How Khusrau Parwíz pillaged the Camp of Bahrám Chúbína and wrote a Letter to Cæsar who answered it with a Robe of Honour and Gifts

Khusrau Parwíz on his side visited
Bahrám Chúbína's lines and pillaged them,
Bestowing on his soldiers purse and crown.
He mounted a fleet steed and girt himself
For prayer. Before him was a bramble-brake.
He entered that befitting place afoot,
And wallowed in the dust before his God.
“O righteous Judge!” he said, “Thou hast delivered
The country from the burden of the foe,
And hast surpassed our whole imaginings.
I am thy worshipper and worthless slave:
I walk according to the Lord's command.”
Thence he returned to camp; his counsellors
Assembled, and he called a scribe to write
A letter out on silk from Sháh to Cæsar,
Detailing what had passed in that campaign.
He first praised God—the Source of manliness,
Of prowess, and success, then said: “In secret
Much hath God favoured me. I and my host
Came to Ázargashasp. I hurried onward,
Returning for the fight. Bahrám Chúbína
So pressed me that I had not room to strive;
But when all-holy God ceased to assist
My foe the flaming blast of war died out,
And with resources failing and with troops
Deserting he withdrew at break of day.
I have destroyed his whole host, fired his camp,
And intercepted too by God's behest
His line of march.”

They set upon the letter

The Sháh's seal, and the messengers departing
Bare it to famous Cæsar's court where he,
Whose fortune was awake, on reading it,
Descended from his throne and cried to God:—
“O Guide! Thou changest never. Thou hast made
Thy slave triumphant and restored the outcast.”
He lavished alms and provand by the ass-load,

And wrote withal an answer like a tree
In Paradise, beginning: “In the name
Of God, the Lord of victory, of Grace,
And justice, Lord of moon and sun and might.
Know thou that greatness and good fortune come
From Him, what while thou livest give Him praise,
And in this world in public and in private
Ensue but justice and beneficence.”
He sent a crown—an heirloom of the Cæsars,
Reserved for fit occasions—with a pair
Of earrings and a royal torque, of robes
Eleven hundred broidered all in gold,
A hundred camel-loads of gold dínárs,
As well as many pearls and precious stones,
A jewelled cross and throne all royal gems,
A green robe shot with gold whereof the fringe
Was finished off with jewels. With the gifts
And offerings went four philosophers
Of those of Rúm. Khusrau Parwíz dispatched
A thousand cavaliers of noble birth
To meet and welcome them. Those magnates reached
With their new gifts Khusrau Parwíz in safety,
Who, having viewed them and perused the letter,
Was lost in wonder at that wealth and said
To his own minister: “These robes of Rúm,
Adorned with jewelry are not the wear
Of wealthy thanes but Christian priests! If we
Have Crosses on our dress we shall conform
To Christian fashion. If I wear them not
'Twill anger Cæsar who will of a truth
Misconstrue me, while if I put them on
The magnates all will say: “This king of men
Perchance hath turned a Christian for wealth's sake,
Because he is all Cross.

His counsellor

Replied: “O Sháh! clothes constitute not Faith.
Though Cæsar be thy kin thy Faith is still
That of Zarduhsht, the Prophet.”

Then he donned

Those royal robes, hung up the jewelled crown,
Bade raise the curtain, and bring in the envoys.
Both Rúmans and Íránians crowded in
Without distinction. When the sages saw
The Sháh's attire they knew that he desired
To pleasure Cæsar, others said that he
Had of a truth turned Christian privily.