Book C5Lohrasp

When Lohrasp sat upon the throne of right,He donned the royal crown before their sight.

He praised the Maker, deep in earnest prayer;His praise and supplication filled the air.

He said, “Hope in the Judge whose ways are just;Revere the Pure One, trembling, as you must.

He shaped the turning heavens, star by star,And grants His servant ever greater farr.

He made the earth, the mountains, and the seas,Then raised high heaven over all of these.

The Artist gave firm earth no feet to roam;It stands while heaven turns above its home.

Amid your pleasures Death, with sharpened claws,Lies like a lion near with hidden jaws.

So turn away from greed and worldly gain,And know how little mortals can explain.

In crown and kingship, every royal deedMust follow justice and wise counsel’s lead,

Lest all we gain from this brief world belowBe toil, revenge, and curses born of woe.

I shall do more than Kay Khosrow decreed,And cleanse my heart of vengeance, wrath, and greed.

Do likewise; justice makes the spirit glad;Let no revengeful purpose drive you mad.”

The mighty called down blessings on his name,And hailed him monarch crowned with royal fame.

Great Lohrasp held calm wisdom, wealth, and might,And all his heart desired came to light.

Thereafter he sent envoys, each one boundFor Rum, for Hind, for Chin, the world around.

They sought the learned, men of proven skill,Whose knowledge could fulfill the monarch’s will.

From every country, eager for the road,They hastened to the monarch’s own abode.

They tasted learning’s salt and bitter fruit,Then settled down in Balkh and there took root.

He built a city there with streets and squares,With markets, lanes, and busy thoroughfares.

Each quarter held a place for Sadeh’s rite,With fire-temples around it burning bright.

He raised a fire and gave it Barzin’s name,With fortune, grandeur, joy about its flame.

He had two sons, as bright as moons in grace,Both worthy of the crown and royal place.

One son was named Goshtasb, one named Zarir;Both conquered lions and knew no trace of fear.

In arts and lore, their father they surpassed;In war, all other men they had outclassed.

Two other princes, fortunate and grand,Kay Kavus’s grandsons, graced the royal band.

Lohrasp took joy in that distinguished pair,And left Goshtasb neglected in despair.

Goshtasb’s head swelled with vanity and pride;This grieved Lohrasp, and heavily he sighed.

As time went on, resentment filled his mind;His father’s conduct seemed to him unkind.

One day in Pars they set the royal seatBeneath a tree that scattered blossoms sweet.

Lohrasp commanded that the chiefs appear;The leaders of his warriors gathered near.

They called for wine beside the royal board,And brought delight to their world-ruling lord.

Goshtasb drank wine, then rose before their sight,And spoke: “O Shah, whose rule is just and right,

May your accession to the throne be blessed;May lasting fame forever crown your crest.

God gave you crown and belt to mark your state;So did just Kay Khosrow, the good and great.

Now here I stand, a slave before your gate,A servant of your crown and royal fate.

Among the men who face my sword in fight,One warrior alone exceeds my might:

That one is Rostam, Zal’s son, Sahm’s heir;No man alive can with his strength compare.

When Kay Khosrow took thought for you that day,He gave you throne and crown, then passed away.

If I am worthy, name me next in line;Then let the Kayanian crown, throne be mine.

I still will stand before you as your slave,And hail you sovereign, generous and brave.”

Lohrasp replied, “My son, attend my word:Among the great, such rage is deemed absurd.

I still recall what Kay Khosrow advised;Hear him and let no justice be despised.

That righteous king spoke of a garden streamWhere springtime flowers in their splendor gleam:

‘As water feeds the stream, its strength will grow,And all the garden suffers from its flow.’

You still are young; do not aspire so high;Speak measured words and let your anger die.”

Goshtasb, on hearing, left his father’s sight,His face grown pale, his heart in sorrow’s plight.

He cried, “Then cherish strangers near your throne,And cast aside the offspring of your own.”

He had three hundred horsemen in his train,All warriors, ready for the battle’s strain.

He summoned them, and when they gathered near,Revealed his secret purpose, fierce and clear.

He said, “Prepare to leave the court tonight;Tear this court from your hearts and from your sight.”

One asked him, “Where do you intend to go?What shelter waits beyond the lands we know?”

He said, “In Hind they will receive me well,In joy and peace of mind I mean to dwell.

The king of Hind has sent a letter here,On silk, in script of black musk, fine and clear.

It says, ‘Come here; your servant I shall be,And never turn from what you ask of me.’”

When night came down, he mounted with his band,And left in wrath, his gorz within his hand.

At dawn Lohrasp was told what he had done;His joy was ended with the morning sun.

He called the veterans of the royal line,And told them all with grief in every sign.

“See what Goshtasb did,” he sadly said;“He pained my heart and poured dust on my head.

I reared him till no equal could be found;Peerless he stood across the world’s broad ground.

But when I thought, ‘My tree bears fruit at last,’Beyond my garden’s bounds the wanderer passed.”

He pondered long, then called for brave Zarir,And bade his son approach and lend an ear.

He said, “Choose from the army’s strength and mightA thousand horsemen, proven in the fight.

Ride swiftly toward Hindustan; may no landBecome a place where sorcerers command.”

Nohzar’s son Gostaham took Rum’s far way;Toward Chin, Guraza sped without delay.

Goshtasb, the prince, with eyes by weeping red,Rode on in wrath before the men he led.

He pressed ahead until Kabul was near,Where trees and blossoms lined the waters clear.

They halted in that pleasant place one day,And rested from the toil of their long way.

The mountain slopes were filled with roaming game,The streams like milk and sparkling wine became.

At night he bade the cupbearers bring wine,And set bright lamps along the river’s line.

When sunlight rose above the wooded place,They left with hawk and cheetah for the chase.

They left their steeds; the riders, brave and tried,Lay sleeping, many by the water’s side.

Zarir rode headlong in pursuit, and pressedHis way, and scarcely paused to take his rest.

The hunters turned from field and wooded ground;The neighing of the steeds rose all around.

Goshtasb gave ear, then spoke before the throngOf famous chiefs who rode with him along:

“That neigh can only come from Zarir’s horse;It has a lion’s voice in all its force.

If he has come, he has not come alone,But with a force whose gallant ranks are known.”

As he spoke, clouds of violet dust appeared;An elephant upon the standard reared.

Zarir came at the head of all his men,Like rushing wind along the road again.

He saw Goshtasb, left his men behind,And hurried there on foot, with eager mind.

He thanked the Maker, grateful for His aid,And to his brother reverent homage paid.

The brothers clasped each other, freed from woe,Then sat rejoicing where the meadows grow.

The foremost chiefs who led the troops that dayCalled brave Goshtasb their Shah and would obey.

They called the chiefs and seated them to hearThe talk of all that passed in every sphere.

One noble spoke before the gathered band:“O gold-girt hero, hear and understand.

The readers of the stars in Iran tellYour coming fortune, and they know it well:

That you shall equal Kay Khosrow in fame,And rise upon a throne of royal name.

We cannot then consent that you should standSubject to Hindustan’s foreign command.

None there adores the Maker of the land;Not one will join with you in heart and hand.

Can wisdom call such counsel just or sane,To make a Shah submit to foreign reign?

Your father holds you in the highest place;I know no cause for anger or disgrace.”

Goshtasb replied, “O seeker after fame,My father gives no honor to my name.

He keeps his kindness, majesty, and crownFor Kavus’s offspring, raising their renown.

For you and me no place remains at all;He means to keep us servants in his hall.

Zarir, for your sake I will roam no more,Though wrath at Lohrasp burns me to the core.

If he bestows Iran’s great crown on me,His slave, as men serve idols, I shall be.

But if he does not, I shall leave his side;No hope or love shall make me there abide.

I shall escape his search and leave behindHis land and wealth, with fixed and settled mind.”

This said, he turned his horse toward home that day,And rode toward Lohrasp’s court without delay.

When word of this at last reached Lohrasp’s ear,He rode with chiefs and troops to meet him near.

The prince beheld his father, drawing rein;Dismounted, paid him homage on the plain.

Lohrasp embraced him, glad to hold him tight,And heard his pleas for pardon with delight.

“May your crown, crown the moon in heaven’s blue;May every Div keep its hand far from you.

May it not teach you evil, nor mislead,Like wicked counselors whose kings take heed.

The crown and throne are mine in name alone;Command, love, fortune, fealty are your own.”

Goshtasb replied, “My sovereign, hear me now:I stand a servant at your gate and bow.

Though you abase me, I shall keep my word;My soul stands hostage to the pledge you heard.”

The chiefs who followed him upon the roadReturned rejoicing to the Shah’s abode.

The jeweled banquet hall was well prepared;They spread the board, and fragrant wines were shared.

They made a feast of such resplendent light,Stars rained upon it from the moon’s great height.

Each chieftain, flushed with wine and joy, was ledTo wear a crown of roses on his head.

Yet still Lohrasp preferred that royal race,Kay Kavus’s line and Khosrow’s lasting grace.

Goshtasb wept blood in anguish and despair,And told his counselor of every care.

He said, “However hard I try to findA remedy, no course will serve my mind.

