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The Man in the Panther's Skin/Chapter 44

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The Man in the Panther's Skin
by Shot'ha Rust'havelli, translated by Marjory Wardrop
Chapter 44
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3811210The Man in the Panther's Skin — Chapter 44Marjory WardropShot'ha Rust'havelli


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XLIV


THE GOING OF TARIEL TO THE KING OF THE SEAS AND TO P'HRIDON'S

1404. To the presence of the King of the Seas he sent a messenger (of good tidings); he bade him announce: "I, Tariel, come, vanquisher of foes, their destroyer and slayer;[1] from Kadjet'hi I bring my sun, piercer of me with arrows; I desire to see thee with honour, as father and parent.

​1405. "Now I have the land of the Kadjis and their hoards.[2] O king, all that is good hath happened to me from you: my sun was freed by P'hatman, she was a mother and a sister to her. What can I give thee in return for this? I hate vain promises.

1406. "Come, see us before we have passed thy land. I present to thee outright the kingdom of the Kadjis, accept it from me; let thy men be posted there, hold the castle strongly. I am in haste, I cannot come to see thee, come thou forth, wend towards me.

1407. "On my behalf tell Usen, P'hatman's husband, to send her, the sight of her will please her she freed; whom else can she desire to see more than her who is brighter than the sun, even as crystal is brighter than pitch?"[3]

1408. When Tariel's man was received by the ruler of the seas—it is the custom that the heart is agitated by startling tidings—he gave thanks and glory to God the Just Judge. Straightway he mounted; he needed no other messenger (or invitation).

1409. He loaded baggage, he appointed the making of their wedding, he takes a number of pretty things, not a great quantity of jet.[4] He has P'hatman with him, they made a journey of ten days; the sight of the lion and the sun, the light of the lands, rejoices him.

1410. Afar off the three met the great King of the Seas, they dismounted, he humbly kissed them, they were encompassed by a host of troops; they rendered praise to Tariel, he gave a thousand thanks, when they saw the damsel he (the King of the Seas) was fascinated by her crystal-halo rays.[5]

1411. Slow fire consumed Dame P'hatman at the sight of her, she embraced her, she covered with kisses her hand, foot, face, neck; she said: "O God, I will serve Thee, since ​my darkness is lightened for me; I recognize the shortness of evil, Thy goodness is everlasting."[6]

1412. The maiden embraced P'hatman; sweetly she speaks, not angry: "God hath enlightened my rent, faded heart; now am I as full as formerly I was waning; the sun hath shed his beams upon me, therefore I appear a rose unfrozen."

1413. The King of the Seas celebrated there an exceeding great wedding;[7] he thanked (Tariel) too for Kadjet'hi; he would not let them go for seven days; generously he dispensed gifts, the treasure he had loaded; they wore out (by treading) upon (it) the scattered gold coin[8] as if it were a bridge.

1414. There stood a heap of silk, brocade and satin. He gave to Tariel a crown, a price could not be set[9] on it, of a whole jacinth, yellow, exceeding pure,[10] likewise a throne of gold, red, refined.[11]

1415. He presented to Nestan-Daredjan a mantle[12] adorned[13] with gems, red jacinths, rubies of Badakhshan and rubies;[14] they both sat, the maid and the youth,[15] with faces flashing lightning; they that looked on them burned with new fire.

1416. He presented to Avt'handil and P'hridon measureless great gifts, a valuable saddle, an excellent horse, [16] to each a jewelled coat[17] shedding[18] rare-hued rays; they said: ​"What thanks can we utter! Prosperous be your state!"[19]

1417. Tariel rendered thanks with his tongue in fair words: "Greatly have I been pleased, O king; first at seeing you, then you have filled us with many fair kinds of gifts; I wot we did well not to pass by[20] afar off from you."

1418. The King of the Seas says: "O king, lion, valorous,[21] life of those near you,[22] slayer from afar of those that cannot look on you, what can I give you like unto yourself, O fair to look upon! When I am away from you what shall avail me, O desirable to be gazed on!"

1419. Tariel said to P'hatman: "I adopt thee as my sister. O sister, great is mine unpayable debt to thy heart! Now whatever treasure of the Kadjis I have brought[23] with me from Kadjet'hi I give it to thee, take it, I sell it not."

1420. Dame P'hatman made obeisance, she proffered exceeding great thanks: "O king, parting[24] from thee burns me with unquenchable fire. When I shall be away from thee what shall I do! Thou wilt leave me like one bereft of sense. Ah, blessed are those near thee; woe to him that cannot gaze on you."

1421. The two radiant ones spoke to the King of the Seas; their teeth were crystals, their lips as pearl-shells.[25] "When we are deprived of you we desire not merrymakings,[26] harps and kettledrums.[27] But give us leave, it is time, let us depart, we are in haste.

