The Sháh took counsel with his troops what while
The Khán abode at Sughd, which everywhere
Was like a sea with kinsmen of Arjásp
And of Afrásiyáb. The Khán said: “Earth
Will not support this host and throne of mine.
I will lead hence the army to Írán,
And onward to the cities of the brave,
Will bear the very dust away to Chín,
And set the heaven warring with the earth.
I will allow not any to possess
Crown, throne, or kingship, dignity or fortune.”
Such was the language that he held awhile,
Ambitioning the world with troops and fame,
Until the tidings came about the Sháh,
How he had marched forth from Írán in state,
Of his victorious fortune and his might,
And how his army stretched from sea to sea.
The Khán was troubled when he heard the news
That stayed his purposed inroad, and he sat
In anxious conclave with his counsellors.
The great men of the army were assembled,
And he addressed his minister: “We cannot
Afford to blink these tidings. Núshírwán,
I hear, hath reached Gurgán and spread the realm
With troops. Good sooth, he hath not news of us,
Or hath a witless head. Mine army stretcheth
From Chín to the Jíhún, the world is 'neath
The glory of my crown. I needs must go
And face him in the fight. Delay will shroud
The lustre of my name. Himself he deemeth
The limit and that none is king but he.
Now shall he learn of mine own warriorship,
For I will face him with the cavaliers
Of Chín.”

A wise man thus addressed the Khán:—

“O monarch of the earth! think not to fight
Against the Sháh, and give not to the winds
Thy realm and host. None of the kings, unless
His heart and counsel lour, ambitioneth

The Sháh's seat, for none hath his Grace and fortune:
The moon in heaven hath not such a mien.
He claimeth tribute both from Hind and Rúm,
Wherever there is wealth or peopled land.
He is the lord of crown, the ornament
Of throne, the conquering master of the world,
And fortunate.”

The Khán took fitting order,

On hearing this, and asked his shrewd adviser:—
“What aspect hath this matter to the wise?
Two points confront us which we may not shun,
And cannot readily pass o'er in silence:
If war with him is toil and nothing more
There is no better course than spending treasure.
Dínárs can not be used to purchase raiment,
Or food or carpetings when war is toward,
But can procure peace, provand, fair attire,
And carpetings. Let all afraid of ill
Spurn drachms and be at ease.”

Then from the host

He chose ten fluent speakers apt for parle;
A learnéd man of Chín too wrote a letter,
All compliments, decked like his idol-houses,
And to the king's court those ten prudent horsemen
Set forth with much to say. Now when men brought
The news to Núshírwán he decked the palace
Of king of kings, then bade to raise the curtain,
And introduce the envoys joyfully.
The ten went in before the king, and took
With them the letter, offerings, and gifts.
The world-lord, when he saw, received them well,
Inquired about the Khán and made them sit.
They bent their heads before him to the ground,
And gave the message of the Khán of Chín.
There was a letter written in that tongue
On silk, and this the envoy laid before
The scribe. When Yazdagird began to read it
The company were filled with wonderment
Thereat. It first of all invoked the blessing
Of God, the All-just, upon the king of earth,
Next manifested forth the eminence,
Wealth, army, arms, and greatness of the Khán,
And thirdly said: “Faghfúr of Chín himself
Acclaimeth me, unasked bestowed upon me
His daughter, and his host is mine to bid.
'Tis for the presents that I sent the Sháh,
Which the Haitálians stopped upon the way,
That I came forth from Chách to take revenge,
To take the crown and treasure from Ghátkar,
So came from the Gulzaryún that all
The waters of Jíhún grew red with blood,
For when in Chín news reached us of the Sháh,
I praised the teller of his victories,

His manliness, his wisdom, modesty,
And learning, and in secrecy desired
All friendship with the monarch of the world.”
Now when the Sháh discovered from the letter
The power, the might, and purpose of the Khán,
They made a lodging ready for the envoys,
Praised and made much of them. Whene'er the board
Was spread for feast and revelry the king
Invited them, and for a month they shared
With him the hall, the banquet, and the chase.
One day he held his court upon the plain,
The air was darkened with the horsemen's dust,
And all the marchlords with their golden girdles,
Men of Balúch and Gíl with golden bucklers,
Attended in a body at that court,
Attended to do service to the Sháh,
And brought three hundred steeds caparisoned
With gold, and scimitars with golden scabbards.
Swords, double-headed darts, and javelins glittered:
Thou wouldst have said: “Gold is compact with iron.”
Upon one elephant, whose back was all
Housed in brocade, they set a turquoise throne,
Nile-blue, and bruit and stir filled earth and air,
Enough to deafen even the best of ears.
The ambassadors from Barda', Hind, and Rúm,
From every sovereign and peopled realm,
And from the spear-armed horsemen of the desert,
Went in a body to the king who thus
Proved to the men of Chín: “Mine is the sway,
Mine from the sun down to the Fish's back.”*

Air was all stir and dust of horsemen, earth
All armature of war. They made mock-battle
Upon the plain whereon there sallied forth
The warlike cavaliers and wheeled awhile
In pride with sparth and arrow, mace and bow.
The plain was full of spear and javelin-men,
And here were foot, there horse. The envoys, sent
From every clime by every chief and ruler,
Astonied at his host and equipage,
His countenance, his glory, and address,
Held talk with one another, saying thus
In whispers: “This is an exalted Sháh!
He seeketh honour, showeth horsemanship,
Displayeth to the warriors of the host
His spear-point, and the skill that he hath shown us
We ought to lay to heart that on returning,
Each to our king, we may remember it,
And say: ‘None, young or old, hath seen one like
Sháh Núshírwán.’”

They told to the world's king

The sayings of the ambassadors in private.

He bade his treasurer bring upon the field
His battle-gear, had body-armour brought,
With helm and mail, and bade undo the buckles.*

No lusty warrior, though broad of breast,
Could lift the breastplate even from its place!
The Sháh alone had chest and neck to bear
The body-armour, mace, and morion.
There was no archer in the host like him,
And no such warrior among the nobles.
Like some fierce elephant he sought the field
With ox-head mace in hand and under him
A fiery steed; his stature 'mazed the throng.
A shout rose and the blast of clarions,
While bells resounded from the elephants' backs,
And drummers with their cymbals led the way;
Earth was in travail 'neath the horses' hoofs.
The king of kings, helmed on an armoured steed,
Wheeled to the left and right. The ambassadors
Applauded him and louted to the ground.
The world-lord sought his palace from the plain,
And all the chieftains followed in his train.