If I take horsemen, he will send a force,Led by a chief, to halt my chosen course.

With pleas and counsel, he will turn me round,And bring me back again to this same ground.

If I go with no escort, shame will cling;My heart is sore against Lohrasp the king.

His heart delights in Kavus’s royal race;His love for his own offspring finds no place.

If I go forth alone, how can he knowWhat comes of me, or find the way I go?”

At night Goshtasb saddled Shabdiz the steed,His father’s horse, and bridled him with speed.

He wore a Roman robe of golden thread,A homa plume upon his crowned head.

He took gold coins and jewels for his need,Enough to serve him where his road might lead.

He left Iran and turned toward Rum alone,To seek a path to kingship of his own.

When word of Goshtasb’s flight Lohrasp had heard,His joy was ended, and his heart was stirred.

He called the wise men, bidding them draw near,And spoke at length of Goshtasb’s course with fear.

He said, “This lion-hearted prince will rise,And cast down crowns before their monarchs’ eyes.

What course is best? What counsel do you choose?Do not make light of what we stand to lose.”

A Mobad said, “O favored king of fate,All men desire the crown and royal state.

No father ever had a son so rare;No age has heard of such a royal heir.

Through him your kingdom’s power and reach have grown;For fear of him your foes are overthrown.

Send valiant nobles out on every side,Let able men through every country ride.

If he returns, be generous, not stern;Seek worth, and do not fight the heavens’ turn.

For many men like you the throne have known;The crown will never serve one king alone.

Give him an army, fit for him to guide,And crown him; let him over all preside.

We see no horseman bearing such a name,Save Rostam, Pahlevan of deathless fame.

In stature, wisdom, beauty, sense, and worth,No man has seen his equal on the earth.”

Lohrasp sent chiefs to search through every land;They went their several ways by his command.

In time they all returned; none found his trail,Slow-turning fortune made their searching fail.

The blame was his: Lohrasp had caused the strain;Goshtasb bore the sorrow and the pain.

Goshtasb dismounted when he reached the coast,And saw the toll-man standing at his post.

The keeper’s name was Hishvi, old and wise,A generous man with keen and watchful eyes.

Goshtasb saluted: “May your spirit brightKeep wisdom as its mate and walk in light.

A noted scribe from Iran comes to you,Wise, quick to learn, and clear in judgment too.

To ferry me across would earn my praise,A favor I shall honor all my days.”

Then Hishvi said, “A crown befits your might,Or jowshan, sword, and plunder won in fight.

Reveal your secret; tell me what you hide;Do not seek passage thus across the tide.

A gift is needed, if the truth you tell;Where is the scribe’s demeanor, known so well?”

Goshtasb replied, “No secret lies with me;I hide from you no truth that you should see.

This coronet, my seal, my sword, my gold;Choose what you wish from all the wealth I hold.”

He gave some coins to Hishvi for his aid;The keeper smiled, delighted to be paid.

He quickly raised the sail and crossed the spume,And bore the prince toward Caesar’s realm of Rum.

A city stood in Rum, renowned and wide;More than three farsangs spanned it side to side.

Great Salm had built that city long before,A seat of mighty Caesars famed in lore.

Goshtasb came and searched the city through,To find a place where he had work to do.

For seven days he wandered, seeking hire,Through thriving Rum, yet gained not his desire.

When all he had was spent or given away,He sighed and wandered, vexed, from day to day.

He wandered through the thriving city vast,Till to the court of Caesar’s scribes he passed.

He told the bishop, “Help me make a start;I come from Iran, trained in scribal art.

Whatever task you give, I shall fulfill;Assign the office-work that suits your will.”

The scribes within that office looked around,And stared at one another without sound.

“A steel pen would shed tears for such a man;A page would scorch before his work began.

He needs a lofty charger for his ride,A bow in hand, a kamand at his side.”

They cried, “No scribe is wanted here today;Leave us at once and quickly take your way.”

Goshtasb departed, sad and sorely pressed,His cheeks grown pale, his heart denied its rest.

He heaved a bitter sigh and turned aside,And hurried where the royal herds would bide.

The herdsman’s name was Nastad, brave and just,A generous man of wisdom, worth, and trust.

Goshtasb approached with gracious words to greetThe herdsman, bowing homage at his feet.

The herdsman welcomed him and bade him rest;He gave the seat beside him to his guest.

He asked, “Who are you, with that royal face,So kingly in your bearing and your grace?”

Goshtasb replied, “My lord, I ride with skill;I train young horses, strong in heart and will.

Accept me, and I shall be useful here,And stand beside you when distress is near.”

Nastad replied, “Go on. You are unknown,A stranger with no standing of your own.

Here are wide deserts, sea, and steeds at large;How can I trust their keeping to your charge?”

He clenched his fist and beat his chest in grief,And left the herdsman, finding no relief.

He said, “Whoever makes his father grieveWill in return far worse distress receive.”

He hurried to the keepers of the train,The camel-masters of the Roman plain.

He hailed the keeper: “May your mind be bright,And may your spirit dwell in wisdom’s light.”

That wise man, when he saw Goshtasb, drew near,And chose a place to seat him with good cheer.

He quickly spread a carpet for his guest,And brought the food he had to serve him best.

Goshtasb addressed the keeper of the train:“O man whose wakeful mind is bright and sane,

Give me a camel train, placed in my care;Assign whatever wage you judge is fair.”

The keeper said, “O man of noble frame,This humble work is far beneath your name.

Why take the work we do, with all its weight?Far better seek the court at Caesar’s gate.

He will provide the means to meet your need;Go only to his court, and there succeed.

If you have lost the way, I have a guide,And worthy camels here for you to ride.”

Goshtasb gave thanks to him and turned away,Distressed, and started cityward that day.

His sufferings lay heavy on his heart;He sought the smiths’ bazaar and iron art.

A noted smith named Burab forged his ware,Contented, known for craftsmanship and care.

He made the shoes the royal horses wore,And held an honored place at Caesar’s door.

He kept some five-and-thirty in his train,Apprentices who labored might and main.

Goshtasb sat long within the smithy’s glow,Until the craftsman wished that he would go.

The smith said, “Good man, why sit waiting here?What do you seek? Explain and make it clear.”

Goshtasb replied, “Good fortune on your skill!No hammer or hard work shall break my will.

If you will keep me, I shall lend a hand;This hammer and this anvil I command.”

When Burab heard the prince explain his aim,He took him as a helper at the flame.

He heated up a heavy iron ball,Then brought it to the anvil in the stall.

They gave Goshtasb a hammer, hard to bear;The smiths assembled round to watch and stare.

He struck; the ball and anvil split in two;Throughout the market, talk and wonder grew.

Burab grew frightened: “Young man, you are strong;No forge or anvil bears such blows for long,

Nor hammer, iron, stone, or bellows will!”Goshtasb heard; his heart grew darker still.

He flung the hammer down, and hungry fled,Without a meal or place to lay his head.

No hardship lasts, no treasure will remain;Nor ease nor joy endures, nor toil nor pain.

Both good and evil pass; they do not last;The wise will never let grief hold them fast.

Goshtasb, in sorrow, railed against the sky,His troubled heart sent up a bitter cry.

The world had given poison as his share;Close by the city lay a village fair,

With trees and flowers, running waters clear,A place to bring a young man rest and cheer.

A thick-leaved tree stood by the water’s flow;Its shade concealed the sun from those below.

Beneath its branches sat the troubled youth,And pondered grief and fortune’s bitter truth.

He said, “Almighty Judge, grief is my share;My fortune grants no cure for my despair.

I see my star is evil overhead,Yet know not why such ills fall on my head.”

A noble from that village passed that way,Its chief, whom all its people would obey.

Goshtasb sat, chin in hand, bowed down by woe;His eyes were red with tears that would not slow.

The chief asked, “Noble youth, why do you grieve?What sorrow darkens you and will not leave?

If you would come with me, remain and rest,Within my hall, my honored, welcome guest.

Perhaps your grief will fade as comfort nears,Your arrow-pointed lashes dry their tears.”

Goshtasb replied, “My lord, first let me knowYour lineage, and the root from which you grow.”

The householder replied, “What do you seekBy asking this? What purpose makes you speak?

I spring from Fereydoon, the warrior king;None counts as small who comes from such a spring.”

Goshtasb, on hearing this, rose up and wentWith him, his bitter sorrow partly spent.

The chief returned with him, his welcome warm;His hall was graced by that young stranger’s form.

He treated him as brother at his side,And granted every wish; none was denied.

Time passed while Goshtasb lived there as his guest;And month on month went by in ease and rest.

At that time, Caesar kept a certain way:When daughters reached the bloom of bridal day,

If stars had favored them with grace and light,And he perceived that marriage time was right,

He gathered in his palace all the great,The sages, counselors, and men of state,

All nobles of sufficient rank and birth,With men of name and houses rich in worth.

The moon-faced princess crossed her father’s hall,To choose a spouse among the princes all.

Yet maidens ringed her closely in a crowd,Her crown concealed behind that living shroud.

He had three daughters, each a springtime rose,Tall, pure, and fair as any bloom that grows.

