1836.] 



Persian poets. 



79 



Sir William Jov.es has also translated part of it, in French, in his 

 Traite sur la poesie Orientate. 



Firdousi, not feeling himself secure, made but a short sojourn with Mesr 

 Mulk Motasham, and afterwards turned his steps towards Mazenderan ; 

 but, not finding an asylum there, fled io Bagdad, where he was hospitably 

 received by Caliph Kadir Abbdsi. 



About this time, Mahmud was in the midst of his victorious career in 

 the plains of Hindustan, but, on returning to Ghdzneh,w&s again instigat- 

 ed, by the unfortunate poet's enemies, to demand from the Caliph the im- 

 mediate seizure of Firdousi, and transmission as a prisoner toGhdzneh (a). 

 The Caliph, respecting the aged poet's years (for he had already num- 

 bered seventy), but not daring to disobey altogether the tyrant's pe- 

 remptory mandate, dismissed him the court, with an abundant supply of 

 money : Firdousi, almost broken-hearted, proceeded to his native place 

 Toos. 



According to Ferishta, some time after this flight to Toos, Firdousi 

 was lamenting his age and infirmities to his old preceptor Assedi, say- 

 ing, that he should thereby be prevented from bringing his great work 

 to an accomplishment; and expressed his conviction, that no other poet 

 would be wiliing to engage in the labour after his death (of which ap- 

 proaching event it would appear that he had even then fatal forebod- 

 ings). Assedi rejoined, that he, too, was far advanced in years, and quite 

 unequal to so arduous an undertaking. On this they separated : but 

 Assedi, when alone, took up his pen; and, in an incredibly short space 

 of time, wrote clown the four thousand concluding couplets of the 

 Shah-ndmeh, commencing with the conquest of Persia by the Arabs 

 under the Caliph Omar (b). It is stated, that,, about this time, Mahmud, 

 having despatched a message to the Emperor of Delhi, and being ex- 

 tremely anxious to ascertain what would be the result, ordered his vizier 

 Maimendi, to try the sortes Firdousiance when the following distich 

 turned up : 



{a) D'Herbelot, quoting the author of the Nuwddir, gives the following account of what 

 passed between the Caliph and Sultan Mahmud. 



" Cader qui etoit homme fort sage, et modere, ne repondit autre chose aux menaces du 

 Sultan qu'en lui ecrivant les paroles d'un chapitre de 1' Alcoran intitule V Elephant, ou il 

 est parle" de la defaite miraculeuse de 1' armee d'Abrahah Roy d' Ethiopie qui entra dans 

 l'Arabie avec de puissantes troupes, et un grand nombre d' Elephans pour miner laville 

 et le Temple de la Mecque. Les paroles du verset qu' il lui envoya, sont : Ne sqavez vous 

 pas comment Dieu a traite les gens de l' Elephant I Cader se servit fort a propos de ce pas- 

 sage, parce que le Sultan Mahmud qui etoit Roy des Indes, avoit un tres grand nombre 

 d'Elephant dans son armee, et qu'il n'y avoit que la puissance de Dieu qui put renverser 

 d'aussi grandes forces que les siennes; lui qui avoit accable' a coups de pierre que des griies 

 lancoient du ciel, les troupes d'Abrahah l'Ethiopien." — Bibliotheaue Orientale. Art, 

 Cader. 



(b) Vide Dow's Hindustan, vol, I. p. 77, 



