The hunting-field and wine among the roses,
While Rustam taught that enemy of his
To ride, to quaff, and play the monarch's part,
In all things holding him above a son,
And, night and day, embracing him with smiles.
Now when performance was allied to promise,
And when Gushtásp had no door of revenge
Still open, Rustam wrote in deep distress
Of all the matter of Asfandiyár.
The letter first called blessings down on those
Who take excuses and forego revenge,
Then “God is witness” he went on to say,
“And Bishútan herein hath been before me,
How much I pleaded with Asfandiyár
That so he might abandon thoughts of fight.
I offered256
him my treasure and my realm,
But he preferred all trouble for himself.
His fate was such that when it stood revealed
My heart was filled with pain and love withal.
Heaven turned above us to the destined end,
And Destiny regardeth none. Bahman,
The atheling, is with me now and he
Outshineth even mine own Jupiter.
I have instructed him in kingly parts,
And paid the debt of thy son's last request
With wisdom. If the Sháh will undertake
To pardon me, and to forget the past,
All—soul and body—that I have are his,
Both crown and treasure and both brain and skin.”
Whenas this reached the monarch of the world
And Bishútan came forth to testify,
Repeating all the words that Rustam used,
His grief, his counsel, and his last appeal,
And goodly offer of his realm and treasure.
The famous Sháh was reconciled to Rustam,
And ceased thenceforth to inflame his heart with sorrow.
He wrote forthwith a letter in response,
He set a tree within the garth of greatness,
And said thus: “From the circle of high heaven
What time calamity is imminent
Can any keep it back by circumspection
Though much inclined to wisdom? Bishútan
Hath told me what thy real intentions were,
And by thy goodness thou hast touched my heart;
But who escapeth from the turning sky?
A wise man dwelleth not upon the past;
Thou art as ever thou hast been or better;
Thou art the lord of Hind and of Kannúj.
Ask whatsoever thou desirest more
By way of throne and signet, sword and casque.”
As bidden by Gushtásp the messenger
Conveyed that answer quickly. It rejoiced
The famous paladin who felt his heart
Released from care.
Meanwhile young prince Bahman
Grew into lofty stature; he was wise,
Instructed, masterful, and shone with more
Than royal Grace and state. Jámásp, aware
That both for good and ill the sovereignty
Would come upon Bahman, said to Gushtásp:—
“O Sháh most worshipful! regard Bahman.
He hath the teaching that his father wished,
And hath arrived at man's estate with lustre;
Hath read to him a letter from thyself.
Thou shouldest write to him a letter like
A tree within the garth of Paradise.
What other memory is left to thee
To banish sorrow for Asfandiyár?”
This thing seemed good to Sháh Gushtásp who gave
Command to glorious Jámásp, and said:—
“Indite me now a letter to Bahman,
And one to glory-loving Rustam, saying:—
‘Thank God, O paladin of paladins!
That thou hast made us glad and cleared our mind.
Our grandson, who is dearer than our life,
Is more renowned for wisdom than Jámásp,
And hath acquired with thee both skill and counsel,
Send of thy favour home.’”
That to Bahman
Ran thus: “When thou hast read this quit Zábul,
For we desire to see thee; so make ready,
And tarry not.”
Shrewd Rustam, when the scribe
Had read the letter to him, was rejoiced.
Of what he had within his treasury—
Surtouts and daggers made of watered steel,
Bards, bows and arrows, sparths and Indian hangers,
Fresh aloes, camphor, musk, and ambergris,
Gold, silver, jewelry, brocaded stuffs,
With raiment in the piece, slaves of ripe age
And unripe, golden girdles, silvern bridles,
And two gold cups a-brim with precious stones,
All these he gave Bahman, and they that bore them
Accounted for them to his treasurer.
The matchless Rustam journeyed with Bahman
Two stages, then dispatched him to the Sháh.
The face of Sháh Gushtásp was dim with tears
What time he gazed upon his grandson's face.
He said: “Thou art Asfandiyár himself,
The Sháh bestowed on him the name Ardshír,
On secing what great courage he possessed.259
He was a stalwart warrior, strong of hand,
A wise man, well-instructed, and devout,
And with his fingers dressed beside his legs
His fists extended lower than his knees.259a
The Sháh awhile made proof of him and marked
His bearing. On the field, at feast, and chase
He proved a warrior like Asfandiyár,
And never tried the patience of Gushtásp,
Who ever gazed upon him with emotion,
And said: “The World-lord gave him unto me,
Gave him to me because I was in trouble.
May my Bahman live evermore since I
Have lost my noble, brazen-bodied son.”
The conflicts of Asfandiyár are o'er;
May our Sháh's head live on for evermore,
His heart from travail ever be at rest,
And may the age conform to his behest,
Glad be his heart, his crown uplifted high,
And round his foe's neck may his lasso lie.
The poet tells how he came to hear the story of the death of Rustam, which is as follows:—Zál had by a female slave a son named Shaghád and, as his horoscope was pronounced to be an unfavourable one by the astrologers, sent him to be educated at Kábul. There he married the king of Kábul's daughter, in consequence of which event the king anticipated that Rustam would remit the yearly tribute due from Kábul, but as this did not prove to be the case, the king and Shaghád plot together to bring about the death of Rustam, who perishes accordingly with his brother Zawára. They are avenged by Rustam's son Farámarz. The Part concludes with the death of Gushtásp and the succession of Bahman as Sháh.
One might gather from Firdausí's account of the provenance of this story that he received it personally from the authority whom he calls Ázád Sarv, i.e. Noble Cypress. This, however, does not seem to be what the poet meant by his statement. He tells us that Ázád Sarv shed lustre on Sahl, son of Máhán, who was no doubt his patron, and that, after Sahl's death, we may presume, he occupied a similar position in relation to Sahl's son Ahmad.260
Ahmad was sometime lord of Marv, and died A.D. 919-920,260a
about twenty years before Firdausí was born. Chronology therefore renders it highly improbable, though not impossible, that Firdausí and Ázád Sarv ever met. It is worth noting that the name of the king of Yaman, whose daughters married the sons of Farídún, was Sarv,260b
which is clearly fictitious; also that when Núshírwán, whose reign will appear in a later volume of this translation, had on one occasion an unpleasant dream, and dispatched agents to various regions to find an interpreter, one of them was named Ázád Sarv, who went to Marv and was the means of introducing Búzurjmihr, the future chief minister, to the notice of the Sháh. It is not at all unlikely that Firdausí, having on the present occasion to refer to a tradition emanating from Marv, used Sarv, as a convenient rhyme word.261
The poet's meaning is that, instead of following on this occasion his usual authority—the modern Persian prose version of the Bástán-náma261a
—he went elsewhere for his account. In the Bástán-náma, probably, Rustam remained alive till the next reign, and then was slain with all his house by Bahman.261b
Tabarí tells us that Bahman, urged on by his mother, invaded Sístán to avenge on Rustam and his kin the death of Asfandiyár. Bahman killed Farámarz, Zál, and Zawára, but Rustam himself was already dead.261c
Mas'údí says that Bahman made war on Rustam, and killed him and his father Zál.261d
With two or more versions of Rustam's death before him, Firdausí evidently chose the most romantic. It was better for the great hero to perish by treachery than in the stricken field against such a puny antagonist as Bahman.261e
Rustam and Zawára therefore are disposed of finally during the reign of Gushtásp and before Bahman's expedition to Sístán takes place.
We have had already several instances of the enmity between brothers so characteristic of Oriental life. We have seen how Purmáya and Kaiánúsh attempted the life of Farídún,261f
how Salm and Túr slew Íraj,261g
and we have probably another example in the case of Gurazm and Asfandiyár.261h
Now we have the fatal enmity of Shaghád against Rustam. It is only fair to add, however, that there are signal instances of brothers dwelling together in unity —e.g. Rustam and Zawára,261i
Gushtásp and Zarír,261j
and Asfandiyár and Bishútan.261k
The tale of Rustam's slaying I present
There was an ancient man, hight Ázád Sarv,
Who erst lived with Ahmad, Sahl's son, at Marv.
A paladin in form and face was he,
And storied in the royal legendry.
His head was full of speech, his heart of lore,
His tongue of phrases of the days of yore.
From Sám, the son of Narímán, he drew
His line and many a fight of Rustam's knew.
What I received from him I will rehearse,
And interweave it, word with word, in verse.
If in this Wayside Inn I still shall bide,
With mind and wisdom acting as my guide,
I will complete this story of the past,
And then on earth my record too will last.
In his name then who hath made earth his own—
Mahmúd, that glory of the crown and throne,
Lord of Írán, Túrán, and Hind, through whom
The world hath grown to be like silk of Rúm!
He lavisheth his treasures which will be
Replenished by his fame and policy,
And he is mighty and in future ages
Will live upon the lips of all the sages.
The world is full of his memorials—
Wars, bounties, huntings, lore and festivals—
But they among mankind are blest the most,
Who look upon his crown, his court, and host.
Mine ears and feet begin to fail at length;
Old age and want have robbed me of my strength;
Mourn stress of years and evil destiny;
Yet am I ever instant in the praise
Of our just world-lord all my nights and days,
And all the folk are one with me in that,
Though faithless and malign, for since he sat
Upon the royal throne he hath subdued
The hand of evil and the gate of feud,
Restraining him that doth presumptuously,
However overweening he may be,
While bountifully largessing the sage
That heedeth the prescriptions of his age.
I raise him in this world a monument,
Which, while men live, shall be still evident
In this my story of the Sháhs of old,
Of bygone horsemen and the great and bold,
Compact of feast and fight, of ancient lore
And rede, of many a gest of days of yore,
Of knowledge, Faith, of scruple and advice,
And guidance furthermore to Paradise.
Of all the things that earn our monarch's praise,
The things of chiefest profit in his days,
This best will serve to keep his memory rife,
And live as part and parcel of his life,
And I am hoping to live too till I
Receive his gold that, when I come to die,
I too may leave my monument with things
Drawn from the treasury of the king of kings.
And now I turn back to the words of Sarv,
The Light of Sahl, son of Máhán, at Marv.
Thus saith the ancient sage, that storied man
Of parts and eloquence:—Behind Zál's curtains
There dwelt a slave—a harpist and reciter—
And this handmaiden bore to him a son
As radiant as the moon, a horseman Sám
In form and aspect, and a cause of joy
And men of science—chosen cavaliers
Both from Kábul and from Kashmír, alike
The worshippers of God and of the Fire—
Went with their Rúman tables in their hands,
And each one took the aspect of the sky
As to its favour toward the little child.
The gazers found a portent in the stars,
And looked at one another. Then they said
To Zál, the son of Sám, the cavalier:—
“O thou remembered by the stars of heaven!
We have explored the secret of the sky:
'Tis unpropitious to this little child,
For when this pretty infant shall grow up,
And reach the days of strength and hardihood,
He will destroy the family of Sám,
The son of Narímán, and wreck their sway.
Through him Sístán will be fulfilled with uproar,
Írán embroiled, and all folks' days embittered,
But afterward his tarriance will be brief.”
Zál, son of Sám, was grieved thereat, invoked
The Judge of all, and prayed: “O Guide of men,
Sustainer of the turning sky, my Refuge
And Stay in everything, who showest me
What rede to follow and what way to go,
And madest heaven and the stars withal,
Have we misdoubted of such excellence?
Be ours contentment, rest, and happiness.”
The chieftain gave his son the name of Shaghád.
He kept the child till he was weaned and grew
Observant, full of charm, and talkative;
Then, when the boy was growing strong of limb,
Dispatched him to the monarch of Kábul.
Now when Shaghád became a lofty Cypress
In height, a horseman puissant with the lasso
Esteemed him fit for royal crown and throne,
Rejoiced to look on him and on account
Of his high birth bestowed on him a daughter,
And with that noble daughter sent besides
Fit presents from the spacious treasury,
And guarded him, as he were some fresh apple,
That ill might not befall him from the stars.
The nobles of Írán and Hindústán
Had much to say of Rustam, for he took
An ox-skin full of money from Kábul
Each year as tribute,265
wherefore when the king
Had made Shaghád his son-in-law he thought
That Rustam of Zábul would heed no more
The money from that time; so when 'twas due,
And taken as before, Kábulistán
Was deeply moved. His brother's conduct vexed
Shaghád who spake not of it publicly,
But told the king in private: “I am weary
Of this world's doings. I can not respect
A brother who hath no regard for me.
Not recking whether he be wise or mad,
An elder brother or an alien,
Let us concert a plan of snaring him,
And win us in the world a name thereby.”
They plotted till they soared above the moon
In their imaginations. Hear the sage:—
“The evil that men do they live to rue.”
One night until the sun rose o'er the mountains
Sleep came not to the twain, and thus they said:—
“We will destroy his glory in the world,
And fill the heart and eyes of Zál with tears.”
Shaghád said to the monarch of Kábul:—
“If we would do full justice to our scheme
Prepare a festival, invite the nobles,
And call for wine and harp and minstrelsy.
While we are in our cups speak coldly to me,
And then insult me. I, dishonoured thus,
About the monarch of Kábulistán
Before my brother and before my sire,
And call thee both discourteous and ill-natured.
Then Rustam will be wroth on mine account,
And come to our famed city. Then do thou
Select upon his route a hunting-ground,
And there dig divers pitfalls large enough
To take both him and Rakhsh, and plant long swords,
With spears and blades of steel with double edges,
The handles downward and the points erect,
About the bottoms of the pits. Of these
It will be better to make ten than five
If thou desirest to be freed from care.
Employ a hundred cunning workmen, dig
The pits, and keep the secret from the wind;
Then make the surface good and hold thy peace.”
The monarch went, put prudence from his mind,
And made a feast as that insensate said,
Invited great and small throughout Kábul,
And seated them before a well-spread board.
When they had eaten they prepared for revel,
And called for wine and harp and minstrelsy.
Now when folks' heads were flown with royal wine
Shaghád designedly grew insolent,
And spake thus to the monarch of Kábul:—
“I am exalted over all the folk;
With Rustam for my brother, Zál for father,
What nobler strain can any one possess?”
The king seemed wroth and said: “Why do I keep
This matter so long hidden? Thou art not
By race from Sám, the son of Narímán,
And neither Rustam's brother nor his kin.
Zál, son of Sám, hath never mentioned thee;
How then shall such an one be called thy brother?
Thou art slave-born, a menial at his gate,
And Rustam's mother would not own thy claim.”
Shaghád, as angered at the monarch's words,
With certain of Kábul in company,
Revenge at heart and sighs upon his lips.
He reached his glorious father's court, his heart
All machination and his head all vengeance.
Zál at the instant that he saw his son,
So tall and stately, with such Grace divine
And thews received him kindly, questioned him,
And sent him on to Rustam presently.
That paladin rejoiced at seeing him,
To see him sage and of an ardent soul,
And said to him: “The seed of Sám, the Lion,
Produceth only strong and valiant men.
How do things stand betwixt Kábul and thee?
What doth he say of Rustam of Zábul?”
Shaghád replied: “Nay, speak not of the king.
He used to treat me kindly and to bless me
Whene'er he saw me; now he seeketh a quarrel
Against me in his cups and holdeth high
His head o'er all. He humbled me in public,
And showed his evil bent. He said to me:—
‘How long shall we submit to pay this tribute?
Are we unable to resist Sístán?
Henceforth I will not mention Rustam; I
Am equal to him both in strength and parts.’
He further said: ‘Thou art no son of Zál,
Or if thou art so he himself is naught.’
My heart was pained because of those chiefs present,
And so with pallid cheeks I left Kábul.”
When Rustam heard it he was wroth, and said:—
“No matter lieth hidden for all time.
Have no more thought of him or of his realm,
And may his crown and sovereignty both perish.
I will destroy him for his words and wring
His heart and eyes, will seat thee on his throne
In joy, and lay in dust his head and fortune.”
Assigned a stately palace for his use,
And from his army chose the fittest men—
Those famed in battle—bidding them prepare
To leave Zábul and occupy Kábul.
When all was ready, and the paladin
Freed from anxiety, Shaghád approached
That man of war, and said: “Think not of fighting
The monarch of Kábul. Were I to limn
Thy name on water merely none would rest
Or slumber there, for who would venture forth
To strive with thee, or who abide thy coming?
Sure am I that the monarch is repentant,
That he would fain atone for my departure,
And even now is sending from Kábul
Picked chiefs in numbers to apologise.”
Then Rustam answered him: “That is the way.
Against Kábul I need no host of men;
Zawára with a hundred cavalry
And infantry of name will do for me.”
Now when ill-starred Shaghád had left Kábul
The monarch hurried to the hunting-ground,
And took a hundred sappers, men of note
Among the troops. They honeycombed the chase
With pits, arranging them beneath the rides,
And in them set haft-downward hunting-spears,
Swords, double-headed darts, and scimitars,
And made a shift to mask the openings
That neither man nor eye of beast might see them.
When Rustam had set forward in all haste
Shaghád dispatched a rapid post to say:—
“The elephantine hero hath come forth
To be forgiven.”
The monarch of Kábul,
Pleas on his tongue and poison in his soul,
Came from the city and, on seeing Rustam,
Alighted from his steed, advanced a-foot,
Took off the Indian turban that he wore,
And clasped his naked head between his hands,
Drew off his boots and in his deep abasement
Made his eyelashes drip with his heart's blood.
He laid his cheeks upon the dusty ground,
Excusing his behaviour to Shaghád,
And saying: “If thy slave was drunk or crazy,
And seemed rebellious in his senselessness,
Vouchsafe to pardon this offence of mine,
And let me be anew as once I was.”
Bare-footed, dust on head, his heart all guile,
He went before the chief, who pardoned him
His fault, increased his standing, bade him cover
His head and feet, mount saddle, and proceed.
