Reign of Dara Darab, Fourteen Years

When Dara mourned his father Darab in his heart, he raised the crown of kingship toward the sun. He was a harsh man, quick, young, and fierce, with a tongue and a heart like a sharpened blade. When he sat on the throne he said: Leaders, proud champions, and warriors, I want no head to fall into the pit, nor will I call anyone up from the pit to the throne. Whoever disobeys my command should not count his head as still on his shoulders. And if anyone harbors even a flicker of resistance in his heart, I will break him apart with my sword. For anyone but us who holds treasure, I will not let them stay glad while we bear the burden. I want no one to guide me: I am the guide, and I am the one who lifts every heart. Mine is the enjoyment of the world, its sharing and its rule; greatness, kingship, and command are mine. He summoned his wise scribe before him and spoke to him at length on every matter. The fortunate scribe wrote a letter in the name of Dara, son of Darab, son of Ardeshir. To every king and willful ruler in every direction he sent a letter as cutting as a dagger: Whoever turns away from my judgment and my command will see my head-scattering wrath. All of you, lend your ears to my order, whether you take a life or give your own. He opened his father's treasuries, called in all the troops, and paid them their due. From four coins to heaps beyond counting, he gave to one by the cup and to another by the bowl. He gave silver and gold and horse-armor, and mail, and swords, and heavy maces. To every seasoned, capable leader he granted a whole province. He gave a borderland to one of the proud chiefs, and gave the army everything of value. Envoys came from every country, from every famous name and every noble. From India, from the Khaqan and the emperor of China, from Rome, and likewise from every land, all of them with gifts and tribute and tax: no one had the footing or the strength to stand against him. He built a city called Noshad, and through him the people of Ahvaz grew content. To the poor he gave justice, and to those in need he gave treasure and a livelihood to build on.

During those days Philip died, and in Rome there had been a certain ruler for a while. Alexander sat on his forefathers' throne. He sought out good and shut the door on evil. There was a man of renown in Rome then, one who gladdened the whole land and its people. A sage whose name was Aristotle, wise, alert, and generous in his desires. That pure-minded man came before Alexander, began to speak, and took his place. He said to him: Great and happy lord, in this work you are losing your good name. For the throne of kings has seen many like you; it will not settle down with anyone for long. The moment you say, 'I have arrived, and need no guide in this world,' know then that you are the most ignorant of all, if you will not hear the counsel of the wise. We are of dust and born from dust; in our helplessness we have given our hearts to it. If you are good, your name will endure; on the kingly throne you will taste contentment. But if you do evil, you will reap nothing but evil, and you will not sleep one glad night in this world. A king has the power to do good; no one has ever prospered in life through wickedness. Alexander heard this and it pleased him; the speaker seemed full of majesty to him. By his counsel he did whatever he did, in feasting and in fighting, in honor and in war. Each time anew he would show him favor, and when he came he would seat him on the throne. It happened one day that a messenger, eloquent, bright-hearted, and noble, came from Darius to Rome, to demand tribute from that flourishing land. He spoke his message before Alexander, and Alexander grew grieved at the old tribute. He said to him: Go and tell Darius that our tribute has now changed its color and scent. The hen that used to lay golden eggs has died, and the source of the tribute is now barren. The envoy carried back the answer he had heard; he took fright and vanished from Rome. Alexander summoned his whole army and told them all that had passed. He said: From the turning of the sky no well-meaning man can escape. I must traverse the face of the earth and reckon up both good and evil for a while. Now you must make ready and empty your hearts of home and ease. He opened his forefathers' treasuries and ordered his army equipped. At dawn a great clamor rose from Rome, from the city and the court of the new commander. That famous king set out with such a renowned army on the road. Behind the Roman commander flew a banner, its field marked in red and turquoise. Above it a phoenix, its staff of reed, and on it was inscribed the emblem of the cross. Such a host came from Rome to Egypt that they blocked the path even to ant and gnat. The two armies faced each other and battled fiercely for a whole week. On the eighth day defeat fell upon Egypt; Alexander had cut off their line of retreat. So many were taken captive on a single road that the captor's hands grew idle. There were maces and horses and armor, coats of mail and Indian daggers, golden belts and golden trappings, and Indian swords in golden sheaths. He found so much brocade and gold coin that the pack animals could not bear the plunder. Many riders came seeking quarter, great warriors and men of renown. From there he set his aim on Iran, taking the heart of a lion and the claws of the brave. When Darius heard that the army from Rome had stirred and reached his own land, so many troops set out from Estakhr that with their spears they blocked the very wind's path. From Persia he aimed for Rome, meaning to cross out of Iran into that flourishing land. When he brought his army to the Euphrates, its numbers were more than the plants of the field. He drew his army up along the water's edge; for the armor no one could see the sea's water.

