RAN

7
POUR DYEU ET MA MYE
A
IEN
TIA
EX LIBRIS ROBERT ET EVELYN BENSONS
L
892.78
A 627
t422
1819

SALOTTBURTUA
ARTES
LIBRARY
1817
VERITAS
possible, Tren
TUEBON
SCIENTIA
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
OF THE
QUERIS PENINSULAM AMCERAM
CIRCUMSFICE
BEIMMITTE
COSTUMAAN BANTEN KUI MA IN KAU AKIN AKALINI
WALLFLAMURIN
ܚܒ.
PERSTORINIGUSLAVELLE, PALOMO IN
Haki
HING
SUTATAKS
ANTAR.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.
ANTAR,
A BEDOUEEN ROMANCE.
TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC,
BY
TERRICK HAMILTON, ESQ.
ORIENTAL SECRETARY TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY AT
CONSTANTINOPLE.
PART THE FIRST.
VOL. III.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.
1820.
9-25-369838
Labr
Soth.
4-16-36
3270/
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ANTAR.
،،
CHAPTER XVII.
ANTAR remained in the tents till King Zoheir sent
a messenger after him, saying, Your presence is re-
quired by King Zoheir, Aboolfawaris, that he may
execute his agreement with you. As soon as he
reached King Zoheir's dwellings, he smiled upon
him, and seated him among his sons. Welcome, he
cried; I greet thee, Champion of the Absians, on
the day of battle; protector of their wives and
children-And he felicitated him on the safety of
Ibla.
My expedition, said Antar, was only on her ac-
count, in order that I might rescue her from one
who plotted her death and annihilation; and thus
he continued in verse:
"O King of noble mind; O most renowned for
"every virtue and high qualification-give up your
ears to attend to my discourse. However difficult
VOL. III.
B
20
ANTAR RELATES HIS ADVENTURE.
"of attainment, no one should dread any enterprise;
" and when resolved on revenge, he should defy all
"fears. If fortune deserts me, my hand is my hope,
66 and it will succeed; and glory shall raise me above
"mankind. I only fear you, whom no one shall
"afflict with pain; and I respect only women. I
"have that dependance on you, that with it I brave
"all evils; and in you I only acknowledge one that
preserves his protection. So seize what is my due,
"and aid me against a man who is a foul wretch,
degraded and unrespected."
(C
When Antar had terminated his verses, he related
to King Zoheir all that had happened to him, and he
was exceedingly surprised at such events. Ibla
then, said he, is among the living. Yes, my lord,
replied Antar; she is at her father's: but, O King,
all is past that befel her; I would indeed have
striven to release her, had even mountains opposed
me in the form of men.
(C
O Antar, said King Zoheir, you and Rebia will
not cease quarrelling till you have opened upon ust
a door that will never close. You would have done
right to have informed me of this important point,
and I would have despatched a messenger to King
Numan, and have explained the business: Numan
would have released Ibla from the tribe of Shiban:
you too would not have gone away and taken the
property of Mooferridj, who is absent in the service
of the King of Persia; and we should then have
had no farther negotiation with him.
1
REBIA'S DISMAY AT IBLA'S SAFETY.
60
3
My lord, said Antar, had I acquainted you with
it, Rebia would have heard of it; he would have
mounted, or sent word to have her killed; but now
the charge against him is established by her ap-
pearance; but as to the tribe of Shiban, I will soon
show you what I will do with them, that they may
restore Ibla's tiara and property. May God destroy
Rebia! cried King Zoheir, and send him on the path
of death for his insidious practices, in carrying off
by force the daughter of his uncle, and delivering
her up to a tribe that was not of her species. For
this, may God punish him in his property and his
person!
King Zoheir related to Antar all that happened
to Rebia at Rikaya Beni Malik during the night
attack-and the misery he had endured. When the
news of Ibla became public, all the women and
noble ladies assembled round her, congratulating
her on her safety, and the same evening the intelli-
gence reached the tribe of Fazarah, and Rebia
heard it. His soul melted within him, and his gall
burst, as he said to his brothers, What say you to
this? Did you not tell me, said they, that you did
not leave Shiban till you had actually accomplished
the death of Ibla? I am quite bewildered, said
Rebia, at this circumstance; for certainly I did not
even go to King Numan till Ibla was buried in the
sand, and with my own eyes I saw her blood on the
hands of a slave whom we ordered to kill her: but,
B 2
4
THROUGH THE MEANS OF BASHARAH
indeed, should the slave have betrayed us—And he
sent for the man who brought the news, and asked
him how Ibla had been rescued. My lord, he an-
swered, I have not heard the particulars, but I saw
Antar on his return, and with him were some com-
panions and property that filled the whole land, and
by his side was a swarthy slave, tall in stature, beau-
tiful of countenance. I inquired about him, for
his extraordinary beauty surprised me. They told
me it was Basharah, and that he was the person
who
had rescued Ibla from Rebia, and had taken away
all the wealth of his master, being desirous to
fix himself among the tribe of Abs and Adnan, on
account of a young girl who lived with Antar,
named Rabiat, to whom he had been long attached.
This explained the whole business, and he said
to himself, This is indeed what never entered into
my calculation; but, continued Rebia, let King Zo-
heir do me justice, otherwise I will stir up dissen-
sions between him and King Numan, whom I will
urge to invade him with the Persians and the Arabs;
and I will say to him, When I asked his daughter
in marriage for him, he answered, I have no daughter
that can do for King Numan. This was Rebia's
situation but Antar in a subsequent conversation
said to King Zoheir, I request permission to send to
Rebia, in order to demand restitution of Ibla's pro-
perty. Should he confess it, and say the devil
tempted me, and it was taken from me on the night
:
IBLA'S FATHER DEMANDS REPARATION.
LO
5
attack, I will pardon him; but should he deny it, I
will punish him as he deserves. And he rose up
and went home.
Now Cais, King Zoheir's son, was not easy about
Rebia, so he would not venture to give any answer
to Antar, for he dreaded the prospect of any dis-
turbances among the Arabs; and all were interested
in the elucidation of this dreadful business. Ba-
sharah was all this time devoting himself to Rabiat.
At dawn, Antar told his uncle Malik and his son
Amroo to go to King Zoheir, and not to quit him till
he should send to Rebia and demand Ibla's pro-
perty. They accordingly departed, and said, O
King, our daughter has been captured in her own
country, and carried by force to Shiban: you your-
self are witness to this. Ibla's property has been
plundered, and you are the King of the time. We
cannot either forget the stratagem of Amarah, who
also took her prisoner, and exposed her among the
tribe of Cahtan; and now Rebia has endeavoured
to put her to death after having violated her re-
putation among the Arabs. But that is now past;
what I demand is Rebia's punishment for his trea-
chery; otherwise, my nephew Antar will use violent
measures, and release our property from him by the
sword.
This discourse alarmed King Zoheir, as to the
troubles and dissensions that might arise in conse-
quence, so he sent for his son Cais. Know, said he,
that Rebia has brought disgrace upon this tribe, and
6
his crime is made clear by Ibla's re-appearance. I
wish, my son, you would go to him, and order him
to make restitution of the property, and not thwart
these people any more, before I let them requite
him for his misdeeds.
PRINCE CAIS ACCUSES REBIA,
Prince Cais set off with five horsemen, and when
he came nigh to the tribe of Fazarah, he sent on a
man to apprise Rebia of his arrival. Rebia and
Amarah, and Hadifah, came out to meet him and
saluted him. For what purpose are you come ? said
Hadifah. O Cais, is it for the chase in our country,
or on a visit, that we may enjoy your society? I
have only come, said Cais, on account of this man,
who has behaved ill to the tribe, and has abandoned.
his friends to be insulted by his enemies. He related
to Rebia all that had happened, and demanded all
Ibla's property.
Well, said Rebia to Hadifah, did ever the like of
what I have endured from my tribe befal any hu-
man being? Is there in the world a severer distress
than mine? Have I indeed usurped to myself wealth
not even all the kings of the Arabs could supply?
Had not my brothers overtaken me, the wild beasts
might have eaten my carcase; and after all, they
accuse me of this infamous transaction, and King
Zoheir believes, to my discredit, all that worthless
insignificant slave can state to my prejudice. I never
set eyes upon Ibla, neither on a journey, nor in so-
ciety. I never took from her a single robe or jewel,
and all the world knows I used to rail at my brother
WHO PERSUADES CAIS OF HIS INNOCENCE.
7
Amarah on her account, and dissuaded him from
pursuing her; and truly I have been as much af-
fected by this cruel event-yes, just as much as her
own father. Perhaps it was some Irak horsemen
that chanced to meet her, and carried her as a pri-
soner away from home, and now have released her;
for I have just heard she has returned to the tribe
of Abs, and that God has restored all her charms
to her family. She's an honest girl, and speaks the
truth; but did she see me the night she was carried
off to Shiban? and did she ever set eyes on me when
in that country? Ascertain this point, and let
Antar trust in what she says; and if Ibla absolves
me in her answer, let them demand her property
from the tribe of Shiban, where she was disgraced
and dishonoured, but that tribe will never let Antar
possess himself of their property, or their maiden
Rabiat. But truly their horsemen and their armies
will fall upon you; their dust will rise over you,
and perhaps King Numan will assist them with the
warriors of Lakhm and Juzam, all noble people; and
will make your father repent when repentance will
not avail him; but now he is warned, and let him
look to his own affairs.
Prince Cais listened, and he hesitated what to be-
lieve. Cousin, said he, you have spoken the truth;
I know Antar is a wretch, and that he has offended
you in this business. Now that, O Cais, you are
well acquainted with this circumstance, said Hadi-
fah, why do you not put to death this cursed slave?
8
Prince Cais wheeled about, and returned with his
associates to inform his father of Rebia's answer.
They continued till they came near home, when he
saw his father, and his brothers, and the heroes of
the tribe all assembled at the lake of Zat ul irsad;
he looked at them as some one thus repeated—
66
"Behold our spacious residence sweetly flowered,
"it combines every pleasure of life. On the pro-
jections of our dwellings is the narcissus, lovely
"in its sword-blades enveloped in green armour.
"Mark how the edge of the scimitar and the point
"of the spear surround the fair and the swarthy.
"The men are like lions when they protect their
young, yea, even like rapacious lions. Their
women are like fawns, and their children like the
"glittering planet Venus. The modest women
"dance in security with the men, and in the enjoy-
"ments of life there is no molestation. There is
66
(C
CAIS PROCLAIMS REBIA'S JUSTIFICATION.
66
only among them the lion of the tribe, their chief,
" and he is Antar."
After Cais' departure for the tribe of Fazarah,
Hatal, and a party from the tribe of Ghiftan, came
to visit King Zoheir, and he gave them a feast at
the lake. When Cais arrived they all stood up;
he mentioned Rebia's answer, and how he depended
on Ibla's testimony. Antar was seated there, and
when he heard Cais' narrative, May God curse that
Rebia! he exclaimed. Restrain yourself, said King
Zoheir, O Aboolfawaris, and let Ibla be questioned.
I will go and interrogate her, said her father. So
MORE PROOFS OF REBIA'S GUILT.
9
he rose and went to his daughter. Questioning her,
Ibla replied, May God curse falsehood and liars! I
saw not Rebia the night they carried me off from
the lake, and I saw him not in Shiban. Malik re-
turned and told King Zoheir: Well, said he, there
is nothing then to be said against Rebia. But Ba-
sharah happened to be present, and as soon as he
heard Malik's and King Zoheir's remarks, O mighty
king, he exclaimed, what is all this artifice? Was
Ibla present among the men when Rebia and my
master divided her property? But when I returned
and told them Ibla was killed and under the sand,
then Rebia danced and capered for joy, and pre-
sented me his own inner garment and turban. Ba-
sharah disappeared for a short time, and quickly
returned, bringing with him the garment, turban,
and poniard, with which Rebia had bribed him; he
placed them before King Zoheir: This is what
Rebia gave me, said he, for the murder of Ibla.
When the chiefs of Abs saw this, they all exclaimed
against the nefarious and infamous conduct of Re-
bia, and they wanted to have him seized.
When Cais heard the disgrace of Rebia, his in-
dignation and rage increased. He immediately
mounted his horse again, and said, By the faith of
an Arab, never will I sit down till I have elu-
cidated this affair that will burst my gall. He
hastened back to the tribe of Fazarah, and when
Rebia saw him, he was in great consternation and
amazed at his speedy return; and to his inquiries,
10
AGAIN REBIA'S PERJURIES PREVAIL.
Cais related the story of Basharah. When Rebia
heard this he burst into a laugh, but it was the
laugh of conscious shame: in his heart there blazed
a fire of rage; he clapped his hands and appeared
much pleased. Now, said he, by the faith of an
Arab, my property that was taken from me at Rikaya
Beni Malik will come to light, for that garment,
turban, and poniard were taken during that night-
attack; and now, indeed, I have no enemy but
Antar.
Cais was confused and astonished at the words of
Rebia. He remained that night, and did nothing
but consult about the destruction of Antar till
morning dawned, when Cais mounted and returned
home.
Well, said Rebia to his brother, what did you
think of the answer which I made to Cais? God
prosper you, said his brother, how you lied and
managed to confirm falsehoods, artifice, and villany,
and fraud!
Cais went home, and met his father at the lake,
and told him all Rebia had stated in reply, and
that the garment and turban were taken from him
during the night-attack, and that he has no other
enemy but Antar. Indeed, my son, said King
Zoheir, I am quite bewildered about the families of
Carad and Zeead; however, put this business off*
till to-morrow, when these guests will go away, and
the contest between Rebia and Basharah shall be
decided. The next day the Ghiftanians having de-
DISAPPEARANCE OF BASHARAH.
66
11
parted home, King Zoheir sent after Antar and
his uncles, ordering them to bring Basharah, that
Rebia might be confronted.
My lord, said Antar, when they were all assem-
bled, what is Rebia's answer? Aboolfawaris, said
King Zoheir, Rebia says that you have the property
that was taken from him at Rikaya Beni Malik,
amongst which was this garment and turban; but
bring Basharah here that we may understand what
he has to say, and then the offender shall be
punished according to his acts. Antar jumped up
and went to the tents in search of Basharah, but he
could not find him. He asked Rabiat about him,
but she said, O my lord, since that time he was with
you at the lake I have not seen him, and he never
returned. Antar shuddered, and was amazed. He
went back and told King Zoheir, who said, He
would not have disappeared had he not been a liar,
and doubtless you are concerned in this business,
and this is not an affair becoming an Arab chief:
and King Zoheir expressed his wrath. The war-
riors of the family of Carad retired, and their shame
was great. Antar also returned, saying, I will not
quit this country till I have rescued my property
with the sword, and he thus repeated :
"Greatness has excited jealousy, and I am
"avoided; did not passion influence me, love
"should not master me to such a degree. I would
possess myself by force of what I obtained from
"fortune, doubly armed and powerful as she is;
12
"but should my hand be broken its power would
"not be obeyed, for I have a heart that spurns at
"fortune. There is a time for compassion and
"likewise for ignorance, but, O tribe, I am more
"inclined towards mercy. I cling to my kindred
"and honour them, and conquerors are the objects
"of my respect, and I admire them. But here
"they remark my forbearance, and my weakness
"inflames them with hope; but I shall not be van-
"quished. I shrink from the base-minded, for I
"know avarice should be avoided, and generosity
sought after. It is ascertained that liberality is a
quality in man that is talked of by the good, and
"subdues all dispositions. Ambition I have, and
"its mansion is above Arcturus, and my residence
" is exalted to the skies."
66
ANTAR HEARS OF HIM,
66
O my son, said Shedad, we are with thee, and
whithersoever thou goest we will accompany thee.
We will not remain in a spot where thou art de-
spised and ill treated. But stop till we obtain some
intelligence of Basharah, and let us observe the
conclusion of our adventure with Rebia. Antar
staid quietly three days, but on the fourth night,
when Antar was sitting alone, a black slave intro-
duced himself, and said, O Aboolfawaris, protect me.
and realize my wishes, and I will give you good
tidings. What are your tidings? asked Antar. My
lord, he cried, haste to your friend Basharah, and
release him from the power of Rebia. And how,
exclaimed Antar, came he into his power? Master,
AND LEARNS REBIA'S PLOT AGAINST HIM.
13
cried the slave, thus it is: When Basharah gave
evidence against Rebia, and made the affair public,
he said to his brother, What think you of this slave
Basharah, who has received our bribes in Shiban,
and is now come to witness against us here? He
then called to one of his slaves, called Marzook, and
said, Well, Marzook, you are ever talking of your
zeal, but till now I have never had occasion for your
services. What do you want, my lord? asked the
slave. What I want of you, said Rebia, is that you
go to the tents of the tribe of Abs, and bring me
Basharah, that I may expose him to the cruelest
tortures. The slave took with him four others, and
set out for the Absian tents, and secreted him-
self in a valley near the habitations, seeking the
lake of Zat ul irsad. Here Marzook and his
comrades remained concealed till Basharah rose
he was intoxicated; and as he strayed to
up;
some distance from the tents, Marzook plunged
upon him like a vulture, and rolling him up in a
sack, carried him off to the valley, and thence they
all repaired with him to the tribe of Fazarah. As
soon as they came into the presence of Rebia, Now,
he cried, are all my wishes fulfilled. He dug a deep
pit, and threw him into it, covering it with branches
and camel dorsers, and stationed over him a slave-girl,
called Yamama, beautiful in face and form, and much
in favour with Rebia. Early in the morning, when
Rebia went out to the chase with his brother, the
damsel came to Basharah, and as soon as she beheld
14
DISCOVERED BY SOME SLAVES.
him, love for him struck into her heart, and entered
deep into her senses and her soul. How is it that
these wretches have thus ill-used you? she cried.
With whom am I? fair maid, he asked. With the
family of Zeead, she replied. Then can I never
escape, he added. You may escape, said she; if you
will sincerely engage yourself with me, and swear to
me you will be my lover, I will release you from
this peril, and supply you with provisions. Now
she had a brother called Masrook, who was attached
to a maiden whose master was one of Oorwah's
men. So she said to him, What will you say to one
who will bring you to your dear Wirdeh? How
can that be? said he. Instantly run, said she, to
Antar, son of Shedad, and give him intelligence of
Basharah, and say to him, Master, bring me and my
beloved together, and I will give you information.
about the designs of Rebia towards Basharah; and
she told him all his distresses. The slave instantly
departed, and coming to Antar's tents, he introduced
himself, and related all the above. Antar was over-
joyed at this news, and immediately sent for the
master of the girl Wirdeh, and demanded her of
him; he not only surrendered her, but gave her
also a string of good he and she camels, and after-
wards they all went to King Zoheir, to whom Antar
explained all that had passed. King Zoheir was
agitated and amazed: And what do you intend to
do? said he to Antar. I am determined, he re-
plied, to proceed to the tribe of Fazarah and releasc
REBIA'S HORROR AT SEEING BASHARAH.
