Now hear and learn the wisdom of Ardshír,
Who toiled, gave virtue vogue, and everywhere
Spread love and justice. As his forces grew
At court he sent his agents to all parts
To say: “Let none of you that hath a son
Allow him to grow up in ignorance,
But teach him horsemanship and how to fight
With mace and bow and shafts of poplar-wood.”
A youth, when trained to strength and grown
efficient,
Would come up from his province to the court,
The Sháh's famed court, and then the muster-master
Would have him registered and give him quarters.
These young recruits, when war broke out, went forth
Commanded by some paladin, some archmage
Among the officials anxious to excel,
One to each thousand youths. He went with them
To note their dispositions—cowardly,
Or too infirm for war—and to report
On all by letter to the king of kings,
Who when he had perused it and received
The messenger, would have a robe of honour
Of what was choicest in the treasury
Prepared for those that showed accomplishment;
But non-effectives carried arms no more.
Thus grew his troops so many that they passed
The purview of the stars, and men of counsel
Received promotion at his hands. A herald
Used to make circuit of the host, proclaiming:—
“Ye men of name and warriors of the Sháh!
Whoe'er hath sought for favour in his sight,
And washed earth with the blood of valiant men,
Shall have from me a royal gift and leave
His fame as his memorial.”

He ordered

The whole world with his troops, a shepherd he
With soldiers for his flock.

He kept a staff

Of experts in his public offices,
Committing naught to those incompetent.
They made a point of style and penmanship,
And when one showed superiority,

And when his principal reported it,
The king of kings increased for him his pay.
The second-rate served not the Sháh himself,
But gave assistance to his officers;
He only kept the scribes that were adepts,
And, when he saw such, he would praise them, saying:—
“A scribe that filleth up the treasury,
And by his talent lesseneth toil, availeth
State, host, and subjects pleading for redress.
The scribes are as the sinews of my soul,
And monarchs in disguise.”

When governors

Went to their provinces he used to charge them:—
“Hold money vile and sell no man for pelf,
Because this Hostel bideth not with any,
But seek for wisdom and all righteousness;
Let greed and madness be afar from thee,
And take none of thy kith and kin; the troops
That I have given thee are friends enough.
Give largess monthly to the poor, but naught
To foes. If by thy justice thou shalt make
Thy province prosper thou wilt prosper too
And joy in justice, but if any poor
Sleep there in fear thou sellest thine own soul
For gold and silver.”

All that came to court

On state affairs, or to require redress,
Were met by trusty henchmen of the Sháh,
And asked about the royal governors:—
“Are they just men or covetous? Do any
Lie wronged by them? What learnéd men are there?
Are any faint through want? Would any be
Of service to the Sháh as being old
And veteran, or devout? The king of kings
Saith: ‘Let my toils and treasure gladden none
Except the men of wisdom and of lore,
For what is better than one wise and aged?
I seek experienced men and youths approved,
And patient, for if youths are wise and apt
To learn they fittingly replace the old.’”
As often as his host went forth to war
He acted prudently and cautiously,
And chose some scribe—a wise, learned, heedful man—
And charged him with a courteous embassage
Lest there be unjust strife. The envoy used
To visit the Sháh's foe to learn his case,
And list to him if he were wise and held
War's sorrows, toils, and ills calamities.

If so he would have presents from the Sháh,
With grant, with patent, and remembrances;
But if he had a wrathful head, a heart
Revengeful, and blood boiling in his liver,
The Sháh would give the host a donative,
That no one might be malcontent, appoint
Some paladin aspiring, watchful, wise,
And placable, and therewithal a scribe—
A man of precedent and mastery—
To keep watch that the soldiers did no wrong;
Then mounted on an elephant a man,
Whose voice could reach two miles, thus to proclaim:—
“Ye chieftains of the fray, brave, famed, and bold!
No harm must come on poor or rich and noble.
Pay for your provand at each stage and earn
My subjects' thanks, and let God's worshippers
Touch not another's goods. Whoe'er shall show
The foe his back his outlook will be gloomy,
Because his grave will be at hand, or chains
Will gall his neck and breast, or else his name
Will be struck off the roll, and he himself
Will feed on dust and on dark dust repose.”
Then he would charge the captain of the host:—
“Be neither slack nor rash to attack, keep always
The elephants in front and push out scouts
Four miles. Be instant, when a fight is toward,
To go among the troops, bid them remember
Both who and what they are, why in the field:—
‘They are a hundred horsemen to our one,
And yet their hundred to our one are few!
For every one of you, both young and old.
I shall receive a present from Ardshír.’
When cavaliers advance upon both sides
Let not thy warriors, in their eagerness
To fight, press on till they expose the centre,
However large the host. Dispose thy left
Against the foe's right wing that all may have
A chance of fighting and array thy right
Against his left. Let all look to their baggage.
The centre must stand fast, let no one there
Advance a foot; but if the opposing centre
Advance, advance thine own. When thou hast
triumphed
Forbear to shed the blood of foes in flight,
While, if they ask for quarter, grant it them,
And be not vengeful. When thou seest the foe
Retreat, haste not to quit thine own position,
Or deem thyself secure from ambuscade,
But, once thou art assured, see that thou heed not
Another's words. Bestow the spoil on those
That sought the fray and bravely washed their hearts
Of love of life, and bring withal all captives
Without fail to my court. I will erect them
A city where a thorn-brake stood.*