When Alexander heard the army was approaching, he set out along the road to meet it. When two leagues remained between the two armies, Alexander summoned his noble advisors. When he had heard enough from his counselors, he said: Now there is no other plan but this. That I myself go to him as an envoy, and take the measure of his strength and weakness. He called for a jeweled royal belt and a splendid robe embroidered with gold. They brought a horse with golden trappings, a golden sword in its scabbard fixed to the saddle. He chose ten riders from among the Greeks, men skilled in every kind of talk and negotiation. At dawn he set out from the camp, himself with his notables and an interpreter. When he drew near to Darius, he dismounted and bowed low before him. King Darius called him forward, greeted him, and seated him below the throne. All the notables were struck with wonder and silently offered him their praise, at the sight of his glory and refinement, his stature, his bearing, and his poise. As soon as he was seated, he rose to his feet and delivered Alexander's message plainly. First he offered praise to the king: May the crowned head live forever. Alexander says: O man of good name, whose fame is spread everywhere in the world, I have no wish to make war on the king, nor to linger and seize the land of Iran. My aim is only to travel a little across the earth, to see the world just once. I want only honesty and goodwill, especially since you are the lord of Iran. If you would deny me even a passage of your soil, one cannot hand over the open air like drifting cloud. You have come against me with an army, unaware of my intentions, great or small. If you make war, I will make war with you; I will not pass through this land without a battle. Choose a day for combat; hold to it and do not turn from this desire. For I will not turn my head from war with chieftains, however great their army may be. When Darius saw his spirit and his wisdom, his eloquence, his glory, and his stature, you would think it was Darius himself upon the ivory throne, with armlets, torque, glory, and crown. He said to him: What is your name and lineage? For your glory and bearing carry a royal mark. You are above the measure of mere lesser men; I truly suspect you are Alexander himself. With this glory, stature, speech, and face, perhaps the heavens have raised you for a throne. He answered: No one has ever done this, neither in peace nor in war. Nor are the spokesmen at his court of low rank; they are like crowns upon the heads of the wise. How would such a king, the head of the assembly, ever bring his own message himself? Alexander has wisdom enough to go beyond the ways of those before him. The commander gave me his message in this manner, and I have told the king what he wished to say. They prepared a place for him, one fitting to his rank. When the lord of Iran set out the feast, he ordered the steward to call him in. When the food was eaten they arranged the gathering; they called for wine, music, and minstrels. Whenever Alexander drank the pleasant wine, he quietly set the cup aside at his hip. So it went, as wine and cups passed round, and this setting-aside grew past all bounds. The cupbearer came and told Darius: Today the Greek has been mating with the cups. The king ordered them to ask him why he was keeping the wine cups. The cupbearer said to him: O lionlike man, why do you keep tucking golden cups at your side? Alexander answered: The cup belongs to the envoy, O man of good name. If the custom of Iran is otherwise, then take the golden cups back to the king's treasury. The king laughed at his ways and ordered a jeweled royal cup. He commanded that it be placed on his palm, with a red ruby set upon its rim. At that very moment, the tribute-collectors of Greece, who had gone to that region, came from their quarters to the feast and strode forward toward the king. The envoy saw Alexander's face; he went to the king and lavished praise on him. He said: This lord is Alexander, who sits on a throne with mace and crown. When the king ordered us to go to him to demand tribute, we went. He grew furious and treated us