The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 1 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 1 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
In every city was a royal hospital, in which were stationed physicians
appointed by the king; there were separate hospitals for women, where
they were attended by skilful female physicians, so that the hospitals
for men and women were quite distinct. In addition to all this, the
king stands in need of wise _Farhangs_, “judges,” well versed in the
decisions of law and the articles of faith, so that, aided by the
royal influence and power, they may restrain men from evil deeds, and
deliver the institutes of Farhang, “the true faith,” to them.[363] The
king also requires writers to be always in his presence. A great Mobed
must be acquainted with all sciences; a confidential courtier,
conversant with the narratives and histories of kings; a physician,
profound in medical science; an astrologer in his calculations of the
stars; an accountant, accurate in his accounts; and a _Farhangí_, or
lawyer, well versed in points of law: moreover, the study of that
portion of the code contained in the _Páiman-i-Farhang_, or in the
“covenant of the Farhang,” is incumbent on all, both soldiers, Rayas,
and those who practise the mechanic arts, and on other people. In like
manner, persons of one rank were not wont to intermeddle with the
pursuits of another: for example, that a soldier should engage in
commerce, or a merchant in the military profession: on the contrary,
the two employments should not be confounded, so that one should at
the same time be a military man and a servant, or in any employment;
and having become a commander, should again take up the trade.
They also permitted in every city such a number of artificers,
conductors of amusements, merchants, and soldiers as was strictly
necessary; to the remainder, or surplus, they assigned agricultural
occupations; so that, although many people may know these arts, yet no
more than is required may be occupied with them, but apply themselves
wholly to the cultivation of the soil. If any officer made even a
trifling addition to the import on any business which brought in a
revenue to the king, so far from its being acceptable, they, on the
contrary, ordered that ill-disposed person to be severely punished.
The king gave audience every day: but on one day of the week in
particular, he acted as _Dádsitán_, or “Mufti,” when every person who
was wronged had access to the sovereign; also, once a year, he gave a
general audience, when everyone who pleased came into his presence; on
this occasion, the king sat down at table with the Ráyás, who
represented to him, without the intervention of another, whatever they
thought proper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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