“The fresh breeze comes in the morn, and when it blows on me with its refreshing essence, it is more grateful to me than all which my power has obtained in nightly depredations—than all my property and wealth. The realms of Chosroe I would not covet, were the phantom of my love to vanish from my sight. May the showers of rain ever bedew the lands and mounds of Sheerebah! lands, where the brilliancy of the veiled full moons may be seen in the obscurity of their sable ringlets—where my heart chases among them, a damsel whose eyes are painted with antimony, more lovely than the Houri. Thou mayst see in her teeth a liquor when she smiles, where the wine cup is studded with pearls. The fawn has borrowed the magic of her eye, and it is the lion of the earth that chases its prey for her beauty. Lovely maid—delicately formed—beauteous—enchanting! and at her charms is the brightness of the moon abashed. O Ibla, the anguish of absence is in my heart—thou mayst see the shafts of death driven through my soul. O Ibla, did not thy visionary form visit me by night, I should pass the night in sorrows and restlessness. O Ibla, how many calamities have I endured and have plunged into them with my highly tempered faulchion, whilst the charging steeds and undaunted warriors dive into the ever perilous ocean of death.”
Monzar was greatly surprised at Antar’s fluency of speech, and the force of his love and passion, and he began conversing with him about what occupied his mind; and thus they continued till it was dark, and sleep came upon them. So they passed the night there. In the morning came Mubidan to them, accompanied by a troop of slaves. He complimented them, and enquired about their night’s rest, and how they were pleased. Mount your horses, he continued, to go and compliment Chosroe, for he is prepared to go out hunting and amuse himself. As to me, said Antar, I have no other desire but speedily to return to my family and my country, that my friends and companions may see me, and the Asafeer camels I have with me as a marriage dower for my uncle’s daughter.
Mubidan smiled at these words, and knew his wish and object. O Aboolfawaris, said he, your expectations shall be gratified with respect to the Asafeer camels, all laden, and many others besides; and you shall not return to your native land, ’ere you receive them all piled up with burthens. Antar expressed his thanks, and with Monzar mounted, and they all accompanied Mubidan, till on perceiving Nushirvan, they instantly dismounted. Antar presented himself, and attempted to kiss Chosroe’s feet in the stirrup, but the King not only prevented him, but stooped towards him and kissed him between the eyes; and never had Nushirvan conferred such a mark of distinction on any one but Antar, the destroyer of heroes, on account of his having vanquished the Greek warrior, and having removed distress and affliction from his mind. He ordered some noble Arab horses to be brought before Antar; and the satraps delivered to him some of the finest breed, all glittering with housings of burnished gold. Antar mounted, and Chosroe kept him by his side and treated him as a companion, and conversed with him, and enquired about his night’s rest, and his love for his tribe and friends. They continued their ride till they reached the hunting spot; but no one entered that place except Nushirvan, when he wished to hunt and amuse himself; and guards were stationed over it on all sides, fearful that any one should enter; and as it was filled in all quarters and directions, the wild beasts and deer ran away from before them; and as the horsemen advanced, the birds took to flight from every part; the warriors gallopped and the heroes raced their steeds, and they spread abroad in all directions.
When Antar observed this sport, he urged on his horse with the other riders, and pursued a herd of deer with great eagerness, and at length overtook them; he gallopped among them, and stretched many of them on the plain, and he was much amused and pleased. But whilst he was thus occupied, behold an horseman pounced down upon him like an eagle, and as he came up to him, he opened wide his arm, and stretching himself out, struck Antar a violent blow; it fell between his shoulders; it staggered him, and almost laid him prostrate; but he recovered himself; he was however tottering from the back of his horse, when—Take that, thou Hedjaz dog! cried the villain; and if thou hast any breath of life in thee, come on and fight, for I must slay thee, thou vile black, as thou slewest my cousin Khosrewan, and the Greek, and made them drink of the cup of death and disgrace; and thou hast obtained possession of all that property and those beauteous slaves, and thou art exalted in the presence of Chosroe.
