Bahrám Chúbína and Khusrau Parwíz
Thus met, one cheerful and the other grim.
The world-lord rode an ivory grey and wore
A gold and jewelled crown; his robe from Chín
Was of brocade of gold. Gurdwí as guide
Preceded him, Bandwí and Gustaham
Were at his side, and therewithal Kharrád,
Son of Barzín, who wore a helm of gold.
They all were clad in iron, gold, and silver;
Their golden girdles were occult with gems.
Bahrám Chúbína paled with rage on seeing
The king of kings and thus addressed his chiefs:—
“This whoreson miscreant from low estate
And boorish manner hath attained to manhood,
Grown powerful and girt himself for action.
The writing of the down is manifest
Upon the ivory rondure of his face;
So now he hath become Sháh Farídún
With mace and crown and caught the imperial style,
But speedily will this world end for him.
This dark-souled bastard leadeth on his troops
Like Núshírwán. Scan thoroughly his host
To see if there be of it one of name.

I cannot spy one warlike cavalier
That could confront me for a single breath.
Now shall he look upon the deeds of men,
Steeds charging, scimitars, the dust of war,
The clash of battle-axes, showers of arrows,
The heroes' shouts, the captives, give and take.
The elephants are driven from the field
When I march forth to battle. At our voice
The mountains melt and warriors lose their prowess.
I take the rivers with my sword and turn
Their waters into blood.”

He spake and spurred

His pied steed, thou hadst said: “His flying eagle.”
He chose himself a narrow battlefield,
The troops in wonder watching him, and thence
Went on to Nahrawán and there confronted
The glorious Great with certain of Írán,
Armed for the conflict with Khusrau Parwíz,
Who said: “O noble chiefs! who recogniseth
Bahrám Chúbína?”

Said Gurdwí: “O king!

Observe the warrior on the piebald steed,
With white juppon, black baldrick, and who rideth
About among the troops.”

He recognised

The man at sight and said: “Yon lengthy one,
Smoke-hued and riding on the noble piebald?”
Gurdwí replied: “The same and bent on ill.”
“If thou shouldst question,” said Khusrau Parwíz,
“That crook-back he would answer churlishly;
With that hooked nose and half shut eyes ‘he hath,’
Thou wouldest say, ‘a wrathful heart.’ Thou seest
That he is wicked by his looks, God's foe.
I mark naught of submission in his head,
And that none will command him.”

To Bandwí

And Gustaham he said thereafter: “I
Will give an illustration of this saw:—
‘If ‘neath the load the donkey will not pass
Then take the weighty burden to the ass.’
If some bold dív hath gulled Bahrám Chúbína
How should he see God's way? All hearts that ache
With greed are helped not by the advice of wisdom.
When thou goest forth to war debate is over.
We must consider all from first to last:
Who knoweth which will conquer in the fight,
Which host be doleful or illustrious?
Considering those troops so well arrayed,
And with a leader eager for the fray,
Such as Bahrám Chúbína is—a man
Grim as a lusty dív—and militants

Like ravening wolves, I will, with your consent,
So that disgrace may not attach to me,
Be first to make advances; 'twill be better
For me than showing slackness in the fight.
If I receive from him a fair reply
His late misdoings shall be obsolete;
I will bestow some corner of the world
Upon him and by bounty earn his thanks;
Our warfare and endeavours in the field
Shall end in peace—a gain to us. No doubt
The wisest course is safest. Good folk joy
When monarchs act as merchants do.”

“O king!”

Said Gustaham, “live happily while time
Shall last. Thou scatterest gems in talk and art
More wise. Do what thou willest. Thou art just,
And yon slave is unjust; thy head is full
Of brains and his of wind.”

Khusrau Parwíz,

On hearing this, advanced before his troops,
Held distant parle with brave Bahrám Chúbína,
And sought for feast in war-time. Thus he said:—
“Illustrious man! what business hast thou here
Upon the battlefield? Thou art as though
The jewel of the court, the wealth of throne
And diadem, the army's prop in war-time,
And as a bright light at our festivals.
Thou art ambitious, brave, and servest God;
Ne'er may the Almighty take His hand from thee.
I have considered of thy case, approved
Thine acts, will entertain thee and thy troops,
And make my soul glad by the sight of thee.
I will appoint thee general of Írán,
As is but right, and I will pray to God
For thee.”

