Cousins, cried Shedad, come on to these dastards! then those brave fellows rushed forward, leaving the slaves with the women and children. O son of Zebeebah, cried Shedad to Antar, I wish to day to see thee fight, that I may express my gratitude for thy noble deeds. O master, soon shalt thou observe what I do: he replied, Doubtless the chief of the tribe is here. Thou art right, said Shedad. They sought the enemy, and the whole plain trembled at their shouts: they shook their lances, and the women and servants shouted aloud, when they knew they were Absians coming to protect them. They attacked the right, and drove their left, and Antar assaulted the centre, plunging through confusion and horrors; and thus he exclaimed:
“This day will I raise a battle, that shall humble the warriors of ages long past. I will make the blood to stream from their joints, when the sculls of the warriors leap from the blow of my sword. How many chiefs, when they see me eager in the fight, throw away their arms, and save themselves by flight! I am the bold one. As to the fire of war, I kindle it, and hurl the tribes into punishments and death. Death, in the direful combat, fears me, when the battle-dust rises; and the sand-cloud is like a blazing fire. My joy is in the encounter of heroes, when spears and swords clash in my grasp. How many battle-dusts have I dived into, fearless of calamities! The joy of contests is my object; it is all my desire. Verily, deeds will I perform unrivalled; deeds that shall be recorded on leaves and books. I will raise the tumultuous din, and seas of blood: ’tis in their crimson billows that my gladness abounds. I will make the atmosphere like the sable night, when the dust clouds roll over the regions like a veil. No companion have I in battle but my horse and my sword; and they complain of my fury; they exalt me; they subject death to me; and I am exalted above all mankind in my father. My ambition soars above Pisces; and my determination raises me above the Arab and the Persian.”
When Antar had ended, he shouted aloud to the combatants, and rushed madly into the midst of the enemy, and overthrew them; he drove them before him over the plain; and the same did Shedad and his brothers on the left, and made them retreat in a shameful manner. After the flight, the Absians returned, and among the first was Zembaa, the son of Jazeemah; they raised their terrible shout, and they gladdened in the destruction of souls; they pointed their lances, they cried out to their noble steeds—spears clashed against spears. Antar alone broke through the right, whilst Shedad and the Absians destroyed the left; then the horsemen again retired in disgrace, and the plain seemed too confined for them. Mooteghetris beheld his horsemen in confusion and discomfited, and the left wing intermixed with the right; that they were driven by Antar like a herd of grazing camels, and that he was roaring in their rear like the crash of thunder. Alarmed at this state of affairs, he poured down from an eminence with the people that remained with him, assaulting Antar with his warriors; and they all bore patiently this dreadful encounter.
Now Basam, the servant of Rebia, who had followed Antar that he might destroy him on his way to the tribe of Ghiftan, perceiving how he had slain the tribe of Moostalik, and also their chief, returned with his companions upon the day of this battle; and as he marked Antar’s prowess on that occasion, he envied him in his heart, and, secretly designing to murder him, he assailed him, together with the party of Mooteghetris.
Antar encountered the enemy, and flinched not; and his assault was the assault of a ferocious lion. The storm of dust thickened, so that a father could not distinguish his son. Just then, Basam aimed his spear, and violently attacked Antar; for his accursed spirit was aware how much credit he should gain by slaying him. He approached him, and was eagerly watching his opportunity, when lo! an arrow shot through the back of Basam, and passed out by his chest; and he who slew Basam, and made him drink the cup of death, was the dreadful Shiboob. Now Antar had recommended Shiboob to protect Ibla: nor did he ever quit her till he perceived Basam issuing from the tents, followed by some Absians, whilst his brother was labouring to attain the standards. Shiboob was alarmed, and quitted Ibla, and ran after him. But, Antar knew nothing of all this, and when he saw Basam, he was just about to do the deed, at the moment the arrow struck him dead.
Now Antar was occupied in destroying the enemy, and he stopped not till he came up to Mooteghetris in the fury of the fight; and he saw him driving back the troops, and beckoning with his lance to those who were flying from Antar like a flock of sheep. His soul would not submit to flight; but he shouted, and rushed forward like the sea when it roars. And Antar received him as the parched up ground receives the first of the rain: he challenged him in a tremendous voice, and addressed him in the harshest terms; he pressed upon Mooteghetris, and closed upon him, and blocking up all means of escape, he thrust his spear through his bowels, and tore out his entrails; and when the horsemen saw that he was dead, they were disordered and took to flight; and the spears of the Absians played upon the fugitives till the evening, when they returned and collected the spoil of the cattle. Every where the victory was celebrated with triumph, and all united in praising Antar, and describing his heroic deeds; how he had slain Mooteghetris, and had annihilated his troops.
CHAPTER III.
Now Shedad exceedingly gloried in Antar; aware that he had acquired new lustre by his actions, and not a person remained to complain of him or abuse him. He ran up to Antar and kissed him between the eyes. But Antar kissed his feet, and he appeared like the flower of the Judas tree,[1] so completely was he smeared with the blood of the combatants. Shedad’s affection for him increased, and he said to his brother Zakmet-ool Jewad, By the faith of an Arab, our education has not been lost upon Antar. How should he not be noble, he replied, you being the cause of his existence? and the Arab Cadi decreed him to you, and told you he was of your loins; do not reject him, for he truly belongs to you.