I will retell the tale of Madá'in,
Tell of the palace of Khusrau Parwíz.
A Persian shrewd of heart, o'er whom had passed
Years four times thirty, said: Khusrau Parwíz
Sent men to Rúm, Hind, Chín, and other lands
Inhabited, and from all climes there came
Three thousand famed artificers, of whom
He chose two hundred—masters of their craft,
Who knew the use of bricks and mortar well—
Out of Írán, Ahwáz, and from the Rúmans.
Of these he next chose thirty and from them
Two Rúmans and one Persian, from which three
They chose a Rúman matchless in the world.
That expert came before Khusrau Parwíz,
And held discourse of plan and elevation.
That Rúman worshipful, that scientist
Surpassed in speech the Persian. Said the Sháh:—
“Accept this contract at my hands and heed
These mine instructions: I require a building
Such that although my sons and race shall dwell
Therein for many a year it will not fall
To ruin through the rain or snow or sun.”
The expert undertook the Sháh's commission,
And said: “For this thing I am competent.”
Ten royal cubits deep he excavated,
(A royal cubit is five common ones)
*
And laid foundations made of stone and mortar
To form a solid basis. When the walls
Belonging to the palace had been reared
He came before the master of the world,
And said: “Let now the Sháh appoint a man,
Exceeding wise and well advanced in years,
And send out to the works this man approved
Together with some trusty archimages.”
The Sháh appointed men as he was asked,
Who went and made inspection of the walls.
The artist brought silk which the company
Turned to a slender cord by twisting it.
Then from the wall-top of the royal palace
He measured to the level of the ground,
And after measuring the twisted cord
In presence of the Sháh's commissioners
He took it to the royal treasury,
And having sealed it gave it to the keeper;
Then going to the court said to the Sháh:—
“The palace-walls have risen to the moon,
By the Sháh's command
They gave the artist thirty thousand drachms
Lest he should take it ill. That honest workman
Knew that experts would blame him when he built
The palace hastily and, if it fell,
That he himself would lose his livelihood.
That night he disappeared; none saw him more.
Khusrau Parwíz when told: “Farghán hath fled,”
Poured out upon the speaker all his wrath,
And said: “How could a dullard give himself
Such airs before me?”
Then he bade: “Survey
The work and put in prison all the Rúmans.”
He said moreover: “Bring artificers,
And gather mortar, stones, and massive bricks.”
Albeit those that viewed the walls took flight
Both from the Sháh and realm, and he was forced
To leave the work alone and turned his thoughts
Upon Ahwáz if haply he might find
An architect that such an enterprise
Might not continue headless very long.
He sought for one for three years but they found
None of surpassing worth, and people still
Talked much about the former architect,
Who in the fourth year reappeared. A man
Of prudence and of Grace divine informed
Khusrau Parwíz and presently the Rúman
Himself came swift as dust.
“Thou criminal!”
The Sháh said, “say what disability
Was in the work to make thee lose both wealth
And Paradise?”
The Rúman said: “If now
The king will send me with a trusty man
I will explain to him about my doings,
And pardon will ensue on explanation.”
The Sháh dispatched them and they left the palace,
The noble artist and king's confidant.
The clever Rúman took the measuring-line,
And with the Sháh's own representative
Tried the wall's height and found that it had sunk
Seven cubits. Then they carried to the Sháh
The line. The expert's comrade made report.
Khusrau Parwíz
Saw that he spake, as all should do, the truth,
Freed those in prison, whether ill-disposed
Or innocent, and gave the architect
Ten purses of dínárs and to the imprisoned
Full many a gift. Thus much time passed away.
The Sháh was eager for the work's completion,
And after seven years it was achieved,
And was approved by wise Khusrau Parwíz,
Who gave the architect much honour, land,
Dínárs and drachms and praise. All went to view
That palace, and the Sháh was wont to spend
His New Year there. None ever saw a structure
Like that or heard from famous architects
Of such. A ring of gold cast for the purpose
Hung from the ceiling of the cupola,
And from the ring a chain of ruddy gold
With jewelled links. Whene'er the king of kings
Ascended to his throne of ivory
They used to hang the crown upon this chain,
And when he took his seat on New Year's Day
The nearest were the favoured archimages,
The next below the chiefs, the mighty men,
And commissaries, lower down the merchants
And other traders, lower still the poor,
And those that laboured for their daily bread,
And, lowest, many maimed in hand or foot,
Or cast down mangled at the palace-gate.
Then from the hall would proclamation come
That used to stir all hearts: “All ye that are
The subjects of the monarch of the world!
Be not heart-darkened and dispirited.
The cares of all that look up to this height
Shall end, but look beyond the royal throne,
And take ye all the lieges in account.”
Then no one, whether innocent or not,
Was still retained in bondage by the Sháh,
Who used to clothe his prisoners withal
From head to foot and give to them dínárs
And gifts of all kinds, while all mendicants
Within the city that received no share
On New Year's Day he seated at his gate,
And flung drachms to them from the treasury.
Ill-doers used to fear him, drowsiheads
Grew vigilant while proclamation issued,
Whenas the time for leaving had arrived:—