Section 8: Kavus's Letter to Siyavash

King Kavus prepared a fast courier and ordered him to set out on the road. He summoned the scribe of letters and seated him on a golden chair adorned with figures. He dictated a letter full of anger and war, its tongue sharp, its face flushed like an unripe fruit. First he gave praise to the Creator, the Lord of peace and of battle. The Lord of Mars, Saturn, and the Moon, the Lord of good and evil, glory and rank. By His command the turning heavens move; from Him love is spread out in every place. May you, young man, keep your health and fortune, and remain forever with crown and throne. If my counsel has grown dark in your heart, and the sleep of youth has dazzled your head, You have heard what the enemy did to Iran once the tide of war turned in his favor. Now do not foolishly seek to honor the enemy, and do not disgrace this royal court. In your youth, do not set your mind on being deceived, unless you wish to fear the turning wheel of fate. For I myself, because of his flattering words, turned back many times from battle with him. If he deceives you, it is no wonder; you must measure yourself against my own example. No talk of peace ever passed with me; he turned his face away from my command. And Rostam, adorned with treasure, will never grow tired of his own desires. For that lifeless royal crown, your head has emptied itself of seeking war. Seek self-sufficiency with the sword; a king's honor lies in his own realm. When Tus the commander reaches you, he will set your affairs in order as they should be. The hostages you hold in heavy chains, load at once onto donkeys. The servants and whatever wealth there is, send it quickly to the court. Gird yourself and make ready to fight; do not draw out long speeches on this matter. When you make ready for war and launch a night raid, you will turn the black earth into the raging Oxus. The enemy commander will not lay his head to sleep; Afrasiab will come to fight you. And if you feel affection for that devil, and do not want him to call you a breaker of oaths, Then hand the army over to noble Tus and turn back; you are no man for the clash of the day of battle. You have mingled with fair faces, and fled from war to the feast. They sealed the letter with the king's seal; the courier took wing and cut through the road. When the letter reached Siyavash, he saw its words were of that ugly kind. He called the messenger and questioned him keenly, and drew out every detail plainly from him. The messenger told what had passed with Rostam, and how the mind of Tus and Kavus had been troubled. When Siyavash heard what he said, he was pained by Rostam's words and turned his face away. He grew troubled in his heart over his father's conduct, over the Turks, and over the days of war. He said to himself: a hundred Turkish men and horsemen, all of them famous kin of a king, all of them well-meaning and innocent; if I send them to the king, he will not question them, he will give no thought to their case; at once he will hang them alive on the gallows. What excuse could I bring before God? My father's deed will fall as evil upon my own head. And if I make war though I am innocent, so recklessly against the king of Turan's army, the Lord of the world will not approve this wrong from me, and every gathering will speak ill of me. And if I turn back to the king and hand the army over to the commander Tus, harm will come to me from him as well; on left and right I see evil, and evil ahead. Nothing but wickedness comes from Sudabeh; I do not know what God has decreed for me. Two brave warriors of the army, like Bahram and like Zangeh of Shavaran, he summoned close to share his secret; he cleared the hall and seated them before him. For his secret was safe with these two, once Rostam had left the assembly. He said to them: through ill fortune, much misery keeps falling upon me. With such affection the king's heart was like a tree heavy with leaves and fruit. But when Sudabeh began to deceive him, you would say that fruit turned to biting poison. His harem became my prison; my heart grew wretched, and my once-smiling fortune darkened. So the days turned against me: his love bore fire as its fruit. In my wretchedness I chose war, hoping only to escape the dragon's claws. In Balkh there was a great army, and a vengeful commander like Garsivaz. In Sogdia sat the king himself, full of hatred, with a hundred thousand swordsmen. We went forth like a roaring wind; we lost no moment in battle with them. When they surrendered the whole land, they made ready hostages and gifts. All the priests showed us the path: that we should turn back from this battlefield. But my conduct did not please him; he strives to torment and injure me. He recklessly orders me to