with contempt, and quarreled in his words against the king. When I fled from his realm, in the dark night I spurred the horses on. We have seen no one like him in Greece; a bold man has come into this land. He is taking the measure of your army, and of your treasure, throne, and crown. When the king heard the envoy's words, he fixed his gaze more closely on Alexander. Alexander understood what they were saying in secret to the king of the world. He waited until the day grew darker and the world-brightening sun sank toward the west. The bold man came to the entrance of the royal pavilion and set his foot in the stirrup. Then he said to his own riders, his high-fortuned and famous men: Our lives now depend on our horses; if they falter, only the wind will be left in our hands. They all urged their swift steeds forward and fled from before the king of the world. When Darius could no longer see his head and crown, he had vanished from sight into the dark. At once he sent a guard near the tent of the suspected guest. When they went, the wakeful one had already gone; the king's fortune had not been asleep like that. Then Darius sent horsemen after him, a thousand bold and battle-seeking men. They galloped after him like the wind, but in the dark night they lost the road. They came upon the vanguard and turned back; there was no gain, only hardship and a long road. When Alexander reached his own pavilion, the Greek champions rose from their places. That night they saw the king content, with four jeweled cups before him. He said to his champions: May you flourish; be glad at this fortunate omen of ours. For these cups are the cups of our victory and life; the highest stars are under our command. I have also counted his army; it has far fewer riders than what was reported. All of you, draw your swords for battle, and set out across this open plain. When you put your bodies to the toil of war, from that toil you will win kingship and treasure. The Creator of the world is my ally; the chief of the stars is in my grasp. The nobles called out their praise upon him: May the earth flourish through Caesar. May our bodies and souls be sacrificed for you; this is our everlasting pledge. Among kings, who could be your equal in courage, in stature, and in bearing?

When the sun lifted its head above mountain and meadow, the earth glowed like a lamp of gold. King Dara marched his army out, and the world drew a black curtain over its head. He brought his troops from the Euphrates; on the plain they were more numerous than blades of grass. When Alexander heard the army was coming, he struck the war drums and set his own troops on the march. Two armies without limit or edge, and no one in the world was Alexander's equal. From the gear and the warriors of both sides, the earth was like a sea, and the dust rose like a mountain. From armor and Indian daggers, from height, from horse, from the barding of the mounts, The two armies drew up their lines, and the sun caught fire from the blades. They led the elephants to the front of the ranks, and the world became like the river Nile. Warriors behind, elephants ahead, every man had let go of his hold on life. You would say the air was roaring with blood, and the earth was seething from its cries. From so much wailing of horns and Indian bells, the very heart of the mountain leapt from its place. From the neighing of horses and the shouts of chiefs, and the clang of heavy maces, You would say the earth had become a battling mountain, and from the dust the sky had turned the face of an African. For a whole week the battle-hungry warriors stood face to face against each other. On the eighth day a dark cloud of dust arose, such that the sun turned the color of lapis. It blotted out the sight of the Persian army, and they fled from that battlefield. Alexander's troops pressed after them, thundering, one side full of grief, the other rejoicing. Alexander advanced to the bank of the river; they killed Persians beyond count. They turned the army back from the river's edge, and he ordered them to cross the water. In victory he came to that battlefield, where that chosen army had stood before.

