The Epic of Kings: Stories Retold from Firdusi


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The Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) is a monumental poem composed around 1000 C.E. by the Persian poet Ferdowsi. It narrates the exploits of mythical kings and heroes of ancient Persia as well as historical episodes from the Sasanian era. It is regarded as the national epic of Iran and its stories were once well known wherever Persian poetry was read, from Central Asia to Anatolia and from India to the Caucasus.

Helen Zimmern's version retells some of the best-known legends of the Shahnameh in English prose. She writes: "With a view to reproduce the naïve archaic character of the original, I have ventured to write my stories in the simple language of the age of Shakespeare and the English Bible, in order that by thus removing them from everyday speed, to remove them from the atmosphere of to-day."- Summary by Kazbek (10 hr 7 min)

Chapters

Preface by Helen Zimmern 4:56 Read by roselbex
Introduction by Helen Zimmern 25:57 Read by Claudia Caldi
Prefatory Poem--Firdusi in Exile by Edmund W. Gosse 27:25 Read by Kazbek
The Shahs of Old 26:45 Read by Robert DiGangi-Roush
Feridoun 31:24 Read by roselbex
Zal 13:53 Read by roselbex
Zal and Rudabeh 41:37 Read by roselbex
Rustem 29:45 Read by roselbex
The March into Mazinderan 46:27 Read by roselbex
Kai Kaous Committeth More Follies 20:31 Read by roselbex
Rustem and Sohrab 36:06 Read by roselbex
Rustem and Sohrab (continued) 34:54 Read by roselbex
Saiawush 43:23 Read by roselbex
The Return of Kai Khosrau 31:57 Read by roselbex
Firoud 33:56 Read by roselbex
The Vengeance of Kai Khosrau 17:56 Read by roselbex
Byzun and Manijeh 33:08 Read by roselbex
The Defeat of Afrasiyab 9:41 Read by Inkell
The Passing of Kai Khosrau 30:05 Read by roselbex
Isfendiyar 17:43 Read by roselbex
Rustem and Isfendiyar 37:20 Read by roselbex
The Death of Rustem 12:13 Read by Ryan Williams