Tall, fair, and gentle, skilled in every art,They carried modesty in mind and heart.

The eldest was the princess Katayun,Bright-hearted, wise, and lovely as the moon.

One night she dreamed the land was filled with light,The sun had made the whole wide country bright.

A throng of men appeared before her eyes,As thick as clustered stars within the skies.

A stranger stood before that gathered band,Wise, sorrowful, and from a foreign land.

In height a cypress, moonlike in his face,He sat as kings sit in their royal place.

She gave the youth her flowers, and she choseHis fragrant blossoms, bright, in place of those.

Next day, the sun arose and ended night;The nobles woke beneath its spreading light.

Then Caesar summoned to his palace hallThe bold and mighty, gathering them all.

They took their seats in gladness and good cheer;Then called the fair-faced maiden to appear.

Then Katayun came with her maiden band,With sixty girls, a bouquet in her hand.

She wandered there until her strength was worn,But none appeared like him the dream had borne.

She went in state back to her private room,Yet wept; her yearning heart was steeped in gloom.

The earth grew dark as ravens’ wings in flight,Until the sun rose over mountain height.

Then Caesar bade men of a lesser place,The wealthy chiefs of Rum, come show their face.

Perhaps some comely man might win her choice,And make her heart in choosing him rejoice.

The summons reached each chief throughout the land,Each man of name and warrior of command.

His wise friend asked, “Why linger hidden here?Come leave this solitude and seek some cheer.

Go see the royal crown and throne displayed;Perhaps your heart’s deep grief will start to fade.”

Goshtasb went with him without delay,And toward the hall of Caesar made his way.

Below the nobles, in a nook apart,He sat exhausted, sorrow in his heart.

The chamber-servants entered, swift and fleet,Then Katayun came with her rosy suite.

Across the hall she searched; each face she scanned;Before, behind her moved the maiden band.

She saw Goshtasb and cried, “Before my eyesThe hidden meaning of my dream now lies!”

She took the crown and set it on his head,Rejoicing in the man she chose to wed.

Her minister and tutor saw her choice,And ran to Caesar, wonder in his voice.

“She chose a man from all the gathered crowd,Tall as a cypress, noble, bearing proud.

His face a rose-garden, his shoulders broad,All who behold his form are overawed.

Yet who he is, we cannot rightly say;God’s royal farr shines through him like the day.”

The Caesar answered, “May no daughter’s nameBring on her noble lineage such shame.

If I should grant this man my daughter’s hand,My head would bow in shame throughout the land.

Behead them both within this palace wall:My daughter and the man she chose from all.”

The bishop said, “This is no weighty thing;Before you many a lord has ruled as king.

You told her, ‘Choose the man you wish to wed,’Not, ‘Choose a Roman with an honored head.’

She chose the one who pleased her in the hall;Submit to God’s own will above us all.

Your fathers kept this custom long ago,Upright and pure in faith, as well you know.

On such a custom Rum’s foundations stand;Do not adopt new counsels in this land.

This bodes no good; speak otherwise, I pray,And do not tread this strange and trackless way.”

When Caesar heard, he fixed his will that day:He wed the pair and sent them on their way.

He said, “Go with her as you stand, no more;I give no crown, no signet, gold, or store.”

Goshtasb saw this and stood in stunned surprise,And called upon the Maker of the skies.

He spoke to noble Katayun in pain:“You have been sheltered from all want and strain.

What moved you here to make your choice of me,Among these chiefs and crowns of high degree?

The man you chose is destitute, alone;With him no wealth, but hardship, will be known.

Choose one your equal from these noble men,And win your father’s favor back again.”

But Katayun replied, “O doubting heart,Do not rage at the sky or fortune’s part.

If I am pleased with you and with my fate,Why seek for crown and throne and royal state?”

They left the palace, both weighed down by grief,And in their sorrow sought the village-chief.

The village-chief addressed the grieving pair:“Be glad, contented with the life you share.”

He cleared a dwelling for them in the place,With food and furnishings to fill its space.

Goshtasb saw all his kindness and expressedHis thanks and praised the man who gave them rest.

Now Katayun had gems in ample store,With ornaments and jewels more and more.

From these she chose a jewel, rare and fine;No expert eye had seen its equal shine.

They bore it to a jeweler, skilled and wise,Who took it, full of thanks for such a prize.

He paid six thousand dinars for the stone,A ruby worth the treasures of a throne.

They bought the things required for daily life,Enough to meet their needs through want and strife.

They lived upon the money thus obtained,At times in joy, at times by sorrow pained.

Goshtasb devoted every day to chase;With bow and quiver rode from place to place.

Once, coming from the hunt along the road,He passed by Hishvi’s welcoming abode.

He carried several kinds of game that day,His quiver full of arrows on the way.

He bore the quarry of the hunt, and allOf every kind he carried to that hall.

When Hishvi saw him, joy lit up his face;He ran to greet the prince with warm embrace.

He spread a carpet, laid out all his fare,And bade Goshtasb sit down and take his share.

He ate and rested, then rose up that day,And went to Katayun without delay.

Goshtasb made wise Hishvi his close friend,Like flesh and skin, their lives began to blend.

Whenever he went out to hunt the game,Two shares to Hishvi went when home he came.

The other share went to the village head,Who ranked the highest of all those he led.

Thus he and that good village-chief could liveWith shared meals, rest, and counsel each would give.

There lived in Rum a noble of high fame,Rich, wise; Murin the Roman was his name.

He sent to Caesar: “Wealth and rank are mine;Let not my name beneath the heavens decline.

Bestow your lovely daughter as my bride,Renew your name and crown, through me allied.”

The Caesar said, “No more shall I allowA marriage like the one that grieves me now.

Katayun and that man of low estateHave made me close to such a match the gate.

Now any man who seeks my house by name,Or wants before me to exalt his fame,

Must do some mighty deed that all will prize,So folk may praise his courage to the skies.

So he will win renown throughout the land,And I shall gain an ally at my hand.

Let him seek Faskun’s forest, there to steepHis heart and hands and mind in bloodshed deep.

There he will see a wolf, all indigo,A dragon’s frame, an elephant’s strength to show.

It has two horns, with boar-like tusks in place;The elephants themselves avoid its face.

No lion, elephant, or daring manWill cross that wood; none ventures where it ran.

Whoever tears that wolf’s great hide apartShall be my son-in-law and friend at heart.”

Murin replied, “Within this noble land,Since Rum was founded by the Maker’s hand,

Our fathers wielded heavy gorzes whenThey fought with mighty lords and noble men.

What does the Caesar seek from me today?Does malice drive the words he chose to say?

I will use craft and prudent counsel still,And weigh this matter with a watchful will.”

That worthy went back to his palace hall,And thought upon the matter, large and small.

He brought his written charts before his eyes,His horoscope and omens from the skies.

Within his horoscope he read this sign:“At such a time, a man of Iran’s line,

Shall do three mighty deeds by strength alone;And Rum’s great chiefs shall make his exploits known.

First, he shall take the Caesar’s child to wed,And be a crown upon that monarch’s head.

Within the realm two savage beasts will rise,And spread calamity beneath the skies.

Both by his hand will perish in their might;He will not fear their fury in the fight.”

He knew of Katayun, the royal maid,And of the bond with Goshtasb she had made.

He knew that Hishvi and the village-chiefBoth honored him and brought his heart relief.

He hurried to see Hishvi and relateAll that had passed concerning his own fate.

He told the wonders sages had foretold,That would befall the land as time unrolled.

Hishvi replied, “Remain with us today,In friendship and good cheer, and do not stray.

The man of whom you speak has noble fame,A lord among the proud, of lofty name.

He gives his days entirely to the chase,And heeds no western throne or royal place.

He did not come to visit yesterday,Though he could chase my darkened mood away.

He will return from hunting soon; come here,And wait; his road will surely bring him near.”

He brought out wine, with scents and colors bright;They held their golden cups in glad delight.

When they had drained four cups of rosy wine,That valiant rider’s dust became a sign.

The two men saw the dust his charger made,And went to meet him in the open glade.

When Murin saw him, he declared outright,“No man on earth can match him in my sight.

His limbs, his neck, his bearing, strength, and graceProclaim the royal lineage of his race.”

Hishvi replied, “Both brave and good is he;His heart finds joy in battle’s raging sea.

His prowess, modesty, high birth, and mindSurpass the beauty that your eyes can find.”

When he drew near, the two men left their steeds,To greet the warrior famed for noble deeds.

Hishvi prepared a waterside retreat,And quickly laid a table there to eat.

He brought out wine; new friends sat down to sup,A new-formed group of men who shared the cup.

When cheeks were flushed with wine of ruby red,To great Goshtasb noble Hishvi said:

“You call me friend and trust in me alone;No other friend is here whom you have known.

Murin the warrior, honored for his name,Has come to seek my counsel in his claim.

A learned scribe of wisdom and of worth,He counts the courses of the stars from earth.

He speaks of Rum’s philosophers, and knowsWhere lands lie ruined, where a city grows.

He also springs from Salm’s imperial line;His ancestry bears every royal sign.

He has the sword that Salm was known to wield,A blade renowned on many a battlefield.

