Persian Sindbadnama

From The Seven Sages of Rome

The Persian Sindbadnama traditions are all thought to derive from a Middle Persian (Pahlavi) original, potentially adapted from Indian material by Borzuya, translator of the Panchatantra (Perry 1960). This Pahlavi text was adapted into early New Persian several times, by such luminaries as Rudaki (Dabir Siyaqi 1955) and Daqayeqi (Zakeri 2023). However, only the version originally translated by Fanaruzi (c. 9th century CE/3rd century AH) and ornamented by Zahiri al-Samarqandi in c. 1160 CE/555 AH survives from this period of early New Persian transmission. However, it was inserted, in abridged form, into other popular fable collections, such as Nakhshabi’s Tutinama and Daqayeqi's Bakhtiarnama. These abridgements tend to conform far more to the Makr al Nisa/wiles of women genre in which the 9th century Arab historian al Yaqubi places the Sindbad tradition than does Zahiri's version, potentially suggesting a closer link to the original Middle Persian tradition. Later, in 1374, the Shirazi belletrist and courtier Azod Yazdi versified Zahiri's version for the govenor of Shiraz, Tamerlane's son Shah Rukh. Of these different surviving versions, Zahiri's version seems to have been by far the most popular and sought after, particularly in the Ottoman Empire.

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