A 12th-century Georgian epic poem, considered one of the greatest achievements of Georgian literature. Set across fictionalized Arabia, India, and Persia, it weaves themes of friendship, love, and devotion into an allegorical masterpiece.
The poet
Shota Rustaveli (c. 1160–after 1220) is Georgia's national poet. He served at the court of Queen Tamar and is best known for this single surviving epic, which has been called the Georgian national epic and a masterpiece of medieval literature. The poem's allegorical frame—set in fictionalized India, Arabia, and Persia—reflects the cosmopolitan culture of the Georgian Golden Age.
This edition
The English text on this site is from the prose translation by Marjory Scott Wardrop (1912), which is in the public domain. The Georgian text follows standard editions. The site is designed for readable, accessible long-form reading with annotations, illustrations, and bilingual toggles.
Accessibility
We aim for WCAG 2.1 AA: adjustable font size and line spacing, light/dark/sepia themes, keyboard navigation, skip links, semantic headings, and screen-reader-friendly labels. Footnotes and annotations open in accessible popovers.