fight; I fear he will make me break my oath. And if the war is only for greater gain, since treasure and land have already come to hand, why must blood be spilled so pointlessly, why fasten our hearts to vengeance like this? One should not defy God, or one must hear reproach without end. He wants to take both worlds from me, so I will be left to the desire of the devil's heart. If only my mother had never given birth to me, or if she did, that death had come upon me at once. For so many disasters must be endured, and in this world one must taste poison. This is the pledge I have made, swearing oaths in the name of God. If I turn my face from honesty, ruin will come at me from every side. This word has spread through the world: that we laid a foundation of peace with the king of the Turks. Everyone will open their tongue to slander me, everywhere, as they see fit. To return to vengeance is to cut away from faith, to draw my head from heaven and earth alike. How could the Creator approve such a thing of me, wherever the turning of time may lead? I will go and seek some land in the world where my name stays hidden from Kavus. For the bright course of time will be only as the command of the world's Maker decrees. A head with no awareness in its mind cannot tell the worse from the better. Qobad came and went and passed through the world; he too must be counted among the departed. You, renowned Zangeh of Shavaran, prepare your body for heavy hardship. Go to the court of Afrasiab; do not linger, do not give yourself to sleep. The hostages and all this wealth, the gold, the crown, and the throne to sit upon, carry all of it before him, and tell him what has befallen us. He ordered Bahram, son of Gudarz: this renowned army and frontier, I hand over to you, the treasure, the elephants, the war drums; wait until commander Tus arrives. Then give him this army and this wealth, with every affair fully set in order. Count out to him one by one all that there is: treasure, crown, and throne to sit upon. When Bahram heard his words, his heart twisted in grief for him. Zangeh of Shavaran wept tears of blood and cursed the land of Hamavaran. Both sat together, full of sorrow; their spirits were darkened by his words. They said back to him: this is no wise plan; without your father you have no place in the world. Write a letter to the king, and ask him once again for the mighty-bodied warrior. If he commands war, then make ready for war; do not let long, idle brooding rule your heart. Do not turn fate dark against us now, when the tree of greatness has come to fruit. He did not accept the counsel of those two wise men; the secret of the lofty heavens was written otherwise. He gave this answer: the king's command I hold higher than the sun and the moon. Yet by the command of God the brave one stands: from the smallest straw to elephant and lion, none is spared. Whoever turns away from God's command loses his bearings and cannot find himself. One must reach out his hands to bloodshed, and lead two nations into vengeance. And after that, who knows whom the turning of fate will lift up from this battle? For his own gain he stirs up pain, and drags back words better left forgotten. The same wrath and strife bear fruit, and bring tears of grief into every embrace. If your hearts have darkened at what I do, and you turn away from my words, then I will be my own messenger and guide, and stay here alone on this plain of tents. When Siyavash gave such an answer, the spirits of the two proud warriors withered. They wept at the fear of parting from him, roasting as if on a fierce fire. The evil eye of fate could see what secretly lay in store for the prince. They would never see his face again; that is why their eyes wept over his fate. Zangeh said: We are your servants, our hearts filled with love for our commander. May our bodies and souls be sacrificed for you; may our vow hold like this until death. When he received such an answer from his loyal friend, the clear-minded prince spoke to Zangeh: Go and tell the king of Turan's army what has now come upon me from this affair. From this peace it is war that falls to my share; all your sweetness is my pain and poison. I will not break my pledge to you, even if I am cast far from the royal throne. The Lord of the world, God, is my refuge; the earth is my throne and the sky my crown. And besides, having done no wrong to deserve it, it was not right to go before my king. Open a road for me to pass through, to the place where God has set my watering ground. Let me seek out a land in the world where my name stays hidden from Kavus. So I hear no word of his bad temper, and rest a while from his warring. Zangeh set out with a hundred famous riders, taking hostages from the royal court. When he