Poem Firdousi Shahnameh summary. G.V. Nosovsky, A.T. Fomenko Shahnameh: Iranian Chronicle of the Great Empire of the 12th-17th Centuries
Some researchers of Gogol's work believe that "Taras Bulba" is a political order of the era. And its implementation ensured a successful career in Russia for the talented Little Russian.
Our expert, culturologist and historian Yevgeny Klimenko, who has been studying the development of literature and art in historical context, I am convinced: Gogol did not accidentally write, and then rewrite his story. He had good reasons for that...
The 19-year-old writer arrived in the capital on time
Russian Empire in early XIX centuries, experienced grandiose events: the war of 1812 died down, the Decembrist uprising on Senate Square was dispersed with buckshot, a small victorious war with Persia ended, another military conflict with the Turkish Port was approaching the denouement, hot spots continued to flare up in the Caucasus, the country was shaken by peasant unrest. The uprising that broke out in November 1830 in Poland, which was then part of Russia, grew into a nine-month war, says Yevgeny Klimenko. - The main concerns of Emperor Nicholas in domestic politics then they focused on strengthening the Russian principles in the western provinces. In 1831, a special western committee was formed, which tried to equalize the Western Territory (the territories of present-day Belarus and Lithuania) in all respects with the internal provinces.
The reforms were accompanied by barbaric interventions in the education system: first, the Warsaw University was closed, then the Vilna and, finally, the Kremenets Lyceum, which, as they said then, was the main “hotbed” of Polish culture.
The University of St. Vladimir (now named after Taras Shevchenko) was also opened in Kyiv with a Russification mission. Real literary and ideological wars were waged by various parties, circles and societies...
It was at such a turbulent time that 19-year-old Nikolai Gogol came to conquer Petersburg. Soon, thanks to the publisher Baron Delvig, he met the tutor of the royal children and court poet Vasily Zhukovsky. Concerned about the fate of the young talent, he recommended Gogol to the well-known critic Pyotr Pletnev with a request to “attach” him. And in February 1831, Pletnev got a young man a teacher of history at a patriotic institute, where he himself was an inspector.
Reply to Chaadaev...
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In 1836, the Telescope magazine published the famous letter of Pyotr Chaadaev, which shocked the public. Future progress, Chaadaev argued, is possible only when moving along a single historical highway, already chosen by the Europeans. And the national complacency and spiritual stagnation inherent in Russia only hinder the fulfillment of the historical mission destined from above.
It is interesting that not only Pushkin reacted to the statements of the philosopher, - continues the cultural historian. - The appearance of such a character as Taras Bulba is not an accident at all. This is Chaadaev's answer to the phrase: “There are no enchanting memories in the memory, there are no strong instructive examples in folk legends. Take a look through all the centuries we have lived, all the spaces of the earth occupied by us, you will not find a single memory that would stop us, not a single monument that would tell you the past vividly, strongly, picturesquely ... ".
The question was asked, the order was made, and the answer appeared immediately: "... The ancient-peaceful Slavic spirit embraced the flames and the Cossacks started up - a wide, riotous manner of Russian nature." Taras Bulba here was conceived as a collective image of a hero-hero, not without reason and his weight is huge (20 pounds - more than 300 kg), and in the first edition of the story there is no exact chronology, clear characters and ideas.
For the "Philosophical Letter" the magazine "Telescope" was closed, and Chaadaev himself was declared insane by the "highest command". As a response to all the accusations against him, Chaadaev wrote “The Apology of a Madman”, where he outlined his view of the history of Russia: “... Peter the Great found only a sheet of paper and his powerful hand wrote on it: Europe and the West ... But then new school(Slavophiles). The West is no longer recognized, the work of Peter the Great is denied, it is considered desirable to return to the desert again ... ".
…and Shevchenko?
In the late 1830s, Gogol was in dire need of finance. He worked a lot on "Dead Souls", he had just arrived from Europe, he was taken care of by his sisters and mother. And he was forced to constantly borrow money from Moscow acquaintances without the hope of a quick return. It was in such circumstances that the idea arose to publish complete collection Gogol's writings...
Between the first and second editions of "Taras Bulba" - 7 years (1835 and 1942), but the circumstances in which they are created are similar, - our expert draws attention to an important detail. - before the advent new version the novels managed to see the light of the works of Taras Shevchenko - "Kobzar" (1840) and "Gaidamaki" (1841). It must be said that the St. Petersburg public did not accept these too national works, seeing in them "narrow provincialism". And, of course, "Taras Bulba" could no longer be published in its former form.
It was a burden for Gogol himself to publish the collected works, and he left for Europe. And from there he sent his wishes and corrections.
“As soon as the first volume of Dead Souls went out of print at the end of May, Gogol left Moscow,” recalls publisher Florenty Pavlenkov. - In June, he was in St. Petersburg, but he was in a hurry to leave from there. At first, he intended to publish a complete collection of his works simultaneously with the first volume of Dead Souls and was going to supervise their printing himself. Now it seemed to him that this would delay him too much in Russia; he entrusted the publication to his friend Prokopovich and went abroad in June.
The regular "assaults" of the autocracy and of the "cultural society" on Shevchenko also became a wake-up call for Gogol, in whose works everyone also saw many episodes "on the verge of a foul." That is, "Taras Bulba" had to be urgently redone!
Who rewrote the story?
Why did Gogol undertake to rewrite his work? There is still no consensus among literary critics on this issue. The relations between Russia and Ukraine, which the writer often touched upon, are too politicized...
Meanwhile, the unknown gives rise to versions and legends. Some researchers of Gogol's work suggest that not even the writer himself made significant ideological changes to the story!
Version One: Scribe
On July 15, 1842, after the release of the Collected Works, Gogol wrote an alarmed letter to Prokopovich: “Mistakes have crept in, but I think they came from an incorrect original and belong to the scribe ...”
This letter allowed many researchers to attribute the ideological insertions in the text of "Taras Bulba" to the writer Pavel Annenkov, who, before sending Gogol's manuscripts to the publishing house, rewrote them cleanly. True, he was not the only "scribe" of Gogol.
Version two: Publisher
Most of the bumps about corrections fall on the head of Gogol's close friend, Nikolai Prokopovich. Moreover, the writer himself gave reason to think so, instructing his publisher from abroad:
“When proofreading the second volume, I ask you to act as autocratically and sovereignly as possible: there are many scribe errors in Taras Bulba ... Please correct everywhere with the same freedom as you forward your students’ notebooks.”
However, Prokopovich himself could hardly have been able to write so clearly and ideologically restrained. Perhaps he made his own edits, but not so global.
Although Gogol was dissatisfied with Prokopovich, he did not hold a grudge against him: “I am greatly to blame for everything. Firstly, I am to blame for getting you into trouble, although my secret intention was good. I wanted to wake you up from immobility and move you to the activities of the bookstore ... "
Version three: Historian
Professor of Moscow University Mikhail Pogodin, a close friend of the Minister of Public Education Sergei Uvarov, actively promoted the idea of Slavic unity and was the herald of the theory of "official nationality", which was based on the formula "Orthodoxy, autocracy, nationality."
Gogol, returning three times from abroad to Moscow, stayed and lived with Pogodin, who, moreover, often gave the writer a loan.
“Gogol, of course, used Pogodin, as he used to use everyone on occasion,” noted the literary critic Igor Zolotussky, “but at the same time he could not pay him with what he claimed in the least, - frankness in his creative affairs and material rewards, again in the form of access to their literary (and spiritual) secrets, which Pogodin demanded most of all.
They say that on Gogol's second visit to Moscow, when work on his collected works was in full swing, relations between the writer and his trustee became very strained. Pogodin constantly reproached Gogol for his ingratitude and demanded something. What exactly?
It can be assumed that the very ideological inserts in the story became the subject of controversy.
OPINION OF A LITERARY SCIENTIST
“Gogol was too principled for someone to write for him”
Pavel MIHED, professor, doctor philological sciences, Head of the Department of Slavic Literature of the Institute of Literature. T. Shevchenko:
No one but Gogol could rewrite Taras Bulba! Gogol considered himself the chosen one of the Lord, he was extremely demanding of himself, and he defended what he believed in to the end. Everyone knew the boorish character of Pogodin. Gogol appreciated him as a historian, but kept him at a distance. Do not forget that in the testament to Selected Places, Gogol sharply reproaches Pogodin for publishing a portrait of the writer without his knowledge. And this act was in the style of Pogodin.
Why did Gogol decide to rewrite Taras Bulba?
Between 1835 and 1842 significant changes take place in Gogol's position as a person, artist and thinker. Naturally, his previous work also needed revision.
Gogol is forming an idea that I call apostolate. He plans to introduce some kind of renewed Christianity, and this explains the alteration of Taras Bulba. He gave the story a pro-Russian and pro-monarchist character.
