First Letter Written by Tariel to His Beloved
380
“ASMATH spoke to me boldly, she was not timid.
What can I tell of myself, who I was, how can I estimate my
joy? My heart was beating, it trembled, it failed me, my
face became crystal again, rubies flamed in my cheeks.
381
“WITH mine eyes I gazed upon the letter written by her.
I wrote in answer: ‘O moon, how indeed can the sun surpass
thee! May God not give me that which is not like thee! I
feel as in a dream; I cannot believe in my survival.’
382
“I SAID to Asmat’h: ‘I cannot devise more answer than
this. Say thus to her: “0 sun! since thou art arisen as a
light for me, behold thou hast revived me who was dead;
I shall faint no more henceforth, whatever be the service
I am a liar if I shun it.'”
383
“ASMAT’H said to me: ‘She told me: “Let us do thus,
thus were it better: Whoever sees thee will discover nothing
of my discourse with him; he will come to see me as if he
were making love to thee.” She entreated me to tell the
Amirbar so to behave.’
384
“THIS counsel pleased me, the wisdom of the heart of
her whom even the sun took care not to gaze on; she had
given to me to hear the refined conversation of her in whose
rays daylight was like darkness.
385
“I GAVE Asmat’h choice jewels with a golden cup. She
said to me: ‘No, I do not want them; I have these to
satiety.’ She took one ring weighing a drachma: ‘This is
enough for a token; I am full of other bracelets.’
386
“THE maid arose and went forth. The spears spared my
heart, joy lightened my darkness, the fire which had burned
me was extinguished. I went in and sat down at the banquet
where my comrades were drinking; joyful, I distributed
gifts, the jubilation increased.”
Tariel Writes a Letter and Sends
a Man to the Khatavians
387
“I SENT a man to Khataet’hi and a letter from me; I
wrote: “The king of the Indians is of a truth powerful from
God; every hungry soul of those faithful to him is sated;
whosoever is disobedient will have himself to blame.
388
‘”BROTHER and lord, by you we will not be embittered.
When you see this command wend hither; if you come not
we shall come; we will not steal upon you. It is better you
should come to us, spill not your own blood.’
389
“I SENT the man, I gave my heart up yet more to
rejoicing, I made merry at court; the fire unbearable in its
burning was extinguished. Then the world. Fate, gave me
lavishly what I desired; now I am mad, so that I annoy
even the wild beasts if I approach them.
390
“AT first the plan of roaming, then reason soothed me.
I feasted with my comrades, but the greatness of desires
hindered me from joy; sometimes they filled me with
melancholy, I uttered curses against Fate.”
Nestan Summons Tariel to Her
391
“ONE day, on my return from the king’s palace, I came
to my chamber. I sat down and thought of her, slumber
fell not upon mine eyes, I had the letter of hope, therefore
was I merry. The doorkeeper called the slave; he told him
a secret matter
392
“‘IT is Asmat’h’s slave,’ quoth he. I ordered him to be
brought into the chamber. She wrote to me that she whose
knife had pierced my heart commanded me to come. Joy
lightened my darkness; she loosened my chains. I went, I
took the slave, I spoke not at all with him.
393
“I ENTERED the garden; I met none to speak to me. The
maid met me merry, smiling; she said: ‘I have bravely
extracted the thorn from thy heart, it is no longer therein;
come and see thy rose unfaded, unwithered.’
394
“THE maid with an effort raised the heavy curtain; there
stood a palankeen adorned with choice rubies where sat she
whose face was like the sun flashing; her eyes, like inky
lakes, looked beautifully at me.
395
“A LONG time I stood, and she spoke no word to me whom
she yearned for; she only looked at me sweetly as at an
intimate. She called Asmat’h, they spoke together; the maid
came and whispered in my ear: ‘Now go; she cannot say
anything to thee.’ Again the flame reduced me to soot.
396
“ASMATH led me forth, I went out, I passed the curtain.
I said: ‘0 Fate, who not long ago didst heal my heart, thou
gavest me hope then; why hast thou scattered my joy? My
heart is still more devastated again by the pain of parting.”‘
397
“ASMAT’H promised me comfort. We walked through the
garden; she said to me: ‘Let not the brand be thus seen
upon thy heart because of thy going; shut the terrace of
sorrows, open the door of joy. She is ashamed to speak;
therefore she behaves with dignity.’
