Indian Antiquary Vol 18

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 66

54
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUABY, 1889.
and especially Greeks, Romans, Persians, Parsive. Yakat tells us that among them were thians and other Aryans. There are 14 Greek found a group representing two women embracing, proper names in this list, the orthography of which served as a subject for some verses of which is very capricious. The same remark applies the Arabian poets: this has completely disapto the Latin. Many valuable hints are given peared. In the same writer we meet with an on pronunciation of these transcriptions. With account of the grave of a woman, made of gypsum, the exception of Parthian and Persian all the found in the time of Mervan II., which contained other names are of. Semitic origin and are mytho. an embalmed body, covered with various orna. logical, personal, and geographical. Some of the mente, &c. former show the existence of deities of the Semi. The author devotes the fourth chapter to tic pantheon not otherwise known. Many of the the discussion of the caravan-routes, leading theophoric personal names are compounded of from various places to Palmyra mentioned by Baal with some other word-thus Yaribel. The the Arabian Geographers, and finally in the fifth book is a very valuable one.
chapter considers the legendary stories of the (6). Palmyre sive Tadmur urbis fata que Arabs about the fate of Palmyra, which all treat fuerint tempore Muslimico. Scripsit H. Grimme. of two important epochs in its history,-its founMonasterii Guestfalorum 1886. The History of dation by Solomon and destruction in the time Palmyra has been often specially treated, but of Zenobia or Az-Zabba. It is remarkable that only in its more ancient and glorious period and the personality of Aurelian is completely ignored not after 273 A.D., when Aurelian took the in these traditions and he is changed by the city and nnited it with the Roman Empire. M. Arabian historians into a certain Amir, Emperor Grimme discusses its history from the time of of Hiza, and even the legend about the ruin of the conquest of Aurelian till the time when it falls Zenobia has nothing in common with the histori. out of mention in history. The work is in five cal narrative. chapters. In the first the author gives a sketch (7) James Legge. A record of Buddhistic King. of the history of Palmyra in 273 till its subjuga. doms, being an account by the Chinese Monk Fdtion by the Arabs in 634 in the time of the Hian of his Travels in India and Ceylon (4.D. Khalifa Aba Bakr. The chief authorities here 399-414), in search of the Buddhist books of Discipare the Byzantine historians. As far as can be line. Translated and annotated with a Corean gathered Palmyra at that time took no part in the recension of the Chinese text. Oxford, 1886. The political events which frequently shook the very review does not deal with the translation from foundations of the Byzantine Empire in the time the Chinese, but is rather a general discussion on of Justinian and other monarchs. That Emperor Få-Hian's travels. Two questions are treated : paid particular attention to Palmyra, then almost (1) Where did FA-Hian goP (2) What sort of in ruins, and ordered that it should be rebuilt and Buddhism did he see? The work of Fa-Hian is of surrounded with walls, spending for this purpose, a naive character, arid the sole object of the pilaccording to the testimony of Theophanes and grim is religious. He occupies himself with no Malala, large sums of money. After the loss of matters concerning the people he visited it was its commercial prosperity Palmyra acquired strate. only to see the Buddhist temples and sacred gical importance, and when during the sway of the things. The sketch of the life of F&- Hian given Arabe it was filled with a large population pro- in the article is mainly taken from Dr. Legge's fessing Islåm, it played an important part in the book, as also is the scope of his travels. quarrels of the Ummayis and the 'Abbasis. On (8) Chanakya Resension de cinq recueils de the taking of the town by Mervan II., its walls stances morales (Chanakya Nitibataka, (Chanawere demolished, and as they were never rebuilt kya) Nitiédstra, Laghr-Chanakya Rájantisdstra, it lost its strategical importance, and sank to Vriddha Chunakya Rajanilibdatra, Chanakya the dimensions of a small provincial town but sloka, par Eugene Monseur, Paris, 1887. The rarely afterwards mentioned by historians. M. careful study of the whole series of manuscripts of Grimme brings his history of Palmyra down to the celebrated collection of ethical sayinga, the year 1401, namely to the conquests of Timär made by M. Monseur, appears an excellent in the East, when Tadmor is again mentioned by addition to the Indische Spriiche of Böthlingk. the Arabian historians, and with this the second The author divides the manuscripts known to chapter of the work concludes.
him into five recensions, and their number is The third chapter is occupied with a dis. continually being increasel. Chanakya was a cussion of the information given about favourite book for elementary instruction, and the Palmyra by the Arabian Geographers. The texts passing through so many hands became ruins in their time were much more exten. ! corrupted. In the preface the character of the
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