Gogol himself did not imagine what "Taras Bulba" would become for Ukrainians. The writer gave new life to the main myth of Ukraine about the Cossacks. He modernized this myth and strengthened, revived and implanted it into the fabric of consciousness. As a result, the story played a colossal role in the development of national identity Ukrainian people. In Russia, they do not want to understand this role. For the Russian mass consciousness, Gogol is an exemplary Little Russian, the way every Little Russian should be: obedient, somewhere incomprehensible in his soul, serving the general imperial idea.
Initially, "Taras Bulba" was written as a poetic history of Little Russia, the heroic epic of Ukraine. And main character Taras - as if fabulous. This is a folk image that embodies the entire history of medieval Ukraine, full of feat and high sacrifice in the name of faith, but at the same time tragic in its essence. Rod Bulb split. On the one hand, Andrei is a part of Ukraine seduced by Poland, and on the other, Ostap, who died at the hands of the Poles. As Shevchenko wrote: "Poland has fallen and has overwhelmed us."
BY THE WAY
20 thousand rubles for silence
It was rumored that Gogol received 20,000 rubles from the tsar for his silence about the corrections in Taras Bulba. True, there is no documentary confirmation of this information.
But if we take into account the extremely poor financial situation of the writer at that time, then such a reward explains where the funds for his further travels and life in Europe came from.
HELP "KP"
What is the difference between the second edition of the story and the first
First of all, the story has changed ideologically. She clearly became "pro-Russian"
So, in the first edition, the Cossacks are not called "Russians". Dying on the battlefield, they do not utter the phrase: "Let the holy Orthodox Russian land be glorified forever and ever."
First, Gogol described Ukraine as a semi-nomadic east of Europe, and in the second edition - a semi-nomadic corner of Europe.
The characterization of Taras himself has also changed. If in the first edition he "was a great hunter of raids and riots", then in the second - "restless, he always considered himself the legitimate defender of Orthodoxy. Arbitrarily entered the villages, where they only complained about the harassment of tenants and the increase in new duties on smoke ... ".
And the most important difference is in the last words of Taras Bulba. In the first edition, he called on his comrades to come and have a good walk for his repose. Later, the story was supplemented by a more ideological speech: “There will be time, you will know what the Orthodox Russian faith is! Even now, peoples far and near are feeling: their tsar is rising from the Russian land, and there will be no power in the world that would not submit to him! .. "
Also in the first edition there were no such statements:
- "Princes of the Russian family, their own princes, and not Catholic distrust"
- “Let them all know what partnership means in the Russian land!”
- “Let all enemies perish and the Russian land rejoice forever!”
The story "Taras Bulba", the history of influences on the author of literary works of predecessors is very complex and has not yet been clarified with sufficient completeness. First of all, interest in the past of Little Russia, and especially in the Cossacks, as the most striking phenomenon in its history, was strong in Gogol from his youth. He dreamed either of creating a historical tragedy from the life of old Ukraine, or of the history of Little Russia, "in six small, or four large volumes." For this story, he even collected materials, according to him, "for about five years." These materials are very diverse: Little Russian chronicles, notes, songs, stories of bandura players, business papers. The History of Little Russia by Bantysh-Kamensky was also a manual, well known to him. But of all these "allowances" and "materials" Gogol soon paid special attention to "folk songs". “My joy, my life, songs! - he wrote to their collector Maksimovich. - How I love you! What are all the callous chronicles in which I now rummage, in front of these sonorous, living chronicles! I can't live without songs... You can't imagine how they help me in the history of the song, they all give a new trait to my story!” “Each sound of the song speaks to me more vividly about the past than our sluggish and short annals,” he wrote to Sreznevsky. “Songs are a folk story, lively, bright, full of colors, truths, exposing the whole life of the people,” he wrote in “ Arabesque» about Little Russian songs. "In this respect, songs are everything for Little Russia: poetry, history, and the father's grave." Gogol goes on to say that a sensitive historian can learn from the songs “life, the elements of character, all the twists and shades of feelings, excitement, suffering, joys of the people, the spirit of the past century, the general character of the whole whole, so that history will be revealed before him in clear grandeur.” All these indications, coming from the author himself, then a series of studies made by scholarly critics, prove that the songs had a great influence on the creation of Taras Bulba (especially on the first edition); they were reflected in the style of the story, especially in its lyrical places: descriptions of battles, characterization of Taras and Ostap, in Andriy's love story. In places, the very language of the story takes on the structure of the song, passes into the meter of a folk song. Understanding in "Taras Bulba" of the Cossacks, his ideals are all inspired by songs.
Gogol borrowed some facts from historical writings: the life of the Sich, its customs and customs, various details from the age-old struggle of the Cossacks with Poland, all this was taken from historical works.
Gogol also introduced his cherished aspirations and ideals into his story: he put into the mouth of Taras Bulba an ardent speech glorifying Russia and the Russian people. The influence of Slavophil friends was clearly evident in this apotheosis of the Russian soul: “No, brothers, love as the Russian soul can love, love not only with the mind, or with anything else, but with everything that God has given, whatever is in you but !.. No! no one can love like that!”
In creating Taras Bulba, Gogol had forerunners both in foreign and Russian literature. father historical novel Walter Scott is considered: he was the first to manage to combine knowledge of history with the amusement of a poetic story; he was the first to teach in the historical novel the plausibility of a story to build on the faithful transmission of the local, historical and ethnographic background. A whole galaxy of novelist historians followed in his footsteps: Victor Hugo, Vigny, we have Pushkin, were the most prominent representatives of this genre. Gogol, having created "Taras Bulba", joined this honorary list.
Illustration by S. Ovcharenko to Gogol's story "Taras Bulba"
A less prominent novelist among us was Narezhny, who wrote many historical stories, sentimental and patriotic. Above it stands popular with us marlinsky; his stories from Russian history are distinguished by external historical truth, he diligently portrayed the historical fidelity of the situation, scenery, but did not delve into the spirit of the past. That is why his heroes ancient Russia they speak and think like people of the 19th century. Zagoskin's novel "Yuri Miloslavsky" at one time was a major literary event, but later criticism debunked this work; false patriotism, which led to the extreme idealization of everything Russian and to caricature ridicule of Polish, is the main feature of this novel. The historical element in the story is weakly sustained and has a lubok character. Novels were also popular. Lazhechnikova, but they also had a good deal of the usual romantic horror, the raptures of sentimentality in love affairs, and false patriotism in mainstream coverage.
All these works by Marlinsky, Zagoskin, Lazhechnikov and others belonged to the group of romantic historical novels; "Taras Bulba" joined them. Thus, Gogol did not indicate "new ways" in the creation of the historical novel, but brought the old to perfection. In "Taras Bulba" he avoided all anti-artistic conventions, without lowering the general romantic tone of the whole story: "he did not bring the sentimental love affair to cloying, heroism in the outline actors did not raise it to the fantastic ”(Kotlyarevsky). His patriotism was not biased, and he did not impose any morality in his story. In addition, in the details of the historical story he created, he managed to remain a strict realist. That is why, artistically, "Taras Bulba" is immeasurably higher than the novels of its predecessors, but it is lower than "The Captain's Daughter" by Pushkin - a work in which the great poet managed to find a new genre - a purely realistic historical novel.
Nikolai Gogol was born in the Poltava province. There he spent his childhood and youth, and later moved to St. Petersburg. But history and customs native land continued to interest the writer throughout creative way. "Evenings on a farm near Dikanka", "Viy" and other works describe the customs and mentality of the Ukrainian people. In the story "Taras Bulba" the history of Ukraine is refracted through the lyrical creative consciousness of the author himself.
The idea of "Taras Bulba" came to Gogol around 1830. It is known that the writer worked on the text for about 10 years, but the story never received a final revision. In 1835, the author's manuscript was published in the Mirgorod collection, but already in 1842 another edition of the work was published. It should be said that Gogol was not very pleased with the printed version, not considering the amendments made as final. Gogol rewrote the work about eight times.
Gogol continued to work on the manuscript. Among the significant changes, one can notice an increase in the volume of the story: three more chapters were added to the original nine chapters. Critics note that in the new version, the characters have become more textured, vivid descriptions of battle scenes have been added, and new details from life in the Sich have appeared. The author proofread every word, trying to find the combination that would most fully reveal not only his talent as a writer and the characters of the characters, but also the uniqueness of the Ukrainian consciousness.
The history of the creation of "Taras Bulba" is really interesting. Gogol responsibly approached the task: it is known that the author, with the help of newspapers, turned to readers with a request to transfer to him previously unpublished information about the history of Ukraine, manuscripts from personal archives, memoirs, and so on. In addition, among the sources one can mention the “Description of Ukraine” edited by Beauplan, “The History of the Zaporizhian Cossacks” (Myshetsky) and lists of Ukrainian chronicles (for example, the chronicles of Samovydets, G. Grabyanka and Velichko). All the information gathered would look unpoetic and unemotional without one incredibly important component. The dry facts of history could not fully satisfy the writer, who sought to understand and reflect in the work the ideals of the past era.
