THE SHAHNAMEH was completed in the year 1010 by the Persian poet Ferdowsi. A monumental undertaking encompassing ancient myths, legends, and history, it is one of Iran's most cherished works of literature. Volumes IV and V shift to a different tone from the three previous volumes. Gone are the kings and heroes of another age. Gone are Zaal and Rostam, Giv, Bijan, and Goodarz. Ferdowsi turns to a succession of kings from the Ashkanian (or Parthian) Dynasty (247 BCE to 224 CE) and Sassanian Dynasty (224-651 CE). We plunge into a semi-historical narrative less reliant on fact than on literary form and poetic license. The most powerful kings of the Ashkanian and Sassanian periods are Ardeshir Babakan, the first Sassanian, and his descendants Bahraam the Hunter, Kesra Anushiravan, Hormozd, and Khosrow Parviz. Interspersed in the narrative are romantic episodes, hunting scenes, and adventures that include the slaying of a supernatural giant worm and confrontations with terrifying beasts and dragons. In addition, we listen in on Bozorgmehr, the loyal and sage vizier, as he enlightens the court on the importance of truth, learning, and wisdom, themes that are dear to Ferdowsi's heart.