15
this foreigner. O King, exclaimed Shas and Malik,
we will also go and settle this business. Go, said
their father; and Antar departed with the princes,
but first said to Oorwah, O Ebeool Ebyez, mount
your men, and tell them to conceal themselves in the
valley of Yaamoora. Oorwah having executed his
commands, they all proceeded till they reached the
tribe of Fazarah, who, on seeing a dust arise, mounted,
as also Rebia and Hadifah, to meet Antar and King
Zoheir's sons. What! my cousin, said Rebia to
Antar, art thou come to oppose us, or dost thou re-
pent of thy obstinacy? O Rebia, said Antar, let
him repent who has acted ill, and let him be ashamed
of his disgraceful deeds. Produce Basharah, said
Rebia, who said I bribed him to murder Ibla; let
him confront me in the presence of these Arab
chieftains. Be witnesses, ye that are present, ex-
claimed Antar. Drawing forth his invincible Dhami
and urging on Abjer till he came up to the pit, he
cried out to Shiboob, Bring forth this foreigner, and
immediately Shiboob descended (O friends!) and
brought out Basharah from the pit, from underneathı
the pack-saddles and camel-cloths. Ah! exclaimed
Rebia in despair: and Hadifah said to him, I will
stir up a battle between you and Antar; cry out in
my name, and see what I will do. Upon this he
shouted out, O Ebe Hidjar! Dost thou not mark
this treacherous slave? And the men encountered
each other, and the warriors engaged, and limbs
were hewn off. Antar dispersed the people, and
16
ANTAR DISPERSES THE FAZAREANS.
penetrated towards Hadifah in the field of battle;
he perceived him exciting his men to the contest;
he engaged him, and struck the head of his mare,
and hewed it off. Hadifah was in a most deplorable
state, and his ribs were all dislocated. Then he
met Rebia and Amarah, and took them prisoners,
and despatched them with Shiboob and Basharah
to the dwellings of the Absian chiefs. But when
the sons of King Zoheir saw this terrible affair, and
ascertained the treachery of Rebia, and that all he
said was false and deceitful, they wheeled round
their horses' heads, and went home to inform their
father of the circumstance. But the chief Beder,
when the account of what Antar had done reached
him, mounted his horse, and came forwards in order
to extinguish this dissension; he saw his son Hadi-
fah on his return in a most shattered condition,
who, on being questioned, related all that had
passed, and how Antar had slain his mare and his
men. By the truth of the pillar of stone of Mecca,
he exclaimed, Antar must have had some con-
sideration for you, or he would have left you dead,
for he came to rescue his guest, and you irritated
him. He galloped on to overtake Antar, as he saw
him overthrowing his people. O Aboolfawaris, said
he, we have always heard you were a most impartial
man, but to-day we perceive you are inclined to
violence and oppression. My lord, said Antar, I
came here to release my friend from captivity, but
your people stirred up this commotion and sought
17
to fight me, so to defend my own life was my
bounden duty. O Aboolfawaris, said Beder, grant
me this day this proof of your generosity, and An-
tar instantly ordered his men to depart; they de-
sisted and went home. On the way they passed by
the valley of Yaamoora, where they joined Basharah
and Shiboob and their prisoners, Rebia and the
wretch Amarah. Basharah came forward, and kiss-
ing Antar's hand, O Aboolfawaris, he cried, by the
life of Ibla's two eyes, give me authority over Rebia
and Amarah that I may parade them among the
tribe of Abs. Do as you like, said Antar, for I
know King Zoheir will not keep on good terms with
And he thus expressed himself:
me.
“O Ibla, thou art the light of my eyes: so com-
"mand my existence, and rule me, thou, my ulti-
"mate hope. If thou quittest the tribe of Abs,
"reside not in the mansions of degradation, and
"listen not to the railers, for the land after our de-
parture will remain without any celebrated de-
"fender or hero. Ask of Fazarah concerning my
“deeds when they poured down upon me like a
deluging cloud. They brandished their barbed
spears in rage against me, but they beheld the
"refulgence of my dazzling scimitar. Let Beder,
"son of Amroo, inform you what a warrior am I;
"how I meet armies with a heart hard as a frag-
❝ment of a mountain. I engaged their horsemen
"and they were dispersed, and my thrusts came
upon them quicker than death. My steed bore
VOL. III.
(6
66
66
ANTAR DESISTS AND RETIRES.
66
C
18
(C
me away; and as he went he slipped among the
"skulls scattered by the sword and spear. I took
prisoners the chiefs of that mighty tribe, and I
"returned overjoyed, like one intoxicated. O se-
paration! my heart trembles at separation, but I
weep not for the separation from friends and
"native land, but for the separation from her, in
"whose eyes is my malady, and truly this pains me
" and increases all my vexations. I move in terror,
"fearful of separation, as my enemies move trem-
"bling through fear of me."
Oorwah felt aware he had spoken only the truth
about the tribe of Abs. Then they all marched on
till they came near home, when lo! there arose a
great dust, and under it appeared some noble Ab-
sians on full gallop, and their spears pointed.
These were King Zoheir and his sons, and his
nobles with their standards over their heads, and
horses scattered about. The reason of it was this:
when Princes Shas and Malik returned home they
made a great uproar among the tents, and related
the fray that had taken place between Antar and
the tribe of Fazarah; their father was much vexed.
I was convinced, said he, this dispute between
Antar and Rebia would not be decided amicably,
and having inquired the particulars and its origin,
Before we could reach them, said his sons, blood
had flowed, and bodies were dead. Every one now
mounted and came forth from the tents, and the
people were all in confusion, and the families of Carad
66
66
KING ZOHEIR DISTRESSED AT THE FRAY.
((
PÚBLIC EXPOSURE OF REBIA AND AMARAH.
19
were in great tumult, and the women were abusing
Antar. As soon as Antar saw King Zoheir and
his sons, he dismounted and hastened forward,
anxious to kiss his hand. King Zoheir stooped
down and kissed him between the eyes, and ordered
him to mount, and as they all departed home, Antar
told King Zoheir about Rebia, and how he had
taken him and his brother Amarah prisoners. But
how is it, said King Zoheir, that I see them not
with you? My uncle Malik, said Antar, has taken
them home, who said, These fellows shall remain in
bondage with me, till they restore the property they
took from my daughter. Yes, indeed, said King
Zoheir, your uncle shall do such a deed as this,
when I am asleep and under the sand; but as long
as I am on the back of my stallion, I will not per-
mit an Arab to aggrandize you and degrade me.
And King Zoheir evinced great wrath in his coun-
tenance till they reached the tents, and behold there
came some fugitives, and behind them a horseman
with a drawn sword in his hand. They contem-
plated the fugitives, and lo! they were Shedad and
his brother. Now when Basharah took away Amarah
and Rebia, and brought them to the Carad tents, he
mounted them on two stripped camels, and placed
them tail foremost, and proceeded crying them out
through the tents, saying, This is the punishment,
the lightest punishment for those who carry off
their country women to the Arab tribes. All the
women of the tribe of Abs and Carad came to enjoy
c 2
20
PRINCE CAIS RELEASES THEM.
the sight, and Ibla stood with her companions: she
was superbly dressed, and all her sorrows had
vanished. She was conversing and saying (whilst
Amarah heard her), This is indeed but a small chas-
tisement for you. You stole my property-you
wanted to murder me-you made a pretty business.
of it—but God has requited you speedily. Amarah
gazed at her, whilst she was glancing from right to
left, and flaunting about in the most beautiful fas-
cinating manner, and her words sank into his heart
cooler than the purest water: he screamed, Alas!
alas! for thee, O daughter of Malik! Oh! Oh!
for the hour of possession! Be silent, thou dolt!
said Rebia, for all this has happened to us on ac-
count of thy love, and never wilt thou desist from
thy perverseness, till every vestige of us is rooted
Now Cais, King Zoheir's son, had been left
behind in the tents, and when the news reached
him of what had happened to his friends, Rebia
and Amarah, his pride was roused; he mounted
and rode towards the Carad tents, bellowing like a
lion, and the foam issuing from the corners of his
lips; and when he saw Rebia, he wept, and raised
his voice, and exclaimed: Alas! the disgrace of
this violence from those bastards! Where is the
respect of kinsmen? Sons of my uncle! where is
the noble pride of illustrious Arabs? But Rebia
continued in this abject state till Cais was quite
shocked, and the whole country seemed obscured in
his eyes. So he rushed upon Basharah, and struck
out.
}
ZOHEIR DESIRES ANTAR TO QUIT THE TRIBE.
21
him with his sword; he cut him across the shoul-
ders, and left him sprawling. He cried out to
Antar's father and uncles, and they instantly dis-
appeared from his presence, alarmed at his high
rank and dignity, but not afraid of his prowess.
And when they all left him, he untied Rebia and
his brother; Go to our tents, said he; and he him-
self galloped after the family of Carad, till they
launched out into the desert, where, perceiving the
troops of King Zoheir returning with Antar, they
speeded towards them: My son, cried King Zoheir,
what is this affair? What stupidity has succeeded
to modesty and good sense? He stopped and said,
What discretion is there in man, when he sees the
chiefs of his tribe degraded? And he related the
story of Rebia, and the indignities Basharah had
made him suffer, and finally said, O my father, I
will never rest in this spot till I have satiated my
vengeance against the family of Carad, and have
put Antar to death. King Zoheir was distressed,
and felt assured the sword must fall upon his tribe,
and would disperse his people among the hills and
plains; for the animosity between the families of
Carad and Zeead could not be tranquillised: 0
Aboolfawaris, said he to Antar, depart with your
party from this country, for these people will not
let you alone, and you will not submit to any in-
dignity, and this disturbance cannot terminate satis-
factorily. So depart from us, and do what you please.
Antar expressed his obedience and submission; I
22
will instantly depart, said he, with my party, and
if I am able, I will rescue my property, or will die
in the attempt. Then he addressed himself to King
Zoheir, and thus:
ANTAR'S ANGRY ADDRESS TO HIS TRIBE,
(6
66
"Am I injured? and my spear and sword are
my defence, and the guide to glory is attached to
my bit. I have a two-armed power that can
"struggle with lions and defend me. I am ho-
"noured wherever I go. My person is respected,
"and my station is not easily attained. I will
"abandon these noble dwellings; but the lustre of
"swords shall urge me on in the obscurity of the
"dust. Cups of wine are at my disposal, but I
"desire only the blaze in the fiery contest. I will
soon quit you; I want not your country, but I
"will attack you on the wings of darkness. I will
"seek my enemies with my lion-associates, each a
"lion in the battle and the contest: I abandon
66
(6
sleep, unless I can kindle a blaze at night-fall
"that will involve my foes in a blast of fire. My
"hand falls upon their heads like torrents of flakes
"of fire in the dead of the night. Death they shall
"behold exterminating their friends, and far shall
፡፡
fly their heads hewn off by my sword. My com-
"rades shall shake their spears in their hands, and
"infuse death into the entrails of their opponents.
"The brilliancy of their swords in the clouds of
"dust shall be like the beauteous rays of the sun
"through the rain. You have renounced my deeds,
"but my power is my companion, and the blow of
AND STERN REPLY TO PRINCE CAÍS.
66
23
<<
66 my Indian blade among the tents. I will aban-
"don the base and the dastardly, and I have drawn
CC my sword for an ungrateful prince. O songstress!
"be thy song the neigh! for that is my music, and
"streams of blood my wine. Towards Ramda be
my journey, for that is my abode, and the place
"for my tents. Speak not to me of the pleasures
“of life, for the attainment of my high ambition is
my health and my sickness. In glory is the de-
light of every one anxious for renown, not in
"drinking nor in eating. Shall I disgrace myself
by submitting to dishonour, when my sword falls
on the necks like an ostrich ?”
66
<<
(6
Prince Cais cut short his verses; Hey, bastard!
he exclaimed, you found Ibla in Shiban, and you
come to claim her property from the tribe of Abs
and Adnan. You should demand her goods from
the people where you found her. My lord, said
Antar, put not yourself into a passion, I am going
to leave you, and shall look after my own affairs;
but my adventures and my deeds shall soon reach
you: you shall hear how I will rescue my property;
but as to your expression of bastard, no one but
yourself had ventured to make use of such language,
or his death would have been at hand, and his exit
from this world instantaneous. Then he addressed
him, saying,
"I had made of thee a strong breast-plate to
“ward off from me the arrows of my foes, but it is
"thou that hast thrown them. In thee I placed
24
"(
(6
my strong hold when ignominy should assail me
"on all sides; but if thou canst not preserve thy
"friendship as a protection for me, be then neither
"for me nor against me, at least, keep aside and
“be impartial, and let my enemies hurl their darts
"at me. From how many foes have I drawn blood,
❝and from how many men have I desired to be re-
"moved! I dread not disgrace when alone, even
"when the battle destroys the horses and the horse-
There are people who must either live
great and renowned, or must hide their fall under
"the earth.”
men.
ANTAR PREPARES FOR DEPARTURE.
(6
As soon as Antar had finished his verses, Strike
the tents, he cried to his father and his uncles, and
prepare for departure, that the heart of King Zoheir
may be at ease, and my lord Cais have all his wishes
fulfilled. They did as he directed, and they se-
parated from the troops in order to seek the tents,
when lo loud screams arose, and plunder and
pillage commenced among their dwellings; they
hastened on their horses to ascertain what was the
matter, indignation blazing in the heart of Antar:
Verily our tribe have evinced their hatred towards
us, he exclaimed, and he drew forth his sword, and
threw himself among the tents. The cause of this
was the family of Zeead; for they, as soon as
Prince Cais had liberated them, and had set out to
meet Antar, sought the Carad tents. Amarah en-
tered the dwelling of Malik with the view of ob-
taining a look at Ibla; but Rebia wanted some
REBIA DISCOVERS HIS PROPERTY.
25
horse trappings, when lo! he saw the chests Antar
had taken from him on the night-surprise, when he
was wounded at Rikaya beni Malik: there he also
found all the precious - goods King Numan had
given him: he recognised the whole. Hola! hola!
he cried out, this is the property Antar took from
me by force; it was he who wounded me, and he
nearly killed me. Now when Cais had mounted in
order to liberate Rebia, a crowd of slaves had fol-
lowed him; This is all my property, said he to
them, that I brought from King Numan: I have
now found it at Antar's, so carry it away to your
master's, Prince Cais, and I will give you a good
share of it. As soon as the slaves entered the
habitations to plunder the goods, the women began
to scream out; but they seized the chests and all that
was hung upon cords; so the maids and the slaves
made an uproar, shoving each other upon the ground.
When Antar heard these screams, he entered the
tents, resolved to ply his sword among both chief-
tains and slaves. But King Zoheir seeing the af-
fair become more serious, and the disturbances more
furious, began to be much alarmed, and as it was
near the close of the day, he cried out to his son
Cais, Take away your friend Rebia, and order him
to depart from us, and to go down to the barren
desert let him not kindle dissensions among the
Arabs, and make us to become a common proverb.
Do you too, Shas, go to Antar, and send him away
without delay, and let there be no more said to us
26
on the subject. Cais repaired to the tents, and
checking Rebia, prohibited any further tumult.
So likewise did Shas and Malik; they sought the
hero Antar, and when they joined him, they saw
death glancing from his eyes: they stopped him
with gentle expressions. O Aboolfawaris, said Shas,
truly your separation from us is like the separation
of souls from bodies, but no one can avert the
decrees of the Almighty, his orders must be obeyed.
Emigration is the most advisable plan for you:
bear this event patiently, and act honourably. Do
not be too much distressed, my cousin; all you
desire in this world is Ibla, and she will be with
you. My father will certainly repent of this deed,
and calamities and horrors will descend upon him;
and as to this property Rebia has taken away, it
will revert to you after kissing your feet and your
hands; for they will all stand in need of you. Had
I known, said Antar, that this business between us
would have come to this pass, I would have put
Rebia to death, and had succeeded in all my wishes;
but now his property has come to light, and he has
it, and out of respect to you, I have not been able
to do him any harm.
ANTAR TAKES LEAVE OF SHAS, AND DEPARTS.
Antar took leave of Shas and Malik, his distress
and agitation being extreme. He ordered the slaves
to fasten the howdahs on the camels; they did all
he told them, and they loaded them with the bag-
gage and the families, and they left not a halter
behind. They then departed, traversing the wilds
HE PLUNDERS THE CATTLE OF FAZARAH,
27
and the wastes, the plains and the mountains,
amounting in all to two hundred and fifty famed
warriors, one hundred and fifty belonging to the
· Carad division, and one hundred forming the party
of Oorwah. As to Basharah, they bound up his
wounds, and raised him on a tall camel, whilst
Rabiat accompanied the women. The party pro-
ceeded till midnight, when Antar, Oorwah, and
fifty horsemen alighted, saying to his father and his
uncles, Do you go on ahead with the women. But
he and Oorwah mounted at daylight and galloped
over the plains till they came to the pastures of
the tribe of Fazarah: the sun was just risen, and
the cattle were grazing. Antar rushed upon them,
and drove away all the he and she camels, and the
high-priced horses that belonged to the tribes of
Fazarah and Zeead, and when they had launched
into the desert, Send on the plunder with thirty
horsemen, said Antar to Oorwah; do you stay with
ine, that we may encounter the troops that will
come upon us, with these twenty men. Oorwah did
accordingly; the thirty went forward with the
plunder, Antar and Oorwah slowly following them.
As soon as the intelligence of the seizure of their
cattle reached the tribe of Fazarah, they all mounted,
but Hadifah was still weak from his fall, and was
incapable of riding. The troop marched off in
number five hundred, and with them four of Rebia's
brothers. They went on till they overtook Antar,
who, when he saw the horsemen, and heard their
28
WHO RETIRE IN DISGRACE.
shouts, turned upon them, and met them, and in less
than an hour he had slain numbers of them, and
wounded all four brothers. Oorwah and his people
also slew those who were destined to die that day,
piercing their chests with the points of the spear
extinction and perdition fell on the tribe of Fazarah.
Antar smote off heads and skulls, and despatched
the horsemen to the mansions of annihilation, crying
out: Ye filthy Arabs, wherever ye go, Antar is be-
hind ye we are the persons who have taken the pro-
perty of our enemies; who will now deliver you from
our attack? Know, my cousins, said Haml, there is
between Antar and the family of Zeead a most impla-
cable animosity, and every one that interferes in it
is destroyed and slain; and had I been aware that
it was Antar who had seized the cattle, I would not
on any account have gone out against him. So he
turned his horse about, and he and the rest re-
turned home, abandoning the family of Zeead.
When Antar had taken possession of as many bag-
gage-camels as he desired, he drove them on before
him, and they all proceeded together till they over-
took the cattle, and pursued the journey to Rikaya
beni Malik, where the family of Carad had alighted,
who, when they saw Antar's dust, mounted and
saluted him, and seeing all the he and she camels
he brought with him, they were greatly delighted.
Here they halted to repose from their fatigues, and
consult about the spot where they should fix their
residence. I must, said Antar, go to the land of
THE MOUNTAIN OF RADM.
MOUNTAIN O
29
Irak, and must labour in the utter destruction of
the tribe of Shiban. But, said Shedad, O my son,
do you not fear King Numan? No! exclaimed
Antar, by the faith of an Arab, nor even the King
of Persia, the lord of the balcony. O my brother,
said Shiboob, if you wish to effect so much, and to
battle with kings, come with me, and I will con-
duct you to the mountains of Radm and the valley
of Raml, where ten men can defend themselves
against the universe; and when we are in those
mountains, you may engage warriors as many as
you please, and the women will be secure. This is
· a most judicious arrangement, said Shedad, and a
measure that cannot be found fault with; for I
have heard of that spot, that the most timid can
defend it, and its inhabitants must be safe. So
they all agreed upon this point, and they reposed
till the night was nearly passed, when they de-
parted for that country.
Now this mountain was on the borders of Hidjaz,
in the direction of Irak; it was stupendously lofty,
and he who would look at it would imagine it was
connected with the clouds; its summits rose so high
towards the heavens, the sun could almost burn it
with excess of heat and light: on its sides were
caverns and caves, and trees, and fruits, and forests,
the haunts of wild beasts and lions, and serpents.
There was not a single road but windings and
labyrinths that would bewilder the mind of man.
It was like a strong fortress, and were ten men to
30
"
stand firm at the mouth of the defile, they would
prevent the whole universe from reaching them; for
there was no other path but by that gorge and
defile, and between it and the tribe of Shiban they
were seven days journey.
When Antar heard this description from Shiboob,
he immediately assented to his proposal, and they
set off traversing the wilds and the wastes; and he
thus sang to them:
“Where is there a friend of sound judgment and
"faith, now that the greatest part of mankind are
"false? Fortune has betrayed me even where I
"had most trusted it! And can my efforts now
"avert calamities from me? One day they demand
"my exertions in the field of battle, and one day
they complain of my excesses.
If the foe pur-
،،
❝sued me, I liberated myself, however impetuous
"was his pursuit; and when my spear chooses, it
impedes every assault, and fate and my steed ex-
"tricate me from every danger. But now, O hea-
"vens! shall I succeed? or will the enmity of my
"adversaries prevail? My horse, when the dust of
"battle inclosed him on all sides, sprang against
"the thrusts of the tribes. I will haste in pursuit
"of the chase, though the parched earth should
"rise in waves, or the onset of combatants environ
(C
،،
66
ANTAR AND HIS FRIENDS REPAIR TO IT,
+
me. A party of Absians accompanies me, whose
high celebrity is extended over the deserts; they
"are beautiful, like lions in every spot, when the
"blood of their enemies is clotted over their jaws."
!
Tele
AND FIX THEIR RESIDENCE ON IT.
31
They continued their journey, travelling night
and day, till they reached the mountain. The women
alighted from the camels, and Antar entered the
defile, accompanied by his father Shedad, his uncles,
Oorwah and his companions; and when they had
passed the entrance they perceived an intricate
passage, and a valley abounding in forests, and they
heard the roaring of wild beasts and the lions. It
is impossible, said Antar, to dwell in this valley un-
less we burn down its sides with fire, otherwise there
will be no security for our women against danger.