reached the city of the Turks' commander, a cry went up and the watchman spotted him. A great nobleman came out to meet him, a warrior whose name was Turg. When Zangeh came near the king, the commander rose from his high seat. He held him close in a tight embrace, honored him, and seated him beside himself. Once seated with the king, he delivered his message and recounted all the words to him. When Afrasiab heard it, he writhed; his heart filled with pain and his head with turmoil. He ordered a place prepared for him, and they welcomed him with all the honor he deserved. When Piran arrived, the king cleared the room, and he spoke privately with his renowned minister. About Kavus and his reckless talk, his bad temper, his schemes, and his warring. He spoke with a darkened face, his heart full of grief over what had happened to Siyavash. He recalled the whole story of sending Zangeh Shavaran, every detail from beginning to end. He asked, 'What remedy can we find for this? What plan should we set for a way out?' Piran said to him, 'O king, may you live in joy as long as time endures. You know more than we do about every matter, and you are more capable when action is needed. Yet my judgment, my heart, my knowledge, and my counsel, my thinking in my place, is this: That anyone in this world who has the power to do good, openly or in secret, would not hold back from this prince, from treasure or from effort, whatever it may cost. I have heard that in all the world there is no one among the great to equal him, in stature and looks and calm bearing, in learning and judgment and worthiness. In skill and wisdom he surpasses even his noble lineage; no mother ever bore a prince like him. To see him now is better than to hear of him: he is precious, royal, and great. And even if he had no other merit than this: that over the blood of a hundred famous men, he broke with his father, he grew enraged, abandoned throne and crown, and it is by this course that he now seeks refuge with you. By the path of wisdom it would not look well if this famed man simply passed on out of this land. The great ones would reproach you, and his fate too would weigh heavy on your name. And besides, Kavus has grown old; his time on the throne is passing away. Siyavash is young and full of royal glory; the customs and the throne of kingship will pass to him. If the king sees fit, in his lofty wisdom, let him write a beneficial letter, to cherish this wise young man just as one would cherish his own son. Let him arrange a home for him in this land and keep him in a manner worthy of him. Let him give his daughter to him with proper ceremony and keep him in comfort and honor. Perhaps he will remain near you, and make your realm and soil his resting place. And if he returns to his own king, still you will fare better with fortune for it. It would earn gratitude before the king of the earth, and the great ones of the world would bless you. The bitterness between the two lands might at last find rest, if the just king would bring him to us. This is only right before the Creator of the world, that the age be set straight through this war.' When the commander heard Piran's words, he saw clearly everything that lay ahead. For a moment he fell into thought, weighing what was good and what was ill. He answered old Piran like this: 'Everything you have said is welcome to my heart.' 'Yet I have heard a certain tale that agrees well with this counsel.' 'When you raise the cub of a fierce lion, once its teeth grow sharp, you pay the price.' 'When it rises up in strength, with claws, it turns and strikes at the very one who reared it.' Piran said to him, 'A brave and wise king should look at things with reason.' 'A man who does not inherit his father's crookedness and evil ways, how could bad temper suit him?' 'Don't you see that Kavus has grown old? And when a man grows old, he must pass on.' 'Then Siavash will inherit the wide world, treasure gained without toil, halls and palaces.' 'Two kingdoms will be yours, along with crown and throne. Who but the truly fortunate finds such a thing?' When Afrasiab heard these words, he laid the foundation of a wise plan. He summoned his worldly, experienced scribe, opened his mouth, and poured out his words. First, when the scribe set his hand to the pen, he steeped its tip in fragrant amber. He began with praise of the world's Creator, showing forth His greatness and His wisdom, who stands above all place and time; how could any thought of servitude ever reach Him? He is the Lord of the soul and of reason; it was He who gave the wise their nourishment. 'From Him, greetings to the prince, lord of the mace, the sword, and the helmet,' 'lord of modesty and of proper fear, whose heart and hand are clean of tyranny and wrong.' 