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DÎNKARD, BOOK V.
smiting of demons and fiends; and he openly spoke the thoughts of king Vistâsp and many of the multitude about hidden matters?, thus : 'A person is possessing life only by destiny, and without his body, but with a like destiny, the person possessing life is restored;' he was also opposing many wizards, demon-worshippers, demon-consulters, and those seduced by 2 deceivers who are awful disputants. 9. And this was the utterance of those twelve stars whose names are those of the twelve zodiacal constellations, and the primitive learned of Bâpêl 3, that have come to these, who are asking questions of the chief rulers of Khvaniras, have to justify it, in the controversy, with the spiritual and material customs and rude observances which are diversely m thifested, onwards from the time of Yim the splendid and the evidence of it, discernible with him, was that of Vohumano, Ashavahistô, the fire, and some other good spirits 4
10. Afterwards, too, the estimating and weighing of the whole utterance of the religion of Adharmazd were held out by him to Vistâsp and those of the world, as very accountably a wonder; and further, too, he remained as it were more conflicting with fellow-disputants than his own words opposing the fellow-disputants.
11. Also when, through the effect of glory and the struggle for being saved, every class of apostles and prophets and manifestation of tokens and suchlike were, with certain and striking evidence, casting down blessings, even thereupon the obedient king
i Dk. VII, iv, 65, 71. 2 B has' and demon-separatists (va-shê dâ-gvîdakân).' 3 Dk. VII, iv, 72.
• Ibid. 74, 85; Zs. XXIII, 7.
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