CANTO LXI.
THE BATTLE OF THE FOURTH DAY.
1

When the sun struck forth its head from the corner of the Nile (the sky),
The sphere washed its coat of the blue (black) colour (of dark night).

The lions (the warriors) again displayed force;
The whole plain became a burial-place on account of the wild asses (the slain warriors).

The large bell, together with the small globular bell, came into tumult;
The blood (of men) boiled at the trumpet's breath.

From the clamour of the (Rúmish) brazen trumpet, and the sound of the drum,
From the red rose (the ruddy cheek),—the yellow colour of juniper appeared.

5

At that moment, Jawdara hastened to the battle-field;
For, in himself, he found not a particle of weakness (through wounds).

Again Hindí, like the black lion (the fiercest of all lions),
Hurled his khutlan steed to the battle-place:

Displayed much dexterity with Jawdara,
—The work of the effective wound passed not.—

Cast a frown at last on his eyebrow;
Cast Jawdara's head on the top of his saddle:

Accomplished his own desire as to overthrowing him;
Consigned him to the hoof of his own steed:

10

Circled boldly, and sought the foe;
(And) made the place void of many a foe.

Was a renowned one,—name, Tartús;
Name mentioned for prowess among the Russians:

In contending, like a (deadly) red dragon;
His striving, all for destruction,—

8

The second line may be:—

Blood (slaughter) raged at the trumpet's breath.

6

See canto lviii. couplet 62.

“Sara” may signify—karí.

9

“Ráh-anjám” signifies—a steed by which the road of journeying finds an end; a steed that stays to the end of his journey.

Towards Hindí, he came like a torrent in flood,
Which brings tumult from mountain to valley.

In those hostile encounters,
They displayed much bravery.

15

At last, the Russian (Tartús) made an assault,
Such that he brought forth the dust (of destruction) from that warrior, Hindí:

Emptied the limbs of his blood,
When he poured (out) the wine (blood),—he struck the cup (the body of Hindí) on the stone (trampled on the body).

Took off the helmet from his head (to display his face to Sikandar's army), and said:—“I am
“A lion; for thus I overthrow the prey.

“That one who expresses against me the fold of the eye­brow (the angry frown),—
“Best, that he should put on the shroud instead of the mail armour.

“Me, whom my mother calls Tartús
“The Russian, in the Russian tongue, calls Rustam.

20

“I will not go back to my place from the battle-field
“Unless (until) I bring down an army from its footing.”

By the slaying of Hindí, and the wound inflicted by the Russian, the king
Writhed on himself (in anger) like the ringlet of the bride.

He was intent on that he might turn his own rein towards battle;
Delay again occurred in regard to his intention.

17

In Russia, when a warrior overthrew his enemy, he took off his helmet and glorified himself.

22

This delay was through prudence.

Left and right, he glanced (to see)—of the army
Who would go, revenge-seeking, from the revengeful one (Tartús):

Moved his steed, a hastener,
With steel clothing, a great gleamer, like lightning.

25

An auspicious horseman—like the roaring lion;
Powerful, and dextrous of rein, and bold:

His limbs so immersed in steel
That, save his palate to the extent required for breath, nothing (was) visible;

In caracoling, arrogance-displaying;
With the sword, play-exhibiting like lightning (the leaper):

From those dextrous deeds of skill which he displayed
Against him, the enemy's (Tartús') power become languid,—

Hurled his steed like the wind against that Russian (Tartús);
Extended his arm for sword-proving:

30

Struck, in such a way that, from his neck-striking sword
The enemy's head fell into his skirt.

Another (Russian) horseman, more lion of heart than that one,
Came for contest like the male lion.

He also became cast down of head by another wound;
Thus, until several heads were plucked off.

More than forty Russians of mountain-back,
That fighting lion slew with ease.

25

This horseman was the damsel given by the Kháḳán to Sikandar, and is the agent to the verb “hurled” in couplet 29.

In every direction in which he urged the dark bay steed,
He made his iron (sword) red with the blood of the stone (the hard Russian body).

35

In every attack, which he provoked on every side (or in every way),
He overthrew a multitude of Russians.

Where his (spear and arrow) point became a hastener for blood,—
Through fear, none came before him.

He prepared a fiery assault;
Loosed the rein against the skilful horsemen.

In that assault which that deliberate mountain (the auspicious horseman) made,
He overthrew a hundred, and slew a hundred, and wounded a hundred.

At his prowess the king was astounded;
At that hand (grasping) and sword (striking) was praise-utterer.

40

He thus made combats;
Kept pouring the fire (of the sword) upon those thorns (the injurious Russians):

So long as the sky overhead became not musk-rubbing (dark),
He returned not to his place from the battle-field.

When the sun went within the veil of the mountain,
The head of the luminous day (the sun) descended to sleep.

34

The second line may be:—

He made his iron (hoof) red …

36

Reading kísh for nísh, the first line will be:—

When his temperament became …

37

In some copies, the second line is:—

Gave the rein to his steed obedient to the rein.

38

The warrior (couplet 25) made assault deliberately, not hastily.

Dark night (the earth's shadow)—like a black dragon,
Brought forth its head from the fish (beneath the earth) to the moon (in the heavens):

Darkened the road for night-travellers;
Swallowed the moon, as the dragon (swallows creatures).

45

From assaulting in that assault, the (auspicious) horseman
Rested and came at night-making (to his camp):

Became so concealed in the darkness of night,
That none in the world recognized him.

From the courage of that bold horseman—the king
Entertained the idea that that lion-heart was (verily) the lion (of the forest).

At his prowess, the king was astounded;
At that hand and sword—was praise-utterer,

(And) spoke, in thought, saying:—“That expert horseman
“Who this day did such battle,—

50

“Alas! if his face I had beheld,
“To him I would have given two hundred unopened stores.

“He displayed strong armedness and slew a nation;
“Made his back strong like my arm.

“A man, he was not;—the roaring lion, he was:
“A hundred praises be on that lion!”

44

When the moon comes within the shadow of Draco, it becomes black or eclipsed.

45

“Shab sákhtan” signifies—shab básh shudan.

48

This is couplet 39 repeated.