English
Peace Between Two Kingdoms
When that letter reached Khosrow, fresh news of alliance arrived with it.
He told the Persians: today the sun itself will change its course across the sky.
A lofty letter has come from Caesar, and everything he says is useful, start to finish.
He is seeking a way to lift the ancient hatred from Rome and the land of Iran.
This was the answer he received from the Persians: that enmity has never been erased from between us.
If this is set right in your time, they will write your name upon the crowns.
When they showed such a mind toward it, Khosrow cleared the outsiders from the place.
He called for inkwell, pen, and Chinese silk, and ordered the scribe to come before him.
He wrote a letter in the Pahlavi tongue, in royal script, after the manner of kings.
That Khosrow swears by pure God, from the turning sun down to the dark earth,
that as long as he is king upon the throne, Iran and its treasure and army will be his,
he will not demand tribute from the rulers of Rome, nor send an army against that land.
Every city that belongs to that frontier, however idle or worthless it may be,
he will hand over to Caesar, one by one; from now on we will send a written pledge and deed.
And also the daughter born of that mother who is pure and kin to Caesar,
with her father's consent I have asked for her hand, and set my heart at ease with this request.
Every person now in your court who is from Iran and under your protection,
such as Gostahm and Shapur and Andian, and Khorrad son of Barzin, of the royal line,
when you send an army, entrust it to them, and send the wise, renowned daughter along.
By this marriage I stand kin to you now, just as that great gathering of forefathers once did.
First Kayumars, together with Jamshid, from whom the world knew both fear and hope,
then all who are of the line of Iraj, who established the ways and glory of Fereydun,
and so on down to the great Kobad, by whose justice sheep and wolf were kin.
We have lifted all hatred from between us; Roman and Persian have become as one.
I have accepted from Caesar that daughter of his, the one who is the crown among his daughters.
I will not turn from what I have said, not by a single word, from the whole of it to the least part.
Whatever you have promised, do not delay it, for my stay in this city has grown long.
When he had set down these words in this way, he gave the letter to Khorrad the swift.
The commander rose from his place like the wind, and set his foot in the stirrup of his bay horse.
He galloped like the wind to Caesar, and delivered to him the words of Khosrow.
When Caesar broke the seal of that letter, he saw those lofty words of the king.
He ordered that all who were learned, who were skilled in matters of counsel,
gathered before Caesar, and he questioned them one by one.
He asked: what remedy shall we make for this now, and what pact shall we form with the king of Iran?
With this letter we are left with no excuse; now Rome and Iran have become one.
The wise nobles rose and prepared their tongues to answer.
They said: we are the lesser ones and you are Caesar; you are the world's ruler, with throne and crown.
Look now, the decision and the command are yours; if you ask of us, our bodies and lives are yours.
When Caesar heard this, he gave his blessing to those renowned men of counsel and faith.
So it remained until the candle of the turning sky took on a different aspect and face.