When brave Bahrám Chúbína heard

He gave his black-tailed, piebald steed the rein,
Saluted from his seat, paused, and replied:—
“In good case, blithe, and fortunate am I,
And may the day of greatness ne'er be thine,
Who knowest not kingship whether just or not.
The Aláns' king in the conduct of his kingship
Is being helped by the unfortunate!
I have considered of thy case and suppled
A lasso for thy sake. I will erect
Forthwith a lofty gibbet, make thy hands
Fast in the coils, and hang thee up thereon
As thou deservest, giving thee a glimpse
Of fortune's bitterness.”

Khusrau Parwíz

Heard and his cheeks became like fenugreek.

He knew: “Bahrám Chúbína will not yield,
And part with crown and throne,” and thus replied:—
“Ingrate! No good man would speak thus. When guests
Come to thy house from far dost thou revile them
At feasting-time? This note is not the wont
Of Sháhs or of the exalted cavaliers.
No Arab and no Persian e'er have acted
Like this in thirty centuries. The wise
Would shame hereat, so go not thou about
The door of thanklessness. When guests give thee
A glorious greeting one must be a dív
To answer as thou dost. Ill days, I fear,
Await thee for thou knowest that thy counsels
Are troubled. Thy resource is in the hands
Of that Great King who liveth ever more,
Whose word is law. Thou sinnest in His sight,
And art ingrate, with person in disgrace,
And heart in fear. In calling me the king
Of the Aláns thou takest but one side
Of my descent unless I am unworthy
Of king of kingship and the cap of power
As having for my grandsire Núshírwán,
And for my sire Hurmuzd. Whom knowest thou
More worthy?”

Said Bahrám Chúbína: “Wretch,

And mad in deed and word! first, for thy talk
Of guests: thou art thyself new-fangled though
Thy talk is of the past. What have the words
Of Sháhs to do with thee? Thou art no sage,
Or valiant cavalier. Thou wast the Aláns' king,
And now though thou art chief thou art withal
Inferior to the slave of slaves. Thou art
A fruitless evil-doer in the world;
No Sháh art thou or fit to lead the mighty;
But me men bless as Sháh. I will not let thee
Set foot on earth. Moreover, when I said:—
‘Thou art ill-starred, unfit for rule and kingship,’
I said it, worthless Sháh! and may the state
Be never thine! because the Íránians
Are foes of thine, will struggle to uproot thee,
Will rend thee, skin and veins, and give the dogs
Thy bones to eat.”

Khusrau Parwíz replied:—

“Knave! why so fierce and haughty, for foul words
Disgrace a man? But from the very first
Thy disposition hath been thus; clear wisdom
Is severed from thy brain. Blest is the noble
That eateth wisdom's fruits! Fey dívs discourse
At large. I would not have a paladin
Like thee made weak and ruined by his temper.

