Darab

Now from the Maker on earth's king call we
A benediction down. That Shah sun-faced,
Who, O Abu'l Kasim ! the world hath graced
With lovingkindness and with equity,
Doth make of right and justice all his quest,
And in his justice suffereth naught amiss.
Oh ! be the world bright with that crown of his —
Mahmud's — and may his whole career be blest.
May he be young till youth itself be o'er,
And live till life itself shall be no more !

What said the ancient, rustic bard who told
About Gushtasp, renowned Bahman, and chiefs
Whose counsels prospered, told about Darab,
And of the rede and usance of Humai ?

Now when Darab sat on the Kaian throne
He girded up his loins, oped wide his hand,
And thus harangued the archmages and the chiefs,
The magnates and the prudent-hearted sages : —
"I did not woo the world by toil and justice;
God set the crown upon my head, and none
Will see a case in public or in private
More wonderful than mine ; while as for me
I can but make return by doing right
That men may bless me after I am gone.
None must be irked by travail for my sake
In this my season for amassing treasure.
May this age prosper under my just rule,
And may my subjects' hearts be jubilant."

Then out of Hindustan and out of Rum,
From every wealthy march and peopled land,
Ambassadors with gifts and offerings
Came to secure the favour of the Shah.

It happened that one day he went to view
The herds of horses that were running wild,
And, coming from the lowlands to the mountains,
Observed a deep and boundless lake. He gave
Commandment that from Hind and from the Rumans
Experienced master-workmen should be brought
To open out a channel from the lake,
And send a river into all the land.
When these skilled men had set the water free
He bade them to erect a splendid city,
And, when the wall around it was complete,
They gave thereto the name of Darabgird.
He lit the Fire upon the mountain-top,
Whereto the worshippers of Fire resorted,
And then artificers of every craft
Were summoned, and the city was adorned.

The Shah sent countless hosts to every quarter,
Safeguarded all the world from enemies,
Released it from the fear of any foe,
And rent in twain their hearts that wished him woe.

It came to pass that five score thousand Arabs,
Brave, spear-armed cavaliers, marched forth. Shu'ib —
A chief sprung from Katib — commanded them.

The monarch of Iran led forth a host,
'Tis said, beyond compute. The armies met ;
The world was all in dudgeon at the troops;
The earth could not support them ; none had room
To stir within that land. The rain of arrows,
And double-headed javelins, made the soil
A cistern seem of blood. On every side
The war-cry rose, and corpses showed in piles.
Thus for three days and nights the battle waged,
The age was straitened to the combatants.
The Arabs on the fourth day turned away,
And in the night fled from the scene of strife,
Shu'ib himself was slain upon the field
Of battle, and the Arabs' day was done.
A host of Arab steeds with poplar saddles,
A mass of helmets, spears, and coats of mail —
The havings of the fugitives — remained
With that world's lord, the offspring of Humai,
Who gave the whole thereof — the steeds and spears,
The helms and SWords — in largess to the troops.
He chose a marchlord, one among the host,
Who understood the language of the folk,
And sent him to demand the tribute due
From those waste parts, that year's and last year's too.

Darab marched from the desert of the spearmen
Rum-ward to war against that prosperous land.
Now Failakus was monarch of the realm ;
He and the king of Rus were close allies.
They wrote to say : " The offspring of Humai
Hath led forth countless troops."

On hearing this
The prince of Rum bethought him of old feuds,
And levied soldiers in 'Ammuriya,
All men renowned upon the day of battle.
The chiefs of Rum, what time Darab drew nigh,
Abandoned all the coast and borderland,
While from 'Ammuriya marched Failakus,
He and his captains, warriors, and troops.
They fought two mighty battles in three days,
And on the fourth day when the sun arose
Both Failakus and all his army fled ;
Not one retained his helm or Ruman casque.
The Iranians took the wives and children captive,
And slaughtered many with their showers of arrows.
When fleeing from Darab the Rumans reached
The city but two thirds of them arrived,
The other had been slain erewhile or wounded ;
The spear had been insistent at their backs.
They sheltered there within that stronghold. Many
Sought peace. An envoy came from Failakus,
Wise, shrewd, a bearer both of weal and woe,
With purses, slaves, and, as an offering,
Two caskets filled with royal jewelry.
This was the message : " Of the only God
I ask for guidance that we may conclude
This fight in feast. Ne'er may we strive again,
But all be honesty and uprightness :
Dark ways and crooked only end in loss.
If to 'Ammuriya, which is my seat,
Thou comest and art fain to capture it,
My heart will throb for honour and for fame,
And I will leave the feasting for the fighting.
Act in the manner that becometh kings ;
Thy father was, and now his son is, Shah."
Darab, on hearing this, convoked his lords,
And told before them every circumstance.

"What say ye," said he, " touching this appeal,
Since Failakus is fain to save his face ? "

The chiefs all called down blessings on the Shah,
And said : " O Shah, shrewd-hearted, pure of Faith !
The king of kings is greatest of the great,
Let him determine what is best to do.
That famous monarch hath an only daughter
Of cypress-height and spring-like cheek. In Chin
One will not look upon so fair an Idol ;
She shineth mid the others like a signet.
The king of kings on seeing will approve her,
And that tall Cypress come within his Garden."