When Darius withdrew from before Alexander, he sent horsemen racing in every direction. He summoned the chiefs and nobles of Iran, paid out money, and called for those who lived on his bounty. By the start of the month he had an army in place and filled the heads of his great men with hope and pride. Once more he crossed to the far side of the river and drew up his forces on that wide plain. When Alexander heard of it he marched his troops out, met the enemy, and stayed to prepare there. When the two armies came face to face, both time and earth grew hungry for battle. For three days the fighting dragged on, until the dead left no room to stand. Many of the Iranians were killed, and the day turned against the world conqueror Darius. Full of grief he turned back from the field, for God, the lord of the moon, gave him no aid. Alexander came after him like dust on the wind, and often gave thanks to the Creator of the world. A cry went up from the front of his army: 'You subject people who have lost your way, you have nothing to fear or dread from me; my soldiers have no quarrel with you. Live safe in your own homes, having entrusted your bodies and souls to God. You are spared, life and limb, from the Greeks, even though your hands are washed in blood.' When the Iranians felt themselves safe, they all turned their faces toward the Greeks. Alexander came onto the battlefield and gathered up all the spoils, every last piece. He shared out the wealth among his troops, and his army was strengthened and made ready. He stayed four months in that land, until both king and army had rested. Meanwhile Darius, ruler of the world, reached Jahrom, where the keys to the treasuries were kept. All the great men came out to meet him, full of sorrow, burning and melting with grief. A son wept aloud when he could not find his father, and a father likewise when he could not find his son. The whole land of Iran was filled with lament, tears falling from every eye like hail. From Jahrom he went to the city of Estakhr, in which the free-born of Iran took pride. A messenger set out in every direction, to every renowned man and every warrior. The army assembled in the royal hall, and they set out a golden dais below the throne. When Darius sat on that golden seat, the king-loving champions came forward. He said to the Iranians: 'You great men, you wise ones, you lions and warriors, consider now what our plan for battle should be.' He spoke in pain and wept a while. He said: 'Better to die today with honor than to live while the enemy rejoices in his triumph. As long as our forebears and kings existed, they collected tribute every year. In every matter Rome was beneath us; now the fortune of the free-born has turned dark. Alexander has seized the whole kingdom; he rules the world and has taken throne and crown. Even so it will not stay this way; the day will come when all Persia turns into a sea of blood. Woman, child, and man will be taken captive; neither young nor old will be left in this land. If you will help me in this cause, I will turn back this pain and grief and harm. This crowd were once the prey of our great men, worn down and driven off by the land of Iran. Now we are the prey and they the leopards, fleeing every battlefield from the fight. If every one of you stands back to back, you can crush their land and home in your fist. Whoever grows slack in this war, let him strive at least to save his own skin. After this, hold out no hope in the world, for Rome has become Zahhak and we the fallen Jamshid.' He spoke weeping, his heart full of pain, his cheeks yellow and his lips dark blue. The wise and great men rose and prepared their answer to him. A bitter cry rose up from Iran: 'We do not want a world without a king. To a man we will turn our faces to war and make the world narrow for the evil-minded foe. We will bind our garments together, one to the next, whether we win the land or only the dust and soil.' He gave out arms and money to his army and to the famous men of his realm.