So he ordered the slaves to light a fire in the forests,
and they did so and before evening the flames
played in all quarters: the wild beasts were fright-
ened and fled away, and dispersed. This continued
for five days, and the snakes and the serpents were
burnt. On the sixth day the flames ceased to blaze,
and they entered the valley, and all danger was re-
moved from them. Before sunset the tents were
extended out, and the women and families entered:
the mountains re-echoed their voices. And they
soon became familiarized to their new abode, for-
getting their native home, and their former friends
and neighbours. Three days after, said Antar to
his father, now that our property and families are
in security, and that we have no occasion to harbour
any fear of the Arabs, I am anxious to proceed
against the tribe of Shiban, and punish them for
their conduct: I must drive away their cattle, and
take their families captive. We are few in number,
32
HE RESOLVES TO ATTACK THE SHIBANIANS.
my son, said Shedad, and far away from home, and
if we separate from our wives and families we cannot
secure them from our foul foes. This is not to be
dreaded, said Antar, for all our enemies are ahead
of us, and we are in quest of them, they are not
seeking us. My son, said Shedad, with how many
horsemen do you intend to go against Shiban? A
hundred brave fellows will be sufficient, replied
Antar; the remainder I will leave with you. That
is not right, said Oorwah, for the Shibanians are
very numerous, particularly when Mooferridj shall.
return. That tribe cannot consist of less than five
thousand bridles, besides confederates and neigh-
bours; my opinion is we should set out from hence
with one hundred and fifty men, leaving one hun-
dred behind, and with this indeed we shall be un-
dertaking a hazardous enterprise. Antar left with
the families a hundred horsemen under the com-
mand of his father, and recommending them to be
careful and vigilant, he and Oorwah departed with
a hundred and fifty, fearless of the approach of
death, and undaunted at fate even when it descends,
for they were all bold intrepid fellows, and were
also of the tribe of Abs and Adnan; and when
Antar stopped on the road, his heart recollecting all
his anxieties, he burst out thus:
(C
“Calamities extend their arms against me; they
oppose me, but I have resisted them. Vicissitudes
"of fortune stop and slumber, for my courage has
"drawn aside their mantle. Contend not with a
CC
66
man whose deeds the boldest warriors have ex-
perienced in the contest; whose steed has stamped
66 over the land of his enemies when he drenched
"their dwellings with blood. Woe to the tribe of
“Shiban! I have visited it, and dearly purchased
(C war stretched out its arm. Dust rose on high,
"and its ocean swelled, and the bickering blade
“darted forth its lightnings. My spear plunged
"into their entrails, and burst through their armour
"and their ribs. Their women arose in lamentations
"for their husbands, who groaned in the agonies of
"death: O Ibla! for love of thee I feel a kindling
"flame; I have its anguish in the very folds of my
"bowels. On the day of my separation the fire of
my spirit burst out, rocks even would have feared
"it. Ibla, oft as the raven of the desert pours
"its plaintive note, to hear it in the dead of night
"fills my heart with sadness. I have quitted my
"home, and there are my neighbours, but their
66
cupidity has cut off my society from them. Soon
"shall they see infamy when the horses of death
"rush out upon them. I am the son of Shedad
"who covets exaltation, and my ambition soars
"above them. Soon shall my lasting celebrity be
sung, and in its report shall warriors feel the
highest pleasure."
Antar continued his verses till Oorwah and his
people were greatly pleased, and Oorwah was all
astonishment. They travelled on towards Shiban,
and death appeared easy and insignificant to them.
VOL. III.
66
66
ANTAR'S ANIMATING HARANGUE.
66
33
D
34
MOOFERRIDJ LEARNS BASHARAH'S ARTIFICE.
But Mooferridj, when he returned from his services
in Persia, was very happy; he brought with him
wealth fire could not have consumed.
On his way
home he stopped with King Numan, and staid as
his guest for three days, and he related to him all
that had happened to him in the cities of Khorasan.
On the fourth day Mooferridj departed, seeking the
land of Shiban, very anxious to revisit his native
land; and when he reached his country, and his
uncle Malik, son of Hosan, knew of his arrival, he
went out to meet him, and congratulated him on his
safety. Mooferridj alighted, quite delighted at his
return home, and before even inquiring about his
wife, he asked for Basharah. O my cousin, said
Malik, son of Hosan, Basharah has reverted to his
base origin, and he has done a deed no one ever
did before. What has he done, my cousin? de-
manded Mooferridj. Know then, my cousin, said
Malik, that your slave Basharah did not remain
above twenty days after your departure, when he
feigned having received a letter from you, stating,
O Basharah, take away all my property and my
treasures, and deposit them in the mountain of
Radm and the valley of Raml, for I have suffered
insupportable distresses in the service of the Persian
monarch, and I am in the most deplorable condition.
It is my intention to escape by flight if I find an
opportunity. So he loaded every article in the ma-
gazines on the backs of the camels, and since then
I have heard nothing of him, and I have had no
HIS RAGE AT HEARING OF IBLA'S SAFETY.
35
traces of him till lately, when a messenger came to
me from Rebia, saying, Your slave Basharah is
with Antar, and has restored to him his cousin Ibla.
Antar has realized all his expectations, and has de-
livered over to him all the property he took away.
He is now established with Antar in perfect hap-
piness and contentment of heart, and he has done
all this on account of his beloved Rabiat, a base-born
girl. I am going to King Numan, and I shall ac-
quaint him with this circumstance; but now here.
you are, so do what you deem best. At hearing
this the eyes of Mooferridj turned red, and he
clasped his hands one within the other in excess of
rage and passion, exclaiming, O Malik, did we not
murder Ibla, and did not the slave conceal her in
the desert? How then has she appeared amongst
the tribe of Abs and Adnan? As to that, said Ma-
lik, I comprehend it not. But Sinan, son of Ab-
doolazi, happened to be present; he was a knight
of Shiban, and their champion when they were sur-
prised by assaults night or day; Know, said he, O
Mooferridj, that your slave Basharah did not slay
Ibla as you ordered him, but he deceived you by
his tale; he waited till the coast was clear for him,
when he seized all your property, and repaired to
the slave, a bastard like himself, where he leads a
life of ease and comfort. Basharah shall do such
deeds as this, exclaimed Mooferridj, when I am
asleep or swathed in my winding-sheet, but as long
as I can mount on the back of a steed and have
D 2
36
HIS PLAN OF RETALIATION.
about me five thousand horsemen of Shiban, and
behind me one like King Numan, my property shall
not be pillaged; no one shall venture to dishonour
my family. Send for your allies, cried Sinan, and
those in whom you confide in your difficulties and
your relaxations; lead us to the tribe of Abs that
we may extirpate every vestige of them, and ravage
their country, and level their boundary-marks with
the ground, and leave not one of them to report the
news, having first put to death their slave Antar.
This would not be proper, said Mooferridj, for
King Numan wishes to connect himself by marriage
to the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and to wed Mooted-
jerede, King Zoheir's daughter; he has demanded
her, and if we proceed against them without his
orders, and execute such deeds upon them, he may
blame us and be angry. But my opinion is that I
should go to Numan and acquaint him with all these
circumstances, and then he will send a message and
liberate my property for me, my he camels and my
she camels, and will give me directions to march
against my enemies. Thus will we depart under
his commands, and will slay Zoheir, and Antar his
slave; we will exterminate his horsemen and his
troops, we will capture every thing, and make pri-
soners the high and low, and we will not suffer our
property to be plundered, or that slave Basharah to
triumph over us. Do as you please, said Sinan;
lead us whithersoever you choose, and we will gratify
your wishes.
HE REPAIRS TO KING NUMAN.
37
Each returned home and renewed his vows to
his wife and family. But Mooferridj was so irri-
tated at what had happened he could not stop longer
than that day. He returned to King Numan, and
in his heart there blazed a fire of rage against Ba-
sharah, and when he reached Hirah he rushed into
the presence of King Numan like one frantic, on
account of the loss of his property. But Numan
was amazed at his speedy return.
Is it well with
you, Mooferridj? said he. No! he replied, infamy
and misery! And he told him what had happened
to him through his slave Basharah during his ab-
sence, and how he had seized all his property and
possessions, and had repaired to the tribe of Abs
and Adnan, and was now established with Antar,
son of Shedad. Did not you and Rebia, exclaimed
Numan, inform me that you had assassinated Ibla,
and had divided her property? Yes, said he, but
we were not witnesses to her murder. We de-
livered her over to Basharah, and ordered him to
put her to death, and bury her in the sand, and
since that we knew nothing about it. Do not dis-
tress yourself, said Numan, for all you possessed
shall revert to you, and the man who protected your
slave shall be brought bound before you, for I am
at this moment resolved on sending to King Zo-
heir to demand his daughter in marriage, and
truly Rebia promised me to do so for me, but now
indeed the affair is more serious in consequence of
what has happened to you. At the instant he wrote
38
NUMAN'S LETTER TO ZOHEIR.
a letter to King Zoheir couched in these terms:
Know, O King Zoheir, head of the tribes, that it is
incumbent on us to improve the state of the Arabs
It has reached me that your slave Antar has quitted
the condition of servitude, and that you have ex-
tended to him your protection, and that you style
him as you style your cousins. It would be ad-
visable for you to pursue the established customs of
the Arabs, and not bring down upon yourself de-
struction. You must order Antar to restore Moo-
ferridj his slave, and all his property, and arrange
this affair with him to our satisfaction, otherwise we
shall punish him according to his acts, and shall
send him back to tend camels and sheep. After
this demand the marriage-settlement of your daugh-
ter Mootejerede as much as you please, that we may
send it to you. Do not send this messenger back
but with a suitable reply, and act like a wise, pru-
dent
man, or you may repent of what do.
you
He despatched his letter with a courier, who tra-
versed the wilds and the sand-hills till he reached
the tribe of the noble Abs, and he happened to ar-
rive just two days after Antar's departure, so he
came to King Zoheir, and saluting him, delivered
to him the letter. He opened it and read it, and
understood its contents. O Arab, he replied, your
master mentions something about taking from Antar
the property belonging to the tribe of Shiban. That
man is no longer under my subjection that I can
command him on any point; for between him and
HIS RAGE AT ZOHEIR'S REPLY.
39
He
us there have arisen troubles and dissensions.
quitted us two days ago, he and his uncles, and all
the tribe that was connected with him. We have
heard he has taken the road to Irak; had he re-
mained, the two tribes would have been annihilated.
In a short time he will be a neighbour of King
Numan's in some direction, so let him gain in-
formation of him, and let him do as he pleases with
him. But, moreover, we have no daughter fit for
marriage; and had I a daughter I should not send
her into a foreign land, and I shall not let any one
have authority over her; and with this answer there
is no occasion for a letter.
A
He gave him a robe of honour, and sent him to
a house of entertainment. But the messenger de-
clined, and retraced his steps in a great rage, and
he did not stop traversing the deserts till he reached
Hirah. He came before the king, and told him
what had passed. His wrath and indignation were
extreme; his passion blazed and flamed. If I do
not degrade him, he cried, may I never possess his
daughter! I must positively slay every one of them:
I will destroy the whole tribe, every warrior of
them. As to Antar, he must be heard of in some
of the lands, and he sent the Arab and the Persian
in quest of him. He afterwards requested his bro-
ther's attendance, whose name was Mozeed, but the
Arabs surnamed him Prince Aswad (black prince).
He was a shedder of blood; of excessive pride and
arrogance; immense in form and bulk. He was
40
PRINCE ASWAD, NUMAN'S BROTHER.
like a strong tower, and could receive on his chest a
thousand horsemen in the field; and when he ap-
peared before King Numan, the latter informed him
of the news he had received, and communicated
King Zoheir's answer, and that he had refused him
his daughter in marriage. Aswad smiled-the smile
of fury and indignation. O King, he cried, you are
too mild and easy with your foes, and you excite
the Arabs against you. A king must keep up
the
respect and awe of his station, or his supremacy will
be subverted. It would be right to send me against
King Zoheir, to devastate his country, and over-
throw his troops and armies, and capture his wife
and sons, and I will bring the whole with me into
your presence, that you may have them at your
disposal; otherwise you will be an object of shame
far and near, and the Arabs will say King Numan
demanded in marriage King Zoheir's daughter, who
would not give his consent to his being her husband.
This representation increased Numan's anger and
wrath, and immediately he equipped his brother
with ten thousand horsemen of the tribes of Lakhm
and Djuzam, and directed him to set out. As
soon as Aswad had departed, King Numan cared
no more about searching for Antar, but continued
every day to ride round the town with his attendants,
and the chiefs of his government, together with
Mooferridj.
+
THE TRIBE OF SHIBAN FLY TO HIRAH.
CHAPTER XVIII.
41
It was on the fourth morning after Aswad's de-
parture, they roamed far into the desert, when lo!
a dust arose, rolling from the direction of Shiban.
In an hour the dust was divided and split, and its
blackness was converted to a piebald hue, and under
it appeared a troop of horse in full retreat, and horse-
men scattered about in great disorder. At this, King
Numan's alarms gave way to security; for they
were shouting out, Save us! save us! King of the
age: protect us from this calamity of day and night.
Mooferridj advanced to ascertain who they were,
and lo! they were his own horsemen-his own
cousins, and his own tribe. What has befallen you ?
said he; and what mortal has thrown you into this
confusion? Antar, cried they all, came down upon
us; last night he surprised us in the tents; he made
our wives widows, and our children orphans; he
seized what he pleased, and left what he pleased.
Mooferridj dashed his fists against his forehead;
all patience, and even his senses, vanished. Well!
at last he cried, with how many horsemen did he
come against you, that he has treated you in this
manner? O Chief, they replied, we only saw him
with a few attendants.
42
NUMAN PROMISES TO AID MOOFERRIDJ.
Then said King Numan, whilst the world seemed
obscure in his eyes, Tell us by what road he is gone.
By God, said they, O King, we were like drunken
men, and had not the senses of women. We should
say he was actually in our rear, and that he was
pursuing our very footsteps; but should not as-
sistance reach us by the close of the day, indeed it
will be evident, that Antar has captured all our
families, and has taken the road of the mountains of
Radm, and the valley of Raml. By the faith of an
Arab, cried Numan, I will seek him out, were he
even to mount up to the skies; and I will abandon
all the free-born women of Abs to be purchased as
slaves. But, to soothe the heart of Mooferridj, he
continued, do not be uneasy at what has happened.
Set out to-morrow for the mountains with the Shi-
banians, and take as many Arabs as you please;
but if you vanquish this accursed slave, do not put
him to death, bring him to me, him and his uncles,
that I may hang them all at the gate of the city.
Sinan was present: O King, by thy munificence,
he cried, were I and Mooferridj not afraid of your
reproaches, we had not brought this event upon
ourselves.
They returned to Hirah, and having consulted
about this important crisis till morning dawned,
Mooferridj assembled the fugitives and his com-
panions, amounting in all to a thousand horsemen,
with whom he set out for their own country, whilst
a flame was raging in his heart against Antar. Nu-
1
MOOFERRIDJ FINDS HIS COUNTRY LAID WASTE, 43
man also was desirous of going with them, with the
horsemen of Lakhm and Juzam. No, no! said
Mooferridj, it is not an affair to require your inter-
ference; and when he reached his own home, he
saw the whole country ruined and plundered, and
some few tents on the summits of the hills, and the
women weeping and wailing. At this catastrophe
his anguish increased: he inquired for his own wife
and family, but could find no one to give him any
information about them. Thus was his calamity
heightened, and his misfortune increased, and so
great was his affliction, he could not remain there
above an hour, but set out with his brave army for
the mountains of Radm, following Antar's track.
But Antar, having quitted the mountains as we
described, continued his journey over the wilds and
wastes, till he came near to the tribe of Shiban. He
arrived early in the morning, and alighting at some
retired spot, he sent Shiboob to gain intelligence.
Shiboob darted forth as a bird on the wing, and
returned about mid-day, saying, O son of my mother,
there are not in the dwellings more than a thousand
horsemen. How is that? said Antar. Mooferridj,
replied Shiboob, returned from the King of Persia
full of joy and delight; but when he heard that Ba-
sharah had seized his property (for his cousin Malik,
son of Hosan, had given him every information in
consequence of Rebia having acquainted him by a
message, that you had regained Ibla, and that all
his property was in your hands); he suffered what
4.1
ANTAR'S ATTACK ON THE TRIBE OF SHIBAN.
never happened to any one before. He instantly
returned to King Numan to report this intelligence,
and to consult about an expedition against the tribe
of Abs, and to take vengeance on them. In the
excess of his resentment occasioned by this cata-
strophe, he said to his cousin, Never will I drink of
wine, till I can assuage my heart on that base-born
Antar; and truly that tribe since his departure are
all quite at a loss what to do, they seem careless of
misfortunes, and are asleep, and feel secure from
every calamity. The most advisable plan is, that
you should rush upon the Shibanians under the
cover of the night; and when you are near the tents,
divide into three bodies, and trample down the whole
tribe under the hoofs of your steeds. Thus will
you attain your ends; thus will you succeed in all
your projects.
By the faith of an Arab, exclaimed Antar, you
have advised well. So he immediately mounted,
followed by his men, and Shiboob preceded them
like the northern blast till the day was spent, and
night came on with impenetrable obscurity. The
lights of the tribe shone upon them; but the night
was utter darkness as it vaulted over the two hori-
zons. They formed into three divisions, and shouted
out in every direction: they poured down among the
tents and dwellings, and plied their spears and their
swords among the Shibanians. The east and the
west were in commotion. The whole region was in
convulsion; the country trembled beneath them;
HE CAPTURES THE WOMEN AND RETURNS,
45
the warriors started from their pillows; the hearts
of the maidens palpitated; the virgins were made
captives, and the horsemen expected to become
prisoners. The darkness and obscurity stupefied
their senses; all their movements and attempts were
thwarted. The coward found no hole to creep out
at the horsemen sought relief from the pressure of
the field of battle: the King of Death was firm in
grasping souls. The sword continued its execution till
the night became illumined, and the morning dawned
in its brilliancy: the Absians were still engaged;
their garments were as if painted with blood.
It had been indeed a most dreadful night: but
Antar acquired all the glory and the honour; and
he arose lord of the land of Shiban, master of their
property and their women. He repaired to the
habitations of their chiefs, such as Mooferridj, and
Sinan, and Malik, and all the head men of the tribe;
where he captured their wives, and drove away their
daughters and children, slaying their cuckolded hus-
bands. He took three of Mooferridj's wives pri-
soners, and four of his cousin's daughters, all of whom
were most accomplished females. Oorwah and his
people, and the family of Carad, obtained all the
noble steeds and camels, and they departed for the
mountains of Radm, leaving their enemy's country
ruined, and all its vicinity destroyed; and they con-
tinued their march till between them and their friends
there was only one day's journey.
So in the morning they came near the country
46
BUT MEETS HIS FRIENDS ALL PRISONERS.
whose mountain sides had been burnt; when Antar
spied out ahead a tremendous dust increasing upon
them, and a lofty cloud of sand rising over them.
Do you see that dust? said Antar to Oorwah, what
can there be beneath it? Oorwah extended his ken
towards it, and he perceived a dust approaching,
rising to an immense height; it augmented, and the
black column was advancing upon them. O Cham-
pion of the Absians! said Oorwah, I do indeed per-
ceive a towering dust coming towards you. I think
it must be some booty that God has sent to you.
Let the horses be rested, said Antar, after their hot
march. So they rested them, whilst the men pre-
pared their warlike weapons, and fixed their spears.
Antar stationed forty to take charge of the property,
and the remainder advanced like stern lions, in
number one hundred and ten horsemen. They
marched on till the dust came near to them, when
they heard issuing from it loud screams and tumul-
tuous shrieks, every thing proving some dreadful
disaster and calamity; and the general cry was, O
by Abs! O by Adnan! who will protect the Absian
women? who will release their captive females?
As soon as Antar heard these clamorous voices,
he shuddered. We are ruined, O Ebe ool Ebyez !
he cried; good God! what Arabs can have over-
powered us, and brought this misfortune upon us?
Who can have dared to insult us, lions of the dens as
we are?