He breaks great warriors, rides against the foe,And brings the eagle downward with his bow.

He wishes now to gain distinguished placeBy joining Caesar’s house and royal race.

He spoke to Caesar, but when answer came,It troubled all his heart with grief and shame.

For Caesar said, ‘In Faskun’s forest liesA savage wolf that matches camels’ size.

If by your hand that monster shall be slain,My honored guest in Rum you shall remain.

You shall be lord and take my daughter’s hand;Then time shall grant the justice I demand.’

Now if you help us, I will be your slave,And he will be your kinsman, true and brave.”

Goshtasb replied, “Agreed; the deed is right.Where is this forest? Guide me to its site.

What sort of beast can make men tremble so,And fill with dread the mighty and the low?”

Hishvi replied, “The old wolf stands so high,A camel’s head would fall beneath its eye.

Two elephantine tusks, eyes jujube-red;An indigo-dark hide from tail to head.

Its horns like beams of ebony appear;Enraged, it leaves two horses in its rear.

Full many chiefs with heavy gorzes wentTo track the beast, on finding it intent.

They all returned defeated, bowed with shame,Their hearts consumed by grief when back they came.”

Goshtasb replied, “Bring Salm’s great sword to me,And bring a noble steed of high degree.

I call this beast a dragon, fierce and great;No wolf should bear a mighty camel’s weight.”

When Murin heard, he left them and made hasteBack to his house, with little time to waste.

He chose a sable horse, and armor bright,A Roman helm to wear into the fight.

He brought the diamond-bright sword Salm had borne,Blood-quenched and steeped in poison, battle-worn.

He chose rich gifts from all his treasure’s store,Five of each precious gem the coffers bore.

The sun tore through the pitch-black robe of night,And stepped beyond its curtain into light.

Then Murin left his palace, pressing on,And hurried to see Hishvi by the dawn.

Goshtasb came from hunting on that side;Hishvi looked up and saw the warrior ride.

They greeted him as he drew near that day,And marveled at the horse and sword’s display.

Goshtasb surveyed the gifts before his eyes,And chose the horse and sword from that rich prize.

He gave the other gifts to Hishvi then,And made his friend the happiest of men.

Goshtasb put on the armor for the fight,And mounted on the charger, armed in might.

His bow was strung, his kamand at his side,A noble horseman on a steed of pride.

Hishvi went with him on the forest road,And Murin, seeking help to lift his load.

They reached the edge of Faskun’s wooded ground,Their hearts in anguish, fear and sorrow bound.

When forest and the wolf’s dark haunt drew near,Murin drew back, his heart consumed by fear.

He showed Goshtasb the wood and pointed whereThe monster lurked within its hidden lair.

They turned away; their tears fell hot and fast,Their hearts consumed by grief as each step passed.

“We shall not see that noble man return,”Said Hishvi, “and my heart can only burn.

Woe for his stature, strength, his handsome face,His mighty arms, his gorz, his charger’s pace!”

As brave Goshtasb approached the shadowed wood,He weighed the danger as a warrior should.

He stepped down from the saddle of his steed,And turned to God, Yazdan of all, to plead.

He said, “O holy Maker over all,Whose luster governs time’s great rise and fall,

Assist me now and make this monster cease;Let old Lohrasp be sheltered still in peace.

If by this dragon I am overthrown,This beast that is a wolf to fools alone,

My father, when he hears, will weep and grieve;No peaceful dawn will bring him a reprieve.

Distraught, like men whose reason has been torn,He will search everywhere, by sorrow worn.

But if this evil beast should make me flee,In shame I could not face those watching me.”

He mounted, raised his cry, and gripped in palmThe scimitar of ancient, mighty Salm.

A strung bow on his arm, he rode ahead,Alert, his heart weighed down with grief and dread.

He moved with caution till he neared the lair,Then raised a cry that thundered through the air.

The wolf beheld him from the forest shade,Its roar rose to the clouds above the glade.

Like lion or fierce leopard in its wrath,It tore the ground with claws across his path.

Goshtasb beheld the monster and drew tightHis bow, and showered arrows swift in flight.

His arrows fell upon the beast like rain,As spring clouds pour across the open plain.

Wounded by shafts that pierced its hide and mane,The beast grew fiercer from the burning pain.

It rose in fury, charged across the ground,A mighty camel in its bulk and bound.

Its horns thrust forward, like a stag’s, it came,Its heart all blood, its wounds a searing flame.

It reached the horse and drove a horn in deep,Into the black steed’s haunch with one fierce sweep.

It tore from groin to navel through the hide;Goshtasb drew the sword hung at his side.

On foot he struck the middle of its head;Split through the neck and trunk, the beast lay dead.

He turned to God, Yazdan of every beast,Of good and ill, of knowledge great and least.

He praised the Maker, bowing to Him low:“O You who make the days and seasons flow,

You guide the lost; You judge each living thing,The one just God, the world’s exalted King.

All triumph and desire obey Your will;Your name gives grace and knowledge, wisdom, skill.”

He left that place of prayer and wrenched awayThe two long tusks, then left the woodland fray.

Alone he left the forest, pressed ahead,And followed where the winding pathway led.

There Hishvi sat with Murin, full of woe;They spoke of him where waters ebb and flow.

They spoke of prince and wolf in deep despair:“Alas for that great rider in its lair!

He fights a mighty battle in its jaws;By now his flesh is torn beneath its claws.”

Then came Goshtasb on foot, all stained with blood,His face like fenugreek flowers in bud.

They saw him, then rose, and wept as they wept;Their lamentations surged again and swept.

They clasped him mournfully, their faces pale;Like springtime clouds, their tears fell without fail.

“How went your battle with the wolf?” they cried.“Our hearts have bled for you here by the tide.”

Goshtasb replied, “Good friends, is there no fearOf God in Rum, that such a beast lives here?

Year after year, how could this dragon treadYour land at will, and fill your hearts with dread?

It kills a world of people in its path;Your Caesar counts as dust before its wrath.

But I have cleft it with the sword of Salm;Its death has brought the roads enduring calm.

Go see that wonder now, its mighty hide;No man has seen a beast so broad and wide.

An aged elephant within its skin,It spans the very wood it settled in.”

Then both ran there, their hearts released from grief,And saw the monster dead beyond belief.

The wolf loomed like an elephant in view;Its claws were lions’, and its hide dark blue.

Cleft from the head to middle, there it lay:One hide made two fierce lions, split that way.

They blessed that glorious Sun upon the earth,And praised his strength, his valor, and his worth.

Glad-hearted from the forest then they came,And praised Goshtasb, the champion of fame.

Murin brought many gifts of costly kind,Such as his grateful judgment called to mind.

Goshtasb accepted nothing from that storeExcept another steed and asked no more.

He turned for home; when he approached the door,Katayun came to greet him as before.

She asked, “Who gave you this jowshan to wear?You rode out hunting in the morning air.”

The lion-hearted swordsman answered low:“O moon-faced lady, bright with beauty’s glow,

A noble group of men of high renownHas come to Rum from my own distant town.

They gave me this jowshan, this sword and helm,With loving words from kin in my own realm.”

She brought him wine as fragrant as a rose;They drank, then sought the comfort of repose.

They lay down glad beneath their stars that night;He started from his sleep in sudden fright.

He dreamed again the battle he had fought;A mighty dragon filled his sleeping thought.

Then Katayun asked him, “What troubles you,That terror shakes your heart the long night through?”

He answered, “In my dream I saw my throne,My star and fortune, all that is my own.”

She saw that he was royal in his birth,A king by heart and nature on the earth.

He hid his rank; yet she could see it plain,And knew he sought no place in Caesar’s train.

Goshtasb said, “Moon-faced lady, tall and fair,With jasmine cheeks and musk upon the air,

Prepare with me to seek Iranian ground,Where brave men dwell, and a just Shah is crowned.

You will behold our fields and blessed land,And take the just and generous monarch’s hand.”

Katayun answered, “Speak no foolish word,Nor rashly act upon what you have stirred.

Before you leave, let Hishvi hear your plan;Go first and speak with that discerning man.

Perhaps his boat will bear you from this shore,And, once you cross, your youthful world restore.

I shall remain in anguish, longing then;Who knows when I shall sleep with you again?”

Before he left, they wept where they had lain;Without a flame, they burned in grief and pain.

The wheeling sun shone brightly in the sky;The young pair woke with watchful hopes held high.

They rose up from the soft bed, side by side,And spoke of all the turning days might hide:

“What face will heaven wear for us today?Will this world turn to kindness or dismay?”

Meanwhile Murin went swiftly to the king,And brought the news that made the palace ring:

“The losses that the wolf inflicted ceased;Its reign of terror died with that dread beast.

Its dragon body fills the forest glade;Come see the wonder that my sword has made.

It charged at me with fury in its stride;I met it with the khanjar at my side.

I split it from the head to middle through;That stroke would make a Div himself quake too.”

The Caesar swelled with pride at what he heard;His faded face grew bright at Murin’s word.

He ordered oxen, carts, and tents conveyedOutside the city, where the feast was laid.

