GORGIN

 

GORGIN, son of Milād, one of the heroes of the reigns of Kay Kāvus and Kay Ḵosrow (Šāh-nāma, ed. Khaleghi, III, p. 11,) and the head of the Milād family. Ṭabari’s mention of Gorgin (I, pp. 608, 614) as the name of both the son and father of Milād is possible, since it was not unusual to name the first grandson after his grandfather (cf. Gōdarz, q.v., which is the name of Gēv’s son in the Bisotun inscription and that of his father in the Šāh-nāma).

Gorgin’s major adventure is in the story of Bēžan o Manēža (Šāh-nāma, ed. Khaleghi, III, pp. 303-97). He is sent along with Bēžan to kill the boars that were roaming Ermān, a district on the frontier with Turān. Gorgin, envious of Bēžan’s bravery, persuades him to go to a delightful glade in Turān, where Manēža, the daughter of Afrāsiāb (q.v.), is holding a banquet. The two fall in love at the first sight and spend time together until the news is broken to Afrāsiāb, whose soldiers arrest Bēžan and throw him into a dungeon. In the meantime Gorgin returns home with the story that Bēžan was lost trying to capture an onager. Found to be lying, he is put in chains but later released on the intervention of Rostam, whom he accompanies to free Bēžan.

Gorgin is also one of the eleven heroes figuring in the story of the Davāzdah roḵ (q.v.), where he kills his Turanian adversary, Andarimān (Šāh-nāma, ed. Khaleghi, IV, p. 126). He is also mentioned in Farāmarz-nāma and Bahman-nāma (qq.v.). In the Bahman-nāma (Irānšāh b. Abi’l-Ḵayr, Bahmān-nāma, Raḥim ʿAfifi, ed., Tehran, 1370 Š./1991, p. 100) reference is made to Ruyin, the commander of Bahman’s army, as Gorgin’s son. Ebn Esfandiār (p. 74) attributes the founding of the city of Gorgān (q.v.) to Gorgin, apparently on the basis of the resemblance of names.

Bibliography: Given in the text.

 

(Djalal Khaleghi-Motlagh)

Originally Published: December 15, 2002

Last Updated: February 17, 2012

This article is available in print.
Vol. XI, Fasc. 2, p. 163