As thou
Wouldst live unvexed and scathless turn in naught
From these my counsellings, and in thy triumphs
Incline to God because He is past doubt
Thy guide.”

Whenever there arrived an envoy

From any part, Rúm, Turkistán, or Persia,
The marchlords got to know it, for they held
Such things of moment; lodging was provided,
This was the business of the governors,
With provand, raiment, and no stint of carpets,
Upon the route. They would inform themselves
As to the envoy's business with the Sháh,
And then a scribe upon a noble beast
Would go to Sháh Ardshír that troops might meet
The envoy. Then the conquering Sháh would have
His throne made ready and attendants ranked
On either side thereof in cloth of gold,
Would have the envoy summoned to the presence,
Seat him beside the throne, greet him, and learn
His business good or ill, name, and repute,*

His views of right and wrong, about his land,
About its customs, king, and armaments,
Conduct him to a palace with the state
That was befitting an ambassador,
And furnish what he needed, then invite him
To feast and revel, seat him by the throne,
Would take him out on royal hunting-days,
Escorted by a countless retinue,
Dismiss him with the forms due to an envoy,
And fashion him a monarch's robe of honour.
He sent withal archmages to all parts—
Men wise and shrewd and kindly—to build cities,
And lavish wealth thereon, that every man
Resourceless, homeless, and estranged from fortune,
Might have a living and a dwelling-place,
And thus increase the number of his subjects.
So his good name is current now as then
Upon the lips and in the thoughts of men,
And one sole monarch*

in the world we find
That now recalleth lost Ardshír to mind,

And mine 'tis living glory to bestow
Upon him.*

May his end all goodness know.
The Shah had many secrets, for he kept
His agents everywhere. Whene'er the rich
Grew poor the Sháh would help him, if informed,
And leave him prosperous with fertile lands,
Home, slaves, and underlings, arranging all
Without the city's ken, and put his children,
If they had talent, in the charge of tutors.
In every quarter of the towns were schools,
With colleges for worshippers of Fire.
He suffered none to want save such as kept
The fact a secret, and his custom was
To go at daybreak to the public ground,
Where all that sought redress could come, and there
Judged subject and friend's son impartially.
His justice made the whole world prosperous,
And all his subjects' hearts rejoiced in him.
When any king to justice is allied,
In time's despite his footprints will abide.
Observe the policy of this brave chief,
Who, thou wouldst say, engrossed all excellence.
His agents, wise and watchful officers,
Went through the world. Where any land lay waste,
Or streams ran low, he took the taxes off;
No holding was too mean for his regard.
If any thane was poor, and losing all,
The Sháh supplied both implements and cattle.
And let him not be ousted from his home.
Now hear, O king! the sayings of this sage
And make the world as bright as in his age;
As thou untroubled and unvexed wouldst be,
And pile up wealth not gained injuriously,
Seek that thy subjects may be unvexed too,
And have from all the praises justly due.
In Rúm and Chín, in Turkistán and Hind,
The world grew as 'twere Rúman silk to him,
Both toll and tax came in continually
From all lands, none opposing him. He summoned
The nobles of Írán and set those worthy
Upon the royal throne, then rose and made
Oration to them well and graciously:—
“O chieftains of the state, ye that are wise
And prudent! know that swiftly turning heaven
Assaileth not through justice nor embraceth