I prithee banish anger from thy heart,
Be not so moved and charm away thy wrath.
Remember God, the just Possessor; base
Thy wisdom on His justice. Thou hast now
A height before thee higher than Bístún,
And if a king shall ever come of thee
The Egyptian thorn will bear. Thy heart is full
Of thoughts of rule but we shall see what God
Ordaineth. Who hath taught thee such ill carriage,
Such principles of Áhriman, I know not,
But thy colloguer seeketh for thy death.”
He spake and lighting from his ivory steed,
And taking from his head the precious crown,
Wailed with his face turned sunwards, put his hope
In God, and said: “O glorious Judge who bringest
The tree of hope to fruit! Thou knowest who
Is now affronting me, Thy slave, and how
We should for very shame bewail the crown.
If royalty is to desert our race
I will not strive but be a thrall within
A Fane of Fire and live on milk and herbs,
Hoard neither gold nor silver and at prayer-time
Wear woollen; but if rule is to be mine
Thee will I serve in truth and equity.
Oh! let my host prevail, give not my crown
And palace to a slave. If I succeed,
And haste to bring before Ázargashasp
* Crown, steed, and armlets, earrings, torque, and robe
Of gold adorned with gems, and pour withal
Upon the dome of lapis-lazuli
A hundred sacks of red dínárs, and give
The worshippers five thousand score of drachms,
When I become the monarch of the world,
Then will I strive to reinstate some city
Unjustly desolated and the haunt
Of onager and lion, leave it not
To thorns and weeds, but send on my return
From battle five score thousands of dínárs.
Those of the scions of Bahrám and others
That shall be brought to me as prisoners
Will I make servants of the glorious Fíre,
And glad the hearts of priest and archimage.”
He spake these words and rose up from the dust;
That speaker sore-oppressed was justified.
Swift as a dust-cloud from the place of prayer
He came and shouted to Bahrám Chúbína:—
“Thou hellish, dív-like slave remote from wisdom,
And far removed from precedent and Grace!
Some rabid, tyrannous, and lusty dív
Hath blinded thee. Thou hast, in wisdom's stead,
Wrath and revenge, and won the dívs' applause.
A thornbrake is a city, Hell a garden
To thee; the lamp of wisdom hath died out
Within thy brain and robbed thy mind and heart
Of lustre. It was but a lying witch
That led thee thus through greatness to a fall.
* To-day thou settest hand upon a shoot
With leaves of bane and fruit of colocynth.
Thy stock ne'er so aspired nor is the aspirant
Applauded. God hath not bestowed on thee
The Grace and stature. Hast forgot Gurgín,
Son of Mílád?* Thou unjust wretch! ne'er hope
For what will never be. The crab hath not
The eagle's wing nor doth the eagle soar
Aloft the sun. By holy God, by throne
And crown if I shall come upon thee hostless,
And if I blow a chilling blast upon thee …!
Thou hast not seen me yet in fight and I
Have heard but thy harsh words. I lean on Him
That giveth victory. If I am unworthy
To be a king let me not live a liege.”
Bahrám Chúbína said: “Thou fool possessed!
Thy sire, that world-lord friendly to the Faith,
Who ne'er blew cold on anyone, thou knewest not
To prize but flungest vilely from the throne,
And thou wouldst fain be world-lord after him,
Be vigilant and wise! Thou art impure,
God's foe, and wilt experience naught but ill
From Him that giveth good, while if Hurmuzd
Had been unjust and time and earth exclaimed
Against him 'tis not fit for thee, his son,
To king it in Írán and in Túrán.
Thy life will not be passed upon the throne;
Content thee with the charnel for thou art
Afar from fortune. For Hurmuzd will I
Exact revenge; moreover, I am king
Within Írán. Now make this clear to me:
What upright man agreed that thou shouldst sear
The eyes of Sháhs or bid one do the deed?
Take thou henceforth the kingship to be mine
From Sun to Fish's back.”*

Khusrau Parwíz

Replied: “May his sire's woe ne'er joy this slave.
Thus was it written and what was to be
Hath been; how long wilt thou add word to word?

Thou makest thyself king, thou who at death
Wilt not possess a shroud! So far as folk,
And barded steeds can go thou art a monarch—
In expectation—but thou hast no house,
Home, land, and birth; thou art a windbag king.
With thy false title and such wares as these
Thou wilt not shine upon the royal throne.
There have been brave men ere thy time—aspirants
With massive maces—yet they never sought
The kingship, being lieges, nor pretended
To crown and throne, but thou becomest ever
More rabid and art lost to modesty.
* The World-lord maketh kings for justice-sake,
Or for their parts or on account of birth,
Bestowing kingship on the worthiest,
The wisest or the least injurious.
My sire made me the monarch of the Aláns
Since through thy wiles he was concerned for me,
And now God hath bestowed on me the kingship,
Throne, greatness, and the crown of power. I have them
From Him who is the Master of the world,
From Him who knoweth all, by the appointment
Of king Hurmuzd who from his sire received
The throne as heirloom, from high priest and sages,
The mighty men and the experienced chiefs,
According to the Faith which once Zarduhsht,
The wise and ancient, brought from Paradise,
* And gave Luhrásp the word of God, which he
Accepted and transmitted to Gushtásp.
All those that have aggrieved me, all whose treasures
I have received, are under my protection,
Be they my friends or foes. The mendicants
At lurk from wasted cities will I make
Rich, be they outcasts or of mine own kin,
And bramble-brakes like Paradise, fulfilled
With men, with cattle, and with tilth, ignore,
By way of compensation, no good thing
Until we quit this world for that, will make
Our heart the scales, will weigh, and use the might
Of our own arm. What time Hurmuzd, the world-lord,
Ruled justly, earth and time rejoiced in him.
The son past doubt should have his father's throne,
Should have the crown, the girdle, and the fortune,
But as for thee, thou wicked, crafty man,
Who wast the first to war against Hurmuzd!
No ill hath come unless by thy command,
Thy spells, thy guile, and plotting. If God will
I will make dark in vengeance for the Sháh
Bright Sol to thee. Now who deserveth crown,
And if not I who is there?”

“Valiant one!”

