When bright Sol showed, and when from night's bent
bow
Dawn brake, Tús with the great men of the host
Came to Khusrau who said: “Trace of this feud
Is never lost. Begun by Salm and Túr
It had fresh impulse given by Minúchihr,
But never was a Sháh so shamed as I,
Or earth so glutted with his warriors' gore!
The hills have girt them with Gúdarzians' blood
For whom weep bird and fish by land and sea.
O'er the Túránians' waste the Íránians' hands
And feet and trunks lie scattered! Are your counsels
Auspicious? Are ye all heart-stirred to vengeance?”
The gallant warriors, with folded arms
Before that sunlike and aspiring one,
All kissed the ground together—warriors,
Such as Ruhhám, Gurgín, Gúdarz, and Tús,
Kharrád and Zanga son of Sháwarán,
Bízhan and Gív and other men of might.

They said: “Well starred, good-hearted Sháh who
hast
The heart withal to pluck out lions' hearts!
We all of us are slaves of thine and hang
Our heads in reverence, O Sháh! before thee.
If now the Sháh so biddeth we will all
Pour out our souls in fight, nor shall he mark
Aught ill from us if sun and moon shall lour not.”
Khusrau then summoned Gív and seated him
Upon the throne of greatness, praised him much,
Bestowing many a gift and mark of favour,
And said: “Thou seekest toil on mine account,
But sharest not my treasures. Tús though leader
Must not employ the drums and elephants
Against thy counsel rashly. Didst not see
How in Bahrám's case (may his soul rejoice!)
Great skill in warfare fashioned for itself
A dark, strait dwelling through the quest of fame
And ill advice? Brief though our sojourn be
Fame should remain behind us, not disgrace.”
Khusrau gave money, called the commissaries,
Spake much with Tús, and sought a lucky day
According to the stars for setting forth.
The chieftain Tús then came as general,
Received the standard, elephants, and drums,
And did obeisance while the soldiers shouted.
The earth heaved underneath the chargers' tramp;
A dust-cloud gathered from the horses' hoofs;
The trumpet's blast went up. What with the mass
Of mail and Káwa's flag earth's face all turned
To violet. “The sun,” thou wouldst have said,
“Is quenched, the sky and stars are all asleep.”
The Sháh abode upon the plain with mace
And elephant till Tús the general
Had passed, who on an elephant outspread
A turquoise litter and thus Shahd-ward sped.