Through love, but setteth whom it will on high,
And then consigneth him to sorry dust;
His name alone surviveth, all his toils
Go with him to oblivion; one whose aims
Are good may leave a good name, naught besides.
Now as for thee, Urmuzd! thy lot will be
As holy God approveth. Turn and open
Thyself to Him who is the Lord of all,
And multiplieth good. From every ill
Take shelter with the Ruler of the world,
For ill and good are in His power, and He
Will make all hardship easy to thee, give
A bright heart to thee, and victorious fortune.
Judge first by mine experience and perpend
Mine own past good and evil while still fresh.
When I took refuge with the Lord of all
My heart was gladdened by the crown and throne.
I rule the seven climes for so seemed good
To His authority. From Rúm and Hind
I take a tribute, and the world hath grown
Like Rúman silk to me. Thanks be to God,
Who gave me strength, exalted star, and favour
From Sol and Saturn; yet who knoweth how
To praise Him worthily or give Him worship
Proportioned to His work so that He may
Be mindful of my service and set forth
His greatness and omnipotence? And now
What from our sense of justice—our delight—
We purpose we will tell. Although one tenth
From all communities is due to me,
As thane and archimage will testify,
I ask it not, I give it back to you—
The tithe on land and impost on the flocks—
Except the tithe on increase which the agent
Will pay into our treasury.*

The tithe,
That erst I took, and impost less or more,
I have employed on useful works and kept
A countless host at court. I sought your good,
Your safety, and the abatement of the Faith
Of Áhriman. Clasp, all! your hands to God,
Be diligent and break not His behest,
Who is the Lord and Giver of all things,
The Artist of the sky above, the Helper
Of the oppressed; but glory not o'er others
By reason of His favour, nor thereby
Deceive thy heart, for pride will have a fall.
Where are the men whose crowns erst frayed the
clouds?
Where those whose quarry was the mighty lion?
They, all of them, are couched on dust and brick,
And he is blest that sowed but seed of good.
List, all of you that are within my realm!
To these my final counsels. Now will I

Point out to you five courses that will profit
Far more than throne and treasury, so list,
Ye young and old! the words of famed Ardshír.
The man who knoweth that the Just One is
Will worship holy God and Him alone.
Again, misprize not knowledge, whether thou
Be liege or lord, and, thirdly, be assured
That wise men ne'er forget, and, fourthly, know
That fear of doing wrong availeth more
Than gibbet, bonds, and dungeon. Fifthly, none
Approveth of a slanderer's words. To these
I add one counsel more, a counsel better
Than eyes and life and goods: blest is the man
That maketh this world prosper, is the same
In public and in private, and moreover
Soft-spoken, modest, wise, and cordial.
Spend not thy money for the sake of show,
Or waste it foolishly on vanities,
Else there will be no profit, none will praise,
Nor holy men approve, but choose the mean,
Maintain it, and the wise will call thee prudent.
Again, there are five ways of making bright
Thy Faith and conduct, and of furthering
Thy comfort and thy joy, for in their honey
There is no bane to harm thee. First of all,
Seek not to pass by greed or pains the lot
Assigned to thee by God; the man content
Is rich, for each spring's blooms have borne him fruit.
Next, break the neck of greed, and tell no secret
Before the women. Thirdly, court not war
And strife, for they bring toil and anguish. Fourthly,
Seclude thy heart from grief and be not troubled
O'er ills not come, and, fifthly, meddle not
With things irrelevant, for know that they
Are not thy quarry. Hear ye all! my counsel,
My profitable speech; 'twill be right dear
To all men's hearts, for they will get thereby
Security from loss. Pause not from learning
If thou wouldst fire thy mind. If thou hast children
Have them instructed and cut short their play.
Heed, all! my words and pains on your behalf.
Let all the just and shrewd of heart break not
Their mutual intercourse, and compass ye
Heart's peace in four ways good and profitable:
First, fear, respect, and reverence holy God
That He may be thy Helper and thy Guide;
Next, rule thyself and look to thine own skirt,
Take God's commands to heart and tender them
Like thine own body; thirdly, make the right
Plain and ban fraud and falsehood; fourthly, swerve
not
In thought or action from the Sháh's behest,
But love him like thyself so that thy face
May clear at his command. Confine thy heart
To loyalty to him, let not thy soul
Swerve from his bidding, love him as thy life,
Perceiving that his justice guardeth thee.
The cares of royalty are with the Sháh,
He seeketh the world's gain and not its loss.
If, knowing that his marchlords and his troops
Afflict his realm, he interveneth not
He is no world-lord, and the crown of kingship
Befitteth him not; he hath blacked out his patent
As king of kings, his Grace is gone.*

Know this:
An unjust monarch is a ravening lion
Upon the pasture-land; so is the subject
That heedeth not with diligence and pains
The Sháh's command; his life will be all grief
And toil, and never will he reach old age
Within this Hostelry. If thou hast need
Of goodness and of greatness thou wilt win them
Not by thine avarice and arrogance.
May all my subjects' hearts be glad, and may
The world too prosper 'neath my righteous sway.”