ESSAY IV.

THE BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION.

591

adjoined his own; he places the lesser palace opposite, not to the greater one, as Ctesias did, but to the hanging-gardens; and he regards the hanging-gardens as represented by the mound of Amrám, though the latter has an area at least four times as great as that ascribed by Diodorus to the former. He also fails to give in his restoration at all a close representation of the present ruins, introducing main walls, as that between the river and Babil, of which he does not profess to have found a trace; placing the quay of Nabonidus above a mile higher up the stream than the place where that monarch's bricks are found; and turning into a "middle wall" what clearly appears, by the traces of water-action outside it, to have been the embankment of a canal or reservoir. He also, in assuming the outer triangular rampart to be a Babylonian work restored by the Parthians, goes beyond the existing data, since no Babylonian remains have (it is believed) been found in that structure. On the other hand, M. Oppert's surveys of particular ruins, as of the Kasr, Babil, and the Birs-Nimrud, are (apparently) much in advance of any hitherto published; while his "Views" are alike striking and original, greatly increasing the attractiveness of his work.

NOTE C.

THE GREAT INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS AT BEHISTUN.

[NOTE.-Behistun is situated on the western frontier of the ancient Media, upon the road from Babylon to the southern Ecbatana, the great thoroughfare between the eastern and the western provinces of the ancient Persia. The precipitous rock, 1700 feet high, on which the writing is inscribed, forms a portion of the great chain of Zagros, which separates the high plateau of Iran from the vast plain watered by the two streams of the Tigris and Euphrates. The inscription is engraved at the height of 300 feet from the base of the rock, and can only be reached with much exertion and difficulty. It is trilingual: one transcript is in the ancient Persian, one in Babylonian, the other in a Scythic or Tatar dialect. Sir H. Rawlinson gathers from the monument itself that it was executed in the 5th year of the reign of Darius, B. C. 516. The subjoined is the Persian transcript, as deciphered by Sir H. Rawlinson, Roman letters being substituted for the original cuneiform. Sir H. Rawlinson's translation, as revised in 1874, is followed with little variation. The numbers are added for convenience of reference.]

COLUMN I.

Par. 1. (1) Adam Dárayavush, (2) khsháyathiya vazarka, (3) khsháyathiya 1khsháyathiyánám, (4) khsháyathiya Pársiya, (5) khsháyathiya dahyaunám, (6) Vishtáspahya putra, (7) Arshámahyá napá, (8) Hakhámanishiyá.

1 The italics indicate that the origi. nal is in such places illegible, and restored conjecturally.

2 The accented A (á) is expressed

in the original; the unaccented A (a), unless at the beginning of words, is the supplied vowel of the Sanskrit, and its kindred languages.

592

THE BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION.

APP. BOOK III.

(1) I (am) Darius, (2) the great king, (3) the king of kings, (4) the king of Persia, (5) the king of the (dependent) provinces, (6) the son of Hystaspes, (7) the grandson of Arsames, (8) the Achæmenian.

Par. 2. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya; (2) Maná pitá Vishtáspa; (3) Vishtáspahyá pitá Arsháma; (4) Arshámahya pitá Ariyárámana; (5) Ariyárámanahyá pitá Chishpáish; (6)3 pitá Hakhámanish.

(1) Says Darius the king— (2) My father (was) Hystaspes; (3) the father of Hystaspes (was) Arsames; (4) the father of Arsaines (was) Ariaramnes; (5) the father of Ariaramnes (was) Teispes; (6) the father (of Teispes) was Achæmenes.

Par. 3. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya; (2) Avahyarádiya vayam Hakhámanishiyá thaḥyámahya; (3) Hachá pruviyata amátá amahya; (4) Hachá pruviyata hyá amákham tauma khsháyathiyá áha.

(1) Says Darius the king (2) On that account we are called Achæmenians; (3) from antiquity we have descended (?); (4) from antiquity our family have been kings.

Par. 4. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya- (2) VIII.4 maná taumáyá tyiya paruvam khsháyathiyá áha; (3) adam navam IX. ; (4) duvítátaranam vayam khsháyathiyá ámahya.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) (There are) eight of my race who have been kings before (me); (3) I (am) the ninth; (4) in a double line we have been kings.

Par. 5. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya-(2) Vashná Auramazdáha adam khsháyathiya amiya; (3) Auramazdá khshatram maná frábara.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) By the grace of Ormazd I am king; (3) Ormazd has granted me the empire.

Par. 6. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya-(2) Imá dahyáva tyá maná patiyáisha; (3) vashná Auramazdáha adamshám khsháyathiya áham; (4) Pársa, 'Uvaja, Bábirush, Athurá, Arabaya, Mudraya; tyiya darayahyá; Saparda, Yuná, Máda, Armina, Katapatuka, Parthva,

3 Chishpáishahya is here omitted by a mistake of the artist employed to engrave the inscription. Cf. Detached Inscriptions, No. 1, and Norris's Behist. Inser. p. 95.

