English
The Words of Daqiqi
Then the news reached Esfandiar
that the king, that master of the spear, had been killed.
Your father is worn down by grief for him,
and now he means to seek revenge for him.
He says: whoever wants to avenge him
will turn his face toward the enemy.
To such a man I will give my daughter Homay,
and I call God as witness to this vow.
The famous king struck one hand upon the other
and wept over those evil days.
All year long I feared this very day,
every time I saw him going into battle.
What a loss: a horseman, a hero, a lord,
whose fate has torn the crown from his head.
Who killed that black, tireless war elephant,
the man who could tear an iron mountain from the earth?
He gave the banner, the command, and his own place
to his brother, and went forward himself.
He moved to the center, into Zarir's place,
and stood in the ranks like a fierce lion.
He came to the front and girded himself,
and took that royal banner in his hand.
He had five brothers who knew the way,
all worthy of the crown, the king's equals.
They all took their stand before him,
for breaking enemy armies was his custom.
Before the army he said to the noble warriors:
you famous men and champions of the king,
see what I say and listen well:
hold fast to the faith of the world's God.
Take care not to fear death or possessions,
for no one has ever died before his time.
For the man fate is bound to kill,
what is finer than death in battle?
Know, all of you, that this is the day
when the unbeliever shows himself against the pure faith.
Do not look back over your shoulders,
do not cry for help, do not count your own heads.
Take care that none of you is seen fleeing,
take care that you do not fear the clash of arms.
Set the points of your spears to the fight,
struggle a while and prove your manhood.
While Esfandiar was in the midst of this,
his father's voice came down from the mountainside:
You famous men and champions of mine,
all of you are like my own body and soul.
Do not fear spear or mace or blade,
for there is no escape from our destiny.
By the faith of God, brave Esfandiar,
by the soul of Zarir, that fighting horseman
who now descends into paradise,
for I have written a letter to Lohrasp:
I accepted the counsel of that old king,
that if good fortune lends me its hand,
when I return from this battlefield
I will give the crown and throne to Esfandiar.
I will let the whole army pass to him,
and set the royal crown upon his head.
Just as my father gave the kingship to me,
so I will give the kingship to him.