The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26

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Oursfnformation regarding the life Of the
PersiaffAhge'is to be gathered mainly from the
Zoroasttish Scriptures. the Avesta and the
Pahlatf*44tinRs. but other material must be
used tb s~upplemrnt or correct those sources OF
lnowledee. The student OF these data lie early
confronted with the question. Was Zoroaster a
histoEicaIpers6npge a real figure whose indi-
yidualtx Is stamped indelbly upon the reliR-
ION Of ancient Persia? To this question Prof.
jackson does not hesitate to give an aflrma-
tive answer. The absence Of hesitation Ia
noteworthy because the advanced scholarship
that dealt with the religion Of Iran was not
long aRofntlined to cast n cloud OF doubt over
the subject; Now. on the other hand. au-
thorities. are gcherally agreed that, although
legend ,Sr fable may have gathered about
the name Of. Zoroaster. the figure Of the
great ..reformer stands out. nevertheless.
with sufficient clearuess to he recognized
10 its general contour. 1t is possible TO give a
distinoNRnd Trustworthy idea Of his person
ality. dds characteristic traits may be dcduced
by a careful analysis, first, Of 1ranian: and.
aecontty. of non-Iranian materials. Among
the Iranjun sources Of Information the Avesta
itself. Or Zoroastrian Bible. stands, OF course.
foremQSt In. Importance: in the Avestan
GathaS,or Psalms. Zoroaster is presented as an
individual preaching reforms. or teaching a
new la NJ sNl w. ClAll' L dilluN Y NNo
TO supplement the Avcsta somewhat as the
literature ofsthe Christian Fathers serves to
supplement, the New Testament. or similar
helpfulhess is tho later Persian Zartusht
NamalL.wiiich was composed in the thirteenth
century OF onr era. Firdausi's Shah Namah of
the terrtlf century A. D. contains abundant old
materidl1ieiting upon the reign OF Ioroaster's
.patron,t King Gushtasp Nishtaspal. Some
other 'Fdrsi Works and traditional literature
are included in the authors list
The bon-Iranian sources Of knowledge are
either classical or Oriental. The latter include.
especially. the comments upon Zoroaster in
Syriac and Arabic literature. as well as some
Armenian references and other incidental al
lusionA as. for example. in Chinese, In point
of antiquity. the classical references, as a rule.
rank next to the Avesta: most of them will he
found infinitely catalogued in one Of the mp
nendiceS - this volume. 1t is certain that. in
classical antiquity, authors were agreed in re-
gurd'pg Zoroaster as an historical parsonage.
though,ey in their eyes. his figure was some
what ipdistinct. To the writer's Of Greece and
Rome. he. was the arch-representative OF the
Magi. and in their judgment he sometimes
seem smoresfamous for the magic arts ascribed
10 him than. for the Importance of his
legislation.eor for his religious. philosophic
and moral teachings. He was looked
upon, however az a great sage and as n
prophet. whose name was synonymous with
Persian wiSdnan. or as the founder OF the
neutrality-suspicious.. the mem ers of which are
sometfnies Said to be his pupils and blowers.
The MdGf. rs we know from Hcrodotus. We're
not merely II ~priestly family, but a tribe. The
right arrogated by the classical writers to call
Zoroaster,a Magjan is supported by Iranian
and ebhers Oriental evidence. The Pahlavi
Diukarty regards tho "Avesta and Zend" as the
sacred Writings of the Magian priests. The
Arab cbronologist Albiruni AYERS that THE
ancient Magians existed already before the
time Of Horoastcr. but now there is no pure
unmixedr portion of them who do not prac-
tice Zoroaster's religion" Several Syriac
and Arabic writers speak of him rs "a
Magian,'''"hca of the MaGians." chief OF
the sect" ''Magian Prophet" "Divinest."
This association Of his name with the
Magi u.s. perhaps. to be understood with
some Limitations. but the MaGi were the re-
puted masters of learning in ancient times.
and Zereaster stood for this learning in an
tiquity4 OF the Magian teachings and doc
trines. sit isy difficult To form a clenr picture
except so far as we may believe them to be re-
Elected in Zoroaster himself, after we have
made due allowances for changes or reforms
that he may have instituted. In our authors
opinion. the classical tradition that Pythag-
oras. when young, studied under Magian
masters ip, Babylon may not be altogether
without, foundation. although he did not visit
that place after he. entered upon his ministry.
The fact, is, recalled that Plato vas anxious to
visit the Orient. and to study with the Mag. but
the Persian wars with Greece prevented him.
The followers OF the sophist. Prodicus. a con-
temporary OF Socrates. are reported to have
boaste't then possessions Of secret writings
Of Zofchster: and a Magian teacher. one Co
bryas!' is even claimed as an Instructor OF
Socrates. Aristotle. Eudoxus OF Cnidus and
Theopompus were familiar with Zoroastrian
tenets, "a work bearing the name of Zoroaster
by HeracIidos Ponticus, a pupil OF Plato and OF
Aristotls. is mentioned in Plutarch. According
to Play. the philosopher. Hermippus about
+. c. 200 made careful studies of Magian and
of ZorodstFian writer's. II is evident that Zorro
aster and Magiai were names TO conjure with,
and hfrs"afe numerous illusions to ideas
drawn from the sacred writings Of the Modes
and Pefsians in PIutarch, Strabo, Suidas and
other Greek authors.
tg,4+t. r.. H.
What was the birthplace and date OF Zoroas.
Yars m FuttanaT m n,guar ihaaa p,t,nh-la.