When night had gathered up its reins and gone,
And when the dawn had raised its shining spear,
The Sháh sat down upon the throne of gold,
And glorious Asfandiyár approached.

He stood before the presence of his sire
In deep concern, slave-like with folded arms,
And when the throng of warriors and nobles
Had gathered round the Sháh, and when the archmages
Were ranged in line before his throne, and when
The captains of the host stood ranked before him,
Asfandiyár, the elephantine chief,
Began to vent his grievances, and said:—
‘O Sháh! live evermore. Upon the earth
The Grace of God is thine. Through thee are love
And justice manifest, and crown and throne
Adorned. A slave am I to thee, my sire!
And run to do thy will. Thou knowest how
Arjásp came hither for religion's sake
With cavaliers from Chín, while I had sworn
A mighty oath e'en as God prompted me:—
‘Whoever shall make wreckage of the Faith,
And give his heart to idol-worshipping,
Him will I smite asunder and fear none.’
So when Arjásp came forth to war I shrank not
From fighting that fierce Leopard; yet didst thou
Disgrace me at the instance of Gurazm,
When quaffing royally upon a feast-day,
Didst put my body into heavy bonds,
And blacksmiths riveted my chains and fetters;
Didst send me to the hold of Gumbadán,
And give me up to strangers in contempt.
On quitting Balkh thou wentest to Zábul,
Regarding warfare merely as a feast,
And though consigning Sháh Luhrásp to death
Beheldest not the falchion of Arjásp.
Jámásp, when he arrived, saw me in bonds,
And scathed thereby, assured to me the realm
And throne, and pleaded much. I said to him:—
‘These heavy chains, these columns, and these shackles
By blacksmiths riveted, will I display
To God upon the Great Day of Account,
And cry to Him against the evil-doer.’
He said to me: ‘The blood of all our princes—
Men of high rank and armed with massive maces—
Shot down by arrows on the battlefield;
Thy sisters carried captive; Farshídward,
The noble warrior, o'erthrown and wounded
Upon the field of battle; and the Sháh
Himself in flight before the Turkmans, writhing
At having put Asfandiyár in bonds—
Is not thy heart on fire at things like these,
And all this travail, grief, and misery?’
He added much—words fraught with grief and anguish.
I burst my yoke and bonds, and came apace
Before the ruler of the flock. I slew
Unnumbered foes; the Sháh approved my deeds.
If I should speak about the Seven Stages
Good sooth! I ne'er should end. I glorified
The name of Sháh Gushtásp, I took the head
Off from Arjásp and brought his wife and children,
His crown and throne and treasure, to this court.
The goods thou placed'st in the treasury;
My capital was blood, my profit toil.
Thou wast so full of promise, oath, and pledge
That I more readily performed thy bidding.
Thou said'st: ‘If I shall look on thee again
I will esteem thee dearer than my soul,
And give thee diadem and ivory throne,
Because thy courage meriteth the crown.’
Now I am shamed before the mighty men,
Who say: ‘Where are thy treasures and thy host?’
What pretext hast thou? What is my position?
For what end have I gone through all the toil?
It is the part of Sháhs to keep their word;
They do not break their bonds and covenants.
Now therefore set the crown on thy son's head
As thine own father crowned thee in his stead.”