Now when heaven's sphere grew void of sun and moon,
And when the scouts came forth from both the hosts,
The watcher in the look-out loosed his tongue:—
“The plain is full of dust, the night is dark,
The level and the upland ring with cries,
And there are many lights among the troops.

Good sooth! the elephantine chief hath come,
And with an army from Zábul.”

Gúdarz,

On hearing this, descended mid the murk
The rocks in haste, the dragon-standard shone
Though night was dark and earth was violet-dim.
He lighted from his steed, while Rustam too
Alighted and advanced like rushing wind.
The twain embraced and from them both arose
A bitter cry o'er those Gúdarzian chiefs,
And that gain-seeking which had proved a loss.
Gúdarz said: “Brave, wise, ardent paladin!
Both crown and throne receive their light from
thee,
And what thou utterest is truth indeed.
More art thou to the Íránians than father
And mother, treasure, throne, and precious stones.
Without thee we are fish on land, our heads
Are petrified, our bodies in the grave.
When I observed thy goodly countenance,
Thine eager salutations and thy love,
I grieved no longer for the dear ones gone;
Through thy good fortune only smiles remained.”
Then Rustam answered him: “Be glad of heart,
And very heedful of thy noble self,
Because the world is but deceit and toil,
It showeth thee its wealth and that is all.

One man is rich, another poor; this man
Is honoured, that despised, but all must go,
There is no remedy; I know no worse
Calamity than death, but may that pang
Afflict not thee, and may we all die fighting.”
When Tús, Gív, and those valiant warriors,
The Íránian cavaliers, had heard the news
Of Rustam's coming to Mount Hamáwan,
And being seen by veteran Gúdarz,
They went like wind, shouts rose, and clarions blared.
The soldiers and the chiefs approached afoot,
Their loins were girded but their hearts at ease.
They raised a cry of anguish for those slaughtered
Amid the dust of fight; the heart of Rustam
Was moved; he girt himself anew for vengeance;
Then, hearing what had chanced in that campaign,
Lamented all the sufferings of the troops,
And gave much counsel, saying: “Ye chiefs! to-day
A grave strife faceth us, and war's result
Is feast to one and funeral to another.”
That warrior, that Lustre of the world,
Set up his camp-enclosure while his powers
Encamped behind him on Mount Hamáwan,
And raised their leader's standard. Mighty Rustam
Sat on the throne and all the chiefs assembled.
Here sat Gúdarz and Gív, there Tús and others,
While Rustam, with a lamp in front of him,
Discoursed at large of matters great and small,
How chiefs and troops had fought, and whether now
Bright sun and shining moon would favour them.
The chiefs spake to the gallant paladin
Of that innumerable host of foes,
Spake of Kámús, Shangul, the Khán of Chín,
Manshúr, and of the warriors of Túrán:—
“About Kámús himself we cannot speak,
For we have had no means of seeing him.*

He is a Tree whose Fruits are mace and sword,
And, though the clouds rained stones upon his head,
He would not flee from elephants of war:
His head is full of wreak, his heart of strife.
Earth is not able to contain Manshúr;
No warrior ordereth a host like him;
And from this mountain to the river Shahd
Stretch flags and litters, elephants and troops,
Whose helmets and cuirasses pass compute.
Grim are the looks of all upon the plain,
Which is a mass of tents, around are pitched
The tent-enclosures of brocade of Chín,
And had the captain and the host not come
All had been lost. Praise to the Lord of victory,
Who thus hath put a period to our stress!
Past doubt we live through thee; we all despaired
Of respite.”

For a while the paladin

Grieved for the slain, wept, and grew dark of soul,
Then said: “Look from the orbit of the moon
Down to the gloomy face of sombre earth;
All is distress and anguish, care and toil.
Such is the manner of this Wayside Inn,
Such is the manner of the circling sky—
Whiles strife and poison, and whiles sweets and love!

We die by nature or by violence;
'Tis better not to mark the why and how,
For all must go as soon as time is up.
Blame not the circling of the sky. Now may
The all-victorious World-lord be our aid,
And may our foemen's fortunes be o'erthrown.
Henceforward we will take our full revenge,
And rid the world of foes.”

The mighty men

Praised him and said: “Live ever famed and glad
With signet, crown, and sword, and never be
The court of Kai Khusrau bereaved of thee.”