attacked
mountain
to her
him
to bear
but he succeeded in
nest,
slay-
ing the angry bird with his trenchant sword.
The safely
when
sixth
labor
through
a
all
bringing his troops
consisted in
furious storm
of
wind and
snow,
the earth was covered with whiteness, while
" keenly blew the blast and pinching was the cold."
But the seventh the
trial of
his
"Along
No No
was found
fortitude
passage of a desert waste,
which
of
in
was said
it
these plains of burning sand
bird can move, nor ant, nor
water slakes the
fiery
fly,
land.
Intensely glows the flaming sky.
No
tiger fierce, or lion ever
Could breathe that
pestilential air.
Even the unsparing
vulture never
Ventures on blood-stained pinions there."
But a rain had scorched earth,
so
fallen
and
cooled the
partially
that this danger was safely passed.
THE BEAZEN FOETEESS.
When
the darkness of night had
fallen
landscape, Isfendiyar and a few chosen rapidly and
carefully
and examined that crowned its
the the
iron bulwarks
up the long,
bulwarks of
dismayed.
It
precipitous
the
brazen
path,
fortress
summit of the cliff. They found and brazen gates impregnable on
every side, and returned to the
and
upon the
men advanced
had been
command
discouraged
a difficult undertaking,
ISFENDIYAR
375
and they came into camp just ing were lighting up the eastern
as the tints of
morn-
sky.
was indeed useless to attempt to storm this mewhere neither sword nor spear nor battle-ax
It
tallic fort,
could
be wielded
to
advantage,
therefore
Isfendiyar
hundred camels, and loaded a few of them with embroidered cloths, and others with pearls and precious Jewels, while upon each of the others two chests were placed, and one warrior was hidden in each chest. 1 Other warriors were disguised as camel drivers and servants, so that altogether this caravan, which carried apparently only merchandise, was quite collected a
a warlike host.
Then
Isfendiyar arranged with his brother to lead
the rest of the troops to the attack as soon as he saw signal
fires
upon the summit, and
caravan of merchandise for the
set
out
fortress.
He
r/ith
his
was
re-
ceived as a Persian merchant bringing valuable goods,
and the avaricious demons exulted in the thought that rich caravan had unsuspiciously fallen into their
a
Isfendiyar
very hands.
rich
carried
king, and besought permission to
The
his subjects.
heart
he
of
king and
his
court,
were helpless under fires
the
and the
proved
rich
especially
and its
also
presents to the
Persian goods to
newcomer won the
of the
liberality
the king,
brought
sell
Persian wines
attractive.
his
influence.
leading
that
Soon
the
warriors,
Then the
signal
were lighted, and the warriors were released from chests, while the brazen gates were opened to
also the fall of 1 Compare the wooden horse that caused the fall of Troy, Arzestan, which the Saracen general conquered by smuggling into the city a portion of his troops in chests, having obtained leave of the governor to deposit there some old lumber which impeded his march.
PERSIAN LITEKATURE.
276
admit the invaders.
from the
Soon the Persian banner floated demon king and his leading
for the
walls,
warriors were slain, and the sisters of Isfendiyar were
queror
arms
the
in
rejoicing
of their
The
brother.
con-
proclamation offering pardon to
a
issued
all
who would swear
allegiance to the Persian king, then
camels
laden with the richest treasures of
with
his
Arjasp
The
he returned in triumph
to
his
native
royal banners were flung to the breeze
prince returned with his recovered sisters and
A
spoils.
great
banquet was
given,
and
the
the
heavy
wine
Isfendiyar was placed in a golden chair
flowed freely.
the adulations of the multitude,
to receive
city.
when
while
he
gave them the thrilling story of his great Heft-khan
and the capture
of the
demon
fortress.
THE CONFLICT WITH EUSTEM. crazed by prosperity, and also
Partially
instigated
by jealousy against his own son, Gushtasp demanded of Isfendiyar that he should lead a campaign against the provinces over which Rustem reigned, and either slay that chieftain or bring
him
in irons to the Per-
In vain the son pleaded the loyalty and nobility of the warrior, the father answered that by sian king.
the foolishness of his predecessor nearly half of Persia
had been given into Eustem's hands, and he demanded a restitution of the territory, and the captivity of
"Take with
their ruler.
thee," said the king,
"my
What wouldst thou whole army and all my treasure. conquered the terrific obwho has He have more ? stacles
of
subdued
the his
Heft-khan, and has slain Arjasp, and
kingdom, can have no cause
to fear
any
ISFENDIYAR. other
chief."
