The Center for Hellenic Studies

Aspects of History and Epic in Ancient Iran: From Gaumāta to Wahnām

  Shayegan, M. Rahim. 2012. Aspects of History and Epic in Ancient Iran: From Gaumāta to Wahnām. Hellenic Studies Series 52. Washington, DC: Center for Hellenic Studies. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_ShayeganM.Aspects_of_History_and_Epic_in_Ancient_Iran.2012.

Appendix II. Thematic Analysis of Kerdīr’s Inscriptions

Theme 1: Naming

u-m kunēd nām …
… nām kerd hēm

Theme 2: In the past, in the future

pad ān zamān
ōy zamān
frāzdar zamān

Theme 3: After death

parrōn ō widardān rōn
ō widardān rōn

Theme 4: Throughout the empire

pad dar ud šahr ō šahr, gyāg ō gyāg, (hāmšahr)

Theme 5: On that bright road

ān rāh abēr rōšn

Theme 6: On a golden throne

ud abar gāh-ēw zarrēn bazm

Theme 7: Death of a ruler

ud pas kū … šāhān šāh ō bayān gāh šawēd

Theme 8: Advent of a new ruler

ud … šāhān šāh ī … pad šahr ēstēd

Theme 9: Reverence and good will towards gods and (lords)

yazdān ud xwadāyān huparistā ud hugāmag būd hēm
yazdān was huparistādar ud hugāmagdar būd hēm

Theme 10: Outstanding in nobility during lifetime

pad zīndagān andar šahr pad agrāyīh pādgāh būd hēm
an Kerdīr pad zīndagān pad agrāyīh pādgāh kerd hēm
ud agar an Kerdīr pad āgrāyīh pādgāh kerd hēm

Theme 11: Bestowal of rank and privileges

u-m gāh ud padixšar abardar kunēd
ān-im abardar gāh ud padixšar kunēd
u-m pad agrāyīh ud padixšar dārēd
az yazdān ud xwadāyān wuzurg agrāyīh ud padixšar rasīd

Theme 12: Bestowal of authority in the services for gods

ān-im kunēd … pad kerdagān ī yazdān … (pad mowestān) kāmgār ud pādixšāy
u-m … pad kerdagān ī yazdān kāmgārdar ud pādixšādar kunēd
u-m … pad kerdagān ī yazdān (ham-gōnag) kāmgārdar ud pādixšāy kunēd

Theme 13: As worship and services for gods are performed

ēn yašt ud kerdagān ud dēn mazdēsn čē nūn pad yazdān kīrēd
im yašt ud kerdagān rāy čiyōn andar šahr kīrēd

Theme 14: Increasing the services for gods

was kerdagān ī yazdān abzāyīh
kerdagān ī Ōhrmazd ud yazdān abardar bawēd
kerdagān ī yazdān was abzūd ud abardar būd
kerdagān ī yazdān gōnag gōnag was kerd

Theme 15: Satisfaction of the gods

ud yazdān … andar šahr wuzurg šnōdīh abar rasēd
ud yazdān was sūd rasēd

Theme 16: Honoring the Mazdean religion and the magi

ud dēn mazdēsn ud mowmard andar šahr wuzurg padixšar bawēd
u-m dēn mazdēsn ud mowmard ud was mard ī xūb andar šahr *agrā/aγrē ud padixšarāwand kerd

Theme 17: Prosperity and organization of fires and magi

ud was mowmard urwāhm ud padēx bawēd
u-m was ādurān ud mowān padēx kerd
ān mowmard ud ādur … ān-im winārišn kerd

Theme 18: Sealing of charters for fires and magi

ud was ādurān ud mowān pādixšīr *āwāšēd
u-m was ādurān ud mowān *git, pādixšīr, kerd
man Kerdīr … was ādurān ud mowān *git, pādixšīr, āwišt

Theme 19: Establishing fires

ud was ādur ī Warahrān *nišāyēd
was ādur ī Warahrān … kerd
u-m … was ādur ī Warahrān nišāst

Theme 20: Blow to Ahreman and the devils

ud Ahreman ud dēwān wuzurg snāh ud bištīh abar rasēd
ud Ahreman ud dēwān wuzurg mihkār bawēd

Theme 21: Non-believers become believers / Believers keep their faith

ud was mardōm ī an-āstawān būd ān āstawān būd
ud ahlomōγ ud gumarzāg mard, kē andar mowestān pad dēn mazdēsn ud kerdagān ī yazdān nē pad wizār pahrist, awēšān-im puhl zad, u-m nixrōst hēnd tā-m weh kerd hēnd
ud was ān būd kē kēš ī dēwān dāšt, u-š, az man kerd, ān kēš ī dēwān hišt, u-š kēš ī yazdān grift
agar ardā *hān, u-m ašmā yazd nūn ō widardān rōn ardāyīh nimāyēd, ēg-iz ēn kēš ī ašmā yazdān *dārān
ud agar druwand *hān, u-m ašmā yazd nūn ō widardān rōn druwandīh nimāyēd, ēg ēn kēš […] ī-m čē ašmā yazdān grift, saxt dārān *wisp *zamān
kū ardā *hān, ud agar druwand *hān, ēg-iz ēn kēš ī ašmā yazdān gīrān
ud kēš ī Ahreman ud dēwān az šahr *franamēd, ud awāwar akirīy

