
Khosrow Enthroned upon the Elephant
From B11.8, Kay Khosrow Inspects the Army. It illustrates B11.8.4–15 (to B11.8.21):
- B11.8.4Upon one elephant they raised a throne,And so the royal Tree in splendor shone.
- B11.8.5The Shah came forth and took his seat on high,His jeweled crown resplendent to the eye.
- B11.8.6A torque of gems lay shining on his breast,His ox-head gorz in kingly hand at rest.
- B11.8.7From either ear rich pearl and jewel swung,While gold and gems upon his bracelets hung.
- B11.8.8His belt was pearl and emerald, worked with gold,A sight for all assembled to behold.
- B11.8.9His elephant, with bells and golden rein,Advanced into the center of the plain.
- B11.8.10He struck the mohreh in the royal cup,To Saturn then the army’s roar rose up.
- B11.8.11With sword and gorz and koust the earth grew black,As dust rose thick above the army’s track.
- B11.8.12The sun seemed caught within a net on high,As though the vault of heaven bent from the sky.
- B11.8.13No clearest eye could see a horseman’s rein,Nor stars discern the spearpoints on the plain.
- B11.8.14It seemed the billows of the sea had grown,As troop by troop the moving line was shown.
- B11.8.15They brought the camp-enclosure to the field,While shouts rose high and made the heavens yield.
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