New NaqqaliPrince and champion · House of Lohrasp
Esfandiyarاسفندیار
es-fan-dee-YAHR
Son of Goshtasb, brazen-bodied champion of Zardosht's Faith, killed by Rostam.
- His story
- From C6.15, Esfandiyar Hears of Zarir’s Death, to C8.29, Bishutan Brings Esfandiyar Home
- Named
- 225 times, in 83 dastans
- Parents
- Goshtasb, Katayun
- Children
- Bahman, Mehr-e-Nush, Azar Afruz, Nush Azar
- Plates
- Vol II: I, Vol II: VI
- Pictures
- 55 panels · identity sheets
How we draw Esfandiyar
The identity sheets the illustrator works from, one for each stage of life. Tap to open full size. More in the Art section.
In the pictures
Esfandiyar in 55 woodcut panels of the illustrated poem, in story order. Tap one to see it with the couplets it illustrates.
C6.7Goshtasb Flings the Answer at the Envoys
C6.11Goshtasb Gives Zarir the Standard
C6.15Esfandiyar Takes Up the Royal Standard
C6.17Esfandiyar Catches the Poisoned Javelin
C6.18Arjasp Flees at Evening
C6.19The Turkish Chiefs Beg Mercy
C6.21Fire Lit Where Idols Stood
C6.23Jamasp Meets Esfandiyar at the Hunt
C6.24Esfandiyar Is Chained before the Court
C6.30Jamasp Bows to the Chained Prince
C6.30Esfandiyar Breaks His Own Fetters
C6.31The Death of FarshidvardAll 55 pictures
C6.32Goshtasb Embraces Esfandiyar on the Height
C6.32Esfandiyar Lassoes Gorgsar
C6.33Goshtasb Pledges the Crown Again
C7.2Gorgsar Questioned at the Fork
C7.2Esfandiyar Shoots the Horned Wolves
C7.3The Lioness Charges the Prince
C7.4The Sword-Bladed Carriage Is Tested
C7.4The Dragon Swallows the Carriage
C7.5The Witch Comes as a Maiden
C7.5The Chain Reveals the Witch
C7.6The Simorgh Strikes the Blades
C7.7The Chiefs Beg Esfandiyar to Turn Back
C7.7Prayer in the Spear-Deep Snow
C7.8Esfandiyar Hauls the Hiyun from the River
C7.8First Sight of the Iron Fortress
C7.9Warriors Hidden in the Merchant's Chests
C7.9The Merchant Scatters Gold before Arjasp
C7.10Homahyi Knows Her Brother's Voice
C7.12Esfandiyar and Arjasp Fight in the Hall
C7.13Esfandiyar Hurls Kuhram to the Earth
C7.14The Scribe Writes the Victory Letter
C7.15The Ruyin Dezh Burns behind the Caravan
C7.15Esfandiyar Embraces Goshtasb
C8.3Goshtasb Orders Rostam Bound
C8.4Katayun Tears Her Hair
C8.5The Camel Sinks at the Crossroads
C8.10Esfandiyar Shames Bahman in Court
C8.11Rostam and Esfandiyar Embrace at the Hirmund
C8.11Rostam Refuses the Chains
C8.13Rostam Rides Into the Camp
C8.14Esfandiyar Slanders Zal's Birth
C8.17The Crushing Handclasp
C8.18Rostam Drains the Great Cup
C8.19Rostam Speaks to the Royal Tent
C8.21Esfandiyar Vaults Onto the Black Steed
C8.21The Struggle for the Belt
C8.23Rostam Leaps From Wounded Rakhsh
C8.23Rostam Wades the Hirmund at Dusk
C8.23Esfandiyar Mourns His Two Sons
C8.27The Tamarisk Arrow Strikes
C8.27Bishutan and Bahman Reach the Prince
C8.28Esfandiyar Entrusts Bahman to Rostam
C8.28Rostam Mourns the Dead PrinceHis story, in the poem’s own sections
10 sections, with the summary from the Notes. Open any one to read it in full here; tap a couplet number to cite it or suggest a better one.
C6.16
Esfandiyar Marches against Arjasp
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Esfandiyar charges and scatters the Turks. Nastur arms, searches the field for his father, finds Zarir stripped on the ground, laments over him and rides to demand vengeance from the Shah. Goshtasb calls for his armor; his minister tells him to send Nastur instead.
41 couplets · Esfandiyar named 1 time · in the full poem
Esfandiyar, huge-bodied, fierce in form,A man of wisdom, braced to face the storm,
He heard his father shouting from the height,And bowed his head in grief before the fight.
With spear in hand, he sought his father’s face,And bent in sorrow with a restrained grace.
Then, like a Div who bursts both bolt and chain,He mounted, and his dark steed shook the plain.
Like rose petals swept by a sudden blast,The ranks he struck were scattered wide and fast.
He slew, beheaded, swept their men away,And filled their hearts with terror and dismay.
Nastur, Zarir’s own son, came from his tent,And to his father’s horse attendant went.
He said, “Bring out a charger fresh and fleet,Well-fed and rested, nimble on his feet.”
They set a golden saddle for the fray,And cinched the royal harness for the day.
They laid the horse’s armor on its back,Tied the Kayanian kamand to the tack.
Then fully armed, the grieving youth took rein,And rode his charger toward the battle plain.
With spear in hand, he rode into the fight,And searched for where his father fell from sight.
He hurried, gave his charger all its speed,And took revenge with every bloody deed.
When he beheld a man of Iran’s line,He asked, “Where fell that father, lord of mine?
Where did Zarir, my father, fall below,That dauntless rider who had faced the foe?”
A man named Ardeshir was standing near,A horseman famed, a lion without fear.
The grieving prince asked where Zarir now lay;The warrior pointed out the mournful way.
“He fell,” said Ardeshir, “within the line,Beside that sable standard’s mournful sign.
Go quickly there; that sable mark appears,And you may see the face that claims your tears.”
The prince urged on his steed and onward sped,While foes fell thick along his path ahead.
He rushed until he found his father slain,His body cast, stripped bare, upon the plain.
His heart and reason failed before that sight;He leapt down from his saddle in his plight.
He cast himself upon his father’s breast,And cried, “My moon, my radiance, and my rest,
My heart, my eyes, my soul; you lit them all;Now darkness wraps the world beneath its pall.
What toil and care you bore to raise my name;To whom did you entrust me when death came?
Since Shah Lohrasp gave all the troops to you,And gave Goshtasb the crown and kingdom too,
You ruled the troops and realm with steadfast will,And longed for battle, eager for it still.
Your name had shone throughout the world, and yetYou fell before your wishes could be met.
I seek your brother, that auspicious king,And to his ears this bitter summons bring:
‘Come down! Zarir deserved much more from you;Go take revenge on those who ran him through.’”
He mourned at length, then mounted with a cry,And sought the Shah whose throne was raised on high.
The Kayanian-born cried out, “Shah, arise!Avenge my father, where in dust he lies.
