________________
CHAPTER VII, 21–27.
wolves in the performance of gratifying their desires, like that of the wolf's progeny behind the mother. 25. Moreover, they form their lineage through the mothers; buying their women as sheep, they shall carry off for profit even that son or brother who is the progeny, those that we have produced for your companionship; you are not predominant, but have remained in companionship; you do not even believe them, but you do not establish an ordeal, although it is evident that you will be acquitted ; they lie even to their children, so that the advance of the promise-breaker is through them, and even in their own persons ?'
26. Here it speaks about the organization of the religion by the glorified ? Khúsrôi, son of Kavad, thus : 'Upon their lingering behind, a man is produced who is righteous, the Glorified one ?, an approver (khênidâr) of speech who is wise, whom the convocation, on hearing the words that he utters, speaks of as a high-priest; that is when he gives out penance (srôshigih), so that he may effect the punishment of sinners. 27. The constant outpouring of perplexity (pêk shâridan) by the perverters is the fear of that hero, as regards that
1 This quotation, from a Pahlavi version of an Avesta text, would probably be very applicable to the state of the Persian people at many periods in the fourth and fifth centuries, when heresy was prevalent and orthodox Zoroastrianism was by no means universal. Some of the evils mentioned are inseparable from slavery at all times.
? Literally "immortal-soulled,' Anôshak-rû bân, the usual title of king Khúsrð I, who reigned A. D. 531-578. Before he became king, A. D. 528 or 529, he had summoned an assembly of priests to condemn the heretic Mazdag, when the last important revision of the Pahlavi versions of the Avesta probably took place (see Byt. 1, 6-8, and Nöldeke's Gesch. der Sas. pp. 463-466).
Digitized by Google
