English
Section 5: Siyavash Chooses War
The king of the world was at ease and content when he heard the report of his scouts:
that Afrasiyab had come with a hundred thousand chosen, seasoned Turkish riders,
and had set his face toward the land of Iran, and the whole country was buzzing with talk of it.
King Kavus grew heavy at heart, and his mind turned from feasting to war.
He gathered a council of Iranians, all who wished the royal house well.
He said to them: Afrasiyab, made though he is of wind and fire, earth and water,
surely God never shaped him like other men; the heavens must have sown him some other way.
For all his lavish oaths and pledges, and however sweetly he stakes his word,
once he gathers his vengeful army he turns his back on every promise and vow.
No one but me is fit to take vengeance on him; I will turn his bright day into black night.
I will wipe his name from the world, or else, like an arrow suddenly loosed from a bow,
he will raise an army, make war on Iran, and lay much of this land in ruins.
A wise elder said to him: What need is there for the king himself to go to the battlefield?
Why should you throw your wealth to the wind, and why open the treasury for such a thing?
Twice already you handed this famous throne of yours to your enemy through rashness.
Now choose a champion instead, one worthy of the battle and worthy of this vengeance.
He answered them: In all this assembly I see no one
who has the strength and endurance to face Afrasiyab; I must go myself, like a ship upon the water.
Return now, and give me time to turn this matter over in my heart.
Siyavash grew troubled at heart over this, his mind crowded thick with thoughts like a forest.
He said to himself: I will take on this war; I will ask the king kindly and win his leave.
Perhaps the just God will free me from Sudabeh and my father's endless talk.
And besides, if I win renown from this task, I will lure that whole army into my trap.
So he came, belt girded, before King Kavus and said: I am the one for this rank.
Let me be the one to challenge the king of Turan and bring the heads of their lords low in the dust.
But such was the will of the Creator of the world, that he would give up his life in the land of Turan,
through evil counsel and wicked scheming, wherever fate turns cruel.
His father agreed to the plan, that Siyavash should gird himself for this vengeance.
He was glad of him and made much of him, and set him up in a fresh, high position.
He told him: The treasury and its jewels are yours; consider the whole army your own to command.
By the words, the deeds, and the praise
that they sing for you across the land of Iran,
he called the mighty warrior Rostam to his side
and told him many fine and fitting tales.
He said to him: no elephant matches your strength;
no Nile can equal the dust your horse Rakhsh kicks up.
In all the world you are the master of skill and calm,
for you are the one who raised Siyavash.
As iron locks a jewel deep in the mine,
so when you fasten your belt for war, all doors open.
Siyavash came to me with his belt bound tight,
and spoke like a raging lion.
He longs to fight Afrasiyab;
go with him, and do not turn your face from him.
When you are watchful, I can sleep;
when you rest, unease comes rushing to me.
The world is safe under your arrow and sword;
the moon and the turning sky bow beneath you.
The mighty Rostam said: I am your servant;
whatever you command, I am listening.
Siyavash is my shelter and my very soul;
the crown on his head is my whole sky.
When the king heard this, he blessed him and said:
may wisdom be the companion of your pure soul.
After that, the sound of pipes and war drums rose,
and the commander Tus came forward.
The army gathered at the palace gate,
and the king threw open his treasury of gold.
Of swords and maces, of helmets and belts,
of armor, spears, and shields as well,
and to the treasury full of uncut cloth
he sent Siyavash the key,
saying: you are the master of my life and my wealth;
make ready as you see fit.
From those famed riders he chose
twelve thousand bold warriors.
From Pahlav and Pars, from Kuch and Baluch,
from fighting Gilan and the plains of Saruch,
and twelve thousand shield-bearing footmen
the king chose, fit for battle.
From Iran, every man of noble birth,
brave, wise, and free-spirited,
were of Siyavash's height and age,
wise, alert, and quiet in speech.
Among the fighting heroes of renown
were men like Bahram and Zangeh of Shavaran.
And five priests of Iran
raised high the banner of Kaveh.
He ordered them all to set out;
they moved from Pahlav toward the plain and open field.
You would say there was no room left on earth,
no patch of ground untouched by a horseshoe's tread.
The banner of Kaveh rose into the sky
like a shining moon among them.
King Kavus rode out from Pahlav
and swiftly circled the army.
The noble king blessed them and said:
O renowned ones of fortunate step,
may nothing but good fortune walk beside you,
and may your enemies' eyes go dark with despair.
To set out under a lucky star and in good health, and to come back victorious and glad.
From there he strapped the war drums onto the elephant, gave the order to his warriors, and mounted himself.
With eyes brimming with tears, King Kavus rode along the road with him for a day.
At last the two of them embraced each other like spring clouds gathering close.
They shed tears of blood from their eyes and let out a wail of grief.
As they parted, the heart bore witness that after this they would never meet again.
Such is the way of the turning world: sometimes it yields honey, sometimes poison.
Kavus turned back toward his throne, while Siyavash went on with his war-seeking army.
He led his troops toward Zabulistan, marching with the mighty Rostam toward Zal.
For a while he stayed with music and wine, near the blessed and fortunate Zal.
Sometimes he held his cup with the mighty Rostam, sometimes he chose to sit with Zavareh.