My father lies upon the earth’s dry crust,His black beard, sweet with musk, now in the dust.”
When Shah Goshtasb heard this, the daylight died;The world grew dark; his strength was swept aside.
His mighty frame grew frail, his vigor fled;He cried, “Bring jowshan, helmet for my head.
Bring out my sable steed; today shall flowThe blood in streams from those who laid him low.
I shall ignite the world; its flames shall fly,And raise the smoke to Kayvan in the sky.”
The warriors cried, “Why muster this arrayIf you, the Shah, must go and join the fray?
Do not go forth, O king, to seek the foe;Arjasp is seeking you to strike you low.”
The minister said, “Do not fight; insteadGive Nastur your own steed; send him ahead;
For he will take his father’s vengeance due,And do so better, mighty Shah, than you.”
C6.24
Goshtasb Imprisons Esfandiyar
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With the Mobadan assembled and the Zand-Avesta beside him, Goshtasb puts the case of a rebellious son to the court in the abstract, gets the answer he wants, and has Esfandiyar chained despite his protest of innocence and sent on a black elephant to the fortress of Gombadan.
40 couplets · Esfandiyar named 1 time · in the full poem
When news had reached the Shah, “Your son is here,”He bade the priests and nobles all appear.
He set the Zand-Avesta by his side,With all the chiefs assembled to decide.
He seated every Mobad in his place,Then summoned in the prince of royal race.
With Kayanian crown, he reached his father’s seat,And bowed in homage at the monarch’s feet.
He bowed before the throne in courtly show,With folded arms and head bent humbly low.
The king addressed the Mobadan, the great,The chiefs and nobles, men of rank and weight:
“You nobles know the pains that fathers bear,The toil of raising sons with constant care.
A father has his infant nursed and fed,And sets a crown of gold upon his head.
He tends his growing son, stays by his side,To teach him how to eat and how to ride.
Through many hardships, he prepares his sonFor mounted fight till his training is done.
The boy grows into manhood and will shineLike yellow gold brought gleaming from the mine.
All seekers ask their favors from his hand,And every tongue gives praise throughout the land.
He proves a good, victorious rider, blessedTo lead in feast and battle, first and best.
He sets the whole world underneath his feet,And well deserves the royal throne and seat.
The son has all the world at his command,The banner and the army in his hand.
The father keeps a crown, a throne, a hoard;He sits and guards the riches he has stored.
Suppose that heir, with troops and banners flown,Should grudge his father kingship and the throne.
Has anyone among you heard it saidA son would seek to take his father’s head,
And raise revolt with armies in his train,And set his heart on war for royal gain?
What say you, elders? What should now be done?What course may fathers take with such a son?”
The chosen chiefs replied, “O monarch, no;No living father should endure such woe.
A son who seeks his living father’s throneShows folly greater than we yet have known.”
The monarch said, “This son would seize my crown;He seeks his father’s place, to cast me down.
A wooden rod shall strike him at my word;Let all take warning when the tale is heard.
And I shall bind him as his deeds demand,As none was ever bound by human hand.”
The son replied, “O Shah of noble heart,How could I wish to see your life depart?
I know no wrong that I have done to you,Nor any secret treason I pursue.
But you are Shah, and judgment yours alone;I am yours; chains and prison are your own.
Command them: bind or slay me as you will;My heart is honest, and my mind is still.”
The king of kings cried, “Bring the chains today;Bind him before the court without delay.”
They brought the smiths with iron fetters grim,A yoke and heavy chain to shackle him.
They bound his hands and feet before them all;The court wept bitterly throughout the hall.
They set a chain about his neck, then ledHim out, as Goshtasb’s royal order said.
“Bring me a bull elephant,” said the king,“One swift as any bird upon the wing.”
They brought an elephant of midnight black,And placed Esfandiyar upon its back.
To Gombadan’s famed fortress he was sent;With tear-filled eyes and wounded heart he went.
Sepahbods hemmed him in as he was led,With some behind him, others at his head.
Within that mountain stronghold he was tied;Four iron columns held him there inside.
They cast him down from Fortune’s royal height;The Shah set guards to keep him in their sight.
There, bound and grieving, the brave warrior lay,And time and time again wept in dismay.
C7.9
Esfandiyar’s Guile at the Ruyin Dezh
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Esfandiyar enters the Ruyin Dezh as a merchant named Kharrad, with a hundred and sixty men sealed in chests among his camels. Arjasp grants him a house and a shop, laughs off rumors that the prince is crossing the Seven Stages, and bids him trade freely.
77 couplets · Esfandiyar named 3 times · in the full poem
He then returned within his guarded tent,And from the council all the strangers sent.
Then Bishutan came in and took his seat,To speak of war and how the foes might meet.
The warrior said, “We might assault in vainThis hold for years, with only loss and pain,
Unless I now accept a lowlier role,And try some cunning plan to reach my goal.
Keep watch here at all hours with steady care,And guard the army from the hostile snare.
A man is worthy of a lofty throneWho fears no hostile army on his own,
Who fears no leopard on the mountainside,Nor dread nahang within the waters wide,
But works by craft, then force, as need is found,Now climbing high, now moving near the ground.
I shall approach the fortress in disguise,A merchant, hidden from all watching eyes.
Each book of learning I shall search and read,And gather every snare and plot I need.
Keep scouts and watchmen always on the way;Let knowledge guide you, lest your judgment stray.
If smoke by day should meet the watchman’s sight,Or fire by night should blaze with sunlight’s might,
Then know that I have kindled that bright brand;That flame is mine; no trick of hostile hand.
Array the troops and lead them out; let eachBear jowshan, helm, and gorz within his reach.
Raise up my flag without the least delay,And set the troops at center in array.
Drive on with ox-head gorz, and deal such blowsThat you seem Esfandiyar to all your foes.”
He called the cameleer and bade him stayBefore Bishutan, kneeling, to obey:
“Bring me a hundred camels, strong to bear,All red of coat, with proud and handsome air.”
Ten camels bore gold dinars in the train;Five, Chin brocade; five, gems of every vein.
A golden throne and crown were loaded too,Among the precious stones of every hue.
He brought forth eighty pairs of covered chests,With hidden fastenings, for their hidden guests.
He chose eight score of mighty men, well tried,Who would not let his secret plans spread wide.
He hid them in the chests with careful art,Then bound the baggage fast for them to start.
He chose some twenty chiefs, discreet and strong,His proud swordsmen, to bring the train along.
He set those chiefs to guide the laden train,As cameleers, each with a camel’s rein.
With shoes upon his feet, a coarse wool gown,He went as one who sought no warrior’s crown.
With jewels, gold, and silver packed for trade,He neared the Dezh, his merchant’s role well played.
He led the way; when camel bells rang round,The Dezh’s chief men came hurrying to the sound.
They talked at length, grew eager, and began:“A merchant comes, a most unusual man.
He sells for silver wares that are worth gold.”So through the fortress ran the story told.
The dealers and the nobles came to buy,And asked, “What precious goods within these lie?”