There was hard by the city of Kábul
A pleasant, fertile spot with wood and water,
And there they willingly encamped. The king
Provided provand lavishly and furnished
A pleasant banquet-house, brought wine, called minstrels,
And placed the chiefs on royal thrones. Thereafter
He spake to Rustam thus: “When thou wouldst hunt
I have a district where on plain and hill
Game throngeth. Wild sheep, onager, gazelle
Fill all the waste. One with a speedy steed
Will capture there gazelle and onager;
One should not overlook that pleasant place.”
Now Rustam grew excited at his talk
Of watered plain, of onager, and game,
For, when one's fate approacheth, anything
Will lead the heart wrong and pervert the mind.
And will not make its seerets known to us.
The crocodile in water, pard on land,
And battle-braving Lion deft of hand,
Are in death's clutch no less than ant and fly;
To tarry here transcendeth subtlety.
He bade to saddle the steeds and fill the waste
With hawks and falcons, cased his royal bow,
And rode out to the plain, he and Shaghád.
Zawára too was of the company,
And many another of their noble friends.
The retinue were scattered in the chase,
But all to quarters where no pits were digged,
While Rustam and Zawára took the path
Among the pits because Fate willed it so.
Rakhsh sniffed fresh earth, spun like a ball, and shied,
Suspicious of the smell, and tore the ground
To pieces with his iron shoes. Howbeit
That fleet steed picked his steps right warily
So as to make his way between two pits;
But Rustam's heart was filled with wrath at Rakhsh,
And fortune veiled discretion from his eyes.
He raised his hunting-whip and in his dudgeon
Lashed Rakhsh though lightly and thus flurried him
Just as, environed by the pits, he sought
To 'scape Fate's clutch. Two of his feet went through;
He had no purchase; all below was spear
And sword; no pluck availed; escape was none;
And so the haunches of the mighty Rakhsh,
And Rustam's legs and bosom, were impaled;
Yet in his manhood he uplifted him,
And from the bottom bravely gained the brim.
When Rustam wounded as he was looked forth,
And saw the hostile visage of Shaghád,
He recognised the author of the plot,
“O man of black and evil destiny!
Thine action hath laid waste a prosperous land;
But thou shalt yet repent thee of this thing,
Writhe for this wrong, and never see old age.”
The vile Shaghád replied: “The wheel of heaven
Hath dealt with thee aright. For what a while
Hast thou engaged in bloodshed, strife, and pillage
On all sides! Now thy life shall end, and thou
Shalt perish in the toils of Áhriman.”
With that the monarch of Kábul came up
Upon his way toward the chase, beheld
The elephantine warrior thus wounded,
With all his wounds unbound, and said to him:—
“O thou illustrious leader of the host!
What hath befallen thee on the hunting-field?
I will depart forthwith, bring hither leeches,
And weep in tears of blood on thine account;
No need to weep though if thou art made whole.”
But matchless Rustam answered: “Crafty villain!
The time for leech is passed. Weep no blood-drops
For me. Though thou liv'st long the end will come;
None can evade the sky. My Grace divine
Surpasseth not Jamshíd's, and he was sawn
Asunder by a foe,271
or Farídún's,
Or Kai Kubád's—those mighty, high-born Sháhs—
And when had come the time of Siyáwush
Gurwí, the son of Zira, cut his throat.272
Kings of Írán and Lions in the fight
Were they, and they have gone. We have outstayed
them,
And loitered like great lions on our way;
And will require my vengeance at thy hands.”
He said to foul Shaghád: “Since such an ill
Hath come on me uncase my bow for me,
And let it serve as mine interpreter.
String it and lay it by me with two arrows.
It is not fit that lions on the prowl,
And coming on the plain in quest of quarry,
Shall see me fallen here and sorely wounded,
For evil will betide me, and my bow
Will stay their rending me alive. My time
Is come, I lay my body in the dust.”
Shaghád drew near, uncased the bow, and strung it.
He drew it once, then laid it down by Rustam,
And laughed exulting at his brother's death.
The matchless hero clutched it lustily,
Though tortured by the anguish of his wounds,
What while Shaghád in terror at those arrows
Made haste to shield himself behind a tree—
An ancient plane still boughed and leaved but hollow—
And there behind it skulked the miscreant.
When Rustam saw this he put forth his hands,
Sore wounded as he was, and loosed a shaft.
He pinned his brother and the tree together,
And gladdened in the article of death.
Shaghád, when he was stricken, cried out “Ah!”
But Rustam had not left him time to suffer,
And cried: “Now God be praised, and I have known Him
Through all my years, that oven when my soul
Hath reached my lips day hath not turned to night
O'er my revenge, but He hath given me strongth
Before my death to wreak me on this traitor.”
He spake, his soul departed from his body,
Within another pit Zawára died;
Remained no horseman high or low beside?
One of those noble cavaliers escaped,
And made his way on horseback and a-foot.
When he had reached Zábulistán he said: –
“The mighty Elephant is with the dust,
So are Zawára and the escort too,
And not another horseman hath escaped!”
Rose from Zábulistán a cry against
The foe and monarch of Kábulistán,
Zál scattered dust upon his shoulders, tore
His breast and face, and cried: “Alas! alas!
Thou elephantine hero! would that I
Were in my winding-sheet! Zawára too,
That noble warrior, that valiant Dragon,
That famous Lion! Luckless, cursed Shaghád
Hath dug up by the roots that royal Tree.
Who could imagine that a wretched Fox
Would meditate revenge in yonder land
Upon a Lion? Who can call to mind
Such a misfortune, who could bear to hear
From his instructor that a Lion like Rustam
Had died in dust and through a Fox's words?
Why died I not before them wretchedly?
Why am I left as their memorial?
Of me, the son of Sám, hath been uprooted?
O chieftain! lion-taker! hero! lord!
O man of valour and world-conqueror!”
He sent an army under Farámarz
Against the monarch of Kábul forthwith,
To gather those slain bodies from the dust,
And give the world good cause for sorrowing.
When Farámarz arrived before Kábul
He found no man of name within the city.
They all had fled, the people were in tears,
And seared with grief for world-subduing Rustam.
Then Farámarz went to the hunting-ground—
The plain wherein the pitfalls had been dug.
He ordered that a stretcher should be brought,
And to lay out thereon that noble Tree,
Unloosed that belt which marked a paladin,
And stripped the body of its royal raiment.
Then first of all they laved in tepid water
The bosom, neck, and beard right tenderly,
Burned musk and ambergris before the corpse,
And sewed up all the gashes of its wounds,
Poured o'er the head rose-water and disposed
The purest camphor over all the form.
Then, when they had arrayed it in brocade,
They requisitioned roses, musk, and wine.
The man who sewed the shroud shed tears of blood
On combing out that beard of camphor hue.
Two stretchers scarce sufficed to hold the body;
Was it a man's trunk or a shady tree's?
With golden nails and ivory ornaments.
The apertures were all sealed up with pitch,
Which they o'erlaid with musk and spicery.
They drew Zawára's body from the pit,
Washed it, sewed up the gashes that they found,
And placed it in a shroud made of brocade.
They sought about to find an elmtree-trunk,
And skilful carpenters went forth and cut
Some mighty planks therefrom. They drew the body
Of Rakhsh out of the pit—that steed whose like
None had beheld on earth—a two days' task,
And then they hoised it on an elephant.
Kábulistán up to Zábulistán
Was like a place of public lamentation,
And men and women stood there in such throngs
That none had room to move, and so they passed
The coffins on from hand to hand and thought,
Such were their multitudes, the travail wind.
They reached Zábul in two days and a night,
And neither bier was seen to touch the ground.
The death of Rustam filled the age with wailing;
Thou wouldst have said: “The very waste is moved!”
They made the charnel-house within a garden,
And raised the summit of it to the clouds.
They set two golden thrones there face to face;
It was the blessèd hero's place of rest.
Then all of those who were his servitors,
The free by birth and honest-hearted slaves,
When they had mingled musk and roses poured
them
Out at the elephantine hero's feet,
And every one exclaimed: “O famous man!
Why need'st thou gifts of musk and ambergris?
No longer toilest in the battle-tide,
No longer lavishest thy gold and treasure.
In sooth such things are worthless in thy sight.
Be happy now in jocund Paradise,
For God compacted thee of manliness
And justice.”
Having closed the charnel's door
They left him there. That famed, exalted Lion
Had passed away. Beside the door they made
A tomb for Rakhsh as of a horse upstanding.
What wouldst thou with this Wayside Inn—this gain
Of treasure first but in the end of pain?
Serve God or Áhriman yet still thou must,
Though made of iron, crumble into dust,
Yet lean to good while here thou shalt abide,
Elsewhere perchance thou wilt be satisfied.
When Farámarz had made an end of mourning
He led his whole host onward to the plains,
And having opened Rustam's dwelling-place
Provided pay and outfit for the troops.
At dawn the noise of clarions arose,
Of kettledrums withal and Indian bells.
Kábul-ward from Zábul he led a host
That veiled the sun. The ruler of Kábul
Heard of those chieftains of Zábulistán,
And massed his scattered troops. The earth grew iron,
Air azure-dim. He marched 'gainst Farámarz,
And light departed from the sun and moon.
When those two hosts confronted, and the world
Rang with the shouting of the warriors,
Within the woods the lions lost their way
Frayed by the throng of steeds, the dust of troops.
A wind arose, the azure dust-clouds whirled,
And earth seemed one with heaven. Farámarz
The world was darkened by the horsemen's dust,
The monarch of Kábul was taken captive,
And all his mighty armament dispersed.
The warriors of Zábulistán like wolves
Attacked the enemy on every side,
Pursuing those that fled away, and slaying
So many warriors and haughty chiefs
Of Sind and Hind, that all the field turned mire,
And all the troops of Hind and Sind were scattered
They gave up land and home, abandoning
Both wife and child. The monarch of Kábul,
All bathed in blood, was flung within the tower
Upon an elephant, and Farámarz
Led on his army to the hunting-ground
Whereon the pits were dug. He bare with him
The foe in chains and two score more withal—
Kin to the king and idol-worshippers.
He tore the monarch's back to strips until
The bones showed bare, then hung him, foul with dust,
His mouth all blood, head-downward in a pit,
And burned his forty kin; then sought Shaghád,
There made a conflagration mountain-high,
And burned him with the plane277
and ground beneath.
The troops returning to Zábulistán
Took all the ashes of Kábul to Zál.
When Farámarz had cut the tyrant off
He made a Zábulí king in Kábul,
Where no one of the royal stock remained
That had not read the patent of his sword.
He came back from Kábul all seared and smarting
The brightness of his days was overcast.
And no one wore a robe unrent. The folk
All came to welcome Farámarz again
With bosoms lacerate and full of pain.
For one year there was mourning in Sístán,
And all the folk were clad in black and blue.
Upon a day Rúdába said to Zál:—
“Lament and wail because of Rustam's death,
For surely since the sun hath lit the world
No man hath seen a darker day than this.”
“O foolish woman!” Zál replied to her,
“The pain of fasting passeth that of grief.”
Rúdába was enraged and swore an oath:—
“Henceforth my body shall not sleep or eat.
It may be that my soul will see again
The soul of Rustam midst yon company.”
She fasted for a week that she might hold
Communion with his soul. Her eye grew dim
Through abstinence, her noble body pined.
For fear of harm slaves followed her about.
Ere that week ended she had lost her wits,
And in her frenzy sorrow turned to feasting.
She went forth to the kitchen in the night,
And saw a serpent lying dead in water.
With trembling eagerness she seized its head,
And was about to eat. The attendants snatched it,
And clasping her withdrew her from that place
Of unclean hands, bare her to her apartments,
And, having set her in her wonted seat,
Brought forth a trencher and set food thereon.
She ate of all till she was satisfied,
And then they spread soft garments under her.
She slept and rested from her care and trouble,
From grief at death and sorrows of possession.
And they provided her abundantly.
When sense returned to her she said to Zál:—
“That word of thine consorted well with wisdom;
Grief at a death and feast and festival
Are one to him that eateth not nor sleepeth.
Our son hath gone and we shall follow him.
Trust we the Maker's justice.”
She bestowed
Her treasures on the poor, and prayed to God:—
“O Thou who art above both name and place!
Cleanse from all fault the soul of matchless Rustam,
Assign him Paradise for his abode,
And joyance of the fruits that here he sowed.”
Since matchless Rustam's life hath ceased to be
I will present another history.
When fortune's face grew louring to Gushtásp
He called Jámásp before the throne, and said:—
“Time hath inspired in me so much remorse
About the matter of Asfandiyár
That all my days are passed unjoyously,
And I am troubled by the vengeful stars.
Now after me Bahman will be the Sháh,
With Bishútan as confidant. Reject not
Bahman's behests, but serve him loyally,
And be his guide in every circumstance,
For he is worthy of the crown and throne.”
The Sháh then gave Bahman the treasury-key,
And, sighing deeply, said: “My work is over;
The floods have overtopped me. I have sat
As Sháh for six score years and never seen
My peer; and now do thou bestir thyself,
Be just to every one and, being just,
Exempt from grief. Make glad and keep the wise
Near thee, but make the world dark to thy foes,
And follow right for that ne'er causeth loss.
Resign to thee throne, diadem, and treasure.”
He spake, his lifetime ended, and his past
Bare280
no more fruit. They made a charnel-house
Of ebony and ivory, and hung
His crown above his throne. He had his share
Of treasure and of toil, and, after joying
In sweet and antidote, found bane at last.
If such is life whence do its pleasures spring?
Death equaleth the beggar and the king.
Enjoy thy having, shun ill-enterprise,
And hearken to the sayings of the wise.
My fellow-travellers have gone while I
Remain and tell at large of days gone by.
Each traveller hath reached his place of rest,
And, if he sought the good, achieved his quest.
Let virtue, virtue only, grasp thy hand
That thou mayst list to those that understand.
The doings of Bahman I now essay,
And will recount thee things long passed away.
Bahman, on ascending the throne, announces his purpose of taking vengeance on the family of Rustam for the death of Asfandiyár. He marches against Zábulistán, takes Zál and Farámarz prisoners, pardons the former but executes the latter. He then returns home, marries his own daughter Humái, arranges the succession to the throne, and dies.
Originally Bahman appears to have had no connexion with the historical Artaxerxes Longimanus (B.C. 464-424), with whom he has been identified by various writers. Artaxerxes, however, was a familiar name in its Persian form in Sásánian times owing to the fact that another Artaxerxes had overthrown the Parthian, and founded a native Íránian, dynasty. The compilers of the Bástán-náma, who seem to have become acquainted through some Syriac writer, who drew his material from a Greek chronographer, with the first Artaxerxes, readily identified him with Bahman281
— the only traditional Íránian ruler available. Luhrásp and Gush-tásp on one side, and Dáráb and Dárá on the other, were alike out of the question, while Humái was a woman. Accordingly Bahman received the name and distinguishing title of the Ach??-menid, and became known as Ardshír—a form of Artaxerxes—and as Dirázdast—a translation of the Greek ◌. The expression “of the long hand” or “the long handed” is well illustrated by a passage in Tennyson's “Princess.”
“But my good father thought a king a king;
He cared not for the affection of the house;
He held his sceptre like a pedant's wand
To lash offence, and with long arms and hands
Reach'd out, and picked offenders from the mass
For judgment.”
In time, as so often happens, the metaphor was taken literally, and we find Firdausí saying of Bahman:—
“And with his fingers dressed beside his legs
His fists extended lower than his knees.”282
How Artaxerxes obtained his title expressive of far-reaching power does not seem to be known. He may have assumed it himself, or received it from his subjects or from the Greeks. The earliest mention of it is by the Greek writer Dinon, or Deinon,282a
in the days of Alexander the Great. The view which identifies Bahman with Artaxerxes Longimanus has been supplemented by the further identification of Artabanus with Rustam and Xerxes with Asfandiyár.282b
If this is accepted we may trace in the contention of Rustam with Asfandiyár, the former's patronage of Bahman, Bahman's accession to the throne and his subsequent vengeance on the race of Zál, a poetical version of the palace conspiracy whereby Artabanus, the captain of the guard, leagued with Artaxerxes, slew the latter's father Xerxes, and placed Artaxerxes on the throne only to be destroyed himself shortly afterward with all his house by the Sháh whom he had set up. If, however, the view expressed at the beginning of this note is correct, and it is substantially Professor Nöldeke's, that the title of the Long-handed was derived through the Syriac from Greek sources and bestowed on a wholly mythical personality, we may conclude that other events of the reign of the Long-handed were borrowed from the same foreign source and reflected back in the like manner, in which case of course the above identifications are historically valueless. In the translation we always speak of Bahman, not Ardshír.
§ 5. We have here one of the fictitious genealogies by which it was striven to connect the Sásánían with the Kaiánian dynasty. Another will be found in the next volume in the portion dealing with the Ashkánian dynasty.282c
He girt his girdle round him, oped his hands,
Bestowed a donative upon the troops,
And granted many a march and many a province.
He held a conclave of the men of wisdom,
The great men, and the officers of state,
And thus he said: “Ye all, both old and young,
Whoever hath an understanding mind,
Wot of the slaying of Asfandiyár,
Of fortune's changes both for good and ill,
Of Rustam's deeds while yet he lived and those
Of Zál, the sorcerer, that ancient man.
Now Farámarz in public and in private
Desireth naught but vengeance on ourselves,
While my head acheth and my heart is full,
And I too think of nothing but revenge:
Two warriors—Núsh Ázar and Mihr-i-Núsh—
Have given up their lives so wretchedly!282d
By that same token too Asfandiyár—
A man without a peer in all the world—
Of prey and chase went wild with grief for him.
