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98
DİNKARD, BOOK VII.
manifold learning they utter owing to knowledge of me?'
17. These three, our increase, learning, and reward, we fully understand through the ascendancy of him who is ignoble, and through the downfall of him who is noble and superior to him of little thorough instruction who, in every thing, will be at the foot of the tyrant. 18. Thinking of a priest one becomes spiritual, thinking of a tyrant one becomes a Kaviga; a demon in disposition is an incipient demon, a Kavig in disposition is himself attracted towards a youth.'
19. Then, when character and wisdom recede from the countries of Irân (that is, they depart), so that destitution and also winter, produced by demons who are worshipping the demon, rush together from the vicinity of disaster (vôighn) on to the countries of Irân, where even rain becomes scanty and pestilence is secretly advancing and deceiving, so that deaths become numerous; thus even he of perverted wisdom, who is wicked, and the apostate also, who is unrighteous, rush together in companionship. 20. As what one says they all exclaim thus : Consume and destroy, O ruler! for it is to be consumed and destroyed by thee; destroy even the fire, consume even as food those who are the protection of the association enforcing religious obedience, and those leading on the poor man of the righteous dispensation by their guidance.' 21. So that they shall make him thoroughly detached and smite him;
So far, this statement ($$ 11-16) seems to be ascribed to Allharmazd; but what follows ($$ 17, 18, 20) appears to represent the sentiments of some Irânians of those later times.
? See Chap. II, 9 n.
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