4 Numbers in the Persian inscriptions are marked thus:-1. From one to ten, a singular perpendicular wedge for each unit: these wedges are placed in two rows, one above the other, the final unit (where the number is odd) being made double the

6

COL. I.

THE BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION.

593 Zaraka, Hariva, 'Uvárazmiya, Bakhtarish, Suguda, Gadára, Saka, Thatagush, Hara'uvatish, Maka; (5) fraharvam dahyáva XXIII.

(1) Says Darius the king— (2) These are the countries which belong to me; (3) by the grace of Ormazd I have become king of them; (4) Persia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, those which are of the sea (i. e. the islands), Saparda, Ionia, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Zarangia, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdiana, Gandaria, the Sace, Sattagydia, Arachotia, and Mecia; (5) in all 23 provinces.

Par. 7. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya— (2) Imá dahyáva tyá maná patiyáisha; (3) vashná Auramazdáha maná badaká áhatá; (4) maná bájim abaratá. (5) Tyashám hacháma athahya khshapavá rauchapativá, ava akunavayatá.

(1) Says Darius the king—(2) These (are) the provinces which belong to me; (3) by the grace of Ormazd they have become subject to me; (4) they have brought tribute to me. (5) That which has been said to them by me, both by night and by day, it has been done (by them).

7

Par. 8. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya-(2) Atara imá dahyáva, martiya hya agatá áha, avam 'ubartam abaram. (3) Hya arika 7 áha, avam 'ufrastam aparasam. (4) Vashná Auramazdáha imá dahyáva tyaná maná dátá apriyaya. (5) Yatháshám hacháma athahya, awathá akunavayatá.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) Within these countries the man who was good, him I have right well cherished. (3) Whoever was evil, him have I utterly rooted out. (4) By the grace of Ormazd, these countries have observed my laws. (5) As it has been said to them by me, so (by them) it has been done.

Par. 9. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya- (2) Auramazdá maná khshatram frábara. (3) Auramazdámaiya upastám abara, yátá ima khshatram adáraya. (4) Vashná Auramazdáha ima khshatram dárayámiya.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) Ormazd granted me the empire. (3) Ormazd brought help to me, so that I gained this empire. (4) By the grace of Ormazd I hold this empire.

Par. 10. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya-(2) Ima tya maná kartam paruvam yathá khsháyathiya abavam. (3) Kabujiya náma, Kuraush putra, amákham taumáyá, hauva paruvam idá khsháyathiya áha. (4) Avahya Kabujiyahyá brátá Bardiya náma áha; (5) hamátá hampitá Kabujiyahya. (6) Pasáva Kabujiya avam Bardiyam avája. (7) Yathá

7 There is a great deal of doubt as to the meaning of the two opposed words, agata and arika. Sir H. Rawlinson was originally inclined to translate them by "faithful" and "heretical." (See Vocabulary.) The Baby. VOL. II.

lonian transcript, however, gives as equivalents pitkut and bisu, and as the latter word answers to the Hebrew WIN, the most correct translation would seem to be simply good and bad.

2 Q

594

THE BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION.

APP. BOOK III

Kabujiya Bardiyam avája, kárahyά niya azadá abava tya Bardiya avajata. (8) Pasáva Kabujiya Mudrayam ashiyava. (9) Yathá Kabujiya Mudrayam ashiyava, pasáva kara arika abava. (10) Pasáva darauga dahyauvá vasiya abava, utá Pársaiya, utá Mádaiya, utá aniyáuvá dahyaushuvá.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) This (is) what (was) done by me before I became king. (3) (A man) named Cambyses, son of Cyrus, of our race, he was here king before me. (4) Of that Cambyses (there was) a brother, Bardes was his name; (5) of the same mother, (and) of the same father with Cambyses. (6) Afterwards Cambyses slew that Bardes. (7) When Cambyses had slain Bardes, it was not known to the people that Bardes had been slain. (8) Afterwards Cambyses proceeded to Egypt. (9) When Cambyses had proceeded to Egypt, then the state became wicked. (10) Then the lie became abounding in the land, both in Persia, and in Media, and in the other provinces.

Par. 11. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya- (2) Pasáva martiya Magush áha, Gaumáta náma. (3) Hauva udapatatá hachá Pishiya'uvádáyá, Arakadrish náma kaufa, hachá avadasha. (4) Viyakhnahya mahya xiv. rauchabish, thakatá áha, yadiya udapatatá, hauva kárahyá avathá adurujiya: (5) Adam Bardiya amiya, hya Kuraush putra, Kabujiyahya brátá. (6) Pasáva kára haruva hamatriya abava. (7) Hachá Kabujiyá abiya avam ashiyava, utá Pársa utá Máda, utá aniyá dahyáva. (8) Khshatram hauva agarbáyatá. (9) Garmapadahya máhyá IX. rauchabish, thakátá áha, avathá khshatram agarbáyatá. (10) Pasáva Kabujiya 'uvámarshiyush amariyatá.

