Whenas from Pisces Sol displayed its crown,
And flung a robe of ivory o'er the earth,
The scouts returning from the trench-edge came
Before the exalted Sháh and said to him:—
“An embassage from Cæsar hath arrived
In tribulation to excuse his faults.”
The ambassador approached immediately
With benedictions upon Núshírwán,
On seeing whose head and crown the Rúman
heaved
A cold sigh, thinking: “Lo! a Sháh exalted
With kingship, manhood, and a mighty host!”
Two score pilosophers of Rúm, whose tongues
Were full of utterance and their hearts of sighs,
Brought, each one, thirty thousand in dínárs
As offerings to the king. When they beheld
His comely countenance they came lamenting,
And writhing serpent-like. The king of kings,
On seeing them, received them graciously,
Assigning them the customary seats,
And then their spokesman thus addressed him:
“Cæsar,
O Sháh! is young and hath but just acceded;
His sire is dead, the world is new to him,
And he is unacquainted with affairs.
Now we are all of us thy tributaries,
And servants, and are under thy protection.
For thee Rúm is Írán, Írán is Rúm;
Why then distinguish them? The king of kings
Hath all the age's wisdom for his own,
And straighteneth Cæsar's back. The Khán of
Chín,
The king of Hind, are glad in him and help
Smiling at the envoy's words
Said Núshírwán: “Although the boy be noble
His speech hath little wisdom. What is Cæsar?
What Bátarún, the insensate one, whose tongue
Hath caused his soul's abasement? All the wise
Born of Sikandar's stock have proved triumphant,
And eminent, yet if one doeth not
Our bidding but rejecteth our advice
And our alliance, from his peopled realm
Will we send up the dust and will not fear
His treasures and his troops.”
The envoys kissed
The ground, as courtiers use, and made reply:—
“O Sháh that art victorious and supreme!
Blame not the past. We are thy travail's dust,
The warders of thy treasure. When the king
Shall take us into favour we shall cease
Both from misfortune and from discontent.
The toils that here the king of kings hath borne
Are no small matter in the Rúmans' eyes,
And we will pay, by way of toll and tax,
His treasury ten ox-hides of dínárs.
'Tis thine to bid us pay thee less or more,
And to accept it though it be unworthy.”
“As touching treasure,” thus the Sháh replied,
“The matter resteth with my minister.”
Then all the Rúmans went before that archmage,
Went with loud lamentations and ill-starred,
Used every plea at large, told Cæsar's purpose,
Informed him of the ox-hides and dínárs,
And matters that concerned the peace of Rúm.
The archmage answered thus: “Ye give the gold,
But what brocade will ye present as well?
What time the king returneth he will need
A thousand pieces of gold-woven brocade,
For he is constantly concerned with gifts
Of robes of honour for his lords and lieges.”
The Rúmans gave consent thereto and then
Returning did obeisance to the Sháh.
He tarried on the battlefield awhile.
Then when the king and host had taken rest
He chose among the troops a warrior—
One of ability in ciphering—
*
And gave him soldiers that he might demand
The Rúman tribute and convey it home.