Vis and Ramin

LOVE'S TRAGEDY 89
If thou knewest how truly I speak I seek to benefit thee by
what I say thou wouldst hearken 1 to my advice. And if
thou hearkenest not, thou harmest thyself/'
When Moabad heard this discourse of Ramin and his
advice, he became embittered as by an illness. He was
mad for love, so that sugar in his mouth would have been
bitter. Though Ramin's advice was a medicine 2 for love,
the Shahinshah's love was thereby increased. The heart
full of love hearkens not to advice, mischance seems like
joy in the search for (the fulfilment of) desire. When a man
loves, the more he is hated the more he will love. As a
serpent in its old age becomes a dragon, so when love
becomes old it becomes harder to deal with. If the reproach
of men were a whetted sword 3 the lover would offer his liver
as a shield ; if a black cloud stood upon love, and from it
rained forth on his head stones of blame, 4 neither would the
lover then be afraid. In every (other) affair harm is heavy
to a man, but (if it come) from love he rejoices in it. How-
ever much that is shameful they say to the lover concerning
his beloved, they can never thus remove his love from his
heart. 5 A lover should not be reproached. He who is not
a lover neither is he a man.
Moabad's heart was so full of love for Vis that Ramin's
advice seemed like a lancet. 6 He secretly said to his other
brother, Zard: "Seek some means that I may get hold of
Vis; what shall I do that I may find my heart's desire and
that my | glory may not pass ? If I retire from this castle 43
without Vis, I shall be despised 7 in this land, and become a
rd."
ills brother Zard thus replied:
"
sovereign ! this is the means: Send to Shahro great
possessions, gold, adornments, and all kinds of things, and
1
Ch., " hearken to this. Shegoneba
Ch., " Although knowledge was a medicine."
: If thou," etc.
I f the reproach of a man were many swords."
4 "
Ch., hair of reproach on his head."
Ch., " However . . . lover, they can never take forth from his heart
love for hit beloved."
8ha*h, Ch., " I shall