They made a place for feasting at his call,With wine and music, minstrels for them all.

They brought the ox-drawn carts along the trackInto the wolf’s great wood to bring it back.

They saw a raging elephant in size,Cleft head to middle, stretched before their eyes.

They hauled it from the meadow where it lay,With straining oxen dragging it away.

A world of people came to see it lie;What wolf? A fierce male lion met the eye!

The Caesar saw its elephantine size,And clapped his hands with joy before their eyes.

That day he called the bishop to his side,And gave his child to Murin as his bride.

They wrote to bishops, chiefs throughout the land,To patricians and lords who held command:

“Murin, the lion, Rum’s exalted son,Has slain the wolf; the country’s peace is won.”

Among Rum’s warriors Ahran stood in fame,Younger than Murin, noble in his name.

His bearing proud, his frame prepared for fight,Illustrious in race and martial might.

He came to Caesar, where he stood and said,“May Rum thrive under you, its crowned head.

I pass Murin in treasure, sword, and power,In prowess, rank, and fortune’s rising hour.

Bestow your youngest daughter as my bride,And let your crown and troops revive in pride.”

But Caesar said, “You surely must have heardThe oath I swore to God by solemn word.

This girl shall choose no husband of her own;I leave the customs of my fathers’ throne;

Perform a deed like that Murin has done,And match the standing he through strength has won.

On Mount Sakila dwells a dragon dread,Whose poisoned fumes across the land are spread.

If you destroy that monster in its lair,My child, my wealth, and kingdom you shall share.

The wolf that slaughtered lions was its peer;Ahriman’s poisoned snare awaits you here.”

Ahran replied, “Your bidding I shall do;I pledge my life to win the prize from you.”

He left the Caesar, wounded by that word;His heart was torn by what he had just heard.

Then to his friends he said, “The wolf was slainBy some brave hand that mastered fear and pain.

How could Murin have won so great a fame?The Caesar cannot judge a warrior’s claim.

I shall ask who it was that brought it low;Perhaps he can tell me what I must know.”

He went like dust toward Murin’s palace gate;A servant told his lord, enthroned and great.

Murin sat down within a chamber bright;No moon had seen such splendor in her flight.

The ambitious man wore warrior’s array,And on his head a Roman diadem lay.

The servant said, “Great Ahran waits outside;A noble group of men stands at his side.”

He had a finer seat prepared that day,And sent the needed servants on their way.

When Murin saw him, he bestowed his grace,Embraced him, and received him face to face.

When no one else remained within the hall,But those two chiefs, distinguished over all,

Ahran said, “Murin, tell me what is true;Conceal no part of what I ask of you.

My heart is set on Caesar’s daughter’s hand,The youngest princess in the Roman land.

But Caesar answered, ‘Seek the dragon; thenGo fight the dreadful beast within its den.’

If you will tell me how you killed the beast,Your counsel may preserve my life at least.”

Murin was troubled and considered long:He pondered what to say, his doubts grown strong.

“If I tell Ahran how that deed was done,The truth will soon be known to everyone.

True manliness is upright speech and deed;From dark and crooked ways, our sorrows breed.

Perhaps that brave horseman of matchless mightWill lay the dragon’s severed head in sight.

In every fight Ahran will be my friend;Our foes shall grasp at wind; their strength will end.

Let us clear sorrow’s dust from that man’s heart,And keep concealed the truth about his part.”

He said to Ahran, “First swear firm and true;Then I will tell the wolf’s whole tale to you.

Reveal it neither in the night nor day;Shut fast your lips and turn all speech away.”

Ahran accepted what Murin proposed,And swore the oath by which his tongue was closed.

Murin then set his pen to paper white,And wrote to Hishvi of the coming fight.

He wrote, “Ahran, of Caesar’s kin and line,A noble prince with wealth and royal sign,

A just man, asks the Caesar’s daughter now,The youngest left beneath the royal vow.

Caesar has made the dragon his dark snare,To trap Ahran, beheaded in its lair.

Ahran has come to ask what might be done;I told him how my former prize was won.

I told him of the wolf the horseman slew,Whose valiant deed advanced my fortune too.

As he secured my fortune and success,He will bring aid to Ahran in distress.

He will make us both lords of high renown,And set the sun above each lordly crown.”

Ahran departed with the secret scroll,And sought out Hishvi with his eager soul.

When near the sea he came, Hishvi descriedThe noble Ahran coming to his side.

He took the pleasing letter in his hand,Unsealed it, blessing him upon the strand.

He said, “O noble man, it is unjustThat one so free should bear a cloud of dust.

A youth, an alien, yet a man of name,Risked life itself to win Murin his fame.

How will he fight this dragon and prevail?Unless his striving saves him, he may fail.

My part is speech; the deed is his to do,And kindly words are good the whole world through.

Be our guest here tonight beside the sea;Set candles by the waves and stay with me.

When that renowned young hero comes this wayTomorrow, I will tell him what you say.”

They lit the sea’s broad surface with their light,And called for wine and food throughout the night,

Till dawn’s bright yellow ruby rose on highAbove the lapis field that arched the sky.

A rider’s dust rose from the plain nearby;Beside the sea, it caught great Ahran’s eye.

Then Hishvi said, “The famous man draws near;Behold that gallant horseman riding here.”

As he drew near, both men ran out apace,On foot to greet the horseman face to face.

The warrior left his horse and made requestFor food and wine, as Hishvi’s honored guest.

Hishvi made haste to say, “May joy attendYour nights and days, illustrious lord and friend.

Behold this warrior of Caesar’s race,A noble youth of fortune, rank, and grace.

Not only is he of high Roman birth;He has wealth, name, and standing of great worth.

He seeks to wed the daughter of the king,And asks what counsel we can wisely bring.

No man but Caesar is his peer in grace;His youth and stature fit his noble race.

He asked for Caesar’s daughter as his bride,But Caesar set his marriage suit aside:

‘Strike down the dragon if you seek my line;Display your prowess and make glory shine.’

Before his nobles Caesar names aloneMurin and lauds the prowess he has shown.

He seeks a man whose fortune fits command,To leave the crown and kingdom in his hand.

A mountain stands nearby, where men would meetFor feasts and pleasures in that fair retreat.

A dragon makes its lair upon the peak;Its evil leaves all Rum worn down and weak.

It drags the vulture downward from the sky,And lifts the nahang from the depths nearby.

Its poisoned fumes consume the land with woe;No one has seen a land afflicted so.

If by your hand that dragon should be slain,The world will marvel at the fame you gain.

If God Most Pure should aid you in the fight,The sun will turn to serve you with its light.

With such great strength and stature, such command,We know no warrior who can match your hand.”

He said, “Make me a blade five arm-lengths long,Including hilt; its iron must be strong.

Set serpent’s teeth along each edge to bite,And fix a thorn-like spearpoint firm and tight.

Quench it in blood and poison, hard and keen,Like diamond sharp, its iron blue in sheen.

Bring horse and gorz, and barding for the steed;Bring Indian armor, too, to meet my need.

By God’s command, I shall hang it from a tree,Head downward, with His favor granted me.”

Ahran departed, hurrying to heedWhatever brave Goshtasb might truly need.

When all was ready, then the hero rode,And with his comrades took the mountain road.

When Hishvi saw Sakila’s height appear,He pointed toward its peak, his heart in fear.

When sunlight thrust its spear across the sky,He and Ahran turned back and waited by.

Goshtasb remained before the mountain lair,Where that fierce dragon poisoned all the air.

The dragon saw him, drew a sucking breath,And pulled him toward its jaws, the gates of death.

He slung his helmet from the saddle-bow,And shot a hail of arrows at his foe.

The dragon closed upon him in the fray;The youthful warrior strove to break away.

He thrust the toothed blade in its mouth and prayedTo God, the Giver of all good, for aid.

The dragon bit the blade; its teeth pressed tight,And drove each edge into its mouth outright.

Blood mixed with poison washed the mountainside;Its strength ebbed with the venom’s draining tide.

The Lion drew his sword and struck its head;Beneath that stroke the mighty dragon bled.

Its brains spilled on the stones; the deed was done.He then dismounted, fortune’s favored son.

He pried two teeth from where the beast lay slain,Then washed his head and body free of stain.

He rolled upon the dust with cries that roseTo God, who grants the strength to conquer foes.

For God had granted him the strength to slayThe wolf and mighty dragon in his way.

He said, “Lohrasp and glorious ZarirAre sick of me; my life they hold not dear.

Yet I, through craft and courage, force and breath,Have cast this dragon down to dust and death.

The world gives hardship, grief that will not cease,And poison where a cure should bring release.

If God will grant me life, I still may standBefore my father, ruler of our land,

And tell him how my fortune turned aside:I sought the throne; my hopes of kingship died.”

His cheeks were wet with tears as he regainedHis saddle; in his hand the blade remained.

He came where Hishvi and Ahran had stayed,And told them of the marvels of his blade.

He said to Ahran, “See this blade I bore:It felled the dragon; its might is no more.

You feared the dragon’s breath and savage power;The wolf’s grim deeds made all your courage cower.