398
“I SAID: ‘0 sister, I think this heart-balm is from thee. I adjure thee, part me not from life, extinguish this flame with tidings, cut me not off from letters, send them ceaselessly; if thou learnest something for me I think thou wilt not keep it hidden from me.’
399
“I MOUNTED my horse, I went thence, a stream flowed
from the channel of tears. I went to bed; maddened, I had
no power to sleep. I, the crystal and ruby, became bluest
indigo. I preferred night; I wished not for the dawn of day
400
“THE men that had been sent returned from Khataet’hi—it
was time for them to come—they brought a proud and
insolent message: ‘We are no cowards, neither are our keeps
unfortified. Who is your monarch ? What lord is he over
me?’
The Letter Written by the King of
the Khatavians in Answer to Tariel
401
“HE wrote: ‘I, Ramaz the king, write a letter to thee,
Tariel. I marvelled at what was written in the letter penned
by thee. How dost thou summon thither me who am lord
over many peoples! I will look at no other letter which
comes from thee.’
402
“I COMMANDED the soldiers to be summoned; I sent
forth the Lord of the Marches. They gathered together the
armies of India more numerous than the stars, from near
and far all hastened towards me, plain, rock and waste
were altogether filled with soldiers.
403
“THEY came swiftly; they made no tarrying at home. I
held a review; the good order of the troops pleased me—their
alertness and valour, beautifully drawn up in squadrons, the
speed of their steeds, their Khvarazmian1 armour.
404
“I RAISED the royal standard with flag of red and black.
I commanded the countless troops to set out in the morning.
I myself wept, I mourned exceedingly my evil fate: ‘If I see
not the sun I know not how I can ever depart.’
405
“I WENT in. The sadness of my pensive heart was
increased unto me; burning tears welled forth from mine
eyes like a pool. ‘My luckless fate,’ said I, ‘has never yet
ruled. Why did my hand lay hold of the rose since thus it
could not cull it!”
1 Khvarazmia, the Khanate of Khiva.
The Meeting of Tariel and Nestan
406
“A SLAVE entered; a wondrous thing befell me. He gave
to me in my exceeding grief a letter from Asmat’h; she
wrote: ‘Thy sun for whom thou longest calls thee. Come!
This better than to weep there and moan at the deed of
Fate.’
407
“SO much did I rejoice as was fitting. It was twilight,
I went forth, I entered the garden gate; where Asmat’h had
first met me, there she appeared standing; she said with a
smile: ‘Enter; the moon awaits thee, the lion.’
408
“I ENTERED the house reared beautiful with terrace
upon terrace, the moon shone forth surrounded with rays
of light at the full; within the curtain she sat clad in green
raiment, majestic and rare, wondrous of face and form.
409
“I WENT in and stood on the edge of the carpet; the fire
in me began to be quenched, the darkness of my heart was
lightened, joy rose up like a column. She rested upon a
cushion—she was far fairer than the sun’s rays-she hid her
face from me, she looked up a moment to see me.
410
“SHE commanded: ‘Asmat’h, beg the Amirbar to be
seated!’ She placed a cushion opposite her to be praised
as the sun; I sat down, I gave up to joy my heart abused
by Fate. I marvel that my life stays in me while I speak the
words she said.
411
“SHE said to me: ‘Last time thou wert ill-pleased that
thou wert sent away without being spoken to. I, at parting,
as the sun, withered thee up like a flower of the field. Thou
wert doomed to shed tears from the narcissus-pool; but
for me, bashfulness and reserve are necessary towards the
Amirbar.
412
“THOUGH great modesty befits a woman towards a man,
yet is it much worse not to speak and to hide woes; if
I smile outwardly I felt inwardly secret grief; last time
I sent the maid I gave her a true message.
413
‘”WHAT we two have hitherto known of each other, even
now know me thine by these firm promises; I assure thee of
this by great vows and oaths; if I deceive thee may God
make me earth, may I not sit in the nine heavens!