Now the cause of all this was Rebia, who as soon
REBIA RESOLVES ON REVENGE,
47
as he returned to the tribe of Fazarah, and heard
that Antar had plundered his property, and had
driven away his horses and camels, went to Hadi-
fah, gnawing his hands from very passion. O Ebe
Hidjar! said he, how careless you have been of us
this time! and how you have failed in protecting
us and we are your neighbours. O Rebia, said
Hadifah, had I not been much debilitated by the
effects of the fall, I would not have failed in pro-
tecting your property in this emergency. I did not
know it was Antar that had made this predatory
assault, or I would not have been kept away from
him, even had my life tasted of horrors; but I
imagined they were some rapacious Arabs; so my
brother and yours went out, and with them a body
of horsemen, whom I enjoined to make every exer-
tion in settling the business, and to bring back the
horses and property; but they returned routed and
disgraced, and when I learnt this circumstance, I
became as if drunk without wine: but if I do not
overtake that Antar, and gratify my hatred in his
death, I shall die without the affliction of
any dis-
ease. O my cousin, said Rebia, I cannot possibly
remain here after this degradation.
So they all made preparations from that day,
amounting in all to seven hundred horsemen, all
well-trained warriors, and they set out in pursuit of
Antar, in despite of the prohibitions of the Sheikh
Beder, for they would not listen to him, but tra-
versed the barren wastes and wilds. Know that we
48
ZALIM, SON OF HARITH.
are proceeding against the consent of our father,
said Haml to Hadifah, and we have rebelled against
the Sheikhs of our tribe. I fear this expedition will
terminate ill, so that we shall incur the reproaches
of our countrymen, and not one of us will be able
to reside among them. My advice is, that we should
pass in our way to the tribe of Marah, our ally, in
which we confide in our difficulties and our relaxa-
tions, and take with us their champion Zalim, son of
Harith, with a party from their clan and noble war-
riors. Then indeed we shall succeed in our projects
and attempts, and shall take our vengeance on that
Antar, even had he with him the tribes of The-
mood and Aad. This would be a great disgrace
said Hadifah, that we, who boast of our descent and
rank—that we, exalted among the Arab chieftains,
should not be able to redeem our rights from a
wretch of a slave, but must incite against him the
horsemen of other tribes.
Haml had been induced to address his brother on
this subject on account of the dread he felt in his
heart of Antar. Rebia joined him, for he knew that
this knight whom Haml had mentioned would ac-
complish all their desires. Now this Zalim was a
knight of the tribes of Marah and Dibyan, and he
was a great object of astonishment in those days;
and in addition to the superiority he assumed over
the other Arab chiefs, on account of his extreme in-
trepidity, he boasted of a sword he had inherited
from his father and ancestors. It was called Zool-
HIS SWORD ZOOLHYYAT.
49
hyyat (endued with life), for when it was unsheathed,
it was impossible for any one to fix his eyes on it, on
account of the extraordinary effect and imaginary
sensations it produced. It was said that it had
been the sword of the great Jobaa, son of King
Himyar, who was formerly monarch of the universe:
and when it fell upon a rock, it would cleave it in
two; and did it encounter steel, it shattered it; and
when it moved, it glittered and sparkled, and over
its sides there crept the wavy forms of biting snakes.
Zalim was so delighted with it, that when he went
to bed, he had it within his arms, and by day he was
never apart from it. It is thus described in this
distich :
"In no trouble, in no adversity do I fear death,
"when it confronts me; for how can I dread the as-
"saults of death, and Zoolhyyat is glittering in my
"right hand?"
So when Haml mentioned Zalim, Rebia imme-
mediately coincided with him. At last they brought
over Hadifah to their views, and travelled on till
they reached the tribe of Marah. There they
alighted, and were hospitably received. Rebia in-
formed Zalim of the circumstance of Antar, and
the troubles they had endured. In the excess of
his pride, Zalim smiled; By the faith of an Arab,
said he, the tribe of Abs deserves to be degraded on
account of their conduct towards this despicable, in-
significant slave, and all the disgraceful events that
have befallen you are owing to your Chief Zoheir.
www
VOL. III.
E
50
THEY MARCH AGAINST ANTAR.
It was he who admitted him to the rank and con-
sideration of an Arab. I am not unwilling to at-
tend you on this expedition, neither does the danger
or trouble annoy me. I am only distressed on ac-
count of my sword Zoolhyyat, that it should be
contaminated with the blood of slaves, the offspring
of carcasses.
Then having entertained them for three days, he
set out with them, accompanied by five hundred
noble horsemen on celebrated steeds, eagerly pur-
suing Antar, and continually demanding intelligence
of him in the deserts and the cities, till they heard
that he was in the mountains of Radm, and the
valley of Raml. May God curse the father of his
beard, and may he be afflicted with unspeakable
calamities! Does he think thus, exclaimed Zalim,
that mountains can protect him from me, or that
the defile can defend him? By the faith of an Arab,
verily will I make him taste of the wine of misfor-
tunes. They proceeded in the right direction, hav-
ing obtained a trusty guide. But as to Amarah,
the world could not contain him, for now he felt se-
cure that Antar would at any rate be slain, and
that Ibla would console him for all his sorrows; and
when they came near to the valley and the two
mountains (there being only two days between
them), a slave belonging to Rebia met them as he
was seeking the land of Hidjaz. My masters, said
the slave, in answer to their inquiries, know that
Antar is gone against the Shibanians, with one
THEY CONCERT THEIR FUTURE PLANS,
51
hundred and fifty brave fellows: and there only
remain one hundred more to protect the wives and
women; and had not he and Shiboob been absent,
I could not have escaped.
When they heard this, they were much delighted:
Truly, said Hadifah, the business has turned out as
you wished, and every difficulty has been rendered
easy. Arabs, cried Zalim, how have we gained our
point, if Antar does not fall, and is not vanquished?
By the faith of an Arab, our trouble is misspent, and
our pains are only increased. O Chief, said Hadifah,
we will content ourselves with capturing their wives,
and we will return home: Antar indeed will be safe,
but if we do not kill him, we shall kill many of his
party. O Hadifah, said Rebia, let us first carry off
the goods and families we shall find in the moun-
tains, and then continue the pursuit of Antar, where-
ever he may be, and when we have extirpated him,
we will go to King Numan, and will represent to
him the necessity of his sending his brother Aswad
to King Zoheir, to drive him into his presence,
and force him to give his daughter to him. I
will give Ibla in marriage to my brother Ama-
rah, and will make a marriage-feast, the equal of
which no chiefs ever prepared: then we will re-
turn home, and be quiet and comfortable. Truly,
said Amarah, I am of your opinion on this point,
O Rebia; for I am quite sure Ibla was only created
for me, and her charms will only coalesce with
mine.
E 2
52
AND ATTACK THE PARTY IN THE DEFILE,
They continued their journey without delay till
they reached the mountain, and the dust they oc-
casioned appeared like the black shades of night.
The Absians that were reconnoitring soon disco-
vered them, and immediately gave notice of the cir-
cumstance to the horsemen, and shouted through
the mountains. Shedad and his brothers mounted
with the hundred horsemen, and the whole land
was in confusion with the screams of the women
and maidens, whilst the men hurried out to the
defile and pass, having first enveloped themselves in
steel.
The horsemen of Fazarah soon came in sight, the
troops divided, and they all made one universal
shout, making the whole country tremble. They
attacked the Absians like tall furious sea-monsters,
headed by Zalim, as he poured forth the bellow of
devouring lions, and drew out his Zoolhyyat. In a
moment the parties encountered, and they exhibited
their fury, shouting in the name of their fathers and
ancestors, and struggling in the battle and the con-
test; the sharp-edged scimitars and long spears
laboured among them, and foes and enemies ex-
ulted over them; but numbers multiplied upon
the Caradians after they had engaged at the en-
trance of the strait, like brave men, who fear dis-
grace; and though difficulties increased upon this
small party, they preserved the head of the defile,
and plied the thrust and the blow. But when
Zalim perceived that their courage still protected
I
WHO ARE MADE PRISONERS.
53
them in that spot, he dismounted with a party of
horsemen, and penetrated through the defile. There
the battle began to rage-blood was spilt, and the
fire of contention blazed till Zalim had slain seven
of the Absians, and had driven the remainder into
the valley.
Rebia and Hadifah, seeing what Zalim had
done, also dismounted, followed by their party, and
thus occupied the defile. But when the women
perceived this calamity, they uncovered their heads
and let fall their hair, and there was not one but
was convinced of captivity and misfortune; and
about mid-day the tribe of Fazarah effected their
entrance; they bound the Absians as prisoners,
and took possession of their women and property.
They drove away the camels, and they all issued
forth from the mountains. Basharah fell into the
hands of Rebia, who gave him a cruel beating.
Amarah reproached Malik, Ibla's father. You
abandoned your family and your clan, said he, and
you have followed the advice of this black slave,
and these are some of his blessings that have now
happened to you, and he will most certainly drown
you in a sea of calamities.
Shedad heard this speech. O son of Zeead, he
cried, let it suffice that you can abuse my son in his
absence, for he would have brought down on you
his severest punishments, and know that nothing
will last, and he will assuredly come in this di-
rection. Every one of ye will feel his frown-and
54
ZALIM'S EXULTATION
every one of ye will repent of this deed. This
passed; they pursued the tract of Antar, the women
and children going before them, but Zalim staid
behind with the chieftains of the tribes of Marah,
and boasting of his arts, he thus exclaimed:
CC
"Is it thy teeth, O lovely girl, that smile, or is
"it the lightning that draws its sword before me?
"Is it thy form, or the branch of the palm, that
waves to the zephyr, as it resembles the date-
"tree? O daughter of Aamir, do not disdain the
"dust whose brightness gives brilliancy in the dead
"of the night. If thou art ignorant of me, ask the
"tribe of Abs, when I brandished my scimitar;
"I surprised their horsemen in the defile, my sword
"cleft their flesh and their bones-I drove away
"their women when I had reduced their virgins
"to consternation and mourning. How should a
"worthless slave protect the wives of the noble, or
"be able to preserve his engagements? He shall
<<
soon see, if he comes alive, that my sword can
"act when death even is still: it is the destiny of
"the world when crowds rush round our dwellings.
"But what glory is there in this contest, that my
"sword should descend upon a dastard slave!
"Where in the combat is there one like me when
"my scimitar flashes its fires? All mankind lie
"beneath my sword, and with me right and wrong
66 are confounded.”
When Zalim had finished his verses, the horse-
men were delighted at his poetry and prose, and
55
extravagantly was he flattered by Rebia and the
wretched Amarah. They continued their journey
till the next day, about three hours after sunrise,
when they met the hero Antar. Amarah happened
to be in the van, looking at the women, and sur-
rounded by a body of the tribe of Fazarah and
Marah, and talking to Malik, son of Carad, till
eyes fell upon eyes, and Antar's slaves shouted out
on his arrival; he heard the screams of the women,
and his indignation became most violent: he at-
tacked the family of Zeead, and pierced the first
through his chest, and the barb started out between
his shoulders; he urged on, and struck the second,
and he rolled him over in the sand. As soon as
the horsemen saw this accident, their reason de-
serted them, and they felt assured this must be
Antar. So they shrunk to the rear, the despairing
Amarah at their head, crying out, Fly, my cousins!
The slaves of the family of Carad crowded together
upon them, and plied their sharp swords among
them, shouting out, Hey! Antar is come against
ye, and to-day will he requite you for your deeds to-
wards the women and children. In a short time
the men were all released from captivity. Antar
advanced towards Ibla, and saluted her; he also
ordered Shiboob to release his father's women and
his uncle's, whilst he and Oorwah went forwards
with one hundred horsemen to meet the foe, leaving
the remainder to protect the females.
Amarah came up to his brother Rebia and Ha-
THE EFFECT OF ANTAR'S APPEARANCE.
56
THE TWO PARTIES ENGAGE.
difah, and meeting the troops, exclaimed as above,
and the whole desert was in confusion. What is the
matter with thee? asked Rebia. What has happened
to thee? What has appeared unto thee under the black
of the dust? Antar has appeared against us, they
cried out, he is slaying our brothers and our cousins,
and has come up with the women and the children,
and taken the property, the camels, and the infants,
and had he not been occupied with Ibla, he would
not have left one of us alive, not a white or a black.
Prepare your warlike weapons, cried Rebia, and be
ready for the conflict. Zalim rejoiced in the news,
and he was much delighted at Antar's arrival; he
gave the reins to his horse, and he galloped after
the horsemen, the heroes and warriors following
him. When lo! Antar appeared before them like
a lion in armour, and as his companions followed
him, he cried, Ye sons of ordure, you have pur-
sued us from your homes, and have gained over to
fight against me the tribes of Marah and Dibyan,
and you conceive yourselves secure from the cala-
mities of day and night. He instantly unsheathed
his sword and assaulted-the desert was in tumult—
all promiscuously crowded-attack and defence was
the word-swords made hot work-the coward
sought to fly, but found no way to escape. The ir-
resistible brave stood firm, and the scimitars neither
spared friend nor foe. The blows of Antar fell
more powerful than the stones of an engine; he dis-
persed whole troops, and mangled them dreadfully;
1
ZALIM MADE PRISONER.
57
he encountered Zalim and Hadifah in the middle
of the field of carnage, and they were also eager in
quest of him; but Hadifah being the nearest to
Antar, thrust at him with his spear, saying with
a loud voice, Take that, thou son of a slave,
I am Hadifah, the son of a free-born woman.
When Antar perceived the thrust directed towards
him, he parried it off very skilfully; he roared at
Hadifah, and turning round the barb of his spear,
he struck him with the butt end, and sent him
rolling over on his head. He then sought Zalim,
and wanted to treat him as he had done Hadifah,
but Zalim smote Antar's spear and broke it, and
just as he attempted to close with him, Antar
howled, and he was horror-struck; he smote him
with the remnant of the spear on his chest, and it
palsied him, the end of the spear grazed on Zalim's
elbow-bone; it paralysed every nerve, and forced
him to let go his sword; Antar rushed upon him,
he grappled him, and seized him by the rings of his
corslet, clung to him, and took him prisoner, and
gave him over to his comrades, wretched and de-
graded! That is right, cried Shiboob, seize these
cuckolds, that I may bind them fast; come on!
now to the others. Antar commenced the conflict,
and he pierced the chests of the combatants; he
exhibited all his powers, and he extended the heroes
right and left. Shiboob in the mean time had se-
cured Zalim and Hadifah. Oorwah and his people,
with his uncles who had been released, accompanied
58
JOY OF THE ABSIANS: MOOFERRIDJ APPEARS.
I
Antar. Rebia being alarmed, lest he should be
disgraced and overwhelmed, had nothing for it but
to scamper off and escape. Antar made hot work
in their rear, and the brave were irresistible in their
assaults. Only one hundred escaped out of the
thousand, and they were mounted on swift steeds.
The tribe of Abs returned, and darkness obscured
the land, whilst Antar stood before them, as if
bathed in a sea of blood. Having collected the
booty, they passed on, and early in the night they
came near to the mountains, and by day-break they
entered with the prisoners of Fazarah, and those
of Marah and Dibyan, all bound fast with cords.
The slave-women preceded them with the cymbals
and dulcimers, and joy was universal among them.
Early in the day they entered, and it was a most
glorious morning for them; they pitched the tents
and pavilions, and stretched the tent-ropes; but the
happiest of the party was Basharah, whom Antar
had released from the power of Rebia. But they
had only been established one day in that valley,
when the next morning the dust of the tribe of
Shiban, with Mooferridj, arose upon them. The
troops were extended right and left, and the war-
riors and heroes came forth. The Absians, as soon
as they saw them, prepared for the engagement; the
polished steel glittered in their hands, and the bur-
nished armour flashed with the brilliancy of light-
ning. They rushed out of the defiles and pressed
forward for the battle and the contest. When the
1
HE IS JOINED BY REBIA.
59
Shibanians saw them advancing, Do you see that
black slave? exclaimed Mooferridj; how his pre-
sumption has overpowered his reason? he has even
quitted the mountain, and intends to attack the
tribe of Shiban and its five thousand warriors, and
he has scarcely two hundred and fifty vagabond
horsemen. The fault is not his, but the fault is
with him who has obliged us to fight him, and that
is Rebia, who was the cause of all this disturbance.
Be not surprised at what Antar is doing, said Sinan,
for truly he is anxious for the carnage of death. It
happened that Rebia had decided on escaping at
the first onset, so he fled till he reached the
tribe of Shiban, and as soon as they recognised
him, they asked what was the matter; he in-
formed them of all that happened, and wept at
the severity of his misfortunes.
Comfort your
mind and brighten up your eye, cried Mooferridj,
for we are marching in quest of Antar, and we
shall certainly overwhelm him, and reduce him to
distress in his property and family. Mooferridj re-
lated to him the affair of Prince Aswad and his ex-
pedition against the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and
all the arrangements of his brother King Numan.
So Rebia was consoled with this intelligence, and
he returned with them that he might enjoy the
spectacle of Antar's destruction, and release his
brother Amarah from misery. For he saw their
number amounted to five thousand, all warriors,
60 SINAN'S FURY AT REBIA'S ACCOUNT OF ANTAR.
brave and intrepid, and with them was their cele-
brated knight Sinan, and they were marching under
the orders of King Numan. By the faith of an
Arab, said he to himself, Antar cannot escape this
time. Thus they eagerly pressed their march till
they approached the mountains of Radm, as we
have mentioned, and Antar went out to meet them,
as we have described. And Sinan said to Moofer-
ridj, that Antar would certainly seek the contest.
O Sinan, said Rebia, Antar is never fatigued, never
harassed, and in his heart he is only anxious to meet
you, and succeed in his attempts against you, and
were you even to fill the plains and the mountains,
he would still come out against you, and be only
the more eager to encounter you, for he would be
saying in his soul, that he would annihilate ye all,
high and low, and that he would carry off your
property and your plunder. When Sinan heard
this, he roared and started forth in quest of Antar,
thus exclaiming:
66
"Hast thou captured my women and seized my
"property, bastard slave, thou camel-driver! Shall
"I remain dispirited and in disgrace, and my sword
sparkle, brilliant and polished? My spear, when
“I brandish it in the palm of my hand, will dive
"through the strong-ribbed mountain. Shame, O
“Fortune! that a slave should conquer, and the
"chiefs and lords be discomfited! Were she im-
partial, this scum of men would not stride the
66
1
ANTAR ASSAILS THE SHIBANIANS.
،،
61
"noble steeds. But, O daughter of my uncle,
grieve no more, though the nocturnal vicissitudes.
"have separated us! As to fortune, it is two days
"sweet and one bitter; and among men there are
66
two sorts, the base and the noble. How many
"exalted tribes have I overwhelmed! I have re-
“turned, and their warriors in captivity; and how
(( many flames of fire have I kindled with the edge
"of my sword on the chests of the noble com-
"batants !"
When the Shibanians heard Sinan's harangue, and
perceived that he was preparing for the slaughter,
his men galloped forward, most desirous to re-
lease their wives and families, directing their spear
points towards Antar, and one thousand were the
number that followed him. Antar, being aware
of their intent, took with him his father Shedad
and his uncles Malik and Zakhmetuljewad, and
Amroo, Ibla's brother, and altogether thirty of the
family of Carad. Stay here, said he to Oorwah,
with these hundred horsemen and occupy Sinan,
whilst I repulse the troop that accompanies him,
and I will soon return to you. Antar made the
attack against the thousand horsemen, and rushed
down upon them, impetuous as a torrent; he
charged among them east and west, and overwhelmed
them with thrusts and blows; and he never dashed
into a division, but he dispersed it, nor a troop but
he crushed it; and thus also acted his brother
Shiboob, the dust-coloured dragon. He never se-
62
BATTLE CONTINUES; OORWAH MADE PRISONER,
parated from his horse Abjer, but protected him
from the blows of the warriors; whilst his father
Shedad and the horsemen kept up a fierce conflict,
and in less than an hour the troop retreated from
the dust and the darkness, a hundred of them being
slain, and more wounded. By the faith of an
Arab, said Mooferridj, we have fallen into a most
dreadful misfortune, we did not lay our account
to this; in fact, thirty horsemen have been able
to effect all this destruction, and the party, though
only consisting of two hundred and fifty, will at this
rate be equal to ten thousand, and we consist of
only five thousand, and the remainder, how shall we
answer them? My advice, cried Rebia, is, that
you should attack with the tribe of Shiban, and
overpower them with the horsemen, otherwise we
cannot succeed; overtake your cousin Sinan, that
Antar may not kill him in the field of battle.
