Vis and Ramin

VIRO'S ANSWER TO MOABAD
They beat alarums 1 ; so to speak, the river Djeon 2 flowed
towards Koistan. The 'dawn was hidden by the multitude
of the hosts. They were heroes, like blood-drinking lions.
They went swiftly after the letter-carrier, like winds.
When P'haranda 3
presented the letter, in fear of Moabad's
wrath, strength forsook (Viro's) body and light his eyes.
He said :
" I wonder what such anger means, or such threatening
speech towards me. Vis is his wife, and sat in his court.
On a winter's day he drove her from his house. He beats
us, and it is he who laments. We have suffered two unjust
deeds from him. My choice sister, like a bloody foe, he has
driven out with a thousand dishonours; in no letter since
has he remembered her or called her back. He has sinned
against us, and now he is angry with us. The Shahinshah
is neither stone nor brass. Why should he make so many
threats and vaunts ? Once he collected his army and saw
me; I ween my person liked him well! He went hence
fleeing, and shamed in such a way that he remained in the
lands a byword 4 for dishonour. Our war was not hidden
that I need remind anyone of it now. With difficulty he
hid himself then. Now, why should he plume 8 himself
again: he feared two men with one broken bow."
Then he wrote a suitable 6 reply
to the letter :
" Great
sovereign, exalted 7 and warlike, autocrat 8 From thy
mistake, |
what can come upon thee save sorrow and evil? 144
Thy words have not been spared, king of kings.
"PABABLE (Araci): It is fitting that thou shouldst be
mild and wise in every deed.
" Since thou art the master, it befits thee never to speak
1
Asaqari, 200 relating to a campaign.
Gihon, 66, 187. R., 781.
* P'haranda (12, 145), according to the lexicon at tbo end of the
printed text, may be (1) a proper name, (2) a stork, (8) a mewenger.
let. gives only "crane." The word occurs again in the penultimate
paragraph of this chapter.
* Aracad fable, 108. Phtreba, R., 18, 766, 12, IK
Piriani. Maghali, 181, 170.
Nebiero, 126, 171. Padroni, 126, 196.