414
“‘GO, attack the Khatavians, fight and make raids; may
God grant that thou be victorious, come back to me of
good cheer. But what shall I do until it falls to my lot to
look upon thee again! Give me thy heart undivided forever;
take mine for thyself.’
415
“‘NOW that of which thou hast deemed me worthy no
human being deserves; this grace is unexpected, from God
this does not surprise me; thy rays have flooded my dark
heart and made it translucent; thine shall I be till the earth
cover my face.’
416
“UPON the book of oaths I swore and she swore to me;
thus she confirmed her love to me: ‘If any save thee giv
pleasure to my heart may God slay me, henceforth thus
will I speak to myself, thus will I train myself.’
417
“I STAYED some time before her, we spoke sweet words,
we ate some pleasant fruit, talking one to the other; then
weeping and shedding tears I rose to depart, the beauties of
her rays were spread like light in my heart.
418
“IT irked me to go far from her crystal and ruby and
enamel. The world was renewed to me, I had an abundance
of joy; that light appearing in ether as sun seemed to be
mine; now I am surprised that being separated from her
I have still a heart like a steep rock.”
Tariel’s Departure for Khataet’hi and Great Battles
419
“IN the morning I mounted, I commanded the trumpet and
bugle to be sounded; I cannot tell thee of all the armies
nor of their readiness to mount; I, a lion, set forth for
Khataet’hi, none can accuse me of cowardice; the soldiers
marched without a road, they followed no track.
420
“I CROSSED the boundaries of India, I went on a
considerable time; a man met me from Ramaz, the khan
over Khataet’hi; he repeated to me a message conciliatory
to the heart: “”Your Indian goats are able to eat even our
wolves.’
421
“HE presented me with astounding treasures as a gift
from Ramaz; he said: ” ‘He entreats thee, destroy us not,
it is not a thing thou shouldst do; put us on our oath,
thereby are our necks bound with twigs, without
devastation we shall deliver over to thee ourselves our
children and possessions.
422
“‘FORGIVE us in that we have sinned against thee, we
ourselves repent; by God, if thou wouldst have mercy on
us, bring not thine armies hither, destroy not our land, let
not the heavens fall upon us in wrath; we give thee our
castles and cities, let a few knights come with thee.’
423
“I PLACED my viziers at my side, we discussed and
counselled; they said: ‘Thou art young, therefore we sages
venture to say to thee, alas! they are exceeding treacherous;
we have seen it indeed once already; may they not slay thee
treacherously, may they not bring on us woe!
424
“WE counsel thus: Let us go forth with brave heroes
only, let the soldiers follow close behind us, let them be
apprised of the tidings by a man; if they be true-hearted,
trust them, make them swear by God and heaven; if they
submit not to thee, pour forth thy wrath and moreover
the wrath of heaven upon them.’
425
“THIS advice counselled by the viziers pleased me; I
returned a message: ‘O King Ramaz, I know thy decisions;
life is better than death to thee. We shall not be stopped by
stone walls. I will leave the soldiers, I will come with a few,
towards thee will I march.’
426
“I TOOK with me three hundred of the soldiers, good
brave knights, I went forth and left all the army; I said:
‘Wherever I shall go, march over the same fields, follow
me closely, help me, I shall call you if I need help.’
427
“I TRAVELLED three days; another man of the same
khan met me, again he presented me with many beautiful
robes; he said: ‘The khan wishes thee to be near him, proud
and mighty one; when he meets thee then shalt thou know
many such gifts.’
428
“YET more he said: ‘What I have told thee is true. I
myself come forward to meet thee, I haste to see thee.’ I
said, ‘Tell the khan: Certainly, by God, I shall do your
commandment, tenderly shall we meet each other, we
shall be like father and son.’
429
“DEPARTED thence I alighted on the bounds of a
certain deep forest; again messengers came, they were not
shy to salute me, they brought fair steeds as a present to
me, they said: ‘Of a truth the king would desire to see thee.’
430
“THEY said to me: ‘The king informs thee: I myself also
come towards thee; having left my house, early to-morrow I
shall meet thee.’ I kept the messengers, I put up a felt tent
not a rich one; I received them very amiably, they lay
down together like groomsmen.
