“Children of the angels”

I reproduce for your readers, a paragraph from the introduction by the eminent scholar the late G. K. Nariman, who edited Persia and Parsis, Part I for the Marker Literary Series for Persia, published by the Iran League in 1925 (Pages iv and v):

"Not only polygamy and concubinage (existed) under the Khosros but if certain Sassanian Codes, which have outlived neglect, are reliable, there were some extraordinary sex relations sanctioned by law (Barthlomae, Ueber ein Sasan Rechisbuch, pg 13). Not only there were legitimate senior and secondary wives but there were legalized temporary concubines (Zum Sasan Rechts 1, 29). Not only a man can rejoice in being the husband of more than one senior wife and presumably numberless junior spouses, he was master of slaves of both the sexes (ibid. III, 49). An amazing ordinance authorised ‘only a father to sell his children into slavery’ (ibid V.22). A society co-ordinated with a system of jurisprudence which recognized the progeny born out of wedlock as ‘children of the angels’ (ibid V, 31) could hardly lay claim to unchallenged moral ascendance taught by the Prophet of Iran. No, the lofty teachings inculcated by the great Zarathushtra were altered out of all recognition under the Sassanians by the Magian prelates. The latter accommodated the sublime and the simple doctrine of Zoroaster to popular requirements with fatal consequences. Between these mercenary mobeds and their spiritual descendants, the Akhunds and Mullhas of later times, there is little indeed to choose.”

Capt (Retd) HORMAZDIAR J. M. DESAI