PAHLAVI TEXTS (A. D. 226-A. D. 1000) THE PAHLAVI HISTORICAL ROMANCES "Then the brave general, powerful Zarir, came and said In a month I will go and kill fifteen myriad Khyaonas with my own strength.' VOL. VII.-14. MEMOIRS OF ZARIR. THE PAHLAVI HISTORICAL ROMANCES (INTRODUCTION) THERE which have good claim to note. They are semi-historical; and while they are, like all Pahlavi texts, of uncertain date, they are a thousand years old at least. The first, the "Yatkar-i-Zariran," purports to tell of the old religious wars of Zoroaster's time, and recounts the heroic deeds of a champion named Zarir, whom Firdausi also mentions, but who is otherwise unknown. Doubtless this very Yatkar or some older version of it was among the sources to which the poet Firdausi appealed in writing his "ShahNameh." Indeed, the Parsi translator of the Yatkar tells us that the very words of the "Shah-Nameh" often echo those of the ancient Parsi tale. The second romance which our volume presents comes down to a more recent age and tells of the founding of the Sassanian Empire by Artakhshir, more commonly called Ardashir. Historically, this event took place in the year A.D. 226, but the story is presumably later by some centuries. This book also, or one similar to it, must have been known by the great historian poet Firdausi. Each of the romances here given has, however, a strong interest of its own aside from its historical value, and each is highly treasured among the Parsis of to-day. In fact, so seriously do they regard these two books that they prefer to call them histories rather than historic romances. Western criticism has insisted on the latter name. THE YATKAR-I-ZARIRAN OR MEMOIRS OF ZARIR IN THE NAME OF THE CREATOR AUHARMAZD By the name of the Creator Auharmazd and by the good omen of good creation, may there be good health and long life to all men good and righteous workers, and especially to him for whom this book is written. 1. This book, which is called the Yatkar-i-Zariran, was written at that time when King Vishtasp with his sons, and brothers, family-chiefs, and equals accepted from Auharmazd this holy religion of the Mazdayasnians. 2. Then Arjasp, the King of the Khyaonas, had the startling news that King Vishtasp had, with his sons, brothers, and family-chiefs and equals, accepted from Auharmazd this holy religion of the Mazdayasnians. 3. Thereby he was much distressed. 4. He sent forward, to the country of Iran, Vidarafsh the sorcerer, and Namkhvast of Hazar, with two myriads of chosen soldiers of good horsemanship. 5. Then Jamasp, the leader of the leading men, immediately entered and said to King Vishtasp, "From Arjasp, the King of the Khyaonas, have come two messengers, than whom there is nobody more handsome in the whole country of the Khyaonas. 6. "One of them is Vidarafsh, and the other Namkhvast of Hazar. They have with them two myriads of chosen troops. They hold a letter in their hands and say, 'Let us go in before King Vishtasp." " 7. King Vishtasp said, "Allow them to come in before me." 8. Then they went in and paid homage to King Vishtasp and gave the letter. 9. Aprahim, the chief of the scribes, got up on his feet and read the letter aloud. 10. And in the letter it was thus written: "I have heard that your Majesty has accepted from Auharmazd the pure Mazdayasnian religion. If you will not think of it, great harm and unhappiness may result to us from that religion. 11. "But if it please your Majesty, and you give up this pure religion, and be of the same religion with us, then we will pay homage to you as a king and then we will give you, from year to year, plenty of gold, plenty of silver, and plenty of good horses and the sovereignty of many places. 12. "But if you will not give up this religion and will not be of the same religion with us, then we will come to attack you. We will eat the green corn of your country and burn the dry, and we will capture the quadrupeds and the bipeds of your country, and we will order you to be placed in heavy chains and distress." 13. Then when King Vishtasp heard these words he was much afflicted. 14. Afterward when that brave commander of the army, the hero Zarir, saw that King Vishtasp was terrified he at once went in before him. 15. He said to King Vishtasp, "If it please your Majesty I will dictate a reply to this letter." 16. King Vishtasp ordered: "Make a reply to the letter." 17. And that brave Commander of the army, the hero Zarir, thus dictated a reply to the letter: "Greetings from King Vishtasp, the King of Iran, to Arjasp, the King of the Khyaonas. 18. "Firstly, we will not give up this holy religion and will not be of the same religion with you. We have accepted this holy religion from Auharmazd, and we will not give it up, and we will drink next month the drink of immortality without you. 1 1 I.e., "by the end of next month we will be perfect Zoroastrians." |