Yea, for the slaughter of Asfandiyár
The pictures in the palace weep for woe,
And for the blood of those our noble ones,
Our youths and gallant cavaliers withal.
No man that springeth from pure stock will leave
His finest jewel lying in the ditch,
But will come forward, like Sháh Farídún
(And while such men exist all will be well)
Who made Zahhák, in that he slew Jamshíd,
To cease among the warriors of the world.
For vengeance Minúchihr led from Ámul
A mighty host 'gainst Túr and valiant Salm,
Invaded Chín, took vengeance for his grandsire,
And levelled earth up to the hills with slain.284
When Kai Khusrau escaped Afrásiyáb
He made the world run river-like with blood.
My sire avenged the slaying of Luhrásp,
And like achievements should be told of me.
In vengeance for his father, Farámarz
Exalted to the shining sun his head,
Marched on Kábul, required revenge for Rustam,
And levelled to the dust its fields and fells.
No man could recognise the land for blood:
They made the horses trample on the slain.
More call have I to take revenge who urge
My steed against the elephant and lion,
Because thou wilt not see amongst earth's heroes
Another horseman like Asfandiyár.
What are your views? What answer do ye give
In this regard? Strive to advise me well.”
Thereat the assembled loyal lieges cried:—
“Thy slaves are we and have fulfilled our hearts
With love toward thee. Thou art more instructed
Than we about the past and mightier.
Do whatsoe'er thou wilt so long as fame
And Grace divine accrue to thee thereby.
No one will disobey thee; who will dare?”
For vengeance and made ready to invade
Sístán. This settled, the assembly rose.
At dawn the drums beat and the sky grew ebon
With dust of troops whereof there marched along
Sword-wielding horsemen five score thousand strong.
Now when Bahman was drawing nigh the Hírmund
He choose him out an envoy, one of rank,
Entrusted to him various messages,
And sent him on to Zál, the son of Sám,
To say: “My lot is bitter in the world
Through what hath happened to Asfandiyár,
And through the vengeance owing for Núsh Zád285
And Núsh Ázar—two loved and high-born princes.
I mean to ease my heart of this old grudge,
And make the rivers of Zábul run blood.”
The messenger arrived and gave the message
To Zál, whose heart grew wed to pain and grief,
And he returned this answer: “If the Sháh
Is thus concerned about Asfandiyár,
Then let him know that what was was to be,
And that the matter filled my heart with anguish.
Thou wast thyself exposed to good and ill,
And hadst from me all profit and no loss.
Now Rustam swerved not from thy sire's commands,
But, as thou sawest, bare a loyal heart.
Thy sire, that great and noble prince, was fey,
And thereupon waxed over-bold. The lion
And dragon of the wood can not escape
The clutch of Fate. Thou must have heard, good sooth,
What deeds of valour Sám, the cavalier,
Accomplished in the past, and thus persèvered
Down to the days of Rustam, who then drew
The trenchant scimitar and wrought with valour
Before thine ancestors in times of strife.285a
As well as of the mightiest of thy host.
Now miserably hath he passed away,
And all Zábulistán is full of tumult.
If now thou wilt forbear to war with us,
Wilt think upon our case considerately,
Wilt come and, putting vengeance from thy heart,
Enchant our land with lovingkindliness,
I will present to thee upon thy coming
Sám's wealth, brocade, dínárs, his golden girdles,
And golden harness, for thou art the Sháh;
The nobles are thy flock.”
He gave the envoy
A steed, dínárs, and many other gifts.
Now when the noble envoy reached Bahman,
He told what he had heard and seen with Zál.
Bahman, the fortune-favoured, when he heard,
Rejected the excuse, was very wroth,
And reached the city with an aching heart,
With vengeful thoughts and sighs upon his lips.
Then Zál, the son of Sám the cavalier,
Attended meanly by two horsemen, went
To meet Bahman and, coming to the presence,
Alighted from his roadster, did obeisance,
And spake thus, saying: “Wise and prudent Sháh!
Deign to regard us with the eye of wisdom.
By all the services that we have paid,
And by our care for thee when thou wast young,
Forgive us, speak no more about the past,
Be great and seek not vengeance for the slain.”
Enraged with Zál, whose hopes were foiled, Bahman
Put him forthwith in fetters, heeding not
What minister or treasurer might say.
Then from the halls of Zál, the son of Sám
The cavalier, they loaded up the camels
With thrones and tapestries, whate'er there was,
With golden tissue and with golden crowns,
With silvern tissue and with belts and earrings.
They took the Arab horses trapped with gold,
The Indian scimitars with golden sheaths,
The prisoners and sacks of drachms, of musk,
And camphor, and the treasures more or less
That Rustam had collected by his toil
From Sháhs and chiefs. Bahman delivered all
Zábulistán to pillaging and then
Gave crowns and purses to his mighty men.
At Bust, upon the frontier, Farámarz,
In dudgeon for his grandsire, steeped his hands
In vengeance, gathered troops, marched 'gainst Bahman,
And oft recalled the wars of matchless Rustam.
When news of this had reached the monarch's ??ars
He raged upon the throne of king of kings,
Packed up the baggage, called the troops to horse,
Marched to the burial-place of Rustam's race,
And tarried there two weeks. Then with the din
Of trumpets and of Indian bells the mountains
Shook to their cores, heaven bathed the world in pitch,
And from that pitch the arrows showered like hail,
While at the clash of ax and twang of bow
The earth out-quaked the sky. Three days and nights
Upon that field steel swords and maces rained,
And clouds of dust collected overhead.
Upon the fourth day there arose a storm:
Thou wouldst have said: “The day and night are one.”
The world-lord joyed and, following up the dust
With trenchant sword, brought Doomsday on the foe.
The men of Bust, the warriors of Zábul,
The gallant swordsmen of Kábulistán,
Had not a horseman left upon the field,
No chief was left of all those men of name,
For one by one they turned their backs in flight,
And shamefully deserted Farámarz.
The battlefield was heaped up mountain-like
By slain struck down pell mell from both the hosts.
Albeit with a paltry band of heroes
Right bravely Farámarz still faced the foe,
Himself a lion and a lion's whelp,
With all his body hacked by scimitars,
Until at length that noble warrior
Was ta'en by brave Ardshír who carried him
Before Bahman. That vengeful monarch gazed
Upon him for a while but would not spare,
Alive thereon, his elephantine form
Head-downward. Then in wreak, with arrow-rain,
Bahman,288
that famous Kaian, had him slain.
Now noble Bishútan, the minister,
Was sorely troubled by this butchery,
And rising in the world-lord's presence said:—
“Just monarch! if revengement was thy due,
And 'twas thy heart's desire, that wish of thine
Is perfected in loss. Cease to enjoin
Raid, slaughter, turmoil, strife. Approve them not,
Refrain thyself, fear God, and think of us.
Consider well the turns of fortune's wheel,
How it exalteth this man to the clouds,
And putteth that man into sorry plight.
Thy sire, that world-lord and the army's Lustre,
Did he not go Nímrúz-ward for a bier,
And did not Rustam too when at Kábul
Go to the chase and perish in a pit?
While thou dost live, O king of pure descent!
Vex not a man of birth, for if the son
Of Sám, the son of Narímán, shall cry
Against his bondage to the great All-giver,
Thou wilt be pinched, successful as thou art,
When he appealeth to the Omnipotent.
To Rustam, warder of the Kaian throne,
Who used to gird his loins for every toil,
Thou wast indebted for this crown and not
To Sháh Gushtásp or to Asfandiyár.
Trace downward from the days of Kai Kubád
To those of Kai Khusrau of holy rede;
All owed their greatness to his scimitar,
And held the mightiest his inferiors.
If thou art wise release Zál from his bonds,
And turn thy heart back from the evil way.”
The Sháh repented of those deeds of his
When he had heard the words of Bishútan.
“Ye paladins, ye just and upright men!
Make preparations for returning home,
And keep from pillage and from massacre.”
He bade them to release the feet of Zál
From bonds and give him much good counselling.
They built a charnel-house to hold the slain,
Such was the rede of righteous Bishútan.
When Zál returned from prison to his palace
His noble spouse wept o'er him bitterly,
And cried: “Alack thou brave, heroic Rustam,
Thou scion of the hero Naríman!
When yet thou wast alive who recognised
Gushtásp as Sháh? But now thy hoards are sacked,
Zál hath been captive, and thy son slain vilely
By showers of arrows! Oh! may none e'er see
Another day like this, and may the earth
Be void of offspring from Asfandiyár.”
Now tidings of this matter reached Bahman,
As well as glorious Bishútan, who grieved
For her; his cheeks grew wan at her complainings.
He spake thus to Bahman: “O youthful Sháh,
As 'twere a new moon in the midst of heaven!
At daybreak lead thy host forth from this land,
For matters here are grave and troublesome.
May evil eyes be distant from thy crown,
And may thy whole time be a festival.
The king of kings should stay not long beneath
The roof of Zál, the son of Sám the hero.”
Whenas the hills became like sandarach,
And when the sound of drums rose from the courtgate,
The monarch led the army from Zábul
Toward Írán—the country of the brave.
He rested, sat rejoicing on the throne,
And ruled the world by precedent and justice.
Great was the largess that the poor received,
And many men rejoiced in him or grieved.
Bahman290
possessed one lion-taking son,
On whom he had bestowed the name Sásán;
Considerate, accomplished, and discreet.
They used to call her by the name Chihrzád.290a
Her father's greatest joy was seeing her.
He took her for his wife, which in the Faith
That thou call'st olden was a goodly deed.
Humái, that heart-refreshing shining Moon,
In course of time grew pregnant by the Sháh.
Now when six months had passed she 'gan to ail,
And he, at seeing this, fell sick himself,
And, prostrated with suffering, summoned her.
He summoned too the nobles and the magnates,
And, seating them where great men use to sit,
Thus said: “This chaste Humái hath had small joy
Of this world, and I leave her crown, high throne,
The host, the treasure, and preeminence.
She shall be my successor in the world,
She and the babe withal that she shall bear,
For, whether it shall prove a son or daughter,
It shall succeed to crown and throne and girdle.”
Sásán, on hearing this, was all astound:
His heart was darkened by his father's words,
And, like a pard, in three days and two nights
He journeyed from Írán abroad in shame,
And reached in haste the town of Nishápúr
In dudgeon and an alien from his sire.
He asked a lady of high rank in marriage,
But kept himself down level with the dust,
Withheld the secret of his Kaian birth,
And spake to no one of his quality.
His chaste wife bare to him a holy son,
Whose steps were happy and whose birth was blest,
And died anon. Whenas the child grew up,
And saw his home a prey to poverty,
He tended for the king of Nishápúr
The herds that roamed at will o'er plain and mountain,
And was for long the herdsman of the king:
His dwelling was on height and wilderness.
Now turn I to Humái to tell her case
When she, Bahman deceased, assumed his place.
Humái, in order to keep the throne for herself, casts away her son, when an infant, in an ark on the Euphrates. The babe is found by a launderer, adopted by him and his wife, and named Dáráb. Dáráb's kingly qualities early assert themselves, and, refusing to follow his foster-father's trade, he enters the Persian army. A portent calls the general's attention to him. He displays great valour in war against the Rúmans, and is recognised by Humái, who owns him as her son and resigns the throne in his favour.
The goddess of love, worshipped in many lands and under many names, had one of her oldest seats at Ascalon.292
Beside her dove-haunted temple was a lake, abounding in fish, to which at stated times the image of the goddess—a woman to the waist and a fish below—was borne in procession. Her local name was Derketo. The cult of the goddess gave rise to a legend that Derketo originally was a girl who, as the result of a love-affair with a Syrian youth, gave birth to a daughter whom she exposed to perish among rocks in a desert, threw herself into the lake, and was changed into a fish. Her abandoned babe was cared for and fed by the doves till about one year old, when it was found by the herdsmen of Simmas, the keeper of the flocks of Ninus, king of Assyria. Simmas, who was childless, brought up the babe as his own, and gave her the name of Semiramis. In after years Onnes, the viceroy of Syria under king Ninus and his chief counsellor, saw, fell in love with, and married her. She bore him two sons, Hyapates and Hydaspes. Then Ninus himself became infatuated with her, Onnes hung himself, and Semiramis became queen. By Ninus she had a son named Ninyas. When Ninus died he left her the throne. Her career as supreme ruler was magnificent rather than moral. She governed all Asia as far eastward as the Indus, and was the reputed builder of Babylon, its hanging gardens, and the temple of Bel. In fact all great achievements of building or engineering in those parts were attributed to her. After a reign of forty-two years, and at the age of sixty-two, she resigned the throne to her son Ninyas, and either made away with herself by suicide or else turned into a dove and flew off in company with a flock of those birds. Such in brief is a legend that was much in vogue in the days when Ktesias was court physician in Persia between the years B.C. 417 and B.C 398. He recorded it in his Persica, Diodorus epitomised it in his Bibliotheca, Books I. and II., and through his epitome it has come down to us. The legend has been given here because it seems not unlikely that in Humái we have a reminiscence of Semiramis. The two legends certainly have much in common. We have two queens, both of whom, after the death of their husbands and by their express sanction, oust—to employ a convenient phrase—the rightful heir; both of them have a foundling story connected with them, and both in the end resign their thrones to their sons. Both too are represented in legend as having been great builders; Humái is credited, though not in the Sháhnáma, with the edificos whose ruins still exist in the neighbourhood of lstakhr (Persepolis) in Párs.293
Moreover Mas'údí tells us that Humái's mother was a Jewess, i.e. a Syrian.293a
Two attempts seem to have been made to connect Humái with the old legendary line of kings, and both characteristically Persian. In one she is the daughter of Gushtásp and marries her brother Asfandiyár; in the other she is the daughter of Bahman and marries her father. The foundling legend is transferred from her to her son Dáráb. Several such legends are in existence. The oldest probably is that of Sargon I. of Agani, an ancient Babylonian king. “My mother,” he says, “placed me in an ark of bulrushes: with bitumen my door she closed up: she threw me into the river,293b
which did not enter into the ark to me. The river carried me: to the dwelling of AKKI the water-carrier it brought me. AKKI the water-carrier in his goodness of heart lifted me up from the river. AKKI the water-carrier brought me up as his own son.”293c
Similarly Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the Vestal Silvia, were set afloat on the Tiber in a trough, and afterward brought up by a shepherd and his wife.294
There is too the case of Moses and of others.
Humái appears in the Zandavasta as “the holy Huma.”294a
She is the earliest of the three queens or female Sháhs that, according to the partly legendary, partly historical, dynastic scheme of the Sháhnáma, ruled in ancient times over Irán. She is also by far the most important of the three. The other two—Púrándukht and Ázarmdukht—reigned in succession for six and four months respectively during part of the troublous period (A.D. 628-633) that intervened between the deposition of Khusrau Parwíz and the accession of Yazdagird III.
To be concerned about the crown and throne.
Humái came, set the crown upon her head,
And ordered things anew, admitted all
The army to her court and, opening
The portal of her treasures, gave dínárs.
In rede and justice she excelled her sire:
The whole world prospered through her equity.
She said: “Be this crown glorious, our foes' hearts
Uprooted, our profession every good,
And may none see distress and care through us.
I will enrich all mendicants and those
Who earn their own subsistence by their toil,
And harass not the great possessed of treasure.”
Whenas the time of her delivery came
She kept it from the people and the host,
And found it profit to possess the world.
She bare a son in secret, kept it close,
And had the little Treasure hid away,
Procured for nurse a woman of free birth,
Pure, full of modesty, and other virtues,
And privily made o'er to her the babe,
That Shoot so flourishing and full of promise,
And, when they asked Humái about her son,
She used to say: “The noble child is dead.”
Moreover she assumed the royal crown,
And held the throne in triumph and in joy.
She sent her hosts where'er were hostile chiefs,
And was apprised of everything that passed
For good or evil in the world around.
She only sought for what was just and good,
And ordered all the world aright; her justice
Safeguarded it; it spake of her alone.
Thus eight months passed away, but when the boy
Began to favour the departed Sháh
She ordered that a skilful carpenter
Should choose material for fine joinery,
And make a goodly ark of seasoned wood.
They smeared it with a coat of pitch and musk,
And lined it softly with brocade of Rúm,
Bedaubing it without with lime and wax.
She placed within a pillow for a bed,
And filled it full of pearls of splendid water.
They poured in quantities of ruddy gold,
Mixed with cornelians and emeralds.
They bound one jewel, such as kings might wear,
Upon the arm of that unweanèd child
And, when the little one was fast asleep,
His nurse, so deft of hand, went wailingly,
Disposed him tenderly inside the ark,
Enwrapped him warmly in fine silk of Chín,
And then they made the cover water-tight
With lime, pitch, wax, and musk. When midnight came
And, hasting from Humái, set it adrift
Upon the stream of the Farát. Two men
Ran after it to notice how the suckling
Fared on the stream. The ark went like a boat,
And those that watched had to bestir themselves.
Now when the morning rose above the mountains
The ark brought up beside a watercourse,
Where was a laundering-place; the workers there
Had made with stones the channel's inlet narrow.
A launderer beheld the little ark,
Ran up, and drew it from the laundering-place.
When he had oped the ark, and had removed
The coverings, he stood in wonderment,
Wrapped it in heaps of clothes and hurried off,
All eager expectation and delight,
Whereat a watcher ran to tell the mother
Of ark and launderer. Said that shrewd queen:—
“Thou must keep hidden that which thou hast seen.”
Now when the launderer came back from the stream
At that untimely hour his wife exclaimed:—
“Is this thy husbandry to bring the clothes
Half dried? Whoe'er will pay thee for such work?”
