Chapter IX: Book III: contains the history of the successors of Tiridates up to the (3)

The spirit of Armenian poetry is neither despondent nor fatalistic. Its songs are of dawn, of spring, of sunrise, of struggle; not of sunset. And perhaps this clinging to hope and this desire to live is the only secret of the survival of the Armenian nation. Armenian poetry is the product of dwellers in a hill country. To them mountains, deep valleys, clear skies, running brooks are familiar every-day companions.

This brings us down to the Renaissance of Armenian literature which took place almost simultaneously in Russia and Turkey, but the field of modern Armenian literature is such a wide one that we cannot attempt an analysis of it here. There are, however, some examples of modern Armenian poetry in this volume.

The occupation of the Armenian provinces by Russia in 1828, with the attendant emigration of thousands from Persia and Turkey into Russian Armenia, strengthened the nation. National schools were soon opened, supported by the Armenians themselves. An Armenian Academy was established in Moscow in 1815 and a Seminary in Tiflis in 1826. Many Armenians went to Moscow and Petrograd, and also to foreign universities, especially to those of Germany, Switzerland, and France. The educational revival produced a new era, and a new Armenian literature came into being. Many Armenian newspapers and reviews were founded and published in different places. Tiflis was the centre of the literature and learning of Russian Armenia. A similar revival of letters occurred in Turkish Armenia. In 1860 a national and ecclesiastical constitution was granted to the Armenians in Turkey. For Turkish Armenians the literary centres were Constantinople and Smyrna. In the latter city, good work was done in translating western classics, but Constantinople was the chief seat of Armenian culture in Turkey. Thus Armenian literature became divided into two branches—Russian Armenian and Turkish Armenian—each of which has its own peculiarities of language, style, and tone. It was poetry that first burst into bloom and reached maturity soonest. At first the motifs of the poems were mainly national. The imagination of the poets was kindled by the past, present, and future of Armenia, its sufferings, its national beauty, its shortcomings. They looked forward to a national regeneration. They were apostles of light, science, learning; and pointed out new paths of national salvation. The result of all this was the production of some beautiful national songs. These songs are not triumphant anthems like those of other countries; they are songs of suffering, but with a note of hope. Then Armenian poetry developed a truer relation with what had been created in literature and art, and the poets looked at things in a new way, and assumed new poetical forms. It combined poetry and imagination with passionate feeling for life and truth. Some of the poems of this period are of exquisite workmanship, breathing the very spirit of the time.

As we have said, Armenian poetry of the nineteenth century is so full of merit and of such intense interest that it would be impossible to do it justice without writing at great length. We have already exhausted the space at our disposal, and hope to devote a separate work to it.

Persian and Arabic poetry are things of the past, but Armenian poetry, like the Armenian nation, has an unquenchable vitality, ever advancing towards new horizons, and soaring to loftier heights.

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX TO AUTHORS

Moses of Khorene, fifth century— PAGE
Vahagn, King of Armenia, 10
Ara and Semiramis, 23
The Founding of Van, 33
Artashes and Satenik, 48
Artavasd, 65
Christ and Abgarus, 75

Folk Songs—
The Exile’s Song, 1
The Apple Tree, 3
The Fox, the Wolf, and the Bear, 15
The Song of the Stork, 27
The Song of the Partridge, 36
The Hawk and the Dove, 63
Charm Verses, 67
O’er the Mountains High He went, 81
The Fox, 90
Dance Song (Haberban), 101

Author Unknown, mediaeval—
Yesternight I walked Abroad, 7

Saint Gregory of Narek, 951–1009—
The Christ-Child, 113

Saint Nerses Shnorhali, 1102–1173—
The Arrival of the Crusaders, 58

Hovhannes Erzingatzi, b. 1260—
Like an Ocean is this World 59

“Frik,” d. 1330—
Reproaches, xv

John Gower, d. 1408—
The Tale of Rosiphelee, 91

Hovhannes Tulkourantzi, 1450–1525—
Concerning Death, 119

Grigoris of Aghtamar, fifteenth century—
Concerning the Rose and the Nightingale, 52

