Page:Next-of-kin Marriages in Old Iran.djvu/51

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NEXT-OF-KIN MARRIAGES.

passionate of monarchs, to ask for the decision of the judges on the question, or Artaxerxes to conceal his love for his daughter from the knowledge of his people? Besides, we have the evidence of Agathias, that Artaxerxes contemptuously declined every offer to contract marriage with his nearest-of-kin relation, on the ground that it was quite inconsonant with the faith of a true Iranian. If we believe this, it is impossible to conceive that such a king could ever have taken his own daughter to wife. On the basis of this very evidence from Agathias, Mr. Wm. Adam observes (p. 718):—"But if this could be alleged by Artaxerxes belonging to the royal race, what becomes of the worst charges brought against, not only the Persian people, but even against the Magians or the ruling class?"[1]

  1. ↑ The question regarding the alleged marriage of Artaxerxes Mnemon with his daughter, reminds me of a statement of Firdausi, in his well-known Persian Epic, the Shâh-nâmeh, that Behman (Pahl. Vôhuman), son of Isfandyâr (Av. Spentô-dâta, Pahl. Spend-dâd), who is also called the Artakhshtar of the Kayânians—hence his identification with Artaxerxes Longimanus and his successors down to
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