When Alexander learned what had happened, that Darius had risen to the throne and worn the crown like the moon, he gathered his army from Iraq and marched, calling on God's name in the Roman tongue. The host had no middle and no edge; but Darius's fortune had not yet ripened. The king prepared to meet him, bringing so many troops out of Estakhr that you would think no star could shine, and the sky itself could not find room to turn. The armies of two nations drew up their ranks, every hand gripping spear, mace, and dagger. Such a roar rose from the two hosts that it split the ears of the turning heavens. The ground turned into a sea of the warriors' blood; the whole field of hatred lay covered with headless bodies. A father felt no tenderness for his son; the turning sky showed them no mercy. For the third time defeat fell upon Darius, and Alexander closed off the space for any charge. The world ruler led his army toward Kerman, dragging his life clear of the enemy's blows. Alexander came to Estakhr in Fars, which was the crown of kings and the pride of Persia. A loud proclamation rang from the royal court: 'O nobles who point out the way, whoever now asks for mercy, repenting his deeds and taking refuge in God, come, all of you, under my protection; know it, if you truly wish me well. We will give aid to all the wounded, and we will not shed the enemy's blood either. We will keep our hands off other people's goods, and turn our reason toward the light. For the Victorious God gave us divine glory, greatness, and the crown of the king of kings. Whoever steps beyond our command will have his neck broken like a dragon's.' Whatever spoils he found on that battlefield, he distributed entirely among his soldiers. When Darius reached Kerman from Iran, he could not find two thirds of his army's nobles. There was wailing among the troops; not one man's helmet was seen upon his head. He gathered the wise nobles around him, everyone who had fought at his side. All the great men grew grief-stricken and weeping, scorched by their own cruel fortune. Darius said: 'Beyond all doubt, the heavens have turned against us, born from our own doing.' No one in the world has ever seen such a defeat, nor heard of it from the wise men of old. The wives and children of nobles are captives, or lie killed and wounded by javelin and arrow. What do you see, and what cure do you propose to make our enemy regret this? No country, no army, no throne and crown, no kingship, no children, no treasure, no host. If the Creator does not grant us His mercy, our days are utterly ruined. Those of the noble men who still survived wept before the king of kings and said aloud: 'O sovereign, we are all wounded by cruel fate. The army has no strength left to fight; the water of destruction has risen above our heads. Fathers left without sons, sons without fathers, this is what the turning sky has brought upon us. Whoever has a mother, sister, or daughter, all of them now lie in Alexander's hands. Even your own pure, veiled women, who once trembled in fear for your life, and the treasure of your high-minded ancestors, which came to your hand without reproach, now remain in the grip of the Romans, the line of the great and the treasure of the kings. Your only remedy with him is patience and diplomacy, for the crown of greatness stays with no one forever. Someone may say his tongue was not scorched by fire; but by cunning one must sometimes yield in body. Show yourself submissive to him in bearing, and add some smoothness to your words as well. Let us see how the end will turn out, for its outcome lies beyond all our reckoning. Write a letter to him, and unsettle his dark heart with worry. This turning wheel will pass over him too; this is what a person of reason understands.' When he heard them, he chose to follow their counsel, as befitted the heart of kings.

He summoned the seasoned scribe before him, brought him close, and seated him by his throne. He dictated a letter, filled with grief and sorrow, his two eyes brimming with blood and his face gone pale. From Dara, son of Darab, son of Ardeshir, to the Caesar Alexander, conqueror of cities. First he offered praise to the Creator, from whom the world has known both good and evil. Then he said: no wise man, beyond any doubt, ever escapes the turning of the heavens. By it we are made glad, and by it made restless; sometimes on the heights, sometimes down in the valley. It was not through our armies' bravery that this battle went so; it was the workings and turning of sun and moon. Now what had to happen has happened, and our heart aches; what do we hold from this deep blue dome of sky? Now, if you make peace and swear a pact, and let your heart repent of war against Iran, then all the treasure of Goshtasp and Esfandiar, and the armlet and the jewel-inlaid crown, I will send from my own treasury to yours, along with all I have earned through my own toil. And I will stand as your ally in war, and by day and night I will not hold back for you. As for those of my kin whom you now hold, my veiled women and my children, it would be no wonder if you sent them back to me; one who seeks the world should not carry such spite. Against captive women there is nothing but the reproach it brings; kings of noble spirit do not stoop to it. When the shrewd lord had read the letter, he set his mind to shape a fitting reply. A courier came galloping from Kerman, hastening to the wary Alexander. When Alexander had read that letter through, he said: may wisdom be a companion to Dara's soul. Whoever seeks to harm his kin, his veiled women and his children, shall see, in place of a throne, the wooden board of the grave, or his head hung from the branch of a tree. They are all in Isfahan, unharmed and untroubled; let it never be that we would demand their ransom. If you wish to journey toward Iran, it is granted; the whole kingdom, from end to end, is yours. We will never for a moment stray from your command, nor count even a breath taken outside your path. Like a ship the courier came speeding back, the crowned king's heart and eyes brimming with blood.

