Now when Sikandar was approaching Fúr,
And from afar one host beheld the other,
On both sides rose the shout and dust of battle,
And eager for the fray the warriors
Advanced. They lit the naphtha in the steeds:
Fúr's troops were in dismay. The naphtha blazed:
Fúr's troops recoiled because those steeds were iron,
Whereat the elephants, when their own trunks
Were scorched, fled likewise, and their drivers marvelled.
Thus all the Indian host and all those huge,
High-crested elephants were put to flight.
Sikandar like a raging blast pursued
The foe until the air turned indigo,
And opportunity for fight was over.
The monarch with the Rúmans in full force
Dismounted 'twixt two mountains and sent scouts
On all the roads to guard his host from foes.
Now when the ingot of the sun's crown showed,
And all the world became as 'twere white crystal,
There rose a blare of trumpets and the sound
Of fife, of cornpipe, and of kettledrum.
Both hosts made ready for the fray and raised
Their spear-heads to the clouds. Sikandar came

Between the lines, with Rúman sword in hand,
And sent a cavalier to cry from far
To Fúr: “Sikandar hath come forth and seeketh
An interview with thee. He is prepared
To name his own conditions and hear thine,
And if thy terms are just he is amene.”
When Fúr, the Indian, heard the herald's words
He rushed forth from the centre of his troops.
Sikandar said to him: “O noble man!
Our two hosts have been shattered by the fight,
The wild beasts batten on the brains of men,
The horses' hoofs are trampling on their bones.
Now both of us are heroes brave and young,
Both paladins of eloquence and brain,
Why then should slaughter be the soldiers' lot,
Or bare survival after combating?
Let us two arm ourselves and fight it out
Since one of us must needs obtain the realm.
When one of us hath proved victorious,
The troops, the crown, and throne all will be his.”
Fúr joyfully agreed to fight Sikandar,
For well he knew that he had lion-strength,
And rode a charger dragon-like, whereas
Sikandar was a reed-like cavalier,
Armed lightly and ill-mounted, so he said:—
“Agreed: we will engage in single combat.”
Both took their swords and wheeled between the lines,
But when Sikandar realised the bulk
Of that mad Elephant, who rode a Mountain
And grasped a Dragon, he grew dazed in fight,
Despaired of life at heart and kept his distance,
Till, as he wheeled with Fúr upon the field,
A mighty shout arose behind the host,
Which filled Fúr's heart with dudgeon and distracted
His heart and eyes and ears. Then like a blast
Sikandar issued from the dust and smote
The hero with his sword, clove crest, head, neck,
And from the steed the body sank to earth.
The Rúman army raised its head to heaven,
The warriors charged. Now Fúr possessed a drum
Of lion-skin whose sound rose o'er the clouds.
That drum's din and the trumpets' blare arose,
Earth turned to iron, air to ebony,
While by that token those brave troops of Hind
Advanced to face their foes, but from the plain
Was proclamation made: “Ye righteous men,
The chiefest of the realm of Hindústán!
The head of Indian Fúr is in the dust,
His elephantine form is cloven asunder.
What is the purpose of this present struggle,
Such strife of scimitars, and such reluctance?
What Fúr was to you is Sikandar now,
And ye must look to him in fight and feast.”
The warriors of Hindústán assented;
They went and saw Fúr's head all dust and blood,
His body hacked up by the scimitar.
A bitter cry ascended from his troops,
Who dropped their weapons and went grieved and
wailing
To Cæsar, dust upon their heads. Sikandar
Restored the weapons of the warriors,
Addressed them with all courtesy, and said:—
“Though Fúr of Hind is dead ye need not yield
Your hearts to grief because I will entreat you
More graciously than he did, I will banish
Both fear and anguish from them, and will give
In largess all his treasures. To my troops
These are forbidden. I will make the folk
Of Hind all wealthy and administer
The crown and throne with vigour.”

Thence he mounted

With mingled feelings to the throne of Fúr.
So is it with this Hostel by the way!
It never is content to let thee stay.
Enjoy, leave naught for other folks to take;
Why shouldst thou labour for another's sake?
For two months Cæsar filled the throne and lavished
Fúr's whole wealth on his troops. There was a man
Of parts, Sawurg by name, a mighty chief
Of Hindústán; to him Sikandar gave
The throne of kingship. “Never hoard dínárs,”
He said. “Give and enjoy whate'er thou gettest,
Not glorying in the fleeting crown and throne,
For whiles it is Sikandar and whiles Fúr,
Whiles pain and wrath, whiles feast and banqueting.”
Bestowing as a present on his host
Drachms and dínárs he ordered all that coast.