§ 9 How the Íránians and Túránians fought the second Time

Now when high heaven had made its Crown of Jet,
And flung Pastilles on Lapislazuli,
The pickets hurried forth on every side,
And set the watch around the camps, but when
Sol showed in Cancer, and the world became
Fair as a Rúman's face, from both the camps
The sound of tymbals rose, the world was filled
With the blare of clarions, air was thick with flags,
Which gleamed red, yellow, black, and violet,

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The warriors bared their weapons, and rode forth
To battle. Thou hadst said: “Heaven, earth, and time
Don iron,” while the radiant sun was veiled
By dust of caracoling cavaliers,
And, what with neigh of steeds and din of drums,
Heaven kissed the earth. Húmán the chieftain wheeled
Before the ranks, a shining dart in hand,
And cried: “When I shall raise the battle-shout,
Urge on my charger and seethe up with rage,
Then draw ye forth your falchions as one man,
And hold your shields of Chín above your heads.
See nothing but your horses' crests and reins,
I want no bow, I want no lance's point,
But armed with sword and club and massive mace,
As is the use and wont of warriors,
Throw down your reins upon your horses' necks,
And give and take the buffets as they come.”
This said, the gallant horseman lion-like
Went to Pírán: “O paladin!” he cried,
“Unlock the weapons of our warriors,
Keep not dínárs within the treasury,
And hoard not arms. If we prevail to-day
Thy heart shall pluck the fruit of favouring stars.”
On his side Tús arrayed his host as 'twere
The eye of chanticleer. The warriors blessed him,
And hailed him as the paladin of earth,
Who triumphed in the battle, and whose valour
Sent dust up from Húmán. Then to Gúdarz,
Son of Kishwád, said Tús: “Let all wot well
That if we march forth, and our foes provail,
Our trust must be in God, not in ourselves;
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He may assist us, else the day is lost.
At present let the chiefs with golden boots
Remain with Káwa's standard. Let none quit
The mountain; this is not the day and season
For strife and stir. Good sooth! the enemy
Out-number us two hundred times or more!”
Gúdarz replied: “If God will but avert
Our evil day the fact of more or less
Importeth not. Daunt not the Íránians,
For if the sky turn over us for ill
To wait is no avail. Array the host;
Dash not our souls with what may be.”

So Tús,

The chieftain, put the battle in array—
Men, drums, and elephants of war; the footmen
Went with the baggage to the heights, Gúdarz
Was on the right, Ruhhám shared with Gurgín
The left, the troops were ranked, anon the sky
Shook with the roar of drum and clarion,

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The heart of circling heaven was rent, the sun
Was choked with dust, none saw the ground beneath him,
The murky clouds rained showers of diamonds,
Fire flashed from helm and sword, the spear-heads
gleamed,
And massive maces whirled. Thou wouldst have
said:—
“The air is mace and iron, and the earth
Horseshoes and mail.” The plains and dales ran blood,
And swords were lamps that lit a world of night.
No one knew head from foot, such was the din
Of drum and clarion! Tús said to Gúdarz:—
“Night cometh and the astrologer hath told me:—
‘To-day until the night's third watch is passed
The warriors from their scimitars will pour
Blood on the field, like rain from some dark cloud;
But victory, I fear me, in the end
Will rest with our revengeful foes.’”

Shídúsh,

Ruhhám, Gív, Gustaham, Kharrád, Fárhád,
And brave Barzín came forth between the hosts,
Came liver-wounded, eager for revenge,
Like troops of dívs upon a murky night,
While in all quarters din assailed the clouds.
Húmán on his side mountain-huge led forth
His army troop on troop, and none could tell,
Amid the mass of maces, mallets, swords,

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And spears, the stirrups from the reins. He said:—
“Our work to-day must not be like the fight
Of yesterday, but we must sweep the earth
Of foemen lest they seek revenge hereafter.”
Then Tús advanced with foot-men, elephants,
And kettledrums, while spear-men, pavisers,
And javelin-men drew up before the horse-men.
“Leave not your posts,” he said, “and hold your shields
And spears in front of you, and we will see
The massive mace-play of their chivalry.”