Nahabed Kouchak, fifteenth century—
My Heart is turned into a Wailing Child, 4
O Night, be long, 5
Birthday Song, 31

Sayat Nova, 1713–1795—
I beheld my Love this Morning, 14
I have a Word I fain would say, 35
“Thy Voice is Sweet”, 74
Without Thee what are Song and Dance to Me?, 85
Thou art so Sweet, 110

Leo Alishan, 1820–1901—
The Lily of Shavarshan, 37
The Nightingale of Avarair, 108

Mikael Nalbandian, 1829–1866—
Liberty, 12

Muggurdich Beshigtashlian, 1829–1868—
Spring, 89

Raphael Patkanian, 1830–1892—
Cradle Song, 21
Cradle Song, 41
The Tears of Araxes, 69

Raffi, 1837–1888—
The Parrot’s Song, 78
The Lake of Van, 86
Ballad, 103
The Castle of Anoush, 114

Karekin Srvanstian, 1840–1892—
Lament over the Heroes fallen in the Battle of Avarair, 25

Smpad Shahaziz, 1840–1897—
The Dream, 46

Thomas Terzyan, 1842–1909—
The Chragan Palace, 44

Elia Demirjibashian, 1851–1908—
The Song of the Vulture 98

Bedros Tourian, 1852–1872—
The Little Lake, 18
My Death, 50
Complaints, 82
A Day after, 84
Love One Another, 121

William Watson, b. 1858—
A Trial of Orthodoxy, xvi

Hovhannes Hovhannessian, b. 1869—
Spring, 20
The Rock, 60
Araxes came devouringly, 77

Hovhannes Toumanian, b. 1869—
The Crane, 62
Earth and Sky, 79

Alexander Dzadourian, b. 1870—
The Armenian Poet’s Prayer, 43

Arschag Tchobanian, b. 1872—
Happiness, 118

Avetis Isahakian, b. 1875—
Black Eyes, 6
Huntsman, that on the Hills above, 11
Ye Mountain Bluebells, 29
The Sun went down, 30
The Wind is howling through the Winter Night, 42

Shushanik Gourghinian, b. 1876—
The Eagle’s Love, 51

Zabelle Essayan, b. 1878—
Incense, 17

C. A. Dodochian—
The Wandering Armenian to the Swallow, 111

Hovhannes Costaniantz—
No Bird can reach the Mountain’s Crest, 106

Derenik Demirjian—
The Eve of Ascension Day, 73

Haroutune Toumanian—
Morning, 32

Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj, d. 1910—
Pasqua Armena, 122
“Io Vidi”, 123

