When morn brought forth bright day, and scattered
gems
Upon the dusky ground, the world-lord sat
With Kai Káús—both noble, prosperous Sháhs—
With Zál and valiant Rustam. Kai Káús
Discoursed at large on matters great and small,
And, first, in speaking of Afrásiyáb,
Bathed both his cheeks with blood-drops from his eyes,
Recounting what that king had perpetrated
On Siyáwush, and how he had sent up
Dust from Írán, how many paladins
Had died, and how their wives and children suffered,
Thus saying: “Thou beholdest many cities
Waste in Írán, wrecked by Afrásiyáb.
Since every needful, God-sent gift is thine—
Men, knowledge, might of hand, Grace, majesty,
And favouring stars—and thou in every point
Of native worth art raised o'er other kings,
I claim of thee an oath, and thou must keep it,
That vengeance on Afrásiyáb shall fill
Thy heart, and thou shalt not allay that flame,

Regardless of his kinship with thy mother,
And heeding not what any one may urge.
Thou shalt not be seduced by wealth or power,
Howe'er thou be exalted or abased,
Nor shalt thou turn aside to treat with him
For mace or sword or throne or diadem.
I will declare the sanction of thine oath—
One binding on thy wisdom and thy soul:
Swear by the righteous Judge of sun and moon,
By crown, throne, casque, and signet, by the justice
Of Farídún and by his precedent,
The blood of Siyáwush, thy life, O Sháh!
The Grace, and by the favouring stars divine,
That thou wilt nov??r turn aside to ill,
Wilt ask no arbitor but sword and mace,
And rise above thyself in thy resolve.”
Whenas the youthful monarch heard the words
He turned both face and soul toward the Fire,
And took an oath: “By God, the Lord of all,
By day resplendent and night azure-dim,
By sun and moon, by throne and casque and signet,
By sword and by the Sháh's own diadem,
I never will incline toward amity
For him, or dream of looking on his face.”
This they recorded in the olden tongue
With scented ink upon a royal roll,
And Zál and Rustam signed as witnesses,
And likewise all the other mighty men.
The written oath attested in due form
Was put for safety into Rustam's hands.
When this was done they called for wine and feast,
And held a session of another kind;
The nobles passed a week with harp and wine
Within the hall of Kai Káús. Khusrau
Upon the eighth day bathed, composed himself,
Then sought the place of prayer, and, in the presence
Of circling heaven's Lord, adored the Maker.
That night until the rising of the sun
He cried aloud with eyes fulfilled with tears,
And said: “O righteous Judge, the only God,
The World-lord, the Sustainer, and the Guide!
Thus didst deliver me, a hostless boy,
Out of the Dragon's breath. Afrásiyáb
Thou knowest reckless, not afraid to injure;
His curse is on the waste and peopled lands;
Revenge against him filleth guiltless hearts.
He hath poured fire upon these goodly coasts,
Hath sifted o'er the brave the dust of woe,
Unjustly shed the blood of Siyáwush
Upon the earth, and rent our souls thereby.
The hearts of kings are filled with dread of him;
His throne and diadem are this world's bane.
Thou knowest that he is of evil nature,
And both a miscreant and sorcerer.”
He laid his cheek full oft upon the ground,
And uttered praises to the Lord of all.
Departing thence he went back to the throne,
And thus harangued the exalted paladins:—
“O ye my men of name, my gallant hearts,
And swordsmen! I have ridden through Írán,
But, from the temple of Ázargashasp
To this place, seen not any one heart-glad,
Possessed of riches or of lands in culture.
All have been injured by Afrásiyáb,
All hearts are filled with blood, all eyes with tears.
I am the first whose liver thus he wounded,
So that my soul and body smart through him,
And next there is that noble Sháh—my grandsire—
Who from his heart still heaveth chilly sighs,
While men and women groan throughout Írán
At massacre and pillage, war and raid.
So now if ye are all my trusty friends,
Devoted to me in your hearts indeed,
I will make ready to avenge my father,
And turn this evil from the Íránians.
If ye will, all of you, renew the fight,
Strive, and contend like pards, so too will I;
Plains in the battles of the brave shall turn
To mountains, and for all the blood shed there
Afrásiyáb the criminal shall be
Responsible. If any of our host
Shall fall, their place is Paradise above.
What say ye then? What answer do ye give?
Advise me well. Afrásiyáb, ye know,
Began the wrong. Requital should not rest.”
The chiefs prepared to answer and arose
With rancour in their hearts. They said: “O Sháh!
Keep thy heart glad and ever free from care.
Our bodies and our souls are wholly thine,
And thine our grief and joy, our loss and gain.
We all of us are mother-born to die,
And all of us, though free men, are thy slaves.”
Whenas he heard this answer from the throng,
From Tús, Gúdarz, and elephantine Rustam,
The Sháh's cheek grew as red as cercis-bloom,
For he was young in person and in fortune.
He called down blessings on the company;
“May earth be peopled by the brave,” said he.