When Dara read that reply to his letter, he was left amazed at the ways of the world. At last he said: this is worse than death, that I should bow down and serve a Roman. The grave is better for me than disgrace. This hard-hearted man had told a fitting story: If the whole sea's water comes rushing in, a single raindrop within it goes unseen. I once stood beside everyone in battle; now my own fortunes have grown so narrow. I see no friend for me anywhere in the world; no one hears my cry but my God. Since he had no ally near or far, he wrote a letter to Poros, king of India. It was full of pleading, submission, and pain. First he offered praise to the Lord of the world. Then he said: O chief of the Indians, wise and learned, with a bright soul, Surely word has reached you of what fate has brought down upon my head. Alexander has brought his army from Rome; he has left us neither soldiers nor a flourishing land. No kin, no children, no throne, no crown, no royal diadem, no treasure, no army. If you would be my ally, so that I might ward this harm off from myself, I will send you so many jewels from my treasury that you will never again know want. You will also win fame throughout the world, and become honored among the great. He sent off a swift camel, fast as the wind, and it came to Poros of Poros's line. When Alexander learned of this news, of what foundation Dara son of Dara was laying, he ordered the trumpets sounded; the roar of the war drums rose, and the Indian bells. So great an army came out from Estakhr that the sun lost its way in the sky. The shout of the armies rose from both sides; the warriors grew restless for the fight. Alexander drew up his ranks in order; the air turned indigo, the earth vanished from sight. When Dara brought his army onto the field, it was a force with no real heart for war, broken in spirit and sick of fighting; the star of the Iranians had sunk low. They did not clash at all with the Romans; that field of fierce lions turned into foxes. The noble men begged for quarter; from the peak of greatness they fell into disgrace. When Dara saw this, he turned his face and fled, running off amid cries and uproar. Three hundred horsemen went with the king, every one of Iran's renowned men. He had two honored ministers, two men who had stood with him on the field of battle. One was a priest named Mahyar; the other man was called Janoshyar. When they saw that the cause had come to nothing, that Dara's high star and name were finished, one said to the other: this luckless man has lost his crown and diadem and throne. We must drive a dagger into his chest, or an Indian blade upon his head. Alexander will grant us a province; through this kingship we too will become rulers. His two ministers rode along with him, the men who were his counselors and his treasurers. Mihin on the left, Mahyar on his right. As the night grew dark, a wind rose in the air. Janoshyar took up a dagger and struck it into the king's chest and breast. The head of the renowned king was brought low, and the whole army turned away from him.

The vizier came to Alexander and said: Victorious king, lover of wisdom, we have suddenly killed your enemy; now the crown and throne of the great pass to you. When Alexander heard Janushyar's words, he turned to Mahyar and said: The enemy you struck down, where is he now? Show me the way straight to him. The two of them went ahead, the Greek's heart and soul brimming with rage and blood. When he drew near, he saw Darius's face, his chest and cheeks bloodied, pale as a withered flower. He ordered the way cleared, and had the two ministers detained. Alexander dropped from his horse like the wind and laid the wounded man's head upon his thigh. He looked to see if the wounded man could still speak, and stroked his face with both hands. He lifted the royal crown from his head and loosened the armor around his side. Tears poured from his eyes; he saw the wounded body was beyond any physician's help. He said to him: This wound will heal, and your enemies' hearts will be filled with dread. Rise up and sit on the golden litter, and if you have the strength, mount your saddle. I will bring you physicians from India and Greece; your suffering makes me weep tears of blood. I will hand you back the kingship and the throne, and once you are well, we will pack and depart. As for the traitors who wronged you, I will hang them upside down on the gallows this very hour. Just as I heard from the elders last night, my heart filled with blood and my soul with turmoil: We are one branch, one root, one garment; why should we uproot our own kind out of greed? When Darius heard this, he said aloud: May wisdom always be your companion. I trust that from your own pure Creator you will receive the reward of these words. First, you said Iran is yours, that the crown and