INDEX TO FIRST LINES

AUTHOR. TRANSLATED BY PAGE

Above the waters, like a hoary giant Hovhannes Hovhannessian Z. C. Boyajian 60 Accostarsi all’oscuro Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj 123 A great black bird like to a great black cloud Elia Demirjibashian Z. C. Boyajian 98 An eagle sat upon the fell Shushanik Gourghinian Z. C. Boyajian 51 Araxes came devouringly Hovhannes Hovhannessian Z. C. Boyajian 77 Armenian maidens, come and view Leo Alishan Alice Stone Blackwell 37 Belovèd one, for thy sweet sake Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 1 Dark forests clothe the mountain-side Raffi Z. C. Boyajian 103 Day dawned. Bright tongues of scarlet flame Haroutune Toumanian Z. C. Boyajian 32 Do not trust black eyes, but fear them Avetis Isahakian Z. C. Boyajian 6 Farewell, thou Sun, and Thou, O Power Divine Bedros Tourian Z. C. Boyajian 82 Have you ever seen that wondrous building T. Terzyan Alice Stone Blackwell 44 Huntsman, that on the hills above Avetis Isahakian Z. C. Boyajian 11 I beheld my love this morning Sayat Nova Z. C. Boyajian 14 If Goghtan’s bards no longer crown Karekin Srvanstian Z. C. Boyajian 25 I have a word I fain would say Sayat Nova Z. C. Boyajian 35 I have loved your winsome face Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 101 In many a distant, unknown land 47 I walk by Mother Arax Raphael Patkanian Alice Stone Blackwell 69 Like an ocean is this world Hovhannes Erzingatzi Z. C. Boyajian 59 My heart is turned into a wailing child Nahabed Kouchak Z. C. Boyajian 4 Nightingale, oh, leave our garden Raphael Patkanian Alice Stone Blackwell 41 Night with her ebon hair and starry Derenik Demirjian Z. C. Boyajian 73 crown No bird can reach the mountain’s crest H. Costaniantz Z. C. Boyajian 106 None await thy smiling rays Hovhannes Hovhannessian Z. C. Boyajian 20 Non fu di fiele abbeverato? Il petto Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj 122 O’er the mountains high he went Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 81 O evil man, with passions fraught Hovhannes Tulkourantzi Z. C. Boyajian 119 Of Armenye, I rede thus John Gower 91 O God of righteousness and truth “Frik” xv O God, ’tis not for laurel wreaths I pray Alexander Dzadourian Z. C. Boyajian 43 O little breeze, how fresh and sweet Muggurdich Beshigtashlian Z. C. Boyajian 89 Once more God hither moves their course Saint Nerses Shnorhali Z. C. Boyajian 58 O Night, be long—long as an endless year Nahabed Kouchak Z. C. Boyajian 5 On the morning of thy birth Nahabed Kouchak Z. C. Boyajian 31 O swallow, gentle swallow C. A. Dodochian Alice Stone Blackwell 111 Slumbering darkly yesterday Bedros Tourian Z. C. Boyajian 84 Soft and low a voice breathed o’er me S. Shahaziz Z. C. Boyajian 46 Stork, I welcome thy return Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 27 Sweet slumber now creeps o’er thee slow Raphael Patkanian Z. C. Boyajian 21 The clinging children at their mother’s knee William Watson xvi The Crane has lost his way across the heaven Hovhannes Toumanian Z. C. Boyajian 62 The door of Heaven open seemed Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 3 The fox ran up into the mill Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 90 The Hawk said to the Dove, “My dear” Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 63 The incense at the altar slowly burns Zabelle Essayan Z. C. Boyajian 17 The lips of the Christ-child are like to twin leaves Saint Gregory of Narek Alice Stone Blackwell 113 The little fox, the wolf and bear made peace Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 15 The Rose was gone. When to the empty tent Grigoris of Aghtamar Z. C. Boyajian 52 The Sky bent down his piercing gaze one day Hovhannes Toumanian Z. C. Boyajian 79 The sun has touched the mountain’s crest Folk Song Z. C. Boyajian 36 The sun went down behind the hill Avetis Isahakian Z. C. Boyajian 30 The wind is howling through the winter night Avetis Isahakian Z. C. Boyajian 42 Thou art so sweet thou wilt not pain Sayat Nova Z. C. Boyajian 110 Thy voice is soft, thy speech all sweetness flows Sayat Nova Z. C. Boyajian 74 Undying Love, Whose beams forever glow Bedros Tourian Z. C. Boyajian 121 Unutterable silence here is spread Raffi George M. Green 86 Weary of vainly seeking Happiness Arschag Tchobanian Z. C. Boyajian 118 Whence comest thou, my moon, gentle and still Leo Alishan Z. C. Boyajian 108 When Death’s pale angel comes to me Bedros Tourian Z. C. Boyajian 50 When the God of Liberty Mikael Nalbandian Z. C. Boyajian 12 Why dost thou lie in hushed surprise Bedros Tourian Alice Stone Blackwell 18 With nuts and sweets and dainty fare Raffi Z. C. Boyajian 78 Without thee what are song and dance to me? Sayat Nova Z. C. Boyajian 85 Ye mountain bluebells, weep with me Avetis Isahakian Z. C. Boyajian 29 Yesternight I walked abroad Author Unknown Z. C. Boyajian 7 Charm Verses Folk Songs Z. C. Boyajian 67

PROSE LEGENDS

Ara and Semiramis Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 23 Artashes and Satenik Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 48 Artavasd Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 65 Christ and Abgarus Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 75 The Castle of Anoush Raffi Z. C. Boyajian 114 The Founding of Van Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 33 Vahagn, King of Armenia Moses of Khorene Z. C. Boyajian 10

NOTES

[1] The “feast of Father Abraham” means plenty.