Mooferridj shouted out to his men, and they in-
stantly unsheathed their swords, and brandished
their spears, and the universe was in convulsion at
their shouts. Above three thousand joined them
in the assault, and in a formidable charge sought
the defile and the mountain. At that time Antar
had returned to his companions, and he found
Sinan coming back with the tribe of Shiban, and
with them Oorwah as his prisoner: a numerous
host surrounded them. Now Sinan, when Antar
left him, attacked the hundred horsemen, and as-
sailed them with his sword; he routed them, and
63
1
made them retreat into the mountains, having slain
thirty. He also resolved on penetrating into the
defile, and releasing the women of Shiban; but
Oorwah again assailed him, and prevented him;
they fought for an hour, but Sinan saw his com-
panions were cut up, and that only five hundred
stood firm with him, the remainder having taken to
flight, whilst others checked him from coming up
with Antar. Aware of this disaster, and seeing
how the shouts arose over him, his passion and fury
increased; so he closed with Oorwah and grappled
him, stopping all means of escape, and extending
towards him his mighty arm, he seized him by the
rings of his armour, and held him fast. Thus
having taken him prisoner, and delivered him over
to some of his men, he turned about to attack
Antar, who was also in quest of him. He dis-
persed his horsemen and his troops, and as Sinan
stretched out his spear at him, and cried out at
him, and thrust at him, Antar smote the spear and
shivered it: thus parrying him off till he came
close to him, he pressed on him, and struck him
with the flat of his sword, and tumbled him off his
horse. Shiboob pounced on him and bound him
fast, and tied his arms and his sides. As soon as
the Shibanians saw this terrible event, they aban-
doned Oorwah cast upon the sand, and escaped by
flight towards Mooferridj; the troops were all
scattered and discomfited. Shouts arose on all
sides, and the dust thickened to the east and to the
BUT IS RESCUED, AND SINAN IS TAKEN.
64
west. Antar cried out to the noble Absians; they
were on the alert, and brandished their spears and
their swords; the thrusts were incessant and over-
powering, and the voice of the speaker was silenced :
they seized each other by the chin and the throats,
and every path and road was choked up with the
warriors. But God prospered Antar and the won-
ders he did that day, as also his horsemen and
tribe, and his father Shedad and his uncles.
MOOFERRIDJ ABUSES REBIA.
Oorwah soon sprung again on the back of his
horse, and allayed his heart upon the tribe of Shi-
ban. The scimitar continued to cleave, and blood
to flow, and men to rave and fall, till the day
closed and was obscured, and night coming on,
each division retired and separated. The tribe of
Abs alighted at the entrance of the defile to guard
it against invasion or surprise; but Antar ordered
Shiboob to take Sinan to the valley, and tie him up
with the other prisoners. The tribe of Shiban also
alighted, and their ruin and rout was evident.
Mooferridj endured more than ever went to the
heart of man, on account of the capture of his
cousin Sinan, and the destruction of so many of his
horsemen. Thou mine of fraud and deceit, roared
he at Rebia, by the faith of an Arab, had I thrust
at Sinan my cousin for a whole day, I should never
have gained my point against him, and never should
I have been able to touch him, ere fatigue had ener-
vated my arm; but this infernal slave has taken
him prisoner in an instant, and truly I shall pass
65
this night in a state of stupefaction; for if I go out
against him, I shall become a scandal among the
Arabs; and if I do not attack him, we shall not
succeed in our expectations. Take my advice, said
Rebia, clothe yourself in brilliant steel to-morrow
morning, and march your troops against him, and
let not one of your companions remain behind; ·
smite their horsemen and warriors with the sword,
till you drive them to the defile, and then enter
after them; thus will you succeed in your hopes;
and should every one of them slay ten of yours,
and even more, you will then even have the ad-
vantage with the remainder. This, Rebia, is ad-
vice becoming you! he replied, this is your sagacity!
your wit! how! shall we hasten the men upon
Antar, and leave him to charge upon our flanks,
and play upon us with his sword and his spear?
By the faith of an Arab, had not the day closed
upon us, not a spot of ground would have been
left for any one, but had turned his face to the
desert and the waste. Thus they continued wran-
gling till the armies of obscurity departed. And as
soon as it was day, the Shibanians started up ready
for the fight and the contest; they fixed their spears
and prepared to exterminate lives. But the first
who shone on the plain and the scene of blows and
thrusts was Antar. He galloped and charged, and
urged his Abjer to the theatre of contention, and
thus expressed himself:
"The morning of thrusts in the field of battle
VOL. III.
F
WRANGLING OF REBIA AND MOOFERRIDJ.
66
((
(where wine is not put round in glasses), is dearer
"to me than the varied amusements with the cup,
"and the ewer, and the flowers. My wine is in-
"deed that which gushes about the spear's point,
"when the war-steeds trample. I am the slave, of
"whom it shall be reported that I encountered a
"thousand free-born heroes: my heart was created
"harder than steel, how then can I fear sword or
66
spear? I have met the chargers, and I cared
"not: I am raised above Arcturus, and the Lyre
"or the Eagle: when the warrior beholds me, he
"avoids me, his courage fails, and he flies. Ye
"have indulged, ye people of Shiban, a thought,
"but my horse and my perseverance have thwarted
your imagination. Ask Rebia of me when he
came against me with the chiefs of Beder. I
"took their chiefs prisoners, and only quitted them
"when I had dispersed them over every desert.
"Here now I again come forth, and in you will I
""
appease my heart and allay my bosom; I will
"seize the property of Ibla with my sword, and
"the lord of the balcony shall acknowledge my
"power."
As soon as Antar had terminated this address, he
sought the contest, and the flame was kindled afresh
in his bosom. Mooferridj sprang on his horse's
back, and being cased in his armour, he thundered
down to the field of battle, and charging to and
fro, exclaimed: Thou vile slave, it is disgraceful,
infamous, and ignominious, to fight with thee!
ANTAR'S WAR-SONG.
((
(C
67
But Antar sent forth a shout at him that would
have split a stone. Mooferridj received him as the
parched earth the first of the rain. They gave two
yells, that excoriated the ears of their horses, and
made every limb of the horsemen tremble. They
commenced the engagement.
Rebia was much
alarmed for Mooferridj, that Antar should over-
power him. It was not judicious in Mooferridj to
go out against this devil, said he, and I fear some
accident will happen to him. To which Malik, son
of Hosan, replied, By the faith of an Arab, this
calamity was all owing to you. Son of Zeead, had
it not been for you, we should never have known
this Antar, neither would our wives and children
have been made captives; and as he was preparing
to make an assault, lo! a yell arose from under the
dust, and some one cried out, O by Abs! O by
Adnan! I am the lover of Ibla, and I stand alone
in the world! They all eagerly gazed at the dust,
and behold Antar, who had taken Mooferridj pri-
soner, driving him as he would a camel. He gave
him over to Shiboob, who bound him fast by the
shoulders, and took him away to the other pri-
soners. Antar perceived that the Shibanians had
dismounted, and were waving their spears and un-
sheathing their swords; but he was not to be in-
timidated at this. By the faith of an Arab, he ex-
claimed, I will put them all to the rout, and will
not leave one to know whither he is going. Then
shouting out to Oorwah and his father Shedad, he
MOOFERRIDJ TAKEN PRISONER.
F 2
68
r;
SHIBANIANS TRAMPLED DOWN BY THE HORSES.
selected fifty brave horsemen. Guard the entrance
of the pass and defile, he cried, and he roared out
to the troop that was with him, and they split the
enemies troops into two parts, and made them drink
of death. The horror and distress were excessive,
and the day became like the night. They continued
to plunge through the Shibanians till they came into
their rear, where Antar, perceiving the horses run-
ning loose without their riders, said to his comrades,
Collect them from right and left, and turn their
faces towards their owners, then goad them on with
the points of the spears, and they will trample down.
their own masters. So they separated towards the
horses, and collected them all into one body, and
sending forth a tremendous shout at them, goaded
them with the points of their spears. A black cloud
of dust arose; they plunged among the men on
foot, and trod them down with the stamp of a
camel, whilst the Absians roared at them from
the interior of the valley. None escaped but those
whose lives God had lengthened. Lucky was he
whose horse speeded away with him and rushed
over the waste and plains.
Malik, son of Hosan, was one of those who
escaped, and also Rebia secured himself with a party
of his people, and he was gnawing his hands through
mortification and shame. O my cousins, all this
has happened to us on account of this dog-devil,
cried Malik to the Shibanians, pointing at Rebia;
had it not been for him we had never known Antar
69
nor Ibla, nor one of the race of Abs. So come on
and have at him. Thus saying, he made towards
him, as Rebia also advanced to congratulate him on
his safety, but Malik struck him with his spear
through the shoulder, and it came out under his
armpit, and hurled him off his horse on the
ground, weltering in his blood, and he thought he
had slain him. Thou son of a foul mother, cried
he, all our misfortunes originate in your hatred
towards that bastard slave. Moreover, the Shiba-
nians put twenty of Rebia's party to death, and the
remainder fled over the country. But as to Antar,
he ordered them to open a way for the horse to the
mountains, whilst he pursued the race of Shiban till
he came up with Rebia. O Ebeool Ebyez, said he
to Oorwah, dismount, go to him and bind him:
truly his treachery has reverted on himself. Oorwah
alighted and tied his arms, and as he was going to
raise him on a horse, he opened his eyes, and re-
covering his senses, he saw Antar standing over his
head. O my noble cousin, exclaimed the wretch,
have some consideration for the relationship between
you and me. Bind up my wounds, but tie not up
my arms. I am almost dead, and
repent of all I have done to you.
an Arab, said Antar, you shall never be in a
situation to repent the foul deeds you have already
done towards me. You only call me cousin when
you have tumbled into some intolerable calamity.
So they all returned to the mountains, and all the
indeed I sorely
By the faith of
DISGRACE OF REBIA.
70
ANTAR RESOLVES ON HANGING HIS CAPTIVES.
party was relieved from sorrow, for their evening
was more propitious than the morning. He placed
Shiboob, and Jareer, and Basharah, as guards over
the prisoners; and those that were most grievously
afflicted and distressed were Mooferridj and Sinan,
for Basharah was stationed to torment them.
Antar reposed that night in the most perfect de-
light with his friends and troops, till the obscurity
being nearly dissolved, he assembled the chiefs,
and as they were consulting, said Shedad to Antar,
O my son, what have you resolved on doing with
your prisoners? As to Zalim, and Mooferridj, and
Sinan, I shall hang them; but as to Rebia, and the
wretch Amarah, I shall detain them in bondage
till they restore the property they took from Ibla.
He arose instantly, intoxicated as he was; his head
rested on Oorwah's shoulder, and he came to the
door of the cavern where the prisoners were con-
fined, and said to Shiboob, Raise up this cuckold,
that I may hang him up on the summit of the
mountains, and range these other fellows by his side.
When the party heard this they felt certain of death.
As to Amarah, he was almost dead already, and he
remained fixed in stupefaction, for when he looked
at Antar he saw his eyes red as coals. O Abool-
fawaris, said Mooferridj, delay your work, for the
end of violence is never praiseworthy. As to us,
you first took our property, captured our families,
slew our men, and devastated our country; what,
therefore, is our crime that we have merited death
MOOFERRIDJ EXPOSTULATES.
71
and hanging? And what crime, said Antar, can be
more enormous than this? you seized my property,
you captured the daughter of my uncle, you even
attempted to slay her, so I must absolutely extirpate
the tribe of Shiban. It was your cousin Rebia,
said Mooferridj, who told me to do so, and am I to
be adjudged deserving of extermination, root and
branch? But know that the property that I took
from your uncle's daughter is now with King
Numan: truly the affair is well known, and the
secret now quite public, for Rebia sold the tiara and
turban for he and she camels, and I placed my slave
in deposit in the land of Irak. It will be well for
you not to be too hasty with me, that I may con-
trive some means to liberate it, and restore it all to
you; and thus I may rescue my person and my
wife out of your hands. Do what you please with
your cousin Rebia, and if you have any doubts as
to what I have said, and think I am deceiving you,
I can tell you still further particulars. On what
subject can you give me any intelligence? demanded
Antar. Know, O Aboolfawaris, said Mooferridj,
that King Numan has sent his brother Prince As-
wad against King Zoheir with ten thousand horse-
men, and he has engaged to drag before him King
Zoheir in his grasp on account of us, and on ac-
count of his daughter Mootegerede. I am con-
vinced King Zoheir must fall, and will abandon his
country to destruction. But if you proceed to
violent measures with us, King Numan wiil hear of
3.
72
it; he will march against you with troops and
armies, and will make you food for the birds and
beasts. As soon as Antar heard this he changed
his resolution; And when did Aswad set out on his
expedition? asked he. About five days before our
departure, said Mooferridj, and doubtless now he
is in your country. At hearing this the light became
dark in his eyes. Alas! then the tribe of Abs is
disgraced among the Arabs, he cried: I must and
will root out every vestige of that King Numan. I
have not forgotten King Zoheir's kindnesses, said
he to Oorwah, and I must expose my existence for
his sake, for I bear him no grudge. O Champion
of the Absians, said Basharah, by the faith of an
Arab, with respect to Prince Cais and his brothers,
and their father King Zoheir, you are considered as
much as his eldest son Shas; but no one estranged
his heart against you but Amarah, and that ordure-
born Rebia. May God curse your father and mo-
ther, said Amarah, how often do you talk to him of
us, and make him think of us? Let him alone; let
his intoxication pass off, and may his person and the
sight of him ever be absent from us! Hey! O
Amarah, said Antar, he who wishes to be Ibla's
husband should not be a coward like you, and one
that fears death and affliction. Who is he, ex-
claimed Amarah, that wishes for Ibla, or to hear her
mentioned? and he who has heard of her would
stop his hearing for ever. Now, said Antar, that
would not be right; but when I have returned with
ANTAR CHANGES HIS PLAN,
AND RESOLVES TO ASSIST KING ZOHEIR.
73
that Aswad a prisoner, and have released King Zoheir
and his sons from infamy and ignominy, I will requite
ye all according to your deserts, and I will slay you
all, high and low: and thus saying he quitted them.
O comrades, cried Sinan, this black slave must be
perfectly frantic, his senses must be disordered, to
march from hence and meet with one hundred
horsemen Prince Aswad with ten thousand warriors,
all armed with spears! I never in my life, said
Mooferridj, saw a more fortunate fellow than this
black slave, nor a more expert spearsman. By the
faith of an Arab, said Amarah, should Antar meet
Prince Aswad he will ride him the ride of a lion.
Were his armies as numerous as the sands and the
locusts, he will most assuredly bring him here
pinioned.
But Antar, when he returned home, assembled
the chiefs, and informed them of Aswad's expedition;
and I am resolved to go to King Zoheir's assistance,
he added. O my son, said his father, we are here
but two hundred and fifty men, and shall one like
King Numan be our foe and antagonist! How can
we proceed against ten thousand horsemen, and
abandon our wives and families? As to our women,
said Antar, there is no alarm about them; no one
will venture to approach this spot before the fugitives
of the Shibanians reach King Numan, and inform
him of what has happened to them; he must then
address the Arabs by letter, and we shall return
hither before all that can have taken place. But I
74
have not come to this place, or rebelled against King
Numan, but on having formed a proper estimate of
mankind. I do not fear even the monarch of Persia,
the lord of the balcony; therefore, how shall I
fear ten thousand horse, or even a hundred thou-
sand of the bravest? And he sent for Shiboob
and said, Son of my mother, how many roads are
there hence to our country? There are three, re-
plied Shiboob. Where do they meet? said Antar.
By the waters of the tribe of Akhrem and the great
lake. Upon that he selected a hundred and fifty of
the noblest Absians, and left one hundred to protect
the property and the families, and recommending
his uncle Malik and his son Amroo to take care of
the prisoners, and to be on the alert night and day,
he set out over the plains and deserts, Shiboob pre-
ceding him showing the way. Antar had his heart
full of King Zoheir and the Absians, and as the
journey lengthened, he thus expressed himself:
"He who is ambitious of honour bears no malice,
" and no exalted sentiments can exist in the mind
"of the passionate. He who is a slave of a tribe
"must not contradict them; he must endeavour to
"soothe them and conciliate them when they are
angry. Formerly indeed I tended their camels,
"but now I protect them when they are in affliction.
"God has ennobled the tribe of Abs, and has en-
"dowed them with virtues the Arabs possess not in
"their nature. Their slave has left the warriors
"overthrown in the dust, all in consternation and
(6
HE DEPARTS FROM THE DEFILE.
HIS SPEECH ON THE ROAD.
75
rr
Were I not to rescue them in
“in disgrace.
"their adversities, I myself should not be safe, and
"misfortune would not always fail me.
If you
“think, O Numan, my arm cannot reach you, for-
"tune then has changed. There are serpents, and
"their touch is soft in moving them round, but in
"their fangs is death. To-day, O Numan, you
"shall know what a youth will trample down thy
“brother whom falsehood has encouraged. A youth
"that plunges into the dust of battle with smiles,
" and when he retires his spear's point is dyed with
"blood. If he draws the sword to enforce his
"blows, the atmosphere is illumined, and the clouds
66 are rent asunder. The steeds are witness for me
"how I dive among them, and that my thrusts are
"like the sparks of a blazing fire. May God never
"remove from my eyes the noble youths; warriors
"when they alight, ennobled when they mount!
"Lions of the den, but no fangs have they but their
"barbs and the edge of their swords. Their fiery
"steeds rise with them, and round their necks are
" circles of buds like the basilflower. Ever will I
"encounter the chests of the chargers, fierce in look,
"with the spear, till their very saddles and housings
(C
cry out. He is blind within whose ken appears my
"form; he is deaf at whose mouth I raise my shout.
"The troops shall witness for me in the day of battle,
"the sword, and the spear, and the pens, and the
"records. My star shines far raised on high, above
"Arcturus, above the sun, above the clouds. I am
6
SHIBOOP GOES ON TO GAIN INTELLIGENCE.
"the son of Shedad, through the sublimity of his
"virtues, in glory, in honour, in liberality, and in
courtesy !"
<<
When Antar had finished his verses the men and
the chiefs were delighted. For four days they tra-
versed the deserts and the sands, and their anxiety
was excessive; and when they reached the great
lake, O my brother, said Shiboob, lay in a provision
of this water, for there is no more ahead of you.
Now was I well assured that you were sufficiently
strong to prevent Aswad from coming to this water,
I would secrete you in this spot, for when he and
his army come here they will be almost dead with
thirst. O Ebe-reah, said Antar, by the faith of an
Arab, if every human being on the face of the
earth, long and wide as it is, were to come here, I
will not let one of them wet his fingers in this water
till the sword has cleaved my heart, and my sight
be blinded. If so, said Shiboob, stay here, possess
yourself of this spot, whilst I go and obtain some in-
telligence of this Aswad. And he set out traversing
the barren waste; but Antar and his brave asso-
ciates alighted at the head of the water, and con-
cealed themselves in the mountains. The next day
early, behold Shiboob appeared. Glorious morn-
ing! cried Antar, come, tell me what is your news.
O Ebe-reah! My brother, said Shiboob, I have
seen Prince Aswad and his armies, like the rolling
sea, and King Zoheir, and his sons, and the Ab-
sians all in captivity, for Aswad surprised them in
CC
the morning. They fought for three days, and on
the fourth day came the tribe of Fazarah, and with
them the tribe of Marah, and the armies attacked
them in all directions; so they plundered the dwell-
ings and property, and made the women and families
captives. Aswad is now returning on his way to his
brother King Numan, overjoyed at what has hap-
pened. I heard all this from your friend Prince
Malik, for when I separated from you I did not
stop in my journey over the wastes till I met the
armies, and mingled with them in the dead of
the night, when I heard Prince Malik thus com-
plaining:
66
"We have drunk of fears after our security; we
"have been thoughtless of the adversities of fortune;
we have tasted of ignominy now that the raiser of
"the dust of the tumultuous contest has disap-
peared from us. In his absence we have been
destroyed by the oppressor, and the horses of the
"rebellious with slackened reins have trampled
66
HE OVERHEARS PRINCE MALIK'S SORROWS.
66
77
over us. Our families were protected by his long
spear, but its point is now broken. O hero of the
"tribe of Carad, assist us with the edge of thy
"sword from the rage of the Yemenites. Let not
"the accursed tribe exult over us. Our wives have
"been taken captives like harlots. Thou art our
"refuge at all times when the horses of death trou-
❝ble us.
Thou hast familiarized us to glory and
"honour, do not break us down, for thou wert the
"builder. Our wives and our virgins are driven
CC
78
66
away, and they beckon to thy noble person with
"their fingers. Tears flow from every brilliant eye
over the cheeks, blushing like the judas tree.
They cry out in their sorrows, O by Abs, O as-
"sist us, (sufficient are the pains we now suffer,)
"against our foes that have driven us into the
“desert, and let the birds of Yemen mourn over
"them."