He answered, “First I need to see your king,And spread before him all I came to bring.
When he commands, my wealth I shall display,And bring its splendor to the light of day.”
He set the camel cargo down, then wentTo seek the king and further his intent.
He took a horse, two robes of Chin brocade,Whose brilliant sleeves their woven art displayed.
He took a bowl of gems, a royal hoard,And coins of gold to scatter for the lord.
Silk veiled the bowl; above, below, he spreadBoth musk and abir, fragrant on the thread.
In fine brocade, perfumed, he sought the king,With all the gifts his cunning bade him bring.
Before the king he scattered coins of gold,Then spoke as one whose wares were bought and sold:
“May wisdom ever grace the king’s command;I am a merchant, trading through the land.
My father was a Turk; my mother cameOf noble stock, a house of honored name.
In Turan I buy goods, then take my gainBy trade in Iran or the warriors’ plain.
A camel train of merchandise I bring,With cloth and gems and many a costly thing,
With jewels, crowns, and perfumes rich and rare;I seek out buyers for the goods I bear.
I left my goods outside Ruyin Dezh’s gate,Assured your care would guard them from ill fate.
If you permit the cameleers to leadThe caravan inside, you meet my need.
Your fortune keeps me free of all alarm;Your loving shadow shelters me from harm.”
Arjasp replied, “Be happy and secure;No harm within Turan shall you endure.
And should you journey on, have no more fear;In Chin or Machin, you are safe as here.”
In Ruyin Dezh he bade the merchant dwell,His gold secure, and all protected well:
A spacious house, a shop before the court,Where he could trade and have the king’s support.
With chests upon their backs, they brought the train,Each with a hand upon a camel’s rein.
A thoughtful man approached: “What lies concealedWithin those chests you carry, tightly sealed?”
The carrier replied, “We bear our fate;Upon our shoulders death has laid its weight.”
Esfandiyar arranged his wares to bringHis shop to bloom with colors like the spring.
On every side the eager buyers sprang,And through the place the din of trading rang.
The night went by; at dawn the prince arose,And toward the palace walked in merchant’s clothes.
He kissed the ground before Arjasp’s high seat,And praised him with a merchant’s words discreet:
“My cameleers and I have crossed the plain;Through dust and toil we brought the laden train.
The crowns and bracelets in them well may graceA sovereign king of your illustrious race.
Let him who keeps your treasury see the store,And choose what suits its wealth; I ask no more.
I shall rejoice in anything you take;A king’s acceptance crowns the gifts I make.
The merchant’s part is only praise and prayer,And humble thanks beneath a monarch’s care.”
Arjasp then smiled on him and showed him grace,And set him in a more distinguished place.
He asked his name; the prince concealed his aim,And answered him, “Kharrad, my lord, by name.”
The king replied, “Good merchant, be at ease;Come freely here whenever you may please.
My doors stand open; enter without fear.”He asked what news the merchant chanced to hear.
Of both realms’ troops, he asked, and travel’s pain;The prince replied, “Five months we crossed the plain.”
The king then asked what Iran’s people sayOf Esfandiyar and Gorgsar on the way.
He said, “My lord, men speak as rumors guide:Some say, in anger, he his sire defied.
Some say, from Barghavan he led his forceTo take the Seven Stages as his course,
To fight in Turan, where his purpose lay,And make Arjasp for all his wrongs now pay.”
Arjasp laughed: “No man grown wise and oldWould credit such a tale as you have told.
Should any vulture cross the Stages’ span,Then call me Ahriman, no mortal man!”
The prince bent down and kissed the royal floor,Then left in joy and passed the palace door.
He opened up his shop to sell and buy;The fortress rang with every merchant’s cry.
He traded on; for wares worth gold, his priceWas one small silver coin, which would suffice.
C7.12
Esfandiyar Slays Arjasp
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At night Esfandiyar opens the chests, sends his sisters to safety, storms the palace and kills Arjasp hand to hand. He seals the treasure, rides out with his hundred and sixty men, and leaves orders to cast Arjasp’s head from the wall.
48 couplets · Esfandiyar named 2 times · in the full poem
As darkness deepened, he prepared to fight;He donned his battle armor in the night.
He raised the chest-lids so that air could flowTo those concealed and hidden from the foe.
He brought them roasted meat and wine to share,With battle gear and clothing fit to wear.
When they had eaten, each received full measure,Three cups of wine, which filled their hearts with pleasure.
He said, “This night brings danger; win your name,For deeds done here may earn us lasting fame.
Show all your strength; stand fast, what may befall,And make Yazdan your refuge over all.”
From those bold warriors tested for the deed,He formed three bands according to his need.
The first he sent within the stronghold’s heart,To fight all those they met in every part.
He sent the second band to hold the gate,And bade them let no clash of arms abate.
He told the third band, “None must live or flee;Not one who drank wine last night here with me.
Let not a trace remain when they are dead;Take up your khanjars; sever every head.”
With twenty valiant men he took his way,And gave the rest their charge without delay.
He roared in jowshan, lion loosed for fight,And reached Arjasp’s great palace in the night.
Homahyi heard the tumult through the hall,And with Bih Afrid hurried at the call.
Blood-tears had veiled their faces as they nearedTheir brother, who before them now appeared.
He saw his two veiled sisters, fresh as spring,And spoke of what this night of war might bring:
“Run swift as dust before the wind,” he cried;“Go to my market quarters; leave my side.
My gold and silver lie within that store;Go to my quarters; stay with me no more.
Avoid this fight, whatever lies ahead,Whether I win the crown or lose my head.”
He turned from them, his purpose fixed and clear,And stormed the inner palace without fear.
He entered with an Indian sword in hand,And cut down nobles of the royal band.
The audience chamber of that storied courtWas choked with dead of every rank and sort.
With wounded, crushed, and slaughtered men around,A troubled sea now seemed to flood the ground.
Arjasp awoke, alarmed by all the din,And rose in fury at the clash within.
In Roman helm and jowshan all arrayed,He gripped his khanjar with its gleaming blade.
With battle fury burning in his breast,He roared aloud, by blood and wrath possessed.
From palace halls brave Esfandiyar sprang,His Indian sword held ready as steel rang.
He cried, “This merchant brings the wares long due:A blade of vengeance, sharp and proven true.
This gift from Lohrasp bears a royal seal;Goshtasb’s own mark upon its deadly steel.”
They closed in savage combat, blade to blade,And sword-strokes rang where death already played.
At waist and head they struck with blow on blow,Till fierce Arjasp’s attack grew faint and slow.
No part of him was whole; he streamed with gore,His elephant-like bulk fell to the floor.
Then Esfandiyar struck off Arjasp’s head,And with it lay his empire’s power dead.
Such is the turning of the worldly wheel:Now sweetness, now the poison we must feel.
Why bind your heart to what must fade and go?Spare yourself toil; you cannot stay, you know.
With Arjasp slain, his uproar rose so highIt reached to Saturn in the distant sky.
He ordered candles lit; their flames shone brightThroughout the palace, filling it with light.