Theme 22: On documents (of that time), it was written that …

ud *git, pādixšīr, ud mādayān, čē ōy zamān abar … kerd, ōy ēd-ōwōn abar nibišt ēstēd kū …
ud *git ud pādixšīr ud mādayān, čē … kerd, ōy abar ōh nibišt ēstēd kū …

Theme 23: Deeds that were omitted to be written

… ī abar ēn nāmag nē nibišt, čē agar nibišt hē, ēg was būd hē
… agar abar ēn nāmag nibišt hē, ēg was būd hē

Theme 24: Praying to the gods

u-m ēd-iz ō yazdān rōn paywahīd
ān-ōwōn čiyōn man, az ahy ōrōn, paywahīd
u-m ka ō yazdān rōn paywahīd

Theme 25: If it is possible for you gods

agar ašmā yazdān dastan *hād
agar ašmā yazdān dastan hād

Theme 26: Show me X in the After Death (ō widardān rōn), and / or the nature of Paradise and Hell

ān-im ō widardān-iz rōn ān-ōwōn nimāyēd
agar ardā *hān, u-m ašmā yazd nūn ō widardān rōn ardāyīh nimāyēd
Bē-m pas agar ēw bār, yazdān ēn-iz xīr ī ō widardān rōn ēn-ōwōn nimūd
agar ašmā yazdān dastan hād, ēg-im wahišt ud dušox *čārag/*čihrag nimāyēd
ōwōn-im parrōn-iz ō widardān rōn wahišt ud dušox ud ardāyīh ud druwandīh čihrag ēn-ōwōn nimāyēd

Theme 27: The righteous (ardā) / or the beneficent (kerbakkar) goes to Paradise, the sinful (druwand) / or the evildoer (bazakkar) goes to Hell

ud kē ardā ōy ān xwēš dēn wahišt *nayād
ud kē druwand ōy-iz ān xwēš dēn ō dušox *nayād
ud agar ardā *hān, ēg-im xwēš dēn ān-ōwōn paydāg ēw bawēd, čiyōn kē ō wahišt rōn šawēd
ud agar druwand *hān, ēg-im ān-ōwōn paydāg ēw bawēd, čiyōn kē ō dušox rōn nayēd
ud kē kerbakkar [ān frāz ō wahišt šawād]
ud kē bazakkar ān ō dušox abganād

Theme 28: Kerdīr’s likeness / Kerdīr’s likeness and the woman

ōy mard kē ān-ōwōn čiyōn Kerdīr hangerb
ān-ōwōn čiyōn Kerdīr hangerb
ān zan ud ān mard kē ān-ōwōn čiyōn Kerdīr hangerb
ān mard ī Kerdīr hangerb ud ān zan

Theme 29: And thus they said:

u-šān ōh guft kū
awēšān ōh guft kū

Theme 30: And now X appears

ud anōh mard-ēw paydāg
ud nūn zan-ēw paydāg
ud nūn āywan-ēw paydāg
ānōh nūn šahryār-ēw paydāg, spēdagān
any šahryārān-ēw paydāg, spēdagān, agrā
nūn any šahryār paydāg, [spēdagān]
ud ān-ōwōn čiyōn Kerdīr hangerb paydāg
*čīyēn/*čayēn *arγand paydāg
[…] pad āsmān paydāg
ud nūn pad pahnā meh paydāg

Theme 31: To go

ud nūn frāz āyēd
[…] was frāz āyēd
ud az ān ālag frāz ō puhl āyēd
ud nūn zan-ēw paydāg čē xwarāsān ōrōn āyēd
ud kē ardā, ān xwēš dēn pad *zan *dēsag padīrag *āyād
ud zan pas ōy mard ī Kerdīr hangerb šawēd
ud pad ān rāh kū ān mard ī Kerdīr hangerb ud ān zan šawēnd
ud pad ān rāh ī abēr rōšn frāz šawēnd
ud ān šahryār šawēd frāz
ud kē kerbakkar [ān frāz ō wahišt šawād]
ud ān šahryār pēš ān mard ī Kerdīr hangerb ud zan pas šawēd
ud agar ardā *hān, ēg-im xwēš dēn ān-ōwōn paydāg ēw bawēd, čiyōn kē ō wahišt rōn šawēd
ud pad ān rāh ī rōšn kū ān zan bawēd ō […] xwarāsān rōn rawēd
ud nūn uzīd hēnd puhl ō ān ālag ud hamēw ō xwarāsān rōn rawēnd
ud nūn ān mard ī Kerdīr hangerb ud zan pad *nox ō bālān ul rawēnd
ud hamēw rawēnd ō xwarāsān rōn
ud ān šahryār […] pad ān puhl frāz rawēd
ud ān zan ud mard ī Kerdīr hangerb frāz [ō puhl raft hēnd]
ān mard ī Kerdīr hangerb ud ān zan tar ōy ī šahryār frāz uzīd hēnd

Theme 32: The rēhīg in the ēwēn mahr

ōy *rēhīg kē-m andar ēwēn mahr dīd hēnd
ōy *rēhīg kē ēwēn mahr nišāst hēnd

Theme 33: X nobler (and brighter) than … we have not seen

u-mān zan az ān agrādar nē dīd
-mān tis az ēn agrādar ud rōšndar nē dīd
ud az awēšān agrādar kē-mān ahy dīd hēnd

Theme 34: Being more liberal and true to my own soul (and towards gods and lords)

ud pad xwēš-iz ruwān rāddar ud rāsttar būd hēm
pad yazdān ud xwadāyān ud xwēš ruwān [rād ud rāst ēw bawēd]