Káús arrived at Párs, the world began
An age of happiness. He acted justly,
Adorned the throne, and gave free scope to feasting;
He sent forth wise and noble paladins
With troops to all parts—Marv and Níshápúr,
Harát and Balkh. Then justice ruled the world;
The wolf eyed not the lamb. Such were his treasures,
His state, and Grace, that fairies, men, and dívs
Served him, all were his lieges, other kings
Were soldiers in his host. He gave the office
Of paladin of paladins to Rustam—
The author of his weal—and wearied out
The dívs to build himself on Mount Alburz
Two mansions, each ten lassos long, which they
Constructed at his bidding of hard stone.
He excavated stables in the rocks,
The columns were of stone with clamps of steel,

And there he kept the war-steeds and the camels
To ride or carry litters. He erected
A pleasure-house of crystal, studding it
With emeralds; a cupola of onyx
Brought from Yamán, and there installed archmages
That learning might not fail; two armouries
Of virgin silver and a golden palace
Twice sixty cubits high for his own seat
With turquoise traceries; he spared not jewels.
It was a dwelling after his own heart,
Where daily provand waxed continually.
There was no summertide or wintertide,
The air was ambergris, the rain was wine,
The days of springtide lasted all the year,
And roses there were like a maiden's blush,
The heart was far from sorrow, pain, and travail,
The dívs were harmless being spent with toil.
So good and just was he that fortune slept,
While drudging dívs beneath his rigour wept.