431
“NO good deed done to a man can pass away thus. A certain
man returned; he came to me and said secretly: ‘I owe you
a great debt hard for me to pay; I cannot forsake and
forget thee.
432
“I WAS to some extent brought up by your father. I
heard the treachery planned for you; I ran to let you know
of it. It would grieve me to see the elegant-formed, the
rose-faced, a corpse. I will tell thee all; hearken to me, be
calm.
433
“THAT thou be not vainly deceived, these men are
traitors to thee; in one place are hidden for thee one
hundred thousand troops, then in another place are thirty
thousand; that is why they call upon thee to hasten; if thou
take not measures at once mischance will come upon thee.
434
“THE king will come a little way to meet thee whose
admirers can never cease; secretly they will be clad in
armour; thou trusting them while they cajole thee the
soldiers will make smoke, on all sides they will surround,
as it is when ten thousand strike one so must they
overwhelm thee.’
435
“I SPOKE pleasantly to the man and gave him thanks:
‘If I am not slain I shall repay thee for this according to
thee desires. Now let not thy comrades suspect; go, be
with them. If I forget thee may I be surely lost.’
436
“I TOLD no human being; I kept it secret like gossip.
What is to be will be; all advice is equal. But I sent men
towards the armies though the way was long; I gave the
message: ‘Come quickly, hasten over mountain and hill.’
437
“IN the morning I gave a sweet message to the messengers.
They were to tell King Ramaz: ‘I am coming to meet thee;
come, I also come soon.’ Another half-day I journeyed on;
I took no heed of trouble; there is a providence, if I am to
be killed to-day where below can I hide myself!
438
“I MOUNTED a certain peak; I saw dust in the plain. I
said to myself: ‘King Ramaz is coming; though he has
spread a net for me, my sharp sword, my straight lance,
will pierce their flesh.’ Then I spoke to my troops; I set
forth a great plan.
439
“I SAID: ‘Brothers, these men are traitors to us; why
should the power of your arms be weakened on that account ?
Those who die for their kings, upwards their spirits fly!
Now let us engage the Khatavians. Why should we gird on
the sword in vain !’
440
“PROUDLY, with fierce words, I commanded them to don
armour; we clad ourselves for fight in chain coats of mail
with shoulder-pieces; I formed squadrons, I set out, I went
in great haste; that day my sword cut in pieces mine
adversary.
441
“WE approached. They perceived that our forms were
clad in armour. A man came with a message from the
king; he said: ‘We look upon your treachery as untimely,
now we see your armour, this causes us displeasure.’
442
“I SENT back a message: ‘I too know what thou hast
contrived for me; you have made certain plans, but they
will not come to pass; give orders, come and fight me as is
the law and custom, I have taken my sword in my hand
to slay you.’
443
“WHEN the messenger came, why did they send yet
another ? They made smoke for the soldiers, they made plain
what was hid, they came forth from ambush, they advanced
from both sides, they formed into many ranks, though,
thank God, they could not harm me.
444
“I TOOK a lance, I applied my hand to helming myself,
I was eager for the fray to break them, I extended a
stadium’s length, I made ranks and advanced in a long line.
They drew up innumerable cohorts, they stood calm and
undisturbed.
445
“WHEN I came near they looked at me: ‘He is a madman,’
said they. I, strong-armed, made my way thither where the
main body of the army stood; I pierced a man with my
lance, his horse I overturned, they both departed from the
sun, the lance broke, my hand seized the sword; I praise,
0 sword, him who whetted thee
446
“I SWOOPED in like a falcon among a covey of grey
partridges, I threw man upon man, I made a hill of men
and horses; the man thrown down by me spins like a
dragon-fly; I completely destroyed at one onslaught the
two front squadrons.
447
“CROWDING they surrounded me, about me was a great
fight; when once I struck none could stand, I made blood
spurt forth as from a fountain, he whom I clove hung on
his horse like a saddle-bag, wherever I was they fled from
me, they were wary of me.
448
“AT the evening hour their watchman cried forth from
the summit: ‘Stand no longer, let us go, heaven looks again
on us in wrath, a terrible dust is coming, we should beware
of this, let not their countless tens of thousands of
soldiers completely destroy us.’
