At daybreak Garsíwaz appeared at court,
With covered head and girdle round his loins,
And having been admitted kissed the ground,
And did obeisance unto Siyáwush,
Who said: “How was it with thee yesternight
Amid this great encampment and such din?”
And added: “As for this affair of thine,
I have considered fully thy proposal,

And in our object we are both agreed—
We both would wash out vengeance from our hearts.
Send then this answer to Afrásiyáb:—
‘Cease now to muse revenge. He that hath seen
The sequel of wrongdoing should recoil
From acting wrongfully. The heart adorned
With wisdom is as 't were a hoard of gold
And goods. If bane be not beneath these sweets,
And thou intendest neither wrong nor hurt,
Then, since thou wishest for a stable league,
Dispatch to me by way of hostages,
And as security for thy good faith,
A hundred members of thy family,
All warriors known to Rustam, who will give
The list of names to thee; and furthermore
Whatever cities thou hast in Írán
Surrender, keep within Túrán thyself,
Repose from wars and those that seek revenge,
And let right only be between us two:
It is not well to favour savage pards.
I will dispatch a letter to the Sháh:
He may perchance recall the host in peace.”
Then Garsíwaz dispatched a cavalier
Swift as a blast, and said: “Court not repose,
But hasten to Afrásiyáb and say
From me: ‘I have proceeded diligently,
And have obtained the whole of what I sought;
But Siyáwush demandeth hostages
If thou wilt have him turn away from war.’”
The messenger arrived and told the king
What Siyáwush and noble Garsíwaz
Had said, and when the king had heard the words
He was exceeding troubled and in doubt.
He thus bethought him: “If a hundred men
Of mine own kin are taken from the host,
We shall be worsted on the battlefield
For want of those devoted to my cause;
While if I say: ‘Demand no hostages,’
Mine overtures will seem to him dishonest.
I e'en must send the hostages if he
Insisteth thereupon. May be these ills
Will pass away from me: in any case
I shall be better wise than otherwise.”
The monarch out of those whom Rustam named
Selected some five score of his own kin,
And sent them unto Siyáwush, bestowing
Upon them many gifts and benefits.
He then bade sound the drums and clarions,
He struck the royal tent, evacuated
Bukhárá, Sughd, and Samarkand, and Chách,
The land and ivory throne of Sipanjáb,
And led his troops upon the way to Gang
Without excuses, pretexts, or delays.
As soon as Rustam heard of this retreat
His mind was eased, he sought the prince and said:—
“All now is well, let Garsíwaz depart.”
Then Siyáwush gave orders to prepare
A present—armour, crown, and belt, a steed
Of Arab blood with golden furniture,
Besides an Indian falchion in a scabbard
Of gold. When Garsíwaz beheld them, thou
Hadst said: “He seeth the moon upon the ground.”
He went his way with blessings on his tongue:
Thou wouldst have said: “He rolleth earth along.”