The launderer, heart-withered then by grief
Because his own bright little one was dead,
For whom his wife was all disconsolate
With lacerated cheeks and darkened soul,
Replied: “Cheer up! Henceforth for thee to wail
Will be but scurvy, for if my good wife
Can keep a secret I will tell a thing:
Upon the watercourse, against the stone
Whereon I beat the clothes and rinse them out
When I have finished cleaning them, I spied
An ark, and hidden in it was a babe—
As soon as ever I uncover it.
'Tis true that we have had one of our own,
Though for a little while and he is dead,
But now thou hast one unawares—a son
All furnished with dínárs and jewelry!”
With that he set the clothes upon the ground,
And lifted up the cover of the ark.
The launderer's wife beheld and in her wonder
Exclaimed: “God bless it!” for she saw a cheek
Aglow amid the silk—Bahman's own image!
His pillow was all pearls of finest water,
With emeralds and cornelians for his footstool;
Upon his left hand there were red dínárs,
And on his right hand jewels in profusion.
The woman suckled him immediately,
Rejoicing over that entrancing babe,
Whose beauty and whose wealth consoled her heart.
The launderer said to her: “We must be ever
Prepared to give our lives up for this child,
Because he is the son of some great man,
May be a king himself.”
The launderer's wife
Cared for the child as it had been her kin,
As it had been her very son indeed,
And on the third day named the babe Dáráb,
Because they found his cradle in the stream.297
It happened that one day the careful wife
Was talking to her lord of many things,
And said to him: “How wilt thou use these gems?
Let wisdom be thy counsellor therein.”
“Good wife!” the launderer answered, “hoarded jewels
And dust are one to me. 'Tis best for us
To quit this city, move out to the plains,
Relieved from straits and hardship, and reside
Within some city, where folk know us not,
Content and affluent.”
At morn he packed,
Departed, and forgot those fields and fells.
They bore Dáráb with them and carried naught
Beside except the gold and jewelry.
They made their home within another city,
And there within that alien city lived
Like wealthy folk. A famous magnate dwelt
Therein, and unto him the launderer sent
One of the jewels, taking in return
Apparel, gold, and silver. Thus he did
Until he had exchanged them nearly all,
And there remained one ruby in the house
Of what the ark had held for good or ill.
One day the wife, who was the manager,
Said to her master: “We need work no longer.
Since thou hast made thy fortune give up trade.”
He answered her: “Good wife and guide! thou
speakest
Of trade. Well, what is better? Trade is ever
The first concern. Tend well Dáráb and mark
What time will yet produce for thee through him.”
They cherished him so dearly that he felt
No ill from any blast. When heaven had wheeled
Above him for some years he grew to be
A youth of stature and of Grace divine,
And wrestled with his playmates in the street,
Where none could match him as to bulk and strength,
Yea, all combined against him and were worsted!
The launderer grumbled at these escapades,
Which made the outlook gloomy for the shop,
And said: “Now beat these clothes upon the stone;
'Tis no disgrace to thee to learn a craft,”
And when Dáráb, as usual, left the work,
And ran away, the launderer used to weep
In tears of blood and wasted nearly all
His time in searching countryside and city,
And coming on the boy with bow in hand,
His breast extended and his thumbstall on,
Would seize the bow and cry indignantly:—
“O thou destructive and pugnacious Wolf!
Why dost thou hanker after bow and arrows?
Why art thou set on evil while so young?”
Thou turn'st the brightness of my life to gloom.
Provide me first of all with men of lore,
That I may get by heart the Zandavasta,
And then command my toils for trade and stream,
But do not yet require this drudgery.”
The launderer, having often rated him,
At last consigned him to the care of teachers.
He learned accomplishments, grew masterful,
And wholly past fault-finding and reproach.
“My father,” said he to his foster-sire,
“This laundry business is not fit for me;
Be not at all concerned on mine account,
But bring me up to be a cavalier.”
The launderer thereupon selected one
Of good repute and skilled in horsemanship,
And long committed to his charge the youth,
Who learnt from him whate'er was requisite—
The way to handle rein and lance and buckler,
And wheel his charger on the battlefield,
To play at polo, shoot with bow and arrow,
And outwit foes, till he attained such might
That leopards would not close with him in fight.
One day Dáráb said to the launderer:—
“Albeit that I never mention it
Affection stirreth not in me for thee,
Nor is my face like thine. I feel astounded
Whene'er thou call'st me son and seatest me
Beside thee in the shop.”
The launderer said:—
“What words are these? Alack for all the pains
Bestowed on thee! If thou out-classest me
Seek for thy sire; thy mother hath thy secret.”
It happened that the launderer one day
Went from the house and hastened to the stream.
The goodwife, took in hand his scimitar,
And said to her: “Attempt not to deceive me,
And to obscure the issue; speak the truth
In answer to my questions. How am I
Related to you both and wherefore dwelling
Thus with a launderer?”
In fright the woman
Begged for her life and called on God for succour.
She said: “Seek not my blood, and I will tell thee
All as thou biddest.”
She recounted all,
With neither reticence nor subterfuge,
About the ark, the infant yet unweaned,
About the golden coins and royal jewels,
And said: “We were but simple working-folk
Quite unrelated to the quality.
What wealth we have is all derived from thine;
Through thee we rose from low to high estate.
We are but slaves and thine is to command:
What wilt thou? We are thine both soul and body.”
Dáráb stood in amaze on hearing this,
Plunged in profound surmise. He said to her:—
“Doth anything remain of all that wealth,
Or hath the launderer spent the whole of it?
Is there enough still left to buy a horse
In this our day of lowliness and want?”
The woman said: “There is and more than that,
And there are money, land, and fruitful gardens.”
She gave him all the money that she had,
And showed to him the precious uncut gem.
He spent the money on a noble steed,
A lasso, mace, and saddle of low price.
There was a prudent marchlord, one of weight,
A magnate well approved and well advised,
To whom Dáráb betook himself with soul
O'erclouded and perturbed. The marchlord held him
In highest estimation; no disaster
Befell him any whit.
Now as it chanced
An army marched from Rúm to levy war
Upon that prosperous land, that frontier-chief
In those days when the tidings reached Humái:—
“The Rúman hath set foot upon our border,”
There lived a warrior hight Rashnawád—
A captain of the host and sprung from such.
She ordered: “Let him lead a host toward Rúm,
And waste the country with the scimitar.”
To that end Rashnawád assembled troops,
Assigned the mustering place and gave out rations;
Dáráb heard, joyed, went, and enrolled his name.
When many troops had gathered, and the muster
Had been completed, glorious Humái,
Accompanied by well affected chiefs,
Came from the palace to review the host,
To count the numbers, and go through the names
Upon the registers. She tarried long
On that broad plain while many troops marched past,
And when she spied Dáráb, his Grace divine,
His bearing, and the steel mace on his shoulder,
When thou hadst said: “He filleth all the plain,
And earth is subject to his prancing steed,”
When too she marked his breast and lovesome face,
The mother's milk stirred in her, and she asked:—
“Whence is this cavalier who is possessed
Of such great limbs and is so tall and straight?
Me seemeth that he is a man of name,
Discreet and yet a warlike cavalier,
A gallant heart, illustrious and mighty;
But his equipment is not worthy of him.”
When narrowly she had surveyed Dáráb,
And had approved of all that host, she chose
A favourable season by the stars
Upon the captain of the host's behalf,
As was the fitting course. What time the leaders
Were of one mind they led the army forth
And left Humái. She sent out watchful spies
To keep her well informed and certified
And cut short all surmises of mishaps.
Thus stage by stage the army marched on Rúm;
Its flying dust-clouds filled the heavens with gloom.
It happened that one day a mighty tempest,
With thunderings and lightnings, rain and turmoil,
Brake o'er the host and troubled Rashnawád;
The earth was flooded and the welkin roared;
Men everywhere were fleeing from the downpour,
And making for some shelter on the waste.
Dáráb, like others, was discomfited,
And sought to escape the storm. He looked around,
Beheld a heap of ruins, and observed
A lofty vault, though old and ruinous,
One that had borne the brunt of wind and weather,
Still standing in their midst. He slept perforce
Therein for he was all alone and friendless.
The general was going on his rounds,
And passing by the vault, when from the waste
A voice fell on his ear and made him quail
For his own life; it was a voice that said:—
“O ruined vault! be very circumspect!
Be careful of the monarch of Írán.
He had not any shelter, friend, or mate,
And so he came and slumbered under thee.”
Thought Rashnawád: “'Tis thunder on the blast.”
Then from the desert came the voice again:
“O vault!” it said, “close not the eye of wisdom,
For 'neath thee is the son of Sháh Bahman.
Fear not the rain and keep these words in mind.”
His heart was strangely straitened at the sound.
He asked a counsellor: “What thing is this?
Some one must needs go thither. Ascertain
Who is reposing there in such concern
About himself.”
They went and saw a youth
Of prudent aspect and heroic mien,
His charger and his garments wet and worn,
And he was couching on the darksome dust.
They told the general, whose heart was stirred,
And he commanded: “Summon him forthwith,
And make him hear.”
They cried: “Awake, thou sleeper!
Arouse thee from thy slumber on the dust.”
He mounted, and at once the vault fell in!
The leader of the army of the Sháh,
On witnessing a portent such as that,
And having scanned Dáráb from head to foot,
Went with him quickly to the camp-enclosure,
Exclaiming: “O just Judge, the only God!
None hath beheld this wonder heretofore,
Or heard of such from the experienced chiefs.”
Then garments were supplied at his behest,
And a pavilion got in readiness.
They made a fire huge as a hill and burned
Much aloe-wood and musk and ambergris.
Whenas the sun rose o'er the mountain-tops
The general made all ready for the march.
He bade an archimage—his chief adviser—
To bring a change of raiment, Arab steed
With golden trappings, mail, and gold-sheathed sword.
These he presented to Dáráb, and asked:
“O lion-hearted man and warrior!
Who art thou? Of what country and what race?
'Twere well that thou shouldst tell me all the truth.”
Dáráb, on hearing this, narrated all,
Disclosing every secret of his past;
So told he everything to Rashnawád,
About the ark, the ruby on his arm,
The money and brocade that lay beside him,
And of his rest and slumber in the vault.
Then Rashnawád dispatched a man forthwith,
And to that messenger he said: “Bring hither,
As swift as wind, both Mars and Venus, bring
The launderer, his wife, and signet-ring.”
This said, he broke up camp and marched on Rúm.
He made Dáráb the leader of the scouts,
And issued to them lances tipped with steel.
The scouts drew near to Rúm, and from that side
The warden of those marches came to meet them.
All unawares they countered. Battle's dust
Arose forthwith. They mixed in fight and shed
Blood like a river. When Dáráb beheld
That warrior-host he came like flying dust,
And slew so many of the troops of Rúm
That thou hadst said: “The world hath grasped its
sword.”
He went forth like a lion, under him
A Dragon, in his hand a Crocodile.
Thus fared he till he reached the Rúmans' camp,
And rushed upon it like an angry lion.
Earth seemed a sea of Rúman blood; wherever
His falchion led him went the atheling.
Returning from his triumph o'er the Rúmans
He came to Rashnawád, the noble leader,
And had from him much praise: “May our Sháh's host
Ne'er lack thee. When we quit the land of Rúm,
And when the host is home, thou shalt receive
Such favours from the Sháh that thou wilt be
The richer both by treasure and a crown.”
And furbishing the weapons of the horsemen;
Then as the sun rose o'er the gloomy dales,
And earth became as 'twere a lamp agleam,
The two opposing armies met again,
And darkened with their dust the rising sun;
But when Dáráb advancing led the charge,
And gave his fleet steed rein, there tarried not
A single man before the Rúman lines,
While of the warrior-swordsmen few survived.
He came upon the centre like a wolf,
And scattered utterly that great array.
Assailing then the right wing of the foe
He carried off abundant arms and spoil,
And cut in pieces all the troops of Rúm:
None of their champions seemed himself at all!
The warriors of Írán came with a rush,
Like lions, in his wake right valiantly,
And slew so many of the Rúman host
That all the field was puddled into clay.
Dáráb slew forty of the Christian prelates306
Among the magnates and bare off the Cross.306a
At those great deeds the heart of Rashnawád,
The paladin, swelled with delight. He blessed
And greatly praised Dáráb, and favoured him
The more while blessing him. Night came, the world
Grew pitch-like, and the host returned from fight.
The general rested in the Rúmans' camp,
And loosed the girdle from his loins. He spent
The night apportioning the ample spoil,
And all the army was enriched thereby.
He sent Dáráb a messenger to say:—
“O man of lion-heart and good at need!
Consider now what thou wilt please to take,
And of this spoil what is of use to thee:
Whatever doth not please thee give away;
Thou art more glorious than the lord of Rakhsh.
Dáráb, on seeing this, was well content,
And for form's sake retained a spear himself,
And said: “Mayst thou be conquering and happy.”
Whenas the sun's orb left the darksome west
The sky donned black brocade and when one watch
Had passed, and all the sentinels were set,
Their challenges ascended in a roar
As 'twere of lions loose.
Now when the sun
Took up its golden shield, and when the troops
Awoke, the warriors of Írán girt up
Their loins, were instant to pursue the Rúmans,
Made sparks flash from their trenchant scimitars,
And gave up all the cities to the flames.
They sent the dust up both from land and people;
None e'er recalled to mind those fields and fells.
A miserable wail went up from Rúm,
For men abandoned that delightful land,
While Cæsar had not wherewithal for vengeance,
And all the faces of his chiefs were wan.
An envoy came to Rashnawád to say:—
“If thou, the just, hast not abandoned justice
Our warriors have had enough of war;
The head of Rúm's good fortune is brought low.
If thou desirest tribute we will do
Thy bidding and will make new terms with thee.”
Moreover Cæsar sent abundant gifts,
With purses, captives, and all manner of wealth,
And Rashnawád received them as enough,
The money and the jewels in the rough.
Thence they departed homeward joyfully,
Dáráb, the worshipful, and Rashnawád,
Who halted when he reached the ruined vault,
Whereunder he had seen Dáráb asleep.
The launderer, with his goodwife and the jewel,
Were there already, fearful of disgrace.
The general summoned them forthwith; they prayed
To God for succour and appeared before him.
He questioned them; they called the facts to mind,
And told him all the truth about the matter,
About the ark, about the uncut gem,
Their toils, their nurture of the sucking-child,
Their troubles, and the process of events.
Then Rashnawád said to the man and wife:—
“Success and gladness be for ever yours,
For none on earth hath seen so strange a thing,
Or even heard of such from archimages.”
Immediately that man of upright mind
Indited an epistle to Humái
About Dáráb, the storm, his sleeping-place,
His prowess on the battlefield withal,
And also what the launderer had told
About the ark, the infant, and the treasures.
He told about the voice that he had heard,
How he was troubled by the sound, and how,
Just when Dáráb had mounted on his steed,
The vault had fallen in. He told it all,
Dispatched a courier like the blast for speed,
Gave to his charge the ruddy gem, and said:—
“See that thou art the waymate of the wind.”
Like wind he went and bare Humái the ruby.
He gave the letter and repeated all
The words of Rashnawád. When she had read
The letter, and beheld the gem, she wept;
She knew that, on the day when she reviewed
The troops, the gracious youth, whom she had marked
Of mighty stature and with cheeks like spring,
Could be none other than her son indeed—
A noble and a fruitful Branch of hers.
Humái said weeping to the messenger:—
“There hath arrived a master for the world.
I was not free from care, but was concerned
About the question of the sovereignty.
Ingratitude to Him, for He had given me
A son whom I renounced and cast away
Upon the waters of Farát. 'Twas I
That bound this jewel on his arm, misprising
The child because his sire was gone. Now God
Hath given him back to me through Rashnawád,
And with victorious fame.”
They showered a treasure
Of gold, and mingled jewels, musk, and wine.
Humái gave largess to the indigent,
And the next se'nnight oped her hoarded drachms.
Where'er she knew there were a Fane of Fire,
The Zandavasta, and the Sada309
feast,
There she bestowed her treasure in like wise,
And lavished gifts through all the provinces.
Upon the tenth day, early in the morning,
The general appeared before the Sháh,
And with him were the chieftains and her son,
But they concealed the case from every one.
The Sháh let down the curtain of the court,
And for one se'nnight gave no audience.
She caused a golden throne to be prepared,
With two seats made of lapis lazuli
And turquoise, with a crown all royal gems,
A pair of armlets, a bejewelled torque,
And an imperial robe of cloth of gold
Wherein were woven divers kinds of jewels.
Before the Sháh there sat astrologers
To search the stars to find a lucky day.
So on the Shahrívar of month Bahman,
At dawn, the Sháh gave audience to Dáráb.
She filled a cup with rubies and another
With ruddy gold, and, when Dáráb approached
The hall of audience, went afar to meet him,
Did him obeisance, showered on him those jewels
Fit for a king, and wept blood on her breast,
Then brought and set him on the golden throne,
And scanned him wonderingly. When he was seated
She came, gold crown in hand, kissed him and crowned
him,
Assuring all men that the crown was his.
When he was thus illustrate with the crown
Humái began to proffer her excuses,
And said: “As touching what is past, know this
That all hath turned to wind. 'Twas brought
about
By youth, access to treasure, woman's way,
A sire deceased, a Sháh without a guide.
If still she wrongeth thee yet let it pass,
For mayst thou have no seat except the throne
Of kingship.”
He made answer to his mother:—
“Thou hast the royal temperament, and 'tis
No wonder if thy heart be moved, but why
Still harpest thou upon a single fault?
May He that made the world approve of thee,
And anguish fill the hearts of all thy foes.
This story shall be my memorial,
And ne'er grow obsolete upon the roll.”