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol greatly appreciated folk art and folklore. Ukrainian songs and thoughts became the basis for creating the national color of the story and the characters of the characters. For example, the image of Andriy is similar to the images of Savva Chaly and the apostate Teterenka from the songs of the same name. Everyday details, plot moves and motifs were drawn from the thoughts. And if the orientation historical facts in the story is not in doubt, then in the case of folklore, some clarification needs to be given. The influence of folk art is noticeable not only at the narrative, but also at the structural level of the text. So, in the text you can easily find vivid epithets and comparisons (“like a grain ear cut with a sickle ...”, “black eyebrows, like mourning velvet ...”).
The appearance of trinity, characteristic of fairy tales, in the text of the work is associated with trials, as in folklore. This can be seen in the scene where, under the walls of Dubno, Andriy meets a Tatar woman who asks a young Cossack to help a young woman: she may die of hunger. This is receiving a task from an old woman (in the folklore tradition, usually from Baba Yaga). The Cossacks have eaten everything cooked, and his brother is sleeping on a bag of supplies. Kozak tries to pull the bag out from under the sleeping Ostap, but he wakes up for a moment. This is the first test, and Andriy passes it with ease. Further tension increases: Andria and the female silhouette are noticed by Taras Bulba. Andriy stands "neither dead nor alive", and his father warns him against possible dangers. Here Bulba Sr. simultaneously acts both as an opponent of Andriy and as a wise adviser. Without answering his father's words, Andriy moves on. The young man must overcome another obstacle before meeting his beloved - to walk through the streets of the city, seeing how the inhabitants are dying of hunger. It is characteristic that Andrii also meets three victims: a man, a mother with a child, and an old woman.
In the pannochka's monologue, there are also rhetorical questions that are often found in folk songs: “Am I not worthy of eternal regrets? Is not the mother who gave birth to me unhappy? Did not the bitter share fall on me? The stringing of sentences with the union "and" is also characteristic of folklore: "And she lowered her hand, and put the bread, and ... looked into his eyes." Thanks to the songs, the artistic language of the story itself becomes more lyrical.
It is no coincidence that Gogol refers to history. Being an educated person, Gogol understood how important the past is for a particular person and people. However, Taras Bulba should not be regarded as a historical story. Fantasy, hyperbole and idealization of images are organically woven into the text of the work. The history of the story "Taras Bulba" is notable for its complexity and contradictions, but this in no way detracts from the artistic value of the work.
Artwork test
Farud left the fortress and up the mountain
He ascended, and the host appeared before his eyes.
Came down, locked the gate,
To penetrate into the fortress the enemy could not,
He galloped with Tukhar, full of zeal, -
Misfortune he found from that moment ...
Your star will be eclipsed above, -
What is love for you and what is enmity?
Farud and Tukhar looked from the top,
How the Iranian squads are moving.
“You must,” the young knight said, “
Answer my every question
About all the owners of the mace and banner,
Whose shoes are gold, whose goal is courage.
In the face you know the knights-nobles,
And you will tell me their names.
And the army, in separate regiments,
It rose up the hill, level with the clouds.
There were thirty thousand daredevils,
Spearmen, militant shooters.
Everyone - whether on foot or on horseback -
A spear, and a sword, and a gilded belt.
Helmet, banner, shoes, shield and mace -
All gold: words are appropriate here,
That there is no gold in the mines now,
There are no more pearls in the clouds!
Farud said: “All name the banners,
List all the glorious ones by name.
Whose banner is this, where the elephant is depicted?
Everyone here is well armed.
Who rides ahead, threatening eyes,
Leading the brave with blue swords?”
Tuhar answered: “O lord,
You see the leader of the squads,
Swift Tus-commander,
Who fights to the death in formidable battles.
Under the banner, looking bright and proud,
The glorious Fariburz is rushing, your uncle,
Behind him is Gustakhm, and the knights are visible,
And a banner with the image of the moon.
Mighty Gustahm, support of the Shahanshah,
Seeing him, the lion trembles with fear.
Warlike he leads the regiment,
A wolf is drawn on a long banner.
Here are riders whose deeds are known,
And among them is Zanga, brave, honest.
Slave, like a pearl of light,
Whose silk braids are like resin,
Beautifully drawn on the banner,
That is the military banner of Bizhan, the son of Giv,
Look, on the banner - the head of a leopard,
What makes the lion tremble.
That is the banner of Shidush, a noble warrior,
What walks, looks like a mountain range.
Here is Guraz, in his hand is a lasso,
The banner depicts a wild boar.
Here are people jumping, full of courage,
With the image of a buffalo on the banner.
A detachment consists of spearmen,
Their leader is the valiant Farhad.
And here is the commander of Gibe, who
Raises the banner, on the banner - a seasoned wolf.
And here is Gudarz, Kishvada, the son of a gray-haired one.
On the banner - a lion sparkles golden.
But on the banner - a tiger that looks wild,
Rivniz the Warrior is the lord of the banner.
Nastukh, son of Gudarza, fights
With a banner where a doe is drawn.
Bahram, son of Gudarza, fights fiercely,
Depicts the banner of his argali.
To talk about everyone is not enough for a day,
I don’t have enough worthy words!”
Bogatyrs, full of greatness,
He named all the signs and differences.
And the world of Farud shone brightly,
His face blossomed like a rose.
Iranians, approaching the mountain, from there
We saw Tuhar and Farud.
The commander became angry and stern,
He stopped both the army and the elephants.
Tus exclaimed: “Friends, wait a little.
One fighter from the army must leave.
Fearlessly, appreciating time dearly,
Let him rush the horse to the top,
Find out who they are, those brave two,
Why look at the fighting army.
Recognizes one of us
Let the whip heat them two hundred times,
And if he recognizes Turanians in them, -
Let him tie us up, bring us strangers.
And if he kills them, it doesn't matter,
Let him bring their bodies here.
And if spies are before us,
Cursed scouts before us, -
Let him cut them in half at once,
Worthy will reward them according to their deeds!
Bahram, son of Gudarza, said: “The riddle
I'll figure it out, I'll end the fight in an instant.
I will ride, I will fulfill your order,
I will crush everything that is against us.”
To the ridge of the mountain by a rocky road
He rushed off, filled with anxiety.
Farud said: "Tuhar, answer me,
Who so bravely rides a horse,
With an open face and a mighty camp,
With a lasso tied to the pommel of the saddle?
Tukhar said: “He, apparently, was brave in battle,
But I don't recognize him right away.
Though the rider's signs are familiar to me.
Or is it Gudarza's son, dressed in armor?
I remember the helmet in which Kay-Khosrow
He fled to Iran, fleeing from enemies.
Is it not with that helmet, I think, decorated
This hero, why is he so fearless?
Yes, he is related to Gudarza in everything.
Ask him a question yourself!”
Bahram over the mountain seemed steeper,
And he thundered with a thunderous cloud:
“Hey, who are you, husband, there, on the steep mountain?
Il rati here do not you see thick?
Can't you hear the earth shaking?
Are you not afraid of Tus the commander?”
Farud said: "We hear the sound of trumpets,
We are not rude - do not be rude to us.
Be polite, O husband who knows the battle,
You don't open your mouth for impudent speech.
Know: you are not a lion, I am not a steppe onager,
You can't talk to me like that!
You do not surpass me in fearlessness,
Believe that there is strength in our body.
We have a mind, we have a brave spirit,
There is eloquence, vigilance, acute hearing.
Because I have it all
Then I despise your threats!
If you answer, I'll ask you a question
But only good speeches will be glad.
Bahram said: “I will answer. Speak now
Although you are taller, and I am lower.
Farud asked: “Who leads the army?
Which of the greats wants to fight?
“Under the banner of Kava,” Bahram replied, “
The brave Tus leads us, with a bright face.
Here is the formidable Giv, Gustakhm, Rukhkham, Gudarz,
Gurgin, Shidush, Farhad - a leopard in battle,
Zanga - he is the offspring of Shavaran lion,
Brave Guraza, head of the squad.
Farud said: "Worthy of praise,
Why didn't you name Bahram?
For us, Bahram is not in last place
So why don't you tell the news about him?
Bahram said: “O you, with the form of a lion.
Where did you hear about Bahram?”
And he: "I experienced the severity of fate,
I heard this story from my mother.
She told me, "Ride on
Find Bahram if the army comes.
Find you and another warrior -
Zangu, what is dear to you.
Like a brother, your father loved both.
You must finally see them!”
Bahram asked: “Oh, where were you brought up?
The branch of the royal tree - aren't you?
Are you not the young sovereign Farud?
May your days bloom endlessly!
“Oh yes, I am Farud,” was the stern answer, “
The trunk that was cut down, I am a new shoot.
Bahram exclaimed: "Uncover your hand,
Show me the sign of Siyavush!”
And what? Black stain on hand
You will say - it turned black on a flower!
Chinese compasses - and then nothing
Such a sign could not be displayed!
And it became clear: he is the offspring of Kubad,
He is Siyavush a true child.
Bahram praised the prince,
He quickly climbed the cliff to him,
Farud got off his horse, sat down on a stone,
A pure flame burned in the open soul.
