Again he rushed upon the enemy like an outrageous lion; and Shiboob attended him shooting his arrows, with which he transfixed the hearts of the warriors. At the first attack he dispersed the troops from the tents, and in the second he laid bare the whole plain. He poured down upon them and he destroyed them, and overwhelmed them with shouts, and horror and death. He hewed off their arms and their limbs, and put to flight both the right and the left. And God prospered him in all he did, so that he slew all he aimed at, and overthrew all he touched. How numerous were the heroes he terrified! and at his shouts all the land trembled.
Now the tribe of Abs distinguished his voice through the confusion and thick dust, and they said to one another, “he has indeed routed them.” They returned from the mountains and ravines, and joined the battle, and their hearts gained courage at the sight of Antar, the lord of war. But when Shas saw how Antar moved amongst the enemy, and how he overwhelmed them in slaughter and destruction, his gall burst, and his hatred increased. He turned towards his brother Cais, and said—dost not behold the deeds of that foul Black, how he cuts down the enemy with his sword? Verily, he has discomfited them, and dispersed them among the wilds and the plains, and his greatness will raise him above us all. But I wish, my brother, to take him unawares and kill him whilst he is engaged in the conflict, and make him drink of the cup of perdition, that we may be relieved from his foul influence; and it will be said that the Teyans have slain him.
What mean’st thou, O Shas! replied Cais; does Antar deserve this of us, after having defended our wives and our families? How can we be guilty of such an act? Had it not been for Antar’s sword, the enemy would not have left one of us alive—not one to tell the tale. My advice is that we should aid him in the conflict, and drive away from us these warriors, or we shall become a common proverb. Cais continued to make such representations to Shas, till he dissuaded him from his project. The whole tribe of Abs then collected together, and made one united effort against the enemy; and men encountered men, and heroes heroes, blood flowed, limbs were hewn off, and the Absians exerted all their powers to join the lion warrior; but it was impossible at that time, for Antar had plunged into the midst of the Teyans, on account of their horseman whose name was Rebeeah, who was the leader of the troops. He was eminent for his bravery, and it was he who had wounded Shas, and had destroyed many Absians, and had dispersed them among the mountain sides. And Antar continued slaughtering, and searching him until he overtook him, and did not give him time to turn or move his bridle, ’ere he struck him with Dhami upon his breast, dividing him down to the thong that encircled his back, and he tumbled over cut in twain.
When the Blood-drinker saw Antar smite the warrior, he was terrified and confounded, and said to his troops about him, this is no mortal man; all that have dared him, have drank of the cup of perdition. And as soon as he had released his daughter, he placed her behind him, and sought the wilds and the deserts, followed by the tribe of Tey and all the troops that had survived. And they fled to the mountains and the rocks, their standards reversed. But the tribe of Abs pursued and drove them before them full three parasangs from their country, and then returned for the dispersed horses and the scattered property. And they went back to their own tents, Antar at their head, like the flower of the Judas tree, thus exclaiming:
“I have abused fortune, but how can she humiliate such as me! I too that have a spirit would cut down mountains. I am the warrior of whom it is said, he tended the he and she camels of his tribe. When I assaulted Kendeh and Tey, their hands brandishing the long spears, with armies, that when I thought of them I imagined the whole earth filled with men; and as their hardy steeds trampled our lands, whilst you might see them talking and exulting, ’twas then their steeds fled away horrified at me, and the redoubled thrusts that gored them as they sought the fight. The noble hero feels no fatigue; him no challenger need call to the combat. It was the slave alone that drove back the horsemen whilst the flame of battle was blazing,—then speeded away their troops in terror of my arm,—light they fled, burthened though they had been. Crushing were the stamps and tramplings on their necks, and the horse shoes dashed and pounded their skulls. How many warriors were laid low by my sword, whilst they tore, in very rage, their hands with their teeth. I rescued the maidens and virgins, and not one did I leave but bereft of sense. Mine is a spirit for every enterprize, high is my fame, exalted is my glory.”
These verses excited surprize and admiration among the chiefs, and they thanked him. But Malik, Ibla’s father, and Shas and Rebia, and the tribe of Zeead, cherished a flame in their hearts; they thanked him in appearance, but in their soul their gall was burst. When they approached the tents the women came out to meet them, beating the cymbals, and the slaves brandishing their swords; and Ibla stood in front of them like a full moon when it shines, as she cried out—May I never lose thee, O thou defender of women, and destroyer of every foe and enemy. At these words, Antar’s grief and anguish vanished, and he thought that in her presence he could slay a host of enemies. The warriors then went down to their tents, and no one but talked of Antar, how he slew, and fought with the invaders; and they passed a night of joy, glorying in the deeds of Antar the invincible hero.
The next day arrived in haste King Zoheir with his companions, for he had heard that his foe had passed him on the road: he feared his family might be destroyed and cut off; and he could scarcely believe he should find his family safe from the treacheries of the times; and as he approached the tents he saw dead bodies scattered about, broken scimitars and shattered spears, and his heart misgave him. But when he reached the tents, the chiefs came out to meet him: they saluted him, and related what Antar had done. And when King Zoheir heard this of the great Antar, he said to his surrounding heroes—Verily by the faith of an Arab, we are glorified in Antar above all that inhabit the wilds. And Antar came out to meet him; the King approached him, and kissed him between the eyes—O Aboolfawaris, said he, we are unable to reward thee for this act, even were we to give thee all we possess in dominions and property.
Then the warriors went to their tents, and the King to his own pavilion. And his wife, Temadhur, came up to him, and kissing his hands—O King, said she, if you are wise and good, be kind to Antar; for it is he that has protected your wife and children. Thus was his joy in the deeds of Antar augmented, and he slept at ease until the morning dawned, when he ordered the sheep and camels to be slain, and a feast to be prepared, and a magnificent entertainment to be made ready for all the tribe of Abs and Adnan. The most highly honoured were Antar and the horsemen of the tribe of Carad. After dinner they began conversing, and Shedad related to the King all his son Antar had done: how he himself having acknowledged his relationship and connexion, and his brother Malik having promised him to Ibla, he mounted his horse and routed the enemy, and dispersed them amongst the wilds and the deserts.
This struck to the heart of Shas, and his soul was filled with indignation and rage, and his whole frame was ready to burst. Shedad, said he, how could you take upon yourself to introduce Antar, the son of a slave, to our tribe, and admit him to our rank and our consequence? Now we shall become a shame amongst the Arabs to the end of time, and they will say the tribe of Abs has associated itself with black slaves.
O Shas, said Cais, give up this envious disposition, in which no one partakes with you. And King Zoheir turned also towards his son Shas, and rebuked him. O my lord, exclaimed Antar, standing up, the heart of Prince Shas is not inclined towards me, I will therefore retire from you to another tribe. Tears flowed from the eyes of Antar, and King Zoheir and the tribe of Carad gazed at him in astonishment; when at length the King arose, and having kissed Antar between the eyes, he thanked and praised him. Then turning towards the warriors of Abs, he cried out—“O ye tribes of Abs and Adnan, and all ye that are here assembled, ye all know the purity of my connexion and rank, and my father and my mother, yet let Antar be called as I am called, for he is, by the faith of an Arab, my cousin, the antidote to all my sorrow and my grief, and he who honours him, honours me; and he who despises him, despises me,—and he cried out—Welcome, welcome to my cousin, thou reliever of sorrow!”