Rejoined Bahrám Chúbína, “he is worthy
That carried off from thee the sovereignty.
When, from the daughter of Pápak, Ardshír
Was born, and the Ashkánians had the sway,
Grew he not mighty and slew Ardawán,
Whose throne he won? And now five hundred years
Have passed by and Sásánian heads and crowns
Are waxing cold. Now is my day for throne
And diadem; the headship and the work,
Allied with conquering fortune, are for me.
When I behold thy fortune, face, and troops,
Thy crown and throne, like some led lion roused
Will I abolish the Sásánians,
Erase them from the roll and trample down
Sásán, both head and crown. The power should be
The Ashkánians' if the wise would hear aright.”
Khusrau Parwíz replied: “Contentious fool!
If kingship is for those of royal race
What dost thou in their midst? What are the folk
Of Rai but double-faced? And what as men?
But few at first they joined Sikandar's host,
And arming on the Rúmans' side soon won
The Kaian throne. It did not please the Maker,
And ruin came upon them from themselves;
The Judge that giveth succour crowned Ardshír,
And he was worthy of the royal crown
Although he had no treasure and dínárs.
Those great men's work hath passed away, our words
Are wind. God choosing him for sovereignty
Saw naught but good in him. Now who deserveth
The government and who shall be the lord
Of this unstable world? Inform me truly,
Choose the good path and shun perversity.”
Bahrám Chúbína hearing changed his ground,
And said: “I am Bahrám, the warrior,
The rooter up of kings.”

Khusrau Parwíz

Made answer: “Thou hast heard the sage's saw:—
‘The equipage of greatness ne'er commit
To mean or wayward folk of little wit,
For they, when they have got it from thee, take
Their ease and if thou ask it back they quake.’

My father, who was rash and ill-advised,
Discerned not close from open and among
His many great and small gave men of straw
The royal equipage which came not back
Upon demand for he that was possessed
Thereof had grown intoxicate thereby.
What was the saying of the sweet-voiced sage?
‘'Twill cause thee pain and toil to stablish men
Unstable: woo not the ungrateful then.’
Thou wast a brave man, keen and of high aims,
But thine ill nature made thee an ill-doer.
My father made thee first among the chiefs;
Thou wast the greatest in the sovereignty;
But royal favour and the silvern throne
Have made thee drunk and err. The name Chúbína
Is now Bahrám, the silvern throne become
A snare to thee. There seated thou art fain
To mount the moon; thou wast the general,
And wouldst be Sháh. No sage e'er held such talk;
I wot that thou consortest with the Dív.”
Bahrám Chúbína answered: “Evil one!
Reviling is thy sole accomplishment.
Thou heedest not God's covenant, thou seekest
This state whereof thou art not worthy, and blindest
The Sháh! How can such deeds as these be hidden?
Thy friends are hostile, being thine in word,
But mine in heart. The Khán is mine ally
With all the armies of Írán and Chín,
For I am just and kindly with a hand
And sword. No enemy will conquer me.
I will transfer the power from Párs to Rai,
And ban the name of Kaian, set up justice,
And reinstate the customs of Mílád.
* I spring from famed Árash* and am in war
A fire unquenchable, the grandson I
Of great Gurgín and the consuming Flame
Upon Barzín. It was king Sáwa's mind
To leave not in Írán throne, crown, or signet,
To rase the Fanes of Fire and suffer not
Naurúz and Sada feast. The Íránians too
Were all enslaved till I girt up my loins,
And by an arrow from my bow determined
King Sáwa's life. If thou knowest not the sum
Of that rash monarch's troops go count a thousand
Four hundred times. Twelve hundred elephants
Of war had he. Thou wouldst have said: ‘The earth
Will hold them not.’ That great host fled while I
Roared like a lusty lion in their rear.
Know thou that none without accomplishment
Doth rashly seek the seat of mighty men.
My helmet savoureth of the crown, my sword
Will win the ivory throne, but if a gnat
Shall war with thee 'twill bring thee from thy throne
To earth.”