For me, to fight brave captains, each one proud,Each bearing up a heavy gorz, unbowed,

Is harder than to fight a beast that springsFrom ocean depths and all its fury brings.

I have seen many dragons fierce as this,And never turned my back before their hiss.”

They heard him, young in speech yet old in lore,And marveled at the learning that he bore.

When both those proud men heard his words of might,They bowed before him, honoring him outright.

They said, “No woman ever bore a manSo brave as you beneath the heaven’s span.”

Ahran brought gifts in heaps, with noble steedsCaparisoned to match heroic needs.

One dun he took, a sword, a bow to bend,Three shafts, a kamand; there his choice would end.

To Hishvi went the gold, the garments new;He gave him all the other presents, too.

Goshtasb said, “No one must know this affair;No hint of what has happened must you share.

Nor tell that I have seen the dragon here,Or heard the wolf whose cry you held in fear.”

Then glad at heart, he left that place behind,And sought Katayun with a joyful mind.

Ahran brought oxen, carts to haul the load,And charged his men to bear it down the road.

He said, “Convey it to the Caesar’s court,Before the legions, chiefs of high report.”

Before the oxen and the carts he sped,Toward Caesar’s court, with eager steps ahead.

When news of this was heard through all of Rum,The veterans rushed from every hall and room.

They saw the mighty dragon, slain and still,Brought down by that strong warrior’s strength and skill.

As oxen brought it downward to the plain,The crowd cried out at such a monster slain.

The dragon and the wound it bore drew cries;It strained both ox and wagon with its size.

The wagon wheels rang out with creak and groan;The oxen seemed too weak to haul alone.

All those who saw that sword-blow, deep and wide,And heard the ox and wagon, loudly cried:

“Did Ahran strike that beast so fierce a blow,Or did the sword of Ahriman strike so?”

Then Caesar left his palace, with a callTo worthy chiefs and sages, one and all.

Around the dragon, from the dawn till dark,They held high revel, stirred by wonder’s spark.

Next day, when sunlight crowned the turning sky,And turned the teakwood gold beneath its eye,

He called the bishop in and warmly greeted;Then on a golden throne the priest was seated.

The city’s patriarchs and nobles came,All men of worth and honorable name.

Before the prelate, elders stood in rows,With Caesar and the counselors he chose.

To Ahran then the Caesar’s daughter went;Her loving mother gave her full consent.

The people left; the Caesar’s spirit stirred,His heart renewed by all that had occurred.

He said, “This is my day, my heart’s delight;The lofty heavens cheer me with their light.

No world will see, in all its length of years,Two sons-in-law like mine, who have no peers.”

They wrote to every lord who held a throne,Or wore a crown, to make the tidings known:

“Two mighty men have slain the dragon dreadAnd proud, fierce wolf; both monstrous beasts are dead.”

Before the Caesar’s palace rose a tower,A lofty viewing place of royal power.

Upon the riding-ground both sons-in-lawDelighted Caesar with the games he saw.

With polo, javelins, and archers’ skill,They wheeled their horses freely at their will.

They rode like foremost horsemen of the field,And every mounted sport their skill revealed.

At length came Katayun, with queenly grace,And found Goshtasb with sorrow on his face.

She said, “Why sit so darkly, sunk in grief?Why does your heart refuse all calm relief?

Two chieftains now in Rum enjoy renown,With stores of treasure, diadem, and crown.

One slew the dragon, fearless in the fight,And never turned his back before its might.

The other tore the savage wolf apart;His fame rings through Rum’s people, street, and mart.

Now on the Caesar’s field they strive and vie;Their horses lift the dust into the sky.

There Caesar will be present; if you go,Perhaps the sight will ease your inward woe.”

Goshtasb said, “Your father, honored bride,Stands high wherever noble chiefs preside.

He cast his son-in-law beyond the wall;How should he greet me kindly there at all?

Yet if this is the course you bid me take,I shall accept your counsel for your sake.”

He bade them saddle one earth-shaking steed,And rode where Caesar watched the riders’ speed.

He watched the polo on the Caesar’s ground,Then asked for stick and ball from those around.

He cast the ball among the mounted band,And gripped the polo stick within his hand.

He spurred his horse; the others lost their pace,Their hands and feet grew helpless in the race.

The warriors paused; no man could see it fly,So high he drove the ball into the sky.

Where could the riders find the ball he played?They ceased their strokes; no further charge was made.

The Roman faces paled; on every sideRose noise and clamor in a troubled tide.

Then they prepared to test the archers’ art;The mounted bowmen gathered to take part.

Goshtasb rose and spoke for all to hear:“No longer must my skills lie hidden here.”

He cast the polo stick aside; the strainMade bow and string clutch at their heads in pain.

The Caesar watched his grip, his shoulders’ span,His long-set stirrups, marveling at the man.

He asked, “From where has this great rider come,Who wheels to right and left and strikes men dumb?

I have seen many warriors in my days,But none whose form and skill deserve such praise.

Call him to me, that I may know his name;Is he an angel, or of human frame?”

They called Goshtasb, who came before the throne;His ill-wisher was shaken to the bone.

He said, “Brave rider, crown of warlike men,Head of the proud, speak plainly to me then.”

He asked his name, his homeland, and his race;Goshtasb let silence fill the waiting space.

He answered, “I am poor, and nothing more:A stranger Caesar drove from the city door.

He drove his son-in-law beyond the gate;No record named me in his rolls of state.

He treated Katayun with bitter shameBecause she chose a stranger with no name.

Yet she obeyed the custom of your house,And bore disgrace for taking me as spouse.

Within the forest fell that wolf of prey;The mountain dragon died the selfsame way.

Both lost their heads beneath my sword’s decree;And Hishvi was the one who guided me.

Their teeth remain within my house today;The wounds upon them prove the words I say.

Ask Hishvi; he can tell you what befell;These deeds are fresh, and he remembers well.”

When Hishvi came and laid the teeth in sight,He told the Caesar how Goshtasb won the fight.

Then Caesar spoke in penitence and shame:“Young man, you suffered wrong; I bear the blame.

Where is my dear Katayun? Tell me now.She has just cause to blame me, I avow.”

At Murin and Ahran he glared in rage:“No hidden lie survives from age to age.”

Then on his wind-foot steed he raced to plead,And asked forgiveness for his former deed.

He praised his daughter, wise and pure of heart,Whose chastity and judgment stood apart.

He said, “O moon-faced child, your choice was right;You chose a husband worthy of your light.

You raised our whole house high through what you chose;From this good fortune all our honor grows.”

When Katayun beheld her father stand,She came before him, hand laid over hand.

She blessed him, bowed before him, then in prayerSpoke with the Maker, laying her heart bare.

He said, “Ask him; perhaps he will confideThe secret of his birth to you, his bride.”

She said, “However much I ask, I findHe keeps the truth concealed within his mind.

He never speaks to me about his race;He hides his name from all in every place.

His land and lineage still remain concealed;‘Farrokhzad’ is the name he has revealed.

I think his birth is noble, for his mightIs great, and he delights in every fight.”

Back to his palace Caesar made his way;The turning heavens brought day after day.

One morning wise Goshtasb rose and wentTo Caesar’s court, on meeting him intent.

Then Caesar set him on a throne of gold;In silence, he beheld the rider bold.

He called for belt and ring from treasure stored,A Caesar’s crown to grace that noble lord.

He kissed the crown and set it on his head,Recalling all that he had done and said.

He spoke to all who gathered there to hear:“Attend to every word that meets your ear.

Obey Farrokhzad, all of you; take heedTo follow him in every word and deed.”

The news spread out to every land and throne;To every king and lord his rank was known.

Khazar lay nearest Caesar’s realm; for longIts people darkened Rum with grievous wrong.

Ilyas, Mehras’ warrior son, held sway,And Caesar wrote to him in this fierce way;

His pen seemed dipped in blood before he wrote:“O ruler of Khazar, heed this royal note.

You ruled Khazar and mocked us through the years;But now your day of gladness disappears.

Send tribute, treasure, payment of your dues,And chiefs as hostages whom you shall choose.

Else Farrokhzad, an elephant in rage,Will raze your land when you and he engage.”

Ilyas read the letter; bitter gallSeemed mixed with ink as he replied to all:

“Such prowess never graced the Roman name;No Roman ever held so great a claim.

Be glad I do not make your country payIts tribute to my throne from day to day.

Why should one horseman give you heart to dare,Who sought your shelter and received your care?

Were he an iron mountain, he would beOne man, a snare of Ahriman, to me.

Do not send him to bear this battle’s weight;I shall not linger over this debate.”

When Murin and Ahran heard his reply,They heard Ilyas’s challenge, proud and high.

Murin sent Caesar word: “No dragon’s mightConfronts us now, to fall through trap or sleight.

He is no wolf to die through cunning skill,Nor writhe from poison used to work your will.

Ilyas, raging where the tabiras beat,Will make the prince weep blood in his defeat.

See how that boastful rider, when they meet,Will bow before Ilyas and retreat.”

When Caesar heard them, sorrow filled his heart;Their words had made his happiness depart.

He said, “In Rum, Farrokhzad, you are known,A gem that crowns our realm and royal throne.

