Zabelle C. Boyajian

Excerpt from Armenian Legends and Poems In preparing this book of Armenian Legends and Poems my principal object was to publish it as a Memorial to an unhappy nation. The book does not claim to represent Armenian poetry adequately. Many gifted and well-known authors have been omitted, partly from considerations of space, and partly because of the scope of the work. For instance, I should have liked to include some of the Sharakans (rows of gems) of Nerses Shnorhali; but the impossibility of reproducing their characteristic forms in another language, and doing them any justice, made me decide not to translate any of them. I have only given a few typical legends and poems, endeavouring, as far as possible, to convey the local colouring by adhering closely to the form, rhythm, and imagery of the originals in my translations. I have also largely based the decorative scheme of the illustrations upon Ancient Armenian Art as we see it in mediaeval missals and illuminations. Should this anthology create an interest in Armenian literature the Armenian Muses have still many treasures in their keeping which cannot be destroyed; and another volume could be compiled. In conclusion, I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, of Boston, U.S.A. - one of Armenia's truest friends - for allowing me to reprint several of her renderings of Armenian poems; to G. C. Macaulay, M.A., and the Delegates of the Oxford University Press, for permission to reprint the "Tale of Rosiphelee" from their edition of Gower's Confessio Amantis; to Mr. William Watson and Mr. John Lane for permission to reprint the sonnet on Armenia, "A Trial of Orthodoxy," from The Purple East; and to the heirs of Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj for permitting me to reprint two of her poems, "Pasqua Armena" and "Io Vidi," from the Nuova Antologia, I wish also to thank Mr. M. E. Galoustiantz for designing the cover of this book. The proceeds of the present edition will be handed over to the Armenian Fund. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

Armenian Legends and Poems (Classic Reprint)

Aram Raffi

The tile is a translation of selected Armenian poems and legends. Included in those are a number of episodes from the chronicles of Moses of Khorene, a fifth century Armenian historian, which recount legendary incidents of ancient Armenian history. The book concludes with a long essay by Aram Raffi, which contextualizes the long history of Armenian literature. The essay also details the long religious history of Armenia, starting with an extended discussion of the ancient Pagan deities. Armenia is in a region which is a cross-road between Asia and Europe, and has more often than not been conquered by the dominant regional power of the day, starting with the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Macedonians, through the Ottomans and finally the Russians. Nevertheless, Armenia has managed to hold onto a unique cultural and linguistic identity. Armenians have produced a substantial literature. Unfortunately, not much of this has been translated into English. This anthology is one of the few Translations of Armenian literature, pertaining to legends and poems of Armenia, especially that of the pagan era.

An Anthology of Legedns and Poems of Armeni

James Bryce

An Anthology of Legends and Poems of Armenia

In this volume, which is a mere sampler of Armenian literature, you will find 73 poems and stories from the land of Noah's Ark including 12 Armenian national legends. Here you will find poetry and laments that equal those of Shakespeare in their zeal and fervour. You will also find folk-songs that weep tears for the fate of Armenia, that cry out for freedom and liberty, that burst with the love of a woman for her man and of nightingales singing to babes in cradles. You will also find the key legends of Armenia-of Vahagn, King of Armenia, deified on account of his valour, of Princess Santoukhd, martyred by her father King Sanadroug for becoming a Christian, of Semiramis' love for Ara, so strong that she thought she could will him back to life. So curl up with this unique and exquisite piece of literature and be swept away by the passion of fourteen hundred years of Armenian poetry. Over the plains of Armenia towers Mount Ararat, on which, the Bible states, Noah's Ark rested after the flood. Here also is the traditional site of the Garden of Eden, and the four rivers that Genesis describes as rising in the Garden, still flow through the land. Sitting astride an arm of the Silk Route, Armenia has been invaded and occupied at various times by Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and the Seljuk Turks, to name but a few. In the fifth century, Armenia became the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its national religion. Therefore, even a short outline of Armenian folklore and poetry must acknowledge the influences that have served to shape Armenian literature. These influences reflect the interwoven remnants of an intricate tapestry of ancient and modern cultures, legends, songs, and fragments of epics, creating a unique cultural and linguistic identity. Severed for many centuries from Western Europe by a flood of invasions, Armenian literature has not had the recognition that it deserves.

Zabelle C. Boyajian

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