The Persian Alexander : the first complete English translation of the Iskandarnama / translated by Evangelos Venetis.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Venetēs, Euangelos, translator.

Language:

English

Persian

Subjects (All):

Alexander, the Great, 356 B.C.-323 B.C--Romances.

Alexander.

Epic literature, Persian.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (381 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.

Language Note:

Text in English, translated from Persian.

Summary:

"Alexander the Great (356-333 BC) was to capture the imagination of his contemporaries and future generations. His image abounds in various cultures and literatures - Eastern and Western - and spread around the globe through oral and literary media at an astonishing rate during late antiquity and the early Islamic period. The first Iskandarnama, or 'The Book of Alexander', now held in a private collection in Tehran, is the oldest prose version of the Alexander romance in the Persian tradition. Thought to have been written at some point between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries by an unknown author, the lively narrative recasts Alexander as Iskandar, a Muslim champion - a king and prophet, albeit flawed but heroic, and remarkably appropriated to Islam, though the historic Alexander lived and died some 1,000 years before the birth of the faith. This new English translation of the under-studied text is the first to be presented unabridged and sheds fresh light onto the shape and structure of this vital document.In so doing it invites a reconsideration of the transformation of a Western historical figure - and one-time mortal enemy of Persia - into a legendary hero adopted by Iranian historiographic myth-making. Evangelos Venetis, the translator, also offers a textual analysis, providing much-needed context and explanations on both content and subsequent reception. This landmark publication will be invaluable to students and scholars of classical Persian literature, ancient and medieval history and Middle East studies, as well as to anyone studying the Alexander tradition."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Contents:

TRANSLATION

Introductory Part 11

The Expedition of Alexander the Double-Horned One to Iran to

Fight Darius, the Son of Darius 12

Alexander's Arrival at 'Uman and the Story Between Him and the

King of 'Uman 15

How Alexander Went to Porus Disguised as a Messenger and the Story

Between Them 16

Alexander's Journey to Kashmir and What Happened Between Him and

A ̄ za ̄dbakht, the King of Kashmir, and his Daughter, Ma ̄ha ̄far? ̄n 20

The Story of A ̄ za ̄dbakht, the King of Kashmir, and Porus' Daughter,

Who Was Alexander's Wife 25

Alexander's Journey to Ceylon and What Happened Between Him and Kayd,

the King of India 35

The Pilgrimage of Alexander to Adam's Tomb and his Journey to the

Land of Gold 48

Alexander, the Creatures with the Hairy Feet and the War Between Them 52

Alexander's Arrival at Mecca and the House of the Prophet, and the Story

Between Him and the People of Mecca 54

Alexander's Arrival in Yemen and the Story Between Him and the

King of Yemen 56

Alexander's Journey to Egypt, the Disguise of the King of Egypt as a Messenger

When He Went to Alexander, and the Story Between Him and Alexander 68

The Story of Alexander, Who Wished to Hear Stories from the Ruler of

Egypt, and the Latter's Storytelling 77

The Narration of the Story of King Tahta ̄j by the Ruler of Egypt to Alexander 88

The Narration of the Story of the Merchant's Son by the Ruler of Egypt to

Alexander 92

How Alexander, Disguised as a Messenger, Visited Candace, the Queen of

Andalusia, and their Story 96

Alexander's Journey to the Land of Darkness and What Occurred There 102

The Story of the Scorpion, the Snake and the Youth Who Was Sleeping

in the Garden, and the Wonder that Alexander Experienced 105

Alexander's Arrival in Turkestan by way of the Akhzar Sea, and the

Story Between Him and the King of that Region 108

The Story of the Barrel of Wheat Found in Alexander's Treasure House

and the Life of Bahra ̄m, his Father and their Wives 109

The Story of the Hermits with the Daughter of the King and What Happened 112

The Storytelling of the King of the City with Alexander about Justice 115

Alexander's Journey to Siyavu ̄ shgard and his Story with the King of that City 116

Alexander's Arrival in the Land of China, the Wonders He Saw and

his Story with the Kings of that Land 120

Alexander's Arrival as Messenger at the Court of the Khaqa ̄n of the

Chinese Turkestan and the Story Between Them 121

The Trick of the Khaqa ̄n's Wife to Murder Him and What Occurred 136

The Story Between the Sons of the Khaqa ̄n and Alexander, their Plan

to Poison Alexander through his Concubine, and How Alexander

Discovered that by Wisdom 140

Alexander's Arrival in the Land of Taghma ̄j and Alexander's Visit to

Alexander of that Land as a Messenger 146

Alexander's Arrival in the Land of Demons and the Cannibal Zang? ̄s,

and his War Against Them 151

Alexander's Arrival at the Well, his Story with the Zang? ̄ and the Maiden

Who Was with Him and her Own Story 158

Alexander's Arrival at the Hermit's Cloister on the Mountaintop

and their Story 161

Alexander's Arrival in the Land of the Fairies and the Story of his Meeting

with Ara ̄q? ̄t, the Fairy Queen, and What ... 164

viii The Persian Alexander

Alexander's Invasion into Ara ̄q? ̄t's Territory and the Arrival of Ara ̄q? ̄t's Uncle

to her Aid 178

The Arrival of Ara ̄q? ̄t's Uncle and the Fairies at the Camp, and the Story

Between Him and Alexander 180

Alexander's Arrival in Russia, the Story Between Him and the Russians,

and the Dream He Had in that Land 189

Alexander's Arrival at the Fortress of Qa ̄til the Zang? ̄, the Story Between

the King and the Zang? ̄s, and the Seizure of the Fort 193

The Story of Qa ̄til the Zang? ̄ Who Sent 2,000 Men to Seek the Bride, and

Alexander's Surprise Attack on Them 200

The Story of Ra ̄fi' the Zang? ̄, Who Came to the Aid of his Brother, and

their War Against Alexander 207

How 'Anbar Received Qa ̄til's Letter, Gathered an Army and Went to the

Aid of his Uncle, an.

Notes:

Compliant with Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Content is displayed as HTML full text which can easily be resized or read with assistive technology, with mark-up that allows screen readers and keyboard-only users to navigate easily.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781350989085

1350989088

9781838609597

1838609598

OCLC:

1114415000