He left the harem in a servant’s care,And took its light away, and left it bare.
He set his seal upon the treasure door;No rival stood against him anymore.
He mounted, Indian sword still in his hand;Choice Arab steeds were saddled for his band.
He gave his sisters horses, then withdrewThrough Arjasp’s gate with all his chosen few.
From Dezh eight score of chosen riders came,All tried in war, all resolute in aim.
He left the gate in noble Sawa’s care,With several of Iran’s chiefs to share.
He said, “Bar Turks from entry once I go;When you judge I have reached our force below,
Cry from the lookout, ‘May King Goshtasb’s crownAnd head be blessed!’ Let that great shout ring down.
When fleeing Turks rush headlong toward this tower,Cast down Arjasp’s head to break their power.”
He swept the field and brought the Turks down low;Then joined his brother’s troops, who faced the foe.
Bishutan praised him; all his warriors gazedUpon such youthful courage, left amazed.
C8.2
Esfandiyar Demands the Kingdom
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Before the court Esfandiyar recites his service: the oath against the idol-worshippers, the battle with Arjasp, the chains his father put on him, the Seven Stages, the sisters brought home. He ends by asking what pretext is left for withholding the throne.
38 couplets · Esfandiyar named 1 time · in the full poem
When night had gathered up its reins and gone,And dawn’s bright spear across the sky was drawn,
Upon his golden throne the Shah sat straight;The prince approached, his grievance to relate.
He stood, arms folded, like a humble slave,His mind weighed down by thought, his spirit grave.
When chiefs and warriors filled the royal hall,With priests and captains ranked before them all,
Esfandiyar, that mighty prince and chief,Began to speak and pour forth all his grief.
He said, “O Shah, live evermore; the earthThrough you receives God’s farr and royal worth.
Through you both love and justice stand confessed,And crown and throne with majesty are blessed.
I am your servant, bound to do your will,And swift to act and serve your purpose still.
You know Arjasp came riding forth to fightAgainst the Faith, with Chin’s assembled might.
I swore those solemn oaths, and held them dear;I heeded God’s commands, both firm and clear:
If any man should cast the Faith asideFor idols, with its holy truth denied,
My khanjar splits him at the waist in two;I fear no man in what I swear to do.
When fierce Arjasp advanced to join the fight,No lion or leopard turned me back in fright.
I made the battlefield a graveyard then;No saddle held a rider of his men.
Yet at Gurazm’s request, amid your cheer,You shamed me while you drank at the banquet here.
You bound me fast with chains of iron weight,And blacksmiths’ spikes secured my captive state.
To Gombadan you sent me in that plight,In strangers’ hands, disgraced before their sight.
You went to Zabul, leaving Balkh behind,And treated war as feasting in your mind.
You did not see Arjasp’s blade strike its blow;You cast old King Lohrasp in blood and woe.
Jamasp arrived and saw me bound in pain,My body wounded by the heavy chain.
He promised realm and throne and pleaded long;I answered him, my wrath and spirit strong:
‘These heavy chains, these fetters that I bear,These blacksmiths’ iron spikes, I shall lay bare
Before Yazdan upon the Judgment Day,And plead against my slanderer’s evil way.’
He said, ‘The gorz-armed chiefs bleed on the plain;Your brother Farshidvard lies there in pain.
The field holds bodies pierced by arrows’ flight;Your sisters have been captured in the fight.
The Shah himself has fled before the foe,And grieves because he brought his son this woe.
Does not your heart burn hot at all this grief,At wounds and sorrows that defy relief?’
He spoke much more of sorrow, grief, and pain;I broke apart each fetter, yoke, and chain.
I rushed to you and slew foes past all count;You praised my deeds; too many to recount.
Should I recount the Stages, one by one,How could I ever hope to see it done?
I glorified Goshtasb before all men,And took Arjasp’s proud head in triumph then.
I brought his wife and children to your court,With crown and throne and treasure of every sort.
You placed those riches in your guarded hall;My blood was capital; grief paid for all.
Your oaths and pledges strengthened heart and hand,And made me readier for each command.
You said, ‘Return, and when I see you whole,You shall be dearer to me than my soul.
The ivory throne and crown shall pass to you;Your valor makes such royal honors due.’
Before the nobles I am put to shame:They ask, ‘Where are the troops and wealth you claim?’
What pretext now remains? What is my place?For whom do I still toil in this disgrace?”
C8.4
Katayun Counsels Esfandiyar
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Katayun begs her son not to ride against Rostam, reciting his deeds and warning that no crown is worth his life. Esfandiyar agrees that binding Rostam would be shameful, refuses to disobey the Shah, and insists on taking his sons with him.
32 couplets · Esfandiyar named 1 time · in the full poem
Much moved, with tearful cheeks, Katayun cameBefore her glorious son and spoke his name.
She said, “O crown of warriors, famed in fight,Whose name among the chiefs burns ever bright,
Bahman has told me you intend to rideFrom this rose-garden toward Zabul’s side,
And bind great Rostam, gorz and sword in hand,The son of Zal, whom you would now withstand.
Now hear the words your mother brings today;Do not rush into evil on your way.
That rider, strong as elephants in war,Would scorn the Nile when battle’s torrents roar.
He tore the White Div’s liver out by force;Before his sword the sun would leave its course.
He slew the king of Hamavaran outright,And none is bold enough to blame his might.
Against Afrasiab, for Siavash dead,He made the earth a sea of running red.
Do not give up your life for royal power;No newborn wears a crown in his first hour.
A curse upon this crown and royal throne,On killing, pillage, tumult they have sown!
Your father now is old, while you are young,With strength and valor through your sinews strung.
The army turns its gaze upon your face;Do not through anger fall into disgrace.
The world has places other than that landOf Sistan; do not raise a reckless hand.
Do not make me mourn in life and after death;Hear your mother’s grief in every breath.”
Esfandiyar replied, “My mother dear,Attend my words and keep your judgment clear.
Great Rostam is the man you know so well;His deeds, like sacred Zand, you read and tell.
Search all the heroes, wander where you may;No greater benefactor comes your way.
To bind him is a wrong, a deed of shame;Such evil ill becomes the royal name.
Yet do not break my heart with what you say;To break my heart would take my life away.
How can I turn from what the Shah commands,And cast away such kingship from my hands?
If Zabul marks the ending of my days,Then heaven draws me there through all its ways.
If Rostam comes obedient to my word,No harsh rebuke from me shall then be heard.”
His mother’s eyes rained blood; she tore her hair,And cried, “O raging elephant, beware!
Your strength has made you reckless with your life;Do not seek Rostam in unequal strife.
You are no match for him; you cannot standAgainst him; do not go without a band.
Do not go bearing life upon your ownShoulder before that elephant alone.
Your will to go is Ahriman’s own snare;Pause now, and from this road your children spare.
Do not lead children on their feet to hell;No sage would say that you have reasoned well.”
The prince replied, “My sons must come with me;To leave them here is no choice I can see.
