1Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.↑2SeeAgathangelos(fourth centuryA.D.).↑3Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).↑4Agathangelos.↑5Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny,H. N., xxx. 24).↑6At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’sSamuel, chap. ix.↑7Astghikmeans in Armenian “little star.”↑8It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.↑9Some say thatAmmanorwas an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.↑10Kadjkmeans in Armenian “brave ones.”↑11Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.↑12It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”↑13Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.↑14The following lines from a Chaldean description ofUt-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”↑15Dziranin Armenian means “apricot,” thereforedzirani= “of apricot colour.”↑16Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”↑17April, when the New Year commenced.↑18The son of Tigranes the Great.↑19“Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him,Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V.Αρμενια).↑20Translations of Moses of Khorene:Latin(with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736;Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50;German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869;French(with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.;Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.↑21SeeTravel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.↑22The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.↑23All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.↑24These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.↑25In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.↑26It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former theEarthis victorious, in the latter theDay. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”↑
1Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.↑2SeeAgathangelos(fourth centuryA.D.).↑3Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).↑4Agathangelos.↑5Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny,H. N., xxx. 24).↑6At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’sSamuel, chap. ix.↑7Astghikmeans in Armenian “little star.”↑8It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.↑9Some say thatAmmanorwas an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.↑10Kadjkmeans in Armenian “brave ones.”↑11Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.↑12It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”↑13Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.↑14The following lines from a Chaldean description ofUt-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”↑15Dziranin Armenian means “apricot,” thereforedzirani= “of apricot colour.”↑16Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”↑17April, when the New Year commenced.↑18The son of Tigranes the Great.↑19“Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him,Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V.Αρμενια).↑20Translations of Moses of Khorene:Latin(with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736;Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50;German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869;French(with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.;Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.↑21SeeTravel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.↑22The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.↑23All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.↑24These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.↑25In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.↑26It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former theEarthis victorious, in the latter theDay. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”↑
1Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.↑2SeeAgathangelos(fourth centuryA.D.).↑3Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).↑4Agathangelos.↑5Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny,H. N., xxx. 24).↑6At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’sSamuel, chap. ix.↑7Astghikmeans in Armenian “little star.”↑8It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.↑9Some say thatAmmanorwas an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.↑10Kadjkmeans in Armenian “brave ones.”↑11Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.↑12It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”↑13Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.↑14The following lines from a Chaldean description ofUt-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”↑15Dziranin Armenian means “apricot,” thereforedzirani= “of apricot colour.”↑16Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”↑17April, when the New Year commenced.↑18The son of Tigranes the Great.↑19“Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him,Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V.Αρμενια).↑20Translations of Moses of Khorene:Latin(with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736;Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50;German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869;French(with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.;Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.↑21SeeTravel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.↑22The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.↑23All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.↑24These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.↑25In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.↑26It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former theEarthis victorious, in the latter theDay. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”↑
1Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.↑2SeeAgathangelos(fourth centuryA.D.).↑3Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).↑4Agathangelos.↑5Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny,H. N., xxx. 24).↑6At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’sSamuel, chap. ix.↑7Astghikmeans in Armenian “little star.”↑8It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.↑9Some say thatAmmanorwas an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.↑10Kadjkmeans in Armenian “brave ones.”↑11Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.↑12It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”↑13Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.↑14The following lines from a Chaldean description ofUt-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”↑15Dziranin Armenian means “apricot,” thereforedzirani= “of apricot colour.”↑16Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”↑17April, when the New Year commenced.↑18The son of Tigranes the Great.↑19“Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him,Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V.Αρμενια).↑20Translations of Moses of Khorene:Latin(with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736;Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50;German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869;French(with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.;Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.↑21SeeTravel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.↑22The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.↑23All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.↑24These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.↑25In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.↑26It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former theEarthis victorious, in the latter theDay. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”↑
1Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.↑
2SeeAgathangelos(fourth centuryA.D.).↑
3Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).↑
4Agathangelos.↑
5Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny,H. N., xxx. 24).↑
6At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’sSamuel, chap. ix.↑
7Astghikmeans in Armenian “little star.”↑
8It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.↑
9Some say thatAmmanorwas an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.↑
10Kadjkmeans in Armenian “brave ones.”↑
11Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.↑
12It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”↑
13Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—
Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.
Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.
Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.
Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.
Երգներ երգին և երգիրԵրգներ և ծիրանի ծովԵրգն ի ծովուն ուներԶգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներԸնգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներԵվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,Նա հուր հեր ուեր,Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուսԵվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.
Երգներ երգին և երգիր
Երգներ և ծիրանի ծով
Երգն ի ծովուն ուներ
Զգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն.
Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներ
Ընգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներ
Եվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր,
Նա հուր հեր ուեր,
Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուս
Եվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք.
Erkner erkin ev erkirErkner ev dzirani dzovErkn i dzovun unerZkarmrik eghegnikn.Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elanerŬnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,Na hur her uner,Apa te botz uner morusEv achkunkn ein aregakunk.
Erkner erkin ev erkir
Erkner ev dzirani dzov
Erkn i dzovun uner
Zkarmrik eghegnikn.
Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elaner
Ŭnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,
Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,
Na hur her uner,
Apa te botz uner morus
Ev achkunkn ein aregakunk.
↑
14The following lines from a Chaldean description ofUt-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—
“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”
“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”
“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”
“The gods smelled a savour,The gods smelled a sweet savour,The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”
“The gods smelled a savour,
The gods smelled a sweet savour,
The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”
↑
15Dziranin Armenian means “apricot,” thereforedzirani= “of apricot colour.”↑
16Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”↑
17April, when the New Year commenced.↑
18The son of Tigranes the Great.↑
19“Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him,Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V.Αρμενια).↑
20Translations of Moses of Khorene:Latin(with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736;Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50;German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869;French(with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.;Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.↑
21SeeTravel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.↑
22The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.↑
23All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.↑
24These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.↑
25In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.↑
26It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former theEarthis victorious, in the latter theDay. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.
Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.
Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.
Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.
Day.By day the pious fast and pray;And solemn feasts are held by day.
Day.
By day the pious fast and pray;
And solemn feasts are held by day.
Night.Day can but paint the skies with blue,Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.
Night.
Day can but paint the skies with blue,
Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.
Day.... I am a Moslem—white my vest,Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compareThy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?
Day.
... I am a Moslem—white my vest,
Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.
Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compare
Thy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?
... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.Methinks ’twas ne’er in story toldThat silver had the worth of gold!The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,She knows her light is only lent,She hurries on, the way to clear,Till the Great Shah himself appear.
... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:
The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.
Methinks ’twas ne’er in story told
That silver had the worth of gold!
The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,
She knows her light is only lent,
She hurries on, the way to clear,
Till the Great Shah himself appear.
From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”↑