Isfendiyar
277
that he was not campaign from cowardice, but that EuBtem had been the monitor and friend of
prompted
to
decline
replied
the
their ancestors, enriched their
minds and taught them
be brave, and he was ever faithful to their cause. "Besides," said lie, "thou wert the honored guest of
to
Rustem two long
years
;
and friendship
pitality
and
at Sistan enjoyed his hos-
—his
festive
social
board
and
;
canst thou now, forgetting that delightful intercourse,
become his Gushtasp
my
bittei-est foe
replied
but what
ancestors,
proud, and
he refused
danger pressed
;
that
mother
may have
me
that to
is
me
to yield
is
me from my
divert
?
"'Tis true he
:
'
His
served
spirit is
when
needful aid
enough, and thou canst not
settled
purpose."
Kitabun, the
begged him to disobey the king
of Isfendiyar,
rather than to undertake
so
dangerous and dishonor-
able a campaign.
She claimed that curses must
upon the
and ruin
thi-one,
seize
returned evil for good and spurned
him
its
fall
which
the country
benefactor, and
and engage not which could do him no honor. But Isfendiyar replied that his word was pledged to his royal father, and taking a tender leave of his
pleaded with
to restrain his
stejjs,
in a war
mother and bidding the king a formal farewell, he head of the Persian host, and set out upon the campaign in which he had so little placed himself at the
When
heart.
chieftain rode
vited
him
to
he arrived in out to
Eastern's province,
that
welcome him, and cordially
accept their hospitality.
Isfendiyar
in-
was
obliged to refuse the kindly offer and explain the un-
pleasant
nature
of
his
mission,
whereupon
Rustem
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
278
promptly declined to be bound and carried in to
the
bloodshed,
it
In order to
king.
Persian
was
decided
combat, and the
single
to
next
out to meet his unwilling foe,
save
fetters
unnecessary
settle the matter by morning Rustem rode and both were clad in
shining mail.
Rustem
upon Rakush, while Isfendiyar rode
sat
a
night-black charger, swift as the driving cloud, and in his stride
he scattered the desert stones as
storm reveled around his
mastery's
head.
if
The
a hailchief-
and useless fight, while many upon the air, and helm and mail were bruised. Spear fractured spear, and then with gleaming swords the strife went on until they too snapped tains closed in the long javelins whizzed
The
short.
battle-ax was next wielded in furious wrath
each bending forward struck the bewildering blows each tried
in vain
to
hurl the other from his fiery
"Wearied at length, they stood apart to breathe,
horse.
their chargers covered
with foam and blood, and the
strong armor of steed and rider both were rent.
and impelled gallant
So
Rakush wounded that Rustem dismounted
severely was
horse
his
arrows from, the ground, while the
pursued
way painfully homeward.
his
When
Zuara saw the noble animal riderless crossing the plain he gasped for breath, and in an agony of grief he hastened to the fatal spot, where he found his gallant brother fighting
still,
even while the blood
was flowing copiously from every wound.
had
escaped
Rustem upon substitute
;
with his
fewer wounds,
own
steed
and
Isfendiyar
and Zuara placed offered himself as a
but Rustem refused, saying that to-morrow
he would continue the
fight.
ISFENDIYAK.
279
Isfendiyar retired sadly to his tent and wrote a
let-
" Thy commands must be obeyed, and Heaven only knows what may befall tomorrow." When Eustem arrived at his court Zal dister
to
covered terribly
his father,
that
wounds
the
he,
wounded.
saying
as
:
well
The
as
his gallant
and Rustem
of his son,
" I never met with any
foe,
was
said to his father
seems to have a brazen body, for anvil,
:
be he warrior or demon,
with such amazing strength and bravery as
can drive through an
steed,
old chieftain carefully dressed
my
this.
He
arrows, which I
cannot penetrate his chest.
had applied the strength which I have exerted to a mountain it would have been moved from its base, but he sat firmly in his saddle and scorned my efEorts." " Let us not despair," replied the father. " Did If
I
not the Simurgh promise her assistance in the time of
So saying, Zal took the precious feather, which had been only slightly burned before, and going The out upon the cliff he burned it in a censer. darkness grevr deeper for a moment, and then there was the rush of mighty wings, as the mountain bird circled slowly down out of the darkness and stood in greatest need."
her rich and massive beauty beside her foster
now an
old
and retired warrior.
Zal's
child,
eye lighted up
with hope and love as he gently laid his hand upon her golden plumage and told her of his sad
affliction.
