Isfendiyár returned from reconnoitring the fortress with acute feelings
of sorrow and despair. He was at last convinced that Kurugsar had spoken
the truth; for there seemed to be no chance whatever of taking the place
by any stratagem he could invent. Revolving the enterprise seriously in
his mind, he now began to repent of his folly, and the overweening
confidence which had led him to undertake the journey. Returning thus to
his tent in a melancholy mood, he saw a Fakír sitting down on the road,
and him he anxiously accosted. "What may be the number of the garrison
in this fort?" "There are a hundred thousand veteran warriors in the
service of Arjásp in the fort, with abundance of supplies of every kind,
and streams of pure water, so that nothing is wanted to foil an enemy."
This was very unwelcome intelligence to Isfendiyár, who now assembled
his officers to consider what was best to be done. They all agreed that
the reduction of the fortress was utterly impracticable, and that the
safest course for him would be to return. But he could not bring himself
to acquiesce in this measure, saying: "God is almighty, and beneficent,
and with him is the victory." He then reflected deeply and long, and
finally determined upon entering the fort disguised as a merchant.
Having first settled the mode of proceeding, he put Bashútan in
temporary charge of the army, saying:--
"This Brazen Fortress scorns all feats of arms,
Nor sword nor spear, nor battle-axe, can here
Be wielded to advantage; stratagem
Must be employed, or we shall never gain
Possession of its wide-extended walls,
Placing my confidence in God alone
I go with rich and curious wares for sale,
To take the credulous people by surprise,
Under the semblance of a peaceful merchant."
Isfendiyár then directed a hundred dromedaries to be collected, and when
they were brought to him he disposed of them in the following manner. He
loaded ten with embroidered cloths, five with rubies and sapphires, and
five more with pearls and other precious jewels. Upon each of the
remaining eighty he placed two chests, and in each chest a warrior was
secreted, making in all one hundred and sixty; and one hundred more were
disposed as camel-drivers and servants. Thus the whole force, consisting
of a hundred dromedaries and two hundred and sixty warriors, set off
towards the Brazen Fortress, Isfendiyár having first intimated to his
brother Bashútan to march with his army direct to the gates of the fort,
as soon as he saw a column of flame and smoke ascend from the interior.
On the way they gave out that they were merchants come with valuable
goods from Persia, and hoped for custom. The tidings of travellers
having arrived with rubies and gold-embroidered garments for sale, soon
reached the ears of Arjásp, the king, who immediately gave them
permission to enter the fort. When Isfendiyár, the reputed master of the
caravan, had got within the walls, he said that he had brought rich
presents for the king, and requested to be introduced to him in person.
He was accordingly allowed to take the presents himself, was received
with distinguished attention, and having stated his name to be Kherád,
was invited to go to the royal palace, whenever, and as often as, he
might please. At one of the interviews the king asked him, as he had
come from Persia, if he knew whether the report was true or not that
Kurugsar had been put to death, and what Gushtásp and Isfendiyár were
engaged upon. The hero in disguise replied that it was five months since
he left Persia; but he had heard on the road from many persons that
Isfendiyár intended proceeding by the way of the Heft-khan with a vast
army, towards the Brazen Fortress. At these words Arjásp smiled in
derision, and said: "Ah! ah! by that way even the winged tribe are
afraid to venture; and if Isfendiyár had a thousand lives, he would lose
them all in any attempt to accomplish that journey." After this
interview Isfendiyár daily continued to attend to the sale of his
merchandise, and soon found that his sisters were employed in the
degrading office of drawing and carrying water for the kitchen of
Arjásp. When they heard that a caravan had arrived from Irán, they went
to Isfendiyár (who recognized them at a distance, but hid his face that
they might not know him), to inquire what tidings he had brought about
their father and brother. Alarmed at the hazard of discovery, he replied
that he knew nothing, and desired them to depart; but they remained, and
said: "On thy return to Irán, at least, let it be known that here we
are, two daughters of Gushtásp, reduced to the basest servitude, and
neither father nor brother takes compassion upon our distresses.
"Whilst with bare head, and naked feet, we toil,
They pass their time in peace and happiness,
Regardless of the misery we endure."
Isfendiyár again, in assumed anger, told them to depart, saying: "Talk
not to me of Gushtásp and Isfendiyár--what have I to do with them?" At
that moment the sound of his voice was recognized by the elder sister,
who, in a transport of joy, instantly communicated her discovery to the
younger; but they kept the secret till night, and then they returned to
commune with their brother. Isfendiyár finding that he was known,
acknowledged himself, and informed them that he had undertaken to
restore them to liberty, and that he was now engaged in the enterprise,
opposing every obstacle in his way; but it was necessary that they
should continue their usual labor at the wells, till a fitting
opportunity occurred.