[2] An apple is the symbol of love.

[3] Armenian babies are tied tightly into their cradles when they are put to sleep.

[4] This and the other translations by Miss Alice Stone Blackwell are reprinted from Armenian Poems, by the translator’s kind permission.

[5] Oror—lullaby.

[6] Armenian babies have their eyes bandaged when they are put to sleep, and they are tied into their cradles.

[7] Santoukhd was martyred by the order of her father, King Sanadroug, for becoming a Christian.

[8] The late Hagop Bey Balian.

[9] A great number of these little poems exist. They are traditional, and are used for fortune-telling. On the Eve of Ascension Day all those who wish to have their fortunes told place some little trinket into a bowl containing seven different kinds of flowers and water from seven springs. The bowl is left open to the stars until dawn, when the party assemble and select a child who cannot tell where the sun rises to take the trinkets out as the verses are repeated. The owner of the token takes the verse preceding its being brought out as his or her fortune.

[10] The Eve of Ascension Day is the time when betrothals are arranged and destinies decided.

[11] The patron saint of lovers.

[12] The poem entitled “Complaints,” written a few days before his death.

[13] “Ner”—the Antichrist, concerning whom the Armenians have many traditions.

[14] Haberban.

[15] The Paradise of Mohammed, where the souls of the blest are waited upon by beautiful houris, and fed with delicious fruits.

[16] Above the summit of Aragatz, the mountain that faces Ararat on the far side of the plain, a weird light is sometimes visible, traditionally called the Lamp of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

[17] Anoush - sweet.

[18] This and the following poem are reprinted from Nuove Liriche, by Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj, Roma. Nuova Antologia.

[19] Navasard fell, according to the later calendar of pagan Armenia, in August.

[20] See Agathangelos (fourth century A.D.).

[21] Annual bonfires are kindled by Armenians on the festival of Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 13/2).

[22] Agathangelos.

[23] Statues of massive gold were consecrated to her, one of which was captured by the soldiers of Antony (Pliny, H. N., xxx. 24).

[24] At each festival, the Armenians had to show what progress they had made during the past year, in art and in other occupations, and races and other competitions took place, the victors being crowned with wreaths of roses. When the doves were set flying the High Priest sprinkled the people with the waters of the Aradzani—a tributary of the Euphrates—and the people in their turn sprinkled each other. The customs dated back to traditions of the deluge—that universal baptism with which God cleansed all the sinful earth, and the same expression of love and forgiveness is manifested in the presence of the dove at the baptism of Jordan. See Raffi’s Samuel, chap. ix.

[25] Astghik means in Armenian “little star.”

[26] It is a curious coincidence that Venus, the Greek goddess of beauty, was also the wife of a fire-god, Vulcan.

[27] Some say that Ammanor was an ancient Armenian god and not foreign.

[28] Kadjk means in Armenian “brave ones.”

[29] Zarmaïr, another king of this dynasty, took part in the defence of Troy. The historian emphasises the fact that he was killed by Achilles himself.

[30] It is interesting to recall, in this connection, some passages of Strabo. Speaking of Armenia he says:—“It is said that people passing by the foot of the mountains are often buried in the snow which falls from the summits. In order to be prepared for such a mishap, travellers carry with them two long sticks for the purpose of making breathing places for themselves, should they be covered by the snow. The sticks, at the same time, serve as signals to any other travellers who may happen to be passing.”