449
“MY soldiers whom I had not brought with me, when
they heard of it, set out, they travelled day and night
without stopping, neither plain nor mountain could contain
them; they appeared, they beat the kettledrum, the
trumpet sounded aloud.
450
THE enemy saw them, they started to flee, we raised
a shout, we pursued over the fields in which we had fought
our battle. I unhorsed King Ramaz; we found each other
with swords. We captured all his armies; we slew them not.
451
“THOSE who fled were overtaken by the rearguard, they
began to seize them, to throw down the terrified, the
vanquished; Tariel’s troops had a reward for their
sleeplessness and night-watching; the prisoners, even
those that were unwounded, ceased not to wail like sick
men.
452
“WE dismounted to rest on the battle-field. I had
wounded my arm with the sword; it seemed to me a mere
scratch. My armies came to see me and praise me, they
could not speak, they knew not how to express their
admiration
453
“THE glories which they thrust upon me were sufficient
for one man; some blessed me from afar, some tried to
kiss me; those nobles who had trained me wept over me,
they saw that which had been cut by my sword, they
marvelled exceedingly.
454
“I SENT soldiers everywhere to bring in booty; they came
together loaded. I was proud of myself; I had dyed the
plain with the blood of those who had sought to slay me.
I did not fight at the gate of the cities; I seized them
without a battle.
455
“I SAID to Ramaz: ‘I have learned of thy treacherous
deed; now that thou art captured justify thyself; fortify
not strongholds, count them all into my hand; else, why
should I overlook thy guilt towards me?”
456
RAMAZ said to me: ‘I have no more power left; give
me one of my lords over whom I may have lordship; I will
send him to the guardians of the castles; let me speak with
them; I will give all into thine hands, since I make it thy
property.’
457
“I GAVE him a lord, I sent knights with him, I caused
all the governors of fortresses to be brought before me,
they gave the strongholds into my hands; thus I made them
repent the war. With what can I compare the abundance
of treasure!
458
“THEN I went in to travel through and inspect Khataet’hi;
publicly they presented me with the keys of the treasuries;
I settled the country, I commanded: ‘Be ye without fear,
the sun shall not burn you, be assured you will be left
unburned.’
459
“I EXAMINED the treasuries one by one from end to end;
I should be weary if I mentioned all the wondrous kinds of
treasures. I saw together a short cloak and veil; if thou
didst see it thou wouldst desire to know its name.
460
“I COULD not learn what stuff it was nor what kind of
work; everyone to whom I showed it marvelled and said
it was a divine miracle; neither was the basis of the tissue
like that of brocade nor carpet, its strength was as if it had
been wrought like iron-I might say tempered in fire.
461
“I PUT them aside as a present for her whose ray
enlightened me; I chose as a gift for the king whatever was
best: a thousand mules and camels, all strong-limbed, I
sent them loaded; he also learned the good news.”
Letter of Tariel to the King of the Indians When He Triumphed Over the Khatavians
462
“I WROTE a letter: ‘O king, great is your good fortune!
The Khatavians plotted treachery to me, though it fell on
them to their hurt; therefore am I tardy in telling you m
true tidings. I have captured the king; I come to thee with
spoil and prisoners.’
463
“WHEN I had put everything in order I set out from
Khataet’hi. I took the treasures, I despoiled the kingdom,
I could not get enough camels, I loaded bullocks with the
burdens; I had found glory and honour, for what I had
desired that had I obtained.
464
“I LED away captive the King of Khataet’hi. I came to
India, sweet was the meeting with my foster-father; what
eulogy he uttered to me cannot be repeated, for me to tell
it were unseemly; he undid mine arm, he bound it with a
soft bandage.
465
“FAIR tents stood pitched in the moedan for him who
desired to speak with and gaze upon me. That day the king
who rested there spread a banquet, he caressed me, sitting
near me he gazed at me.
466
THAT night we spent in feasting; pleasantly we made
merry there. In the morning we left the moedan; we entered
the city. The king commended: ‘Call the soldiers, assamble
them, show me this day the Khatavians, lead in the
prisoners.’