'I have heard your message, from end to end, from the vigilant heart of Zangeh of Shavaran.' 'My heart grew sad that the king of the world has secretly turned so sharp against you.' 'Yet in this world, what does a wise man of alert fortune seek besides the crown and throne?' 'All of this is prepared for you here, whether you want kingship or possessions.' 'The whole land of Turan will bow before you; as for me, I will need only your affection.' 'You will be like a son to me, and I like a father, a father who stands ready, belt fastened, to serve his son.' 'Know that Kavus, even on the day he seemed kindest, never showed you a face as warm as this.' 'I will open the doors of my locked treasury and hand over to you the crown, the throne, the seat of power.' 'I will keep you free of hardship, like my own child; you will remain in the world as my memorial.' 'But if you pass beyond my land into the world, both low and high will heap blame upon me.' 'And from this side you will find the passage hard, unless divine custom and glory are with you.' On this road you will find no clear ground; you would have to cross the sea of China itself. God has freed you from all such need. Stay right here and take pride in your comfort. The army, the treasury, and the city are yours. You need not look for an excuse to leave. When you decide to make peace with your father, I will hand you the crown and the golden belt. So that you may go from here to Iran with an army, and out of true care I will open the way for you. Your quarrel with your father will not last long; he has grown old, and he will tire of fighting. If a man sees his sixty-fifth year, the fire in him is worn down by the wind of old age. Iran, the treasury, and the army will be yours; the crown will pass from one land to another. I promise before the pure God that I will strive to do good with all my heart and body. I will neither command evil nor commit it myself, and I will not let my heart even lean toward it in thought. When the king had sealed the letter, he gave orders that Zangeh, the loyal well-wisher, should quickly gird himself to set out. He prepared a robe of honor adorned with silver and gold, and a horse under heavy trappings; then Zangeh of Shavaran came riding hard. When he reached the foot of Siyavash's throne, he told what he was asked, and he listened and saw. In one way Siyavash was glad of it; in another he was filled with grief and anguish. For he had to turn an enemy into a friend, and where can a cold wind rise up out of fire? He wrote a letter to his father, recalling every detail of all that had happened: Young as I was, I still gained wisdom, and I hurried toward whatever was good or ill. That woman, the very core of the world's king, secretly set my heart ablaze. His harem became the first of my sorrows; I had to wash my face with the blood of my heart. I had to pass through a mountain of fire; even the wild deer on the plain wept for me bitterly. From that shame and disgrace I marched to war; step by step I walked into the jaws of the crocodile. Two lands rejoiced at this peace, but the king's heart turned hard as a steel blade. Nothing about it pleases him; whatever is loosed is bound again just the same. Once his eyes grow tired of the sight of me, people do not linger long over what has tired them. May his heart never be free of joy, though I, out of grief, have stepped into the dragon's breath. I do not know what the turning heavens hold in secret for me from this affair, whether hatred or love. After that he gave orders to Bahram: make your desire fresh again throughout the world. I entrust to you the crown and the royal pavilion, along with the filled treasury, the throne, and the seat of power, the banner, the horsemen, the elephants, and the war drums, until the commander Tus arrives here. Hand him this task in the same way; stay awake and alert as the times demand. He wept tears of blood, pale and bitter, while the lips of the brave men filled with cold sighs. From the army he chose three hundred horsemen, all seasoned and fit for battle. A hundred picked horses with golden bridles, and a hundred servants in golden belts. He ordered them brought before him, and the weapons, harnesses, and belts to be counted. And also as much money as he would need, in coin, in gold, and in kingly jewels. Then he called the nobles to him and spoke to them the words that had to be said. He said: From Afrasiab, Piran has crossed the river and come to this side. He brings me a secret message, one that lets me feel safe among the gathering. I am preparing now to go and meet him; you must all remain here. Turn all toward Bahram, and do not turn your hearts away from what he says. The warriors kissed the ground, offering blessings to that noble commander.