Whenas the sun displayed its shining crown
The moon appeared as 'twere a silver shield,
But terror-stricken at the rising din
Declined and hid her face. The tymbals sounded
Before the tent of Tús, the world grew ebon
With chargers' dust; it filled the air; the ground
Turned indigo, and Rustam donned his mail.
The army of Írán drew up in line,
The sons intent on fight, the sires on vengeance.
Gúdarz son of Kishwád was on the right
In armour, brandishing a mace of steel,
While Faríburz was stationed on the left,
And washed the vengeance from his chieftains' hearts.*

Tús son of Sháh Naudar was in the centre,
And all earth thronged with troops. Then peerless
Rustam
Advanced to view the opposing chiefs; the Khán,
Whose elephants made earth like indigo,

Was in the centre, on the right Kundur—
A gallant horseman lion-like in battle—
And on the left the veteran Gahár:
The earth was wounded 'neath the horsemen's hoofs.
Pírán, upon his rounds before the host,
Approached Shangul, the lover of the fray,
And said to him: “O famous man of Hind!
Folk from Shírwán to Sind perform thy bidding.
Thou said'st to me: ‘To-morrow with the dawn
Will I from all sides lead the host to fight;
Then will I challenge Rustam and bring down
To dust that head which reacheth to the clouds.’”
He answered: “I abide by what I said,
Thou shalt see from me neither more nor less.
Now will I go before this vanquisher
Of chiefs, and nail him through with arrow-points,
Avenge Kámús and press the Íránians.”
With that he made three battles of his host,
He beat the drums and dust rose from the plain.
They marched, each battle, with huge elephants—
An army-front extending o'er two miles.
The heads of all the drivers were adorned
With gaudy colours; each man wore a crown
And earrings, with a gold torque round his neck,
And belt of gold about his loins. The beasts
Were draped with housings of brocade of Chín
Surmounted by a throne and seat of gold.
Then there arose the blast of clarions,
And all the elephants of war advanced;
Upon the right marched thirty thousand men—
Illustrious cavaliers armed with the spear—
Another thirty thousand on the left
With bows and shields of Chín. The elephants
Were in the centre with the Khán, a throng
That rolled earth's surface as they marched along.