Sometimes he sat happily on Zal's throne, sometimes he was out hunting or in the private chambers.
When a month had passed, the army set off; the mighty Rostam went along, but Zal stayed behind.
An army marched with the champion, from Zabul, from Kabul, and from the Indians.
From every side where there was a renowned force, he summoned them and came to the city of Herat.
He brought many foot soldiers from them, and handed the baggage train over to Zangeh, son of Shavaran.
He came to Taleqan and Marv-rud; you might say the heavens themselves were greeting him.
After that he reached the outskirts of Balkh, and troubled no one with a harsh word.
From the other side, Garsivaz and Barman led their army forward like a roaring wind.
Sepahram and Barman were the vanguard; word came to them of the new commander,
that an army and a young king had come from Iran, with the mighty champion Rostam as its general.
They rushed a fast camel-rider to Afrasiyab, swift as a ship gliding over water,
saying: A great army has come from Iran, led by Siyavash and his chieftains,
with an army led by Rostam, the mighty champion, a dagger in one hand and his shroud in the other.
Bring your army and do not delay so long, for the wind of it will move the ship from its place.
He drove the camel-rider forward like fire; this was the message he sent through the guide.
Siyavash on his side did not wait for a reply; he raced his army toward Balkh like the wind.
When the army from Iran pressed in close, there was no chance to wait for any answer.
The war-seeking Garsivaz looked around and saw no way open but to fight.
When the army from Iran closed in hard, battle broke out at the gate of Balkh.
Two hard battles were fought over three days, then Siyavash came, lighting up the army.
He posted foot soldiers at every gate, and a great army marched into Balkh.
Sepahram fled to the far side of the river, joining his troops with Afrasiab.
Siyavash entered Balkh with his army and ordered a letter written to the king.
It was written on silk with musk, rosewater, and perfume, as befitted its worth.
First he gave praise to the Creator, through whom he had grown victorious in his time.
Lord of the sun and the turning moon, the one who raises up crown, throne, and diadem.
He lifts one man high, and casts another into grief and misery.
Why should we not obey His command? And how? Wisdom itself must guide us to this.
From that Just One who created the world, who made both the seen and the hidden.
May blessing be upon the king, and may the outcome of all things be good.
I came to Balkh joyful, with fortune on my side, by the glory of the ruler of crown and throne.
Three days passed in this fighting, and on the fourth the Creator showed His mercy.
Sepahram fled to Termez, and Barman shot away like an arrow from the bow.
Now, all the way to the Oxus, the army is mine, and the world lies under the glory of my crown.
Afrasiab is in Sughd with his army; both troops and commander are on that side of the water.
If the king should give the order, I will lead the army across and give battle.
When the letter reached the king of Iran, his crown and throne rose to the heights of Saturn.
He took refuge in God and sought fortune from Him, so that this young tree might bear fruit.
In joy he wrote a reply, fresh as a springtime in April.
It began: From the Creator of the sun and moon, ruler of the world, giver of crown and throne,
may your heart be forever glad, freed from pain and misfortune,
always in victory and splendor, with the crown of greatness and the diadem of kingship.
You led an army and sought battle, for you possess fortune, skill, and truth.
The scent of milk still rises from your lips, yet you have wrapped your bow with battle-leather.
May your body always be full of skill, and may your bright heart's wishes come true.
Now that you have won the fight, you must pause and take care in what comes next.
You must not scatter the army; measure your days and prepare your position.
For that Turk is treacherous and foul, of bad blood and bad character.
Even with his crown and his power, he still tries to raise his head above the shining moon.
Do not rush into battle; Afrasiyab himself will come to fight you.
If he pushes his army across the Oxus toward this side, he will only drag his own robe through blood.
He pressed his seal upon the letter and at once called the messenger forward.
He handed it over and sent him back, and the messenger raced away over hill and valley.
The messenger reached Siyavash, who, when he saw the letter of Iran's king,
kissed the ground and rejoiced, freeing his heart from every sorrow.
Made glad by the king's letter, he smiled and pressed it to his head.
He kept his father's command awake in his mind and never turned his heart from that promise.
On the other side, Garsivaz, that insolent man, came to the king of the Turks swift as dust on the wind.
He spoke his foul and bitter words: that Commander Siyavash had reached Balkh,
leading a heavy army like Rostam's, full of famous heroes and warriors.
For each of us there were fifty of them, proud men wielding ox-headed maces.
The foot soldiers were fierce as fire, shield-bearers armed with arrows and quivers.
No eagle could match their speed, and not one of them lets sleep touch his head.
For three days and three nights it went on like this, until the proud men and their horses grew weary.
Whenever sleep came over one of them, he rushed all the more eagerly back to the fight.
He would sleep, rise refreshed, and start a new battle all over again.
Afrasiyab flared up like fire: 'Why do you keep talking to me of rest and sleep?'
He glared at Garsivaz as if he meant to cut him in two.
He gave a shout and drove him from his sight, ready to unleash his fury upon him.
He ordered: 'Summon a thousand of the famous nobles and prepare a feast.'
'Deck the whole plain with tents and adorn Soghd as splendidly as China.'
So he passed the day in joy, until the world-lighting sun sank from sight.
Then he hurried to sleep and rest, and Afrasiyab tossed and turned upon his bed.