English
Section 5: The Captivity of Shapur
There came a day when, though he held crown and treasure, his heart was heavy with what fate might bring.
When three watches of the dark night had passed, he ordered the astrologer to be summoned.
He asked him about the throne of kingship, about coming hardship and about better days.
The astrologer brought out his astrolabe and cast aside all rest and sleep.
He gazed carefully at the heart of Leo, which is the sign of victory and good fortune,
to see whether misfortune would reach the king, or whether his divine glory would grow greater.
When they had looked, they said: 'You who conquer the world, bright of heart and pure of soul,
there is a trial ahead full of pain and sorrow, one no man would dare recall in your presence.'
Shapur answered him: 'You who are wise and seek the truth,
what remedy is there so that this may pass me by, and my body not be trampled by the evil star?'
The astrologer said: 'O king, from this turning of the fickle wheel of heaven,
you cannot escape by courage or by knowledge, be you a sage or a fierce warrior.
Whatever is fated will surely come; we cannot resist the turning of the sky.'
The noble king replied: 'The Creator will guard against every evil,
He who made the lofty spinning heaven, who created both power and weakness.'
He spread justice over his realm, and for a time lived happy and untroubled.
When all his lands and borders flourished, he formed a wish to journey to Rome,
to see for himself whether the Caesar was truly worthy, with his army, treasure and strength of arm.
He opened his secret to his steward, a brave champion, just and wise.
He told him all his plans and thoughts, keeping them hidden from everyone else.
He said: 'Rule this kingdom with justice, so that you may find joy through justice.'
He called for ten fully laden caravans of camels, each caravan with its own driver.
He loaded them with gold coins and jewels, and made thirty camels carry gold alone.
Deep in thought he left his prosperous land, and set off in this way toward the borders of Rome.
Near the city lay a village where farmers and townsfolk both had their share.
He came to the house of a village headman and asked: 'Is there room for me here?'
The elder gave him warm welcome: 'We could never find a guest like you.'
He stayed that night, ate, and gave gifts, and received much praise from the villager as well.
When dawn broke, he loaded his baggage and set out for the Caesar's court like the wind.
He came before the master of the audience hall, greeted him and presented gifts.
The man asked: 'Tell me what sort of man you are, for you have both royal bearing and a royal face.'
He answered: 'O lord, I am a Persian man, and pious.
I set out for trade from another place, and I bring a caravan of fine silk and cloth.
Now I have come to this court, hoping the Caesar might grant me access.
Whatever of these goods suits him, all the jewels and gear fit for war,
let him accept and entrust to his treasurer; I will be glad of it and take no offense.
The rest I will sell for gold and silver; I take refuge with the Caesar and do not flinch from fear.
I will buy whatever I need from Rome, then return from this prosperous land to Iran.'
The old man rose from the court and went to the Caesar and repeated these words.
The Caesar ordered the curtain drawn back, and had him brought in from the gate.
When Shapur reached the Caesar, he offered greetings as befitted the occasion.
The Caesar looked at the noble Shapur, and gave his heart and eyes to his beauty.
He ordered a feast and wine prepared, and cleared the hall of all strangers.
There was an aggrieved Iranian in Rome, the kind of man who is unjust and ill-fated.
He said to the Caesar: 'O exalted one, hear from me one new thing, in secret.
This famous merchant, who sells silk for gold coins,
I tell you is Shapur, the king of kings, by his speech, his face, his glory and his bearing.'
When the Caesar heard this, his mood darkened, and his eyes fixed dazed upon Shapur's face.
He posted a guard over him and told no one, keeping the secret hidden.
When Shapur grew drunk and rose to leave, the Caesar kept his eyes on him.
The guard came and seized him: 'Amazing! You are Shapur, son of Narsi.'
They took him to the women's quarters and bound his hands; no man ever escaped the snare of doom by courage alone.
When knowledge cannot help in a matter like this, what use is all the astrologer's reckoning?
They burned a candle over the drunken man and, cruelly, sewed him into a donkey's hide.
Everyone said: 'This wretched, ill-starred man went seeking a donkey's skin and gave up his throne.'
There was a house, dark and cramped, and they carried the unlucky man there at once.
They flung him into that narrow place and fastened a lock upon the door.
The Caesar gave the key to the mistress of the house and left him there, still bound in that alien hide.
He told the woman: 'Give him just enough bread and water that keeping him alive is no burden.
If he stays alive for a while, perhaps he will learn the worth of throne and crown,
and the Caesar's throne will no longer come to his mind, for no one is born of Caesar's line but us.'
The Caesar's wife locked that house and made her seat elsewhere in the palace.
She had a moon-faced woman as her treasurer, chosen and trusted in every affair,
one of Iranian descent, who remembered her lineage from father to father.
She entrusted the key of the house to her, where brave Shapur lay bound inside the hide.
That same day the Caesar marched his army from that border, leaving Shapur sewn in the skin there.
When the Caesar drew near Iran, his soldiers drew their swords of vengeance one and all.
The Romans carried off Iranians as captives, and no one could rescue those brave men.
In Iran no woman, man or child was left, and nothing remained, great or small.
Among the army there was no news of King Shapur, whether he was dead or alive.
The whole of Iran fled before Rome, and every border and land was emptied of its people.
Countless people of Iran turned Christian, and the whole region submitted to the bishops.