[31] Cf. the original text of the Armenian poem which is as follows:—

Երգներ երգին և երգիր Erkner erkin ev erkir
Երգներ և ծիրանի ծով Erkner ev dzirani dzov
Երգն ի ծովուն ուներ Erkn i dzovun uner
Զգարմրիգ եղեկնիգն. Zkarmrik eghegnikn.
Ընգ եղեգան փող, ծուխ ելաներ Ŭnd eghegan pogh, dzukh elaner
Ընգ եղեգան փող, քոց ելաներ Ŭnd eghegan pogh, botz elaner,
Եվ ի քոցտին պատանեկիկ վազեր, Ev i botzuin patanekik vazer,
Նա հուր հեր ուեր, Na hur her uner,
Ապա թե բոց ուներ մօրուս Apa te botz uner morus
Եվ աչկունքն եին արեգակունք. Ev achkunkn ein aregakunk.

[32] The following lines from a Chaldean description of Ut-napisti, the Chaldean Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood, furnish an example from Assyrian poetry:—

“The gods smelled a savour,
The gods smelled a sweet savour,
The gods gathered like flies over the sacrifice.”

[33] Dziran in Armenian means “apricot,” therefore dzirani = “of apricot colour.”

[34] Strabo says about Artaxata that it was built upon a design which Hannibal gave to King Artaxes (Artashes), who made it the capital of Armenia, and Tournefort, the famous French botanist, who travelled in Armenia in the seventeenth century, exclaims, in reference to this fact: “Who could have imagined that Hannibal would come from Africa to Armenia to be engineer to an Armenian king? But so it is.”

[35] April, when the New Year commenced.

[36] The son of Tigranes the Great.

[37] “Armenios, one of the Argonauts, who was believed to have been a native of Rhodes or of Armenion in Thessaly, and to have settled in the country which was called after him, Armenia” (Strabo, xi. 530, etc.; Justin, xlii. 2; Steph. Byz. S. V. Αρμενια).

[38] Translations of Moses of Khorene: Latin (with Armenian text), Whiston (G. & G.), London, 1736; Italian, Cappelletti (G.), Venice, 1841; Tommaseo (H.), Venice, 1849–50; German, Lauer (M.), Regensburg, 1869; French (with Armenian text), Le Vaillant de Florivel (P. E.), Paris, 1841 (2 vols.), and in Langlois’ Collection, vol. ii.; Russian, M. Emin, Moscow.

[39] See Travel and Politics in Armenia, by Noel Buxton, M.P., and Rev. Harold Buxton; with Introduction by Viscount Bryce and a Contribution on Armenian History and Culture by Aram Raffi. Smith, Elder & Co. 1914.

[40] The history of this war is recorded by Eghishé, a contemporary ecclesiastic, whose work is more widely read than any book except the Bible. He is a poet rather than an historian.

[41] All the metrical translations quoted are by Miss Z. C. Boyajian. Like her other translations in this volume they are almost literal renderings; and the original metre has been kept.

[42] These monarchs are mentioned because they were the first Christian sovereigns.

[43] In the Armenian Church there are two classes of clergy—the higher order to which bishops belong and who do not marry, and the lower order of parish priests who do marry.

[44] It is interesting to compare this with a Persian poem by Essedi of Tus called a dispute between Day and Night. In the former the Earth is victorious, in the latter the Day. The Persian is essentially Mohammedan in spirit and conventional, whereas the Armenian is almost modern.

Day. By day the pious fast and pray;
And solemn feasts are held by day.

Night. Day can but paint the skies with blue,
Night’s starry hosts amaze the view.

Day. ... I am a Moslem—white my vest,
Thou a vile thief, in sable drest.
Out, negro-face!—dar’st thou compare
Thy cheeks with mine, so purely fair?

... The Sun is ruddy, strong, and hale:
The moon is sickly, wan, and pale.
Methinks ’twas ne’er in story told
That silver had the worth of gold!
The moon, a slave, is bowed and bent,
She knows her light is only lent,
She hurries on, the way to clear,
Till the Great Shah himself appear.

From “The Rose Garden of Persia.”