Vis and Ramin

290 YISEAMIANI
off the branch of joy with mine own hand, and with mine
own hand I have dug a pit 1 for myself, and have cast clown
into it hope of solace.
ask pardon
Now, what shall I do ? How can I
from the ravisher of my soul? How can I
show my branded heart to her ? With what can I present
her for shame ? What converse can I devise ? What excuse
can I give for leaving her, or how can I deceive her while I
live? Even if I were to cast off my shamelessness now
and heat once more frozen love, still I have no means of
enduring. I have no longer respect for my heart, by
which so many griefs have come upon me, in which even
now I am. Miraculous and unending evidently were the
planet, day, and hour when I became enamoured, and love
came down into my heart, and I myself with mine own
| alas ! my griefs date
from the time when love made a coward of me. Now, I
know that cowardice is the law of lovers, but why should it
overtake me beyond all others ? Since then, I remember
825 hands slew the joy of youth. Alas !
not myself happy in my affairs. Sometimes a stranger in
a foreign land ; sometimes mad, and vainly wearied from
love. Roaming is to me a solace, and death the releaser
from woes. The happiness of my good fortune has abandoned
me, and my wretched fate suffers me no repose.
May God not create another man with my fate, and upon 2
my planet may child not be born to woman. May none
ever be so mercilessly helpless."
Thus and in this manner, lengthily, Eamin bemoaned
himself and wept. The soldiers having departed, he came to
reason, and went home too. The dust of woe was upon
his face ; he wiped his tears.
Behind him his father-in-law, Rap'hed, had come, he
lent his ear to this lament and weeping of his son-in-law.
Eamin, deprived of heart like a madman, did not know that
anyone had overheard his discourse. Eap'hed heard all,
came in, inquired for Eamin, and said :
3
"0 crown of cavaliers, why art thou always like one
mourning? What desire hast thou that God does not
1 Ormo, 286, 389. 2 ? under. a Cf. 313.