Rakush stood near by with drooping head and bleeding form, and he first caught the eye Going to him she pulled of the loving mother-bird. out the cruel arrows with her beak, and gently passed the feathers of her wing over the wounds they quickly
The
faithful
;
healed, and the old war horse raised his gallant head
PERSIAN LITEEATURE.
280
and stamped his feet impatiently as if he longed again The Simtirgh then to hear the trumpet call to battle. went to Kustem and soothed him with the gentle caresses of her head and beak, and drawing forth the hidden darts from his body she sucked the poisoned blood from out the gaping wounds, and then they closed to
and healed
;
so the
and strength.
life
champion was soon restored
Being thus invigorated
under
her magic care, he sought her aid in the battle of the
coming
But the bird
day.
replied
:
" There never
appeared a more brave and perfect hero than Isfendiyar,
for
in
his
Heft-khan he succeeded in
killing
a
Simiirgh, and the further thou art removed from his invincible arrow the greater will be thy safety."
" If Eustem retires But Zal interposed, saying from the contest his family will be enslaved we shall be in bondage and affliction." Then she told Eustem to mount Eakush and follow her. He obeyed, and she led him far away across a broad river, and on the other side she came to a low marsh filled with reeds, :
—
where the moonlight flashed on the white wings of the pelicans
and the night bird sang hie lowest notes
the pale and drooping
lilies.
that bloom on the banks
of
Then from
Iran's rivers she
chose
the Kazfti tree, and directed Eustem to take from a straight shaft and form
it
into the eye of his enemy.
it
into
for
he who
again in
life
spills
be free
" The arrow," it
said she,
were only
the blood of Isfendiyar will never
from calamity."
Then
she
es-
Piohula, used anciently for Persian arrows. During the rainy season blooms profusely on the banks of the rivers, where it is Interwoven 1
it
it
an arrow and shoot
"will make him blind, and I would that so,
to
the stems
with twining Ascleplas.— Sir
II'
Jones in "Botanical
Observations.'''
ISFENDIYAE. corted Rustem, to his tent,
who
charmed arrow, back her beak and
carried the
and caressing
soft feathers she spread
381
face with
his
her golden pinions and soared
away into darkness.
THE FALL OF THE WARRIORS. Isfendiyar was amazed to
Rustem bearing galarmor, and riding that seemed wounded to the death
down upon him,
lantly
the self-same
steed
the day before.
"
clad
How
see
in full
this ? "
is
he cried.
" But thy father Zal is a sorcerer. And he by charm and spell Has cured all the wounds of the warrior, And now he is safe and well. For the wounds I gave could never be Closed up except by sorcery."
Rustem at
me
wilt
be
fall
my
will
"If
replied,
they would at
fail
a thousand to
kill,
arrows were shot
and in the end thou
my
guest,
hands. Therefore come at once and and I swear by the Zend-Avesta that I
go with thee, but unfettered, to thy father."
"That is " Thou must
not
enough,"
returned
Isfendiyar.
be fettered, I will not disobey the com-
mands of the king," and he seized his bow to commence the combat. Rustem did the same, and as he placed
the Simurgh's arrow in the bowstring, he ex-
" I have wished for a reconciliation, and
claimed,
would now give
all
my
treasures
with you to Iran and avoid this fers
sign
are
me
to
disdained,
for
you are
bondage and disgrace."
I
and wealth
to
go
but
my
of-
conflict,
determined to con-
PEESIAX LITERATURE.
382
arrow from Isfendiyar came quickly against his armor, but by turning himself he eluded its point, and in return he quickly lodged the Simurgh's arrow
An
in the eyes of his antagonist.
" And darkness overspread his sight, The world to him was hid in night, The bow dropped from his slackened hand. And down he sunk upon the ground."
Bahman,
son of
the
his father
seeing
Isfendiyar,
and all the Persian and mourning. The
uttered loud lamentations,
fall,
drew
troopis
near
in
man was
stricken
sorrow
carried
to his
and the next
tent,
Rustem came
day both Zal and
to
offer
sym-
their
pathy and condolence.
The
my thus
it
"
prince replied,
But
is.
and
care of
wounded
do not
I
misfortunes to thee; fate would have I
consign
guardianship
my
son
;
ascribe so,
and
to
thy
Bahman
him
instruct
it
in
the
science
government, the custom of kings, and the rules of
the warrior, for thou art perfect in
all
tem
it
promised,
readily
duty
upon the throne of his Then Isfendiyar sent with a lay
few tender,
back and
rying with prince,
war
father's.
as
who was
and
placed
died.
him the
upon
Bus-
things."
should
be
his
the 3'oung prince was firmly seated
see that
to
saying that
fathers.
a message
his
father,
Then Rustem returned home,
and he car-
a sacred trust the son of the slain
carefully
instructed in
accomplishments the
to
loving words for his mother,
of
all
peace,
throne that should
the arts of
and
have
finally
been
his
ISFENKIYAK.