He said: "O hero, o brave lion,
You are glorious, having defeated adversaries!
I'm happy to see you like this!
As if I saw my father alive!
Before me is a valiant sage,
Warrior, lucky brave man.
Perhaps you want to know the reason!
Why have I now ascended to the top?
I came to look at your army,
Find out about the Iranian knights.
I'll arrange a feast - let the fun begin,
I want to look at Tus the commander,
Then I want to sit like a rider of battle
And take revenge on Turan.
In battle, with the fire of retribution, I will flame,
Holy fire - and I will avenge the villain!
You are the commander, whose bright star,
Tell him to come to me here.
Let's stay with me for a week
We will discuss everything before our battle.
And the eighth day will dawn for us lightly, -
And the commander Tus will sit in the saddle.
I will gird myself for revenge, I will start the fight,
I will make such a massacre,
That the lions want to look at the battle,
What kites in the sky will confirm:
"More earth and ancient constellations
We have not seen such retribution!
"O sovereign," Bahram told him,
You set an example for the heroes.
I will kiss Tusu's hand with a request,
Telling him your direct speech.
But the commander has no mind,
His advice does not enter my head.
He is proud of royal blood, valor,
But he is in no hurry to work hard for the Shah.
Gudarz and the shah have been arguing with him for a long time:
Because of the crown and Fariburza dispute.
He claims: "I am Nouzara seed,
To reign, my time has come!”
Perhaps the hero will come to anger,
He will not listen to me, having become furious,
Send someone else here
So beware of the bad rider.
He is a tyrant, a dork, whose thought is dark,
There is only one fool in his mind.
He didn't win our trust.
After all, he got the kingdom of Fariburza.
“Climb the mountain,” was his order,
Don't talk to that fighter now
And threaten with a dagger, so that on the mountain
He did not dare to climb at such a time.
Warrior Tus will give his consent, -
I will return to you with good news.
And if another horseman is sent,
Don't rely on that much.
You will be sent no more than one:
I know his rules.
Think - you have one concern:
Do not let the passage, lock the gate."
Here Farud's golden club
(And the hilt is a priceless emerald)
Handed over to Bahram: "Eminent warrior,
Take my gift as a keepsake, keep it.
And if Tus, as it should, will accept us,
Will gladden the hearts, embrace us, -
He will still receive from us, benevolent,
Military horses, saddles and blankets.
Rejoicing in advance with such gifts,
The valiant Bahram returned to Tus.
He said to Tus with proud purity:
“Let your mind be a couple to your soul!
Farud, son of the Shah, this young man,
His father is the sufferer Siyavush.
I saw the sign, I did not take my eyes off!
That is the sign of their clan, the clan of Kei-Kubada!
Tus exclaimed, the answer escaped his lips:
“I am not the head of the regiments, the holder of the pipes.
I ordered him to be delivered to me,
And not empty conversations with him to rule,
He is the king's son... Am I not the king's son?
Or did I bring the army here in vain?
So what? Turanian, like a black raven,
Sat before us on the top of the mountain!
How self-willed the whole Gudarza family is,
Only harm comes from you to the troops!
That rider is lonely - now you are afraid,
As if I saw a lion at the top!
Noticing us, he began to cheat with you ...
In vain did you gallop along the mountain path!
He appealed to the nobles:
“I only need one ambitious one.
Let him behead the Turanian,
He will deliver his head to me!”
Bahram said to him: “O mighty man,
Do not torment yourself with vain malice.
Fear the sun and moon god
Before the check you do not commit guilt.
That hero is Farud, he is the brother of the lord.
Noble warrior, light-faced rider,
And if any of the Iranians
He wants to bend the young man to the ground,
One will go - he will not be saved in battle,
It will only sadden the commander's heart."
But with anger Tus listened to his speeches,
He rejected the advice that Bahram had given him.
He ordered the eminent warriors
Jump up the mountain by an open path.
To fight the offspring of the king of kings
Several heroes rushed off.
Bahram said to them: "Do not miscalculate,
That you can fight with the brother of the sovereign.
The eyelash of the knight of that hundredfold
More expensive than a hundred husbands, he is the Shah's brother.
Whoever has not seen Siyavush will perk up
With joy, only look at Farud!
You will be honored by him:
You will receive crowns from him!”
Hearing Bahram's speech about Farud,
The warriors did not move from there.
Mourned by fate,
The son-in-law of the commander Tus rushed into battle,
Full of martial spirit
I went to the stronghold of Safid-kuha.
Seeing a hero on the mountain,
Farud took out the old bow of the king,
Tukhar said: “It is evident that in this matter
Tus ignored Bahram's advice.
Bahram is gone, another has now come,
But you know that my heart is not angry.
Take a look, remember: who is he, steel
Armored from head to toe?"
Tukhar said: “This is the commander’s son-in-law,
Fearless husband, his name is Rivnis.
He is the only son, smart and vigilant,
He has beautiful magpie sisters.
He uses cunning, flattery and lies,
But you will not find a braver knight.
Farud told him: “During the battle
Is such speech necessary?
May he with the tears of forty sisters
There will be mourning: my dagger is sharp!
He will be struck by the flight of an arrow from the top, -
Or I am not worthy of the title of a man.
Now, O wise man, instruct me:
Kill the hero or the horse?
And he: “Slay the rider with an arrow,
To turn Tus's heart to ashes.
Let him know that you wanted peace
That he went out to the army not for swearing,
And he foolishly argues with you,
Thus, your brother will be dishonored.”
The riven is getting closer, the path is mountainous and steep.
Farud began to string the string.
The arrow from the mountain to Rivnis hurried
And she sewed a knight's helmet to her head.
The horse, throwing off the body, soared, and, dead,
Head hit a rock.
At the sight of a body cast into dust
Tus's eyes darkened at once.
The wise man said, knowing the deeds of people!
"The husband will be punished for his evil temper."
The commander ordered Zarasp:
“Burn, be like Azargushasp!
Hurry up to put on the armor of battle,
Gathering all the strength of the body and soul.
For the knight you will avenge severely!
I don't see another avenger here."
He sat on a horse Zarasp, putting on armor.
Moaning on the lips, and in the heart - anger.
A winged horse rushed to the top, -
It seemed that winged fire was moving.
Farud said to Tukhar: "Look,
Another warrior ahead.
Tell me: is he worthy of my arrow?
Is he a sovereign or an ordinary warrior?
Tuhar said: “The cycle of times,
Alas, it's non-stop.
That husband is Zarasp, the son of Tus the commander.
An elephant will come, - Zarasp will not turn away.
He is the husband of Rivniz's elder sister,
Like an avenger, he will now draw his bow.
As soon as a warrior looks at you,
Let your arrow from the bow spin
So that he rolled his head to the ground,
So that the body was not in the saddle;
Mad Tus will understand clearly
That we didn’t come here in vain!”
The young prince took aim,
Zaraspa hit the sash with an arrow.
He sewed his flesh to the pommel of the saddle,
And he took out his soul with a deadly arrow.
The wind-footed horse rushed back,
Surrounded by fear and madness.
The warriors of Iran groaned,
In despair, in sadness, the helmets were removed.
Tus has eyes and soul on fire.
He appeared before the army in armor.
He mourned two knights, full of anger,
Like the leaves of a noisy tree.
He sat on a horse, rushed on a horse, -
Say: the mountain rushed on an elephant!
He galloped uphill to the prince,
Covered by anger, hatred, grief.
Tukhar said: “Now do not expect good,
A ferocious mountain goes to the mountain.
Tus flies to the battle along the mountain slopes,
You can't handle a dragon like that.
Let's close the stronghold behind us.
We learn that we are destined by fate.
You killed his son and son-in-law,
The roads to the world are closed to you."
Farud was angry, getting excited:
"When the hour of the great battle came,
What for me is your Tus, your roaring lion,
Or an elephant, or a leopard that jumped out of the thicket?
The fighter maintains a scolding spirit,
Do not extinguish with ashes so that the fire goes out!
Tukhar said: “Attentive to the advice
The kings, seeing no humiliation in this.
Let the mountains from the foot to the tops
Tear off, and yet you are alone.
Iranians - thirty thousand in a formidable army,
They will come, dreaming of retribution,
Destroy the fortress on the face of the earth,
Everything around is turned upside down.
And if Tus dies in a quarrel,
Then the Shah will be twice as bitter grief.
Your father will be unavenged
Our plans will come to an end.
Do not shoot from the bow, you return to the fortress,
Lock yourself up, and you will understand the absurdity of contractions.
The word that is illuminated by the mind,
Tuhar had to say long ago
But foolishly he advised at first,
Farud's words inflamed him.
The prince owned the best of the strongholds.
There were seventy slaves in her,
Glittered like drawings from China
Watching the progress of the battle from the roof.
The prince could not retreat: then
He would burn in shame before them.
Tuhar, the master without luck, said:
“If you want to join the battle hot,
Then spare the commander Tus:
You hit his horse with an arrow.
Moreover, when grief suddenly breaks out.
That not one arrow from a bow will spin,
Tus will be followed by his troops,
And that means death is near.