When idleness becomes a young man’s way,His spirit darkens, and his thoughts decay.
I need them in the fight; no mighty force,Just kin and some companions on this course.”
C8.11
Rostam and Esfandiyar Meet
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The two meet at the Hirmund. Rostam greets Esfandiyar warmly and invites him home; the prince returns the courtesy but insists Rostam must come before Goshtasb in chains. Rostam refuses the bonds, and they settle instead on one day of feasting.
72 couplets · Esfandiyar named 4 times · in the full poem
The prince commanded, “Saddle up the black;Place now the golden saddle on its back.”
A hundred horsemen from his chosen bandRode with him out beside the Hirmund strand.
He hastened to the Hirmund’s riverbank,His saddle’s twisted kamand at his flank.
Rakhsh neighed aloud upon the nearer side;The prince’s charger called across the tide.
Then Rostam rode from land into the stream;Dismounting, he addressed him with esteem.
When greetings passed, he said, “I prayed in graceThat God would guide you safely to this place,
That you and all your nobles might draw nearWith all your troops and safely meet me here.
Come, let us sit and let our words be wise,And in our talk let happy counsel rise.
Be sure that God Himself looks on and knows,And wisdom guides the words that I disclose.
I seek no glory through the words I share;No lie will pass my lips or cloud the air.
If Siavash now appeared before my sight,My heart could know no greater joy or light.
You seem like Siavash, and none beside,That crowned one whose gifts spread far and wide.
Blessed is the Shah who has a son like you;Your stature and your farr rejoice him too.
Blessed is Iran, whose people gladly waitUpon your throne and ever-watchful fate.
Ill-starred is he who fights you; from his throneHe falls to dust, his fortune overthrown.
May all your foes be filled with dread of you;May all ill-wishers’ hearts be torn in two.
May all your years be fortunate and bright;May Nowruz greet you in the blackest night.”
Then bright Esfandiyar left his royal steed,And clasped the hero, great in word and deed.
He called down blessings on the man of fame,And spoke with joy while praising Rostam’s name:
“Thank God, O chief of chiefs, that I beholdYour mind so bright, your spirit glad and bold.
It is but right that men should hail your worth,Whose fame makes heroes dust upon the earth.
Blessed is he who has a son like you;He sees the fruit upon the branch he grew.
Blessed is he who has in you a stay;No evil fortune strips his peace away.
In you I see Zarir, that lion’s might,The chief who felled great elephants in fight.”
Then Rostam said, “O wise and watchful chief,Whose spirit shines, hear now my wish in brief:
I have one wish, and if that wish were won,My heart would rest content beneath the sun.
Come visit me in state, and make my soulBright with your sight, restored and glad and whole.
Though little there may suit your royal state,We shall provide the best within our gate.”
Esfandiyar replied, “O hero, youSurvive the mighty men the whole world knew.
All Iran takes delight in your great name,And in a man of such enduring fame.
Your counsel must not lightly be dismissed,Nor should your land and dwelling place be missed.
Yet I may not, in private or in sight,Turn from the Shah’s command to left or right.
He did not bid me linger in this land,Or fight the nobles here at his command.
Act so that fortune’s fruit remains your own;Walk in the path the king of kings has shown.
Set bonds upon your feet without delay;A monarch’s bonds bring no disgrace your way.
When I bring you in bonds before his eyes,The blame for this on him alone then lies.
Though seeing you in bondage wounds my heart,I shall serve you and never stand apart.
You shall not stay in bonds till day is through;If any hurt or harm should come to you,
Regard it all as good; the Shah will sendNo harm to you, on that you may depend.
When I am crowned and rule throughout the land,I shall entrust the world into your hand.
No sin before the just God shall I bear,Nor shame before the Shah whose crown I wear.
When you return to Zabul in the daysWhen garden roses bloom beneath your gaze,
You shall receive much treasure from my hand,Enough to grace and beautify your land.”
Then Rostam said, “O noble prince, I soughtFrom God the joy your presence would have brought:
To find my heart made happy at your sight,And in your words to find my soul’s delight.
We both are wise, one old and one still young,Two watchful Pahlevans from honor sprung.
I fear the evil eye may break the deepContentment, waking us from pleasant sleep.
The Div finds room between us in this hour,And bends your heart to crown and throne and power.
Such an affair would bring me lasting shame,A wound forever fastened to my name:
That such a chieftain, high-born, brave, and great,Should not come as my guest within my gate.
Come gladly to my house and be my guestWithin this land; then let our quarrel rest.
Cast out your enmity and strive to quellThe Div by working on him with a spell.
Your words bring joy; I yield to your command,Except these bonds upon my foot and hand.
Bonds bring defeat and shame; none shall see meAlive in chains. That is my firm decree.”
Esfandiyar replied, “O heroes’ pride,Your words are truth; let falsehood stand aside.
No man gains light through lies; Bishutan knowsThe Shah’s commands that sent me where he chose.
If I should come as guest within your hall,While you refuse the Shah’s command and call,
My day would darken; should we come to fight,I would assume the leopard’s wrath and might.
For should I fight with you, our bond would break,The right of bread and salt I would forsake.
My claim to noble birth would be in doubt,If I should cast that binding duty out.
But if I disobey the Shah’s desire,My dwelling in the next world will be fire.
Yet since you wish it, let one day be spentWith wine in hand, and hearts on peace intent.
Who knows what fate tomorrow will allot?We need not weave a tale of what is not.”
Said Rostam, “I agree; I shall go backAnd shed the clothes I wore upon the track.
For seven days I hunted, and insteadOf lamb, on meat of wild ass I have fed.
Call me at mealtime when you take your seatAmong your kin, and I shall come to eat.”
He mounted Rakhsh, his thoughts a troubled weight,And hurried homeward to the palace gate.
He saw the face of Zal, great Sahm’s own son,And said, “Famed chief, the meeting now is done.
I went today to see Esfandiyar,A prince like cypress, graced with royal farr.
He is a man of wisdom, grace, and light,With royal glory shining in my sight.
Fereydoon seemed to place within his careHis greatness and his wisdom, both to bear.
His presence stands above what rumor tells;Imperial farr within his being dwells.”
C8.18
Rostam and Esfandiyar Drink Together
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Food is served, and Rostam’s appetite astonishes the camp; he demands his wine unwatered. Weighing his choices in silence, he finds shame in all of them, and warns Esfandiyar that Goshtasb has sent him to die. The prince fixes battle for dawn.
96 couplets · Esfandiyar named 6 times · in the full poem
Esfandiyar replied, “Enough of speech;These endless words have nothing more to teach.
My belly hungers; half the day is gone;Our talk of strife and battle still runs on.
Bring what you have; let food be served instead,But call no man who talks too much,” he said.
When food was spread and Rostam took his seat,They watched amazed at how the chief could eat.
Esfandiyar and all his heroes laidBefore him lambs in lavish spread displayed.
He ate them all, while prince and people stared;The prince’s wonder all his people shared.
