This text focuses more on the royal ideology of Darius in terms of his personal functions as king. Protection of the weak is one motif that has parallels in Mesopotamian royal ideology. This text also emphasized Darius I’s natural abilities as a warrior with several different weapons, both on foot and on horseback. It also stresses how Darius is a decisive thinker, which is a necessary trait for a royal. It is a more personal text, as it feels like Darius is speaking more directly to the reader here, making it the more interesting of the two Naqsh-e Rustam inscriptions. We will also discuss the aspects of the text that seem to reveal unique aspects of Persian (or Achaemenid Persian) royal ideology. A comparison to the ideology of Cyrus the Great will be made.
Script - Certain aspects of the phonology of Old Persian will be discussed in more depth, including diphthongs, vowels, and contraction.
Grammar - Declensions of the i and u stem nouns will be discussed. The locative case will also be discussed in more depth, including its history and its range of uses.
Reading - Skjaervo, Chapter 7
Vocabulary
|
abicari- |
pasture |
|
ap- |
water |
|
ava-kan- |
Load onto |
|
ava-stāya- |
To place |
|
ašnaiy |
Near |
|
-cā; -cā ... -cā |
And; both … and |
|
dasta- |
hand |
|
dāraya- (+ place) |
Stay near, dwell (in/at) |
|
drauga- |
The Lie |
|
drayah- |
sea |
|
duruva- |
Healthy, whole, safe |
|
fraharavam |
Clockwise (?) |
|
fra-naya- |
To bring forth |
|
fratama- |
foremost |
|
gaiθā- |
Herd, livestock |
|
gāθu- |
Place, throne |
|
maškā- |
Inflated hide (used for ferrying) |