You saw their courage, power, constitution,
You will not stand against them in battle."
Then Farud in a warlike fervor
The bow was drawn and the arrow was fired.
It was not in vain that the arrow threatened to inflict death!
I plunged into the commander's horse.
The hero's horse parted with his life.
Tus was furious, angry with grief.
The shield is on the shoulders, and he himself is in the dust, upset,
The noble warrior returned on foot to the army.
Farud laughed merrily and evilly:
“What happened to this knight?
How this old man fights with a whole army,
If I alone mastered the commander?
The fall of Tus surprised everyone.
On the roof, the servants laughed:
An eminent warrior rolled down from the mountain,
He fled from the young man, seeking protection!
When Tus returned on foot, in the dust,
Knights came to him in despondency.
"You're alive, and that's good," they said, "
There is no need to shed tears in sadness.
But Giv said: "Resentment burns me, -
The leader of the riders has returned without a horse!
Everything should have a measure and a border,
The army cannot accept this.
He is the son of the king, but is our army
Does he have the right to be so cruel?
Or we must accept obsequiously
Everything that he wants to say authoritatively?
The brave Tus was angry only once,
Farud has humiliated us so many times!
We want revenge for Siyavush,
But there is no forgiveness for the son of Siyavush!
Struck by his arrow, found the end
Zarasp, from the family of the royal brave.
Rivniz's body is drowned in blood, -
Is there really no limit to humiliation?
Although he is Kei-Kubada blood and flesh,
He is stupid, and stupidity must be overcome!
He dressed his body in clothes of battle,
And his soul was seething with rage.
Current page: 1 (the book has 18 pages in total)
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR
DEPARTMENT OF LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE
LITERARY MONUMENTS
FIRDOWSI
SHAHNAME
VOLUME ONE
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE POEM TO THE LEGEND ABOUT SOKHRAB
The publication was prepared by Ts. B. Banu, A. Lakhuti, A. A. Starikov
PUBLISHING HOUSE OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR
Moscow
1957
Editorial Board of the Literary Monuments series:
academician AT. P. Volgin(chairman), academician V. V. Vinogradov, academician M. N. Tikhomirov, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR D. D. Moisture, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR N. I. Konrad(Deputy Chairman), Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences D. S. Likhachev, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR S. D. Skazkin, Professor And. I. Anisimov, Professor S. L. Utchenko, candidate historical sciences D. V. Oznobishin(Scientific Secretary)
Responsible editor Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences E. E. VERTELS
Translation editor L. LAHUTI
Editorial
Firdousi's poem "Shahnameh" is a heroic epic of the Iranian peoples, a classic work and national pride of literatures: Persian - modern Iran and Tajik - Soviet Tajikistan, as well as a significant part of the Iranian-speaking peoples of modern Afghanistan.
Deeply national in content and form, Ferdowsi's poem was a symbol of the unity of the Iranian peoples in the difficult centuries of feudal fragmentation and foreign oppression, the banner of the struggle for independence, for national language and culture, for the liberation of peoples from tyranny.
The humanism and folk character of Firdousi's poem, combined in a peculiar way with the feudal-aristocratic tendencies natural for the monuments of the early Middle Ages, its high artistic merits made it one of the most significant and widely known classical works of world literature.
"Shahnameh" in translations into many languages of the world has become the property of a wide range of readers. In Russia, Firdousi's poem was first introduced to V. A. Zhukovsky's free adaptation of the episode Rustem and Zorab. At the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. translations of fragments of the Shahnameh appeared. A significant number of poetic anthologies were published in Soviet times, in 1934-1936, in connection with the celebration of the millennium of Firdousi's birth. Several episodes in poetic processing published in the most last years. However, there has not yet been a complete translation of the poem into Russian.
This edition fills this gap and provides a translation of the entire poem, made directly from the original and combining, as far as possible, scientific accuracy with artistry. The first volume contains:
poetic translation of "Shahnameh" from the beginning of the poem to the legend of Rostem and Sohrab, made by Ts. B. Banu, edited by A. Lakhuti;
historical and literary essay "Firdousi and his poem" Shahname "", written by A. A. Starikov; the essay introduces the main problems of studying the life and work of the poet, with the content and literary history"Shahnameh";
commentary on the verses of the translation, compiled by A. A. Starikov; a bibliography of the main works on the Shahnameh, a short afterword by the translator, as well as nominal, geographical and subject indexes.
The publication is designed for 5-6 volumes.
[INTRODUCTION] 1
These verses are the traditional author's preface, preceding the actual narrative - the history of the kings.
In the name of the creator of soul and mind 2
Natural, for a representative of the deep Middle Ages, an appeal to God at the beginning of work. The poets of the East, as a rule, began the work with a short (10-15 bytes) appeal to God, usually called "dibache" (from "dib", "dibach" - brocade), since these introductory bayts were decorated with colorful headpieces with gold and silver, making up, as it were, the "brocade page" of the book. Regardless of the author’s poetic introduction, medieval scribes traditionally began their work with the basic formula of Muslim piety: “In the name of God, the merciful, merciful” - introductory words to the Koran as a whole and to each of its “sura” (chapter) in particular. The scribal's introductory formula precedes the Shahnameh poetic text in most manuscripts and editions of the poem.,
Above whom the soaring thoughts cannot rise,
Who gives a place to everything and a name 3
Who gives a place to everything and gives a name - In the original, literally: "lord of the name" ( hodand-e to us) and "lord of the place" ( hodavand-e jai).,
Gives us blessings, leads us forward.
He rules the universe, reigns over the sky,
He lit the sun, and the moon, and Nahid 4
Nahid is the Persian name for the planet Venus.,
He will take higher signs, ideas, names;
They embodied the world in visible images.
Don't bother your eyes: it's all the same
10 It is not given to us to see the Creator with our eyes 5
This bayt was constantly cited by the poet's enemies as proof of his heretical, in this case rationalistic, views on the nature of God.,
Not even thought can find a way to it;
Above all in the world honor his names.
The one who is exalted above all by nature,
It is impossible to hug with soul and mind.
Although the mind is sometimes mature in judgments,
He can only judge what he has seen.
Worthy of the Creator, we cannot add praise,
We must serve Him tirelessly.
He gave life to both the soul and the mind -
He cannot fit in His creation.
20 Our mind and spirit are not able to the end
To comprehend and glorify the greatness of the Creator.
Remain convinced in His being,
Forget doubts and idle thoughts.
Serving Him, the truth must be sought ,
To penetrate his commands with the soul.
He will achieve power, who has achieved knowledge;
From knowledge, the old man becomes younger.
There is a limit to the word, there is nothing higher;
30 Mind inaccessible Creator being.
[WORD ABOUT MIND]
O wise one, should it not be at the beginning of the path 6
The praise of reason is the first thing addressed great poet. These lines are traditional, they are characteristic of the poetry of Sasanian Iran, but they are original in comparison with most of the later classical authors, who excelled in verbose praise of Allah, Muhammad, his companions, the first caliphs, etc.
The praise of reason, whether it be the philosophical category of Greek Neoplatonism or the tradition of Sasanian Zoroastrianism, cannot but be regarded as a peculiar expression of Ferdowsi's religious freethinking.
Exalt the virtues of reason.
[Tell your thoughts about the mind,
Thinking fruits from people do not conceal 7
The couplet enclosed in brackets is, in all likelihood, a variant of the previous bait (the same rhyme with herad in adjacent verses), although it is preserved in most manuscripts and editions..]
The highest gift of all that Ized sent us 8
Ized (Avest. Yazata - worthy) is the main pre-Muslim term for a bright deity.,-
Our mind is worthy to be the first to be sung.
Salvation in him, comfort in him
In our earthly life, and in the other world 9
In our earthly life, and in the other world, that is, in the earthly world and in the heavenly world. The idea of two worlds is common to the Eastern Middle Ages. In Ferdowsi, we naturally meet the idealistic idea of afterlife, but he is also alien to the later reactionary (mainly Sufi) interpretation of the sensory world as devoid of reality, being only a dim reflection, a shadow of the true world of ideas..
Only in the mind is happiness, trouble without it,
40 Only the mind is wealth, need without it.
As long as the mind is in darkness, forever
A person will not find consolation for the soul.
Thus the thinker teaches that he is rich in knowledge,
Whose word is a treasure for those who thirst for truth:
If the mind does not become your leader,
Your deeds will wound your heart;
A wise man will consider you obsessed,
Native, as a stranger, you will be swept away.
In both worlds he exalts us;
50 In chains, the unfortunate one, whose mind has faded.
Is not the mind the eye of the soul? Can not found
With a blind soul of a good path.
He is the first among the eternal creatures of the Creator 10
There was also a slightly different interpretation of these bytes in connection with the double spelling: se pass and sepas. Se pas - three guards (vigilia), sepas - praise, for example, in the old experience of translating Shahnameh by S. Sokolov:
Let it be known that the mind was created first. He is our guardian of the soul - give him praise, Praise with your tongue, and hearing, and eyes, Then, through him, good and evil to you.,
He guards the triple guards of the heart.
