Towered Elephants Before the Center

From C4.2, Kay Khosrow Musters against Afrasiab. It illustrates C4.2.60–71:

C4.2.60
Before the center he commanded thenThat elephants should hold the road for men.
C4.2.61
They set the fighting towers on each beast;The earth, like Nile’s great sea, its surge increased.
C4.2.62
Within the towers stood archers trained to kill,Thousands whose volleys answered to their will.
C4.2.63
Three hundred mounted warriors stood aroundEach elephant, a strong protective bound.
C4.2.64
Baghdad’s warriors marched with Zangeh’s train,Son of Shavaran, master of the plain.
C4.2.65
Picked men of Karkh, with arbalists arrayed,Were set before the elephants displayed.
C4.2.66
If mountains stood two farsang off in sight,Their arrows pierced the stone with deadly might.
C4.2.67
No man could ward the force of such a blow,Or stand against the bolts their bows let go.
C4.2.68
Behind the beasts, the footmen formed a wall,With nine-rash tall spears advanced before them all.
C4.2.69
Before them stood their Gilan shields in line,Their livers’ blood boiled hot at battle’s sign.
C4.2.70
Behind the spearmen, archers held their place,With shields, and shafts that pierced the jowshan’s embrace.
C4.2.71
Behind came horsemen, warriors strong and keen,Their quivers packed with poplar shafts were seen.