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 [21 (23)].—Another (form) is fugitive verse; this is the domain of poets powerless to pour out (? mould) heart-piercing thoughts in perfect (forms) (lit., Another versification is small [verse], the domain … He is not able in perfection to create words capable of piercing the heart). I liken this to the wretched bow of young hunters: big beasts they cannot bring down; they can kill only small game.

[22 (24)].—A third (kind of) songs is fitting for banquets and merrymakings, for courtship, for amusement and frivolous adventures with friends, and to these songs we gladly have recourse (lit., we like [the making of] them) if the thought in them be clearly expressed. But he who is incapable of creating something great is no poet.

Professor Marr rejects the nine remaining quatrains as spurious. It will be seen that he has rearranged the quatrains, and adopted readings which are not in the printed editions.



following is a list of some books and pamphlets collected by the translator, and now the property of the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

's edition in quarto, with a commentary. The editio princeps. Tiflis, 1712. A defective copy.

's edition in octavo. St. Petersburg, 1846. This copy lacks title, and some pages are damaged. Wooden boards covered in velvet, with leather straps. Given as a wedding present to Euphrosyne Cldiashvili, and presented by her to the translator. It was the custom that all Georgian girls learned the poem by heart, and a copy of it was always included among the presents to a bride.

's edition in octavo. St. Petersburg, 1860. References to this are marked "Ch." in the notes.

's edition (in unusual type). Kutais, 1883.

's edition de luxe in folio, illustrated, and adorned with borders from old designs. Tiflis, 1888.

's edition, with aphorisms in large type, octavo. Ozurget'hi, 1892.

's edition, illustrated, octavo. Batum, 1899.

(Professor at Moscow): Gruzinskaya