throne of the brave are yours. But death is nearer to me than the throne now; the throne is emptied and my fortune overturned. This is how the high wheel of fate ends: it strides toward pain, and its profit is only harm. Look at me, so you never say you stand higher than any of this famous company. Know that good and ill both come from God, and be grateful to Him as long as you live. I myself am proof enough of my own words; in this I am the one whom all can reproach: for all my greatness, kingship, and treasure, no one in this age suffered more than I. Likewise all those weapons and armies, the priceless horses, thrones, and crowns, and all my children and kin, kin whose hearts are branded and torn with grief. Time and earth were my servants once, until my own bad fortune turned against me. In this way I have been cut off from all good, fallen into the hands of murderers. Despairing of my children and my kin, the world went black and my two eyes went blind. None of my kin comes to my aid; my only hope is God, and nothing more. Wounded like this, I lie upon the dust, caught in the snare of death in this world. Such is the way of the turning wheel, whether one is a king or a champion. Greatness too passes away in the end; death hunts it down as its prey. Alexander wept tears of blood over that wounded king lying in the dust. When Darius saw the grief in his heart, the flowing bloody tears on his pale face, he said: Do not weep, there is no use in it; from this fire I have nothing left but smoke. This was my portion from the Giver, and from my once bright days. Listen to my last words, all of them; accept them and keep them in your mind. Alexander said: The command is yours; say what you wish, for the promise is yours to make. Darius opened his lips eagerly and recited his testament from beginning to end. First he said: Renowned one, fear God, the judge and maker of the world, who made the sky, the earth, and time, who created both the strong and the weak. Look after my children and my family, my wise ones who live secluded. Ask me for the hand of my pure-hearted daughter; keep her honored in your court. Her mother named her Roshanak; she brought joy and gladness to the world. Do not let my child be shamed, nor taunted by anyone of evil ways. Since she was raised among kings, at feasts she was the crown of the famous. Perhaps from her you will see a famous son who will renew the name of Esfandiar, who will tend the fire of Zoroaster and take the Zend and Avesta in hand, who will keep alive the festival of Sadeh, the glory of Nowruz and the fire temple, and honor Hormozd, the month, the day of Mehr, and cleanse soul and face in the water of wisdom; who will renew the faith of Lohrasp, so the royal creed of Goshtasp endures; who will treat the great as great and the humble as humble, so the faith stays radiant and blessed. Alexander answered him thus: Kind-hearted, truthful king, I accept your counsel and your testament; I will not overstep them on this land of yours. I will fulfill every good deed and let wisdom be my guide in this. The king of the world took Alexander's hand and began to cry out in sorrow. He pressed Alexander's palm to his lips and said: May God be your refuge. I entrust my place to you and go to the dust; I give my soul to the pure God. He said this, and his soul left his body; the whole gathering wept bitterly for him. Alexander tore all his garments and scattered dust upon the royal crown. He built him a tomb after his own custom, fitting to his glory and his faith. When the time of his eternal sleep came, they washed the blood away with clear rosewater. They adorned him in Greek brocade, his whole form covered with gems and gold. His body vanished beneath the camphor, and after that no one saw Darius's face again. In the tomb they set a golden throne, and placed a musk-scented crown upon his head. They laid him in a coffin of gold, and Alexander wept tears of blood over him. When they lifted the coffin from its place, they passed it hand to hand along the way. Alexander walked on foot ahead of it, and all the nobles came with eyes full of blood. So it went until they reached Darius's resting place; you would think their very skin was splitting with grief. When they set the king's coffin on the bier, they carried out the rites in the way of kings. When the honored burial was done, outside he raised up two tall gallows. One gallows in the name of Janushyar, and the other likewise for Mahyar. He hanged the two traitors alive; that wise man punished the king-killers. Warriors came out from the army, each with a stone gripped in his fist. They stoned them on the gallows, so that no one would ever dare kill a king again. When the Iranians saw what he had done, mourning that noble, freeborn king, they all blessed him with one voice, that lord and king of the earth.