8

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) Afterwards there was a (certain) man, a Magian, named Gomates. (3) He arose from Pissiachada, the mountain named Aracadres, from thence. (4) On the 14th day of the month Viyakhana, then it was that he arose. He thus lied to the state-(5) "I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus, the brother of Cambyses. (6) Then the whole state became rebellious. (7) From Cambyses it went over to him, both Persia, and Media, and the other provinces. (8) He seized the empire. (9) On the 9th day of the month Garmapada, then it was he so seized the empire. (10) Afterwards Cambyses, having killed himself, died.

Par. 12. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya-(2) Aita khshatram, tya Gaumáta hya Magush ádiná Kabujiyam, aita khshatram hachá pruviyata amákham taumáyá áha. (3) Pasáva Gaumata hya Magush ádiná Kabujiyam utá Pársam, utá Mádam, utá aniyá dahyáva; hauva ayastá 'uváipashiyam akutá; (4) hauva khsháyathiya abava.

(1) Says Darius the king-(2) The empire of which Gomates, the Magian, dispossessed Cambyses, that empire from the olden time had been in our family. (3) After Gomates the Magian had dispossessed Cambyses both of Persia and Media and the dependent provinces, he did according to his desire:1 (4) he became king.

This was the twelfth, or last, month of the year.

9 The fifth month.

1 Or "he acted with his own party."

COL. I.

THE BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION.

595 Par. 13. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush khsháyathiya- (2) Niya áha martiya, niya Pársa, niya Máda, niya amákham taumáyá kashchiya, hya avam Gaumátam tyam Magum khshatram ditam chakhriya. (3) Kárashim hachá darshama atarsa. (4) Káram vasiya avájaniyá, hya paranam Bardiyam adáná, avahyarádiya káram avájaniyá, (5) "Mátyamám khshanásátiya tya adam niya Bardiya amiya, hya Kuraush putra.' (6) Kashchiya niya adarshanaush chischiya thastaniya pariya Gaumátam tyam Magum, yátá adam arasam. (7) Pasáva adam Auramazdám patiyávahya; (8) Auramazdámaiya upastám abara. (9) Bágayádaish máhyá x. rauchabish, thakatá áha, avathá adam hadá kamanaibish martiyaibish avam Gaumátam tyam Magum avájanam, utá tyishiya fratamá martiyá anushiyá áhatá. (10) Siktha'uvatish námá didá, Nisaya námá dahyáush Mádaiya, avadashim avájanam: (11) khshatramshim adam ádinam. (12) Vashná Auramazdáha adam khsháyathiya abavam; (13) Auramazdá khshatram maná frábara.

(1) Says Darius the king- (2) There was not a man, neither Persian, nor Median, nor any one of our family, who could dispossess that Gomates the Magian of the crown. (3) The state feared him exceedingly. (4) He slew many people, who had known the old Bardes; for that reason he slew them, (5) "lest they should recognise me that I am not Bardes, the son of Cyrus." (6) No one dared to say anything concerning Gomates the Magian, until I arrived. (7) Then I prayed to Ormazd; (8) Ormazd brought help to me. (9) On the 10th day of the month Bagayadish, then it was, with my faithful men,3 I slew that Gomates the Magian, and the chief men who were his followers. (10) The fort named Sictachotes in the district of Media called Nisæa, there I slew him. (11) I dispossessed him of the empire. (12) By the grace of Ormazd I became king: (13) Ormazd granted me the sceptre.

2

Par. 14. (1) Thátiya Dárayavush_khsháyathiya- (2) Khshatram tya hachá amákham taumáyá parábartam áha, ava adam patipadam akunavam. (3) Adamshim gáthvá avástáyam. (4) Yathá paruvamchiya, avathá adam akunavam. (5) Ayadaná tyá Gaumáta hya Magush viyaka, adam niyatrárayam. (6) Kárahya abácharish gaithamchá mániyamchá, vithabishchá tyádish Gaumáta hya Magush adiná. (7) Adam káram gáthvá avástáyam, Pársamchá, Mádamchá, utá aniyá dahyáva. (8) Yathá paruvamchiya avathá adam tya parábartam patiyábaram. (9) Vashná Auramazdáha ima adam akunavam. (10) Adam hamatakhshiya yátá vitham tyám amákham gáthvá avástáyam, yatha paruvamchiya. (11) Avathá adam hamatakhshiya, vashná Auramazdáha, yatha Gaumáta hya Magush vitham tyám amákham niya parábara.

(1) Says Darius the king-(2) The empire which had been taken away from our family, that I recovered. (3) I established it in its place. (4) As (it was) before, so I made (it). (5) The temples which Gomates the Magian had destroyed, I rebuilt. (6) I reinstituted for the state both the religious chaunts and the worship, and (gave them) to the families which Gomates the Magian had deprived of

2 The first month,

3 Or "with a few men."