For the purpose of accelerating the moment of release, Isfendiyár
represented to the king that at a period of great adversity, he had made
a vow that he would give a splendid banquet if ever Heaven again smiled
upon him, and as he then was in the way to prosperity, and wished to
fulfil his vow, he hoped that his majesty would honor him with his
presence on the occasion. The king accepted the invitation with
satisfaction, and said: "To-morrow I will be thy guest, at thy own
house, and with all my warriors and soldiers." But this did not suit the
scheme of the pretended merchant, who apologized on account of his house
being too small, and proposed that the feast should be held upon the
loftiest part of the fortress, where spacious tents and pavilions might
be erected for the purpose, and a large fire lighted to give splendor to
the scene. The king assented, and every requisite preparation being
made, all the royal and warrior guests assembled in the morning, and
eagerly partook of the rich viands set before them. They all drank wine
with such relish and delight, that they soon became intoxicated, and
Kherád seizing the opportunity, ordered the logs of wood which had been
collected, to be set on fire, and rapidly the smoke and flame sprung up,
and ascended to the sky. Bashútan saw the looked-for sign, and hastened
with two thousand horsemen to the gates of the fortress, where he slew
every one that he met, calling himself Isfendiyár. Arjásp had enjoyed
the banquet exceedingly; the music gave him infinite pleasure, and the
wine had intoxicated him; but in the midst of his hilarity and
merriment, he was told that Isfendiyár had reached the gates, and
entered the fort, killing immense numbers of his people. This terrible
intelligence roused him and quitting the festive board of Kherád, he
ordered his son Kahram, with fifty thousand horsemen, to repel the
invader. He also ordered forty thousand horsemen to protect different
parts of the walls, and ten thousand to remain as his own personal
guard. Kahram accordingly issued forth without delay, and soon engaged
in battle with the force under Bashútan.
When night came, Isfendiyár opened the lids of the chests, and let out
the hundred and sixty warriors, whom he supplied with swords and spears,
and armor, and also the hundred who were disguised as camel-drivers and
servants.
With this bold band he sped,
Whither Arjásp had fled;
And all who fought around,
To keep untouched that sacred ground;
(Resistance weak and vain,)
By him were quickly slain.
The sisters of Isfendiyár now arrived, and pointed out to him the
chamber of Arjásp, to which place he immediately repaired, and roused up
the king, who was almost insensible with the fumes of wine. Arjásp,
however, sprang upon his feet,
And grappled stoutly with Isfendiyár,
And desperate was the conflict: head and loins
Alternately received deep gaping wounds
From sword and dagger. Wearied out at length,
Arjásp shrunk back, when with one mighty blow,
Isfendiyár, exulting in his power,
Cleft him asunder.
Two of the wives, two daughters, and one sister of Arjásp fell
immediately into the hands of the conqueror, who delivered them into the
custody of his son, to be conveyed home. He then quitted the palace, and
turning his steps towards the gates of the fortress, slew a great number
of the enemy.
Kahram, in the meantime, had been fiercely engaged with Bashútan, and
was extremely reduced. At the very moment too of his discomfiture, he
heard the watchmen call out aloud that Arjásp had been slain by Kherád.
Confounded and alarmed by these tidings, he approached the fort, where
he heard the confirmation of his misfortune from every mouth, and also
that the garrison had been put to the sword. Leading on the remainder of
his troops he now came in contact with Isfendiyár and his two hundred
and sixty warriors, and a sharp engagement ensued; but the coming up of
Bashútan's force on his rear, placed him in such a predicament on every
side, that defeat and destruction were almost inevitable. In short,
Kahram was left with only a few of his soldiers near him, when
Isfendiyár, observing his situation, challenged him to personal combat,
and the challenge was accepted.
So closely did the eager warriors close,
They seemed together joined, and but one man.
At last Isfendiyár seized Kahram's girth,
And flung him to the ground, and bound his hands;
And as a leaf is severed from its stalk,
So he the head cleft from its quivering trunk;
Thus one blow wins, and takes away a throne,
In battle heads are trodden under hoofs,
Crowns under heads.
After the death of Kahram, Isfendiyár issued a proclamation, offering
full pardon to all who would unite under his banners. They had no king.
The country had no throne, no crown. Alas!
What is the world without a governor,
What, but a headless trunk? A thing more worthless
Than the vile dust upon the common road.
What could the people do in their despair?