The prince said, “Bring a cup; let raw wine pourIn place of cooked wine served to us before.
Now see what Rostam seeks in wine today,And what of Kay Kavus he has to say.”
The cupbearer brought wine; the cup was wideEnough to let a ship sail on its tide.
He drank to the king of kings; that spring of redHe drained till dust rose from its empty bed.
The young cupbearer turned again and boreThe royal wine, replenished as before.
Then Rostam spoke to Bishutan aside:“Why must your water in this wine reside?
Why pour in water, weakening the biteOf ancient wine and robbing it of might?”
Then Bishutan gave orders: “Fill the bowlWith wine and let no water spoil the whole.”
Wine came; they called the minstrels to the feast,And still their wonder at him had not ceased.
The hour of parting neared; the ruby shineRose in great Rostam’s face, suffused with wine.
Then Esfandiyar spoke: “May joy attendYour life as long as time has days to spend.
May wine and all you ate bring you delight;May truth sustain your soul and give it might.”
Then Rostam said, “O prince, may wisdom’s voiceAdmonish you and guide your inward choice.
The wine I drink with you is sweet; it bringsSustenance to the soul where wisdom springs.
If from your heart this hatred you release,Your greatness and your wisdom will increase.
Come from this field, my happy guest to be;Spend some time in my house, in joy with me.
Come grace our house with joy, and do not stayApart from me, your servant, far away.
Then I shall keep each promise I have made,With wisdom brought before you for your aid.
Rest, shun all ill; let human kindness beYour aim, and let your mind awake and see.”
Esfandiyar, the hero, answered so:“Sow no such seed; no shoots from it will grow.
Tomorrow you shall see what heroes do,When I bind tight my girdle facing you.
Do not praise yourself; return today,And make your preparations for the fray.
In battle you shall see me and shall findThe selfsame man with whom at wine you dined.
Accept my counsel, heed the Shah’s commands;Come, let the royal bonds enclose your hands.
Know, before God, the Shah’s command is oneWith God’s own word; give thanks and see it done.
When I leave Zabul, I shall make my wayTo Iran, where the Shah and heroes stay.
You shall see more prowess than words express;Seek not to bring me, through this work, distress.”
Then grief and thought weighed down great Rostam’s breast;The world appeared a forest of unrest.
He thought, “To give my hands into his chain,Or rise and hurt him, both are shame and stain.
Both courses are inglorious and base;Both set a bitter precedent in place.
If bonds are mine, my name will suffer blame;Goshtasb will bring my end to grief and shame.
Wherever men repeat this tale, the stainOf lasting blame shall on my name remain.
They will say, ‘A youth came to Zabul; flightFailed Rostam, and his feet were fettered tight.’
Then all my fame will rot in lasting shame;No hue or scent will linger of my name.
But if he falls upon the battlefield,My face before all kings will pale and yield.
They shall declare, ‘He slew the youthful heirBecause the prince’s taunts he could not bear.’
When dead, they will revile me where I lie,And call me faithless underneath the sky.
Again, if I should perish by his hand,All Zabul’s hue and scent will leave the land.
The name of Dastan, Sahm’s own son, will fall;No man from Zabul will find fame at all.
Yet men at least shall quote good words from me,When I have passed beyond what eyes can see.
If any word of counsel stayed unsaid,Then wisdom would demand my life instead.”
Then to that noble-minded prince he said,“Concern has made my face grow pale with dread.
Why speak so much of bonds before my sight?I fear they bring you sorrow, grief, and blight.
Unless high heaven wills it otherwise,No man can read the turning of the skies.
These counsels come from Divs, and now you turnFrom wisdom’s words a prudent man should learn.
You are still green and guileless; understandYour death is sought by him who rules the land.
While Goshtasb holds the royal seat and crown,He will not set his thirst for kingship down.
He keeps you roaming through a world of pain,And rears you through its hardships, strain on strain.
He searched the world with wisdom’s axe in hand,His wit an adze to shape the work he planned:
To find a famous man who would not yieldOr turn from fighting you upon the field,
So that the warrior’s hand might do you harm,And crown and throne be subject to his arm.
For this, I may cry curses on the crown,And on a pillow made of dust lie down.
Will you expose my soul to lasting blame?Why will you not examine well your aim?
You bring this pain upon yourself; beware:Think ill and ill will be your coming share.
Do not act boyishly, O prince; refrain;Delight not in the ill that brings us pain.
Do not bring sorrow on our souls today;Keep harm from both our lives, I beg and pray.
Respect both God and me; do not betrayMy life or yours by taking such a way.
You have no need to fight with me, or bendYour strength toward this assault, or thus contend.
Fate drives you with your troops toward your last breath;My hand will bring you ruin and your death.
My name will live in shame; may Goshtasb seeAn evil end for what he brings on me!”
When proud Esfandiyar had heard him through,He said, “Famed Rostam, hear what I tell you:
Recall the words an ancient sage once said,When wisdom and his soul were joined and wed:
‘An aged trickster is a fool; successAnd wisdom do not make his folly less.’
You ply these tricks, still hoping to evadeThe collar and the bonds for you now laid.
You wish all those who hear your words to takeYour fair speech for the truth, for your own sake;
To call my counsel foul, and you the manOf wisdom, doing all the good he can.
They will say, ‘With fair bearing Rostam cameAnd offered hope; the prince deserves the blame:
He turned from Rostam’s words, though Rostam’s partHad been to treat him well, with generous heart.
He held each plea in scorn; his tongue let fallIts bitter words in answer to them all.’
Know that I will not turn away, disownThe Shah’s command, for either crown or throne.
Through him come good and evil; in his handMy Hell and Paradise together stand.
May what you ate today bring strength to you,And harm to all who wish you evil too.
Now go to Zal in safety and repeatAll that you saw and heard when we did meet.
Prepare your weapons; all for battle layIn readiness and have no more to say.
Come fight at dawn; prepare, and do not stayProlonging this affair with more delay.
Tomorrow, on the field, before your sightThe world will darken, losing all its light.
You shall learn how the valiant meet and fight,How true men wage their battles in their might.”
Then Rostam said, “O prince of lion’s heart,If this is your wish, I shall do my part.
On swift Rakhsh I shall greet you face to face;Your head shall taste my gorz’s hard embrace.
You heard the men around you; what they saidYou took on trust, and kept within your head:
‘No sword, however fierce the battle’s strife,Can harm Esfandiyar or end his life.’
Tomorrow you will see my spear, and feelHow, with the reins drawn round, my horse can wheel.
Thereafter you will never seek a fightWith men renowned upon the field of might.”
The young man laughed; his noble nature gaveWay to that laughter and became its slave.
He said, “O seeker after fame, take heed;Why did our talk rouse anger with such speed?
Tomorrow you shall learn on battle’s plainWhat proven men can do through strife and pain.
My horse is like a mountain; here I stand,One man alone, without a warrior band.
Should my gorz’s wind touch your head, then weepYour mother shall, with liver’s anguish deep.