But the with
blood
a curse,
it
tem himself brother.
fell
the
of
as
the
gallant
383 carried
Isfendiyilr
Simurgh had
said,
and Eus-
a victim to the treachery of his half-
He and
his
gallant horse
fell
together in a
which had been prepared for them while on a hunting excursion, and although Rakush bounded galpit
lantly
out of the
first,
it
was
only to
fall
into
an-
and they struggled on, until mounting up the edge of the seventh pit, and covered with deep wounds, both horse and rider lay exhausted. With one supreme effort, Rustem sent an arrow through the man who had betrayed him, and then Persia's gallant son was dead, and not a kingly follower remained. Ziiara and other followers had fallen and perished in other pits dug by the traitor king and traitor brother. All were lost save one, who escaped and carried the sad tidings to Sistan, where Zal in agony tore his white hair and cried, " Why did I not die for him, why other,
was I not present fighting by his side ?"
And
never
again did the land of Iran bear a chieftain like the gallant
Rustem
slain.
CHAPTEE
XIY.
SECOND PEETOD.
ANWlRI
—NIZAMi — LAILl
AND
JIAJNUST
—A
FRIEND
WEDDING — DELIVERANCE — THE MEETING IN DESERT — DEATH OF THE LOVERS — THE VISION
THE THE
OF ZYD. second period THE the beginning
poetry reaches from end of the twelfth century,
of Persian
to the
and
may
it
be termed the panegyric age, from the fact
that the poets of this
voted
their
the
of this
of
But we
their times.
the beginning of
age,
all
of them, de-
indiscriminately to the
talents
princes
nearly
period,
mystic
the
laudation
find
also in
school
which
was so fully developed in the thirteenth century.
was posed
Egyptian
the
story of
good
satires
of
Yusuf
many
which was the original of few
Amig
during this period that
It
Bukhara comand Zulaikha,
poetic
versions.
A
belong to the twelfth century,
also
but the greatest panegyric poet of this period was
ANWARI. There of Persia
the san.
near see
is ;
but
little
known
of
this
Poet
Laureate
he appears to have been born, however, in
twelfth century
at
Bedeneh, a village in Khora-
He
was a poor student in the town of Tus, and the college grounds one day, he happened to the
grand
equipage of 284
the Sultan, and observing
SECOND PERIOD.
member
that one
more
of hie
magnificent
horse,
suite
and
285
was mounted
more
was
who he
equipped than the others, he inquired
On
upon
a
gorgeously was.
being told that he was the court poet, the ambistudent aspired to the
tious
very night he prepared a tan,
same
poem
and that
position,
praise of the
Sul-
which was presented
at court the next day.
The
was
pleased by this
royal vanity
greatly
so
in
offering,
that the young poet was offered a position at court, He attended the Sulwhich he promptly accepted.
tan in
He
all
of his warlike expeditions
few long poems, and
the
death.
his
"^
also
some simple
that were worthy of preservation,
but perhaps
wrote a
lyrics
until
best
of
productions was
these
" The
Tears
of
Khorasan was overrun by a barbarous tribe of Turkomans, who committed every species of cruelty, and this poem was a plea to the Prince of Samarcand for relief. The following extract, which is Khorasan."
the
opening stanza of his petition,
cient idea of his style
"Waft, gentle
When The
will give
suffi-
Oh, waft to Samarcand,
gale,
next thou
visitest
that blissful land.
plaint of Khorosania plunged in
Bear to Turania's king our
Whose opening
a
:
breathes
woe
piteorrs scroll
forth
all
the anguished
soul
And
this denotes whate'er the tortured
know."
NIZAMi.
The
greatest poet of this period, however, was Xiza-
mi,2 whose pathetic love songs are the best productions 1
About A. D.
l-iOO.
2
Bom A.
D.
1141,
and died A. D.
1303.
PERSIAN LITEKATURE.
386
kind
the
of
greater part of
known
as
Persian tongue.
the
in
his
life
His
of Ganja.
JSTizilrai
He
lived the
is
therefore
Ganja, and
at
important work
first
This was
was called ''The Storehouse of Mysteries."
by
followed
yhirin," the
Persian
the
poem
theme
of
In
history.
