slaves and works of Ahriman, thereby bringing about the end of all things, when
Ahriman himself should be vanquished and reconciled.
In course of time the difficulties of this dual theory were detected by acute
intellects, and at the Sassanian Revival an attempt was made to dispose of them
by introducing the doctrine of Monotheism under a new form, that of a Great
Primal Cause (Zervana Akarana), the Boundless Time or Uncreated Whole, such
as we trace in the later Greek poetry, and apparently rather a “metaphysical
abstraction,” like the Greek Ἀνάγκη, or the Roman Nemesis, than “an active and
presiding deity.” Thence proceeded both the Good and the Evil Principles; the
two antagonist creators who balanced against each other in perpetual conflict a
race of spiritual and material beings, light and darkness, good and evil. The wise
benevolence of Ahura-Mazda formed men capable of virtuous impulses, and
endowed each with everything that could contribute to his happiness. He
preserved by his watchful providence the harmonious movements of the planets,
and the temperate combination of the elements. But the malice of Ahriman has
long since pierced Ahura-Mazda’s “egg;” in other words, violated the sweet
accord and bounteous beauty of His works. Since that fatal irruption, the most
minute articles of good and evil are alternately commingled and agitated
together; the most poisonous herbs spring up among the most wholesome plants;
the warfare of deluges, earthquakes, and conflagrations disturbs the serenity of
nature; and humanity is subjected to all the blighting influences of sin, suffering,
and sorrow. While the rest of mankind were led away captive in the chains of
their terrible enemy, the faithful Persian alone remained constant in his faith in
Ahura-Mazda, and fought under his banner of light, looking forward to a
triumphant day when Good should prevail over all the world.
It seems to us impossible to doubt that, in this later development of the
Zoroastrian faith, its priests and teachers were largely indebted to the Sacred
Writings, though into what they borrowed they introduced much original and
fanciful speculation.
A Parsee, with a firm faith in Ahura-Mazda, and conscious of having obeyed the
law, offered up prayer and praise, and renounced, in intention at least, evil
thoughts and deeds and words, lay down on his death bed in a certain hope and
expectation of the Eternal life. We have seen that the Zendavesta appointed a
variety of penances, by the performance of which the believer obtained
immediate pardon for ordinary transgressions; and therefore, full of the self-
righteousness which his creed was so well adapted to inculcate, he faced the
passage of the Dark River without fear. He knew not of any need to implore the