English
Bahram and Khosrow: The Eve of Battle
When Bahram heard what fate had brought upon that famous king,
how they had branded his bright eyes and put out that lamp, so that both his flower like eyes died in their garden,
and how his son now sat upon his throne, his own fortune and standing brought low,
Bahram was left astonished by all this; he withered inside and sank into thought.
He ordered the war drums carried out, the great banner raised across the plain.
He loaded the baggage, the army mounted, and he girded himself to fight Khosrow.
An army moving like a mountain on the march, boldly pressing on toward Nahravan.
When Khosrow learned of his campaign, he grew troubled by his sharp ambition.
He sent out alert scouts to spy the state of the world and its affairs.
He told the scouts his secret first: they must find out the truth about that army,
whether the troops stand united with him for war, or whether this affair of ours will drag on.
And another thing: whether Bahram holds the center of the line or moves among the ranks.
How does he sit when he gives audience? When he rides out, does he ever think of hunting?
The scouts set off from his court, though he knew nothing yet of Bahram's own force.
When they had gone and seen and returned, they came to him in secret,
saying: the whole army stands with him as one, whether the famous veteran or the youngest boy.
Whenever the army takes to the road, he is at one point in the center of the ranks,
one moment he rides to the right wing, then to the left, then back to the baggage train.
He keeps his own men in his confidence; he has no need of outsiders.
He gives audience like the kings of old, and hunts through gate and open field alike.
When he is not marching to war like a king, he reads through the whole book of Damna.
Khosrow said to his minister: we have a long, hard task ahead of us.
When Bahram spurs his horse at the enemy, his sea like heart shatters even a dragon.
And more: he learned the ways of the kings of kings from the great sovereign of the world.
Third, his counselor is Kalila and Damna itself; no one has a scribe so wise in his advice.
Then he said to Bandwi and Gostahm: we have become partners with grief and hardship.
So Gardwi and Shapur and Andian, and Radman, the commander of Armenia,
sat in private with the king of Iran, the wise and battle skilled great men,
and Khosrow spoke to those chieftains: you proud ones, you warriors,
whoever's mind is bright with reason wears wisdom like armor on his body.
Nothing pierces it but the sword of death; before its blow even a steel helmet turns soft as wax.
Now I am younger in years than you; I will not rule the world by youthful impulse alone.
Tell me what the remedy for our situation is, and who is behind these painful wounds.
The chief priest said to him: may you live forever; may you be the glory and sustenance of every mind.
When this secret of the turning world was revealed, it divided wisdom into four shares.
Half of it is the king's portion, for glory and reason befit a king.
Another share belongs to the devout, and a third to the servants of the king.
When such a one stands close to the king of the world, wisdom does not hide itself from him.
Now a small part of wisdom is left, which the learned count as the farmer's share.
There is no wisdom in an ungrateful person, nor in one who does not know God.
If the king will listen to these words, spoken by an alert and seasoned old man...
The king said to him: if I wrote these words in gold, still no ceremony or splendor could match them.
The words of the priests are pure jewels, yet another thought is in my heart:
that when these two armies face each other, and spear points sink into both hosts,
it would be no shame for me to ride out from the center, to go before him without my army,
and call out loudly to Bahram, that ill famed, self willed commander.
I would show him the face of peace, treat him kindly, and praise him much.
If he accepts these words, it would be for the best, for who at court was ever his equal?
But if he seeks war, then I too seek war; we will turn our army against him.
All the wise men agreed with this plan, wherever he had spoken it.
The great men called down blessings on him and named him king of the earth.
Everyone said: O king, may ill fortune stay far from you.
May yours be victory and glory, greatness and the crown of the king of kings.
Khosrow said: let this be all I wish; may no one see defeat and separation.
He led the army out from Baghdad and pitched the new royal pavilion on the plain.
When the two armies drew close along the road, the commander on that side, the king on this,
when the lamp of the world bent down and set, and dark night shook loose her black tresses,
patrols came out from both armies, each to guard itself against the enemy.
When night fled the dagger of day, it raced off with burning heart and parched lips.
The drums rose up from both encampments, with the sun to guide them to that battle.
The king ordered Gostahm and Bandwi to put on their helmets of iron.
So with the bright souled great men he rode on to the spring of Nahravan.
A scout came at once to Bahram: the enemy army is only two bowshots away.
When Bahram heard, he marched his troops and called his experienced men to him.
He mounted his dappled horse with the musk black tail, renowned, proud, with bronze hard hooves.
His weapon was an Indian sword that struck like lightning from a storm cloud.
As he rode like flashing lightning, at his left hand was the fierce Azargoshasp.
And Ayin Goshasp and Yalan Sina too rode out, full of malice and defiance.
Three brave Turks of the Khaqan's people had girded themselves for Bahram's revenge,
all three had pledged that when they saw the king's face far from the middle of the host,
whether bound or slain, they would bring him to you, and your army would be at ease.
From one side Khosrow, from the other the commander, both moving into the midst of Nahravan,
the two armies watched from either side to see how the commander would approach the king.