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From The Book of Kings

"That if he walked upon a rock his feet / Would sink therein."

Firdawsi
Firdawsi

The tale is told that Rustam had at first

Such strength bestowed by Him who giveth all

That if he walked upon a rock his feet

Would sink therein. Such puissance as that

Proved an abiding trouble, and he prayed

To God in bitterness of soul to minish [sic]

His strength that he might walk like other men.

According to his prayer his mountain-strength

Had shrunk, but face to face with such as task,

And pierced by apprehension of Suhrab,

He cried to God and said: “Almighty Lord!

Protect Thy slave in his extremity.

O holy Fosterer! I ask again

My former strength.”

God granted him his prayer,

The strength which once had waned now waxed in him.

— from The Book of Kings


Firdawsi (940–1020) was a Persian poet, considered to be the Virgil of Iran, whose reputation rests primarily on The Book of Kings, the world’s longest epic poem created by a single poet, and the national epic of Iran and other Persian speaking countries. It relates a mytho-historical account of the Persian empire’s founding through to the 7th Century. It is also important to adherents of Zoroastrianism because the poem traces the historical origins of this religion through the poem — and its abridgement with the rise of Islam.

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Firdawsi
Firdawsi

The tale is told that Rustam had at first

Such strength bestowed by Him who giveth all

That if he walked upon a rock his feet

Would sink therein. Such puissance as that

Proved an abiding trouble, and he prayed

To God in bitterness of soul to minish [sic]

His strength that he might walk like other men.

According to his prayer his mountain-strength

Had shrunk, but face to face with such as task,

And pierced by apprehension of Suhrab,

He cried to God and said: “Almighty Lord!

Protect Thy slave in his extremity.

O holy Fosterer! I ask again

My former strength.”

God granted him his prayer,

The strength which once had waned now waxed in him.

— from The Book of Kings


Firdawsi (940–1020) was a Persian poet, considered to be the Virgil of Iran, whose reputation rests primarily on The Book of Kings, the world’s longest epic poem created by a single poet, and the national epic of Iran and other Persian speaking countries. It relates a mytho-historical account of the Persian empire’s founding through to the 7th Century. It is also important to adherents of Zoroastrianism because the poem traces the historical origins of this religion through the poem — and its abridgement with the rise of Islam.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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