The blest Humái did reverence, and said:—
“Thou shall endure as long as crown endureth.”
She gave command to the high priest to call
The men of learning out of every province,
And further bade that of the troops all those
Of name, the illustrious Lions wielding swords,
Should homage that famed world-lord as the Sháh.
As they called blessings down upon his crown,
And scattered jewels thereupon, Humái
Described what she had done in secrecy,
And all the anguish that her act had caused her.
“Know ye,” she added, “that of Sháh Bahman
This is the sole memorial on earth.
For he is shepherd, warriors are his flock;
His are the majesty, the diadem,
And kingship: all must look to him for succour.”
Then from the palace rose a shout for gladness
Because they saw a glorious Branch sprout forth;
The Sháh himself was hidden under jewels,
The world was filled with justice and with joy,
And no one recked of sorrow and of care.
Then was it that Humái addressed the chiefs,
And said: “Ye noble and accomplished sages!
I give my son the treasure and the throne—
To me a toil of two and thirty years.
Rejoice ye then, submit to his commands,
And breathe but at his bidding.”
When Dáráb
Joyed in the crown of majesty, and donned
The diadem in peace, the launderer
Came with his wife apace. They said to him:—
“Blest be thy sitting on the Kaian throne,
O monarch of the world! and be the hearts
Of all thy foes plucked out.”
Dáráb bade bring
Ten purses filled with gold, a goblet rich
With gems, five bales of raiment of all kinds,
And gave them to the folk that had so toiled
For him. “O busy launderer!” he said,
“Be still engrossed in business. It may be
Thou yet mayst light upon another ark,
And on another infant like Dáráb!”
They went away invoking with their lips
God's blessing on the monarch of Írán.
Then set the launderer's star; he sought again
His shop and carried lye upon the plain.
ABBREVIATIONS, list of, 3
Abú'l Kásim, Firdausí, 89, 119
Achæmenids, dynasty, 10, 281
Ádarbád, son of Mahraspand, 16
note
Afrásiyáb, ruler of Túrán, 12,
13, 21, 44, 62, 176, 203,
208
Agani, Sargon I. of, 293
Ahmad, son of Sahl, lord of Marv,
260, 261
Áhriman, the Evil Principle, or
used metaphorically, 17,
33, 36, 45, 50, 90, 99, 103,
122, 123, 125, 147, 177, 198,
206, 246, 271, 276
Ahuna Vairya, sacred formula,
17
Akem Manau, demon, 17
Akki, foster-father of Sargon I. of
Agani, 293
Alburz, mountain, 202
Alexander the Great (Sikandar),
30
Alwá, Íránian hero, 166, 167
slain by Núsh Ázar, 226
Ameshaspentas, the, 15 seq.
Ammianus Marcellinus, historian,
13
Ámul, city, 284
Amulet, given by Zarduhsht to
Asfandiyár, 130
Andarímán, Túránian hero, 29
Andarímán (Vandaremaini), bro-
ther of Arjásp, 12, 46, 141,
155
commands one wing of the
host, 46
put to death, 158
Apothegms, 78, 105, 168, 214,
242, 249, 250, 265
Arabs, the, 31
Aras, river, 13, 14
Árásti, uncle of Zarduhsht, 17
Archer, the, constellation, 86
Ardíbihisht, month, 16, 39, 92
note
Ardshír (Artaxerxes). See Bah-
man.
meaning of, 259 and note
Ardshír, Íránian hero,313
67, 288
tells Nastúr where to find
Zarír, 67
takes Farámarz prisoner, 288
Ardshír, son of Gushtásp, v, 26,
51
his death foretold by Jámásp,
49
slain, 57
Ardshír Pápakán, founder of the
Sásánian dynasty, 10
Aregat-aspa. See Arjásp.
Aries, constellation, 39, 109, 118,
119, 126
Árish, Íránian archer, 12, 62
legend of, 12
Arjásp (Aregat-aspa), king of
Túrán, v, vi, vii, 9, 11 seq.,
20, 22, 24 seq., 29, 31, 32, 36
seq., 51 seq., 61 seq., 71, 72,
89, 90, 98, 99, 103, 107 seq.,
116, 141, 142, 145 seq., 157,
159, 161, 167, 171, 172, 180,
206
in receipt of tribute from
Gushtásp, 32
hears of Gushtásp's resolve
not to pay tribute, sum-
mons, and harangues his
priests, 36
sends Bídirafsh and Nám-
khást to Gushtásp, 37, 40
on receiving Gushtásp's an-
swer calls out the host, 45
gives one wing to Kuhram, 46
the other to Andarímán,
46
the chief command to
Gurgsár, 46
banner to Bídirafsh, 46
vanguard to Khashásh, 46
rear to Húshdív, 46
marches against Írán, 46
his defeat foretold by Jámásp,
52
gives one wing to Bídirafsh, 55
the other to Gurgsár, 56
centre to Námkhást, 56
takes the rear himself, 56
gives Kuhram the command
in chief, 56
thrice offers rewards to any
that will fight Zarír, 61, 62
his offer accepted by Bídi-
rafsh, 62
calls for Bídirafsh to fight
Nastúr, 69
fights with the Íránians, 71
defeated, 72
his defeat proclaimed by
Gushtásp, 75
hears of Asfandiyár's im-
prisonment and of Gush-
tásp's absence in Sístán, 86
Arjásp, summons his chiefs, 86
sends Sitúh as spy to Írán,
86
on receiving Sitúh's report
calls out the host, 87
sends Kuhram to attack
Balkh, 90
marches against Gushtásp, 94
commands the centre, 95
defeats Gushtásp and be-
leaguers him on a moun-
tain, 96
Asfandiyár's vow of, and
prayer for, vengeance on,
103, 104
hears of Asfandiyár's arrival,
108
proposes to retreat, 108
sends away the spoil of
Balkh, 108
his five sons, 108
persuaded by Gurgsár to re-
main and fight, 108, 109
makes Gurgsár leader of
the host, 109
arrays the host, 109
commands the centre, 109
surveys the battlefield from a
height, 110
prepares for flight if needful,
110
dismayed at Asfandiyár's
prowess, reproaches Gurg-
sár, 111
hears of Gurgsár's capture
and flees, 112
entertains Asfandiyár dis-
guised as a merchant, 145
questions Asfandiyár, 146
allows Asfandiyár to enter-
tain the Turkman chiefs,
149
prepares to attack Bishútan,
151
bids Kuhram prepare for
war, 151
sends out Turkhán with
troops to reconnoitre, 151
Arjásp, hears from Kuhram
that Asfandiyár has come,
152
bids the Turkmans march
out in force, 152
his palace attacked by Asfan-
diyár, 153
arms himself and encounters
Asfandiyár, 153, 154
beheaded by Asfandiyár, 154
his palace fired, and his
women carried off, by
Asfandiyár, 154, 162
his head thrown from the
ramparts of the Brazen
Hold, 157
his sons grieve for, 157
Asfandiyár takes the trea-
sure of, 161
Artabanus, 282
and Rustam, 282
Artaxerxes Longimanus, 281, 282
and Bahman, 281, 282
Arzhang, dív, 203
Ascalon, city, 292
Asfandiyár (Spentó-dáta, Spand-
dát), son of Gushtásp, v, vi,
vii, viii, 9, 10, 12, 19, 20, 22,
24 seq., 29, 30, 32, 41 seq.,
45, 49, 52, 65 seq., 69 seq.,
76 seq., 90 seq., 97 seq.,
258, 259, 261, 279, 281 seq.,
289, 290, 293
his invulnerability, 19
his sisters, vi, 20, 22
carried off by the Turk-
mans, 93, 100, 171
rescued by, 153, 162
lament over, 252 seq.
his marriage with Humái, 22,
74
ignored by Firdausí, 22
birth of, 32
answers, in conjunction with
Zarír and Jámásp, Arjásp's
letter, 42
hís triumph over Arjásp
foretold by Jámásp, 52
Asfandiyár, given command of one
wing, 55
addresses his five brothers, 65
hears his father's offer of the
crown and throne to the
avenger of Zarír, 66
slays Bídirafsh, 70
presents the head of Bídirafsh
and the steed of Zarír to
Gushtásp, 71
divides the host, 71
attacks with Nastúr and
Núsh Ázar the Turkmans,
71
grants quarter to the Turk-
mans, 72
made chief ruler of Írán
under Gushtásp and sent
by him to convert the
world, 76
rests from his labours, 77
makes Farshídward governor
of Khurásán, 77
reports the success of his
administration to Gush-
tásp, 77
slandered by Gurazm, 78
recalled to court, 80 seq.
his four sons, 80
resigns his host to Bahman,
82
arraigned by Gushtásp, 83
put in bonds, 84
sent to Gumbadán, 84
solaced by Bahman and
others, 85
Jámásp advises Gushtásp to
release, 97
hears of arrival of Jámásp,
98, 99
his parley with Jámásp, 99
seq.
his eight and thirty brothers,
101, 103, 111, 160
bids Jámásp send for black-
smiths, 101
breaks his bonds himself, 102,
206
Asfandiyár, calls for his steed, and
arms, 102
sets off with Jámásp, Bah-
man, and Núsh Ázar, 103
his vow, 103
laments over Farshídward,
104
prays that he may avenge
Farshídward on Arjásp,
104
shrouds Farshídward, 105
sees and addresses the corpse
of Gurazm, 105
passes the Turkman trenches,
and defeats the outpost,
106
his interview with Gushtásp,
106
receives the promise of the
crown and undertakes to
deliver Gushtásp, 107
arrays and leads the host,
109
attacks the Turkmans, 110
defeats Kuhram, 110
takes Gurgsár prisoner, 111
defeats Arjásp, 112, 206
grants quarter to the Turk-
mans, 113
distributes the spoil, 114
undertakes to rescue his
sisters from the Turkmans,
115
prepares to invade Túrán,
115
rivalry in legend between
Rustam and, 116
Haft Khwán of, compared
with Rustam's, 117
quits Balkh and goes, with
Gurgsár as guide, to
Túrán, 120
offers the kingdom of the
Turkmans to Gurgsár in
return for faithful service,
120
questions Gurgsár, 120 seq.,
124, 125, 128, 131, 134, 139
Asfandiyár, during his adventures
in the Seven Stages, leaves
Bishútan in command, 122,
124, 126, 129, 132 note, 144
praised by Bishútan and the
host, 123, 125, 131, 133
has a scythed chariot made,
126
revived by Bishútan after
encountering the dragon,
127
song of, 129
amulet given to, by Zar-
duhsht, 130
encourages the Íránians to
persevere, 136
prays for deliverance from
the snow, 138
leaves the baggage behind,
138
reproaches Gurgsár for giv-
ing false information, 139,
140
offers to make Gurgsár
captain of the Brazen Hold
if he will be a trusty guide,
140
and the host, guided by
Gurgsár, cross the ford,
140
his final questioning of
Gurgsár, 141
cursed by Gurgsár, 141
slays Gurgsár, 141
surveys the Brazen Hold, 142
captures, questions, and slays
two Turkmans, 142
and Bishútan consult, 143
his stratagem to take the
Brazen Hold, 116, 143
in the disguise of a merchant
interviews Arjásp, 145
assumes the name of Kharrád,
146
questioned by Arjásp, 146
trades as a merchant in the
Brazen Hold, 147
meets his sisters, 147
Asfandiyár, gives a banquet to
the Turkman chiefs, 149
surprises the Brazen Hold,
152 seq.
provides for his sisters' safety,
153
attacks the palace of Arjásp,
153
encounters Arjásp, 154
beheads Arjásp, 154
fires Arjásp's palace, 154
carries off the women, 154
quits the Brazen Hold and
leaves Sáwa in charge, 154
joins Bishútan, 155
pursues Kuhram to the Bra-
zen Hold, 156
encounters and takes Kuh-
ram prisoner, 157
grants no quarter to the
Turkmans, 158
puts to death Andarímán and
Kuhram, 158 and note
announces his victory to
Gushtásp, 159
disposes of the spoil, 161
carries off his sisters, the
womenfolk of Arjásp, and
others from the Brazen
Hold, 162
sets fire to, and dismantles,
the Brazen Hold, 162
sends his sons homeward
by different routes, 162
returns himself by the Seven
Stages, 162
picks up his left baggage,
162
hunts while waiting for his
sons, 162
is rejoined by his sons, 163
his welcome on his return to
Írán, 163
banquets with Gushtásp, 164
his fight with Rustam, Story
of, vii, viii, 166 seq.
recited by Nadr, son of
Hárith, at Mecca, 166
Asfandiyár, complains to his
mother of Gushtásp's treat-
ment of him, 167
counselled by his mother,
168, 175
his fate foretold by Jámásp,
169
recounts his deeds before
Gushtásp, 170
promised the throne by Gush-
tásp when he has brought
Rustam and his kin in
bonds to court, 173, 174
meets with an ill omen on
starting for Zábulistán, 177
consults with Bishútan, 178,
sends Bahman on an embas-
sage, 179 seq.
his message to Rustam, 179
receives Rustam's answer
from, and is wroth with,
Bahman, 191
converses of Rustam with
Bishútan, 192
goes attended to meet Rus-
tam, 192
parleys with Rustam, 192 seq.
declines Rustam's invitation
to visit him, 193
invites Rustam to a feast, 195
repents of having invited
Rustam, 196
counselled by Bishútan to
keep on friendly terms
with Rustam, 196, 217
does not summon Rustam to
the feast, 197
his wrangle with Rustam,
198 seq.
does not assign Rustam his
proper seat at the feast, 200
remonstrated with by Rus-
tam, 200
bids Bahman resign his own
seat to Rustam, 200
vilifies Zál and Rustam, 201
recounts his lineage, 205
exploits, 205
Asfandiyár, recounts his capture
of a hill-fort, 206
tries a handgrip with Rustam,
208
challenges Rustam, 209
astonished at Rustam's prow-
ess at the board, 210
declines Rustam's overtures,
211 seq.
calls Zábulistán “Babble-
stead,” 216
parodies Rustam's address to
royal tent-enclosure, 216
arms for fight with Rustam,
223
refuses Rustam's suggestion
of a general engagement,
224
informed by Bahman of the
slaying of Núsh Ázar and
Mihr-i-Núsh, 227
enraged with Rustam, 228
wounds Rustam and Rakhsh,
229
jeers at Rustam, 229
calls upon Rustam to sur-
render, 230
returns to camp, laments for
Núsh Ázar and Mihr-i-
Núsh, and sends their
corpses to Gushtásp with a
message, 232
converses with Bishútan of
the fight with Rustam, 232,
240
the Símurgh instructs Rus-
tam how to overcome, 237
seq.
branch of tamarisk fatal to,
239 and note
summoned by Rustam to
fight and becomes despond-
ent, 240
Rustam's final effort for
peace with, 241 seq.
Bahman and Bishútan hear
of the overthrow of, 244
his address to Bishútan, 245
Asfandiyár, Rustam bewails, 246
confides Bahman to Rustam,
248
foretells evil for Rustam, 248
gives his last charge to Bi-
shútan, 249
death of, 250
Rustam laments over, 250
his corpse sent to Gushtásp
by Rustam, 251
his funeral procession con-
ducted by Bishútan, 251
the lamentations over, 252 seq.
his corpse displayed by Bi-
shútan, 253
Rustam writes to Gushtásp
to excuse himself in the
matter of, 256
Xerxes and, 282
Bahman on the vengeance
due for, 283
referred to, 288
Asfandiyár - náma (Spand - dát-
náma), 26, 27
Ashkánian dynasty, 10, 282
Asia, 293
Assyria, 292
Atossa, wife of Cambyses and
Darius Hystaspis, 11
= Hutaosa (?), 11
Aurand, father of Luhrásp, 205
Aurvat-aspa (Luhrásp), 11
Áyás, region, 61, 74, 107
Ázád Sarv, Firdausí's authority
for the Story of Rustam
and Shaghád, 260, 261, 263
Ázád Sarv, agent of Núshírwán,
261
Ázar Afrúz, third son of Asfan-
diyár, 81
Ázarbáiján, province, 16
Azarmdukht, Sháh, 294
BABBLESTEAD, nonce name given
to Zábulistán by Asfan-
diyár, 216
Babylon, 293
hanging gardens of, 293
Badr, battle of, 166
Baghdád, city, 28
Bahman (Ardshír, Artaxerxes),
Sháh, vii, viii, 9, 81, 166,
248, 251, 254, 279 seq., 293,
294, 297, 303, 310
eldest son of Asfandiyár, 80
Asfandiyár resigns the host
to, 82
hears of Asfandiyár's im-
prisonment, 85
goes with others to solace
him, 85
accompanies Asfandiyár from
Gumbadán, 103
sent on an embassage, 179
seq.
crosses the Hírmund, 182
his coming reported to Zál,
182
his interview with Zál, 183
follows Rustam to the hunt-
ing-ground, 184
tries to kill Rustam, 184
his interview with Rustam,
185 seq.
entertained by Rustam, 186
astonished at Rustam's appe-
tite, 186
leaves Rustam, 190
gives Rustam's answer to
Asfandiyár, 191
Asfandiyár's wrath with, 191
resigns his seat at the feast
to Rustam, 200
informs Asfandiyár of the
slaying of Núsh Ázar and
Mihr-i-Núsh, 227
hears of Asfandiyár's over-
throw, 244
confided to Rustam by Asfan-
diyár. 248
Zawára warns Rustam against
250
remains with Rustam, 252,
256
Bahman, instructed by Rustam
and profits thereby, 256,
257
Gushtásp advised by Jámásp
to write to, 258
Gushtásp's letter of recall to,
258
equipped by Rustam for his
journey, 258
welcomed and called Ardshír
by Gushtásp, 259
his long arms, 259
appointed by Gushtásp to
succeed him, 279
his historical position in
Persian legend, 281
and Artaxerxes Longimanus,
282
how he came to be known
as Ardshír, 281
ascends the throne and har-
angues the chiefs on the
vengeance due for Asfan-
diyár, 283
invades Sístán, 284 seq.
