Thus we have a valuable source for the early history of which is needed to supplement the accounts given in the Old Persian cuneiform inscriptions and the Avesta q.v.). It would seem Hutt Firdausi had a distinctly patriotie motive in writing the SluTh-Nlintalt in addition to his poetic and historical incentives. Ile plainly de sired to keep alive in the hearts of the Persians the glories of their ancestors' deeds and faith in order that they might not become mere puppets under Arab domination. This is shown not alone by the theme and spirit of the epic. but even by 6(4 diction employed. While it iA considered a mark of elegance in other Persian poetry to em ploy as large an element of Arable as possible. Firdausi rigorously adheres throughout to the native Persian vocabulary, and the percentage of Arabic words in his work is extremely low. The poem flows on in a dignified style. without the ex cess of coloring or the straining after effect which is sometimes found in Oriental poetry.
The epic as a whole is dedicated to Afahmnd of Ghazni (see GIIAZNIVIDES), to whose court Firdausi went to present his work as the tribute of a poet of fame. :\leagre was his reward from the parvenu Turk: at most the sum was not n ore than 20,000 dihrams (about i4•400). The disap pointed poet found revenge in a bitter satire on Maluntid, which he substitnted for his former eulogies of the Sultan. Firdatisi then fled to Ilerat, and thence to Tabaristan, where the primp, Ispahbadh Shahryar, protected him, and coun seled him to wit lid ra NV I lie offensive Vl•IN.es against Malimud. This advice was followed, and it would seem. from the poet's later history, that the lampoon III'VCr reached the Sultan. Firdonsi, now upward of seventy-five year of ago. is next found in Traq. Here he composed a romantic epopee of 9000 couplets MI the loves of Yusuf and Zolikhil, the Arabic version of the biblical story of Joseph and Potipluir's wife, a favorite theme of Oriental poets. In his old age Firkins' re
turned to his childhood's home. T1 ere is a tra dition that Alahnind at last forgave the poet for his satire. :11111 sent Idin a present of 01.01)0 dihroms (about .\ portion may well he true. At all events. we know that lie died in peace, probably in 411 ...it. (A.D. 1020). About the name of Firdausi, as of many other great authors, a number of poetic legends have gath ered. As an example may be mentioned the story that Alahmud's gift of favor came at the moment when the body of the poet was being carried to its final resting-place.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Editions of the Shah-Nantah Bibliography. Editions of the Shah-Nantah have been published by .Masan (4 vols.. Calcutta, 1822-29) ; Mold (6 vols., Paris, 1831-6S) ; Vill iers and Landauer (3 vols., incomplete, Leyden. 1877-84) : translations by llohl (7 vols., Paris, 1876-78) ; Ruckert (incomplete, Berlin. 1890) ; Pizzi (S vols.. Turin. 1886-88) ; Schack selec tions (:3 vols., Stuttgart, 1877). There is an abridgment in English by Atkinson (London, 1832, reprinted New York and London, 1886), and a popular sketch of the Shah-Karnak in Reed's Persian Literature (Chicago, 1893). A critical edition of the rusuf u Zalikha was pub lished by Ethe (Oxford, 1902), and the poem has been translated by Sehleehta-Wssehrd (Vienna, 1889). For further information consult: .N;ildeke. Grundriss dcr iranischen PMlologie, ii. (Strass burg, 1896) ; Ethe, id. (Strassburg, 1891); Horn. Geschichte der persischen Litteratur (Leipzig, 1901) ; Browne, A Literary History of Persia (Lou don, 1902), and the authorities referred to there.