"Koshrii
and which was taken from ancient
beautiful
the
of
part of the twelfth
latter
century he wrote his Diwan, a collection which was
twenty thousand
to contain
said
down
however, have come
these,
but few
verses,
own
our
to
of
times.
Soon afterward the great poet wrote his famous love story entitled " Laili and Majniin," which was followed by his Book of Alexander, an epic which was devoted to the glory of the Greek conqueror. His last work was the " Seven Pair Faces," and this was presented
in
merely
the form of romantic fiction,
and con-
which were told to amuse the king by the seven wives of Bahram Gor. These five works are known as the "Five Treasures of Nizami.'^ His eulogies were sung by the greatest sisted
Persian poets It
our
seven
of
who
stories
lived
after
him.
was of him that Sa'di wrote exquisite
formed of the purest dew,
" Gone
:
Heaven
which
pearl,
as the
in
gem
its
is
Nizami,
kindness,
of the world."
His most popular work, and one of the best of the Persian
classics,
is
poem
the
of
Laili
and Majnun,
which, for tenderness, purity and pathos, has been
dom
equaled.
legend
We
sel-
give here a short prose version of the
:
LAILI
Every nation has chivalry.
AND MAJNUN.
its
France and
favorite Italy
romance
have
their
of love
and
Abelard and
SECOND PERIOD. Eloisa,
their
Petrarch
Persia
have
their
whose sorrows East
Laura, while Arabia and
and Majnun, the
record of
constantly referred to throughout the
is
an
as
and
Laili
'4^7
example
most devoted
of the
affection.
This story, which has been versified by several Persian authors,
of
is
Arabian
origin,
and hence
bears the
it
impress of Arabic thought.
The poem Bedawin
of
ings, the
contains the mystic lights and shadows
life
—the
fervid loves
and passionate yearn-
hopeless grief and stoical
endurance,
which
belong to the sons of the desert.
Majniin was the son of a haughty chief, while Laili belonged to an humble Arab
bitter
hatreds of
the
Moslems.
beautiful, with the
being very
but her father car-
tribe,
ried in his veins the pride of his
desert race,
crimson
and the
described as
Laili is
of
lier
cheek
flashing through the dark olive shades of her face,
and
her heavy ringlets, " black as night," hanging in graceful profusion
"When
around her shapely neck. ringlets of a thousand
And ruby And dark
cm Is
Hps and teeth of pearls. eyes flashing quick
and bright.
Like lightning on the brow of night
When charms And steal the
like these their
Can man, dissembling,
Unmoved
as
power display
wildered heart away
by an
idle
coldly seem
dream
?
Kais^ saw her beauty, and her grace
The
soft expression of her face
;
Kais was the proper name of the lover, but he received the cognDmen of Majnuu on account of his madness. 1
PERSIAN LITEBATUEE.
388
And
as
he gazed and gazed again
Distraction stung his burning brain
No
rest
;
he found by day or night
She was forever in his sight."
But the wandering tribe to which the girl belonged tents and slipped away to the solitudes of the mountains. They had left no trace of their going — no hint of where they might be found, and the luckless maid found herself far from her lover with no possible means of communicating with him, while the folded their
frantic
boy was wandering through the wilds
in
the
almost hopeless search for his love.
" He sought her in rosy bower and silent glade. Where the palm trees flung refreshing shade Through grove and frowning glen he lonely strayed, And with his griefs the rocks were vocal made."i
Alarmed by the condition tain gathered his last
men
for
of his son, the old chief-
an organized search, and at
they found the mountain stronghold of the tribe
they sought.
They were challenged by
a
stern voice beyond the
rocky barriers, which demanded:
" Come ye hither
as friends or foes
?
Whatever may. your errand be. That errand must be told to me For none, unless a sanctioned friend,
Can
pass the line that I defend."
This challenge touched the chieftain's pride, and he haughtily responded that
he came
in
friendship,
to
1 Except the desert scene, the poetical extracts iu this chapter are from Atkinson's traushition.
SECOND PERIOD.
389
propose the marriage of his son to the Arab maiden to
whom
he had taken a
silly fancy.
" With shame, Possess'd of power, I to his
humor bend,
silly
And humbly
and wealth, and fame,
seek his fate to blend
With one inferior. Need I tell My own high lineage known so sympathy
If
my
Or vengeance,
well
?
heart incline.
still
the means are mine.
Treasure and arms can amply bear
Me
through the
toils
of
war
desert
But thou'rt the merchant pedler
And
I
the buyer; come,
be brief
sell,
If thou art wise, accept advice
The haughty tone culated
to
call
forth
proud father replied
" Madness
is
of
Thy
son
little
response,
cal-
and the
:
neither sin nor crime,
But who'd be linked is
!
the applicant was
a favorable
!