sends a hostile message to
Zál, 285
rejects Zál's conciliatory over-
tures, 286
sacks Zál's palace, 286
pillages Zábulistán, 287
fights, defeats, and executes
Farámarz, 287, 288
Bishútan intercedes for Zál
with, 288
stops the pillage of Zábul and
releases Zál, 289
quits Zábul by Bishútan's
advice, 290
passes over his son Sásán and
nominates Humái and her
issue as successors to the
throne, 291
death of, 294
Bahman (Vohu Manau, Vohú-
man), ameshaspenta, 16
month, 310
Balaam, prophet, 15
Balkh, city, v, vi, 18, 20, 29, 31,
33, 41, 48, 73, 86, 87, 91,
104, 120, 171, 255
Kuhram sent by Arjásp to
attack, 90
stormed, 92, 93
its spoil sent away by Arjásp,
108
Asfandiyár quits, to invade
Túrán, 120
Bár, mountain-range, 30
Barbaristán, 75
king of, sends embassy to
Gushtásp, 75
Bástán-náma (Khudái-náma), 24,
27, 261
Bastavairi (Bastvar, Nastúr), 12
Bastvar (Bastavairi, Nastúr), 25
Battlestead=Brazen Hold, 121
Battle of the Twelve Rukhs, re-
ferred to, 29
Bel, god, 293
temple of, 293
Bibliotheca, of Diodorus, 293
Bíd, dív, 204
Bídirafsh (Vídrafsh), Túránian
hero, v, 24, 25, 37, 41, 51,
52, 62 seq.
goes as envoy to Gushtásp, 37,
40 seq.
returns with Gushtásp's an-
swer, 44
receives banner from Arjásp,
46
given command of one wing, 56
volunteers to fight Zarír, 62
slays Zarír, 63
fights Nastúr, 70
slain by Asfandiyár, 70
his head presented to Gush-
tásp, 71
Bih Áfríd, daughter of Gushtásp,
22, 100
taken captive by the Turk-
mans, 93, 94, 100
goes with Humái to draw
water and meets Asfan-
diyár, 147
Bih Áfríd, escapes from Arjásp's
palace, 153
laments over Asfandiyár, 252
reproaches Gushtásp, 254
Bihistún, mountain, 11
inscription, 11
Bihzád, Gushtásp's steed, 56, 69
Binalúd, mountain-range, 29
Bishútan (Peshó-tanu), brother of
Asfandiyár, vii, viii, 12, 66,
117, 178, 179, 182, 195, 216,
223, 232, 244 seq., 249 seq.,
261, 288 seq.
an immortal, 12, 19
birth of, 32
commands the host during
Asfandiyár's absence in the
Seven Stages, 122, 124, 126,
129, 132 note, 144, 150
and the host praise Asfandi-
yár, 123, 125, 131, 133
revives Asfandiyár after his
encounter with the dragon,
127
prays for deliverance from the
snow, 138
and Asfandiyár consult, 143
sees Asfandiyár's signal and
approaches the Brazen
Hold, 150
passes himself off as Asfandi-
yár, 143, 151, 152
joined by Asfandiyár, 155
advises Asfandiyár, 179
Asfandiyár holds talk about
Rustam with, 192
advises Asfandiyár to main-
tain friendly relations with
Rustam, 196, 217
has Rustam served with un-
tempered wine, 211
his despair at the situation
between Rustam and As-
fandiyár, 218
laments for Núsh Ázar and
Mihr-i-Núsh, 232
Asfandiyár talks of the fight
with Rustam to, 232, 240
Bishútan, hears of Asfandiyár's
overthrow and laments for
him, 244
Rustam bewails Asfandiyár
to, 246
Asfandiyár's last charge to,
249
heads Asfandiyár's funeral
train, 251
displays the corpse of As-
fandiyár, 253
reproaches Gushtásp, 253
Jámásp, 254
consoles Katáyún, 255
supports Rustam's overtures
to Gushtásp, 257
intended by Gushtásp to be
Bahman's minister, 279
intercedes for Zál, 288
his intercession accepted, 289
counsels Bahman to quit
Zábul, 290
Bístún, mountain, 56, 184
= Rustam, 229
Bízhan, son of Gív, Íránian hero,
116
Black horse, Gushtásp's, 18, 28
Dív. See Dív.
Brádrók-résh, a Karap, 15
the slayer of Zarduhsht, 15
Brahman, 207
Brazen Hold, the, vi, vii, 116,
117, 119 seq., 135, 141 seq.,
159, 197, 206, 255
route to, 120, 135
described, 121, 135, 141
Asfandiyár's stratagem for
taking, 116, 143
surprised from within by
Asfandiyár, 152 seq.
captured by Asfandiyár and
left in the charge of Sáwa,
154
Arjásp's head thrown from
the ramparts of, 157
destroyed by Asfandiyár, 162
Búiti, demon, 17
Burial-place of Rustam, 287
Burial-place of Rustam's race, the
scene of battle between
Bahman and Farámarz, 287
Bust, fortress and district in Sís-
tán, 173, 277, 287
Búzurjmihr, chief minister of
Núshírwán, 261
CÆSAR, 11, 32, 167
sends embassy to Gushtásp
on hearing of Arjásp's de-
feat, 75
daughter of=Katáyún, 205
sues to Rashnawád for peace,
307
Cambyses, son of Cyrus, 10, 11
Candahar. See Kandahár.
Caspian Sea, 13
Chách (Táshkand), city in Túrán,
244
Chigil, city in Turkistán, 54, 86,
110, 139
monarch of, 110
commands the left, 110
=Arjásp, 54, 86
Turkman of=Gurgsár, 139
Chín, country (often=Túrán), 25,
31, 37 seq., 45, 47, 50, 54,
55, 58 seq., 72, 93, 107, 108,
118, 142, 156, 158, 161, 162,
171, 173, 188, 198, 199, 203,
205, 208, 284
images of, 35
prince of=Arjásp, 35
king of=Arjásp, 36, 52, 55,
69, 86, 108
sea of, 109, 203, 233, 239??note
brocade of, 130, 144, 145, 179,
219, 251
silk of, 159, 295
Khán of, 199, 220
Faghfúr of, 221
Chionitæ, people, 13
Chihrzád (Humái, daughter and
wife of Sháh Bahman), 290
and note. See Humái.
meaning of, 190 note
Contents, Table of, v
Cross, the, captured by Dáráb, 306
and note
Cypress of Kishmar, the, 27, 28,
34, 35
account of, 28, 34, 35
Gushtásp and, 34, 35
Cyrus, 10
DABISTÁN, treatise, 28
its account of the Cypress of
Kishmar, 28
Dai, month, 43
Dai pa Mihr, day, 16
Dáitya, river, 13
Dakíki, poet, v, vi, 10, 13, 20 seq.,
30, 87
account of, 20
and Firdausí, 21 seq., 30, 87,
88
his work compared with the
Yátkár-i-Zarírán, 24 seq.
Damáwand, mountain, 12
Danube, river, 11
Dárá, Sháh, 281
origin of name, 297 note
Dáráb, Sháh, viii, ix, 281, 292,
293, 297 seq.
foundling legend of, 293 seq.
Tabarí's version of, 297
note
birth of, 294
referred to, 294 seq.
exposed on the Farát, 295
found and adopted by a
launderer, 296 seq.
his royal birth asserts itself,
298
youthful escapades of, 298
brought up as a cavalier, 299
feels lack of natural affection
for the launderer, 300
hears of his case from the
launderer's wife, 300
enlists, 301
seen by Humái, 302
Dáráb, and the adventure of the
ruined vault, 303
receives gifts from Rashna-
wád, 304
questioned by Rashnawád,
304
his prowess against the Rú-
mans, 305, 306
praised and rewarded by
Rashnawád, 305, 306
captures the Cross, 306 and
note
offered the spoil by Rash-
nawád, 306
takes of the spoil one spear,
307
returns to Írán, 307
Rashnawád hears from the
launderer and his wife of
the case of, 308
Rashnawád writes to Humái
about, 308
recognised by Humái as being
her son, 308
appears with Rashnawád
before Humái, 309 seq.
crowned by Humái and
accepts her excuses, 310
Humái proclaims the acces-
sion of, 311
visited by, and rewards, the
launderer and his wife,
311, 312
Dareja, river, 14
Darius, Hystaspis, 10, 11
his reign and Gushtásp's
compared, 11
his change of religion, 11
Darkness, Land of (the Gloom),
30
Darún, religious rite, 19
Daryai Rúd, river, 14
Deinon, or Dinon, historian, 282
Derketo, goddess, 292
legend of, 292
Diodorus, historian, 293
Bibliotheca of, 293
Dirázdast (Longimanus), 281
Dív, demon (Daéva), 32, 58, 66,
71, 108, 174, 201, 202, 213,
220, 230, 245
=Áhriman, 35, 81, 180, 188,
189, 194, 195, 196, 218, 228,
242
a, informs Arjásp of Gush-
tásp's resolve not to pay
tribute, 36
White, 117, 176, 203, 207,
234
Black, 199
Sám and the, 203
Dualism, taught by Urmuzd to
Zarduhsht, 16
Dughdhóvá, mother of Zarduhsht,
14, 15
Dúrásróbó, a Karap, 15
EUPHRATES (Farát), river, 292
FAGHFÚR, dynastic title of the
princes of Chín and Máchín,
221
Farámarz, son of Rustam, vii,
viii, 173, 174, 182, 183, 198,
231, 260, 261, 272, 274, 276,
277, 281, 283, 284
referred to, 184
and Zawára sent by Rustam
to bid Zál and Rúdába pre-
pare to receive Asfandiyár,
190
slays Mihr-i-Núsh, 227
goes to Rustam and Asfan-
diyár, 247
marches against Kábul, 274,
276
takes the corpses of Rustam,
Zawára, and Rakhsh from
the pits, and conveys them
to Zábul for burial, 274 seq.
fights with the king of Kábul
and puts him and his kin
to death, 276, 277
Farámarz, makes a Zábulí king
of Kábul, 277
returns to Zábul, 277
hears of Bahman's invasion
and marches against him,
287
defeated and executed, 288
Farát, river (Euphrates), viii, 294,
309
Dáráb cast away upon, 295
Farídún, Sháh, 32, 34, 160, 180,
196, 204 seq., 245, 260, 261,
271, 283
flag of=flag of Káwa, 59
Farshídward, brother of Asfandi-
yár, vi, 20, 22, 104, 110,
114, 141, 171
governor of Khurásán, 77
stationed on the Íránian
right, 94
mortally wounded by Kuh-
ram, 95, 101, 104
Asfandiyár resolves to avenge,
101
Asfandiyár laments over, and
prays that he may avenge,
104
dies, 104
shrouded by Asfandiyár, 105
Farúd, son of Siyáwush and half
brother of Kai Khusrau, 30
Firdausí, v, vi, 10, 20 seq., 29, 30,
87, 118, 282
and Dakíkí, 21 seq., 30, 87,
88
references of, autobiographi-
cal, 30, 88, 261 seq.
to Bástán-náma, 88
his praise of Mahmúd, 30,
89, 118, 119, 262
on the Story of Rustam and
Shaghád, 260 seq.
Frasdánava, lake or river, 13
Frashókart, son of Gushtásp, 26
GANG, mountain, 216
Garámík-kart. See Girámí.
Gargwí, Íránian hero, 109
commands the left, 109
Garshásp, Íránian hero, 202
Gáthas, the, 11, 12, 17
Gelani, people, 13. See Gílán.
Genealogies, fictitious, 282, 293
Ghaznín, city in Kábulistán, 173
Ghúl, a sorceress, 117, 128
referred to, 121, 130, 131
Ghundí, a dív, 204
Gílán, region in Írán on the
south-western shores of
the Caspian, 13
Girámí (Garámík-kart), son of
Jámásp, v, 24 seq., 58
his death foretold by Jámásp,
50
worsts Námkhást, 59
rescues Káwa's flag, 59
slain, 59
Girdkuh, stronghold, 30
Gív, Íránian hero, 207, 208
Gloom, the (Land of Darkness),
30, 76
Glory, the divine. See Grace.
Grace, or Glory, the divine, 14,
15, 32, 34 seq., 39, 45, 52,
and passim
Greeks, the, 282
Gúdarz, Íránian hero, 207, 208
Gulgún, steed of Luhrásp, 64
Gumbadán, stronghold, 29, 30,
86, 152, 171, 177, 206
Asfandiyár imprisoned at, 84
Gurazm (Kavárazem), a relative of
Gushtásp, vi, 12, 22, 53, 99,
101, 102, 104 seq., 171, 205, 261
envies Asfandiyár, 78
referred to, 97
death of, 97
Asfandiyár addresses the
corpse of, 105
Gurgsár, tribe, 43 and note
Gurgsár, Túránian hero, vi, 117,
120 seq., 124 seq., 128, 131
seq., 146, 233 note
made captain of the host by
Arjásp, 46
Gurgsár, given command of one
wing, 56
persuades Arjásp to remain
and fight Asfandiyár, 108,
109
made leader of the host, 109
taken prisoner by Asfandiyár,
111
offers to guide Asfandiyár to
the Brazen Hold, 113
goes as guide with Asfandi-
yár to Túrán, 120
offered the kingdom of the
Turkmans by Asfandiyár in
return for faithful service,
120
describes the route to the
Brazen Hold, and the Seven
Stages, 120 seq., 124 seq.,
128, 132, 134
his chagrin at Asfandiyár's
successes, 124, 128, 131, 133
reproached by Asfandiyár for
giving false information,
139, 140
offered the captainship of the
Brazen Hold by Asfandi-
yár in return for trusty
guidance, 140
shows the Íránians a ford,
140
questioned by Asfandiyár for
the last time, 141
curses Asfandiyár, 141
slain by Asfandiyár, 141
Gurwí, son of Zira, Túránian hero,
272
Gushtásp (Vistáspa, Vishtásp),
Sháh, v, vi, vii, viii, 9 seq.,
18 seq., 24 seq., 28, 29, 31 seq.,
47 seq., 61, 63, 68, 74 seq.,
90, 92 seq., 103 seq., 119,
130, 148, 154, 155, 159, 166
seq., 180, 181, 183, 205, 206,
208 seq., 213, 216, 220, 221,
233 note, 243, 248 seq., 279,
281, 289, 293
reign of, 9 seq.
Gushtásp, reign of, division of, 9
points of interest in, 9
compared with that of
Darius Hystaspis, 10
legend of Zarduhsht and, 18
the black horse of, 18, 28
sees his place in Paradise, 19
ridge of, 29
succeeds Luhrásp as Sháh, 31
his sons, 32
pays yearly tribute to Arjásp,
32
converted by Zarduhsht, 33
helps to spread the Faith, 34
establishes Mihr Barzín and
other Fire-fanes, 34
and the Cypress of Kishmar,
34
advised by Zarduhsht not to
pay tribute to Arjásp, 35
receives embassage from Ar-
jásp and takes counsel with
his chiefs, 41
sends answer to Arjásp, 43
seq.
summons the host, 47
marches against Arjásp, 48
bids Jámásp foretell the issue
of the fight, 48
his distress at Jámásp's pro-
phecy, 53
encouraged to fight by
Jámásp, 54
gives Zarír the standard and
command of the centre, 55
one wing to Asfandiyár,
55
other wing to Shídasp, 55
the rear to Nastúr, 55
takes up his position on a
height, 55, 56, 63
referred to, 60, 64 seq., 89
hears of the death of Zarír,
64
wishes to avenge Zarír, 64, 68
dissuaded by Jámásp, 64, 69
offers his daughter Humáí to
the avenger of Zarír, 64
Gushtásp, offers his crown and
throne to the avenger of
Zarír, 66
gives his steed and arms to
Nastúr, 69
sees and laments over Zarír's
corpse, 73
bids Nastúr lead the host
home, 74
marries Humái to Asfandiyár,
74
gives Nastúr a command and
bids him invade Túrán,
74
rewards the host, 75
builds a Fire-fane and makes
Jámásp its archmage, 75
Mansion of, 75
writes to his governers to an-
nounce the defeat of Arjásp,
75
receives embassies and tri-
bute from Cæsar and from
the kings of Barbaristán,
Hind, and Sind, 75
makes Asfandiyár chief ruler
of Írán and sends him to
convert the world, 76
sends the Zandavasta to each
clime, 77
Gurazm slanders Asfandiyár
to, 78
sends Jámásp to recall As-
fandiyár to court, 80
convokes an assembly and
arraigns Asfandiyár, 82 seq.
puts Asfandiyár in bonds, 84
sends Asfandiyár to Gum-
badán, 84
takes the Zandavasta to Sis-
tán, 85
welcomed by Rustam and
Zál, 85
the kings revolt from, 85
while in Sístán hears from his
wife of the storming of
Balkh and the captivity of
his daughters, 93
Gushtásp, calls together his chiefs
and summons the host, 94
marches from Sístán toward
Balkh, 94
takes command of the centre,
94
has thirty-eight sons slain, and
is worsted, in fight with
Arjásp, 95, 96
takes refuge on a mountain,
96, 100
consults Jámásp, 96
sends Jámásp to Asfandíyár
with the offer of the crown
in return for help, 97
his interview with, and pro-
mise to resign the crown to,
Asfandiyár, 106
commands the centre, 109
makes thanksgiving for vic-
tory, 113
promises to resign the crown
to Asfandiyár when he has
delivered his sisters from
captivity, 114
summons troops, rewards As-
fandiyár, and sends him to
invade Túrán, 115
hears of Asfandiyár's success
and writes to him, 160
gives a banquet on Asfandi-
yár's return, 164
consults Jámásp and the as-
trologers on Asfandiyár's
future, 168
Asfandiyár recounts his deeds
before, 170 seq.
promises to resign the throne
to Asfandiyár when he has
brought Rustam and his
kin in bonds to court, 173,
174
Asfandiyár sends the corpses
of Núsh Ázar and Mihr-i-
Núsh, and a message to,
232
Asfandiyár's last message to,
249
Gushtásp, hears of Asfandiyár's
death and laments for him,
252
the wrath of the nobles with,
252
reproached by Bishútan, 253
Humái and Bih Áfríd,
254
Rustam's overtures to, 256
Bishútan testifies in Rustam's
favour to, 257
is reconciled, and writes, to
Rustam, 257
advised by Jámásp to write to
Bahman, 258
writes to Rustam and Bah-
man to recall the latter,
258
welcomes and gives Bahman
the name Ardshír, 259
tells Jámásp of his wishes as
to the succession, 279
dies, 280
HAFT KHWÁN, 117 and note
of Rustam and Asfandiyár
compared, 117
Hámávarán, country (Yaman),
174, 207, 208, 220
monarch of, 176
Hamáwan, mountain, 116
Hárith, father of Nadr (q.v.), 166
Hasan Sabbáh, The Old Man of
the Mountain, 30
Hazár, Hazárán, Túránian hero,
24, 56, 59
Heraclius, Eastern Roman Em-
peror, 306 note
Hind, Hindústán, 75, 76, 188,
257, 262, 265, 277
kings of, send tribute to
Gushtásp, 75
Hiong-Nu, people, 13
Hírmund, river in Sístán, 178,
182, 186, 191, 196, 219,
285
referred to, 198, 231
Hold, The Brazen. See Brazen
Hold.