467
“I LED in King Ramas captive before him. The king
looked sweetly on him as on a son whom he had cradled.
It made the deceitful and treacherous one seem deserving,
and this is the excess of heroism in a brave man.
468
“HE entered the King of the Khatavians, he caressed
him, he conversed with him for a long time in a fitting
manner; at dawn I was called, he spoke to me a
compassionate word: ‘Shall I pardon the Khatavian, my
former enemy?’
469
“I ventured to replay: ‘Since God forgive the sinner,
be you also mercifule to him whose might is brought to
nought.’ He said to Ramaz: ‘Know that I send thee hence
nought. ‘He said to Ramaz: ‘Know that I send thee hence
forgiven, but show not thyself before me again disgraced.’
470
“HE levied a tribute of a hundred times a hundred
drachmas, all in Khatavian money, also brocades and
satins; then he clad him and all his courtiers, and sent them
away with pardon in place of wrath.
471
“THE Khatavian thanked him, bent, paid lowly homage;
he said: ‘By God, I repent my treachery towards you;
if ever I sin against you again then kill me.’ He departed
and took all his folk with him
472
“A MAN of the king’s came; it was dawn, and the morning
grey was past; he brought a message: ‘For three months
have I been separated from thee, I have eaten no game
killed by arrow in the field; if thou be not tired come
forth, though it be time to be tired.’
473
“I APPARELLED myself, I went into the hall of audience:
a pack of harriers met me, all the space round the hall was
full of falcons. The king sat decked in beauty like the sun;
he rejoiced at the coming of me, the lovely and fair.
474
“HE said secretly to his wife, but unknown to me: ‘To
gaze on Tariel returned from war is desirable, he brings
light to the onlooker’s heart, however dark it may be;
whatever I ask thee to do, do it without delay.
475
“NOW, without consulting thee I have thought of a plan;
but thou too must know it: Since the maid is to be queen,
and has been so nominated by us ourselves, whoever shall
even to-day; seat her by thy side, both of you meet us in the
palace, I shall come joyful
476
“WE hunted over plain, mountain-foot and hill; there was
a multitude of hounds, falcons and hawks. We returned
early without having gone a stage from the long road. They
did not play at ball; they broke up two games.
477
“FOLK eager to gaze on me filled the city, the bazaar
and roofs; tasselled robes adorned me who had
finished the war; I was a pale-hued rose bathed in
tears, he who looked on me swooned; true is this, and no
falschood.
478
“THE velis I had found in the city of the Khatavians I
bound round me, they became me, I meddened stil more
the heart of the mad. The king dismounted; we entered
the apartments of my foster-parents. I saw the flash of her
cheeks like sunlight, I trembled.
479
“THE form of that sun was clad in robes of orange; behind
her was a host of eunuches in cohorts and lines;with light
she quite filled house,street and quarter; there, amid the
roses, shone in beauty coral- pearl twins.
480
“I WHO had fought and been woonded had mine arm hung
from my neck in a sling. The qween rose from her throne
and came forward to meet me. She kissed me hard like a
son, she made my rose cheek blue; she said to me:
‘Henceforth expect not the foe to engage thee.’
481
“NEAR at hand they made place for me, there where it
pleased me; opposite sat the sun for whome my heart was
dying. Stealthily I looked at her, she looked at me; no other
conversevwas there; when I tore away mine eyes from her,
thereby was life made hateful to me.
482
“THERE was drinking and feasting on a scale fitting to
their might, such another rejoicing eye has not seen,
goblet and cup were all of turquoise and ruby; the king
gave order that no drunk man be suffered to depart.1
483
“BEING there I gave myself up to an excess of joy; when
she gazed at me and I at her, my fire began to be
extinguished. I called upon my wild, mad heart to have a
care of me. How exceedingly pleasant it is to look face
to face on the beloved!
484
“THE minstrels ceased to sing. ‘Be silent!’ They bent
their heads. The king said to me: ‘Son Tariel, how can we
tell thee how we rejoice! we are in bliss, therefore our
adversaries are woeful; right are thine admirers, not idly
do they vaunt.