A messenger came from Kerman to Isfahan, to the place where the great ones of Iran had gathered. To the veiled women of the king's court came a man of high rank and standing. He brought them Alexander's greeting and recounted to them all that had happened to Darius. He said: from the death of kings comes no justice; neither friend nor foe can take joy in it. Know that today I am Darius; though he has vanished, I stand here in the open as his heir. The good I will do is greater than what was; there is no reason to claw your cheeks in grief. We are all bound for death, king and army alike, whether we linger long or only a while. Bring your belongings toward the city of Estakhr; join us and share in our glory. Iran is still the same as it was from the first; be glad at heart and sound of body. They wrote letters to every land, to every renowned man and every noble. From Alexander, son of the great Philip, conqueror of the world, mighty against his enemies. Enrich your hearts with justice and generosity; make freedom the crown upon your heads. For in the end our own day too will pass; time keeps counting our steps behind us. A letter likewise went to the priests, full of warmth, apology, and blessing. The heading read: from the king of the Kayanids to the wise men of the Iranians. When the pen's tip washed itself clean like amber, the letter began, first of all, with praise. Praise to the just One who created the world, who fashioned the hidden after the visible. Both worlds sprang into being from His word; why should they not obey His command, and how could they be otherwise? The sky you see turning above, call none but Him powerful and all-knowing. Whatever He wills comes to pass; we are all servants, and He is the king. From Him be greetings upon the renowned, each measured to his own worth. Keep in mind nothing of the world's ways except good name, culture, and justice. In the hour of victory grief came to me; in the midst of feasting, mourning came to me. By the One who holds the high sun aloft, I never sought to harm the life of Darius. That king's enemy came from within his own house; it was a servant, no stranger, who struck him. Now he has met God's just punishment; when he wrought evil, evil turned back upon his face. Seek justice and make a covenant; pledge your tongues as surety to your word. If you wish to gain fortune from the wheel of heaven, take from me purses, servants, crown, and throne. My bright heart is full of sorrow for Darius; I will strive never to break with his counsel. Whoever comes to this royal court will find money, honor, throne, and crown. If he wishes to remain in his own hall, let him not turn away in flight from his pledge. They will receive whatever they ask from the treasury; after that no one will know pain or hardship. Mint the coin in Alexander's name; strive, and do not break our covenant. Arrange the seat of your own kings henceforth according to the old custom. Do not leave the marketplace without a guard, one who keeps my name upon his tongue. Do not leave your borders without a warden; prove your worth in this. So that no harm comes from thieves, and you remain glad of heart and prosperous. From every city send a fine attendant, a servant full of modesty and vigilance. One fit to serve in our golden chamber, who understands our ways of service. One who will not grieve at leaving home; it is not right that any servant be wronged. Send them toward our private quarters, to those who wait upon the king. Send also travelers who pass through the cities, light of step and sparing of tongue. Hearts pure of fault, known as true seekers, content in the heart even in poverty. Put the names of those in need at the top; enter their count at the start of the ledger. Whoever among you is in distress, wherever an official has done him wrong, break the heart and the back of the tyrant; tear out root and branch from the ground. Whoever plots evil and acts on it, I will find him out when I make my search. I will hang the infamous one alive on the gallows, the one who lost sight of his end from the very start. Anyone who defies our command will in the end bear the punishment for that deed. When the letter was sent off, he set out and took a whole world into peace and calm. He came from Kerman to the city of Estakhr and set upon his head the crown of royal glory. Do not probe the secret of the world as long as you can, for it soon turns its face away from the seeker.