;
and receive a princely price
Sell
;
chief,
mad — his
to
we know.
madness or a foe
senses
?
first restore;
In constant prayer the aid of heaven implore. But while portentous gloom pervades his brain Disturb
me
not with this vain suit again.
The jewel sense no purchaser can buy, Nor treachery the place of sense supply. Thou hast my reasons, and this parley o'er. Keep them in mind and trouble me no more.' The ble,
scorn of the father's reply
more
bitter
than the
had been,
insulting
if
possi-
demand, and Syd
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
290
Omri turned indignantly to his followers and ordered homeward march. The desert fates were stern, and
the
" When Majniin saw
his hopes decay,
Their fairest blossoms fade away.
And
friends
Kind
Him One
He He
and
sire
who might have been
intercessors, rush
between
and the only wish that shed ray of comfort round his head.
beat his hands, his garments tore. cast
his fetters
on the
floor
In broken fragments, and in wrath
Sought the dark wilderness's path.
And
there he wept and sobbed aloud.
Unnoticed by the gazing crowd."
The kinsmen the
wastes
the desert
brought to the encampment
below
the
venture
forth
meet
to
wild,
was haunting
mountain,
when she heard the
Laili blushed
not
of Laill
news that a youth, insane and
her
and the
tidings, but
maniac
lover.
fair
dared
The
Arab chief swore vengeance against the hapless youth, and ordered his followers to slay him in the desert.
The
father of
sent his his son.
father's
own .
Majniin heard of followers
into
the cruel decree and
the wilderness to rescue
Again and again he was carried
.
home, and
as
frequently
always wandering, with unerring instinct, beloved.
"
Laill in beauty, softness, grace.
Surpassed the loveliest of her race.
The
killing witchery that lies
In her
soft,
to his
he made his escape,
black, delicious eyes
near to his
SECOND PERIOD.
391
Her lashes speak a thousand blisses Her lips of ruby ask for kisses; Her cheeks, so beautiful and bright. Have caught the moon's refulgent light Her form the Cypress tree expresses,
And
and plump, invites
full
With
all
There was a ceaseless Yet none beheld her
She droop'd
Her But
caresses.
these charms, the heart to win. grief within, grief,
or heard.
broken-winged bird.
like
secret thoughts, her love concealing, softly to the terrace stealing
From morn
to eve, she gazed
around
In hopes her Majnun might be found."
An
with
oasis
streams was
cooling
its
near
the
rocky fortress of the Bedawin encampment, and here the the
tall
palms seemed
to
lean against the sky,
doves cooed in the thickets of foliage.
while
Here the
came day after day, hoping that her lover might venture near. She gathered the lilies that bloomed around her feet, as she wandered through the gentle Laili
fragrant
unshed
when
and
cypress tree
ness
but
grove, tears,
her dark eyes were
heavy with
she reclined beneath a mournful
softly
chanted her song of faithful-
:
" Oh,
faithful
Still
Still absent,
To
friend and lover true.
distant from thy Laili's still
view
;
beyond her power.
bring thee to her fragrant bower
Oh noble youth And Laili, Laili
!
still still
thou art mine, is
thine."
PERSIAN LITERATUBE.
292
As she
pensively
one day beneath the cypress
sat
mien passed that way. His eyes rested a moment upon her crimson lips, and the flowing tresses which were dark as the plume of a raven's wing he saw too the full form with its shapely curves and the beaming softness of the dark with their heavy lashes. Ibn Salam was the eyes, honored name of this young prince, who with his suite had sought for a moment the cooling shades of the palm-tree grove, and he it was who hastened to tree,
a youth
of
kingly
—
her
father
with a plea for his daughter's hand.
zled by the gold
and position of the
Daz-
suitor, the father
Lain gave a cordial consent to the proposed union.
of
A
FKIEiq^D.
domain where Majniin wandered in his pitiful loneliness, looked with compassion upon him, for one day, while in pursuit of a bounding deer, he saw the wasted frame and wild look of the despairing lover. Dismounting from his splendid steed, Noufal, the Arab chief, came kindly to him and lis-
The
chief of the
tened to the story fering.
the
AVith
restless
spirit,
mind away from ishment ter
so constantly told of love
words the
kindly
and gently drawing the
its
painful
A
Noufal's
gentle urging, his
hopeful cheer.
to
tortured
the proffered Laili's
name.
kindly ministry and drawn
Majnun went with
home, and there
suf-
soothed
change for the bet-
he took
and drank, although he drank by
and
thought he offered nour-
to the sinking body.
came over him, and
freshed
chieftain
received
his
new
the best
of
friend care
cup Ee-
by to
and
SECOND PERIOD.