Horse, black, Gushtásp's. See
Black horse.
Hrazdán, river in Armenia, 13
Huma. See Humái.
Humái (Huma), daughter of
Gushtásp, 12, 22, 25, 100
her marriage with Asfandi-
yár, 22, 74
ignored by Firdausí, 22
her hand offered to the aven-
ger of Zarír, 64
taken captive by the Turk-
mans, 93, 100
goes with Bih A'fríd to draw
water and meets Asfandi-
yár, 147
escapes from Arjásp's palace,
153
laments over Asfandiyár, 252
reproaches Gushtásp, 254
Humái (Chihrzád), Sháh, viii, ix,
daughter and wife of Bah-
man, 281, 290 seq., 301, 302,
308 seq.
and her issue appointed by
Bahman to succeed him,
291
and Semiramis, 293
genealogies of, 293
accession of, 294
Dáráb born of, 294
referred to, 296
hears of Rúman invasion and
bids Rashnawád lead forth
the host, 301
reviews the host, 302
affected on seeing Dáráb,
302
hears from Rashnawád about
Dáráb, 308
recognises that Dáráb is her
son, 308
her largess of thanksgiving,
309
Rashnawád and Dáráb appear
before, 309 seq.
Humái, crowns, and excuses her-
self to, Dáráb, 310
proclaims Dáráb, 311
Huns, the, 13
Húshang, Sháh, 180, 245
Húshdív, Túránian hero, 46
in charge of the rear, 46
Hutaosa, wife of Gushtásp, 11
= Atossa (?), 11
Hvyaonas (Khyóns), people, 13
Hyapates, son of Semiramis, 292
Hydaspes, son of Semiramis, 292
Hystaspes, father of Darius I.,
10
governor of Parthia, 10
IBLÍS, the Muhammadan Devil,
174, 218
Indus, river, 293
I'raj, son of Farídún, 42, 44, 261
I'rán, v, viii, 12, 20, 21, 25, 29, 35,
and passim
I'ránians, the, v, 12, 29, 40, 50, 56,
59, 72, 86, 95, 99, 105, 112,
136, 138, 154, 156, 185, 207,
224 seq.
wish to withdraw from the
Seven Stages, 135
encouraged to persevere by
Asfandiyár, 136
provoked to combat by Za-
wára, 225
Istakhr (Persepolis), 293
buildings at, attributed to
Humái, 293
JAGATAI, mountain-range, 29
Jámásp, minister of Gushtásp, v,
vi, 12, 22, 24 seq., 48, 58,
80 seq., 169 seq., 206, 216,
248, 257, 258, 279
his omniscience, 19, 48
answers, in conjunction with
Zarír and Asfandiyár, Ar-
jásp's letter, 42
Jámásp, foretells the death in
battle of—
Ardshír, 49
Shídasp, 50
Girámí, 50
exploits of Nastúr, 50
death of Nívzár, 51
Zarír, 52, 70 note
triumph of Asfandiyár,
52
defeat of Arjásp, 52
encourages Gushtásp to fight,
54
referred to, 59, 102
dissuades Gushtásp from
avenging Zarír, 64, 68
made archmage of Fire-
temple built by Gushtásp,
75
sent to recall Asfandiyár to
court, 80 seq.
advises Gushtásp, when be-
leaguered by Arjásp, to
release Asfandiyár, 97
volunteers to go to Asfan-
diyár, 97
reaches Gumbadán in dis-
guise, 98
his interview with Asfandi-
yár, 99 seq.
sends for blacksmiths to
unchain Asfandiyár, 101
sets off with Asfandiyár,
Bahman, and Núsh A'zar,
103
foretells Asfandiyár's fate,
169
reproached by Bishútan, 254
advises Gushtásp to write
to Bahman, 257
writes by Gushtásp's orders
to recall Bahman, 258
Gushtásp tells his intention
as to the succession to,
279
Jamshíd, Sháh, 32, 34, 38, 47, 180,
202, 215, 216, 245, 271, 284
Jerusalem, 306 note
Jíhún, river (the Oxus), 12, 29,
40, 45, 48, 203
Jupiter, planet, 256
KABÁB, small pieces of meat
skewered together, for
roasting, 152
Kábul, Kábulistán, viii, 126, 170,
173, 224, 242, 251, 260, 263
seq., 271, 273 seq., 284,
287
Shaghád sent to be brought
up at, 264
king of, viii, 264, 271
daughter of, marries Sha-
ghád, 264
and Shaghád plot
against Rustam, 265
seq.
gives a feast, 266
pretends to quarrel with
Shaghád, 266
his treachery, 268 seq.
grovels before Rustam,
269
entertains Rustam and
invites him to hunt,
269
his hypocrisy, 271
Farámarz sent against,
274, 276
defeated and put to
death with all his kin,
277
tribute of, question about,
265
Farámarz makes a Zábulí
king over, 277
Kaian, Kaiánian, race and dy-
nasty, v, 7 seq., 10, 47,
49, 52, 54, 57, 59, 60, 67
seq., 73 seq., 79, 86, 91, 97,
122, 168, 203, 210, 223, 253,
254, 282, 288, 289, 291,
311
Kaiánush, brother of Farídún, 261
Kai Káús, Sháh, 29, 30, 116, 173,
174, 190, 203, 207, 208, 210,
215, 216
his attempt to fly referred
to, 174
Rustam's patent from, 203
Kai Khusrau, Sháh, 10, 12, 21,
39, 173, 188, 203, 204, 208,
215, 284, 289
Rustam's patent from, 203
Kai Kubád, Sháh, 174, 180, 188,
189, 202, 205, 210, 221,
272
Kámús, Túránian hero, 167, 199,
220
Kandahár, city, 233 note
Kannúj, city in Hindústán, 257
Karap (Karpan), 14, 17
meaning of, 14
Kara su, river, 14
Karímán, the great-great-grand-
father of Rustam, 202
Karpan (Karap), 14
Kárun, mountain, 112
Kashán, city and region in Túrán,
39
Kashmar. See Kishmar.
Kashmír, country, 263
Kaswín, city, 30
Katáyún (Náhíd), daughter of
Cæsar and wife of Gushtásp,
vii, 11, 253
her sons, 32
counsels Asfandiyár, 168, 175
referred to, 205, 249, 252
her ancestry, 205
Asfandiyár's last message to,
249
laments over Asfandiyár, 252
consoled by Bishútan, 255
Káús. See Kai Káús.
Kavárazem (Gurazm), 12
Kavi (Kavíg), 14
Kavíg (Kavi), 14, 17
meaning of, 14
Káwa, flag of, 59, 69
rescued by Girámí, 59, 69
Khálid, 12
Khallukh, city in Túrán, 42, 44,
55, 61, 74, 90, 107, 112, 157,
242, 255
Khán = Arjásp, 47, 51, 72
of Chín, 199, 220
Kharrád, nonce name assumed by
Asfandiyár, 146, 149
Khashásh, Túránian hero, 46, 47
made leader of the van, 46
Khorasan. See Khurásán.
Khudai-náma (Bástán-náma), 24
Khurásán, 28, 77
Khurshíd, day, 92 note
Khusrau. See Kai Khusrau.
Khusrau Parwíz, Sháh, 294, 306
note
Khyóns (Hvyaonas), 13, 25
Kishmar, place near Nishápúr,
27, 28, 35
Cypress of, 27
account of, 28, 34
Gushtásp and, 34
Ktesias, historian, 293
his account of Semiramis, 293
Persica of, 293
Kubád. See Kai Kubád.
Kuhram, Túránian hero, 29
Kuhram, brother or son of Arjásp,
vii, 29, 46, 58, 89 seq., 106
seq., 112, 141, 159
commands one wing of the
host, 46
in chief, 56
sent by Arjásp to attack
Balkh, 90
his troops storm Balkh, burn
the Fire-temple, and slay
Zarduhsht and the priests,
92
stationed on the left, 95
mortally wounds Farshíd-
ward, 95
appointed by Arjásp to send
away the spoil of Balkh in
the charge of his younger
brothers, 108
commands the right, 110
defeated by Asfandiyár, 110
Kuhram, bidden to prepare for
war, 151
retreats to the Brazen Hold,
152
mistakes Bishútan for As-
fandiyár, 152
hears the cries of the I'ránian
watch from the Brazen
Hold and takes counsel
with Andarímán, 155
makes for the Brazen Hold
with his troops, 156
pursued by Asfandiyár, 156
encountered and taken
prisoner by Asfandiyár,
157
executed, 158 and note
Kundur, Túránian hero, 94, 112
stationed on the right, 94
Kúr, river, 13
Kurán, the, 166
quoted, 166
LABARUM, the, 306 note
Land of Darkness (the Gloom),
30
Launderer, a, foster-father of
Dáráb, viii, 292
finds Dáráb in the Farát, 296
and his wife adopt Dáráb,
297
wife of, viii, 296 seq.
informs Dáráb of his case,
300
quits his home with his wife
and Dáráb and settles else-
where, 298
becomes wealthy but sticks
to trade, 298
perturbed at Dáráb's youth-
ful escapades, 298
brings up Dáráb to be a
cavalier, 299
Dáráb's lack of natural affec-
tion f?? 300
and his wife sent for by Rash-
nawád, 304
Launderer and his wife inform
Rashnawád of the case of
Dáráb, 308
and his wife visit Dáráb after
his accession to the throne,
and are dismissed with
presents, 311, 312,
Life, Water of, 30
Longimanus (Dirázdast), 281
Luhrásp, Sháh, v, vi, 10, 20, 21
and note, 26, 29, 36, 38, 64,
66, 68, 80, 86, 87, 90 seq.,
98 seq., 103, 104, 114, 141,
154, 155, 157, 159, 160, 167,
171, 180, 183, 205, 208, 243,
255, 281, 284
resigns the throne to Gush-
tásp and becomes a devotee,
31
converted by Zarduhsht, 33
his advice to Gushtásp to
resign the kingship to
Asfandiyár, 66
opposes Kuhram, 91
slain, 91, 93, 99
Asfandiyár's vow to avenge, 103
MÁCHÍN (China), 142, 145
Madófryát, mountain, 30
Magism, 11
Máhán, I'ránian noble, 260, 263
Mahmúd, Sultán, vi, 30, 89, 116,
119
praise of, 30, 89, 118, 262
Mahraspand, father of Ádarbád,
16 note
Maidhyó-maungha, cousin and
first convert of Zarduhsht,
17
Malcolm, Sir John, 30
Mání, heresiarch, 118 and note
Mansion of Gushtásp, Fire-temple,
75
Mansúr I., Sámánid, 21
Marv, city and district, 29, 260,
261, 263
Mas'údí, historian, 261, 293
his version of the death of
Rustam, 261
Mázandarán, country (Hyrcania),
116, 117, 203, 207, 220
Mecca, 31, 166
Mercury, planet, 243
Mihr Barzín, Fire-temple, 34
established by Gushtásp, 34
Mihr-i-Núsh, second son of As-
fandiyár, 80, 283
slain by Farámarz, 227
his death reported to Asfan-
diyár by Bahman, 227
his corpse sent to Gushtásp,
232
Mihráb, king of Kábul, 203
daughter of = Rúdába, 203
Minúchihr, Sháh, 12, 174, 252, 284
Mirkhond, historian, 30
Moses, prophet, 294
Mountain, Old Man of the, 30
Muhammad, the Prophet, 166
quoted, 166
Mutawakkal, Khalífa, 28
and the Cypress of Kishmar,
28
NADR, son of Hárith, 166
recites the story of Rustam
and Asfandiyár at Mecca,
166
his fate, 166
Náhíd. See Katáyún.
Naishapur. See Nishápúr.
Námkhást, Túránian hero, 24, 26
goes as envoy to Gushtásp,
37, 40
returns with Gushtásp's an-
swer, 44
given command of the centre,
56
worsted by Girámí, 59
Narímán, great-grandfather of
Rustam, 196, 199, 202, 242,
262, 264, 266, 289
Nastúr (Bastavairi, Bastvar), son
of Zarír, v, 12, 25, 26
his exploíts foretold by
Jámásp, 50
given command of the rear,
55
fights victoriously, 60
goes in search of Zarír, 67
finds Zarír's corpse and la-
ments over it, 67
exhorts Gushtásp to avenge
Zarír, 68
goes forth with Gushtásp's
steed and armour, 69
challenges Bídirafsh, 69
fights with Bídirafsh, 70
attacks, with Asfandiyár and
Núsh Ázar, the Túránians,
71
leads the host home, is given
a command and invades
Túrán, 74
stationed on the I'ránian
left, 94
commands the right, 109
Naubahár, Fire-temple, 31
Luhrásp retires to, 31
Nile, 176, 188, 191, 245
Nímrúz, country,331
85, 248, 288
Ninus, king, 292, 293
Ninyas, son of Ninus, 293
Nishápúr, city in Khurásán, 28
seq., 291
Nívzár, son of Gushtásp, v, 26
his death foretold by Jámásp,
50
slain, 60
Nöldeke, Professor, 20, 21, 282
quoted, 118
Note on Pronunciation, 5
Nuh II., Sámánid, 21
Núsh Ázar, Fire-temple at Balkh,
92 note, 173, 241, 255
burnt by the Turkmans, 93
Núsh Ázar, yonngest son of
Asfandiyár, 81, 166, 226,
227, 283, 285
Núsh Ázar, attacks, with Nastúr
and Asfandiyár, the Túrá-
nian host, 71
builder of a Fire-temple, 81
with Asfandiyár at Gum-
badán, 98
informs Asfandiyár of Já-
másp's arrival, 98, 99
accompanies Asfandiyár from
Gumbadán, 103
slays Turkhán, 151
wrangles with Zawára, 226
slays Alwá, 226
slain by Zawára, 227
his death reported to Asfandi-
yár by Bahman, 227
his corpse sent to Gushtásp,
232
Núshírwán, Sháh, 260
Núsh Zád = Mihr-i-Núsh, 285 and
note
OLD Man of the Mountain, the,
30
Onnes, minister of Ninus, 292,
293
Oxus, river (Jíhún), 12, 29
PAHLAVÍ, Texts, 13, 14, 24, 30
language (middle Persian),
24, 26
Paighú = Túránian, 13, 21 note, 38
note, 41 note, 44 note
Párs, country, 293
Parthia, 10
Hystaspes, governor of, 10
Parthian dynasty, 281
Pát-khusrau, brother of Gushtásp,
26
Persepolis (Istakhr), 293
buildings at, attributed to
Humái, 293
Persia, 306 note
Persians, the, 74
Persica, of Ktesias, 293
Peshó-tanu (Bishútan), 12
Pleiades, constellation, 110, 131
Pourushaspa, father of Zarduhsht,
14, 15, 17
Pronunciation, Note on, 5
Púlád, a dív, 204
Púrándukht, Sháh, 294
Purmáya, brother of Farídún,
261
RAI, city and district near Tih-
rán, 14, 18
Rakhsh, Rustam's steed, 117,
184, 192, 198, 207, 208,
214, 219, 228 seq., 234 seq.,
266, 275, 276, 306
referred to, 199
wounded by Asfandiyár, 229
returns home without Rus-
tam, 229
Rustam's thought of aban-
doning, 235
healed by the Símurgh, 237
tries to save Rustam, 270
falls into the pit, 270
body of, taken from pit by
Farámarz, 275
tomb of, 276
lord of = Rustam, 306
Ram, the, constellation, 129
Rashnawád, captain of the host
to Humái, ix, 301 seq.
assembles troops, 301
Dáráb enlists under, 301
his host reviewed by Humái,
302
marches on Rúm, 302
and the adventure of the
ruined vault, 303
gives presents to Dáráb, 304
questions Dáráb, 304
sends for the launderer and
his wife, 304
and Dáráb defeat the Rú-
mans, 305, 306
praises Dáráb, 305, 306
Rashnawád, offers Dáráb the spoil,
306
grants peace to Cæsar, 307
returns to I'rán, 307
hears from the launderer and
his wife about the case of
Dáráb, 308
writes to Humái about Dáráb,
308
appears with Dáráb before
Humái, 309 seq.