<<
SHIBOOB CUTS OPEN THE WATER BAGS.
66
Shiboob repeated these verses in the language of
Prince Malik, and whilst Antar shed tears at the
recital, Shiboob continued, O my brother, as soon as
I had heard these verses, I advanced towards the
Prince, and saluted him. He related to me all that
had happened. I consoled his heart, and soon after
I drew out my dagger, and I cut in pieces all the
water-bags belonging to Prince Aswad, and now
they will find no water before them but in this place,
and in three days they will reach you.
At hearing the words of Shiboob, Antar's cares
and sorrows dissolved. Thou hast done admirably
well, O Ebe-reah, said he, and Antar felt assured
of the discomfiture of the Prince's army. He then
commanded his warriors to conceal themselves among
the mountains and the sand-hills, and Shiboob sta-
tioned himself as their scout, gazing over the desert
to the right and left. But as to Aswad, he marched
on, the remainder of the night, till early next day,
when he demanded of one of his slaves some water
after he had eaten his meal. The slaves stared
at each other; they turned pale, and looked to-
DISMAY OF THE ENEMY.
79
wards the ground. What is the matter with ye?
said the Prince; and what has happened to you? O
Prince, they replied, as soon as morning dawned,
we saw all our water-bags and sacks were rent open.
On hearing this, the light became darkness in the
eyes of the Prince. And who has done this deed?
cried he. We know not, most dreaded sire, said
they. He immediately ordered his messengers to pro-
ceed to the great lake and bring water. They obeyed
his directions, and the messengers set out with the
water-bags and sacks, forming one hundred brave
fellows; and the army continued their march that
day and night, and the next day, but as there was
no news of the messengers, the Prince and his chiefs
marched forward in quest of them, and to procure
some water.
As we before mentioned, Antar had stationed
Shiboob to look out; so when the messengers ad-
vanced, he informed Antar of it. They attempted
to fill their bags, and turned towards the water. In
an instant sixty were made prisoners, and forty were
slain. The messengers and their bags were seized,
and to Antar's question about the Prince and his
army, they said, They will be with you this day; we
quitted them in the most dreadful suspense, and if
they wait for us to return with water for them, the
whole army must expire of thirst.
O my brother, said Shiboob, give me fifty horse-
men of Oorwah's, and I will fill these bags and re-
turn to the army, and will supply with drink all the
80
ASWAD'S ARMY DESTROYED BY THIRST.
Absians, and will release them from captivity and
bondage; for know that Aswad's troops will not be
in a state even to look at one another. Do as you
please, son of my mother, said Antar: and imme-
diately Shiboob took away the water-bags and sacks,
and selecting fifty horsemen, he departed, passing
over roads the accursed devil himself would never
have discovered, till mixing with them, he perceived
brother knew not his brother, neither a son his
father.
The Prince in the mean time had set out in quest
of water, and a large portion of his troops had fol-
lowed him, all most anxiously seized with the desire
of drinking. They advanced towards the vicinity
of the lake, where they saw their messengers all
slain. He was confounded, and whilst they were
in this state of horror, Antar assaulted him, and
shouted, and terrified him. He smote him with
Dhami a blow on the joints of his neck, and he
hurled him at his full length on the ground. He
dismounted to pinion him, and having bound him
fast by the arms, he made towards his army that was
dotted about the desert in tens and twenties. Antar
and his party appeared against them: all that sur-
rendered he made prisoners, but those that defended
themselves he left dead, whilst they cried out to him,
O son of Shedad, only give us some water, and take
us prisoners.
Antar listened to none of their speeches, neither
did he make any answer, even till the remainder of
ANTAR JOINED BY KING ZOHEIR.
81
the army arrived the whole twenty thousand hustling
in crowds towards the water. Antar raved even
like a furious camel; he dashed down the war-
riors; when lo! a troop of horse appeared, amount-
ing to three thousand, all crying out, O by Abs! O
by Adnan! and at their head was King Zoheir and
his brave sons.
Shiboob had effected their escape;
for when he departed with the water-bags, filled
with water, he continued his journey till he reached
the Absian prisoners. Seeing the army each interested
in his personal wants, he penetrated through them,
and supplied the Absians with water, and ordered
Oorwah's people to release them. In an hour all were
at liberty, and took their horses as they were by
their sides. They carried off armour and accou-
trements, and corslets, and in less than an hour
they were mounted, and became illustrious horse-
men. Join my brother Antar at the great lake, cried
Shiboob.
Upon this King Zoheir cried out to his people,
Come on, my cousins, to the assistance of the man
who has raised us from the dead, and has protected
our wives and our daughters. He galloped on, and
the Absian warriors followed him till they came up
with Antar, and they all in one voice shouted O
by Abs! O by Adnan! and they made a general
attack on the army.
Antar was rejoiced at seeing the Absians at liberty,
and he rushed amongst the enemy. King Zoheir
VOL. III.
G
$2
BASHARAH HUNG, AND IBLA CARRIED OFF.
and his associates performed deeds that would have
amazed the bravest of warriors. Thus they con-
tinued till the day fled, and the army of the Prince
was entirely routed, and dispersed over the de-
sert and waste, Antar and the Absians pursuing
them till they drove them out of that country, and
then returning to the scattered horses and dis-
persed plunder, they took possession of the tents, and
baggage, and cattle. Aswad was their prisoner,
with seven thousand of the tribes of Lakhm and
Juzam; more than four thousand were slain, the
remainder escaped by flight. But Antar turned
towards King Zoheir, and he appeared as if plunged
in a sea of blood. The King dismounted, and ran
towards him, and folding him to his bosom, kissed
him between the eyes, thanking him, and extolling
him. The same did all King Zoheir's sons; they
advanced and saluted Antar, and thanked him for
what he had done; whilst the Absians prayed for
him, and lauded his deeds. They reposed that night;
but the next day they set out for the mountains of
Radm, and the valley of Raml.
They continued their march night and day till
they reached the mountain, and they found it
totally unoccupied. Antar shuddered, and was
amazed. Shiboob gazed, and he'saw Basharah hung
upon the top of the mountain. Shiboob wept bit-
terly; Antar grieved for Ibla, and his tears streamed
in torrents.
1
REBIA SUBORNS AMROO,
CHAPTER XIX.
+
A
83
WHEN Antar departed in quest of Prince Aswad,
he deputed his uncle Malik and his son, and a party
of Oorwah's people, to take charge of the prisoners,
and to protect the place. But as soon as he was
gone, Amroo entered unto the prisoners, and began
to abuse them, demanding restitution of the pro-
perty they had taken from Ibla. Alas, O Amroo!
said Rebia, art thou not ashamed of this discourse,
and art not thou, as well as thy father, utterly dis-
graced by following this cursed and perfidious slave?
Thinkest thou, O Amroo, that Antar can resist the
Arab and the Persian, when King Numan shall
send for him? What will ye do then? And more-
over, O Amroo, how canst thou reconcile it to
thy heart to marry thy sister to one, who used to
tend her camels and her flocks? Rejoice then in
the certainty that Antar will never return; for
he is gone to fight with twenty thousand horse-
men. My opinion is, thou shouldst persuade thy
father to avail himself of this opportunity before he
repents.
These words entered deep into Amroo's ears;
Rebia's wily ways had their effect; and he felt
G Q
84
WHO RELEASES ANTAR'S PRISONERS.
ashamed on the subject of his sister. But how can
we manage to escape? said he. My advice is, said
Rebia, that you refer your business to this noble.
hero Mooferridj, he will take you with him to King
Numan, and will secure his protection for you, and
when we arrive at Hirah, and shall see Prince
Aswad on his return, with King Zoheir, a pri-
soner, and all the tribe of Abs, we will mediate
for King Zoheir, and will marry his daughter to
King Numan, and marry Ibla to this valiant Chief
Amarah; then we will return all together home to
our families and friends. God bless you for this
contrivance! said Amarah.
As soon as Amroo heard this, he was convinced.
So he quitted the prisoners, and repaired to his
father Malik, and related all that Rebia had men-
tioned. All this is perfectly correct, said his father,
but I fear the good fortune of Antar: for we have
never attempted to oppose him, but we have fallen
into most grievous calamities; but have patience
with me till I have decided on the plan. They
waited till night came on with its obscurity. Arise,
said Malik to his son, seek the prisoners, that is,
release them.
Amroo instantly arose, and went to the prisoners,
and unbound them, and informed them of what his
father had planned. He delivered to them their
arms and accoutrements, and their horses; and
as we have said, they were the tyrants of war-
THEY ARE OVERTAKEN BY MAADI KEREB.
85
riors. So when they gained possession of their arms.
and armour, each sprang forth a lion. They as-
saulted the mountain; they seized the men, and
bound them fast by the shoulders. They made the
women and families captive, and plundered the stores
and cattle; and by morning they were masters of
every thing. But the first thing Mooferridj and
Rebia did was to hang Basharah on the mountain
top. They set their wives at liberty, and bound
the women of the family of Carad, and Ibla was
treated in the most ignominious manner, in con-
tempt towards Antar. They drove away the cattle,
and issued from the monntains, seeking the land of
King Numan.
Amarah was in ecstacy, and kept trotting round
the howdah in which was Ibla, brandishing his spear
in his left hand. They continued their journey that
day and night, but on the next day, soon after sun-
rise, there arose a dust: they halted, it cleared away,
and there appeared five thousand horse, preceded
by a knight, like a huge fragment of a mountain,
or one of the remnants of the tribe of Aad. His
feet drew deep lines over the land, such was the
length of his body.
As soon as Mooferridj saw him, Fly, my cousins,
fly, he cried; this is the Chief Maadi Kereb, and
he wheeled round and fled, Sinan and Rebia fol-
lowing him. How can we fly, exclaimed Amarah,
and abandon Ibla, and not fight a little at any rate,
86
MAADI KEREB AND JAYDA
that she may view the intrepid conduct of the fierce
Amarah? O thou defiled mustachioed fool! follow
me, and give us none of your bark-husks*, cried
Rebia. Upon this, he threw away his spear and
fled.
}
When Zalim saw what the family of Zeead had
done, May God disgrace you among men, he cried;
you that cannot protect your women, or repulse an
enemy or foe. Then he also took to flight, and
escaped.
This warrior that met them was a sturdy hero,
and an undaunted lion, one of the thousand tyrants;
his stature equalled the tallest trees, when he stood
still and when he moved; in his hand he bore a
thundering spear, and he was the dread of all war-
riors.
When Antar had taken Jayda captive, and had
slain her cousin Khalid, Jayda obtained her liberty
and fled, and in grief at what had befallen her,
she clothed herself in black, and wept and mourned
incessantly. And Maadi Kereb, when drinking,
found his pleasures so disturbed by her lamentations
and plaints, that he resolved on an expedition, when
lo! a messenger came towards him, and saluting
him, informed him of all Antar had done, and that
he was gone down to the mountains of Radm, and
that King Numan had sent twenty thousand horse-
men against him.
i. c. Nonsense.
When Maadi Kereb heard this, he was de-
lighted; he sent for Jayda. Be comforted in the
death of Antar, as a compensation for your cousin,
said he. Let us, cried Jayda, undertake the de-
struction of this perfidious slave, and let us avenge
ourselves.
66
On hearing this, Maadi Kereb ordered the tribes
of Morad and Zebeed to prepare their warlike
weapons. He selected five thousand horsemen, and
resolved on departing. Jayda too was overjoyed at
this expedition to engage Antar, for she was filled
with the notion that she should kill him, and take
vengeance for the loss of her cousin Khalid; and
when they were at some distance from the tribe of
Zebeed, Jayda thus expressed herself:
66
My life is wasting, but my grief passes not
away. My courage is diminished, and my soul is
"exhausted. My tears flow abundantly, and my
"eyelids are ulcered; any sleep, now Khalid is
gone, is my oppression. Alas! alas! O my re-
grets for him who defended us with his Indian
"blade! But a slave of the tribe of Carad has af-
"flicted us; whose arm is fate and approaching
"death. Were there not such vicissitudes of
"fortune, honours would not be granted to the
"base-born slaves. O sons of my uncle! rouse the
"dust of battle against the country of Abs and its
regions. Drive away all their virgins with the
point of the spear, to their infamy and disgrace.
66
(C
66
SEEK VENGEANCE ON ANTAR.
66
87
1
88
66
My fury can never be appeased without the
piercing spear that raises the dust of conten-
❝tion, or the blow from the sharp-edged scimitar,
"that makes the bravest gnaw their fingers with
"rage."
THEY CAPTURE MALIK AND IBLA,
(6
When Jayda had finished her verses, pride burst.
like a hurricane through the heads of her warriors,
and they continued their course till they met Moofer-
ridj, and all his people fled.
When Maadi Kereb marked Mooferridj and his
flight, See these wretches, daughter of my uncle !
he cried to Jayda, when the wolf snuffs the smell of
a lion, he flies and runs in terror away. But as soon
as he saw Malik, Ibla's father, he recognised him,
and also his son Amroo, and the whole body of Ca-
radians. Know, said he to Jayda, these are our
enemies, and Malik, son of Carad, who sent Antar to
our country to slay your cousin. Thou old wretch,
thou perfidious dog, bellowed he at Malik, we have
heard the tribe of Shiban were your captives; how
is it we see you with them in captivity and bondage?
And truly they have carried off your property and
families, and this is indeed a most curious affair. O
warrior, said Malik, all you have heard is true, and
we are ourselves the cause of this calamity; for we
have abandoned truth, and have followed fraud and
deceit; and we have been betrayed by those in
whom we confided. He then informed him all
about Antar, and how he had delivered the pri-
AND PUNISH THE ABSIANS SEVERELY.
89
soners over to them, and was gone to meet Prince
Aswad, and we, he continued, have set them at
liberty, and this fatality is now come upon us. Maadi
Kereb was amazed at this recital. You have indeed
rewarded Antar most infamously, said he; but you
know that it is Antar who has made you the com-
mon talk among the Arabs; and truly you have
acted in the basest manner. And he fell upon him
and his son Amroo with a whip he had in his hand,
till he made their blood stream upon the ground
from the violence of his blows.
After this, Maadi Kereb and Jayda, with their
troops, returned, seeking their own country, taking
with them the property of the family of Carad,
their women and children. Ibla wept night and
day for her cousin, the magnanimous conqueror
Antar. But Jayda had ever in her mind the words
of Malik to Antar, viz.-I will not marry my daugh-
ter to you, till you bring me Jayda to hold the bridle
of her camel on the marriage night. So she went
aside to him and his son, and beat them violently,
till their blood trickled upon the earth, and they
were nearly lifeless from excessive torture. Thus
they indeed repented of their behaviour to Antar.
But as to the Shibanians that fled from Antar
when he took their Chief Mooferridj prisoner, they
continued their hasty course till they came to
King Numan, and related what Antar had done.
to them. On hearing this, the light became dark-
90
NUMAN'S RAGE AT MOOFERRIDJ'S RETURN,
ness in the eyes of Numan, and he was amazed
at Antar's good fortune. Well, said he to his at-
tendants, entertain them till Prince Aswad arrives
with his prisoner King Zoheir, and the whole Ab-
sian tribe; and then I will send all my armies and
troops against Antar, and will order them to bring
him to my presence, that I may inflict on him.
the severest torments, and feed the dogs on his
flesh.
He remained quiet for seven days, when the
Chief Mooferridj arrived, together with Rebia, and
the warriors, and there was not one but wept and
shed torrents of tears in detailing his condition and
his adventures, and when King Numan heard the
occasion of this disaster, wrath was kindled in his
countenance he made them repeat their story.
And Antar has proceeded against your brother the
Prince, they added, with one hundred and fifty
horsemen. Verily, exclaimed King Numan, this
circumstance deserves to be recorded and inscribed,
particularly if Antar should rout my brother and
his army; then indeed there will be no resource but
for me to deliver up the kingdom of the Arabs
to Antar, and put myself to no further trouble
about it.
King Numan waited patiently in expectation of
his brother's arrival, his heart all the time enduring
unknown tortures. In a few days the army that
fled from the great lake arrived, all cut to pieces-
AND THE RETREAT OF ASWAD'S ARMY.
91
wandering over the wilds-not one daring to look
behind him—each ignorant of the fate of his com-
panions-till they presented themselves before King
Numan, all exclaiming, What terrors! what dread-
ful events! King Numan, on seeing them in this
condition, felt his heart on fire, and his distraction
was insupportable. What! has Antar vanquished
you? he cried. Yes, they exclaimed; he has rooted
out every vestige of us, and has not left of us even
one to fight, nor a banner to wave.
Yet he would not have succeeded in his attempts
but by thirst and drought, they added; for he met
us at the great lake. He took your brother pri-
soner, with seven thousand of his horsemen, of
the tribes of Lakhm and Juzam, and four thou-
sand were slain in the dust; the remainder fled
over the wilds, and this is our fate. As to those
four thousand, exclaimed Numan, who have been
killed, how shall we be revenged on that sturdy
slave, and how shall we take his blood, in compensa-
tion for the chieftains of Lakhm and Juzam? For
truly, if this news reaches Chosroe, we shall be no
longer considered or respected by him. I am quite
distracted, and know not how to extricate myself
from these difficulties.
O King, said Rebia, write to the Arabs who are
under your dominion, and I will also write to the
tribe of Fazarah. We will all go against Antar, and
tear up every vestige of him. Thou Sheikh of
92 MAADI KEREB ANXIOUS TO ENGAGE ANTAR.
iniquity, exclaimed Numan, turning upon him; by
the faith of an Arab, thou hast indeed opened an
unfortunate door with these Arab dogs, and thou
for this disturbance deservest nought but to have
your chin shaved, and the cruelest tortures, thou
ordure of Arabs and men! But Numan ordered
letters to be written to all the Arab tribes, both near
and distant, requiring them to repair to him with
all speed, and the Vizier Amroo, son of Nefilah,
wrote accordingly to the Arabs, and amongst others
to Maadi Kereb, the Zebeedian, ordering him to
come with his troops, and he also was directed
to release the Shibanian women, and to restore
to Mooferridj the property he had captured, and
to take care of Ibla, and the family of Carad he
had with him, until the differences with Antar
should be arranged; and we, it was said in con-
clusion, will give you half the spoil, when Antar is
dead.
As soon as this letter reached Maadi Kereb, he
was greatly astonished. What extraordinary times,
what wonderful events are these! he exclaimed.
This slave must be endued with the most admirable
qualities; and the proof is, that he has taken Prince
Aswad prisoner; and truly by this his name will be
recorded for ages: in fact, at first it was a disgrace
and a dishonour to fight with Antar, but now it will
be a glory and a boast, now that he has vanquished
kings, and overcome the bravest. But I am anxious
HE AND JAYDA CONSULT.
93
to outstrip the armies of King Numan, and succeed
in putting this black wittol to death. He inquired
intelligence of the messengers about Antar, and they
informed him that he was gone down to the moun-
tains of Radm.
On hearing this, he sent for Jayda, and related to
her Antar's adventures; and now, he added, Numan
has ordered me to attack him, and to restore Moo-
ferridj's property. And what have you resolved on
doing? asked Jayda. As to his orders, replied
Maadi Kereb, about the restitution of Mooferridj's
property, I must obey; but as to his directions
about my repairing to him, that I will not do; but
I will collect my troops, and will go against Antar
myself. I will not trouble King Numan, but will
accomplish his wishes, and I will not proceed to
King Numan, but with all the tribe of Abs driven
ahead of me, with ropes round their necks, and
Antar's head raised high on one of my longest
spears. And who, said Jayda, must go with
Mooferridj's property? You; said Maadi Kereb.
But then, said she, I must have with me the fa-
mily of Carad, and their property, that I may
not be slack in torturing that Malik, and his son
Amroo.
Jayda remained that night, but the next day she
mounted her steed, and taking away with her Moo-
ferridj's property, the family of Carad, and their
goods, she set out on her way to Irak. Maadi
94
Kereb, too, mounted with five thousand stout Ze-
beedians, and went to engage Antar. He marched
at the head of his warriors like a strong tower, thus
reciting :
66
"The lions of the desert are my delight and
"my companions; they see in me their fellow and
ally. Behold, the dwellings of the family of Ca-
"rad are near their final doom. In the combat I
"have overwhelmed their horsemen on account of
"their slave, surnamed the accursed. I will de-
stroy their chiefs with the thrust of the spear
through their bowels and their waists. You shall
"be satiated with their blood, after ye have eaten
your fill, ye wild beasts-so thank me-I am
"Maadi Kereb, the chief of the Zebeedians, and
every Arab horseman is my inferior. Every
"warrior humbles himself before me, struck with
"fear when I brandish my sword in my hand.