" An
man,
altered
his
mind
393 at rest,
In customary robes he dressed
A
turban shades his forehead pale,
No more
heard the lover's wail.
is
His dungeon gloom exchanged for day. His cheeks a rosy tint display;
He revels midst And still his lip
the garden sweets.
the goblet meets
But so intense his constant flame Bach cup is quaffed in Laili's name."
The generous Nonfal was not content witli the change so nearly wrought, but he gathered his bravest men in battle array, and marched at their head to the mountain troops
fortress
of the
Bedawin encampment.
Arabian horsemen were
of
and helmet
halted and
glittered iu the sun, while
The sword
Noufal sent his
messenger forward with a demand for the hand of the coveted bride.
His request was haughtily refused, and
when
Lhe
threat
of
revenge
with,
his
power
Then
the word
messenger was again sent his
if
and of
wishes
vengeance
command rang
forward with a
were not
were
complied
alike
defied.
along the glittering
There was a rattling of helmets and spears, a twanging of the bowstring and a gallant charge was lines.
made upon
the foe that was so well entrenched in the
Amidst the clangor of brazen mountain fastnesses. drums and trumpets, "the fearful fight went on and
" Arrows,
like birds,
on either foeman stood.
Drinking with open beak the
vital flood
The shining daggers in the battle's heat Rolled many a head beneath the horse's feet
PBR8IAN LITERATURE.
394
And
lightnings hurled by death's unsparing hand
Spread consternation through the weeping land."
There was no pause in the sound of the trumpets, flight of the arrows, as the dread-
no stay in the wild ful
work went
on,
and
the
drijiping
were
swords
bathed with the crimson tide of shame.
The shades the
battle
most,
sutfered
of
night came
down
ere
the
fate
of
was decided, but the assaulting party had
and
in
another
hour of
the
conflict
With the coming of the morning light the assault was renewed, and all the desert rang again with the sounds of war along the long line glittered the sword and buckler, the helmet and spear swords clashed and the desert At sands were wet again with the blood of the fallen. last the tribe of Laili's sire gave way, and Noufal won the bitter fight, though many of his bravest men friends
of Majniin had been undone.
;
;
lay bleeding on the burning sand.
" And now the
And
elders of that tribe appear,
thus implore the victor.
Chieftain, hear
The work of slaughter is complete Thou seest our power destroyed allow Us wretched suppliants at thy feet To humbly ask for mercy now. How many warriors press the plain ? Khanjer and spear have laid them low At peace, behold our kinsman slain. For thou art now without a foe. ;
Then pardon what of wrong has been Let us retire unharmed unstay'd
—
SECOND PERIOD. Far from
And
295
sanguinary scene.
tliis
take thy prize
—the
Arab maid."
The aged father came forth' with dust and ashes upon his hoary head, and admitted that his tribe was fully conquered, and offered the life of his daughter peace offering,
a
for
while
to
wed with a maniac.
"
My
daughter
still
refusing to allow her
brought at thy command
shall be
The
red flames
And And
slay their victim, crackling in
if
ascend from blazing brand the
air.
dutiously shall perish there.
Laili
Or,
may
thou'dst rather see the maiden bleed,
This thirsty sword shall do the dreadful deed
;
Dissever at one blow that lovely head.
Her In
sinless blood
all
by her own father shed
things thou shalt find
me
faithful,
!
true.
am — what would'st thou have me But mark me I am not to be beguiled I will not to a demon give my child Thy
do
slave I
;
?
;
;
madman's wild embrace Consign the pride and honor of my race. And wed her to contempt and foul disgrace." I will not to a
The child
chivalry
from her
of
the
desert disdained
father's arms, even
was a conquered
foe.
The
he was himself defeated, of his brave
men had
to
tear
gallant Noufal, feeling that
and that
in vain
the blood
stained the desert sands,
sadly
gave the order that the conquered tribe should be
lowed to "
retire
the
though that father
unmolested from the well fought
may
And
thou and thine
Still
armed with khanjer, sword and
quit the
al-
field.
field.
shield;
PERSIAN LITERATURE.
396
Both horse and
Thus
rider.
vain
in
Blood has bedewed this thirsty plain."
