§ 6 How the Túránians took Counsel for Battle with the Íránians

Pírán departed to the host like wind,
Assembled those that were of Wísa's race,
And told the secret, saying: “Our fall or rise
Hath come, for know ye that this Lion-heart
Is Rustam, who hath ta'en the field in grief
With chiefs and Lions from Zábulistán
And nobles from Kábulistán. With him
There are Gúdarz and Gív and Tús, and we
Must fight, though 'gainst our wills, and be disgraced.
Since Rustam is the avenger and the leader
No horsemen in the world will hold their own.
He seeketh of the Turkmans those in fault,
And troubleth not about the innocent.
Who to your knowledge is not guilty here,
And is not much affected by our king?
Behold our country will be desolate,
The warriors of Írán will work their will,

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And all be lost, the young, the old, the monarch,
The treasure, army, throne, and diadem.
I said to our unjust king: ‘Be not thou
So fiery and stormful, else some day,
And with no warning, thou wilt be consumed,
Thy wit be burned and thy heart's eye sewn up.’
The imperious monarch brooked not mine advice,
Or that of the illustrious company,
But made away with noble Siyáwush
Without consulting with the brave and wise.
Thou wilt see nothing left of state or crown,
Throne, elephants of war, or diadem;
The Íránian king will be rejoiced thereat
While grief and pain will be our warriors' portion.
Woe for our gallant hearts and this great host,
Endowed with Grace, tall stature, crown, and state!
All will be spoiled henceforth before your eyes,
None will turn happy from the battlefield,
For they will tread us 'neath their horses' hoofs;
Our wakeful fortune's light will be bedimmed.
My heart is burning for Húmán, my soul
Is flaming for Rúín, for Rustam's heart
Is brimming with revenge for Siyáwush
For whom his eyebrows are fulfilled with frowns.
I will go sadly to the Khán and tell him
What this revenge hath cost me.”

Swift as dust

He went with full heart and with lips all sighs,
And found the camp-enclosure full of clamour,
With bloody tulips set on saffron cheeks,
For many of the kindred of Kámús
Had come demanding vengeance. They exclaimed:—
“Afrásiyáb will dream no more of greatness!
Why did this king, who hath no man to fight
On days of battle, thus begin the feud?
We, to avenge Kámús, with tearful eyes
Will lead the army of Kashán to Chín,

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And thence and from Barbar, from the Buzgúsh,
From the Sagsárs and from Mázandarán
Will we bring mace-armed troops to slaughter Rustam
That none may hear his voice. Afrásiyáb,
If fain for vengeance, must not rest or sleep.”
Moreover from the kindred of Chingish
And Ashkabús a din like beating drums
Arose, while all in anguish for their kinsmen
Were raining tears of gall on saffron cheeks,
And saying midst their tears: “We will not rest
Or sleep henceforth till we have fired Sístán,
And given its people doleful nights and days,
Have set the head of Rustam of Zábul
Upon the stake in grief for our great dead,
And, having burned his body, strewn the ashes
Before his palace-gate.”

Pírán was dazed,

His favour darkened at their lamentations,
And thus he said: “Afflicted, helpless men,
Possessed by pain and care and fed on grief!
Ye surely cannot know that your own time
Is almost o'er.”

He sought the Khán and said:—

“This little war of ours is growing long.
A Crocodile, whose mail is leopard-skin,
Hath come up from the river to the fight,
For Rustam hath brought troops from every side,
And famous chiefs; our toils are thrown away,
And unjust deeds receive just punishment.
Afrásiyáb was so infatuate
That Siyáwush was murdered by his hand,
Urged to it by the insensate Garsíwaz.

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Now Siyáwush was great, a royal prince
Brought up by Rustam of Zábulistán,
Who fighting to avenge his fosterling
Will bring the heavens down. No leopard's claws
Or trunk of elephant, no lofty mountain
Or river Nile*

will aught avail with him
When he shall take the field before his host.
He rideth on a horse that needeth not
A ship in seas of blood. We may not reckon
This conflict trifling; all have seen his power.
A fire hath fallen from azure heaven and caused
Our hearts to fume with fear. Convoke the sages,
The priests, the great, and find the remedy—
A champion competent to take the field:
We may perchance escape these ills and reach
Our homes albeit with diminished fortunes.
Men should act fairly ever, not be first
To seek a quarrel.”

Troubled at Pírán

The Khán invoked the Maker's name and said:—
“How shall we act encountered by such hosts?”
Then said Shangul: “To what end is this talk,
Exalted one? We sped o'er flood and waste
From every clime to help Afrásiyáb,
Receiving gifts and armlets; if we fight not
We came like lions and shall go like foxes.
We sprang like fearless lions, losing not
One day upon the march, why such alarm
Because one man from Sigz encountereth us?
Shame on such talk! Thou must take other order.

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Grant that he is a furious Elephant,
And grappleth Lions on the battle-field,
Still, though he slew Kámús the warrior,
We must not hesitate, and since 'tis clear,
Because Pírán is sleepless with dismay,
That some one holdeth Rustam in respect,
I now extend my hand as succourer.
No Elephant is he or Lion's match,
Nor is his prowess as Pírán asserteth.
We must be firm herein, and not erase
All thoughts of vengeance on him from our hearts.
Draw we our maces at the dawn, advance
Across the plain, make air like clouds in spring,
And pour a rain of arrows on the foe;
Then through the dust of horse and crash of axes
None must know head from foot. Observe me
well,
And, when I raise the war-cry, charge amain.
We are—we warriors and cavaliers—
Good sooth! above a hundred thousand strong,
And shall we, lifeless though not slain, thus vilely
Shrink from one man? When I confront the Sigzian
Send ye the dust-clouds skyward; let none 'scape;
A coward's heart is naught.”

On hearing this,

Pírán, old as he was, grew young of heart,
And said: “Live happy, free from grief and care,”
While all the nobles and the Khán of Chín
Acclaimed the king of Hind.

Now when Pírán

Came to his tent the chiefs resorted thither—

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Húmán, Bármán, and Nastíhan, whose minds
Were poised 'twixt hope and fear. Húmán inquired:—
“What is thy purpose? Doth it furnish ground
For peace, or are the armies to engage?”
Pírán told what Shangul had said, and how
The troops agreed to battle on, whereat
Húmán was sore displeasured and, incensed
Against ill-starred Shangul, said to Pírán:—
“None can escape the sky and what it bringeth.”
He met Kulbád and said: “Shangul is mad!
If Rustam be what I have seen, and heard
From chiefs, Shangul, Kundur, Manshúr, will not
Survive this battlefield, nor will the Khán.
Withdraw we for a while and reckon up
Our chance of gain or loss. Thou wilt behold
Of this unbounded host, whose massive maces
Might quell the world, the more part laid to earth
With blood-drenched helms and mail for winding-sheet.”
Kulbád replied: “O wielder of the sword!
Keep if thou canst from evil presages,
And sadden not the hearts of thine own side;
The matter may be other than we think.
The better course for thee is not to fret
Or worry over ills not come as yet.”