Thence weeping blood and liver-pierced he went
Before his sire, gave greeting, tarried long,
And said: “The cavalier, the paladin,
Whom thou didst choose, O king! came as do Sháhs
That have the Grace and brought a numerous host.
I counselled him but 'twas of no avail,
He only cared for war and conflict. Never
Be his name current! All against my will
Was fought a great fight, and the stars brought scath
On many. All my troops deserted me;
Thou wouldst have said they saw and passed me by,
And, not reflecting, hailed Bahrám Chúbína
As Sháh. Pursuing me he led his troops,
As 'twere a moving mountain, to the bridge

Of Nahrawán, and I, when mine estate
No longer flourished, fled and scaped the net
Of bale. As I account of gain and loss
The Arabs only may prove serviceable,
And, if the king bid, I will bring their horsemen
In countless numbers.”

“This is ill-advised,”

Replied Hurmuzd, “for now thou hast no standing.
To go to them is labour lost, for we
Possess not men, or arbalists or treasure.
The Arabs will not help when there is naught
To gain or lose but in despite and dudgeon
Will sell thee to thy foes, yet God will aid,
And smiling fortune side with thee. If thou
Wouldst quit this land depart with speed for Rúm,
And tell to Cæsar what this slave in straits
Hath said. He will assist thee with his treasure
And troops. In that land are both men and stores,
And arms and host arrayed. Moreover all
That spring from Farídún are kin to thee,
And will assist thee in thy need.”

Thereat

Khusrau Parwíz kissed earth and gave the praises
Due to the Great. Then to Bandwí, Gurdwí,
And Gustaham he said: “We must consort
With grief and toil. Take order, pack, and yield
Our country to the foe.”

Said Gustaham:—

“Ne'er mayst thou see ill hap, O king!”

He answered:—

“The circling heaven produceth wrath and love
By turns.”

With that the watchman cried: “O Sháh,

Just and auspicious! from the road hath risen
Dark dust. Amid a host a standard waveth
Charged with a dragon, and Bahrám Chúbína
Raised it beside the Nahrawán.”

Thereat

Khusrau Parwíz gat on his steed like smoke,
And fled like flying dust with that blue banner
Behind him. Turning him about he saw
Bandwí and Gustaham proceeding slowly,
And shouted to them in an angry tone:—
“O villains! what hath happened that yon foes
Become like friends to you? If 'tis not so
Why ride at leisure with Bahrám Chúbína
Hard on your backs?”

Bandwí replied: “O king!

Be not concerned at him; he will not see

Our dust, the host's flag is too far away.
Thy friends all say there is no cause for haste
Because Bahrám Chúbína, when he reacheth
The palace, will at once give to Hurmuzd
The crown and throne, will sit as minister
Beside him, and will angle to some purpose
By writing from his sovereign to Cæsar
To this effect: ‘A worthless slave hath fled
This country; let him not obtain asylum
In Rúm. Each time that he hath raised himself
He hath done hurt and damage to your land.
When he arriveth put him into bonds,
And fill with trouble his rejoicing heart.
Return him to this court and tarry not
Until he have grown great,’ and they will bind him,
And send him back in tears and strongly guarded.”
Khusrau Parwíz heard this with troubled heart,
His cheek gloomed at their words and he replied:—
“Ill-fortune well may treat us thus, but words
Are long and deeds are strong; trust we in God.”
He urged his steed and said: “What good and bad
The World-lord hath writ o'er our heads will come,
No musing can avert it. May our foes
Ne'er have their will.”

When he had gone the two

Unjust ones turned back eager for revenge.
Arrived, they sought the palace of the Sháh,
All dudgeon and with hearts prepared for crime.
When they had passed the gate and reached the throne
They straightway took the string from off a bow,
Flung it forthwith around the monarch's neck,
And hung his honoured person. Passed that crown
And throne of king of kings: thou wouldst have said:—
“Hurmuzd was never in the world at all.”
The custom of revolving time it is
To furnish sometimes sweets and sometimes bane;
Seek not for profit from a stock like this
Because the quest will bring thee naught but pain.
When thus Hurmuzd's days ended and the throne,
That happy seat, remained unfilled, forthwith
Arose a sound of drums; those murderers' cheeks
Became like sandarac. Upon the road
Bahrám Chúbína's standard came in sight
Amid his troops, and that outrageous pair—
Bandwí and Gustaham—fled from the palace,
And hasted till they reached Khusrau Parwíz,
Who, seeing their wan looks, knew that their hearts
Contained some secret, else would they have quitted

The master of the world? His cheeks became
Like flowers of fenugreek but he revealed
Naught to that savage pair. He bade his troops:—
“Turn from the highway for a host approacheth.
Take the long route across the unwatered plain,
And let your bodies grow inured to pain.”