The Shah called in the ambassador from Rum,
Told him the counsel of those loyal lieges,
And said : " Go say to Caesar : ' If thou art
So fain to save thine honour thou possessest
Within thy bower a daughter, one who is
The crown upon the head of womanhood,
A perfect picture whom thou call'st Nahid,
And settest on a golden throne. Send her,
Together with the tribute due from Rum,
If thou wouldst dwell untroubled in that land."

The envoy heard and, coming like the wind,
Reported this to Caesar. Failakus,
And all the army, were rejoiced thereat,
Because the Shah would be his son-in-law.
The question of the tribute was discussed,
As to how much the king of Rum could pay,
And they agreed that in the month of Mihr
In every year the Shah should take from Caesar
A hundred thousand eggs of solid gold,
And with each egg a royal gem, each egg
To be two score miskals in weight, each gem
Of highest excellence. First, Failakus
Rewarded all his frontier-chiefs that dwelt
Within the peopled parts of Hum, and then
Commanded the philosophers, and all
That had an interest in those parts, to give
Their whole attention to prepare a road.
The nobles that escorted the princess
Brought every one his present. They made ready
A golden litter, slaves, and crown of gold,
Ten camels laden with brocade of Rum
With jewelled patterns on a golden ground,
Three hundred camel-loads of carpetings,
With other presents for the Shah. Within
The litter sat the entrancing Ruman maid
With prelate and with priest conducting her.
Nahid had sixty damsels in her train,
Each with a golden goblet in her hand.
Within the goblet there Were royal gems,
And every Idol wore her crown and earrings.
The bishop gave the fair one to Darab,
And paid the jewels to his treasurer.
The Shah remained no longer on the field,
But marched back to Iran. He came to Pars,
Rejoicing, with his charming spouse, and set
Upon her head the royal coronet.

One night that Moon was sleeping with the Shah,
All gems and colour, scent and loveliness,
But verily her breathing was not sweet,
And grew disgustful to the king of kings,
Who shrank and turned his head away from her
Upon the couch because her breath was foul.
The monarch of Iran was grieved thereat,
His mind was troubled and his soul all care.
They summoned skilful leeches to Nahid,
And one of them, a shrewd and prudent man,
Examined till he found a remedy —
A herb whereby the gullet is inflamed,
Called in the Ruman tongue " iskandar." This
He rubbed upon the palate of the queen,
And caused her eyes x to water lustily.
The fetor fled away, her palate burned,
Her face shone like brocade ; but though the Fair
Was sweet as musk Darab had ceased to love her,
The monarch's heart turned coldly from his bride,
And so he sent her back to Failakus.
She was with child but told not any one.

Nine months passed and from that fair dame was born
A babe like radiant Sol. She used to call him
Sikandar since he was so tall, well favoured,
And sweet of breath, for she esteemed the name
Of what had sweetened her own palate lucky,
While Caesar told each chief: "There hath appeared
A Caesar of my seed."

None named Darab,
Sikandar was the son and Caesar sire,
For Caesar shamed to say to any one : —
"Darab hath put away my child."

What time
Sikandar's holy mother brought him forth,
And one went to his grandsire with the tidings,
There was within the stable a brown mare,
In body lusty, swift and tall, and she
That very night produced a foal all white,
Short-shanked, and breasted like a lion. Caesar
Exulted o'er that mare because he deemed
That birth would prove a lucky sign for him.
He used at dawn to have the infant fetched,
Would have the trappings put upon the mare,
And then caress the foal on eyes and mane
Because it was coeval with Sikandar.

The sky revolved awhile with matters thus,
And years of varied fortune passed away,
Sikandar came to have a monarch's heart,
The utterance of heroes. Caesar held him
More dearly than a son and used to place
The due adornments on his martial breast.
He gained in wisdom, aptitude, good sense,
Weight, and intelligence. He was acknowledged
Successor on the throne to Failakus,
Who held him in regard in weal and woe.
He learned from tutors kings' accomplishments,
And thou hadst said that he was made to judge,
To found an empire, and to fill the throne.

Now when Nahid had gone back to her sire
Darab took unto him another wife,
And had by her a son of Grace divine
And puissance, and younger than Nahid's,
Named the same day Dara in hope that he
Might be yet more successful than his sire.

Thereafter, when twelve years had passed away,
The Shah failed both in fortune and in limb ;
Humai's illustrious offspring 'gan to fade,
And he was summoned to the other world.
He called to him the magnates and the sages,
Conversed at large about the throne of power,
And said to them : " Dara, son of Darab,
Now will become your leader in all good.
Give ear to him, perform what he commandeth
And be his will the music of your souls,
Because this throne of kingship lasteth not,
And when joy cometh it is soon recalled.
Be instant ye, let love unite with justice,
And think on me too gladly."

This he said,
And heaved a sigh. The colour of his cheek
Turned from pomegranate-bloom to fenugreek.