Hearing, sight and speech are your three guardians:
And you will know good and evil through them.
A photograph from the so-called Hamadan bas-relief found during excavations near Hamadan. Above the carved image of Firdousi with the bird Simorgh (?), there is a date - the years of the Hijri 955 and 833 -, as well as verses from the Introduction to the "Shahnameh"
And how they lived with glory
His heroic military days.
(verses 277-280)
Who mind and soul would dare to sing?
Who dared to hear, answer?
If there are no listeners, words are useless.
60 You turn your thought to the first days of nature.
The crown of the universe, you were created by the Creator,
You distinguish the image and essence in everything.
Let the mind be your guide
You will be the deliverer from evil.
You find the truth in wise sayings,
Talking about her, go around the whole world.
Strive to comprehend science ever deeper,
Languish with an eternal thirst for knowledge.
Only the first knowledge will shine on you light,
70 You will know: there is no limit to knowledge.
[ON THE CREATION OF THE WORLD]
First, so that you study everything in succession,
Listen to the story of the beginnings.
Revealed his hidden power
Creator: He commanded being;
Without knowing labor, he created nature;
The elements came into being by His will.
Four of them: the flame that always shines 11
Ferdowsi means four primary elements - the elements: fire ( atash), water ( ab), air (or wind - bad) and earth (ash - hack), reflecting the general religious and philosophical ideas of the Muslim Middle Ages, intertwined with the philosophical concepts of the Greeks, folk beliefs and religious dogmas of Mazdaism..
And air, under them - earth and water.
At first, the movement gave birth to fire,
80 And the heat then brought forth dry land;
The coldness was born from the peace that came,
And cold - moisture, such is the law.
They, fulfilling their purpose,
Created life on the young earth;
From flame to air, land to water
Being born, phenomena flowed in succession.
A revolving vault arose above the earth,
Showing wonder after wonder from on high.
He lit up the world with truth and mercy
90 By the will of the Giver of knowledge and strength.
Everything came into harmony over the expanse of the earth,
And seven over twelve gained power 12
And seven gained power over the twelve, that is, seven planets (including the Sun and the Moon) were located in the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. The image is associated with the astrological ideas of the Middle Ages, according to which the planets, located in one combination or another, in various constellations determine the fate of people,.
The heavens rose one above the other 13
The heavens rose one above the other. – Here Ferdowsi accurately reflects the general ancient and medieval ideas about the heavens as crystal concentrically rotating spheres (Ptolemy's system). There were usually seven such spheres-heavens (according to the number of planets, including the Sun and the Moon). Above them, the eighth heaven was thought - the sphere of fixed stars and, finally, the all-encompassing motionless "higher sky", paradise - the seat of the Deity. Thus, in ancient times, seven, eight, and nine heavens were counted.,
And the cycle of the world began.
There were seas and hills and fields;
The earth became a shining light.
Birth of mountains, raging waters. . .
And now a blade of grass rises from the soil.
The time has come for the earth to rise,
100 Until then, she was immersed in darkness.
Ray bright stars shone in the sky,
And the light of the earth lit up the limit.
The fire ascended, the waters flowed down,
And the sun began its run around the earth 14
This idea is a reflection of the geocentric ideas about the world that prevailed in the Middle Ages (Ptolemy's system)..
Trees and grass grew everywhere, -
They turn green and stretch up.
One vegetative life is destined for them,
And they are not allowed to move on the ground.
But behold, the walking beast was created;
110 And herbs, and trees perfect it.
He lives for food, rest and sleep;
No other consolation was given to him.
Grass and thorns - that's all his food;
He was not created to master thought and speech;
He does not know what leads to evil, what leads to good;
The Creator does not expect worship from him.
The Creator is omniscient, powerful and truthful;
He created, revealing all the power of art.
This is the world, but no one comprehended
120 All that hides his visible face.
[ON THE CREATION OF MAN]
In the chain, man became the last link,
And the best of everything is embodied in it.
Like a poplar, he ascended with a proud head,
Gifted with a mind and good speech.
He is the receptacle of the spirit and mind,
And the world of the wordless is subject to him.
You delve deeper with your mind, understand
What does it mean for us to be called human beings.
Is a person so insignificant and small,
130 What higher did you not notice in him?
The earthly with the heavenly is intertwined in you;
Haven't you been given the opportunity to connect two worlds?
The last in a row, but by fate
You are the first in creation, know your worth.
I heard other words about it 15
Apparently, here Firdousi hints at the presence of other views that degrade the dignity of a person, including the idea of a person as a slave in the official religion.. . .
But who will unravel the ways of the Divine!
Think about what lies ahead;
Having chosen a good goal, go straight to it.
Teach yourself not to be afraid of work:
140 Work with reason, always in harmony with honor.
So that evil does not set up a network for you,
So that you can resist a bitter fate,
And grief did not know in this world and in that,
And appeared clean before the highest court,
Think of the vault of heaven that we
Illness sends and gives balm.
He does not grow old from the passage of time,
Works, sorrows are not exhausted;
Knowing no rest, he completes his run
150 And corruption, like us, is not subject to forever;
He sends us a reward, judges our deeds;
You can't hide from heaven neither good nor evil.
[ON THE CREATION OF THE SUN]
A sparkling yacht reigns in the sky,
Not air, not smoke, not water, not dust.
There are bright lights forever shining, -
As if a garden was decorated on Novruz 16
Novruz is the first day of the Persian New Year, the day of the spring equinox (March 21-22 of our calendar). According to the Persian solar calendar, Novruz is celebrated on the first day of the month of Ferverdin. Novruz holiday, preserved in Muslim times, is the main and favorite national holiday of Iran. It should be noted that in ancient times Novruz was celebrated not on the day of spring, but in summer, on the day of the solstice, the first day of the month of Fire (Azer)..
There proudly floats a life-giving diamond,
The light of the day illumines us.
From the east, at one o'clock in the morning, like a golden shield,
160 He emerges in the sky, blinding with beauty.
Then the earth is lit up with brilliance,
The dark world brightens, cheerful hearts.
But the sun sank to the west, and behold
A night full of darkness floats from the east.
They will never meet in the run of time -
This is an immutable, eternal law.
Oh, you who, like the sun, shine in the sky!
Tell me why don't you shine on me?
[ON THE CREATION OF THE MONTH]
A clear lamp is given to the midnight haze 17
The images of the month and the sun were widely used both in folk poetry and in the classical literature of Tajiks and Persians. The full moon - a symbol of perfect beauty and all-overshadowing brilliance, as a rule, was opposed to a new month (crescent) - an emblem of grief, despondency, damage..
170 Do not go astray, do not wallow in evil!
For two nights he is invisible in the expanse of heaven,
As if, tired of whirling, he disappeared.
Then appears yellow, exhausted,
As one who suffers from love is condemned.
But only he was seen from the ground,
He again hides in the dark distance.
Tomorrow brighter it shines from the heights
And longer the radiance pours on the earth.
By the end of two weeks, that sickle will become a disk,
180 To again steadily go to the damage.
Every night he looks thinner,
Glides closer and closer to the radiant sun.
He is so created by the Supreme Lord;
He will never change forever.
[PRAISE OF THE PROPHET AND HIS COMPANIONS] 18
The traditional for the Muslim Middle Ages appeal to the prophet (Muhammad) and - depending on the religious persuasion - to his main associates and immediate successors: among the Sunnis - to the four righteous caliphs (Abu-Bekr-Bubekr, Omar, Osman and Ali), among the Shiites - to Ali, the husband of Fatima, the daughter of the prophet, with silence or attacks against the usurpers and enemies of the family of the prophet (i.e., the first three caliphs). In the text “Shahnameh” that has come down to us, with emphasized chanting of Ali, his three predecessors are remembered with goodness. However, in comparison with subsequent verses (211-212), this mention gives the impression of some kind of accident, deliberateness. In any case, the authenticity of a number of these bytes is doubtful, and in the text they are enclosed in square brackets.
Only faith and knowledge save your spirit,
Seek the way to salvation tirelessly.
If you want peace in your heart,
Do not want to be tormented by longing and shame, -
In the words of the prophet penetrate the soul,
Wash their hearts with the dew of life.
190 Said the beholder of the Divine light,
In whose power is the command, in whose power is the prohibition:
[Peace, after the prophets that God gave him,]
[I have never seen a worthier husband Boubecr.]
[Omar, proclaiming Islam to the nations,]
[He decorated all countries like gardens.]
[Osman, that he became the chosen one after them,]
[He was full of humility, warmed by faith.]
[The fourth was Ali, the husband of Fatima,]
200 [About whom we heard from the prophet:]
“I am the city of truth, the gate to me is Ali,”
Good lips spoke the prophet.
Indeed, his will is this;
I hear eternally holy words.
[Honor glorious name Ali and others]
[Because faith was strengthened with them.]
[The prophet is like the sun, like the stars, they are. ]
[Honor all: their fates and days are inseparable.]
