V. 538 Another night thus passed and starry heaven
Turned o'er dark earth. Súdába radiant
Sat on her throne and donned a diadem
Of rubies. Then she summoned all her daughters,
Arrayed, and seated them on golden thrones.
Before her stood young Idols: thou hadst said:—
“It is a paradise.” The moon-faced lady
Said to Hírbad: “Go say to Siyáwush:—
‘Afflict thy feet and show thyself to me.’”
Hírbad made speed to give that lover's message
To Siyáwush who, hearing, stood distraught,
And oft invoked the Maker of the world.
He sought in various ways but found no help;
He trembled, and his legs shook under him;
Then went to visit her and saw her state,
Her face, and diadem. She with her head
And tresses decked with gems rose at his coming,
Gave up the throne of gold to him and, standing
Slavelike, displayed her Idols—gems uncut.
“Behold this throne-room,” thus she said, “and all
These handmaids with their golden coronets!
They all are youthful Idols of Taráz,
Whom God hath formed of modesty and charms.
If any one of them delighteth thee,
Survey her looks and form from head to foot.”
While Siyáwush was glancing lightly round
There was not one who dared to catch his eye,
And as they talked they said: “The moon itself
Would not presume to gaze upon this prince.”

When each, in speculation on her chance,
Had gone back to her seat, Súdába said:—
“Why dost thou keep thy purpose to thyself?
Wilt thou not tell me what is thy desire,
O thou whose looks are fairy-like with Grace!
For all are struck who catch a glimpse of thee,
Preferring thee to any? Ponder well
Which of these beauties is the worthiest.”
But Siyáwush was moved and answered not,
For thoughts like these arose in his pure heart:—
“Far better hold my pure heart's funeral rites
Than take a consort from among my foes.
I have been told by famous warriors
Of all the doings of Hámávarán,*

How he entreated the Íránian king,
And how he raised dust from the Íránian chiefs.
This treacherous Súdába is his daughter,
And will not leave our kindred skin or marrow.”
He opened not his lips to make reply.
The fairy-faced one raised her veil and said:—
“If one should see the new moon and the sun
Here upon this new throne, it would not be
A marvel if the moon should be despised,
And thou shouldst press the sun in thine embrace.
No wonder if the man that seeth me
Upon the ivory throne, with rubies crowned
And turquoise, should not look upon the moon,
But think all other Beauties beautiless.
If thou wilt make a compact with me now,
Turn not away but set my heart at rest,
One of my youthful daughters present here
Will I make stand before thee like a slave.
So make a compact with me now by oath,
And disregard no jot of what I say,
That, when the Sháh departeth from the world,
Thou wilt be his memorial with me,
Wilt never suffer me to come to harm,
But hold me dear as life. And now behold!

I stand before thee and I give to thee
Myself and my sweet life. I will fulfil
Whate'er thou asketh me—thy whole desire—
And let my head be taken in thy toils.”
She hung upon his neck, gave him a kiss,
And of a truth forgot her modesty.
He blushed; the very lashes of his eyes
Were red with shame. He thought: “From this dív's
work
Now may the Lord of Saturn keep me far!
I will not treat my sire disloyally,
Nor will I make a league with Ahriman.
If I speak coldly to this wanton dame
Her heart will seethe; she will grow hot with rage,
Make practice of some secret sorcery,
And cause the world-lord to believe in her.
'Tis best to speak her fair and keep her full
Of tenderness and longing.”

Then he said:—

“Thou hast not any equal in the world,
And art the rival of the moon itself
In beauty: thou art for the Sháh alone.
As for myself thy daughter will suffice;
None other must be mine. Consent to this,
Propose it to the monarch of Írán,
And mark the answer that thou wilt receive.
I will demand her and will covenant,
And give a pledge before thee with my tongue,
That till her stature equalleth mine own
I will not think of any one besides.
For what thou askest further—since my face
Inspireth in thy soul a love for me—
God's Grace hath made me thus, O thou most fair!
Conceal thy secret; speak of it to none:
For me too silence is the only course.
Thou art the chief of ladies and a queen,
And I will think of thee as mother only.”
He spake these words and rose to go, but love
Still filled her wicked soul. When next Káús,

The monarch, visited the women's bower,
Súdába looked and saw him. She appeared
Before the Sháh with news of what had passed,
And spake thus of the case of Siyáwush:—
“He came and looked all round the hall. I made
A bevy of the black-eyed Idols there.
The hall was such with all the fair-faced girls
That thou hadst said: ‘Love raineth from the
moon!’
But, save my daughter, he approved of none:
No other fair was precious in his eyes.”
The Sháh was so rejoiced that thou hadst said:—
“The moon itself hath come to his embrace!”
He oped his treasury's door: a wealth of gems,
Brocade of cloth of gold, and golden girdles,
As well as bracelets, crowns, and signet-rings,
With thrones and torques such as the noble wear,
And divers kinds of treasures were displayed,
So that the world was filled with things of price.
The Sháh then bade Súdába: “Keep all these
For Siyáwush. When he hath need of them,
Give them to him and say: ‘This gift is small;
Thou shouldest have two hundred times as much.’”
Súdába looked in wonder. Full of guile
She thought: “If Siyáwush complieth not,
Then he may take my life and welcome too.
Each practice good and evil, which they use
By stealth or openly throughout the world,
Will I employ; and, should he slight me, bring
A charge accusing him before the king.”