They were obedient, and Isfendiyár
Encouraged them with kind and gentle words,
Fitting a generous and a prudent master.
Having first written to his father an account of the great victory which
he had gained, he occupied himself in reducing all the surrounding
provinces and their inhabitants to subjection. Those people who
continued hostile to him he deemed it necessary to put to death. He took
all the women of Arjásp into his own service, and their daughters he
presented to his own sons.
Not a warrior of Chín remained;
The king of Túrán was swept away;
And the realm where in pomp he had reigned,
Where he basked in prosperity's ray,
Was spoiled by the conqueror's brand,
Desolation marked every scene,
And a stranger now governed the mountainous land,
Where the splendour of Poshang had been.
Not a dirhem of treasure was left;
For nothing eluded the conqueror's grasp;
Of all was the royal pavilion bereft;
All followed the fate of Arjásp!
When Gushtásp received information of this mighty conquest, he sent
orders to Isfendiyár to continue in the government of the new empire;
but the prince replied that he had settled the country, and was anxious
to see his father. This request being permitted, he was desired to bring
away all the immense booty, and return by the road of the Heft-khan.
Arriving at the place where he was overtaken by the dreadful
winter-storm, he again found all the property he had lost under the
drifts of snow; and when he had accomplished his journey, he was
received with the warmest welcome and congratulations, on account of his
extraordinary successes. A royal feast was prepared, and the king filled
his son's goblet with wine so repeatedly, and drank himself so
frequently, and with such zest, that both of them at length became
intoxicated. Gushtásp then asked Isfendiyár to describe to him the
particulars of his expedition by the road of the Heft-khan; for though
he had heard the story from others, he wished to have it from his own
mouth. But Isfendiyár replied: "We have both drank too much wine, and
nothing good can proceed from a drunken man; I will recite my adventures
to-morrow, when my head is clear." The next day Gushtásp, seated upon
his throne, and Isfendiyár placed before him on a golden chair, again
asked for the prince's description of his triumphant progress by the
Heft-khan, and according to his wish every incident that merited notice
was faithfully detailed to him. The king expressed great pleasure at the
conclusion; but envy and suspicion lurked in his breast, and writhing
internally like a serpent, he still delayed fulfilling his promise to
invest Isfendiyár, upon the overthrow of Arjásp, with the sovereignty of
Irán.
The prince could not fail to observe the changed disposition of his
father, and privately went to Kitabún, his mother, to whom he related
the solemn promise and engagement of Gushtásp, and requested her to go
to him, and say: "Thou hast given thy royal word to Isfendiyár, that
when he had conquered and slain Arjásp, and restored his own sisters to
liberty, thou wouldst place upon his head the crown of Irán; faith and
honor are indispensable in princes, they are inculcated by religion, and
yet thou hast failed to make good thy word." But the mother had more
prudence, and said: "Let me give thee timely counsel, and breathe not a
syllable to any one on the subject. God forbid that thou shouldst again
be thrown into prison, and confined in chains. Recollect thine is the
succession; the army is in thy favor; thy father is old and infirm. Have
a little patience and in the end thou wilt undoubtedly be the King of
Persia.
"The gold and jewels, the imperial sway,
The crown, the throne, the army, all he owns,
Will presently be thine; then wait in patience,
And reign, in time, the monarch of the world."
Isfendiyár, however, was not contented with his mother's counsel, and
suspecting that she would communicate to the king what he had said, he
one day, as if under the influence of wine, thus addressed his father:
"In what way have I failed to accomplish thy wishes? Have I not
performed such actions as never were heard of, and never will be
performed again, in furtherance of thy glory? I have overthrown thy
greatest enemy, and supported thy honor with ceaseless toil and
exertion. Is it not then incumbent on thee to fulfil thy promise?"
Gushtásp replied: "Do not be impatient--the throne is thine;" but he was
deeply irritated at heart on being thus reproached by his own son. When
he retired he consulted with Jamásp, and was anxious to know what the
stars foretold. The answer was: "He is of exalted fortune, of high
destiny; he will overcome all his enemies, and finally obtain the
sovereignty of the heft-aklím, or seven climes." This favorable prophecy
aggravated the spleen of the father against the son, and he inquired
with bitter and unnatural curiosity: "What will be his death? Look to
that."
"A deadly dart from Rustem's bow,
Will lay the glorious warrior low."