If you live, I shall bind you fast and rideTo the Shah, with you upon my saddle tied.
So that no servant, trusting in his arm,Shall rise in war to do his sovereign harm.”
C8.27
Rostam Shoots Esfandiyar in the Eyes
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Rostam prays, then shoots the tamarisk shaft into Esfandiyar’s eyes. The prince falls, draws the arrow out, and tells the grieving Bishutan and Bahman that the wood, the Simorgh and Zal’s craft, not Rostam’s strength, have killed him. Rostam weeps over him.
70 couplets · Esfandiyar named 5 times · in the full poem
When Rostam knew his pleas could not prevail,And all entreaties to the prince would fail,
He strung his bow and set the shaft in line;Its head had been made ready with the wine.
He set the tamarisk upon the string,And prayed in secret to creation’s King:
“O pure Creator of the shining sun,Through you are wisdom, strength, and glory won.
You see my life, my soul, and all my might;You see my spirit, pure before your sight.
I strove to turn Esfandiyar away,To make him turn his head from this affray.
You know his quarrel with me is unjust;He boasts of war, and in his strength puts trust.
Creator of the moon and Tir, I pray:Do not make me for this transgression pay.”
Esfandiyar perceived his long delay,And saw that Rostam kept the fight at bay.
He said, “Ill-thinking Sagzi, has your fightNot sated you with shaft and bowstring’s might?
Now Goshtasb’s arrow you shall come to know,And Lohrasp’s point; a lion’s heart I show.”
Then Rostam quickly fitted to his bowThe shaft, as Simorgh taught, to strike his foe.
The arrow struck his eye and quenched the light;Before the prince, the whole world turned to night.
His cypress stature bent; his wisdom fled,And all his glory vanished as he bled.
The pious prince’s head bowed toward the land;His bow of Chakh fell slackly from his hand.
He clutched the black steed’s forelock and its mane;His blood turned ruby-red the dusty plain.
Said Rostam, “You have brought this evil seedTo fruit through stubborn pride in word and deed.
You said, ‘My form is brass; my might and worthCan dash the vault of heaven to the earth.’
One shaft has turned you from the battle’s course;You lie asleep upon your noble horse.
Your head will soon be leveled with the ground,Your mother’s heart will burn with grief profound.”
The famous prince fell headlong from his steed,And lay awhile in blood and bitter need.
Then consciousness returned; he sat upright,And listened, though his eyes were robbed of sight.
He seized the arrow’s end and drew it out,While blood from point to feather flowed about.
Then Bahman heard the news of that dismay:The royal farr had darkened in the fray.
It was to Bishutan that Bahman sped:“Our battle now to bitter pain is wed.
The mighty elephant is on the ground;Dark night has closed on all the world around.”
On foot they hurried from the troops in grief,And ran together to the wounded chief.
They saw the warrior’s chest all stained with gore;His hand the bloodied shaft that struck him bore.
Then Bishutan cast dust upon his head,And tore his robe, with cries for one near dead.
Bahman rolled in the dust; his face he laidIn warm blood, weeping as the farr would fade.
Then Bishutan said, “What great man can findThe world’s deep secret, what religious mind?
For Faith he drew the scimitar of wrath,With valor as he trod the vengeful path.
He swept idolatry from every land,And never raised a tyrant’s heavy hand.
Yet in his youth destruction struck him down;Dust took the head that used to wear the crown.
The wicked man who makes the whole world ache,And causes noble souls to grieve and break,
Lives long, while year on year he passes through,And never knows the harm that battles do.”
The two youths cradled him with grieving care,And wiped the blood that stained his face and hair.
His face was stained with blood, his heart was torn,As Bishutan lamented, left to mourn:
“Alas, O warrior Esfandiyar,Great prince, from kings descended like a star!
Who tore this mountain-warrior from his place?Who overthrew this lion in disgrace?
Who tore the noble elephant’s tusks free?Who filled with waves the Nile’s wide-spreading sea?
What evil eye has struck our royal line?Yet evil falls on those of ill design.
Where are your heart, your wisdom, faith, and star,Your strength, your ways, your fame that spread so far?
Where is your gracious voice in festive hall,Your battle arms that answered every call?
You purged the world of foes; no dread was near,No lion, nor an elephant, brought fear.
And now the profit of your toil is found:Time sees you lying here upon the ground.”
Esfandiyar, in wisdom, made reply:“O man well versed in all that passes by,
Do not destroy yourself before me so;The moon and heavens dealt this share of woe.
The living body has the dust for bed;Do not lament because my blood is shed.
Where now are Hushang, Jamshid, Fereydoon?They came as wind, a breath gone all too soon.
Our pure, exalted fathers left their placeTo us; none stays within this passing space.
My labors in this world were manifold,Both those made plain and those no eyes behold,
To carry out the will of God on high,With reason as the guide I journeyed by.
Through me this word shone bright across the land;From evil deeds was bound Ahriman’s hand.
Then Time stretched out its sharp claws; I could seeNo way to flee the fate that fell on me.
I hope my heart and soul may reap the grainThey sowed, in Paradise, beyond this pain.
The son of Zal has slain me not by might;See in my fist the wood that quenched my light.
This wood has brought my days to their last hour,Through Simorgh’s aid and Rostam’s cunning power.
Zal made the spells and bonds that served this plot;He knew the world’s deceits, each binding knot.”
When Rostam heard, he writhed and wept in pain,And grief shook him; his tears fell on the plain.
He said, “Through that discordant Div, my shareFrom Time has come as suffering to bear.
All that he said is true; his valor’s rootWas never crooked, nor was false its fruit.
Since first I bound my belt to face the fight,I sought proud warriors, testing all their might.
No rider like Esfandiyar I found,In jowshan, armor, all the world around.
In helplessness I turned to seek redress,And gave myself up wholly in distress.
I turned away, no strength to match his own,His bow, his chest, his thumb to me made known.
I fitted fate itself upon my bow,And loosed the shaft that laid the warrior low.
Had further days remained for him to see,How could the tamarisk have worked for me?
We all must leave this dark earth; none can stay,Nor caution gain one breath against decay.
The wood was but the pretext; mine the nameWithin this darkened tale of death and shame.”
C8.28
Esfandiyar’s Last Wishes
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Dying, Esfandiyar names Goshtasb as his true killer, gives his son Bahman into Rostam’s keeping to be reared as a prince, and sends bitter messages to his father, mother, sisters and wife. Zavareh warns that the boy will destroy them.
74 couplets · Esfandiyar named 4 times · in the full poem
Then Esfandiyar spoke to Rostam so:“My time has ended; now my life must go.
Hold back no longer; rise and come this way,For now my counsel changes with the day.
Hear now the counsel that I have to give,And know my worth while I have breath to live.
Strive to fulfill the charge I now confide,And let your greatness serve you as a guide.”
Then matchless Rostam heard the prince’s word,On foot drew near; his cries of grief were heard.
His eyes poured blood, his heart was filled with shame;He mourned in gentle tones the prince’s name.
