BEHRÂM CHUBÎN ATTACKS KHOSRU AND PUTS HIM TO FLIGHT. THE ROYAL PRINCE ESCAPES TO RÛM, COMES BACK AGAIN, AND TRIUMPHS OVER THE ENEMIES OF HIS GOVERNMENT.

When Behrâm heard of the calamity of Hormuz, he became anxious to remove Khosru, and proceeded to Madâin to attack him. Khosru also made haste to encounter him, and the two armies met on the banks of the Nahirvân. After mutual recriminations a battle was fought, but in consequence of some treachery the forces of Khosru turned tail on the battle-field and returned to Madâin. By the advice of Hormuz, Khosru started to Rûm, but after travelling a short distance, Panduiah and Bastâm insisted that the interests of the king required them to return in order to liberate his mind from any apprehensions concerning Hormuz [by murdering him]. Although Khosru tried to dissuade them from their evil intentions, all his entreaties proved of no avail. Accord­ingly they both returned and strangled Hormuz with a bow-string; then they retraced their steps and overtook Khosru the same evening, but their fear of being pursued made them travel day and night, until they reached a certain monastery, where they halted to take some rest. Here they ascertained that they would soon be overtaken by the army of Behrâm, wherefore Panduiah hit upon the ruse of dressing himself in the garments of Khosru, and sending him off in the direction of Rûm. Having donned the royal garb, Panduiah showed himself on the terrace of the convent, so that when the officers of Behrâm, who were approaching, perceived him, they mistook him for the prince. Panduiah, however, went down, exchanged the royal dress for his own, and again making his appearance on the terrace, shouted: ‘Let the commander of the army come here, I have something to tell him.’ Then Behrâm Siâwashâm came forward, and both parties recognising each other, Panduiah addressed him as follows: ‘The king sends thee his greetings, and requests thee to respite him till sunset, because he has had no rest since three days.’ Behrâm Siâwashân replied: ‘I am an old servant, and consent to the request of the king.’ When the appointed time had expired, Panduiah came again upon the terrace and said to Behrâm: ‘Parviz acknowledges that thou hast acted well towards him, but he wishes to enjoy this night’s rest, and will accompany you in the morning.’ Behrâm again consented, and ordered the soldiers to remain on the watch till morning. At daybreak, however, Behrâm, having got ready to depart with his army, shouted: ‘It is time to come out.’ Panduiah, however, delayed, and Behrâm was impatient. At last Panduiah came out from the monastery when the sun was high, and confessed his stratagem to Behrâm. The whole army was greatly astonished at this news, and Behrâm Siâwashân took Panduiah to Behrâm Chubîn to explain the matter; the latter, however, made him prisoner, and entrusted him to the keeping of Behrâm Siâwashân.

It is related that when Khosru Parviz left the monastery, he hastened on the wings of celerity towards Rûm, but alighted during his journey in the house of Ayâs Bin Qobaissah Tâyi, who furnished him with provisions and horses, and overwhelmed him with all kinds of favours. After duly performing the journey, Khosru arrived in the metropolis of the Qaisar, who honoured him with an inter­view.

The Qaisar was so pleased with the arrival of Khosru, that he presented him with one hundred beautiful Turkish boys, and with twenty girls—who were all royal princesses captured in war—with golden diadems, one hundred costly pearls, one thousand gold dinârs, and a golden table encrusted with ornaments, and having in its centre a bowl of onyx-stone, filled with sapphires and rubies, as well as with other precious gems. He gave him also one thousand pieces of gold-brocade, together with many other presents. Marriage was also celebrated between Khosru and Mariam, the daughter of the Qaisar; and after the lapse of eighteen months, which Khosru had spent in Rûm, the Qaisar despatched his son Benâtûs with seventy thousand men, but according to another tradition with one hundred thou­sand, each of whom was able to challenge and to fight thousands, and they were ordered to march in his retinue against the enemy.

Parviz arrived with great pomp in Azarbaijân, and Panduiah, who had escaped from the custody of Behrâm, and was living in the country of Azarbaijân, joined him with a large army. These events disquieted Behrâm to such a degree that he marched with an army from Madâin to encounter Parviz. When the two armies had sufficiently approached each other three Turkish boys came forth from the army of Behrâm, halted in the centre of the plain, and challenged Parviz to single combat, saying: ‘Come out, and each of us will fight thee separately.’ Parviz complied with the summons, although Benâtûs had greatly dissuaded him. The three pugnacious Turks assailed Parviz one after the other, but were all slain by him. The soldiers of Persia, as well as of Rûm [Byzantines] were amazed at the prowess of the king; they applauded, and all alighted from their horses to kiss the ground with the lips of civility. In this act also Benâtûs, the son of the Qaisar, participated, alighting from his steed, and kissing the stirrup of Parviz. One of the above-mentioned many men, each of whom was surnamed Hezâr-merd [a thousand men], asked: ‘O king! How couldst thou, in spite of thy bravery, flee from thy officer?’ Khosru, being displeased with this question, gave no reply. This same Hezâr-merd then asked Parviz to point out Behrâm, as he was desirous to fight him. Behrâm, who happened to be in front of his army, mounted on a piebald charger, was accordingly singled out by Parviz. The Hezâr-merd attacked Behrâm and fought a while with him, until Behrâm at last aimed such a blow at the head of his antagonist that he split his whole body in two, and the sword struck the knob of his saddle. Khosru chuckled at this event, but the Rûmis, who were distressed thereby, inquired about the cause of the laughter of Parviz, who replied: ‘He blamed me for retreating from my own officer.’ Then he ordered the corpse of the man to be embalmed, and sent to the Qaisar, with an account of the whole affair.

In short, when the evening had set in, a great portion of the army which had formerly been in the service of Hor­muz, remembering the obligations of gratitude, went over to the camp of Khosru, and Behrâm fled so precipitately that he did not halt until he had arrived at the court of the Khâqân. As he was a man of well-known bravery, and had performed great deeds, he grew daily in the favour of the Khâqân. At the instigation of Parviz, however, the chief lady of the Khâqân’s harem got the brave man assassinated, for which crime the Khâqân divorced her.