These tidings gladdened the heart of Gushtásp, and he said: "If this
miscreant had been slain in his expedition to the Brazen Fortress I
should not now have been insulted with his claim to my throne." The king
then having resolved upon a scheme of deep dissimulation, ordered a
gorgeous banquet, and invited to it all his relations and warriors; and
when the guests were assembled he said to Isfendiyár: "The crown and the
throne are thine; indeed, who is there so well qualified for imperial
sway?" and turning to his warriors, he spoke of him with praise and
admiration, and added: "When I was entering upon the war against Arjásp,
before I quitted Sístán, I said to Rustem: 'Lohurásp, my father, is
dead, my wife and children made prisoners, wilt thou assist me in
punishing the murderer and oppressor?' but he excused himself, and
remained at home, and although I have since been involved in numberless
perils, he has not once by inquiry shown himself interested in my
behalf; in short, he boasts that Kai-khosráu gave him the principalities
of Zábul and Kábul, and Ním-rúz, and that he owes no allegiance to me!
It behooves me, therefore, to depute Isfendiyár to go and put him to
death, or bring him before me in bonds alive. After that I shall have no
enemy to be revenged upon, and I shall retire from the world, and leave
to Isfendiyár the crown and the throne of Persia, with confidence and
satisfaction." All the nobles and heroes present approved of the
measure, and the king, gratified by their approbation, then turned to
Isfendiyár, and said: "I have sworn on the Zendavesta, to relinquish my
power, and place it in thy hands, as soon as Rustem is subdued. Take
whatever force the important occasion may require, for the whole
resources of the empire shall be at thy command," But Isfendiyár thus
replied: "Remember the first time I defeated Arjásp--what was my reward?
Through the machinations of Gurzam I was thrown into prison and chained.
And what is my reward now that I have slain both Arjásp and his son in
battle? Thy solemn promise to me is forgotten, or disregarded. The
prince who forgets one promise will forget another, if it be convenient
for his purpose.
"Whenever the Heft-khan is brought to mind,
I feel a sense of horror. But why should I
Repeat the story of those great exploits!
God is my witness, how I slew the wolf,
The lion, and the dragon; how I punished
That fell enchantress with her thousand wiles;
And how I suffered, midst the storm of snow,
Which almost froze the blood within my veins;
And how that vast unfathomable deep
We crossed securely. These are deeds which awaken
Wonder and praise in others, not in thee!
The treasure which I captured now is thine;
And what is my reward?--the interest, sorrow.
Thus am I cheated of my recompense.
It is the custom for great kings to keep
Religiously their pledged, affianced word;
But thou hast broken thine, despite of honour.
"I do remember in my early youth,
It was in Rúm, thou didst perform a feat
Of gallant daring; for thou didst destroy
A dragon and a wolf, but thou didst bear
Thyself most proudly, thinking human arm
Never before had done a deed so mighty;
Yes, thou wert proud and vain, and seemed exalted
Up to the Heavens; and for that noble act
What did thy father do? The king for that
Gave thee with joyous heart his crown and throne.
Now mark the difference; think what I have done,
What perils I sustained, and for thy sake!
Thy foes I vanquished, clearing from thy mind
The gnawing rust of trouble and affliction.
Monsters I slew, reduced the Brazen Fortress,
And laid Arjásp's whole empire at thy feet,
And what was my reward? Neglect and scorn.
Did I deserve this at a father's hands?"
Gushtásp remained unmoved by this sharp rebuke, though he readily
acknowledged its justice. "The crown shall be thine," said he, "but
consider my position. Think, too, what services Zál and Rustem performed
for Kai-khosráu, and shall I expect less from my own son, gifted as he
is with a form of brass, and the most prodigious valor? Forbid it,
Heaven! that any rumor of our difference should get abroad in the world,
which would redound to the dishonor of both! Nearly half of Irán is in
the possession of Rustem." "Give me the crown," said Isfendiyár, "and I
will immediately proceed against the Zabúl champion." "I have given thee
both the crown and the throne, take with thee my whole army, and all my
treasure.--What wouldst thou have more? He who has conquered the
terrific obstacles of the Heft-khan, and has slain Arjásp and subdued
his entire kingdom, can have no cause to fear the prowess of Rustem, or
any other chief." Isfendiyár replied that he had no fear of Rustem's
prowess; he was now old, and therefore not equal to himself in strength;
still he had no wish to oppose him:--
"For he has been the monitor and friend
Of our Kaiánian ancestors; his care
Enriched their minds, and taught them to be brave;
And he was ever faithful to their cause.
Besides," said he, "thou wert the honoured guest
Of Rustem two long years; and at Sístán
Enjoyed his hospitality and friendship,
His festive, social board; and canst thou now,
Forgetting that delightful intercourse,
Become his bitterest foe?"