1422. "Be our father, parent and hope! But this indeed we beseech of thee: grant us a ship!" The king said: "I grudge not to give myself as earth for you (to ​tread on);, since thou art in haste, what can I say to thee! Go! Thine arm be thy guide!"[28]

1423. The king fitted out a ship on the shore. Tariel set out; those who were parted shed tears, they beat their heads, they tore their hair and beards (and) cast them away.[29] P'hatman's tears in their flow even augmented the sea.[30]

1424. The three sworn brothers crossed the seas together,[31] again they confirmed by their word what they formerly affirmed; singing and laughter were beseeming to them, who were not ignorant thereof; the ray from their lips shone upon the planks of crystal (their teeth).[32]

1425. Thence they sent a man to Asmat'h as a messenger of good tidings; also to the households of[33] P'hridon's chiefs who had been in the fight, to announce to them: "He[34] comes hither, as the sun he[34] rises high, reinforcing[35] (?) the planets; we erstwhile frozen shall be frozen now no more."

1426. They seated that sun (Nestan) in a palanquin; they wended their way along the coast. They sported like children; the passing away of woe gladdened them. They came where was the land of the hero[36] Nuradin, they were met, they heard the sound of frequent song.

1427. There all P'hridon's magnates met them. Asmat'h, full of joy, whose wounds no longer appeared, was riveted to Nestan-Daredjan so that axes could not unloose them. Now she had ended all her faithful services.

1428. Nestan-Daredjan embraces her, kisses her face with her mouth. She said: "Mine own, woe is me, I have filled thee too with grief. Now God hath granted us grace, ​I acknowledge His (boundless) bounty.[37] I know not with what I can repay so great a heart as thine!"

1429. Asmat'h said: "Thanks be to God, I have seen the roses unfrozen. At length understanding hath thus revealed things hidden. Death itself seems to me life when I see you happy. Better than all friends are suzerain and vassals that love one another!"[38]

1430. The magnates did homage, they rendered great praise[39]: "Since God hath caused us to rejoice, blessed is His divinity[40]; He hath shown us your face, no longer doth the burning of fires consume us; even He that gave the wound,[41] He hath the power to heal it."

1431. They came and put their mouths on their hands; thus they kissed them.[42] The king (Tariel) said: "For our sake have your brethren sacrificed themselves. They have found joy in eternity a reality and no dream.[43] They have attained[44] communion[45] with the One; their glories are increased an hundred and twenty fold.[46]

1432. "Though their death is sore to me and grievous, yet the great immortal gift hath there fallen to their lot."[47] This he spake, gently he wept, and the rain (of tears) was mingled with the snow (of his cheeks). Boreas blows from (? shakes) the narcissi; January freezes the rose.

1433. There all wept when they saw him in tears; whoever had lost any (kinsman) moaned, weeping and sobbing. All were hushed. Then they said respectfully (to Tariel): "Since sages liken thee to the sun, it befits them that look upon you to be merry; wherefore should they lament!

​1434. "Who is worthy of your so great weeping and sorrow? Death for your sake is far better than walking upon the earth!" Then P'hridon said to the king: "Make not bitterness to thyself from aught. May God in return render to thee a thousand joys!"

1435. Avt'handil also sympathized; he speaks with great sorrow. They rendered praise,[48] and said: "Let us now yield ourselves to smiling; since the lost lion has found the vanished sun, no more will we weep what is deplorable,[49] no longer will we set canals[50] in our eyes."

1436. Thither they went where is the great city Mulghazanzar.[51] They played trumpet[52] and kettledrum,[53] there was trampling[54] and uproar; the sound of drum[55] and copper drum[56] blended fairly; the burgesses crowded round, they left the bazaar.

1437. The merchants came from their rows,[57] on all sides there is a host of onlookers; the officers[58] kept a wide space round them,[59] they had arms in their hands; families[60] came crowding in, causing trouble[61] to the officers; their entreaty is to be allowed there to look upon them.

1438. At P'hridon's they alighted, they saw a pleasing palace,[62] many slaves with golden girdles met them, they have nought but gold brocade[63] as a carpet for their feet; they threw up gold above their heads, the crowd[64] marching there picked it up in heaps.