Religion, War of the, 19, 26
its two campaigns, 29
Remus. See Romulus.
Ridge of Gushtásp, 29
Romulus and Remus, foundling
legend of, 293
Rúdába, mother of Rustam, viii,
182, 184, 190 note, 278
fasts in sorrow for Rustam, 278
her frenzy, 278
regains her wits, 279
referred to, 190, 289
her lamentation, 289
Rúdbár, district, 30
Rukhs, Battle of the Twelve,
referred to, 29
Rúm, the Eastern Roman Empire,
ix, 75, 76, 102, 180, 188, 262,
301, 305, 307
brocade of, 295
ravaged by Rashnawád and
Dáráb, 307
Rúmans, the, viii, 173, 205, 292, 305
invade I'rán, 301
defeated by Rashnawád and
Dáráb, 305 seq.
Rustam, Iránian hero, vii, viii, 9,
22, 30, 50, 73, 86, 116 seq.,
165, 166, 173 seq., 254 seq.,
265 seq., 278, 279, 281 seq.,
287, 289
and Zál welcome Gushtásp
to Sístán, 85
rivalry in legend between
Asfandiyár and, 116
Haft Khwán of, compared
with that of Asfandiyár, 117
Rustam, Asfandiyár's fight with,
Story of, vii, viii, 166 seq.
recited by Nadr, son of
Hárith, at Mecca, 166
referred to, 169, 170, 306
Gushtásp bids Asfandiyár go
against, 173
Asfandiyár's message to, 179
his life attempted by Bah-
man, 184
his interview with Bahman,
185
entertains Bahman, 186
his great appetite, 186, 210
jests with Bahman on his
small appetite, 186
sends Zawára and Farámarz to
bid Záland Rúdába prepare
to receive Asfandiyár, 190
goes to the Hírmund, 191
parleys with Asfandiyár, 192
seq.
invites Asfandiyár to visit
him, 193
accepts Asfandiyár's invita-
tion to a feast, 195
tells of his interview with
Asfandiyár to Zál, 196
his indignation at not being
summoned to the feast, 197
sets forth to reproach Asfan-
diyár, 198
his wrangle with Asfandiyár,
198 seq.
demands his proper seat at
the feast, 200
and Zál vilified by Asfan-
diyár, 201
details his ancestry, 202
recounts Sám's exploits, 202
his own exploits, 203, 207
his patents from Kal Káús
and Kai Khusrau, 203
aged six hundred years, 204
tries a handgrip with Asfan-
diyár, 209
accepts Asfandiyár's chal-
lenge, 209
Rustam, asks for neat wine,
211
makes fresh overtures to
Asfandiyár, 211 seq.
addresses the royal tent-
enclosure, 215
bids Zawára bring him his
arms, 218
rejects Zál's counsels, 220
arms for battle, 222
gives Zawára charge of the
troops, 222
goes with Zawára to the
Hírmund, 222
instructs Zawára, 222
crosses the Hírmund and
summons Asfandiyár to
the combat, 223
suggests a general engage-
ment, 224
his distress at death of Núsh
A'zar and Mihr-i-Núsh, 228
offers to surrender Zawára
and Farámarz to Asfandi-
yár, 228
wounded by Asfandiyár, 229
flees from Asfandiyár, 229
sends Zawára with a message
to Zál, 230
parleys with Asfandiyár, 231
recrosses the Hírmund, 231
his kin's grief over his
wounds, 234
bids the leeches to attend to
Rakhsh first, 234
his despair, 235
advised by Zál, 235
Zál summons the Símurgh to
the aid of, 235 seq.
healed by the Simurgh, 237
instructed by the Símurgh
how to overcome Asfandi-
yár, 237 seq.
cuts the fatal branch of tama-
risk, 239
prepares the arrow, 240
summons Asfandiyár to re-
new the fight, 240
Rustam, makes a final effort for
peace with Asfandiyár, 241
seq.
bewails Asfandiyár to Bishú-
tan, 246
Asfandiyár confides Bahman
to, 248
foretells an evil future
for, 248
laments Asfandiyár, 250
warned by Zawára against
Bahman, 250
sends Asfandiyár's corpse to
Gushtásp, 251
Bahman remains with, 252,
256
instructs Bahman, 256
writes to Gushtásp to excuse
himself in the matter of
Asfandiyár, 256
his overtures to Gushtásp
supported by Bishútan, 257
Gushtásp accepts the excuses
of, and writes to, 257
requested by Gushtásp to
send back Bahman, 258
equips Bahman for his jour-
ney, 258
and Shaghád, Story of, viii,
260 seq.
provenance of, 260 seq.
death of, 261, 273, 289
versions of, 261
and the tribute of Kábul,
question of, 265
Shaghád and the king of
Kábul plot against, 265
takes up Shaghád's cause, 267
prepares to occupy Kábul
with a host, 268
persuaded by Shaghád to go
with Zawára and a small
escort, 268
pardons king of Kábul, 269
is entertained by him, 269
goes hunting with Zawára, 270
falls a victim to treachery, 270
Shaghád glories over, 271
Rustam, slays Shaghád, 272
last words of, 272
his corpse taken from the
pit by Farámarz, 274
his obsequies, 274 seq.
and Artabanus, 282
burial-place of, 287
the scene of the battle
between Bahman and
Farámarz, 287
SADA, feast of, 309
Safíd Rúd, river, 13, 16
Sagastán (Sístán), 13
Sahl, son of Máhán, I'ránian noble,
260, 261, 263
Salm, eldest son of Farídún, 205,
261, 284
Sám, grandfather of Rustam, 14,
15, 58, 62, 63, 196, 198 seq.,
242, 262 seq., 266, 267, 274,
285, 286, 289, 290
his exploits against dragon
and dív recounted by Rus-
tam, 202
Sanja, a div, 204
Sapad. See Spentó-dáta.
Sapandármad, ameshaspenta, 18
Sapor II. (Shápúr), 13
Sargon I. of Agani, 293
foundling legend of, 293
Sárí, city in Mázandarán, 174
Sarv, king of Yaman, 260
= Ázád Sarv, q.v.
Sásán, son of Bahman, 290
disinherited and flees from
court, 291
account of, 291
Sásánian, race and dynasty, 10, 13,
281, 282
Saturn, planet, 68, 89, 136, 154,
159, 220, 233
Savalán, mountain in Ázarbáiján,
14
Sáwa, I'ránian hero, 154
Sáwa, left in charge of the Brazen
Hold by Asfandiyár, 154
Seythians, the, 11
their wars with Darius Hys-
taspis, 11
Semiramis, queen, 292, 293
legend of, 292, 293
and Humái, 293
Seven Stages, the, 118, 119, 121,
135
story of, vi, vii, 116 seq.
Asfandiyár returns from the
Brazen Hold by, 162
Shaghád, son of Zál, viii, 260, 261,
263 seq.
Story of Rustam and, viii,
260 seq.
provenance of, 260 seq.
birth of, 263
the astrologers' evil prognos-
tic of, 264
sent to be brought up at
Kábul, 264
marries the daughter of the
king of Kábul, 264
and the king of Kábul plot
against Rustam, 265 seq.
his pretended quarrel with
the king of Kábul, 266
goes to Zábul, 267
his cause taken up by Rus-
tam, 267
persuades Rustam to go with
Zawára and a small escort
to Kábul, 268
warns the king of Kábul of
Rustam's coming, 269
glories over Rustam, 271
slain by Rustam, 272
his corpse burnt, 277
Sháhnáma, 9 seq., 19, 20, 22 seq.,
27 seq., 293, 294
editions of, 3
Shápúr, son of Urmuzd (Sapor
II.), 16 note
Shahrívar, day, 310
Shídasp, son of Gushtásp, v, 26,
50, 55, 57, 58
Shídasp, his death foretold by
Jámásp, 50
given command of one wing,
55
slain, 58
Shírkhún, a Zábulí, 184
guides Bahman to Rustam,
184
Shírú, son of Gushtásp, v, 26
slain, 57
Shúlak, Gushtásp's steed (Dakíkí),
73
Asfandiyár's steed (Firdausí),
126
Sigzian, a native of Sigz, 226 and
note
= Zawára, 226
= Zawára and Farámarz, 228
= Rustam, 241
Sikandar (Alexander the Great),
30
Silvia, vestal, 293
Simmas, chief herdsman of Ninus,
292
Símurgh, mythical bird, vii, 117,
132 seq., 166, 201, 235 seq.,
246, 248, 255
young of, 201
summoned to Rustam's aid
by Zál, 235 seq.
heals Rustam and Rakhsh,
237
instructs Rustam how to
overcome Asfandiyár, 237
seq.
Sind, region and river (Indus), 75,
180, 203, 277
kings of, send tribute to
Gushtásp, 75
Sipand. See Spentó-dáta.
Sístán (Sagastán), country,336
vi, 13,
17, 29, 85, 86, 89, 94, 173,
174, 201, 220, 248, 261, 264,
267
lake of, 239 note
mourning in, for Rustam, 278
invaded by Bahman, 284 seq.
Sitúh, Túránian hero, 86, 87
goes as a spy to I'rán and
reports to Arjásp, 86, 87
Siyáwush, son of Kai Káús, 174,
176, 192, 208, 272
Smerdis, the false, 11
Song of Asfandiyár, 129
Spand-dát (Spentó-dáta, Asfandi-
yár), 24 seq.
Spand-dát-náma (Asfandiyár-ná-
ma), 26, 27
Spendyád. See Spentó-dáta.
Spentó-dáta (Spand-dát, Asfandi-
yár), 12
Spentó-dáta (Spendyád, Sipand,
Sapad), mountain, 30, 116,
117
Spitáma, name of family of which
Zarduhsht was a member,
15
Stages, the Seven. See Seven
Stages.
Súdába, wife of Kai Káús, 174
referred to, 174
Suhráb, son of Rustam, 204
Surúsh, angel, 170, 253
TABARÍ, historian, 261
his version of the death of
Rustam, 261
on the etymology of Dáráb,
297 note
Table of Contents, v
Tamarisk, 239, 240, 243, 246, 247,
256
branch of, fatal to Asfandi-
yár, 239 and note
Taráz, city in Turkistán and dis-
trict in Badakhshán, 157
Tennyson, quoted, 281
Tiber, river, 294
Tihrán, city, 14, 18
Túr, second son of Farídún, 42,
206, 261, 284
Túrán, 12, 20 seq., 25, 32, 41, 43,
45, 53, 61 and passim
Túránians (Turkmans), the, v, 13,
20, 116
Turkhán, Túránian hero, 151
sent with troops to recon-
noitre outside the Brazen
Hold, 151
slain by Núsh Ázar, 151
Turkistán, 55
Turkmans (Túránians), the, v, 22,
25, 36, 39, 40, 44, 47, 51, 52,
61, 72, 90 seq., 98 seq., 104
seq., 108, 110, 113, 114, 116,
135, 152, 157, 158, 171, 173,
206, 254
army of, surrenders to As-
fandiyár, 72, 113
monarch of = Arjásp, 74
led by Kuhram, storm Balkh,
burn the Fire-temple, and
slay Zarduhsht and the
priests, 92, 93
take Gushtásp's daughters
captive, 93
kingdom of, offered by As-
fandiyár to Gurgsár in re-
turn for faithful service, 120
ordered by Arjásp to march
out from the Brazen Hold
in force to attack the in-
vaders under Bishútan,
152
hear the cries of the I'ránian
watch in the Brazen Hold,
155
refused quarter by Asfandi-
yár, 158
Tús, son of Naudar, 57, 116, 207,
208
Tús, city in Khurásán, 28, 202
Sám and the dragon of, 202
ULÁD, a dív, 204 note
Umar Khayyám, 30
Urmuzd, the Good Principle, 15
seq.
Vandaremaini (Andarímán), 13
Venus, planet, 159
Vídrafsh (Bídirafsh), 24, 26
Vishtásp (Vistáspa, Gushtásp), 24
Vistáspa (Vishtásp, Gushtásp), 11
Vístásp-sást, 11
Vohu Manau (Vohúman, Bah-
man), ameshaspenta, 16, 17
Vohúman. See Vohu Manau.
WATER of Life, 30
War of the Religion, the, 19, 26,
29
its two campaigns, 29
West, Dr. E. W., referred to, 11
White Castle, 30
Dív. See Dív.
XERXES, king, 282
Asfandiyár and, 282
YAMAN, region in south-western
Arabia, 260
Yátkár-i-Zarírán, Pahlaví Text,
13, 24, 27 and note
compared with Dakíkí's
work, 24 seq.
Yazdagird III., Sháh, 294
Zábul, Zábulistán, country,337
vii,
85, 86, 167, 169 seq., 173,
175 seq., 181 seq., 193, 194,
212, 215, 219, 223, 224, 235,
248, 251, 252, 255, 256, 258,
265, 266, 273, 275 seq., 281,
283, 285 seq.
Gushtásp goes to, 85
Moon of = Rúdába, 190 and
note
Zábul, called “Babblestead” by
Asfandiyár, 216
Bahman's sojourn in, 252, 256
pillaged by Bahman, 287
Bahman quits, 290
Zábulí, a native of Zábul, 212, 277
a, made king of Kábul, 277
Zahhák, Sháh, 12, 180, 203, 204,
284
Zairi-vairi (Zarír, Zariadres), 12
Zál, father of Rustam, vii, viii,
11, 14, 15, 58, 86, 169, 173
seq., 182 seq., 196, 197, 200,
204, 210, 212, 219 seq., 230,
231, 234 seq., 240 seq., 246,
247, 255, 256, 261, 263 seq.,
277 seq., 281, 283, 285, 289,
290
and Rustam welcome Gush-
tásp to Sístán, 85
hears of Bahman's approach,
182
his interview with Bahman,
183
gives Bahman a guide to con-
duct him to Rustam, 184
and Rúdába bidden by Rus-
tam to prepare to receive
Asfandiyár, 190
Rustam recounts his inter-
view with Asfandiyár to,
196
and Rustam vilified by
Asfandiyár, 201
receives a message from Rus-
tam by Zawára, 230
grieves over Rustam's
wounds, 234
summons the Símurgh to
Rustam's aid, 235
goes to Rustam and Asfan-
diyár, 247
forebodes Rustam's future,
247
father of Shaghád, 260, 263
sends Shaghád to be brought
up at Kábul, 264
laments for Rustam, 273
Zál, sends Farámarz against Ká-
bul, 274
bids Rúdába to cease to
mourn for Rustam, 278
receives and replies to Bah-
man's hostile message, 285
goes to meet Bahman, 286
his palace sacked, 286
Bishútan intercedes for, 288
released and returns to his
palace, 289
Zál-i-zar. See Zál.
Zandavasta, 11 seq., 30, 36, 41, 43,
51, 77, 82, 85, 100, 173, 176,
216, 241, 294, 299, 309
sent by Gushtásp to every
clime, 77
burnt by the Turkmans at
Balkh, 92
Zarathushtra. See Zarduhsht.
Zarduhsht (Zarathushtra, Zoro-
aster), v, vi, 9 seq., 23 seq.,
27, 28, 33 seq., 42, 51, 77,
173, 206, 216, 217, 241, 255
meaning of, 13
legend of, 14 seq.
converts Gushtásp, 33
success of his Evangel, 34
plants the Cypress of Kish-
mar, 34
advises Gushtásp not to pay
tribute to Arjásp, 35
referred to, 36, 38, 41
slain at Balkh, 92, 93
amulet given to Asfandiyár
by, 130
Zariadres (Zairi-vairi, Zarír), 26
Zarír (Zairi-vairi, Zariadres), bro-
ther of Gushtásp, v, 12, 13,
24 seq., 37, 41 seq., 49 seq.,
60 seq., 73, 94, 109, 169, 181,
193, 254, 261
Love-story of, 26, 27
Death-story of, 26, 27
converted by Zarduhsht, 33
answers, in conjunction with
Asfandiyár and Jámásp, Ar-
jásp's letter, 42
Zarír, his death foretold by
Jámásp, 51
receives the standard from
Gushtásp and the command
of the centre, 55
his prowess, 61 seq.
slain by Bídirafsh, 63
Zarír-náma, 26, 27
Zartusht Bahrám Pazhdú, author
of the Zartusht-náma, 18
Zartusht-náma, poem, 18
Zawára, brother of Rustam, vii,
viii, 173, 174, 182 seq., 187,
191, 218, 222, 225 seq., 230,
231, 234, 250, 260, 261, 268,
270, 273, 275
referred to, 186, 228
and Farámarz sent by Rustam
to bid Zál and Rúdába pre-
pare to receive Asfandiyár,
190
brings Rustam's armour, 218
put in charge of the troops, 222
goes with Rustam to the
Hírmund, 222
Zawára, Rustam's instructions to,
222
provokes the I'ránians to
combat, 225
slays Núsh Ázar, 227
goes in quest of Rustam, 230
takes from Rustam a message
for Zál, 230
grievesover Rustam's wounds,
234
goes to Rustam and Asfandi-
yár, 247
warns Rustam against Bah-
man, 250
and a small escort accompany
Rustam to Kábul, 268
goes hunting with Rustam, 270
falls a victim to treachery,
270, 273
death of, 273
his body taken from the pit
by Farámarz and buried, 275
Zira, Túránian hero, 272
Zoroaster. See Zarduhsht.
Zoroastrians, 17