New NaqqaliFereydoon and His Sons · A6.17
Fereydoon Receives a Message from Salm and Tur
The court receives the second envoy with honor while the narrator exposes the attempted purchase of absolution.
The chapter in five texts
| Text | Chapter treatment and distinctive choices |
|---|---|
| F&R English | Twenty-five couplets expand reception and make the exchange between diplomatic skill and moral evasion explicit. |
| Moscow | The second embassy again distinguishes an honored bearer from the guilt of his principals. |
| Mohl | Pp 87–88 retain the royal display and the narrator’s criticism of the ransom-like gifts. |
| Ganjoor | Sh13.34–57 provides the reception in 24 couplets; English separates several actions. |
| Khaleghi | The main-text reception exposes concealment and blood-price language while maintaining courtly protocol. |
Parallel text
English left · Persian right. Ganjoor is the reference except where a row names a printed source. Select a number to open the relevant note. G identifiers distinguish digital sections across chapter boundaries.
1–9+
The envoy came, his heart with words to tell,
Whose head and tale no listener could foretell.
He reached the royal gate with gifts in tow,
With elephants and treasure, all on show.
The Shah commanded Roman brocade spread,
And decked the Kayanian crown for his head.
Upon the turquoise throne the Shah was seen,
A cypress tall beneath the moon serene.
With torque and golden earrings richly wrought,
He sat in royal state, with splendor fraught.
Beside him crowned Manuchehr took his place,
The young king radiant in royal grace.
The nobles stood in two long ranks arrayed,
In robes of gold, their ordered lines displayed.
Gold gorz shone and gold girdles caught the light,
Till earth itself seemed doubled in their sight.
On one side chained were leopards, lions too;
Across from them stood elephants in view.
فرستاده آمد دلی پر سخن
سخن را نه سر بود پیدا نه بن
ابا پیل و با گنج و با خواسته
به درگاه شاه آمد آراسته
به شاه آفریدون رسید آگهی
بفرمود تا تخت شاهنشهی
به دیبای چینی بیاراستند
کلاه کیانی بپیراستند
نشست از بر تخت پیروزه شاه
چو سرو سهی بر سرش گرد ماه
ابا تاج و با طوق و باگوشوار
چنان چون بود در خور شهریار
خجسته منوچهر بر دست شاه
نشسته نهاده به سر بر کلاه
به زرین عمود و به زرین کمر
زمین کرده خورشیدگون سر به سر
دو رویه بزرگان کشیده رده
سراپای یکسر به زر آژده
به یک دست بربسته شیر و پلنگ
به دست دگر ژنده پیلان جنگ
Ganjoor · f13:34-43
10–17+
Then Shapur came, whom all the court held great,
And led Salm’s envoy through the royal gate.
The envoy saw that court, dismounted near,
Then ran on foot to make his homage clear.
He saw the lofty throne and royal crown,
Then rubbed his face upon the earth, bowed down.
Fereydoon bade a golden seat be placed,
And there the envoy sat, with honor graced.
He bowed and said, “O splendor of the throne,
Of crown and signet, king whose fame has grown,
The earth beneath your throne becomes a bower;
Time brightens through your fortune and your power.
We all are servants of the dust you tread;
Through your wise counsel all our lives are fed.”
At this good blessing, bright the Shah’s face grew,
The envoy then spoke out the message due.
برون شد ز درگاه شاپور گرد
فرستادهٔ سلم را پیش برد
فرستاده چون دید درگاه شاه
پیاده دوان اندر آمد ز راه
چو نزدیک شاه آفریدون رسید
سر و تخت و تاج بلندش بدید
ز بالا فرو برد سر پیش اوی
همی بر زمین بر بمالید روی
گرانمایه شاه جهان کدخدای
به کرسی زرین ورا کرد جای
فرستاده بر شاه کرد آفرین
که ای نازش تاج و تخت و نگین
زمین گلشن از پایهٔ تخت تست
زمان روشن از مایهٔ بخت تست
همه بندهٔ خاک پای توایم
همه پاک زنده به رای توایم
Ganjoor · f13:44-51
18–25+
The fluent envoy spoke with practiced skill,
Fereydoon heard him, silent, grave, and still.
