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Trophies Sent from Herat to the Shah

Trophies Sent from Herat to the Shah

From E5.12, Bahram Chubin Announces His Victory. It illustrates E5.12.4–15 (to E5.12.19):

  • E5.12.4
    Then men awoke as sleep released its hold;The captain summoned all his comrades bold.
  • E5.12.5
    He said, “Behead the chiefs among the slain,The bold war-Pahlevans of Turan’s plain.
  • E5.12.6
    Each leader of the folk and captain deadShall have his banner flaunting near his head.
  • E5.12.7
    Set flags behind the heads of those who woreThe diadems of warriors before.”
  • E5.12.8
    He gathered mules to bear the heads away,And took them from the field where corpses lay.
  • E5.12.9
    Then called a scribe and spoke at length of all:The countless troops, the battle’s rise and fall,
  • E5.12.10
    The movements, chances, stratagems of war,And all the toil and hardship that he bore.
  • E5.12.11
    He told of warfare waged by Iran’s men,And how no horseman loosed his belt till then.
  • E5.12.12
    When he had written to the Shah, he choseA courier from the troops to bear his prose.
  • E5.12.13
    He set King Saveh’s head upon a spear,A sign of victory made stark and clear.
  • E5.12.14
    He bade them bear that monarch’s standard too,And heads of chiefs from Chin and Turan’s crew.
  • E5.12.15
    On beasts of burden all were borne away,To reach the Shah with speed and no delay.

In the picture

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