Derbend-nâmeh or the ‘History of Derbend. 475 
name of the fortress is Derbend, which in the Persian language sigpilies the shutter of the gates 
ie. the defender of the nr and not «porte fermée », as translatés it Klaproth. 
Remark 41: page 459 line 11 and 29. géeël Jo) paie | 
In, the St. Petersburg, version, we read ë y) gré «having deprived her of her 
virginity», which agrees with Klaproth'’s translation. But the essential reason, for which 
Gkubäd resolved 10 send back the daughter of the Khâgkân, being ‘one and the same in all 
thetthree versions ; the-preference must be given to what is stated in our MS. i. e. the apprehension 
of future discord im consequence of-the princess bearing a child, which Gkubäd naturally wished 
t6-avoid, would not pérünit him to have any connexion with her. 
Remark 12. page 460 line 3 and 17. JL] Cal, aol 
a) Medéyÿen ïs the Arabian name of the ancient Ctesiphon, the residence of the kings of Sésän 
afterwards ruined by the Arabs in the time of Omar, and of Ælmensour. The word has been 
always, used in-the plural. (the singuler being do Je), and not in the dual as Major Keppel states 
and as the word should perhaps have been, if we, believe that it expressed at once Ctesiphon 
and Seleucia. The present. form of the” word, cle distinctly proves that the appellation was 
invented by the Arabs, whereas its antiquity (for we are pérsuaded that even in the time of the 
Kisri it was called by the same name), suggests the idea of the word’s being at least of common 
origin with the Persian. In the Burhän we find that Lu Medyend, im the old language of 
the Zend, signified a city; this may lead us to suspect, that the metropolis of the ÆKÿsri was 
called by this name before the invasion of Persia by the Saracens, since which time the pro- 
nunciation has insensibly changed to that of Medéyen. — [is being in the plural has suggested 
to some etymologists that the name signified at once seven towns in the Æraki- Arab, namely 
1). The metropolis itself, which, being the most extensive of all, was named by the Bénêtal apel- 
lation of Medayen; 2) aol, Gkadisiyeh; 3) PRET Rümiyeh; k) 2, Hireh; 5) Bb, Bäbil ; 
ë 5 7 É< e and D a et — Nehrevdn ".. En ‘the Burhän: it.is said 29 _.. Je 
« Débiifèn À consisted of seven Hovkitig cities about Hemedän, and Babil, now hey are 
decayed and in ruins. In the Arabic it is the plural of city.» 
The author of Zurichu-l-umem pl é-b (see book I. ch. 4.) says: ide Oo pl 2 
és LI ss ssl) a d LL. ed lo le OU Je > SE Es do Je Lie U Je 
1 A'see Nushetül-gkulûb for lue : 
