The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
When high up in the mountains he advises his companions to
return; soon they will see him no more. He disappears after bathing in a
spring; his heroes, in spite of the command to return, seek for him, and
are buried in a storm of snow.
We saw above that in the Avesta, Manuschithra and Airyu are connected
with Thraetaona, and that the group of the Paradhatas comes to an end
with these names. Hence Firdusi also represents the crown as being
brought to the first ruler of the new group, Kai Kobad, _i.e._ the Kava
Kavata of the Avesta, from the sky by two falcons; he also represents
him as being fetched from Elburz, _i.e._ from the holy mountain of the
old legend, in order to overcome Zohak, just as Thraetaona descended
from the same mountain. Kai Kaus, the Kava Uça of the Avesta, who
succeeded Kai Kobad, betrays his divine nature in Firdusi by his march
against the demons, by the castles which these demons build for him on
Elburz, and by his attempt to fly into heaven. In the Avesta Kava Uça
offers sacrifice, in order to obtain the dominion over men and Daevas,
and this favour is granted to him. That the march against the demons is
made in the direction of Mazanderan is due no doubt to the frequent
mention of the Mazanian Devs in the Avesta. Siavaksh, the son of Kai
Kaus, who honourably gives himself up to the Turanians, is the
Çyavarshana of the Avesta--from which we merely learn that he was
spotless, and that after Kava Uça the royal majesty united with the
beautiful body of Çyavarshana, and that he died by a violent death (p.
37). The destructive Turanian Franghraçyana, who is now called Afrasiab,
is known to the Avesta. "Thrice," we are told, "he sought after the
royal majesty which belongs to the Arian lands, but he found it
not."[440] Kai Chosru, _i.e._ Kava Huçrava, is in the Avesta also the
son of Çyavarshana; he offers sacrifice, in order that it may be granted
to him "to put an end to the long period of dimness," "to bind the
Franghraçyana filled with abundance;" he is said to be "without
sickness and death." Firdusi's poem neglects none of these traits. After
the triple war which, kindled by Afrasiab, has lasted for a long time,
Firdusi represents Chosru as invoking the fire Guçasp, that Afrasiab may
not escape him. In the Avesta the god Haoma is said himself to bind
Franghraçyana, and to carry him away as a captive of king Huçrava, in
order that the latter may slay him beyond the lake Chaechaçta (p. 37).
In Firdusi the pious Hom discovers the hiding-place of Afrasiab; he
binds him and carries him away a prisoner. Afrasiab escapes; but Hom
captures him once more in lake Kanyesht. As Huçrava is "without sickness
and death," Firdusi represents him as vanishing on a pilgrimage to
heaven.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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