Voices and reflections on a rediscovered masterpiece.
A bridge between cultures and centuries: curator Simone Cristoforetti and publisher Matteo Luteriani recount the genesis and significance of the monumental reissue of the Shahnameh.
On the occasion of the recent publication of the Book of Kings (Shahnameh), Ferdowsi's immortal masterpiece, we celebrated the return of a work that to call a "book" is an understatement: it is a pillar of human wisdom, a monument to Persian identity, and a legacy of world literature. To fully understand the significance of this cultural initiative, which reintroduces Italo Pizzi's historic translation, revised by Professor Simone Cristoforetti for Luni Editrice, we interviewed the protagonists of this endeavor.
Their words guide us through the folds of an immense work, revealing why, today more than ever, Italy needs to rediscover the Persian epic.
An epic translation for a national identity
Professor Simone Cristoforetti, a professor at Ca' Foscari University and the work's editor, emphasizes that this publication is not a simple reprint, but a true cultural recovery. Italo Pizzi's translation, dating back to the late nineteenth century (1886-1888), represents a unique work.
“The republication of the complete translation into poetry by Italo Pizzi is an important event in the panorama of Iranian studies and comparative literature,” Cristoforetti explains. The added value lies in the style chosen by Pizzi: an epic register, modeled on the great nineteenth-century translations of the Iliad and the Aeneid. Pizzi considered the Shahnameh the greatest Persian national poem and compared it to the importance that Dante's Divine Comedy had for the Italian nation. For this reason, he believed it necessary to have a style that reflected that greatness.
Rereading this version today therefore means taking a double journey: one to Ferdowsi's Persia and one to the Italy of the Risorgimento, which was shaping its cultural identity. Cristoforetti defines this operation as: “very important for promoting greater awareness in Italy of this milestone in world literature.”
The impact on academia and young people
Looking to the future, Professor Cristoforetti highlights the enormous educational potential of the work. Shahnameh It is not just a study text, but a living organism that fascinates students thanks to the rhythm of its original meter, the motaqāreb. “Having the full text in translation is essential,” concludes the professor, "both for students approaching the discipline and for researchers. The Shāhnāmeh offers countless insights into historical and cultural studies, as demonstrated by the large number of publications published internationally each year."
The editorial challenge: filling a century-old gap
But what drives a publisher today to undertake a work of such magnitude? We turned the question to Matthew Lutherans, Director of Luni Publishing, which for years has been dedicated to rediscovering the great classics of often overlooked cultural “zones” in Italy.
“The publication of the Shahnameh ranks among the highest expressions that human beings have been able to achieve,” Lutherani passionately states. The work's numbers are impressive: six volumes, 4.000 pages of translation, 120 pages of critical apparatus, and over 60.000 verses narrating the history of Persia.
For the publisher, this is not just a publication, but a mission. “It is an unexplored masterpiece for Italy, the true 'Bridge' between all cultures, which represents the breaking down of barriers and religious distinctions.” Lutherani makes no secret of his pride in having completed a project that Italian publishing had long neglected, making available the only verse version in the world in a Western language.
“We planted some seeds”
Matteo Luteriani's conclusion encapsulates the profound meaning of this initiative: Our publication fills an incredible cultural void. I can only hope it reaches everyone's heart: we have planted seeds that will bear fruit for generations to come. And this is surely the first and last task of a publisher.
Lo Shahnameh He returned, therefore, not as a museum relic, but as a powerful and necessary voice, ready to speak to Italian readers of today and tomorrow.