A faithful servant, I mail the prophet's family;
210 That dust, where the successor stepped, I will sing.
Verily, I care not for others;
Others will never glorify my verse ..
The world-ocean presented itself to the wise,
Where, raising the waves, the hurricane roars.
Raising the sails, through the turbulent waters
Ships sail - there are seventy of them 19
The ships are sailing - there are seventy of them. - Seventy ships rushing across the stormy ocean of being, according to the teachings of Muslim theologians, symbolize seventy religious beliefs. An image traditionally used in Muslim theological and fiction. According to later theologians (Sufis), all these rumors (judgments) should more or less easily lead to salvation (to the shore), since they are based on faith in God. Only the materialistic philosophers (dahri) with their denial of faith will surely perish. In particular, the famous scientist and poet, a freethinker of the 11th-12th centuries, was ranked among such materialists condemned to death as their head. Omar Khayyam. Ferdowsi figuratively emphasizes the reliability of the vessel of the prophet and Ali (i.e., the Shiite direction) and his loyalty to him..
Between them there is one spacious vessel;
Pheasant's eye is more beautiful.
With relatives on it: Muhammad and Ali, -
220 Prophet and successor, luminaries of the earth.
The sage, seeing this boundless expanse,
In which the confused gaze is lost,
I learned that the ramparts would overturn the ships,
And everyone will inevitably be in trouble.
He said: "From Nebi and Vesi to drown 20
Here, the Arabic terms of the original are used in the translation. Nebi is a prophet, Vesi is an executor, an executor of the will of the prophet, his legal heir in the view of Shia Muslims, i.e. Ali., -
Isn't that the only way to heaven?
Will give me a hand, delivering from evils,
Keeping the crown, and the banner, and the throne,
With him kravchiy, who owns a wine stream,
230 And honey, and milk, and the key of paradise. . ."
If you want to enter the abode of bliss, -
You only with Nebi and Vesi on the way.
Forgive me if you do not love these words,
Such is my way and custom.
Born and die, repeating the words:
"I am the dust under the foot of the sacred lion" 21
A lion ( header- Arabic.) - Ali's epithet..
If your heart is a center of delusion,
Know that such a heart is your sworn enemy.
Contemptible is he who is given as an enemy to the great;
240 May Yazdan burn his body with fire!
Feeding the soul with hostility to Ali
More ill-fated, believe me, than all the ill-fated of the earth.
You are your life, look, do not play,
Do not reject saving companions.
With glorious marching beside, and himself
You will bow to glorious, great deeds.
How long should I keep this story?
I will be silent: there is no limit to him.
[ON THE ORIGIN OF "SHAKHNAME"] 22
In this section we are talking about collecting ancient legends into one book (“Khodai-name”, the so-called Mansurov’s prose shahname) - which is the basis of Ferdowsi’s versification.
What to sing about? Everything has been sung for a long time.
To tell me about what has been said is only given.
I will not find unknown legends,
250 The fruits are all picked in this garden.
But if it is not easy for me to pluck the fruits -
I do not think to climb so high, -
A cool shadow will lure under the tree,
Will cover, save the fertile canopy.
Maybe I'll get my place
Under the branch of that shady tree, -
Avoiding oblivion, I will not perish in the dust,
I will abide in the book of the great ones of the earth.
Not all life paths are the same:
260 You do not consider my story an invention;
Every speech in it agrees with reason,
At least I had a chance to clothe the thought in a symbol.
The old book was kept, and in it 23
Apparently, this refers to the Pahlavi Sasanian chronicles, which also included the ancient epic legends of Iran. According to legend, at the end of the reign of the Sassanids, they were brought together in one extensive "book of lords" (pahl. - "Grab-namak"). Grab Namak (as well as its Arabic translations of the 8th-9th centuries) formed the basis of the New Persian prose collections of the 10th century. (Khodai-name - Shahname), which in turn served as the basis for subsequent versions. It is not without probability that we are talking directly about the New Persian Shahnameh of Mansurov.-
There are many tales of vanished days.
In the hands of the mobeds, that treasure survived 24
Mobeds (Mubeds) are ministers of the Zoroastrian cult, representatives of the priestly caste of the Sasanian state, which dominated, along with the military landed aristocracy. In the era of the creation of the Shahnameh, Zoroastrianism was not yet obsolete, especially in rural areas. Central Asia and eastern Iran. Term mobed, mubed(Farsi) - actually, "the foreman of the magicians-priests" (other Persian. Magupati). In the Shahnameh, mobeds act as wise advisers, experts and keepers of traditions, and not as actual clergymen.,
But each sage only owned a part.
There lived a kind of dekhkan knight-sage 25
A kind of dekhkan knight-sage, i.e., one who belonged to the ancient landed aristocracy. Being opposed to the new feudal order and the caliphate, the farmers of that time were, along with the mobeds, the main keepers and connoisseurs of ancient legends. The words “wise man” undoubtedly mean Abu-Mansur ibn Abd-ar-Rezzak, the largest land magnate and ruler of Tus, and later of the whole of Khorasan, who took an active part in the complex political struggle of the middle of the 10th century. The creation of Mansur's prose Shahnameh is associated with the name of Abu-Mansur. Firdousi does not name here the name of Abu-Mansur, odious for Mahmud of Gaznevid.
270 From pure, kindly illuminated hearts.
He loved to penetrate into the depths of centuries,
The forgotten ones were brought to light.
Mobeds from near and far
Convoked and recreated the book of times 26
Apparently, in these beits it is already directly about the creation of the New Persian (in Farsi) code, known under the name "Khodai-name" or Mansurov's Shahnameh..
He asked the elders about the ancient kings,
About the glorious warriors-heroes, -
How proudly they ruled in the old days
The land that is now in captivity in grief,
And how they lived with glory
280 His heroic, military days.
The elders told each other after
About the life of kings, about the course of years,
And the knight, diligently listening to speeches,
In the cherished book he entered them himself. . .
So he erected an eternal monument to himself.
They honor the wise knight, small and great.
[ABOUT THE POET DAKIKI] 27
Dakiki is a talented poet, a contemporary of Firdousi, killed in the prime of his life and talent by his slave. Several bright lyrical fragments and a thousand bytes of epic versification about the appearance of Zerdesht (Zoroaster) have been preserved from Dakika, which were included by Firdausi on behalf of Dakika in the text of Shahnameh. However, it can be assumed that Dakiki, versifying the Mansurov code, wrote more than a thousand bayts, preserved in the text of the Shahnameh.
That memorable work became famous;
Listening to the reader, the people gathered.
Everyone was in love with these legends,
290 Who is endowed with a pure soul and mind.
Rumors spread about the young singer
With charming speech and a clear mind.
“Tales,” he said, “I will correct in verse,”
And joy settled in human hearts.
But his companion was a secret vice,
And in the heavy struggles, the singer was exhausted.
Death has come, brought on by evil,
She put on the young man a black helmet.
Vice sacrificing his life,
300 He did not know carefree and joyful days;
Slain by the hand of his servant,
He died: fate turned away from him.
As soon as he sang in two thousand lines
Goshtaspa with Arjasp - his time has come 28
As soon as he sang Goshtasp with Arjasp in two thousand lines, his time came. This bait was taken by the translator not from the main text of Vullers, but from the notes. Goshtasp - Shahanshah of Iran, patron and follower of the teachings of Zerdesht, Arjasp - his political opponent and fierce enemy new faith(Zoroastrianism)..
He died and did not finish the tale:
The star of the young singer went out.
Be merciful, God, forgive him his sin,
Do not deprive him of heavenly pleasures!
[ABOUT CREATING A POEM] 29
The traditional section of the poetic introduction in the classical Tajik and Persian poems of the Middle Ages, usually shedding light on the personality of the author of the poem and the circumstances associated with the beginning of work on the book. From this subsection, we learn that Firdousi turned to the idea of the poetic embodiment of Mansurov's legends about kings after tragic death Dakiki, already in adulthood. This section also contains many other valuable points for the researcher.
From the thoughts of the young singer renounce,
310 To the throne of the lord the soul was carried away 30
In the original, literally: "to the throne of the king of the world", which can also be understood as an appeal to Mahmud of Gaznevid..
I decided to dedicate my days to that book,
The old ones were translated into poetry.
I asked many for advice more than once,
The vicissitudes of rock are involuntarily afraid.
Perhaps I won't be here for long,
Someone else will have to leave their work.
In addition, I am deprived of certain wealth,
Will my work find a connoisseur?
At that time, war was raging everywhere 31
We are talking about unrest and civil strife in the last years of the collapse of the Samanid state (end of the 10th century).;
320 The earth has become narrow for thinkers.
Day after day passed in such doubts;
I kept my cherished thought in secret.
I have not seen a worthy husband anywhere,
Which would become my support in work. . .
What is more beautiful than the words of a captivating way?
Old and young alike praise him enthusiastically.
[God would not have created a beautiful Word -]
[The path could not have been shown to us by a prophet.]