He told the message of the blood-stained pair,
But hid the truth their bloody deeds laid bare.
He shaped excuses for their bloody deed,
And dressed their guilt as though compelled by need.
He asked that Manuchehr should come in train,
With royal troops befitting crown and reign.
Before Manuchehr like slaves they would stand,
Forever girded servants at his hand.
They pledged to yield the crown and royal throne,
And make the greatness of the realm his own.
With dinars, brocade, treasure, jewels instead,
They hoped to ransom blood their hands had shed.
The envoy spoke; the Shah heard every plea;
His answer fit the lock as fits a key.
پیام دو خونی به گفتن گرفت
همه راستیها نهفتن گرفت
گشاده زبان مرد بسیار هوش
بدو داده شاه جهاندار گوش
ز کردار بد پوزش آراستن
منوچهر را نزد خود خواستن
میان بستن او را بسان رهی
سپردن بدو تاج و تخت مهی
خریدن ازو باز خون پدر
بدینار و دیبا و تاج و کمر
فرستاده گفت و سپهبد شنید
مر آن بند را پاسخ آمد کلید
Ganjoor · f13:52-57
Narrative and poetic form
The chapter’s restraint is valuable. Its judgment comes through the source’s distinction between eloquent presentation and truthful accounting, without requiring extra denunciation in every note.
Couplet commentary
Quoted text · evidence · interpretation1–9A court with two generations on display
1–9
The envoy came, his heart with words to tell,
Whose head and tale no listener could foretell.
He reached the royal gate with gifts in tow,
With elephants and treasure, all on show.
The Shah commanded Roman brocade spread,
And decked the Kayanian crown for his head.
Upon the turquoise throne the Shah was seen,
A cypress tall beneath the moon serene.
With torque and golden earrings richly wrought,
He sat in royal state, with splendor fraught.
Beside him crowned Manuchehr took his place,
The young king radiant in royal grace.
The nobles stood in two long ranks arrayed,
In robes of gold, their ordered lines displayed.
Gold gorz shone and gold girdles caught the light,
Till earth itself seemed doubled in their sight.
On one side chained were leopards, lions too;
Across from them stood elephants in view.
فرستاده آمد دلی پر سخن
سخن را نه سر بود پیدا نه بن
ابا پیل و با گنج و با خواسته
به درگاه شاه آمد آراسته
به شاه آفریدون رسید آگهی
بفرمود تا تخت شاهنشهی
به دیبای چینی بیاراستند
کلاه کیانی بپیراستند
نشست از بر تخت پیروزه شاه
چو سرو سهی بر سرش گرد ماه
ابا تاج و با طوق و باگوشوار
چنان چون بود در خور شهریار
خجسته منوچهر بر دست شاه
نشسته نهاده به سر بر کلاه
به زرین عمود و به زرین کمر
زمین کرده خورشیدگون سر به سر
دو رویه بزرگان کشیده رده
سراپای یکسر به زر آژده
به یک دست بربسته شیر و پلنگ
به دست دگر ژنده پیلان جنگ
Ganjoor · f13:34-43
Textual evidence
The envoy arrives with gifts; Fereydoon and crowned Manuchehr sit together amid nobles and animals of royal power.
G f13 34 ↗ G f13 35 ↗ G f13 36 ↗ G f13 37 ↗ G f13 38 ↗ G f13 39 ↗ G f13 40 ↗ G f13 41 ↗ G f13 42 ↗ G f13 43 ↗ Moscow p 114 ↗ Moscow p 115 ↗ Moscow p 116 ↗ Mohl p 87 ↗ Mohl p 88 ↗ Khaleghi p 129 ↗ Khaleghi p 130 ↗ Khaleghi p 131 ↗
Interpretation
The staging answers the petition before any words do: succession is visible and secure. The English gives the young king an unmistakable place beside the old one.
10–17Courtesy survives the dispute
10–17
Then Shapur came, whom all the court held great,
And led Salm’s envoy through the royal gate.
