Then tidings reached Guráz, who had involved
Khusrau Parwíz in sorrow and distress,
And he dispatched from Rúm a man to say:—
“The crown of vile Shírwí is in the dust.

Hell take his soul and be his charnel-house
O'erturned! Who ever knew a lofty cypress
Wrecked in the garden by the grass, and one
Like to Khusrau Parwíz, whose peer as king
Time's eye and heart perceive not, who bestowed
My greatness on me, and I have not turned
From his behest? Now fate dethroneth him,
And fortune's face is utterly averse;
The circling heaven is his foe and maketh
His portion to be hidden in the earth;
The sun and moon amerce him of his sway,
And take the crown and throne from such a king,
Bestow the sovereignty upon Shírwí,
And give up all Írán to wretchedness!
When he passed and Ardshír assumed the crown
Both young and old rejoiced in him, but I,
If I have any portion in Írán,
Will suffer not our country's air to breathe
Upon him. Have I not received the news
Of Sháh Khusrau Parwíz wrecked by the words
Of one of evil mark? I will not have
A king like this one though the age be Sháhless,
For there is much contention in his head,
And he adviseth with another host.
Now will I come in force with chosen chiefs
Of Rúm and of Írán, and we shall see
What sort of Head that is to whom such schemes
Appeal. I will uproot him so that never
Shall he name kingship more.”

He sent a runner

To seek the ancients of the Íránian host,
And strove in other fashion to advance
His ill designs by writing to Pírúz,
Son of Khusrau, thus: “The Sásánians' fortune
Is louring and we need a world-aspirant
To gird himself for action. Haply thou
Art ware of what to do and how to take
The needful steps, wilt seek for many helpers,
Both young and old, wilt clear away Ardshír,
And afterwards attain thy whole desire,
Be safe and well contented; but if thou
Reveal this plot, and feed the sword of war
With blood, I will lead forth such hosts from Rúm
That I shall make the world dark in thine eyes.
Heed well my words, and mayst thou think no scorn
Of mine intent; thou must not fall through folly.
Oh! pass not from the throne of majesty
To underneath the dust. Repentance then
Will not avail thee when in wreak my sword
Is reaping heads.”

Pírúz, son of Khusrau,

When he had read that letter and perceived
The whole intendment of that self-willed man,

Much pondered on the matter and consulted
The ancient magnates, saying: “This affair
Hath come upon me unawares and like
A revelation!”

This was their reply:—

“Famed and redoubted chieftain! if our Sháh
Shall perish we shall rightly perish too
For such a crime. Let not Guráz' words move thee
To perpetrate such ill, but take occasion
For doing good. Write him a fitting answer,
And wake him from his dream. Say: ‘Thwart not
thou
God's purposes; give not the Dív a way
To thine own heart. Reflect upon the case
Of Sháh Khusrau Parwíz and all the wrong
That led to his undoing, for what time
Thou didst depose him the Sásánian fortune
Went at one blow, and when Shírwí ascended
The royal throne and girt his kingly loins
Folk hoped such days as when Khusrau Parwíz
Was Sháh whose wits were keen in all regards,
And if the world became what it became,
And gat no profit from the state of things,
It was because the world dealt foolishly,
And by one stroke lost its advantages.
Now that Ardshír, succeeding to Kubád,
Is seated as the Sháh upon the throne,
The world rejoicing in his majesty,
And earth and time exulting in his Grace,
Why should the world, now tranquil, he convulsed
By pain and war? Knock not at evils' door;
Those that slay blameless kings will prosper not.
In this strife circling heaven must not raise
Írán in dust. I fear that God will end
The Íránians' term for ills more heinous still.’”
Pírúz, on this wise counselled, wrote Guráz—
That villain of vile race (may none like him
Be ever chief!) —a profitable letter,
And thou hadst said that one had got his heart
Between the shears when he had read those words.
In fierce wrath with Pírúz, son of Khusrau,
He gathered all his baggage and commanded
The host to march forth plainwards. At the news
Pírúz dispatched a cameleer to go
In all haste to Tukhár to summon him,
Informing him at large of the affair,
Of what Guráz was doing and the strife
About the imperial throne. Then from Tukhár
This answer reached Pírúz, son of Khusrau:—

“Risk not the blood of the Íránian chiefs,
O noble man! but hear what saith Guráz.
Since thou hast written on such wise perchance
He may not come to fight with thee.”

Now when

Pírúz, son of Khusrau, had seen that letter
His heart had no repose from evil thoughts,
But gloomed with thinking how to harm the Sháh,
Whose wont it was to summon him, for he
Was an observant man and eloquent,
And served as minister and treasurer.
He came one dark night for an audience,
And found the wine bright and the welcome warm.
Ardshír was seated in his palace-hall
In company with many young and old,
And when Pírúz, son of Khusrau, came raised,
Thou wouldst have said, his head to heaven, called
For harp, and all the hall was filled with music.
Pírúz, son of Khusrau, when midnight came,
Had drunk one man*

of wine while the companions
Of Sháh Ardshír were all bemused; no minstrel
Was left that kept his wits. The miscreant
Dismissed the company: he and the Sháh
Alone remained. That man of outrage rose,
Laid hand upon the Sháh's lips unawares,
And held it there until Ardshír was dead.
The palace filled with scimitars and arrows.
All there—ambitious youths and warriors—
Were fautors of Pírúz, son of Khusrau.
Upon this manner ceased Ardshír to be
When he had had six months of sovereignty.