English
Section 13: The Council of the Nobles
When the sun drew its dagger from the sheath, that pale yellow cloak of dawn appeared.
He sent for the proud chiefs and summoned them, and seated them on their knees before the royal throne.
He set a golden chair in place for each, and, like victorious kings, sat down in joy.
Then in a loud voice he spoke: Every one of you here is a man of worth.
Among all kings, no one worse than Zahhak has ever been found, however long you search.
For the sake of the crown he killed his own father, and from that murder Iran fell into ruin.
Then there was Khosrow, that unjust and ill-omened man, who killed his father and then fled to Rome.
Now there is no famous man left in the world, none from among the great to take the throne,
one worthy of fortune and of high favor, fit to bind the crown and belt and hold the throne.
Whom do you have who will now gird himself and revive the customs and ways of the ancient kings?
By the Keeper of the high sun, I swear I will stand by your side in this.
The proud chiefs heard these words, that this famous lord had laid the foundation of the matter.
No one turned his heart from these true words. One who was older rose to his feet;
his name was Shahran Goraz, an old, gray man, a chief of long lineage.
He said: O man of high renown, you alone in the world are the truly useful one.
Even if there had been no other evil but Saveh Shah, who came to our land with an army,
and wished to make the free-born into slaves, since he had no equal in battle in all the world,
you alone of the world girded yourself with courage, so that hardship passed from the Iranians.
Four times a hundred thousand of his heroes, all seasoned and fit for war,
with a single arrow of yours they were turned back, and Iran found rest from its burning grief.
Now the throne of Iran is worthy of you; your wakeful fortune is witness to this.
Whoever turns away from our command, or strays from our covenant,
we will bring under obedience, even if he is a hero, even if the whole tale is that he is a Khosrow.
He said this and sat back in his place. The commander of Khorasan came forward,
and said: This old, knowledge-seeking man, who spoke so many words before the assembly,
let me explain why he spoke these words, this world-seeker, this wise old man;
he recalled all these good deeds of yours, and gladdened the hearts of the gathering.
But there is one fine story, if a pure-minded person will hear it,
which Zoroaster tells in the Avesta and Zand: that whoever turns from the high Creator,
give him counsel for a full year, and give him what he needs to profit from it.
If by year's end he does not return to the right path, he must be killed by the king's command.
When someone becomes the enemy of a just king, his head must quickly be parted from his body.
Khorasan said this and closed his lips, then went to the place where he had been seated.
After that Farrokhzad rose to his feet and lifted his head straight above the assembly.
He said: O useful chief, to speak of justice is better, if you approve.
If justice is better, then may there be no one who takes joy in unjust words.
One says to Bahram: May you live in bliss; the world had its provision from the sight of you.
If our words are not to your liking, the Victorious One is not our helper in this.
May you live in bliss, joyful forever; may the hands and tongues of the wicked stay far from you.
The brave man said this and sat down. Khazravan Khosrow came forward like a lion.
He said to him: Now that so many words have been spoken, by both young speakers and old men,
if in the end you seek the way of justice, send off a swift camel like the wind.
Do not delay, lest the proud Khosrow pound out the long road toward you.
Turn to apology for what has passed, and do not set a bold foot toward the throne.
For as long as the world-ruling king lives, no commander is worthy of the royal seat.
And if in your heart you fear Khosrow, pull your foot back from Pars and Ctesiphon.
Live at ease in the city of Khorasan, for you are fit for comfort and high rank.
In apology, write letter after letter; perhaps Khosrow will turn back in your favor.
Khosrow had not withdrawn his step from his place while Zadfarrokh was pressing his own claim forward.
Then Zadfarrokh spoke with justice: O famous men of noble race,
I have heard the great ones speak, who are the chosen leaders of Iran.
The first speech was spoken like a servant's: that a commander should become the sovereign.
A wise man does not approve of this talk, for by it a man's honor is lessened.
Khorasan spoke with a noble spirit; I will not say his words were joined with wisdom.
Farrokhzad only added harsh words, and dulled the heart of the wise.
The fourth was Khazravan the marshal, whose speech was a companion of wisdom.
Since the Creator made this world, this turning of the times has come to pass.
Begin first with Zahhak the Arab, who was a tyrant with impure intentions,
who killed the noble-minded Jamshid and seized the world by force through injustice.
I saw the devout heart full of grief that in the world a demon was king.
The next was the evil-natured Afrasiab, who crossed the river from Turan in that way,
and with his sword, in cruelty, cut off the head of the famous Nowzar, and fortunes turned.
The third was Alexander, who came from Rome to Iran, and this whole land was laid to waste.
When he killed Dara the swordsman, the food and sleep of the Iranians turned bitter.
The fourth was the foul-hearted Khoshnavaz, who erased both name and glory from this land.
When Piruz, that high-starred king, world-ruler and chief among the famous,
was suddenly killed by the Hephthalites, the throne of the king of the world was overturned.
No one in the world had seen such a strange thing as has now newly befallen Iran:
that a king like Khosrow fled from his throne, and went over to the enemy, out of the army's reach.
He said this and sat down weeping in pain; from his words Bahram's face turned pale.
The world-experienced Sombad leapt to his feet, his belt tightened and an Indian blade in hand.
He said: This famous champion is great, a just man of bright soul.
Now, until someone of the royal line comes and girds his belt around his waist,
it is best that this man sit on the throne, for he is a valiant, warlike, fortunate hero.
The chief of the warriors, who heard these words, struck out his hand and drew his sword.
He said: If we ever find a woman of the royal seed carrying a child,
I will cut off its head with my sharp sword and breathe the breath of doomsday over its life.
I will not allow anyone to wear a crown and hold court among the horsemen.
When Babuy, the Armenian hero, heard that the foul marshal had spoken such arrogance,
they drew their swords and rose up, and set forth another new argument:
that Bahram is king and we are his subjects, and we will trample the heads of his enemies underfoot.
When Bahram saw the drawn sword, he chose wisdom and rightness.
He said: Whoever rises from his seat and stretches out his hand to his sword,
I will cut off his hand at once, and his drunken head will come to its senses.
He said this and left the presence of the free-born, and went toward the garden of the joyful ones.
That great assembly scattered, every face lined with anger, every heart broken.