The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6) — John Shaqi
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
[59] "Vendid." 20; "Yaçna," 9, 32, 39; "Ram Yasht," 7, 28; "Farvardin
Yasht," 136; "Zamyad Yasht," 41 ff. According to the "Mainyo-i-Khard,"
Kereçaçpa, besides slaying the serpent Çruvar, slew the wolf Kapod, the
water demon Gandarsi, the bird Kamak, and kept back much oppression from
the world. West, "Mainyo-i-Khard," c. 27.
[60] Justi, "Handbuch," _s. voc._
[61] "Farvardin Yasht," 131.
[62] "Farvardin Yasht," 132; "Zamyad Yasht," 71.
[63] "Gosh Yasht," 18; "Ashi Yasht," 38.
[64] "Aban Yasht," 49; "Gosh Yasht," 18; "Ashi Yasht," 38; "Afrin
Zartusht," 7; "Zamyad Yasht," 77; "Ram Yasht," 32.
[65] "Aban Yasht," 76, 98; "Ashi Yasht," 46; "Farvardin Yasht," 102;
"Ram Yasht," 36.
[66] "Aban Yasht," 109, 117; "Farvardin Yasht," 38; "Gosh Yasht," 29,
30; "Ashi Yasht," 50, 81; "Zamyad Yasht," 87.
[67] "Aban Yasht," 104-106; "Farvardin Yasht," 142; "Gosh Yasht," 26;
"Ram Yasht," 36.
[68] "Vendid." 2, 39, 40.
[69] Vol. IV. 21 _n._ Spiegel, "Avesta," 3, Einl. s. 58. The favourite
comparison of the enclosure of Yima with the deluge of the Hebrews
appears to me anything but apposite. Iran, and still more Bactria, is
unsuited to give rise to the legend of a flood. Nor is there any
question of the destruction of evil men (if there had been, Yima would
have been the most guilty and the least deserving of pardon), but of the
end of the golden age, as is shown in the Vendidad, the Yaçna, and the
Yashts: the earth becomes more thickly peopled, men and animals do not
grow old or die. If we must bring together things which have really no
relation to each other, it would be more apposite to compare the
paradise of the Hebrews. The reason for the end of the golden age is the
guilt of Yima. [Cf. Kuenen, "Religion of Israel," 3, c. 9, E. T.]
[70] "Zamyad Yasht," 46.
[71] "Rigveda," 1, 158; 10, 8, 5.
[72] Westergaard in Weber's "Ind. Studien," 3, 413 ff., 426 ff. Kuhn
combines Trita with Triton and Tritogeneia; Hofer's "Zeitschrift," 1,
276, 289.
[73] Haug, "Essays," pp. 235, 236.
[74] Kuhn, "Beiträge," 4, 44; Haug, "Essays," pp. 235, 236.
[75] Strabo, p. 517. [[Greek: Toriouan] is a _v. l._ for
[Greek: Tapurian].]
CHAPTER III.
THE SCRIPTURES OF IRAN.[76]
The statements of the Avesta concerning the ancient rulers of Eastern
Iran were proved to be without historical value, yet we found in them an
ancient and genuine tradition, the form of which allowed us to draw
certain conclusions about the political condition of that region in a
period for which we have no other records except the poetry of Western
Iran. But what the Avesta tells us of the rulers of ancient days is of
secondary importance for the book, which comprises the doctrines and
ordinances of the faith proclaimed by Zarathrustra, and the rules of
life which he is said to have laid down. May we assume that we possess
these in a genuine and unaltered form in the Avesta, though they have
only come down to us in fragments?
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