ABSTRACT
On reading this The king turned pale at all that countless host. Then from another quarter Caesar came, And over-ran the land with his arrayA force of Rúmans five score thousand strong, Courageous and redoubted cavaliers. The cities ta’en by Núshírwán, whose name Still frighted him, he took back with the sword : All were again obedient unto Caesar.1 A host came from the side of the Khazars, And all the fields and fells were black with them. A warrior of experience and possessed Of troops and treasure of his own was leader, And from Armenia their companies Extended to the gate of Ardabíl. Then from the waste of spear-armed cavaliers An army came past count. ’Abbás and ’Amr, Two horsemen youthful and illustrious, Led them. They gave to havoc land and crop Because Hurmuzd demanded tribute of them. That host reached the Farát, and in that land No place for grass was left. When fortune loured News reached Hurmuzd, and that successful Sháh Grew all amort at his informants’ words, And he repented slaying those archmages, And alienating wise men from his court. He saw no counsellor, and he had need
Of wise advisers, so he sent and summoned The Íránians to full session in the palace, And made discovery of all the matter, Addressing thus those nobles of the land :— “ A greater host than any can recall Is marching on Írán.”
