phet of God, and promised to show him miracles. He said he
had been to heaven and to hell. He could send anyone, by prayer, to
heaven; and whomsoever he was angry with he could send to hell. He had
seen the seven mansions of the celestial regions, and the thrones of
sapphires, and all the secrets of heaven were made known to him by his
attendant angel. He said that the sacred book, called Zendavesta,
descended from above expressly for him, and that if Gushtasp followed
the precepts in that blessed volume, he would attain celestial felicity.
Gushtasp readily became a convert to his principles, forsaking the pure
adoration of God for the religion of the fire-worshippers.

The philosopher further said that he had prepared a ladder, by which he
had ascended into heaven and had seen the Almighty. This made the
disciple still more obedient to Zerdusht. One day he asked Gushtasp why
he condescended to pay tribute to Arjasp; "God is on thy side," said he,
"and if thou desirest an extension of territory, the whole country of
Chin may be easily conquered." Gushtasp felt ashamed at this reproof,
and to restore his character, sent a dispatch to Arjasp, in which he
said, "Former kings who paid thee tribute did so from terror only, but
now the empire is mine; and it is my will, and I have the power, to
resist the payment of it in future." This letter gave great offence to
Arjasp; who at once suspected that the fire-worshipper, Zerdusht, had
poisoned his mind, and seduced him from his pure and ancient religion,
and was attempting to circumvent and lead him to his ruin. He answered
him thus: "It is well known that thou hast now forsaken the right path,
and involved thyself in darkness. Thou hast chosen a guide possessed of
the attributes of Iblis, who with the art of a magician has seduced thee
from the worship of the true God, from that God who gave thee thy
kingdom and thy grandeur. Thy father feared God, and became a holy
Dirvesh, whilst thou hast lost thy way in wickedness and impiety. It
will therefore be a meritorious action in me to vindicate the true
worship and oppose thy blasphemous career with all my demons. In a month
or two I will enter thy kingdom with fire and sword, and destroy thy
authority and thee. I would give thee good advice; do not be influenced
by a wicked counsellor, but return to thy former religious practices.
Weigh well, therefore, what I say." Arjasp sent this letter by two of
his demons, familiar with sorce