That livelong night Sikandar laid his plans
And, when the sun displayed its fringe of Chín,
And set its golden banner o'er the heights,
While sank night's silken robe of violet,
He visited the queen and asked for audience
From her attendants. As their custom was
They caused him to alight, and then that seeker
Of world-dominion paced before the queen.
They cleared the hall and hastened to present
The envoy. When he saw Kaidáfa throned
He said: “May Jupiter espouse thy counsels!
By Christianity, the law of right,
By God who witnesseth to what I say,
By the religion of the mighty Cross,
By a brave monarch's life and head, priost's girdle,
And Holy Ghost,*

I promise that henceforth
The soil of Andalús shall not behold me,
Nor will I send a host to battle thither.
I will employ no colourable ruse,
I will entreat not ill thy stainless son
By act or hest of mine, but bind true faith
To thee upon my soul and no wise seek
Thine injury. Thy friend shall be my brother,
Thy throne as sacred to me as the Cross.”
Kaidáfa marked his oath, his singleness
Of heart, and honest pledge. She had the palace
Filled with gold seats, and set forth gauds of Chín,
Called for her nobles and the well-starred chiefs,
Set them, each one, upon a seat of gold
And, having sent for both her well-loved sons
And for her kith and kin, harangued them thus:—
‘It is not well that we be over-troubled
Within this Wayside Inn, and changeful fortune
Must make not battle and revenge my lot.
Sikandar still will be insatiate
Of treasure though he over-top the sky,
And for that reason seeketh war with us
Though all earth's treasures are not worth the toil.
I purpose that we do not fight with him;
I will not bring distress upon the realm;
But we will make a politic response,
At once exalting and exhorting him.
If after mine advice he seeketh war,
lgnoring both my Glory and my throne,
I with the host will face him so that sun

And moon shall pity him. Still what we try
Will do no harm, and peace may be preserved.
What say ye? What respond? Advise me well.”
The chiefs all raised their heads and answered her:—
“O queen of counsel and of justice! none
Can call to mind a chief like thee, and thou
Speak'st naught but good. Oh! fair befall the land
That hath a chief like thee! If this great Sháh
Become thy friend, what more can good men wish?
The Sháh will not attack thee for thy wealth;
To vex thee would cost more than all thy treasures.
When a Sikandar cometh out of Rúm,
Converting earth to ocean with his sword,
And then departeth from thy gates with gifts,
The fact outvalueth the whole world's havings.
We cannot favour any course but peace,
For he is foolish that desireth war.”
When she had heard the words of those wise men,
Of those approved and holy-hearted priests,
She oped her treasures and took out the crown
Worn by her sire, with bracelet and gold torque
(It was a crown the value of whose gems
None in the city or the country knew),
And to the messenger she said: “This crown
Is priceless; those that others have are naught,
And, seeing that Sikandar hath deserved
This crown of chiefs, I have adopted him
As son adult.”

Now she possessed a throne

That was compact of seventy parts and more;
Well gifted he that could dismember it!
The pattern was of intricate design,
And every juncture fitted curiously;
The feet had terminals of dragons' heads.
None knew its jewels' worth, but it comprised
Four hundred royal gems, an equal sum
Of brilliant rubies, two whereof, in hue
Pomegranate-grain, weighed one miskál apiece,
And emeralds four hundred, several stones,
Bright as a rainbow, and uncut. She added
Of raiment more than forty camel-loads;
The lady's heart was bounteous as the sea.
There were five hundred tusks of elephants;
What tusks they were! Their total length reached
miles!
There were four hundred leopard-skins and more,
The sort brought from Barbar; of dappled deer-skins
A thousand plain or dyed, all fair to see,
Besides a hundred hounds keen in the chase,
Which sped like arrows over hill and plain.
Kaidáfa's servants then led forth before her
Two hundred buffaloes; there were withal
Four hundred seats upholstered in brocade
And silken stuffs, the frames of ebony,

And of fresh aloe-wood four hundred more
With sunbeams saturate and golden hue.
She ordered too a thousand Indian swords
With daggers and with coats of battle-mail,
While from the plain they brought a hundred steeds,
High-bred and harnessed, with the other wealth,
Besides twelve hundred casques and morions.
She bade her treasurer: “Now, tarry not,
Account for all these to Naitkún, and say:—
‘Be ready to depart at dawn to-morrow.’”
Whenas the morning showed its flag on high,
When heaven's violet face grew camphor-like,
When earth was fresh and height like sandarac,
A sound of drums rose from the palace-gate.
Sikandar, having leave to go, bestrode
His steed and, when the brave Tainúsh had bidden
The troops to mount, proceeded from his palace
To court, and to Kaidáfa said: “Farewell,
And, while the world shall last, may it and thou
Be woof and warp.”

They journeyed stage by stage

Until they drew anear the scene of action—
The camp of that famed Sháh, the fortune-favoured
Sikandar, who left baggage in the forest,
Where there were streams and many trees, and told
Tainúsh: “Here rest and, rested, take the cup
In hand. I will depart, make good my words,
And do all for the best.”

Sikandar reached

The encampment. All the host came forth and showed
Their gladness by their shouts, while making ready
The Kaian crown, because they had despaired
Of their aspiring lord. Who ever thought
To see his face again? With tongues all praise
The soldiers bent their faces to the ground.
Sikandar then selected from the host
A thousand of the Rúman men of name,
Who, warriors as they were intent on strife,
With ox-head maces and in coats of mail,
Set forward and begirt the wood about—
A line of men and weapons. Then he cried:—
“Rash man! art thou resolved on fight or flight?”*

Repenting of his plots and cleverness
Tainúsh quaked and exclaimed: “High-minded Sháh!
Thou shouldst choose rather to be praised than blamed.
This was not thine agreement with my mother.
Didst thou not say: ‘I will not quit the right’?
Display, as in the instance of Kaidrúsh,
True greatness and endeavour righteousness.”
Sikandar said: “O prince! why hast thou grown
So feeble in this weighty enterprise?

But have no fears for thou art safe with me.
I will not harm one of thy kin or shun
Kaidáfa's bidding I! 'Tis ill for kings
To break their faith.”

Tainúsh forthwith alighted,

And kissed the ground, displaying deep abasement.
The world-lord grasped his hand and reaffirmed
The former covenant, and said withal:—
“Be of good cheer and harbour no suspicions.
I feel no hate toward thee. When thy mother
Sat on her throne of gold, and when I clasped
Thy hand in mine, I told thee: ‘I will lay
The king of earth's hand thus within thine own.’
This very day my promise is performed,
For hasty speeches come not well from Sháhs.
I am the same Sikandar that held forth
So pleasantly to thee. Kaidáfa knew
That very day that thou didst grasp his hand.”
Then Cæsar bade the attendants: “Set a throne
Beneath a blossom-scattering tree.”

He bade

To spread the board and call for wine and harpers.
They spent a while in pleasure and delights.
Now when the ruddy wine had made them glad
The Sháh gave orders for a royal gift
Of stuffs of Rúm, of Chín, and Persian make,
And gave it to Tainúsh with gold and silver
For his companions, crowns and belts withal
To those that merited, and thus enjoined him:—
“Stay not, this wood is distant, not thy home.
Say to Kaidáfa: ‘O thou prudent lady,
Thou ruler shrewd of heart and well advised!
While life endureth I will constant be,
And have possessed my soul with love for thee.’”