A literary history of Persia

CHIEF WRITERS OF THIS PERIOD 277(22) Al-'Abbas b. al-Ahnaf (f A.D. 806), another half-Persian poetof the Court of Harunu'r-Rashid, chiefly celebrated for his lovepoems.(23) Abu Nuwds (f A.D. 806-813), also half Persian by birth, one ofthe most brilliant and shameless poets of Harunu'r-Rashid's Court.His discreditable adventures, ready resource, and unfailing witare familiar to all readers of the Arabian Nights.(24) Ibn Zabala (\ A.D. 814), a pupil of Malik b. Anas, who wrotea History of Madina.(25) Yahyd b. Biiriq (who flourished about A.D. 815), one of thetranslators of Aristotle and other Greek philosophers into Arabic.(26) Hishdm b. al-Kalbi (f A.D. 819-820), the historian ;see (3)supra.(27) Ash-Shdfi'i (\ A.D. 820), the third of the four orthodox " Imams "of the Sunnis, founder of the Shafi'ite school.(28) Qulrub (f 4.D. 821), grammarian and philologist, pupil ofSibawayhi and ath-Thaqafi.(29) Al-Farrd (\ A.D. 822), grammarian, pupil of al-Kisa'i, and,like him, of Persian origin.(30) Al-Waqidi (f A.D. 823), the great historian of the Muslimconquests, who was liberally patronised by Yahya the Barmecide,and, on his death, left behind him 600 great boxes of books andmanuscript notes, each one of which required two men to carry it.(31) Abu 'Ubayda Ma'mar b. al-Muthannd (f A.D. 825), a philologistof strong Shu'iibi tendencies and of Jewish-Persian origin, the rivalof al-Asma'i and the bitter satirist of the Arab tribes. See p. 269 supra.(32) Abu' l-'Afdhiya (| A.D. 828), one of the most notable poets ofthis epoch, who, alike in his earnestness, his religious pessimism,and his extreme simplicity of speech, stands in the sharpest contrastto his contemporary the dissolute, immoral, and time-serving AbuNuwas.(33) Al-'Akawu'ak (f A.D. 828), a poet and panegyrist of Persianextraction.(34) Ibn Qutayba (f A.D. 828), a historian of the first rank, also aPersian. Of the twelve works composed by him which Brockelmannenumerates (i, pp. 120-123) the best known are his Ktldbu'l-Ma'driffed. Wiistenfeld, 1850), his Adabul-Kdtib, or Secretary's Manual(Cairo, A.H. 1300), and his 'Uyunu'l-Akhbdr, now being publishedby Brockelmann at Berlin.(35) Al-Asma'i (f A.D. 831), the grammarian and philologist, aprominent member of that circle of learned men wherewithHarunu'r-Rashid surrounded himself.(36) Ibn Hishdm (f A.D. 834), the editor of Ibn Ishaq's Biographyof the Prophet ; see (5) supra.