Pírán departed and the opposing hosts
Stood like two glittering mountains on the earth,
While Rustam thus harangued the Íránians:—
“My loins are girt for battle, be it yours
To think but of revenge, and let each warrior
Frown, for no small strife fronteth us to-day,
But one that will appraise both wolf and sheep.
The reader of the stars hath said to me:—
‘My heart is troubled by this coming fight;
'Twill be betwixt two mountains, troops in mass
Will bathe the world in blood, the veteran chiefs
Will gather, and the strife unman the world;
Then feud will cease to stalk, the steel mace grow
Like wax.’ Have no misgivings, whosoe'er
May come to fight with me, for I will bind

His hands within the twisted lasso's coils
Although the starry heavens be his ally.
Let no one tremble at yon famous chiefs.
If my life endeth on the battlefield,
And doubtless I shall not die at a feast,
All that thou needest is enduring fame,
Thou canst not stay, why make so much ado?
Set not thy heart upon this Wayside Inn,
Trust not a Hostelry so perilous,
Where souls allied to wisdom reckon not
Their day as good or ill. E'en lords of crown
And treasure may not fix their hearts on this
Our Wayside Inn.”

The troops replied: “Thy hests

Are higher than sky and moon, and our keen swords
Shall make our fame last till the Judgment Day.”
The armies closed. “A black cloud,” thou hadst said,
“Hath risen raining shafts and scimitars,
And all the world is like a sea of pitch.”
The glorious visage of the sun grew dark
With eagles' plumes and arrow-heads of steel.
Thou wouldst have said: “Amid the cloud of dust
The lances' heads have smirched the stars with gore!”
What while the ox-head maces crashed around
Thou wouldst have said: “The sky is raining stones!”
And midst the flashing of the diamond swords:—
“A cloud hath risen and its rain is blood!”
The briars and dust were drenched with gore and
brains,
The helms were smashed upon the wearers' heads.

Said gray Gúdarz: “Since first I girt myself
To play the man I have seen no such strife,
Or heard of such among the haughty chiefs;
Such is the slaughter that one half alone
Of men is safe, the other is o'erthrown!”