The Cyrus Legend in the Sahname, The Enigma Press, Cracow 1995
Contents
Acknowledgements (by Z. J. Kapera, Executive Editor)
Abbreviations . . .
General assumptions
The legend and history of Cyrus and the threads of the Sahname
The Childhood and Youth of Cyrus .........
1. The Dream of Astyagcs before the Marriage of Mandane
2. The Dream of Astyagcs before the Birth of Cyrus . . .
3. The Meeting of Astyages with ten Years old Cyrus . .
The war for the Persian Liberation .........
1. The Agreement between Cyrus and Harpagus ....
2. The Unification of the Persian Tribes .......
3. The Defeat of Astyages .............
The Conquests of Cyrus .............
1. The Hyrcania Campaign ............
2. The Massagctae Campaign ...........
3. The Babylon Campaign .............
Cyrus' Attitude towards the Conquered ........
The Heroes and Countries of the Sahname and the Legend of Cyrus
Zohak ..........
Feridun .........
Salm, Tur, Irag .......
Sam ...........
The "Kayan" .......
Afrasyab .........
Mazandcran ........
Zere ...........
Barbar, Hamaveran, Yemen . .
Bibliography ........
Opowicsci o Cyrusie w Sahname
Indexes (by Wojciech Adamski) .
Z.J. K a pera, Wtadyslaw Duleba (1920?1987) .....
Z.J. Kapera, Selected bibliography of Wtadyslaw Duleba
GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS
Is it possible at all to search for any historical data in an epos? Can one look for the truth in the accounts of such an epos as the Sahname which, before it finally crystallized in the work of Ferdousi, was emerging and transforming for hundreds of years in the oral tradition, was subjected to the change of language by the Middle Persian and New Persian editors of the prose records?
Still one could attempt a comparison of some of the plots of the Sahname with the relations of modern studies and with the work of Herodotus, the very first ? and probably preserved to a large extent ? crystallization of the Iranian epos.
"I could, if I wished, give three versions of Cyrus' history, all different from what follows; but I propose to base my account on those Persian authorities who seem to tell the simple truth about him without trying to exaggerate his exploits."
I. V. Piankov has reconstructed some of the plots of those stories on the basis of the accounts given not only by Herodotus, but also by Ctesias, Xenophon, Hellanicus, Diodor, Nicolaus of Damascus, Charon and Strabon. Piankov's studies corroborate the account of Herodotus who says that at least four versions of those stories existed in the oral tradition from the times of Cyrus. Piankov presents their partial reconstruction.
If we compare it with some of the plots which compose the first part of the Sahname (i.e. the chapters from Gamsid to Cang-e bozorg-e Kay Xosrow ba Afrasyab), we shall see that some of them agree in their main outline just with this version which Herodotus thought to be the truest one and that these threads recur in the epos with various changes, more than once.
Besides these diversified epic accounts of Cyrus, which already existed in the times of the later Achaemenidae (in the times of Herodotus and Ctesias) it is possible that some information was comprised in other, today nonexistent sources which were used by such authors of historical works as Tabari, Mas'udi and Tha'alibi.
While examining the relationships of the plots of the Sahname and history, we meet a number of basic difficulties.
1. Persian legends often contain contradictory accounts. This difficulty is easier to overcome if we remember a fairly obvious fact that the Sdhname is.........
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