The envoy saw that court, dismounted near,
Then ran on foot to make his homage clear.
He saw the lofty throne and royal crown,
Then rubbed his face upon the earth, bowed down.
Fereydoon bade a golden seat be placed,
And there the envoy sat, with honor graced.
He bowed and said, “O splendor of the throne,
Of crown and signet, king whose fame has grown,
The earth beneath your throne becomes a bower;
Time brightens through your fortune and your power.
We all are servants of the dust you tread;
Through your wise counsel all our lives are fed.”
At this good blessing, bright the Shah’s face grew,
The envoy then spoke out the message due.
برون شد ز درگاه شاپور گرد
فرستادهٔ سلم را پیش برد
فرستاده چون دید درگاه شاه
پیاده دوان اندر آمد ز راه
چو نزدیک شاه آفریدون رسید
سر و تخت و تاج بلندش بدید
ز بالا فرو برد سر پیش اوی
همی بر زمین بر بمالید روی
گرانمایه شاه جهان کدخدای
به کرسی زرین ورا کرد جای
فرستاده بر شاه کرد آفرین
که ای نازش تاج و تخت و نگین
زمین گلشن از پایهٔ تخت تست
زمان روشن از مایهٔ بخت تست
همه بندهٔ خاک پای توایم
همه پاک زنده به رای توایم
Ganjoor · f13:44-51
Textual evidence
Shapur brings the envoy in, a golden seat is provided and formal blessings are exchanged.
G f13 44 ↗ G f13 45 ↗ G f13 46 ↗ G f13 47 ↗ G f13 48 ↗ G f13 49 ↗ G f13 50 ↗ G f13 51 ↗ Moscow p 114 ↗ Moscow p 115 ↗ Moscow p 116 ↗ Mohl p 87 ↗ Mohl p 88 ↗ Khaleghi p 129 ↗ Khaleghi p 130 ↗ Khaleghi p 131 ↗
Interpretation
The king’s hospitality does not pre-judge the message. The English preserves the dignity of reception, avoiding a simplistic equivalence between righteous anger and abuse of a messenger.
18–25A ransom for blood
18–25
The fluent envoy spoke with practiced skill,
Fereydoon heard him, silent, grave, and still.
He told the message of the blood-stained pair,
But hid the truth their bloody deeds laid bare.
He shaped excuses for their bloody deed,
And dressed their guilt as though compelled by need.
He asked that Manuchehr should come in train,
With royal troops befitting crown and reign.
Before Manuchehr like slaves they would stand,
Forever girded servants at his hand.
They pledged to yield the crown and royal throne,
And make the greatness of the realm his own.
With dinars, brocade, treasure, jewels instead,
They hoped to ransom blood their hands had shed.
The envoy spoke; the Shah heard every plea;
His answer fit the lock as fits a key.
پیام دو خونی به گفتن گرفت
همه راستیها نهفتن گرفت
گشاده زبان مرد بسیار هوش
بدو داده شاه جهاندار گوش
ز کردار بد پوزش آراستن
منوچهر را نزد خود خواستن
میان بستن او را بسان رهی
سپردن بدو تاج و تخت مهی
خریدن ازو باز خون پدر
بدینار و دیبا و تاج و کمر
فرستاده گفت و سپهبد شنید
مر آن بند را پاسخ آمد کلید
Ganjoor · f13:52-57
Textual evidence
The source explicitly describes concealment of truth, excuses for the deed and the attempted buying back of the father’s blood through rich gifts. The lock-and-key image introduces the answer.
G f13 52 ↗ G f13 53 ↗ G f13 54 ↗ G f13 55 ↗ G f13 56 ↗ G f13 57 ↗ Moscow p 114 ↗ Moscow p 115 ↗ Moscow p 116 ↗ Mohl p 87 ↗ Mohl p 88 ↗ Khaleghi p 129 ↗ Khaleghi p 130 ↗ Khaleghi p 131 ↗
Interpretation
The narrator’s evaluation differs from the envoy’s polished rhetoric. The English makes that division particularly clear: eloquence can deliver a message well while delivering a morally inadequate case.