Ilyas slays the lions in his wrath;A bronze-clad elephant, he clears his path.

If you can face him, say so to my face;If not, beware of bringing us disgrace.

If you cannot withstand him in the field,I will approach him, urge his wrath to yield.

With kindly words and gifts, I shall prevail,And turn his anger from us without fail.”

Goshtasb replied, “Why question me this way?What need for all these words that you must say?

When I spur on my steed across the land,I fear no force Khazar has at command.

Yet trust not Murin and Ahran in fight;Do not call either to defend your right.

Their hatred will reveal itself that dayIn crooked deeds and Ahriman’s own way.

When armies from Khazar advance on me,You and one son my guardians must be.

Then, strengthened by the God who conquers all,I shall lead forth and make their standard fall.

I shall destroy Ilyas, throne, and crown,His army and his majesty cast down.

I shall seize his girdle, tear him from his seat,Raise him aloft, and dash him at my feet.”

Next day the sun rose, mirrored in the stream;A golden shield appeared within its gleam.

The brazen karnays sounded from Khazar,And dust arose toward heaven from afar.

Then Caesar said, “Farrokhzad, lead our force;Bring forth the troops and set them on their course.”

Goshtasb led forth the Roman ranks and woundBeyond the city to the open ground.

With ox-head gorz he rode beside the stream,Tall as a cypress where the waters gleam.

He chose the open plain where ranks would meet,And sent dust heavenward beneath his feet.

Then Ilyas saw his shoulders and his grace,His turning wrist, his gorz’s sweep and pace.

He sent a horseman, smooth in speech and sly,To bait Goshtasb with praise and subtle lie.

The horseman said, “O rider, famed and wise,Do not let Caesar’s favor cloud your eyes.

You are the horseman on whom all depend;His spring and fame through you alone ascend.

Stand clear of both these armies; turn aside.Why should your lips with angry foam be dyed?

Ilyas is a lion in the fray;More swift than dust, he comes to bar your way.

If you seek gifts, Ilyas has his store;Why toil for wealth when he can give you more?

Choose any portion of the world you name;Within that region you shall rise to fame.

I shall be both your servant and your friend,And never break my pledge until the end.”

Goshtasb replied, “These words have come too late;Your talk has passed the bounds of all debate.

You first began this quarrel with your claim;Now you withdraw the words that sparked its flame.

Words serve no purpose now that battle nears;The time has come for strife and clashing spears.”

The envoy hurried back as swift as air;To Ilyas he laid the answer bare.

The sun turned yellow on the mountain height;No time remained that evening for a fight.

Night spread an ebony curtain overhead,Across the amber face its darkness spread.

The sun, aware of all that lay in wait,Rose from the Archer to its royal state.

The light of day with amber splendor shone;From all sides rang tabiras, karnays’ tone.

The clash of battle rose from either side;The field became a blood-red river wide.

Then Caesar came in haste upon the right,And sent both sons-in-law ahead to fight.

His son Sakil held the left; the center wingHeld tabiras, elephants, near the king.

The battle’s clamor rose from either side;The sun and moon seemed ready to collide.

Goshtasb rode out before the foremost band,A steed beneath, a dragon in his hand.

Ilyas told his men, “Now I can seeWhy Caesar dares demand his tax from me.

He keeps a dragon such as this in sight,And trusts his arm to crush us in the fight.”

When brave Goshtasb beheld Ilyas draw near,He said, “The hour to prove my strength is here.”

Both riders spurred their horses to assail,With lance and shafts to pierce through jowshan’s scale.

Ilyas loosed an arrow from his stand;Its point struck home and gashed Goshtasb’s hand.

Goshtasb drove at the jowshan, lance held low,And through its iron scales he pierced the foe.

He hurled him from his horse, too dazed to fight,Then reached and seized his hand and gripped it tight.

He dragged him through the ranks before their eyes,And gave him up to Caesar as his prize.

Then brave Goshtasb led all the troops ahead,And like the wind into the battle sped.

He slew great multitudes, took captives too;The world stood stunned at what his might could do.

The Romans raised their voices in his track;Goshtasb looked behind, then headed back.

The troops rode back to Caesar through the plain,Heads high in triumph after that campaign.

He came exalted into Caesar’s sight;The king went forth to greet him with delight.

He kissed the hero’s head and eyes and face,And thanked the Maker in that joyful place.

They all returned in joy; the warrior’s browReceived the royal crown that graced him now.

All Rum came forth with gifts to greet his fame,And scattered treasure as they praised his name.

They decked the world and called for wine and song;The minstrels came to entertain the throng.

Such is the custom of the turning sphere:Now sweetness comes, now poison follows near.

Heaven turned awhile and kept its purpose veiled,No sign foretold what heaven’s course entailed.

The Caesar told Goshtasb, “While still you live,Seek out the share that this world has to give.

This matter asks for counsel, thought, and care;A noble envoy I will now prepare.

Experienced and wise, he shall depart,And speak to Shah Lohrasp with measured heart:

‘Half of the world lies peaceful in your reign;The treasures of the great are your domain.

If you will pay me tribute for your land,Your wealth and honor rest at your command.

If not, my Roman legions shall surroundYour realm; their horses’ hooves shall hide the ground.’”

Goshtasb replied, “The judgment rests with you;The world beneath your feet lies bound and true.”

There was a nobleman, Kalus by name,Wise, learned, and powerful, of honored fame.

The Caesar called that sage and said, “Depart;Give Shah Lohrasp the message from my heart:

‘If you will pay me tribute and obey,Submit yourself, and follow what I say,

You may retain Iran’s great crown and throne,And rule the realm and lands that are your own.

If not, behold my legions on the plain,With warriors from the spearmen’s own domain.

Their battle-shout shall thunder loud and long;Victorious Farrokhzad shall lead the throng.

I shall make your country ruined and bare,A lair that lions and leopards shall share.’”

With wisdom in his head, he rode ahead,His heart held justice; like the wind he sped.

When he drew near the mighty Shah’s domain,He saw the royal gateway from the plain.

The chamberlain, informed the envoy came,Approached the monarch with his rank and name:

“An ancient statesman waits before the gate,An envoy sent by Caesar to your state.

A rider, with his noblemen, draws near,And seeks an audience with the monarch here.”

Lohrasp, on hearing, took the ivory seat,And wore the crown that made all hearts complete.

The kingdom’s great men gathered in their place,Each honored by the monarch’s royal grace.

The monarch bade them raise the screen and callThe envoy to a welcome in the hall.

He came before the throne and blessings gave,Then bowed with reverence, dignified and grave.

A man of wisdom and of justice too,He gave the Caesar’s message full and true.

The Shah was grieved and raged at fortune’s turn;Within him anger’s hidden fires would burn.

They had a splendid banquet hall prepared,With wine and harp and minstrel voices shared.

The Shah sent cloth of gold and garments fine,With food and gifts and every courtly sign.

He welcomed Kalus, honoring his stay,As though no threat of battle came that day.

But when night fell, anxiety took hold;He lay like one whom pain and grief enfold.

When sun sat crowned upon the golden height,And black night tore its face and fled from sight,

The monarch called Zarir and spoke at length;Their counsel gathered wisdom, wrath, and strength.

At daybreak Kalus sought the Shah; the doorSwung open, and he crossed the royal floor.

They cleared the hall of strangers, then brought inThe envoy, grave of face, serene within.

Lohrasp addressed him: “Man of learned lore,May wisdom feed your spirit evermore.

I question you; now answer what is true,And do not bend to guile in what you do.

Rum never had such power in days gone by;Before the Shahs, her Caesar stood less high.

Yet now he sends and asks for tribute dueFrom every realm, with throne and kingship too.

Ilyas, who ruled the kingdom of Khazar,Was full of farr, a warrior famed afar.

Who took that chief and bound his fighting band;Who taught him then to make this bold demand?”

The envoy said, “Wise Shah, I went beforeTo ask Khazar for tribute to his store.

On embassies I bore much toil and pain;None asked me this through all that weary strain.

But you have treated me with such regardThat falsehood now would leave my answer marred.

A rider has arrived in Caesar’s land,Who takes the lion from the wood by hand.

On battle-days he laughs at warrior might;At feasts he drains the goblet with delight.

In fight, in feast, and on the hunting-day,No living man can rival his display.

To him the Caesar gave his daughter fair,Dearer than crown or throne or jeweled chair.

His tale is told throughout the Roman land:The mighty dragon fell beneath his hand.

A wolf, an elephant in bulk and height,Had made the Caesar shun its haunts in fright.

He slew the wolf and tore its teeth away,And freed the Romans, who had been its prey.”

Lohrasp then asked, “You speak the truth; declareWhat warrior’s shape and stature does he share?”

The envoy answered, “First, his face and browCould pass for brave Zarir’s beside you now.

In stature, bearing, culture, judgment clear,You would believe you saw the same Zarir.”

Lohrasp’s face brightened at the words he heard;He showed the Roman kindness, deeply stirred.

He gave him slaves and purses richly weighed;The envoy left rejoicing, well repaid.

Lohrasp said, “Tell the Caesar I shall bringMy troops to meet him as a warring king.”