I had a friend - we were that double
330 Walnut, covered with one shell.
“To me,” he said, “your bold plan is sweet;
You, friend, have stepped on a good road.
I will hand over the pahlavi book to you 32
This refers to the Mansurov Shahnameh, that is, a book that is Pahlavi only in its original source. There are serious reasons to believe that Firdousi did not know the Pahlavi language (more precisely, Pahlavi scripts).,
Get down to business, do not resist fate.
Free speech, you have a youthful fever,
You have a gift of a heroic verse.
You skillfully fold a song about the lords
And deserve the honor of the great ones.
Then he brought the treasured book,
340 And my gloomy spirit lit up with a beam.
[PRAISE OF ABU-MANSUR IBN-MUHAMMED] 33
In a number of old manuscripts of the Shahnameh, this subheading is absent altogether or given simply - Abu-Mansur Muhammad. Abu-Mansur is most likely one of the ordinary representatives of the old (dekhkan) aristocracy of Tus, who died without a trace in the midst of civil strife.
At that time, when I decided to start work,
There lived a husband who was proud of the supreme nobility;
From the kind of warriors, the young prince
With a clear-sighted mind and a bright soul.
He was wise, modest and brave,
He had a gift for words and a gentle voice.
He said to me: “I am ready to do everything,
To direct your spirit to the creation of words.
Yours, than I can, I will facilitate the work,
350 Live in peace without worries and needs!”
How the fruit is protected from the cold, the shore
I am a patron from troubles and anxieties.
From the dust he raised me to heaven,
That righteous husband, the rulers of the beauty.
Majesty befits that prince;
Treasures seemed like dust to him;
He did not appreciate the mortal blessings of the earth
And in his heart he kept high fidelity.
But the great one disappeared, left our circle,
360 Like a poplar suddenly uprooted by a storm.
Struck by a villainous blow fatal,
He was neither dead nor alive 34
He was neither dead nor alive. – This reference by Firdausi to the unknown death of Abu-Mansur Muhammad excludes the possibility of identifying him with the historical Abu-Mansur, the ruler of Tus, who was poisoned by the Samanids in 963-964..
Do not see me the royal camp and shoulders,
Do not hear his mellifluous speech.
The patron has died away, and I am a hundred orphans, d,
Like a willow leaf, I trembled in anguish.
But I remembered the prince's reasonable advice,
He brought the lost soul to light.
The prince said: “If you can complete your work,
370 You must hand over to his crown-bearer.”
The obedient heart has found peace,
Hope in the soul shone brightly.
And I proceeded to this book of books,
To a poem in praise of the lord of lords 35
This refers to Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznevid., -
The one who is led by a lucky star,
He owns the throne, owns the crown. . .
Ever since the Creator created this world,
He did not give the world such a king.
[PRAISE OF SULTAN MAHMUD] 36
These final bayts of the poetic "Introduction" to the poem are a panegyric to Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznevid.
Only the sun showed the radiance of the rays,
380 The world has become ivory brighter.
Who is the sun that gives warmth?
From whose rays did dawn dawn on earth?
That is the triumphant king Abulkasim 37
Abulkasim ( Abu-l-Kasem) is one of the honorary names of Mahmud of Gaznevid.,
Throne established over the sun itself.
Sunrise and sunset he gives beauty 38
Apparently, the point is that Mahmud of Ghaznevid, who firmly secured the east of Iran and India, successfully strengthened his positions on the approaches to the west of Iran, i.e., acted in the halo of the restorer of ancient statehood.;
The whole region seemed to have become golden in bulk.
And my happiness awakened from sleep;
The soul is resurrected, full of inspiration.
I understood: the melodious word again,
390 As in the old days, destined to sound.
The ruler's image is cherished in dreams,
I fell asleep one day with praise on my lips.
My soul, in the twilight of the night is clear,
Rested quietly in the arms of sleep.
I saw my spirit, full of amazement:
A burning lamp ascended from the waves.
The whole world shone in the impenetrable night,
What a yacht, by the light of that wondrous candle.
Dressed in an ant satin dol;
400 On that ant is a turquoise throne,
And the king is seated, with the face of the moon;
The lord is crowned with a diamond crown.
Built by a chain of endless arrows
And hundreds of elephants raise their fangs 39
The use of war elephants in the army, these “tanks of antiquity”, taken out by Mahmud from India, made a great impression on contemporaries, although there were cases of using elephants in ancient Iran. In the decisive battle near Balkh (1008), five hundred elephants of Mahmud brought him victory over the Karakhanids..
The throne has an adviser in whom wisdom lives 40
The throne has an adviser in whom wisdom lives. - The name of the adviser - vizier Mahmud - is not mentioned. Most likely, the main vizier of Mahmud of Gaznevid before 1011, Fazl Isferaini, could be implied.,
Who to faith and truth the royal spirit calls.
Seeing the greatness of that halo,
Elephants, and an uncountable army, and the throne,
Looking at the face of the luminous king,
410 I asked the nobles, curiosity of grief:
“Is that sky with the moon or a crown and a throne?
That the stars or the army strewn the valley?
The answer was: "And Ruma and Hindu he is the king 41
Rum - the Roman Empire, Byzantium, more precisely the Asia Minor possessions of the Roman Empire; Hind - India.,
Of all countries from Kannuj to Sindh he is the king 42
Kannuj (or Kanauj - Arabized from the Sanskrit Kanyakubja) is the capital of one of the major Indian states during the period of the Muslim conquests of Mahmud of Gaznevid, now a small town on the Ganges River. Sind - refers to the valley of the lower Indus, where Muslims early and firmly established themselves. Older Muslim authors usually distinguished Hind (India - the non-Muslim country of the Hindus) from Sind - the Indus Valley and Mekran..
Turan, like Iran, bows before him 43
Turan, like Iran, bows before him. – In this case, we are talking about the sovereignty of Mahmud over the possessions of the Karakhanids, that is, about Samanid Central Asia.;
To all his will is an immutable law.
When he put the crown on his forehead,
From his truth it dawned on the earth.
In the country where the laws of Mahmud reign,
420 Dire wolves will not touch the lambs.
From the towers of Kashmir to the banks of the Chin 44
Kashmir is a city in India; Chin - China.
He is glorified by any ruler.
Baby - barely torn from the chest -
Already begins to babble: "Mahmud."
Sing this name in ringing lines!
With that song you will find immortality through the ages.
There is no disobedient to his command,
No one will break the vow of service.
And I woke up and got to my feet
430 And for a long time he did not close his eyes in the darkness.
I gave praise to that ruler;
Not gold - I gave my soul to him.
I thought: “The Prophet had a dream.
The whole world admires the deeds of the Shah.
Truly the singer should glorify
Majesty, and his ring, and his crown.
Like a garden in spring, the earth comes to life;
The meadows are full of flowers, the fields are green,
And the cloud pours the desired moisture,
440 And the land, like a radiant paradise, blooms.
In Iran, from his truth - grace,
Everyone strives to give him praise.
At the hour of the feast - he is unsurpassed in generosity,
In the hour of battle, he is a dragon throwing flames;
Elephant - powerful body, soul - Jabrayil 45
Jabrail (Gabriel) is the biblical and Christian image of the archangel-evangelist. For Muslims, Jebrail is a messenger who conveys to the chosen one Muhammad the true words of Allah (surahs of the Koran).:
The hand is a spring cloud, and the heart is like the Nile.
The enemy will not be overthrown by him,
Wealth to reject him at all.
Neither the crown nor the treasury intoxicates him,
450 He fears neither work nor war.
Men who have been raised by the master,
And those that are subject, and those that are free,
Everyone loves their king immeasurably,
All are glad to submit to his will.
They were given power over different lands,
Their names are glorified in legends.
And the first of them is the brother of the lord of the lesser 46
And the first of them is the brother of the lesser lord. – The younger brother of Mahmud of Gaznevid, Nasr. Viceroy of Khorasan, the main Iranian regions of the Samanids. Apparently, he was a patron and connoisseur of literature. The poets of Mahmoud's so-called literary circle dedicated their best qasidas to Nasr.;
No one compares to him with a pure soul.
Honor the glorious Nasr: mighty and great
460 You will be under the shadow of the lord of lords.
Ruler whose throne is above the constellation Pervin 47
Pervin (Avest. paoiryaeinyas) - the constellation of the Pleiades. It is also known by the Arabic name Sureya.,
Who was the parent of Nasireddin,
Courage, intelligence, good deeds
He captured the hearts of the noblest men.
I will still sing of the ruler of Tus 48
It is not clear in the text who is being referred to. One could assume Abu-Mansur, but in the edition dedicated to Mahmud of Gaznevid, this seems impossible.,
Before whom even a lion trembles in battle.
Showering his people with generosity,
For good only glory, he lives in the world.
He leads the people along the path of Yazdan,
470 Wishing the king endless days. . .
May the earth not lose its ruler,
Long live he forever, cheerful spirit,
Keeping your throne and golden crown,
Knowing no troubles, under a lucky star!
Now I turn to my poem,
To this book crowned with glory of kings.