At this period commences the poem of Ferdosi, and indeed all the Persian histories, except the Dabistan. Kaiomurs was the founder of the dynasty called Paishda dian, or " first distributors of justice ;" but his efforts in civilizing his subjects were successful at first only with his own family, and his whole reign was spent in exer tions to reclaim them from their savage habits. His grand son and successor Houshung is celebrated as the inventor of many useful arts, and as being the first who introduced the worship of fire ; and Tahamurs, the son of Houshung, was engaged in constant wars against the deeves or ma gicians, as the enemies of this dynasty were denominated. These three princes governed Persia one hundred and ten years. Tahamurs was succeeded by his nephew Jem sheed, who is celebrated as the founder of Persepolis, which is to this day called Tukht-e•Jemsheed, or " the throne of Jemsheed." To this monarch the Persian his torians attribute many important changes in the manners and usages of their countrymen. He is said to have divid ed his subjects into four classes or casts, and to have pro hibited each class from engaging in the occupations of the other. The first were learned and pious men, devoted to the worship of God ; the military formed the second ; the third was composed of tradesmen and artizans; and the fourth of husbandmen. He also reformed the calen dar, introduced the science of astronomy, and ordered the first day of the year, when the sun enters Aries, to be celebrated by a festival, which is called Nourose, or new year's day; and is still the greatest festival in Persia. Many other improvements are ascribed to this prince. He constructed ships ; he invented arms ; he introduced music; he encouraged agriculture ; and he was the first that made wine and manufactured silk. By these mea sures he raised his country to an unexampled state of pros perity ; but he became at last so intoxicated with power, and immersed in luxury, that, forgetting the source of all power and prosperity, he ordered statues of his person to be made, and denounced vengeance against all who did not bow down before his image and worship him as a god. This act of oppression and impiety so alienated the affec tions of his people, that his kingdom became an easy prey to Zohauk the Syrian, who was regarded as an instrument of divine vengeance. Jemsheed was driven from his throne ; and his wanderings and adventures as an exile have been wrought into one of the most popular romances of Persia. After many years of a wretched existence, he was at last seized by Zohauk, and cruelly put to death.
The reign of the usurper Zoh tuk comprehends a term of from 800 to 1000 years, and is conjectured to include that part of ancient history . in which Persia is represent ed as subject to the Assyrians. The events of this period as delineated by Persian historians, are mostly fabulous. All agree that Zohauk was of a most cruel and sarwuinary disposition ; and he is described as having upon each shoulder a voracious serpent, whose hunger could be ap peased only by the brains of human beings. Two of his subjects were daily sacrificed to furnish the horrid meal, till the indignation of Kawah, a blacksmith of Ispahan, whese two sons were upon the point of being put to death by the tyrant, roused his countrymen to resistance. Hav ing collected a numerous army, and being joined by Feri doon, a young prince of the Paishdadian dynasty, Kawah erected his apron as a standard ; and as this continually re minded them of their injuries, they fought with the great est enthusiasm. After several defeats, Zohauk was made
prisoner, and, as some punishment for his crimes, suffer ed a lingering and painful death.
Feridoon was immediately raised to the throne ; and the blacksmith's apron was converted into the standard of the empire, and held in great veneration for several cen turies. The latter years of Feridoon were distracted by the rebellion of his children. He had three sons, Seim, Toor, and Erij ; the two former by a daughter of Zohauk, and the youngest by a princess of Persia. Desirous of re pose from the cares of royalty, he had divided his exten sive empire among them. To Selm, he gave the countries comprehended in modern Turkey ; to 'Poor, Tartary and part of China; and to Erij, Persia. The older brothers, dissatisfied with what they considered an act of partiality and injustice, and enraged that the fairest portion of the empire, and the seat of royalty, should be allotted to the youngest, demanded a new division; and to enforce com pliance, they remonstrated with, and even threatened, their aged parent. Feridoon refused their demand, by which they were so incensed, that they soon after accomplished the death of Erij ; and, adding insult to cruelty, they em balmed his head and sent it to their father. The aged monarch was seized with frantic grief at the sight of the head of his favourite son ; and, uttering imprecations against his unnatural destroyers, begged of heaven that his life might be spared till a descendant of the race of Erij should arise to avenge his death. Manucheher, the son of a daughter of Erij, became the cherished hope of the aged king; and, as soon as he attained to manhood, made preparations for carrying retribution upon the murderers of his grandfather. Feridoon soon had the gratification of receiving Manuchcher as a conqueror, and of placing the crown upon his head ; and he left this ad mirable lesson to his descendants: " Deem every day of your life as a leaf in your history ; take care, therefore, that nothing be written in it that is not worthy of pos terity." The reign of Manucheher was long and prosperous ; and, though a good and pious prince, the tranquillity of his kingdom owed its preservation chiefly to the wisdom and courage of his prime minister Sam, the hereditary prince of Seistan. The descendants of Sam have been much celebrated in Persian history, and his grandson Roostum has ever been considered as the hero of the nation. The exploits of this warrior have been magnified into miracles, and his history is consequently enveloped in romance ; but his name is still venerated and cherished by his coun trymen with all the enthusiasm of national pride. Manu cheher, while on his death-bed, besought his successor Nouzer to trust to Sam and his family as the best support ers of his throne ; but that prince soon forgot his father's advice, until the rebellion of his subjects, and a threatened invasion of Afrasiab, king of Turan, or Scythia, drove him to seek that assistance or which he stood so much in need. But the death of Sam hastened the overthrow of Nouzer ; and the Scythian monarch seized the diadem of Persia, which he held for twelve years. The courage and achieve ments of Zal, the son of Sam, again restored the fortunes of the kingdom, and placed Zoowah, a descendant of Feri doon, upon the throne. The reign of this prince was but short ; and his son and successor Kershasp was soon set aside by Zal as incompetent to reign. With Kershasp ended the Paishdadian dynasty, which, according to the computation of their historians, ruled over Persia 2450 years.