
Khosrow's Arrow Fells Bahram's Charger at the Bridge
From E6.7, Khosrow Flees the Night Attack. It illustrates E6.7.40–51:
- E6.7.40The youthful king then reached the bridge in pain,Pursued by Bahram, vengeance in his brain.
- E6.7.41Khosrow beheld him, stopped, and called his guide,The seasoned Gostaham, to stand by his side.
- E6.7.42“Bring me my bow,” he cried, “whose tongue shall tellMy words in battle, where it serves me well.”
- E6.7.43The treasurer brought the bow at his command;For Gostaham directed what was planned.
- E6.7.44The Shah poured arrows forth, and darkness spread;One shaft would stitch a helmet to a head.
- E6.7.45Then Bahram charged with kamand raised on high,A dragon under him against the sky.
- E6.7.46His horse was bare of armor in the fight;The king turned back and saw him with delight.
- E6.7.47He strung his bow and struck the charger’s chest;The wounded horse collapsed and lay at rest.
- E6.7.48The sepahbod, on foot, then raised his shield;He grasped his head, distressed upon the field.
- E6.7.49Then Yalan-sina charged; the king, in scorn,Shot at the horse by which the chief was borne.
- E6.7.50On foot he left the bridge, his charger lame;The troops withdrew along the way they came.
- E6.7.51When Bahram drew away from bridge and fight,Khosrow destroyed the bridge and took to flight.
In the picture
Previous · E6.6Bahram Chubin's Sister Pleads with HimNext · E6.8The Uncles Strangle the Blind Hormizd
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