Now this horseman was Bohram, the Chief of Deelem. He conceived against Antar a deadly hatred and envy, which consumed his heart and his body; and when Chosroe ordered him not to get into any disputes with Antar, warning him against his superior powers, Bohram went to his own people, and said to them—If this slave depart in safety with all his spoil and plunder, our honour will be debased among the tribes of the Cross and the Priest’s gown, and no one will have any respect for us. From that time he indulged to such a degree his envy against Antar, that he watched him till he thus caught him alone in the hunt, and traitorously assailed him. But he knew not that Antar was a warrior, fixed as the mountain’s roots; and as he still saw him firmly seated on his horse, he grasped his sword and advanced at him; but Antar, recovering from the violence of the blow, wheeled round his horse and waited till he recognised his foe: then he sought him as a bird of prey the weakest dove, and his assault was the assault of the fiercest lion! and thus he addressed him:
“The Almighty has exposed thee to a lion warrior, that thou mayest fall subdued by my sword, O thou, sprung from the worshippers of the sunbeams, and from those who adore the blazing flames. Fate will repay thee, for it has devoted thee to the fight with me, and to the horrors of my strength. Despair; all thy hopes are frustrated, founded on the crush of thy mace and the warrior-yell. Thou art indeed like the moth, that when it sees the flame, imagines its safety is in its destruction. Stand firm then to the spear-thrust of him whose force thou hast sought. Thou wouldst insult a lion, powerful in every combat. Take then the spear-thrust from the hand of one to whom the dæmons of the desert have bowed in submission, and from whom they implore the aid of God.”
Then he came down on him like a cloud, and he aimed a slight thrust at him with the heel of his spear, and broke his ribs, and threw him from the back of his horse the distance of two spear’s lengths. The warriors of Deelem beheld the deed, and thought he was dead and in a state of annihilation; and they all rushed down upon Antar, crying at him in their various dialects. But he met them like a flash of lightning, and he began driving at them and repulsing them—his eye-balls turned red, they appeared like crimson blood—he grasped his never failing Dhami in his hand, resolved not to leave a Deelemite alive. Just then came up Chosroe with his visiers and satraps, and they cried out to the Deelemites in Persian, for they had heard what Bohram had done: and the Deelemites withdrew from the combat, saying, this black slave has brought disgrace upon us, and has slain our Chief! ’Tis false, said Mubidan, ye foul wretches of Deelem, your Chief is the aggressor; but he ought in duty to have treated him kindly, and have waited on him himself, for he has done for us what no human being could do, and if he has slain your Chief, he is not to blame.
Mubidan then requested Antar to advance, who related all that had passed between him and Bohram; and Chosroe believed his words, for he was aware of the folly of his servant. He then ordered his satraps to seize the Deelemites, and bring them before him to strike off their heads. They seized them all, and pinioned their shoulders and bound their arms. But Antar, seeing Bohram’s attendants thus disgraced, dismounted from Abjer, and advanced towards the great King, and kissing the earth before him, begged him to pardon them, saying, O my lord; pardon is becoming in you, and most suitable for such as you—here I kiss your noble hands, praying you to forgive them this crime, for to-morrow I intend to return home: my objects and wishes with respect to you are accomplished, and I do not wish to be mentioned after my departure, but for virtuous deeds; and let it not be said of me, I went unto a tribe, and left it in disgrace, and clothed with shame.
Chosroe admired Antar’s benevolence and generosity of soul; he granted his request, and released the Deelemites. At mid-day he returned from the hunt, and repaired to a garden unequalled in any city of the world, and in it was collected all that the lip or the tongue can covet. It was a superb palace, like a fairy pavilion—ninety cubits in length, and seventy cubits wide, built of marble and red cornelian; in the centre was a fountain filled with rose water and purest musk, in the middle of it was a column of emerald, and on its summit a hawk of burnished gold; its eyes were topazes and its beak jasper; round it were various birds, scattering from their bills upon Chosroe and all that were present, musk and ambergris. The whole edifice was scented with perfumes, and the ceilings of the palace glittered with gold and silver. It was one of the wonders of the period, and the miracle of the age. When Antar entered, his mind was bewildered at the pictures and colours he saw, and he thus expressed himself.
“A Palace—greetings and peace be on it—Time has spread its beauties over it. A Palace—the roofs of cities might stand beneath its roof. On it are the directions for the paths of virtue. Strong are its columns, gilded are its walls; mankind may glory in its magnificence. Over its gates have jewels and pure unalloyed gold disposed their honours; there is nothing further to be desired. On it are the wonders of every species of miracle; the senses are bewildered in describing it; beautifully perfect is every elegant device: nothing can exceed its excellence. And the King shines above all Kings in his acts and his justice—May days and years endure for him!”