Khusrau Parwíz replied: “Thou luckless!
Why not be mindful of Gurgín at Rai,
Whom fortune never succoured in the world,
And who had not throne, majesty, and state?
None knew thy name; thou wast obscure and poor.
The great Mihrán Sitád came and informed
The monarch of the age about thee, thus
Exalting thee from darksome dust, but thou
Hast lost sight of that day! He furnished thee
With treasures, arms, and troops, and Rustam's banner
Resplendent as the moon. God did not will
That Turkmans out of Chín should waste Írán,
And helped thee in the fight with them; thy helm
Rose cloudward since the Lord of circling heaven
Willed the Great King success; but thou dost take
The merit to thyself who never sawest
The great and good. If kingship is to quit
The Kaian race why girdest thou thy loins?
'Twill need one like Sikandar to obscure
The fortune of the king of kings. Mayst thou
With thy dív's face and dusty hue attain
To naught except a ditch. Thy waywardness
And conduct dimmed the Sháh's days. Thou hast put
My name on drachms and striven to ruin me.
Thou art ill's source in this world and supreme
Among transgressors. Whereso blood is shed
The guilt is thine. Thou wilt not find by night
In slumber what thou seekest for all day
Beneath the sun. O luckless and unjust!
Give not thy whole time to perversity,
Inflict not rashly outrage on thyself,
And so remain unjust and miserable.
Think how to gain God's favour and make wisdom
And truth thy task for what is mine and thine
Will pass; time reckoneth our every breath.
Who will declare, when thou hast decked thy heart
With guile, that guile is better than the right?
At thy behest whate'er thou wilt is thine,
Thine to one half the realm. Then in this world
Thou wilt be happy, all at ease, and far

From hurt of foes, and when this Wayside Inn
Thou quittest thou wilt pass un-irked. No need
To labour this, for in the Zandavasta
Thus saith Zarduhsht: ‘He that abandoneth
The holy Faith hath neither fear nor awe
Of God within his heart. Let him be counselled
For one year: if thy counsel profit not
Let him be slain by order of the Sháh,
And his offending corpse flung on the road:
But if he is the Sháh's own enemy
Let him be slain forthwith.’ Men in good sooth
Will shed thy blood for thy perverted fortune
Requireth this. Now will a wretched life
Be thine and Fire thy place when thou departest.
If thou continuest long thus to revolt
From Sháh and from God's justice there will come
Remorse for thine unseemly words and deeds.
Thou ailest and the drug for thee is counsel;
I am endeavouring to make thee whole,
But if desire and envy rule thy heart
Say so and I will send a different leech.
* Thy victories had made thee somebody,
But thoughts of treasure caused thee to rebel.
Heard hast thou that Zahhák was impious,
That dívs and warlocks filled the world with fear,
And how when he had vexed the nobles' hearts
The glorious Farídún entreated him.
* Thy troops, alive or dead, are all my slaves
At heart. Through thee they have obtained some glory,
And so have turned their heads from right, but when
I shall display my treasures, and incline
The warriors' hearts, not one of all this host
Will bide with thee because thou hast not name,
Or Grace or goods. When thou didst overcome
King Sáwa all the troops believed that they
Would never see defeat, they were so drunk
And satiate with spoil. Thy warriors,
So fearless, must not perish by my hand;
I would not that the country of Írán
Should lose this mighty warrior-host—all chiefs
And nobles—and defeat befall the throne
Of might. Now tell me, in Árish's* days
Who was the Sháh for this may end our parley?”
Bahrám Chúbína answered: “Minúchihr
Was then the Sháh and had the host and crown.”
Khusrau Parwíz replied: “Ill-natured one!
Thou know'st that he was monarch of the world;
Know'st thou not that Árish was but his slave,
And bowed to his directions and commands?
Just so it was with valiant Kai Khusrau
With such as Rustam for his officer,
For Rustam might have seized the world, the throne,
And style of Sháh, but held to precedent,
And never glanced that way. Then why dost thou
Not follow me and hail Khusrau Parwíz
As Sháh? Thou dust-face! thou art but a dív,
Like Áhriman; the crown and throne of Sháhs
Have stirred thy greed.”

Bahrám Chúbína said:—

“Thou miscreant! rightly art thou from Sásán,
Who was a shepherd and was shepherd-born;
Pápak was not the first to make him one.”
* Khusrau Parwíz replied: “Thou evil-doer!
Thine arrogance is not Sásán's. Thy words
Are wholly lies, and falsehood is no honour.
Thou comest of bad-natured, worthless men,
And spring'st not from Sásán.”

“The shepherdship,”

Bahrám Chúbína answered, “of Sásán
Ne'er will be hidden.”

Said Khusrau Parwíz:—

“Dárá, when dying, gave not to Sásán
The crown of majesty. Though lost was fortune
Was lineage lost? No talk will turn injustice
To justice. Seek'st thou, having for thine own
Such prudence, rede, and Grace, the imperial throne?”