"Mine is the universe, and every slave therein in
"the castles and the fortresses. My force is the
"force of the lion; they fear my power, and ap-
proach me not. I heed them not. I care not
"for them when they oppose me; and were it not
66
a heinous sin, I would say to the whole earth,
my right hand and my left hand should sub-
"vert it."
66
66
66
66
MAADI KEREB'S BOASTING.
66
CC
These verses proceeded from that extreme igno-
rance of the Arabs, for when any one of them
mounted a horse, he used to say, the earth tottered
ANTAR'S DESPAIR IN THE MOUNTAIN.
95
in affright at him, and that all the bravest warriors.
were within his grasp, and thus Maadi Kereb
sought the mountains. But as to Antar, when he re-
turned to the mountains, and saw that whole country
destroyed, and Basharah hung up and the birds
feeding on him, he was as no one had ever been
before him, such was his distress at the loss of Ibla;
yet he concealed his grief, and in appearance was
patient and resigned. O my brother, said Shiboob,
by the faith of an Arab, no one but your uncle
Malik and his son Amroo have released the pri-
-soners; indeed I was never comfortable at leaving
them behind us in the mountains, for treachery is
their nature, and iniquity can never be extracted
from their hearts; but their perfidy will certainly
fall upon them.
Antar and the Absians alighted in the moun-
tains; they pitched their tents, and raised their
standards, and crammed the caverns full with
the prisoners; and whilst Shiboob and a party
of slaves were stationed guard over them, Antar
remained quiet; but in his heart was the flame
of anxiety to learn some intelligence, and though
in company with King Zoheir he evinced the
most perfect courage and forbearance, yet when
alone he thought only of Ibla; his grief then be-
came extreme; he wept immoderately, and thus
spoke :
"Who is it by whom the lands of the valley of
96
((
66
"Raml are laid waste? Where are his traces, O
"northern blasts? Here I stand, and my tears
"flood my eyes at the inutility of my demand.
"Should I ask of the damsels of Carad and of her
companions for that beauty, how deceitful would
"be the reply! how irrelevant to my question! At
"the voice of the raven I am melancholy, and my
"tears flow like pearls. O raven, wherefore dost
"thou call all the day long on my right hand and
on my left
left? thou communicatest to me every
species of grief, and tellest of separation after en-
joyment, as if I had sacrificed thy young with the
"edge of my sword, and had laid snares for thee.
By the virtue of thy parent, rather soothe the
"wounds of my heart, and quench the flame of my
"soul with thy song. Speak to me of my Ibla, tell
and what the hands of darkness
are doing to her. My heart roams distracted over
"the earth, marking the traces of her camel's foot-
"steps. My body is cast among the mountains of
"Radm, and my imagination is haunted with
"phantoms. In the valley the bird flits on the
"branches, and its complaints are in the extreme of
"bitterness. I say to it whilst it continues its sor-
((
me where she is,
،،
66
66
66
HE POURS OUT HIS SORROWS BY NIGHT.
66
rows, complain no more; is thy condition like
"mine? As for me, my tears flow, and thou
"mournest also, but without tears; and that is the
"just explanation of my state. May God execrate
"separation and respect it not; how oft has my
97
-
JAREER ESCAPES TO ANTAR.
"heart been shivered with its arrows! I have en-
"gaged every hardy obstinate warrior, but absence
"kills me without a contest. I am truly called the
"Antar of horsemen, and the animated leader in
every affair of importance and peril!”
Antar indulged in incessant grief and lamentation
morning and evening till the arrival of his brother
Jareer; his coming was indeed like a festival, for he
informed him of all that had happened; and Maadi
Kereb, he added, is marching against you with five
thousand warriors, all immersed in steel and re-
fulgent armour. Jareer had been taken prisoner
with Ibla, and was unable to effect his escape till
Jayda set out to go to King Numan. Jayda indeed
did not know him, or that he was Antar's brother,
or she would have treated him ill; for among the
Arabs it was not generally understood that Antar
had any brother but Shiboob.
(6
Antar conducted him to King Zoheir, to whom he
related all he had heard. O Aboolfawaris, said he,
as to this knight that is coming against us, all the
warriors are unanimous in their opinion that he is a
tyrant fire even cannot overcome; and now what are
your intentions, and what is your advice? None but
to meet this Maadi Kereb, exclaimed Antar, and all
his host. Afterwards I will engage King Numan, and
will extirpate all the Arabs he has assembled round
him. I will raise thee to his station: then will I go
to Moodayin, and will put Chosroes Nushirvan to
death. I will exterminate all the armies of Persia,
VOL. III.
H
98
and will not leave one of them to wag a leg; then
will I become lord of the balcony, and will rule over
the Persian and the Arab, for I know when death
is protracted, the sharpest scimitar cannot avail, and
man can effect what he pleases and desires, were he
even the most contemptible of slaves. When King
Zoheir heard Antar's discourse he was amazed at
his intrepidity, and the little account he made of the
Arabs. Do as you please, he said, for we will be
guided by your actions. If you engage, we will
engage; if you fight, we will fight; if you die, we
will die. Yours is our property, and yours is all
we possess. Console your heart and brighten up
your eye, said Antar, for by the faith of an Arab,
I must absolutely put you in possession of King
Numan's station, had he even with him men and
demons, and the fiends that rebelled against our
Lord Soliman. I will strike off the head of my
uncle Malik and his son Amroo. Thus saying, he
started out of King Zoheir's presence, and every
night he kept the watch, but on the third night the
Absians searched for Antar, but could not find him.
King Zoheir was greatly agitated, and he said, An-
tar is surely gone to encounter Maadi Kereb and
the tribe of Zebeed; never will he let them reach
this desert.
THEY RESOLVE TO DIE OR CONQUER.
As to Maadi Kereb, he marched on till he came
into the vicinity of the mountains, when he halted
at one of the lakes, where assembling his people
about him, O my cousins, said he, I am sure when
↓
MAADI KEREB'S PLAN TO SURPRISE ANTar. 99
Antar hears of our expedition, he will either not
dare to appear without the mountains, or he will
intercept our road, or he will run away when he
hears of us, and will not venture to establish himself
in this country. But I am desirous of executing a
plan, which is this: I will take with me ten warriors,
and will set out and surprise the defile at day-break
before they have any information of us. I will ply
the sword well among them, and will allay my heart
with them till you come up and facilitate the busi-
ness for us, and make the affair easy. We shall
gain a great reputation by this enterprise, for a well-
contrived plan is more creditable than engaging in
a battle. Do as you please, they said. He reposed
till the greater part of the night was passed; he
then mounted his horse, and took with him ten
horsemen, whose firmness in the most imminent
perils he well knew, and he set out for the moun-
tains. He travelled on till day-break, when he
heard something ahead of him, and saw a man on
foot skulking before them. Go, said Maadi Kereb
to one of his horsemen, and bring me news of this
fellow on foot. But he observed them as soon as
they observed him. Hey! young man, cried the
Zebeedian, who art thou? whence comest thou?
and whither art thou going? I am a Zebeedian,
said the man on foot, and my master Maadi
Kereb has sent me to obtain intelligence of Antar.
Thou liest, said the Zebeedian, thou ordure-born
wretch, we are the tribe of Zebeed marching to en-
H 2
100
SEES SHIBOOB IN THE DARK.
gage Antar, and no human being has been sent
before us. And he fixed his spear in his hand, and
was about to drive him into Maadi Kereb's presence,
but the man on foot had already drawn out an
arrow from his quiver, and fixed it on the handle of
his bow, and shot the Zebeedian with it on the chest,
and the arrow pierced him quivering through his
back; he gave a scream, and fell dead. My cousins,
cried out Maadi Kereb, this fellow on foot has slain.
our cousin; come on, on to him: and the nine
crowded after him, and shouted out, and sought
him in all directions. But when the man on foot
saw the troop in quest of him, he fled out of their
sight in less than the twinkling of an eye, and they
could perceive no trace of him. The Zebeedians
were amazed at his agility: This can be no human
being, said they. He had not disappeared long
when he returned, and with him a knight on a black
steed. Ye ignoble dastards, he cried, I am Antar,
son of Shedad, the vanquisher of heroes.
Now Antar, after what had occurred in the pre-
sence of King Zoheir, kept watch; but on the third
night, said Antar to Shiboob, Let us, son of my
mother, go to some distance from the mountains;
perhaps we may come upon Maadi Kereb, and I
will show him what will surprise him, for the king
has been crying up his intrepidity. Do what you
please, said Shiboob. So they marched on till they
met Maadi Kereb and his party. Shiboob slew the
horseman, and returned to acquaint his brother with
ENGAGES ANTAR.
101
what had passed. Antar was delighted, and con-
gratulated himself, and assaulted the Zebeed heroes;
he slew five of them, and Shiboob three with his
arrows, and only one escaped, no more, who re-
turned to Maadi Kereb, and told him what Antar
had done to his comrades. When Maadi Kereb
heard this, the light became dark in his eyes, and
without saying a word he rushed upon Antar like a
furious lion. Antar also received him as the parched
up ground the first of the rain, and descended upon
him like the descent of fate and destiny. They en-
gaged till the very tears gushed from their eyes,
and darkness involved them in shades of night.
Thrusts fell at random, and the blood flowed from
their bodies upon the surface of the earth. It
was a moment the horrors of which turned youth
to age. They continued the fight and the con-
flict till the morning rose upon them, and in
their hands only remained the stumps of their
spears. They threw them away, and unsheathed
their scimitars, more ready instruments of death;
they smote each other with their swords against
their shields till the whole country was illumined
by their flashes. The sweat streamed from their
bodies, and both wished they had never been born;
they rushed at each other with the fury of lions, so
that their feet ground down even the stones and the
rocks. Shiboob was also occupied with the horse-
man who had escaped out of the ten; neither did
he discontinue his wiles and tricks till he had slain
102
A FURIOUS CONFLICT ENSUES.
his horse, and he became a man on foot like himself.
It was then he attacked him with his arrows, but
could make no impression on him on account of the
steel and coat of mail he had on him. The conflict
continued between Antar and Maadi Kereb like a
sparkling fire till Maadi Kereb was fatigued and
exhausted, and disgrace followed glory; for he ob-
served in Antar something on which he had not
calculated. So he was overwhelmed with shame
and repentance, for he had not suspected that he
should meet with such a reception from Antar, or
be subject to such difficulties with him. They flung
away their swords out of their hands, and slung
their shields behind their shoulders; the two ap-
proached with their horses, and wrestled on their
backs with their whole power and force till their
horses sunk beneath them, and both fell to the
ground. During this they both bellowed like the
roar of lions, and their feet pounded the stones and
the rocks whilst they wrestled and struggled, and
the sweat poured down from their bodies like the
froth of caldrons, and their feet stamped up fur-
rows like graves. But Maadi Kereb was worn
out and exhausted, and observing how Antar en-
gaged, the tears started from his eyes from excess
of rage. Antar roared at him in a voice like thun-
der in the clouds, and extending at him his arm
like the neck of a black camel, he grasped him
by the rings of his corslet and his coat of mail,
and cried out, O by Abs, I will not be controlled,
MAADI KEREB A PRISONER.
103
I am the lover of Ibla; I will not be restrained!
and he tore him up from the ground, took him
prisoner, and dashing him again on the earth, bound
fast his shoulders. But when the Zebeedian saw
Maadi Kereb in Antar's power he attempted to
escape by flight from the presence of Shiboob, but
he overtook him like a blast of wind, and as he
raised his hand with his dagger, the other begged
for quarter, and delivered himself up to Shiboob,
who pinioned his arms, and went with him to his
brother Antar. As soon as he came before him,
Hey! we are on a par in intrepidity this night, said
he, for you have taken prisoner a knight and I also.
By the truth of Him who distinguishes between
morning and evening, no woman will ever bring
forth another such man as Maadi Kereb, unless in-
deed it should be the express will and pleasure of
the God of old, said Antar. By the faith of noble
Arabs, who preserve inviolate their faith and pro-
tection, exclaimed Maadi Kereb, all skill fails when
you are present in the field, and even the boldest is
but a coward before you. At that period knights
did justice to each other in their conversation, and
no one amongst them forfeited the consideration of
a hero.
Antar bound Maadi Kereb on the back of a
horse as he said to Shiboob, Make fast also your
prisoner, and return with me to the tribe that we
may see how this business will terminate, for it is
my wish to ransom Maadi Kereb for Ibla and all
104
our prisoners in the power of King Numan, other-
wise I will strike off the head of his brother Prince
Aswad, and all the prisoners of the tribes of Lakhm
and Juzam; and I will release my own people with
the edge of my sword, were they even on the back
of the clouds. O Aboolfawaris, said Maadi Kereb,
there is no occasion for these threats, for Ibla shall
be at liberty, and so shall all the women, men and
children with her, and their property, and there
shall not be lost of all that belonged to you the
value of a halter; and if you will but confide in my
word, and release me from bondage, I will restore
your family to you, and will intercede for a ter-
mination of this difference. Then will I take you
as my master and friend for ever, and perhaps I
shall be able to mediate between you and King
Numan before he marches the Arabs against you,
and a host numerous as the sands attack
you; and
should you then wish for a conference it will not be
granted, for intrepidity avails not with numbers, and
good counsel is preferable to exposure to dangers.
But now you are apprised of the whole business, so
consider your own safety. O Maadi, I am aware of
all you have said, replied Antar; but know I have
not undertaken this enterprise or opposed King
Numan but in order to erase from me the name of
servitude, and to attain high honours; and my mind
assures me I shall subvert governments, and my
name become celebrated among the mountains and
the plains. It is only on this account I expose my
HIS PROPOSALS TO ANTAR,
MARVELS AT ANTAR'S INTREPIDITY.
105
person to perils, and in this crisis I must seat my-
self in the very station of Chosroe Nushirvan, the
lord of the tiara and the balcony. Maadi Kereb
was amazed at the strength of his heart, and he was
convinced he must be a most potent warrior and of
no soft mould.
Antar had not advanced far when the Zebeedian
army approached, that filled the whole surrounding
region. Maadi Kereb told Antar what he had done,
and that his tribe was advancing on no other ac-
count; but, said he to Shiboob, go you away with
the prisoners, and let me attack this army alone, and
let me destroy them with the force of my arm and
my elbow. Shiboob proceeded with the prisoners;
but Maadi Kereb shuddered, and was stupefied at
Antar's expressions, seeing a single knight prepare
to engage five thousand horsemen. Thou brave
slave, he exclaimed, fire even cannot harm thee.
The Zebeedians soon reached the field of battle;
they saw the carcasses of their companions stretched
on the ground, and knowing they were those who
had accompanied Maadi Kereb, they cried out,
Misery and ruin! They looked round to the right
and left, searching out some one of whom to inquire.
who had done this deed: they saw no one but
Antar stalking towards them, when one cried out,
Come on, here is a knight, I will ask him; but if it
is he that has acted thus to our comrades, cut him
in pieces with your swords; and they crowded on
till they came near to him. Hey, foul-born! they
106
ANTAR ATTACKS THE ARMY OF ZEBEED.
cried, who has executed this deed on our com-
panions? Where is our chief Maadi Kereb?
Antar's answer was that of a ferocious lion; he
roared, and he bellowed, and shouted: Ye sons of
harlots, as to your chief, I have taken him prisoner ;
and as to you, ye shall drink of disgrace and misery;
and as to myself, I am Antar, son of Shedad, the
destroyer of heroes. He had no sooner spoken than
he rushed upon them; he pierced the first and
hurled him over; the second he disgraced; a third
he annihilated his existence; and so likewise with a
fourth and a fifth; and in less than an hour the
whole five thousand halted, and the foremost fell
back upon the hindmost, shouting at him from a
distance, not one of them venturing to come near
the spot where he stood, for if they approached, he
slew them instantly, and he killed above two hundred.
The remainder were seized with panic and alarm,
and when they saw the calamity that was falling upon
them, they divided into five parties, and surrounding
Antar on all sides, the men made at him with their
spears and their swords, but Antar uncovered his
head and assaulted them, raving like a furious
camel; his eyeballs flashed fire, and the foam poured
from the corners of his lips. He shouted forth:
O by Abs! O by Adnan! By thine eyes, O Ibla,
this day will I slay these horsemen. The Zebee-
dians were in the utmost consternation as they said
to each other: Fly not, or ye will remain a foul
disgrace among the Arabs; they hemmed him in,
107
and drew blood from his body; his horse Abjer was
giving way, and there was not space for him to ad-
vance or retreat. Antar wanted to dismount, when
lo! a dust arose, and discovered King Zoheir and
five hundred Absian horsemen, preceded by Shiboob
like a wolf, and when they came up they attacked
and shouted, men met men, and heroes encoun-
tered heroes. Antar recovered his power. The
cause of King Zoheir's arrival was this: being ex-
ceedingly distressed at the disappearance of Antar,
he sent for Jareer and asked him, how long ago it
was that he had quitted Maadi Kereb? My lord,
he replied, I only left him behind two nights.
Then, said King Zoheir, Antar is only gone with a
view to finish their business, but it will be as well
for us to join him and assist him: And I will go,
said Oorwah, with my men to his aid; and I, said
Shedad, I will accompany you, and thus said
Zakhmetuljewad, and all the Carad horsemen. And
I will also go myself, said King Zoheir, I will not
be backward in aiding our protector Antar, the
overwhelming knight. So he took in all five hun-
dred horse as we mentioned, and followed the traces
of Antar. About midday they met Shiboob, and
with him Maadi Kereb and his associates, and their
hearts were at ease, particularly when they saw his
prisoners. They saluted him, and asked him what
had happened to them. He related all that had
passed about Maadi Kereb: Overtake my brother,
he added, for he is in trouble; the Zebeedian troops
THE TIMELY SUCCOUR OF THE ABSIANS.
108
have attacked him alone, and he is now in the midst
of an army of five thousand men.
DEFEAT AND FLIGHT OF THE ZEBEEDIANS.
Shiboob gave over Maadi Kereb and his com-
panion to ten horsemen, and directed them to go
with them to the mountains, and returned at the
head of the horse like an antelope, till they came up
with Antar, and attacked the tribe of Zebeed. By
their assault, the horsemen were drawn off from
Antar, and he rushed among the warriors. The
Zebeedians, perceiving the destructive force of Antar
and the Absians, turned away in flight, and de-
parted in haste and confusion. In an hour a thou-
sand of them were slain, and they said to each
other, We, when Antar was even alone, could
make no impression upon him; how can we succeed
now that he has five hundred horsemen with him?
and they wheeled about their horses' heads, and
sought their own country. But Antar and the
Absians pursued them till they drove them out of
that land, and then returned to the scattered horses
and dispersed armour, and having collected all the
spoil, they set out for the mountains; Antar going
ahead, as if he had been immersed in a sea of blood.
When they reached the mountains, they assembled
the women and families, and all were in high spirits
at this event. They reposed that night, rejoicing
in victory and triumph, and extolling Antar till day-
break; when Antar mounted and repaired to King
Zoheir. As soon as he appeared, the king sprang
on his legs and met him, and seating him in the
109
most honourable place, O Aboolfawaris, said he,
you expose your person to great hazards, and I
fear some dreadful accident will happen to you, and
you will leave us to regret you for ages. O noble
king, said Antar, by the faith of an Arab, verily all
these events do not hasten death, and do not avert
misfortune. King Zoheir was amazed at his words,
(and it was on this account that all the Arab horse-
men were so brave). Antar having ended his dis-
course, directed Shiboob to produce Maadi Kereb,
and when he was in his presence: O Maadi Kereb,
said he, write to Jayda and Numan, and demand
your ransom of them. He agreed to the propriety
of the proposal, and immediately wrote to Jayda,
and thus expressed himself:
You, whom I acknowledge as the daughter of
my uncle, know that fortune is treacherous, and the
wise are not always secure from adversity, and he
who says no one can slay me, errs in his speech. I
indeed have acted like a fool, and was not aware of
the vicissitudes of fortune. I have fallen into the
power of the knight of Abs and Adnan. Then he
explained in his letter all that happened with Antar:
he recommended her to restore all the Carad women,
adding, Treat Ibla kindly, and her father also, and
make your excuses to them; do not detain any
particle of their property; but be quick, be quick!
before death arrives.
MAADI KEREB'S LETTER TO JAYDA.
