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^

§

The

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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