485
” NOW, thought it is fitting that we should clothe thee
who art mightly in glory, we clothe thee not, we doff not
those robes beauteously adorning thee. Now thou whose
rays are spread abroad hast a hundred treasures from us,
thou thyself canst have sewn what thou desirest, be not
bashful before us.’
486
“THEY gave me all treasures with the hundred keys
that locked them. I blessed them for those treasures and
paid them my respects. Rising, they kissed me, shining
like two suns. How can I describe the gifts they presented to
the army?
487
“HE sat down again joyful, drinking and singing increased,
again the feast went on, the lyre and tinkling of harps.
The queen retired when day met twilight and until
evening joy was not joy.
488
“WE broke up; we could no more endure the drinking of
double goblets. I went into my chamber, my perception
became like that of one dazed; I had no power in me, made
prisoner as I was, to extinguish that fire. I remembered,
and the memory of being gazed on by her rejoiced me.”
489
“A SLAVE came; he told me true tidings: ‘A veiled woman
asks tidings of you.’Then I knew at once, I leaped up in
all haste, with trembling heart; she came in, I saw Asmat’h,
who was coming towards me.
490
“FOR the sake of her whom I am dying I was pleased
to see Asmat’h, as if I saw herself. I hindered her from
doing me homage, I kissed her, I took her hand and seated
her near me on my couch, and greeted her: ‘Blessed art
thou, come as a shoot from the aloe-tree!
491
“TELL me news of her; speak to me of nought else.’
She said to me: ‘I will tell thee truth; now from me thou
shalt not hear words uttered merely to give pleasure. To-day
ye saw each other, and tenderly were pleased; now again she
commands to make known news of her through me.’
1They were to be tended in the palace
Letter of Nestan-Daredjan Written to Her Beloved
492
“SHE gave me a letter, I gazed on it; it was from the
light of the face of the lands. She wrote: ‘I have
the loveliness of thy gem-like brilliancy; fair wert thou
returned from battle, after urging on thy horse; not ill
seems to me the cause of the flow of my tears.
493
“IF God hath given me my tongue it befits me to use
it for thy praise; dead for thy sake I can by no means
speak, for lacking thee I die. The sun made a little garden
of rose and jet, as a garden for the lion; by thy sun, my
self pertains to none save thee.
494
“THOUGH thou hast shed a stream of tears yet have they
not flowed in vain; henceforth weep no more, put away
grief from thee. Those who look upon thee curse
unrestrained those who look upon me. Veil me with that
which but now was bound round thee.
495
“GIVE me the veils that sometime adorned thee; when
thou seest me, thou also shalt be pleased that that which
is thine adorns me. Bind on thine arm this bracelet if thou
honourest what is mine, and such another night thou
shalt not pass as long as thou livest.”
Tariel’s Weeping and Fainting
496
HERE Tariel become like a wild beast, weeps, his grief
increases a thousandfold; he said: “I have the armlet which
she formerly bound on her arm!” He undid it, took it off,
man cannot estimate its worth, he pressed it to his lips, he
swooned and fell like a corpse.
497
He lay more lifeless than a corpse at the door of the tomb.
On both sides are seen bruises from his fist which he had
struck on his breast. A stream of blood flows from
Asmat’h’s scratched cheeks; she poured water on him
again, she succoured him, the sound of gurgling water is
heard there.
498
AVTHANDIL, too, sighed bitterly; he gazed on the
unconscious form. Asmat’h multiplied her groans; her tears
hollowed out the stones. Then she restored him to
consciousness, his fires she quenched with water; he said:
“I live; this passing world even now is drinking my blood.”
499
PALE he sat up, he stared with his eyes like one dazed;
the rose was become quite saffron and wan; a long time he
neither spoke nor looked at them; he was mightily oppressed
that he remained alive and died not.
500
HE said to Avt’handil: “Hearken! Though I have the mind
of a madman, I will tell thee my tale and that of her who
has buried me. It seems to me a joy to meet the friend
thou hast not met. It surprises me that I am alive, that I
survive hale.
501
“THE sight of Asmat’h, in whom I trusted as in a sister,
pleased me. When I had seen the letter, she gave me this
armlet, I bound it on mine arm at once, I doffed from my
head that strange and rare thing of some strong, black stuff,
the veil.”