  1. ↑ Mosrva and m(o)spoba both have the sense of extermination.
  2. ↑ Danadebi, Car., wealth, riches; ? revenues; 1414.
  3. ↑ P'hisa, Gr., 609.
  4. ↑ Ar, ? for ars, there is; jet would probably be a product of the sea realm, and of small value compared with the "pretty things."
  5. ↑ M., "(and how Tariel) admired the rays, etc." Bacmi, 226. The Sea-King had already seen Nestan (1157).
  6. ↑ Grdzeli for grdzeloba; cf. 1337.
  7. ↑ A first wedding, followed by another at P'hridon's (Chap. XLV.).
  8. ↑ Perpera. All the authorities say this is P., and means gold coin; ? gold brocade spread (on the ground).
  9. ↑ Danadebi, 1405.
  10. ↑ Khasi, A.; Ch., pure, etc.; in this passage, ? "fit for a king." Cf. 44, 163, 174, 326, 456, 1183, "of the court."
  11. ↑ Khalasi, A.; Abul., pure, unalloyed, or pure red; for "red" as synonym of gold, 723.
  12. ↑ Qabacha, P., short cloak; 445, 489.
  13. ↑ Shemcuti, ? for shemcobili.
  14. ↑ Badakhshit'ha da lalit'ha, 3, 5, 137, 138, 204, 318, 1528.
  15. ↑ Kal-qmani. In Georgian the woman is usually mentioned first—e.g., tsol-kmari, wife and husband; da-dzma, sister and brother; dedmama, mother and father.
  16. ↑ Thvi'th = indif. art., "a, an."
  17. ↑ Caba.
  18. ↑ Mp'heni. Cf. M., iv., Ode 100, 4, 1, shukt'ha mp'henebo.
  19. ↑ Davla (dovlat'hi). A., P., happiness, wealth; davla also "to go about." Cf. 777, 1043; also cf. M., iv., Ode 1, 53, for davali, and Ode 9, 14, for davla.
  20. ↑ Chavla, cf. 924 for chavlena.
  21. ↑ Kveli, beneficent, brave, generous; 1016.
  22. ↑ Moakhle, 44, 716.
  23. ↑ Acideba, to load on a beast of burden; 999, 1057, 1413.
  24. ↑ Gaqra; Ch. reads nakhva, the sight, seeing.
  25. ↑ Sadap'hi, A., 836.
  26. ↑ Nishagi, banquet, joy.
  27. ↑ Nachag-dap'heni; Abul., na chang dap'heni; na, 178.
  28. ↑ Ch. rhymes in a, Car. in o.
  29. ↑ Cf. 594, 806; cf. Poema del Cid, 375, "asis parten vnos dotros commo la vña de la carne"; also Chanson de Roland for similar excess of emotion.
  30. ↑ Cf. 259, 824.
  31. ↑ Cf. 1366.
  32. ↑ Cf. "crystal mounds," 1540.
  33. ↑ T'havt'hasa.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 ? "She" (Nestan).
  35. ↑ Mamagroblad, Ch., "for shade"; magari, strong; ? "enlightening (or obscuring) the stars."
  36. ↑ Gmiri, 290, 333, 1365, 1509.
  37. ↑ Ar sidzvire, not avarice.
  38. ↑ Lord and vassal, 793, 836, 837; cf. Holldack.
  39. ↑ Keba, ? eulogy in set form; 5, 984, 986, 988, 1009, 1025, 1027, 1435, 1524.
  40. ↑ Ghvt'heba, ghut'haeba, deity, godhead; also, miraculous icon not made by human hands.
  41. ↑ Tsqluli, dacodili, "to the wound wounded by him …" Might apply to P'hridon as well as God, grammatically.
  42. ↑ Gardahcotznes, ? kissed over; 1116.
  43. ↑ Tzkhadad, clearly; otzneba, fancy, vision. Cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 12, "through a glass darkly"; 656, 707.
  44. ↑ Mikhvdes, ? from mikhdoma, understand, attain.
  45. ↑ Saziarod. Cf. ziareba and Svanetian diar, bread; 1087.
  46. ↑ 1139.
  47. ↑ 425.
  48. ↑ ? to the dead or to their kinsfolk; keba, 1430.
  49. ↑ Satireli, 195.
  50. ↑ Mili, 284, 1528.
  51. ↑ 583.
  52. ↑ Buci, 46, 1017.
  53. ↑ Tablaci, 435, 1156, 1484.
  54. ↑ Zat'hki, 957, 1157.
  55. ↑ Dabdabi, 703.
  56. ↑ Kosi, P., 703.
  57. ↑ Shuca, A., street in a bazaar, souk, 463.
  58. ↑ Sarangi, P., guardian of order, police; 1157.
  59. ↑ Shors uarebdes; ? uareba, to refuse, deny, repel; ? aor. of reba.
  60. ↑ Djalabi, P., household (women, children and servants); 101, 714
  61. ↑ Damsadjari, 596.
  62. ↑ Mosatsonebi in pl., sra sing., but may have plural signification; if not, "the praiseworthy (or pleasing) ones saw a palace."
  63. ↑ Oksino, 320, 1359.
  64. ↑ Djari in Rust'haveli means "multitude, host," not necessarily "army, troops," unless qualified—e.g., by spa.
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