The original Persian ‘Nights’ must be quite old.  Homai, the Persian Semiramis, is mentioned in the ‘Avesta’; and in Firdausi she is the daughter and the wife of Artaxerxes Longimanus (B.C. 465-425).  Her mother was a Jewess, Shahrazaad, one of the captives brought from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; she afterward delivered her nation from captivity.  Tabari calls Esther, of Old Testament fame, the mother of Bahman; and Professor de Goeje (de Gids, 1886, iii. 385) has cleverly identified the Homai of the old ‘Nights,’ not only with Shahrazaad of the Arabian, but also with Esther of the Bible.  That his argument holds good is seen from its acceptance by Kuenen (’Hist.  Krit.  Einleitung,’ 1, 2, page 222), August Mueller (Deutsche Rundschau, 1887), and Darmesteter (’Actes du Huitieme Congres des Orientalistes,’ 1893, ii. 196).

The best translations of the ‘Nights’ have been made by Antoine Galland in French (12 vols., Paris, 1704-1712); by G. Weil in German (4 vols., 1838-1842); and in English by E.W.  Lane (3 vols., 1839-1841), John Payne (13 vols., 1882-1884), and Richard Burton (16 vols., 1885-1888).  Lane’s and Burton’s translations are enriched by copious notes of great value.

[Illustration:  Signature:  Richard Gottheil]

FROM ‘THE STORY OF THE CITY OF BRASS’

Part of Nights 566 and 578:  Translation of E.W.  Lane

There was in olden time, and in an ancient age and period, in Damascus of Syria, a King, one of the Khaleefehs, named Abd-El-Melik, the son of Marwan; and he was sitting, one day, having with him the great men of his empire, consisting of Kings and Sultans, when a discussion took place among them respecting the traditions of former nations.  They called to mind the stories of our lord Suleyman the son of Daood (on both of whom be peace!) and the dominion and authority which God (whose name be exalted!) had bestowed upon him, over mankind and the Jinn and the birds and the wild beasts and other things; and they said, We have heard from those who were before us, that God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose name be exalted!) bestowed not upon any one the like of that which He bestowed upon our lord Suleyman, and that he attained to that to which none other attained, so that he used to imprison the Jinn and the Marids and the Devils in bottles of brass, and pour molten lead over them, and seal this cover over them with his signet....

And the Prince of the Faithful, Abd-El-Melik, the son of Marwan, wondered at these words, and said, Extolled be the perfection of God!  Suleyman was endowed with a mighty dominion!—­And among those who were present in that assembly was En-Fabighah Edh-Dhubyanee; and he said, Talib hath spoken truth in that which he hath related, and the proof of his veracity is the saying of the Wise, the First [thus versified]:—­

     And [consider] Suleyman, when the Deity said to him, Perform
       the office of Khaleefeh, and govern with diligence;
     And whoso obeyeth thee, honor him for doing so; and whoso
       disobeyeth thee, imprison him forever.