English
Section 23: A Letter to Caesar
At once he wrote a letter, and upon it he heaped blessing after blessing.
It said: with the priest, wholehearted and pure of judgment, we deliberated fearlessly over good and ill.
We told stories of every kind, and came back at last to the old wisdom.
Now the counsel and the talk have reached their end; I have thrown open the ancient treasuries.
In Constantinople I do not have vast armies to keep the country guarded.
We arranged our words in every fashion; from every land we called up troops.
As soon as they arrive, one by one, we will send them to you without fail.
But all this scheming and endless deliberation is like scratching a lion's mouth with a lancet.
That evil came because those who know how to speak kept recalling the deeds of old.
That in the days of Shapur, son of Ardeshir, a man's heart never grew tired of suffering.
From so much looting, killing and raiding, from stirring up unjust feuds.
Set aside him; think of Hormoz and Kay Qobad, who never kept God's justice in mind.
Your own ancestor, that king Nushirvan, whose justice made even the old grow young again.
By him all of Rome was laid utterly to waste, just as Iran was ruined by Afrasiyab.
In this land of ours the Iranians turned thirty-nine cities into thorn thickets.
The plains became pools from the blood of chieftains; their wives and children were carried off as captives.
If a man of Rome has taken hatred into his heart, that should be no surprise to you.
In our faith cruelty has no place; let doing evil never be our custom.
We have found nothing better than honesty, and than keeping far from crookedness and fault.
I summoned all who had been wronged and spoke with them long about this matter.
By gentle words their hearts were cleansed; every consuming poison turned to remedy.
I settled it so that no one, from now on, would speak of the old days.
Whatever you say, I will obey; I will pledge my very soul as surety to the treaty.
You too must give your word, so that no one may think ill of us.
You will say: as long as I am king, I will not take such wrongs lightly or make light of them.
I will not demand tribute from the Romans, nor sell these hard-won gains for anything.
As for the rest that you hold of that land, no Iranian shall set foot on Roman soil.
Do even more toward this wish: make peace with us and become our kin.
Whenever you have some undertaking, or even an ill-suited war,
we will all be friends and brothers; and there may be times when we take the lesser place.
But once you no longer need this city of ours, all the old hatred will rise up in your hearts.
There was talk of Tur and Salm, and of that pointless quarrel of the old days.
Now a firm covenant must be made, worthy of a seal, to remain as a memorial.
That from now on we will not speak of avenging Iraj, nor of the old times.
From now on Iran and Rome shall be one; we will seek no separation of these lands.
Behind our veil there is a daughter, wiser and better than the greatest nobles.
Ask for her hand according to our pure faith, as our custom and rite require.
So that a child of Caesar's line, when born, will not call to mind the vengeance for Iraj.
The face of the earth will find rest from turmoil and war, and seek this way of peace.
Now if you look with the eye of wisdom, you will count all this as nothing but honesty.
Through this bond our covenant will endure; such is our command from God.
From the time of Piruz until Khoshnavaz, surely long years have passed.
For they both threw their heads to the wind; may no world-ruler ever be a breaker of pacts.
The Messiah, the prophet, said this: wisdom itself recoils when you turn away from justice.
Khoshnavaz tried every scheme so that Piruz would not lose his head to the blade.
But when Piruz treated him harshly, he saw dark smoke rising in that place.
That army and the royal throne were scattered to the wind; the king was undone, and his head fell for turning from justice.
You are young and have not yet seen how things go; if you wish to gain from your days,
do not help a man who breaks his word, for an oath-breaker is not worth even a shroud.
Crown and throne curse the king who breaks his pact and thirsts for vengeance.
Now read my letter through from end to end; if your fingers are greasy, do not touch it.
Keep the words in mind and write your answer; think only of goodness and write with grace.
I do not want a scribe to know this secret; let you yourself be its keen, deft writer.
When I read this letter of reply, I will see the heart of the willful man himself.
Then we will surely send arms, troops, and money, so that your heart is not left grieving.
Whoever is dearest to you, and whoever holds the most renown in your eyes,
even the one against whom you hold a grudge, tear the hatred from your heart like a brave man.
Leave his sin to almighty God; do not turn the day dark for enemy or friend.
If you wish fortune to keep you victorious, ruler of the world, with army, crown and throne,
keep your hand off what belongs to others, and lead your soul along the path of honesty.
When the ink of that letter's heading had dried, they sealed it shut with a seal of musk.
Caesar pressed his signet upon that seal, gave it to the messenger, and blessed him.