Book of Eleď
From Almeopedia
The Book of Eleď is the holy book of the Arašei, and one of the holy books of Eleďát. It is actually a compilation of 18 shorter books.
Contents |
Compilation
Cuzei had a wide range of religious works, but no canonical list. After the Caďinorian conquest, standardization was perceived as essential, and once the Arašei had achieved de facto toleration, a group of Knowers convened in the late 1200s in Alaldos to choose the canonical works (accomplished within the first year) and create definitive texts (which took decades). They were done around 1350.
Radical ideas had proliferated before the fall of Cuzei, but afterward the mood was of zealous orthodoxy; all but three of the chosen works were pre-Silver Age, that is, they were over 900 years old, though it was Cuzeian practice through the Silver Age (that is, till about 600) for exceptional Knowers to add to or edit the holy books.
The Knowers did not give the compilation a name, but it was soon known as the Eīledanex selirda, Caď. Eileďanei ibro (Book of Eleď), though some called it that Arrasei ibro, the Book of Araš, matching Arašei. The length of the compilation made it practical to produce it as an ibro (book) rather than a crivos (scroll); and that in turn influenced the form of the pagan Aiďie ibro, the Aďivro (completed precisely a thousand years later).
At the Council of Avéla (2987), representatives of the Arašei and the successors of the Elenicoi agreed on that the book of Eleď would be one of the three holy works of the unified religion of Eleďát.
Component books
| Book of Eleď | ||
| Rēneca sōniē | The Count of Years | history |
| Pettē bisrêsorē | Unending Songs | songs |
| Selirda caddeē | The Book of Instructions | commandments |
| Sofuseca narrûyē | The Teaching of Kings | community |
| Dêt numīcuri | The Ten Prophets | hagiography |
| Cāpias golodorāex | The Praise of Poverty | holiness |
| Selirda mosex | The Book of the Ram | theology |
| Cipato Ulōneē | The Compassion of Ulōne | holiness |
| Pettē Iáinex | Songs of Iáinos | songs |
| Brinūmiex selirda | Brinūmio | prophet |
| Araunixueē selirda | Araunixue | prophet |
| Îceīledanex selirda | Îceīledan | prophet (Silver Age) |
| Missīllecē cueporē | The Wise Sentences | proverbs |
| Numisidiēē onāemu | Numisidiē | commentary |
| Banas vissecaē | The Way of Knowing | holiness |
| Cueporāu evissiē | The Wisdom of Knowers | Glade practice |
| Onāemu leribodēinu | The Lovers of Learning | commentary (Silver Age) |
| Îceīledanex ōibūyāe | The Lamentations of Îceīledan | prophecy and history (post-Fall) |
Translations
The first translation of the Book was into Caďinor, by Ȟimauro, in 1421. For liturgical purposes the Cuêzi was preferred, but for study and commentary Ȟimauro's version was essential, and has been treated as authoritative; most translations are based on it.
The entire book has been translated into Verdurian, Ismaîn, Barakhinei, Benécian, Kebreni, Sarroc, and portions into Obenzayet, Caizu, and English. Isolated passages have been cited in Xurnese, Tžuro, Ṭeôši, Nanese, Flaidish, and Karimian.
The book in Babblers
Beretos and his readers were familiar with almost all of the books which would end up in the Book of Eleď. Some highlights:
- He and Oluon sing from the Pettē Iáinex before meeting the iliu Lago.
- He teaches the women of Beraks keep portions of the Pettē bisrêsorē and the Dêt numīcuri.
- Caumēliye quotes the Selirda caddeē in order to accompany her husband after his arrest.
- At his trial, Zeilisio quotes the Cāpias golodorāex to shame the rich-living Knowers, traps a conceited Knower by citing a nonexistent fourth chapter of Numisidiē, then— after winning the Knower's assent that all Numisidiē's words were wise— proceeds to quote her angry denunciations of the Knowers of Eleisa.