With a heavy heart the gallant chief pursued his homeward vcay with Majnun, reckless and desperate, by
his
pangs
He
side.
again to
tried
hopeless love, and
of
and tender
care, the
" But vain
calm
to bless,
the
wounded and despairing
his efforts
;
poignant
with gentleness spirit.
mountain, wood and plain
Soon heard the maniac's piercing woes again Escaped from listening ear and watchful eye. Lonely again, in desert wild to
lie."
In another part of the wild domain a cloud of dust
on the horizon of the desert troop
of
column
is
horsemen, and
come forth
of a
of the con-
placed in safer quarters,
meet the returning warriors.
to
As
the
come nearer they hear the leader's he breathes his curses, loud and deep,
steeds
angry word, as
upon the
The women
heaven.
of
who had been
quered tribe, trampling
coming
of the
a wearied and broken
seen beneath the clouds of sand which ob-
the blue
scure
tells
soon
victor in the
fight,
for he
scarcely cares to
survive the blow while burning with the disgrace defeat. fate,
Poor
Laili
listens
sadly to the story
of
of her
but no hope of aid can enter her crushed and
broken heart.
And
still
the story
borne on every gale, and the
wondering for
whom
her father
of
her beauty
neighboring tribes is
is
are
keeping the beau-
teous gem.
THE WEDDING. At
last,
the lover comes with his magnificent offer-
ings of embroidered robes,
and carpets
worked with
SECOND PERIOD. and gold;
silk
her
at
the rarest gems
and a long
feet,
line
397
were brought to lay
of
camels,
with
their
tinkling bells, were laden with costly presents for the bride of Ibn Salam.
Beautiful steeds were proudly stepping to the low
music of
his
march, for a long
the nuptial
pomp and
of
line
Arabian blood was coursing in their
the
purest
But while
veins.
nuptial rites engaged the chief-
and every square was ringing with of drums and the voice of pipe and cymbal,
household,
tain's
the rattle
sad and lone in her mourning for her betrothed, and pleading that she might be allowed to die rather than to wed the the
stricken
bride was
sitting
retreat,
man
The joyous bridegroom
that she could never love.
came with gorgeous chosen
bride
litter
to occupy.
and golden throne for the
He came
in
richest
garb,
with happy smiles and costly jewels, into the presence
Arabian maiden turned
of his promised bride, but the
with flashing eyes
him that the
upon the
without consulting her. die
intruder,
betrothal had been
and
informed
made by her
father
She declared she would rather
than become a wife unloving,
she could find only hatred for the
for
her
in
man who was
heart will-
ing to claim her under circumstances so revolting, and
then with the air of a queen she ordered him to leave her alone.
When
Ibn Salam heard her frenzied words,
he turned away from the indignant his
woes into her father's
ear.
The
girl
and poured
pitiful
pleadings
and the fearful mockery of marriage went on amidst the glare of trumpets and went on, with jewels and costly gifts sounding drum, for the unwilling bride, and all the outward show of of the girl were unheeded,
—
PERSIAN" LITERATURE.
298
But though
happiness and joy.
plighted faith
Laili's
Majaun seemed so sorely broken, she still cherished his memory with tenderest thought, and
to
" Deep in her heart a thousand woes Disturbed her days' and nights' repose
A
serpent at
very core
its
Writhing and gnawing evermore
And no
relief
—a
Being now the lonely
Amidst movement
all
the
of
sun
stars
bare horizon of the desert
Mght
of heaven.
sufferer's
heartaches
and
is
goes
on,
slow
and the
by the lamps
illumined
with her coolness and dews, comes
down upon the burning sands with Her primeval fountains of their
doom."
humanity the
of still
the restful touch
of peace.
ered for
;
room
prison
have gath-
light
time around the desert steppes,
all
watching and touching with glory the
mysteries,
silent
far-away crowns of their palms. her prison tower, looking out upon
in
Laili sat
peaceful
beauty
of
the
and
night,
soft
its
crept into her trouBled neart, bringing with sage of hope. in
that
still
shut like
by
surrounded
her husband
But
supplied.
lamps
and
wailing
cries
bearing messages to and fro the wild chant which
is
" Beneath her casement
;
gem
a
hark
;
;
!
is
its
there
is
an
there are flick-
confused
there
within
watch which
dragon
the
unusual sound beneath her casement ering
a mes-
For days and years she had lived with-
guarded tower,
stony bed,
it
th'3
repass
voices
are
a death-note in
ringing out upon the night. rings a wild lament.
Death-notes disturb the night
:
the air
is
rent
SECOND PERIOD. "With clamorous voices
He The
He Laili
breathes no longer
every hope
—Ibn
Salam rage had nipp'd him in
fever's
fled,
is is
dead
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