Now when Pírúz had 'scaped that day of stress
He sat in peace upon the throne of kingship,*

He built himself a city which he bade
Call Pírúz-Rám, the world hath good thereof,
For 'tis the pleasance of the glorious Sháhs.
He built withal Bádán-Pírúz, far-famed,
A place of peace and joy, now Ardabíl,
Where Cæsar hath of right his boundary.
Whenas Pírúz had prospered all these parts,
And made thereby the hearts of wise men glad,
He gave a largess to his noble troops,
And gat him ready to attack the Turkmans.
In that campaign Hurmuz was in the van
With troops new-levied; after Sháh Pírúz
Kubád led*

on the army like a blast;
Pírúz' pure son was he, wise, and a bough
That brought forth fruit. Balásh, the younger son,*

A man of Grace and justice, sat rejoicing

Upon the throne while one of Párs, a man
Of high renown called by the king Sarkhán,*

Was bidden by Pírúz: “Abide thou here
As upright minister before Balásh.”*

Pírúz set forward with his troops, his treasure,
And gear of war, to fight with Khúshnawáz.
Now brave Bahrám had marked the boundary
By setting up a column on the plain
With this inscription by the king of kings:—
“Let not a Turkman or Íránian
Transgress this boundary on any wise,
Or pass across the river.”

When Pírúz,

The lion-queller, reached that spot he saw
The mark set by the monarch of Írán,
And thus addressed his chiefs: “By this same token
Will I erect with scimitar and treasure
A tower against the Turkmans so that none
May suffer from the Haitálians. When 'tis raised
On the Tarak, and when their chiefs shall bring
The former treaty, I will say: ‘Bahrám Gúr
Did thus by manhood, wisdom, might, and Grace,
But I will leave no trace of Khúshnawáz,
Haitálian or Turkman, high or low.’”
When Khúshnawáz, son of the Khán, had heard:—
“The Sháh and all his host have crossed Jíhún
Against the treaty that Bahrám Gúr made:
Fresh war and strife have come upon the land,”
A veteran scribe was called by his command.