Lohrasp sat long in thought; he sent to callZarir, who came before him in the hall.

He said, “This is your brother; do not stay.Prepare to settle this and ride away.

Delay will spoil our purpose; do not rest.Choose no slow steed to carry out this quest.

Take throne, led horse, and boots of beaten gold,The crown, and Kaveh’s banner, prized of old.

I give him all this kingdom; let him reign.No debt of gratitude shall be his chain.

Go now to Halab; speak of war alone,And let no other purpose there be known.”

The noble Zarir answered, “I shall go;The hidden mystery I soon shall know.

If this is brave Goshtasb, then all shall seeThat every lord must bow on bended knee.”

He spoke, then made his preparations straight,And chose a force of warriors, brave and great.

From Kavus’s stock and Gudarz’ line they came,The house of Keshvad, men of noble name.

From Zarasp’s kin came Bahram, lions’ bane,And brave Rivniz among the chosen train.

Two grandsons of brave Giv joined in the ride:Shiruya and Ardeshir, side by side.

Two lions born of Bijan’s noble line,Two stainless warriors, proud in war to shine.

Each chieftain went with two steeds for the road,And like Azargashasp their armor glowed.

None rested till they reached Halab’s frontier;War’s tumult filled the world and every ear.

They raised the royal standard; on the groundThey pitched their tents, with screens erected round.

Zarir left proud Bahram to lead the force,Then rode away upon his chosen course.

As one who bears a message to a king,Or comes before his throne with news to bring,

With five picked men he rode upon his quest,Alert and wise, with courage in each chest.

When he arrived within the Caesar’s court,The chamberlain saw him and gave a report.

Within the palace Caesar sat in gloom,With Kalus and Goshtasb in the room.

The Caesar heard and let Zarir draw near;Goshtasb’s heart grew glad to see him here.

Zarir came in, a cypress, straight and tall,And sat upon a throne within the hall.

He hailed the Caesar, and due praise he paid,And honored all the Romans there arrayed.

Then Caesar said, “You slight Farrokhzad here,And heed no rule of courtesy or fear.”

Zarir replied, “This slave at last grew tiredOf all the service that his shah required.

He fled the royal court to reach your land,And now enjoys high rank at your command.”

Goshtasb heard, but answered not a word,As though no thought of Iran in him stirred.

Shrewd Caesar, hearing what the envoy said,Grew grave, with troubled thoughts within his head.

He thought, “These words could well be true and sound;No hidden falsehood in them can be found.”

Then Caesar said, “Now, envoy, speak and tellOf war and warriors, all you know so well.”

Zarir declared Lohrasp’s command: “If He,The Judge, holds fast to justice, you shall see:

No land shall give you refuge in your flight,If you abandon Rum and flee my might.

I shall make Rum my seat and leave a fewIn all Iran when I march here to you.

Set forth, O warrior; make ready now;Delay no more once you have heard my vow.

Iran is not Khazar, nor am I oneLike conquered Ilyas, whose power is done.”

The Caesar answered, “I prepare for war;My hands reach out for battle more and more.

You are an envoy; now return and tell:We shall prepare the field of battle well.”

Zarir grew troubled at the words he heard,And long remained without an answering word.

Then Caesar rose and asked, “Why did you hideYour answer from the envoy at your side?”

Goshtasb replied, “Before this, I remainedAt Iran’s court, where its great monarch reigned.

His chiefs and warriors know me, one and all;They know my deeds in battle and in hall.

The wiser course is that I seek their side,And speak and listen before arms decide.

I shall obtain for you your heart’s desire,And raise your name through all the world like fire.”

“You are more wise than I,” the Caesar said,“And better fit to carry this ahead.”

Goshtasb then mounted on his eager steed,And acted on the counsel just agreed.

Crowned, he rode forth to reach Zarir’s abode;His wind-swift charger bore him down the road.

The warriors saw Lohrasp’s son appear,Goshtasb, that noble prince they held so dear.

With aching hearts and faces wet with tears,They came on foot, those warriors and peers.

They bowed before him, praising him at last:Their long and bitter days of grief had passed.

Zarir dismounted as his brother came,No longer stirred by war’s consuming flame.

Goshtasb embraced the brother he held dear,And made excuses, humble and sincere.

They sat together in the royal hall,With Iran’s chiefs and warriors one and all.

The blessed Zarir said, “May fortune stayBeside you through the years and never stray.

Our father now is old; why stay away?Your heart is young, but his hair has turned gray.

The throne now brings him weariness and pain;He seeks God’s path, not sovereignty or gain.

He sends you crown and treasure to relieveThe pain you bear; no longer should you grieve.

His words were these: ‘I lay my kingship down;Yours are the army, treasure, throne, and crown.

For me, one corner of the world will do;The throne of greatness now belongs to you.

Your brother brings the crown and torque of gold,The armlet and the ivory throne of old.’”

Goshtasb rejoiced before his father’s throne,And sat, crowned, on the seat that was his own.

Kay Kavus’s scions came to celebrateWith Gudarz’s descendants, blessed by fate.

Bahram and Shapur stood among the great,With Rivniz, men of wealth and high estate.

All hailed him Shah and king of earth aloud,Their sovereign, ruler of the world; they bowed.

The warriors stood before him, belted tight,Those seasoned men who faced the fiercest fight.

Goshtasb perceived their loyalty was true,And sent the Caesar words of friendship due:

“Your wish with Iran has at last been won;More than you sought has now been said and done.

Zarir and all the army wait for you;Come to this camp and greet the chiefs you knew.

We all shall pledge you friendship, true and whole,And each shall give as surety his soul.

So come, if coming brings you no distress;Your hoped-for purpose now has found success.”

The envoy entered Caesar’s royal hall,And told him what had passed, recounting all.

Then Caesar mounted, and his wind-foot steedBore him to seal the pact they had agreed.

He rode until he reached Iran’s array,And saw the noble warriors on his way.

Goshtasb rose before him, straight and tall,Above the other nobles in the hall.

He clasped the Caesar warmly at first sight,And spoke of former days, now brought to light.

Then Caesar knew Goshtasb was his true name,The son who made Lohrasp’s crown shine with fame.

He praised him greatly, bowed with deep respect;Then both sat down, as honor would direct.

Then Caesar made excuses for the past,Amazed by fortune’s change so deep and vast.

Goshtasb accepted all the monarch said,And drew him close and gently held his head.

He said, “When heaven darkens into night,And it is time to set the lamps alight,

Send her who chose me as her husband here;She has endured much sorrow, pain, and fear.”

Ashamed and weary, Caesar left the place,To ponder how his deeds had brought disgrace.

He sent to Katayun abundant gold,A crown, five rubies, treasures manifold,

A thousand Roman slaves, both girls and boys,A jeweled torque among the royal joys,

Five camel-loads of Chinese brocade rare,With wealth entrusted to a sage’s care,

With Arab steeds in bargostvan, a train,With padded coats and robes from Hind’s domain,

With dinars, brocades, crowns, and gems that shone,And goods from Rum and Chin brought to the throne.

The sage conveyed the treasure to the court,And to its keeper gave a full report.

To Iran’s chiefs and warriors, to each heirOf noble blood and honored everywhere,

To every notable and swordsman brave,Both arms and money Caesar freely gave.

He sent fine presents to each captain’s hand,And every man was gifted in that band.

He praised the One who fashioned earth and time,And spread his blessings on that Lord sublime.

Then Katayun arrived, and from the courtThe royal tabira rang its report.

The horses’ dust rose up and veiled the sky,As troops rode toward Iran with banners high.

For two full stages Caesar rode the track;Then Goshtasb turned the monarch’s charger back.

With oaths of friendship, back to Rum he sentThe Caesar, blessing him the way he went.

“While I still live, no tribute shall be due;My heart shall cherish Rum with friendship true.”

He journeyed on until Iran drew near,And reached the land of warriors without peer.

When Shah Lohrasp heard Goshtasb neared the townWith brave Zarir, his brother of renown,

He went with Iran’s chiefs in bright array,With all the mighty warriors on the way.

Goshtasb dismounted quickly from his steed,And kissed the earth, from sorrow’s burden freed.

Lohrasp beheld his son and clasped him tight,And mourned harsh heaven at that painful sight.

They reached the palace, dazzling every eye,Like sun in Pisces, shining from on high.

Lohrasp said, “Do not lay the blame on me;This was the Maker’s will and firm decree.

Perhaps this fate was written at your birth:Your realm would lack your presence on its earth.”

Lohrasp then kissed Goshtasb and crowned his head,And joyfully his royal blessings spread.

Goshtasb replied, “O Shah, may God sustainYour life and keep your glory free from stain.

Though you exalt me, I remain your man;To honor you, I shall do all I can.

May all your aims be prosperous and bright;May your great fame endure in lasting light.

The world remains with no man; every breathWithin the body bears its toil till death.”

Such is this fickle world; with might and main,From sowing seeds of evil here refrain.

I ask the one just God to grant me days,To linger here a while beneath His gaze,

And finish in the finest words I knowThis book of kings who ruled so long ago.

Then earth may claim this living frame of mine;My speaking soul regains its source divine.