When Zal received the tidings of the fight,He left his palace with the wind’s own flight.
Zavareh, Faramarz, and chiefs rode hard,Like men gone mad, by grief and sorrow marred.
A wail rose upward from the battle’s ground,And sun and moon seemed darkened by the sound.
Then Zal said, “Son, for you I grieve the more;My aching heart is wounded to its core.
I heard a sage of Chin proclaim this fate,And Iran’s star-readers the same relate:
‘Whoever sheds the blood of that great chiefWill find his days cut short in bitter grief.
In this world, pain and hardship he shall know;Beyond it, ill fortune shall be his woe.’”
Esfandiyar then said, “O Rostam, hear:Your hand has brought no evil to me here.
Such was the time; what happened now is past.Hear all my words and hold their meaning fast.
You were the pretext; father was my fate,Not Rostam, Simorgh, shaft, or bow of hate.
He told me, ‘Go, burn Sistan to the ground;Let Nimruz nevermore on earth be found.’
He strove to keep the troops and crown and store,While I was left to suffer more and more.
Now Bahman, this renowned young son of mine,My watchful counselor of wise design,
Receive from me as though you were his sire;Remember all the things that I require.
Keep him in Zabul, glad in heart and mind;Recall the deeds of men of evil kind.
Teach him the ordering of war’s array,The feast’s due seating, and the hunter’s way.
Teach wine and music, polo, work, and mirth,And greatness, and enjoyment of this earth.
Jamasp—may all his name be lost to view,And may his wishes never once come true;
Foretold that Bahman would preserve my name,A king more high and glorious in his fame.”
When matchless Rostam heard, he stood upright,His right hand on his breast, his pledge forthright.
He said, “Though you depart, my word shall stand;I shall fulfill each part of your command.
Upon the ivory throne he shall be crowned,A lovely circlet on his forehead bound.”
The prince then heard the pledge that Rostam told,And said, “Take up the new; this has grown old.
God is my witness; let His witness stand,My guide within the Faith, by His command:
For all your kindness and your deeds of worth,The kings you nurtured here upon the earth,
Your noble name has turned to ill repute;Because of me, the world will not be mute.
My soul has grief allotted as its share;Such was the Maker’s will that I must bear.”
Then to Bishutan spoke the dying chief:“A shroud is all I seek beyond this grief.
When I depart this world and life is done,Arrange the troops; return with every one.
When you have reached Iran, say to my sire:‘Seek no excuse; you have your heart’s desire.
The age has turned to serve your will and fame;Now every seal is subject to your name.
I hoped for better things from you, but seeWhat your dark soul deemed fitting now for me.
I set the world right with the sword of law;None dared speak ill of you but stood in awe.
When Iran’s Faith was firmly set in place,Then kingship was my claim, with royal grace.
Before the chiefs your counsel sounded fair,Then secretly dispatched me to death’s snare.
Now you have gained the longing of your heart;Sit at your ease and play the monarch’s part.
Since you are safe, go drive death from your halls,And feast in peace within your palace walls.
The throne and crown are yours to keep and wear;The toil, the coffin, and the shroud, my share.
The old dehqan, who knew the world, spoke true:“Even the arrow’s point must perish too.”
Trust not your wealth, your crown, your armed array;My soul awaits your coming on the way.
When you arrive, we both shall have our sayBefore the Judge and hear His words that day.’
Then leave him; tell my mother, ‘Death drew near,And came this time to seek a battle here.
Jowshan is wind before death’s arrow-flight;Its shafts would pierce a mount of steel outright.
You soon will follow when my days are done;Do not torment your soul or blame your son.
Do not unveil your face before the crowd,Nor look upon my face within the shroud.
That sight will only make your sorrow grow,And wise men will not praise such public woe.’
Go to my sisters and my wife, and tellThose noble women where my secrets dwell:
To those wise women bear the words I say:‘Farewell forever, now I pass away.
My father’s crown has brought this ill to me;My life unlocked his wealth; it was the key.
I send it now to him, that he may knowThe shame his darkened soul deserves to show.’”
He spoke, then drew a sharp and sudden breath:“From Goshtasb came this wrong that brings my death.”
His pure soul left the wounded body bare,Cast on the darkened dust, beyond all care.
Then Rostam tore his breast and robe apart,With dust upon his head and pain at heart.
He cried, “Alas, O warrior, royal son,Whose father ruled, whose grandfather fought and won!
I had a noble name through all the earth;Goshtasb has stained my ending and my worth.”
Long time he wept, then spoke above the slain:“O monarch peerless on the mortal plain,
May Paradise receive your soul in light;May your foe reap the harvest of his spite.”
Zavareh said, “You should not undertakeThe charge he gave, nor take it for his sake.
Have you not heard the old dehqan relateThe ancient tale that warns us of this fate?
‘If you should raise a lion’s cub, behold:Its teeth grow sharp; its heart grows fierce and bold.
It grows, then seeks its prey; its first attackFalls on the one who raised it, turning back.’
Both sides are stirred to anger; grief is drawnFirst to the realm and people of Iran.
Since such a prince as Esfandiyar is dead,You too will see ill days around your head.
From Bahman, harm to Zabul shall arise;The elders of Kabul shall writhe with cries.
When he is crowned, he will recall the fight,And seek revenge for Esfandiyar’s plight.”
Then Rostam said, “Against the turning sky,Both good and evil thinkers vainly try.
I chose what reason’s eye would look uponWith praise, that my good name might still live on.
If he does ill, Time’s pain shall be his share;Do not stir trouble’s eye to wrath; beware.”
Family
- Parents
- Goshtasb, Katayun
- Siblings
- Bih Afrid, Bishutan, Homahyi (Goshtasb)
- Children
- Bahman, Mehr-e-Nush, Azar Afruz, Nush Azar
On the maps
Story maps that show Esfandiyar or tell a part of the story that names Esfandiyar.
C6.4–C6.20The First War with Arjasp
C6.25–C6.32The Second War: The Fall of Balkh
C7.2–C7.12Esfandiyar’s Seven Stages to the Brazen Hold
C7.9–C7.13The Storming of the Brazen Hold
C8.5–C8.13Esfandiyar’s March to Zabul
C8.21–C8.27Rostam, the Simorgh, and the Tamarisk Arrow
D1.1–D1.4Bahman’s Vengeance on SistanWhere he appears
Named mentions by book, from the Universe Registry, the index behind this site. Titles and epithets are not counted.
C6Goshtasb, Zardosht, and the War with Arjasp75C7Esfandiyar’s Seven Stages and the Ruyin Dezh35C8The Tragedy of Rostam and Esfandiyar91C9Rostam and Shaghad2D1The Reign of Bahman, Son of Esfandiyar7D4Dara and Iskandar2D6The Ashkanian Dynasty3D7The Early Sasanians1E5Hormizd, Son of Anooshirvan3E6Khosrow Parviz3E8Shiruyeh’s Coup and the End of the Great Reign1E10Yazdegard2More in the Glossary, all the characters and the Art.