English
Part 4
Harming no one, obeying the king's command, the army moved on, stage by stage.
When Gudarz reached the outskirts of Zibad, he chose the chief warriors from his army.
Thousands of brave men skilled with the dagger, valiant riders from among the army's champions.
Ten thousand renowned Iranians, eloquent in speech and fit for battle.
Then the commander summoned Giv before him and repeated to him all the king had said.
He told him: son of the chief commander, you who stand tall above so many heads,
I have chosen for you an army worthy of you, men who are each the leader of a land.
Go to Piran; speak to him and listen to what he says.
Tell Piran that I have arrived at Zibad with the army, at the king's command.
You know your own words and deeds, your own harmlessness or your suffering and grief.
All the land of Turan girded itself for evil against the noble kings of Iran.
Blessed Fereydun, who left this world with grief and pain, his eyes filled with pale, sickly tears.
Iran was full of sorrow, the king full of anguish, for the moon itself could not shine in mourning for Iraj.
Among all that gathering of Turks, you alone claim to be a man of love and loyalty.
But this name of love is a lie on you; I see no calm of affection in your heart.
Still, that honor-seeking king told me to speak gently to you in all things,
because in the matter of Siyavash, one day you cast off the foundation of evil.
In my eyes you have standing too, and you are innocent of my father's blood.
Whatever sin you have committed until now, whichever kings of the world you have wronged,
the king forgives all of it from you; he counts all your evil as if it were good.
It should not be that you perish at our hands over a load of past sins.
Moreover, for the war against Afrasiyab, time is pressing hard upon you.
The nobles of Iran and my son will recite all my counsel to you.
Say to them whatever you know, and seek their words in the same way.
If your heart is honest and matches your tongue, you will pass beyond grief and save your life.
Your land, your home, and your kin will flourish, and your neck will be freed from my sword.
But if guilt shows itself in you, no love, throne, or crown will remain to you.
I will not seek rest or sleep in this feud: only my mace and Afrasiyab's battlefield.
For our king to take revenge on him, there is no need to array so vast an army.
So heed my counsel from beginning to end, and trust my sober words.
He was the first to lay the foundation of this feud, the first to roll up his sleeves for bloodshed.
He reached out his hand to spill Siyavush's blood, and brought a whole world low with his injustice.
So bind that whole gathering of yours like dogs and send them here to me.
So that I may send them to the king; whether he takes their heads or grants them a crown.
Have you not heard the great old tale of how the raging lion faced the wolf?
That whoever raised a hand against the blood of kings, time gave him no place but the dust.
And all that treasure gathered near you is the enemy of your own darkened life.
The noble horses, the jewels, the brocade, the gold coins, the crowns,
the helmets, the swords, the horse armor, the mail coats, and the Indian daggers,
all the gear of war, the silver and gold, send it all to us, every last piece.
What you seized from people through injustice, what you piled up by wicked hands,
with that you may perhaps buy back your own life, and find your cure at this door without delay.
Whatever of it is worthy of the ruler, I will send to the king of the world.
The rest we will share among the army, as payment for the wrongs that were done.
And besides that, your chosen son, the guardian of your throne and seal,
your brothers, both leaders of the army, who at any moment lift their heads to the moon,
when you send all three of this renowned company to me as hostages,
so that I may be assured of your conduct, then your tree of loyalty will bear its fruit.
Then you too may choose between two paths; one is to seek your way to the king.
You go with your household to Khosrow and rest in the shade of his kindness.
I make this pact with you: Khosrow will raise your dwelling as high as the shining sun.
You know his kind heart better than I do; nothing but goodness ever comes from him.
You will wash your heart clean of any love for Afrasiyab and never see him even in your dark night's dreams.
But if you fear harm from the king of the Turks and would rather not come to Iran,
then empty Turan and settle in Chaj; carry off the teakwood throne and raise your crown there.
And if your mind is set on Afrasiyab, then go to him and do not wait for our attack.
If you choose to prepare for battle, I have the strength of a lion and the claws of a leopard.
I will leave the Turks no share of the throne; my bow is a cloud and its rain is poison.
Get ready for war and step forward, if you have the footing to stand against a tearing lion.
When the two armies drew up their ranks against each other, the guilty stood revealed apart from the innocent.
If you refuse to listen to what I say, in the end you will regret your choices.
But regret will do you no good once the sword of fate has cut off your head.
The warrior told his son to go and deliver every one of these words to Piran.
Giv left his father and set out for Balkh, keeping those bitter words in mind.
He made camp and quickly sent a messenger, just as Gudarz had ordered.
That same night he gathered his troops and marched from the gates of Balkh toward Vise-gard.
For Piran was in that city with his army, seeking the crown and throne of Iran.
When the messenger reached Piran, the commander Piran reviewed his troops.
They told him: Giv has come toward Balkh with his chosen champions, a brave commander.
When Piran heard this, he sounded the war drums; the ground turned black as ebony under the horses' hooves.
Twelve thousand of his mounted soldiers came forward, ready for battle.
He left two thirds of them behind, then went and summoned the experienced veterans.
When he came near the Oxus, he drew his army up along the riverbank.
He raised a wall of spears along the Oxus, then Gudarz came face to face with Giv.
For two weeks they lingered in negotiation, so that the war would not begin unjustly.
They spoke of every matter, and Piran listened; it became clear that the Turks were the guilty ones.
The Iranian nobles seized the moment and pressed their case hard in argument.
In haste, Piran dispatched a swift rider to Afrasiyab.
Saying: Gudarz, son of Keshvad, with his army, has claimed the crown of the champions' throne.
A messenger came to me, his chosen son, the greatest of the assembly.
My ear and heart are turned toward your command; by my pledge, my life is your hostage.
When the news reached the lord of the Turks, he picked out an army of warriors.
He sent to Piran thirty thousand sword-wielding mounted champions.
He told him: Take up the sword of vengeance and wipe them from the face of the earth.
Neither Gudarz should survive, nor Giv, nor Farhad, nor Gorgin, nor the brave Roham.
For armies have come at us from all four sides, all longing for the land of Turan.
From now on I will make cruelty my way in war; I will not delay in shedding blood.
With sober strategy and true men, this time I will raise a storm against Kay Khosrow.
When Piran saw that great army, each man thirsting for blood like a wolf,
He grew troubled once he had gained strength; his heart washed away its virtues and took on flaws.
That once kind heart turned to cruelty; his mind filled with brooding, and he longed for battle.
Then he said to Giv: get up and go; return to the commander of the army.
Tell him: don't ask anything of me that the wise would refuse to consider.
For one thing, you demand hostages from our renowned warriors. How could that ever be done?
And another, you spoke of weapons and troops, precious horses, a throne, and a crown.
My brother, who is the light of my world, and the chosen son of my champion,
you tell me to send them away from me. From a wise man such words are foolish.
Death is better for me than a life in which I, a commander, would live as a slave.
The leopard set an example in this, when it rose to fight the lion:
if you spill my blood for the sake of honor, it said, that is better than a life lived in disgrace.
And besides, the king's message has come; by his command my army has come for war.
When Giv received this answer, he turned back with a famous and valiant army.
When Giv came back from him, the commander turned toward battle with a roar.
Right behind Giv, the bold Piran drove his troops forward like a lion.
He advanced, and when he reached Kanabad, he drew up his army on that mountain slope.