In time news reached Bízhan: “Máhwí hath seized
The throne of might and everywhere imposeth
His seal and signet; earth accepteth him,
And now with warlike troops his face is turned
Toward the Jíhún for battle.”

“Who bestowed

The signet on him?” asked Bízhan, and one
Acquainted him with all: “When thou didst reach
The desert of Farab, and fortune's lips
Were closed to good and ill, there parted hence
To him a force of haughty cavaliers
In quest of fame, for he had said: ‘If thou
Wilt send me troops I will dispatch to thee
By privy pact the crown of king of kings
With golden throne and signet. In the world
The sovereignty is fitly thine.’ Thy troops
Went hence in haste and found the Sháh at Marv.
They compassed him about. The Íránians fled.
When that wise king was left alone he feared
That ill might come upon him from the host.
There was a certain mill upon the ford,
And thither went the Sháh, a sun in Grace.
Máhwí of Súr heard of him, sent and slew him,
And through the royal signet gained the world
When he had slain his master. Now the more part
Of praise and blame in this affair is thine,
Thine were the valiant horsemen and the strife.”
Barsám said thus: “O king! what time*

I took
A mounted force from Chách*

Máhwí had said
To thee: ‘The golden throne of Yazdagird,
His armlets set with gems, his crown withal
And treasure, will I send to Balkh. The throne
And crown within the world must needs be thine.’
I fought three days at Marv. When on the fourth
The world's light shone I battled furiously,
For I was pressed. Tyrannical Máhwí
Displayed his back. The Íránian king of kings,
Abandoned, like a furious lion charged

My troops and slaughtered many of my chiefs,
But, when he had no comrades left, he too
Displayed his back; but how that master-slayer,
That faithless slave, put him to death I know not.
Thus with no toil Máhwí obtained and used
His master's treasures. Then the miscreant,
Becoming dazed by so much wealth, appeared,
Thou mightest say, as if he ne'er had seen me!
Although my troops remained two months at Marv
He gave us no kind look but put to death,
And privily, his lord, so great a king,
The lustre of the world, a cavalier
That ‘raiseth o'er the orbit of the moon
His head amidst the host’ thou wouldst have said.
No Turk encountered and escaped his mace:
He broke our nobles' hearts. I have not seen
Such breastplate, hand, and mace. Máhwí thus
furnished
Seized on the realm in this unholy wise.
Now that the foe in arms invadeth thee
Thou and thine army must be up and doing.
Let not weeds blossom in the royal garden
Or it will be forgotten.”

Hearing this,

Bízhan raged much at having helped to dim
The fortune of the Sháh, then bade assemble
His host of Turks, his horsemen of the day
Of battle, sped forth from Káchár Báshí,
And lost no time upon the road. Whenas
He drew anear Bukhárá all the waste
Was covered with his troops to whom he said:—
“Haste not and let Máhwí be first to lead
His host across the water*

to contend
With me. Perchance on him I may avenge
The Sháh.”

He asked thereafter: “Did the king

Leave no availful child? Had he no brother?
In the default of sons had he no daughter,
Whom we might carry with us and assist,
And take full satisfaction of Máhwí?”
Barsám replied: “My lord! this race's day
Is passed; the Arabs hold those provinces;
No Sháh is left or worshipper of Fire.”
Bízhan, on hearing this, resumed his march,
Astound at this world's doings. Scouts announced:—
“A host hath come and campeth at Baigand.
They crossed in boats, their dust obscured the sun.”
Bízhan, the chief, led on his troops to war,
And when Máhwí of Súr beheld them thou

Hadst said: “His soul took flight.” He was in
dudgeon
At all those breastplates, helmets, shields of Chín,
At all those maces, spears, and battle-axes
Of Chách. The air grew dark and earth was lost
To sight therein as he arrayed his host.