He despatched it by a Zebeedian horseman, and
ordered him to return with all speed. But as to
110 JAYDA GIVES THE PRISONERS TO NUMAN.
Jayda, after she had separated from Maadi Kereb,
she eagerly pursued her course, taking with her the
women of Carad, and their property and children,
till she arrived in the lank of Irak, where she saw
the numerous assembled tribes. She presented
herself to King Numan, and saluting him, delivered
to him the women of the tribe of Carad and their
property. Numan was much pleased, and to his
inquiries about Maadi Kereb, she told him he was
gone to meet Antar: By the faith of a noble Arab,
said he, if Maadi Kereb effects this, and vanquishes
the tribe of Abs and Antar, I will make him ruler
over all the Arab tribes of the desert. Rebia looked
at Ibla, and her father, and her brother, and ob-
serving how tortures had altered their condition,
his heart grieved for them.
THE CHIEF HIDJAR.
CHAPTER XX.
111
KING NUMAN stationed a guard over the family of
Carad, vowing he would not hang Ibla, but by the
side of Antar, and that he would not leave a single
Absian alive. In the meantime he assembled his
clans, amounting to forty thousand men. The last
party that arrived were the tribe of Kendeh, com-
manded by Hidjar, son of Aamir, the Kendehan,
a man of severe morose disposition and harsh man-
ners, but whose name was celebrated for bravery,
and general excellence in arms; for he was also one
of the thousand tyrants in that age of ignorance.
King Numan went out to meet him, and treated
him and his companions with every mark of honour
and respect. O king of the world, said Hidjar,
why have you assembled all these armies? Who is
he among the Arab kings that has rebelled against.
you? O chief Hidjar, replied Numan, no king has
rebelled against us. But it is that slave Antar,
that black robber, whom fortune has favoured to
our prejudice, he has destroyed our armies, and
defeated our horsemen; he has acquired glory—
ay, and such glory! At hearing this, the light
became dark in the eyes of Hidjar. O king, he
cried, who is this Antar, this camel-driver, that
you should on his account assemble these armies
112
and warriors? For I myself, by the life of your
head, am able to take that Antar prisoner with ten
men on foot. I will bring him to you in a state of
infamy, and also all the tribe of Abs bound with
cords, and among the first shall be King Zoheir
and his sons. We well know, said Numan, that
you are able to do what you say, but all I desire of
you is, to bring me Antar prisoner, that I may
inflict on him the cruelest torments. Hidjar re-
turned to his party, biting his hands in regret that
he had not previously attacked Antar.
On that day arrived Maadi Kereb's requisition
to Jayda, demanding of her his ransom in cattle;
and as soon as she had read it, she instantly re-
paired to King Numan, and presented him the
letter. He took it and read it; rage and indignation
possessed him; he summoned his ministers, and
consulted them about what he should do. But as
they all remained silent, Numan addressed them
(and their silence increased his passion), I must ab-
solutely march against him with the whole force of
Arabs now assembled, or never shall I succeed. O
dreaded king, said his vizier Amroo, son of Nefeela,
I cannot approve of such a plan; for if you march
against Antar with all these Arabs and Persians,
perceiving himself thus reduced to a state of utter
desolation, he will say to you, If thou dost not leave
me quiet, I will cut off thy brother's head, and the
heads of all those I have in my power: but, O
noble king, ponder well this very important affair;
NUMAN'S RAGE AT ANTAR'S VICTORY.
NUMAN'S SATRAP COMES TO ANTAR.
113
and purchase the blood of seven thousand of your
countrymen with the blood of that worthless Antar.
But what is your advice? said Numan. My advice,
replied he, is that you should immediately release
your prisoners; but if you vanquish him, treat him as
you please. Send him an answer to this effect. I will
exchange your uncle for Maadi Kereb; but if you
wish to ransom Ibla and the other women, release
my brother and his companions, or I will send you
her head, and will slay all the families with her.
And know, O King, were the whole universe in his
power, and demanded for Ibla, he would set the
whole at liberty. Numan, feeling convinced of the
propriety of his vizier's advice, ordered him to
write the letter to that effect. He gave it to one of
his attendants, whom he honoured with standards
and ensigns, appointing also an escort of twenty
horsemen, and ordering him to proceed by the
shortest road. When the Satrap approached the
mountains, he attempted to enter the valley, but
the slaves checked him: Stay where you are, son of a
coward, said they, till we obtain permission for your
further progress from Antar, son of Shedad. The
Satrap stopped, and his heart trembled within him
as he said to himself, Verily Antar is like Chosroe
Nushirvan himself. On the representation of the
slaves, Antar granted the Satrap permission to enter
within the mountains; and desiring King Zoheir to
sit down, he stood over his head, grasping his sword
Dhami unsheathed in his hand, and deaths were
VOL. III.
I
114
ANTAR'S REPLY TO NUMAN.
glaring from his eyes. As the Satrap entered, and
beheld Antar, he shuddered and was stupefied,
and in the excess of his terror, he kissed the ground
in the presence of King Zoheir and Antar. He
then presented the letter to King Zohcir, who took
it and read it, and explained to Antar the threats
and conditions it contained. But Antar's eyes
glowed fiercely like burning coals; he roared at
the Satrap in a voice that made the barren wastes
shake to their very foundation. The Satrap trem-
bled and shrunk back. Heh! thou bastard, ex-
claimed Antar, by the faith of noble Arabs, wert
thou not in the presence of this awe-inspiring king,
I would cut off thy head, and I would leave thee
lifeless, my first victim; away! disgrace and in-
famy be on the mother of Numan and the mother
of Chosroe Nushirvan. Dares Numan threaten one
like me with his wild Arabs? Would he frighten
me with his bombastical nonsense? By the faith of
an Arab, were it not for the respect due to King
Zoheir, I would make thee drink of the cup of
death; as to his demand of his brother Prince
Aswad, and the prisoners, and Maadi Kereb, I will
release them all, that it may not be said that I fear
them. But I will not release the captives, unless,
together with my cousin Ibla, be delivered up
Chosroe's tiara, and all the property that was taken
from her by Rebia and Mooferridj; and let not the
value of a halter be missing of Ibla's property. On
hearing Antar's determination, the Satrap retired,
RELEASE OF IBLA AND THE PRISONERS. 115
and mounting instantly, returned to King Numan,
before whom he repeated what Antar had said. King
Zoheir then, said Numan, made no reply. No, said
the Satrap, by the life of your head, my lord, he dared
not open his mouth in the presence of Antar, but
seemed bridled and bitted. But what was it that
produced in thee such fear and horror? asked
Numan. O King, said he, you have never seen
Antar, and have never seen his eyes like balls of
burning coal. Take your own measures upon this
point, said Numan to his vizier, send away the
women of the Carad family with their property and
their husbands. He also ordered Ibla's property
to be taken out of the magazines, so that not
an article was left to the value of a halter; he de-
livered up the whole.
Take your property, said the vizier Amroo to
Malik, Ibla's father, and his son Amroo: Away to
Antar your cousin. When Malik heard the vizier
say your cousin, his rage became exceedingly great;
and he turned towards Rebia, saying, O my cousin,
let me remain a thousand years in prison, but let me
not return again to behold the face of that bastard
Antar: but, by the faith of an Arab, I must con-
trive his death; I must destroy him by my artifices
and stratagems. Thus the chiefs of the Carad
family marched away with their wives and children,
and all their property, and the slaves proceeded
ahead, driving on the cattle and the camels, till
they reached the mountains, when they raised loud
I 2
116
THEY MEET ANTAR AT THE MOUNTAIN,
shouts, and prayed for Antar the unconquerable
knight. Antar and the chiefs of the tribe of Abs.
being apprised of their arrival, they went out to
meet them, accompanied by King Zoheir and his
sons, who were delighted at their safety and the
restitution of their goods. Antar embraced his
uncle Malik and his son Amroo, saying, No evil
or calamity, my uncle, shall overtake you whilst
your slave Antar exists. O my son, replied Malik,
may you ever live to insure our prosperity, and to
protect us from all disgrace! Malik told him what
Jayda had done to him, and concluded by say-
ing, O my nephew, your brother Jareer was the
only cause of all our misfortunes; for he, in his
wit, was cajoling Rebia till he released them from
bondage; and we were not at all aware of our dan-
ger, till the party pounced on our heads, and twisted
their cords round our arms, and had you not taken
Maadi Kereb prisoner, never should we have been
released. You are right, my uncle, said Antar, and
I have reproved my brother for his behaviour.
Antar returned to Ibla, and asked about her pro-
perty: O my cousin, she replied, I have not lost
even the value of a halter. By the life of thine
eyes, exclaimed Antar, had Numan even detained
the value of a single dirhem, I would have hung his
brother Aswad, and have put to death the seven
thousand prisoners. I would have pulled down
Hirah on Numan's head, and would have slain
every Arab he has assembled - I would have
Gab
HOW ANTAR RELEASES ASWAD.
117
marched to Modayin-I would have slain Chosroe,
and made his balcony totter over his head.
malige
Having now entered the mountains, Antar or-
dered Shiboob to set at liberty Prince Aswad and
his people. Shiboob released them. But Antar
cut off Maadi Kereb's hair with his own hand, say-
ing, O Maadi Kereb, I have cut off your hair in
revenge for Jayda's insults towards my cousin Ibla;
and he ordered the slaves and attendants to turn
out the prisoners bare-footed and naked, and bare-
headed; and as they were executing Antar's com-
mands, Art thou not ashamed, O son of Shedad,
cried Aswad, to drive us away in this condition?
We have not a horse to ride on! we have nothing to
cat or drink! By the faith of an Arab, said Antar, re-
proach me not for my conduct towards any one of
ye, for you are all going to assemble in a body
against me, and you will return a second time to
fight me, and the horses I should give you, verily I
shall have to fight you for them; as to eatables,
you will find on your way green weeds that you may
graze on, and drink out of the puddles; but we
at all events are a tribe entrenched within the
mountains, and in the day of battle a small supply
will feed us: ay, and most of ye say of me that
Antar is a black slave and a bastard. These are
the expressions you and others make use of towards
me, and would do so were I to release you a thou-
sand times: my best plan would be to kill ye all at
once; thank God you are alive. Do not act thus,
118
I
ASWAD'S FURY AT SUCH TREATMENT.
O Aboolfawaris, said Aswad, for indeed I cannot
walk on foot, no, not a quarter of a mile, so do
give me something to carry me, or put me in-
stantly to death, and deliver me from this ignominy.
Hola! Ebe Reah, said Antar to Shiboob, bring
here a she-camel, let him mount it and quit my
presence, or I shall never be able to keep my sword
off his neck. So Shiboob ran off, and with his usual
ingenuity and sagacity, he chose out a she-camel,
foundered and quite worn out-born lame and
blind-weazy and broken-winded—grunting, loose-
lipped, and toothless-crop-eared and spavined.
When it was presented to the Prince, his soul was
most indignant. Come, Prince, cried Shiboob,
mount, whilst I hold the bridle, for I am terribly
afraid it will fly away, for indeed it is one of that
celebrated breed of Asafeer camels. May God
curse the bowels that bore thee! cried the Prince;
away with it, for I want it not; and he rushed out
from the mountains blaspheming the fire. So they
travelled in the most pitiable plight, feeding on the
weeds of the earth, and drinking of the puddles,
till they came nigh unto Hirah; and as the Arabs,
whom King Numan had assembled, observed them,
they eagerly ran towards them, inquiring what was
the matter, so they related all that had happened
to them with Antar. The news soon reached King
Numan, who immediately hastened to meet his
brother, and when he saw him in this plight, his
gall was near bursting with rage and indignation.
HIDJAR PROMISES TO SLAY ANTAR.
119
He sent a noble steed for him, and mounting him
on it, took him by his side, and questioned him
about his adventures.
O King, cried out all the chiefs, lead us away
to fight this Antar. Prepare then, said he, your
warlike implements, let us depart. Who is this
Antar, cried Hidjar, that you in person must
march against him? Is there no one whom you
can depute against Antar with one hundred men,
to subdue his power and quench his iniquity?
By the faith of an Arab, exclaimed King Numan,
I myself will march against him; yet he, who shall
do the deed in my presence, shall be distinguished
and rewarded with the highest favours. This in-
telligence will soon reach Chosroe; he will hear of
what Antar has done to me, and I fear he will think
meanly of me, and will consign the dominion of the
Arabs to some one else: but in three days have all
your weapons of war ready. Whilst the warriors
were preparing, said Hidjar to his people, Were I
not afraid of rebelling against Numan, I would
myself march to fight with Antar alone, and thus
put a stop to all further trouble.
Let us prepare
and depart.
The above events were soon reported to Chosroe
by the enemies of Numan, who, as soon as Antar
first settled in the mountains of Radm, wrote to
Chosroc to inform him that he had taken Prince
Aswad prisoner and seven thousand men. Antar's
120
CHOSROL SENDS AN ARMY
power, indeed, must have greatly augmented, cried
Chosroe, thus to compass such deeds; he has for-
gotten what formerly happened to him when he was
made captive by Monzar, and when he slew my
Satrap Khosrewan. We accepted his excuses, and
rewarded him with favours--we gave him a tiara
and a turban-we sent him back to his tribe-and
we thought he would be a firm friend of our govern-
ment, but he has reverted to the foulness of his
origin; he has even assaulted Numan, and the only
remedy is at once to tear out his lips, and destroy
all his race, or the vagabond Arabs will pretend to
predatory incursions even upon us.
Chosroe waited patiently till he heard of the cap-
tivity of Maadi Kereb, and that Antar had released
his women and families from the power of King
Numan, and all the property of his cousin Ibla, and
the precious jewels, in exchange for Prince Aswad,
and the seven thousand men of the tribe of Lakhm.
At this Chosroe's indignation was kindled, and he
swore by the fire that he would slay Antar. He
ordered his vizier Mubidan to levy twenty thousand
men from Khorasan, and twenty thousand from
Dilem, and he appointed to the command a Satrap
named Wirdishan, and this Wirdishan was a proud
haughty man, whom fire even could not subdue ;
and he gave the expedition in charge to him, be-
cause he could not confide in the Arab hordes,
saying, Be you their leader; exert yourself nobly,
WITH WIRDISHAN AGAINST ANTAR.
121
that our power may be respected. Wirdishan
mounted, and over his head were raised the stand-
ards and dragons of Persia. He marched night
and day till he came nigh unto Hirah, where he
was greatly surprised at seeing the immense mul-
titude assembled.
Now that was the very day fixed on for the
march against Antar, and all the troops were ready
to the number of seventy thousand. Numan went
forth to meet the Persians, and saluted Wirdishan,
saying, What has so agitated the heart of the just
King, that he should put in motion one like you to
engage the Arab hordes? Numan, said Wirdishan,
accounts of your enfeebled state have frequently
been made to him, and he has heard of what Antar
has done to you; that he took your brother pri-
soner, and that you ransomed him with cattle.
This has disturbed him, and he has sent me to
you to remove this trouble from you. Verily he
has lied, who has told this of me, exclaimed Numan ;
I have assembled these armies, and this is the day
appointed for the march against him, and I will
tear his life out from his sides. This is a proof of
your weakness, said Wirdishan, for you are re-
solved on marching with seventy thousand men
against only four thousand.
After a repose of two days at Hirah, he de-
parted for the mountains of Radm, not mingling
with Numan's troops, on the contrary, reviling and
reproaching them.
122
JAREER BRINGS NEWS OF THEIR MARCH.
Now Antar had despatched his brother Jareer to
the land of Hirah. Return not, said he, till you
have ascertained what King Numan is about.
Jareer departed, habited as a slave, and reached
Hirah, where he sojourned till the arrival of
the Satrap Wirdishan; and when the armies set
out, he made all haste back to the mountains,
and came to his brother, to whom he related
the intelligence concerning the march of the nu-
merous host against him. My brother, said he, I
never beheld a haughtier fellow than that Wir-
dishan; for he has no regard, no consideration for
any one.
But Antar on hearing this gave a roar
that terrified him, saying, What a bother you make
about all this, you bastard. By the faith of an
Arab, I will not leave one of them to guide them in
their flight, were they even as numerous as the sands
in the valley of Cornelians!
And as he consulted with King Zoheir about
what was to be done, Son of my uncle, replied Zo-
heir, we have no other resource but the stroke of
the cleaving scimitars, and patience under the dark
clouds of dust. We will fight in your presence
with the drawn sword, till not one of us, not a living
soul remains. We will defend our wives and fami-
lies, till the horses sport with our skulls in the bat-
tle. O King, eminent in virtue, said Antar, affairs
have almost arrived at that pass indeed. But do
not you or your sons join to the fight till the enemy
has hacked my body with their long spears. My
ANTAR IN THE VALLEY OF TORRENTS,
123
wish is to take with me one thousand warriors, and
march against these advancing armies. I will not
permit them to reach this spot, but after spear
thrusts that shall make the stoutest quake. Son of
my mother, said Shiboob, I also will go with you,
but on condition that you attend to my counsel and
my advice; for an affair conducted with skill is more
efficacious than the boldest feats of arms.
Why should I not listen to your suggestions, said
Antar, when I see they are judicious? so speak ;
what is your wish, O Ebe Reah? My advice, O my
brother, said he, is, that you march as you have
said, with one thousand horsemen. I will conduct
you, and conceal you in the valley of Torrents,
through which the hostile armies must pass; and
where they will be greatly crowded. When they
alight, do you rush out upon them, and shout at
them, particularly if they should halt there in the
night; for then indeed you will see wonders in the
blood that will flow and stream, and then will necks
be hacked off in the contest. By the faith of an
Arab, said Antar, your advice, Shiboob, is excel-
lent, and the plan infallible. And immediately
setting off with a thousand horsemen of the tribe of
Carad, and Oorwah's men, he continued his march
till he reached the valley, which not being far from
the mountains of Radm, Antar anticipated the ar-
mies of Numan by half a day; and whilst he con-
cealed his men in the ravines, Shiboob ascended the
loftiest mountain, and stationed himself as their
<
124
WHERE WIRDISHAN ALSO HALTS.
look-out, casting his eyes to the south and to the
north.
About mid-day there arose a dust that obscured
the whole region. In an hour the dust opened, and
discovered armies like the rolling waves in a tempest.
Shiboob shouted to his brother Antar-Son of my
mother, be on your guard: prepare for the conflict,
for your enemies will arrive by evening; and this
night chiefs will purchase life by the exertion of
slaves; and it shall be a night, the horrors of which
will turn a new-born child gray.
Antar hastened away with his associates, and all
being mounted, and armed with spears, and clad in
steel and polished corslets, they stood firm, expecting
the arrival of the armies; and the warriors were like
lions concealed in a thicket.
King Numan and his brother Aswad were in the
rear of the army as we observed, and he was greatly
hurt at the words of Wirdishan. When the ar-
mies reached the valley of Torrents, King Numan
halted without the valley, alarmed at the embarrass-
ment of the defile, and the length of the pass. The
Persians marched on, headed by the Satrap Wir-
dishan, like the most rebellious of the fiends; and
he was in the utmost anxiety to cast his eyes on
Antar; equally so was Hidjar; but they did not
enter the valley till night had obscured it with
darkness, and had thrown a gloom over all the
country.
It was at that moment the horse thundered down
ANTAR'S NIGHT ATTACK.
125
with their riders: the dust and the clouds of sand
thickened. The darkness of the night was rendered
more frightful by a tremendous storm of wind, that
blinded the sight. The sand arose against their
faces; and the whole region was in tumult and con-
fusion, from the right to the left. The Arab and
the Persian were promiscuously crowded together.
The spot being narrow and confined, all were hud-
dled into one mass. At that instant out rushed Antar
with his troops of Absians, fearless of death, un-
daunted in peril. He vociferated in the front of the
troops-the mountains rebounded, and the whole
valley tottered. The Absians replied with a similar
shout, whilst Antar still roared-Ye black kettles
of Persians! I am Antar, the cleaver of skulls.
The foe heard Antar's yell, and every limb quivered.
The Persians muttered out abuse; but their voices
faltered; they imagined the valley was going to
crush them, and that they saw death in the spot
whence Antar issued. He roared, and horror fell
upon every horseman: lives were torn from the
indistinct forms; horsemen unsheathed the scimi-
tar; and the black gloom of the night became
darker still. The mind was in despair; troops dis-
appeared; designs were glorified; falchions glit-
tered, and blood ran down the sides of the val-
ley. Every one doubted whether the heavens had
not been precipitated on the earth; they imagined
the valley was filled with swords plundering their
existence, and spears spoiling them of their lives.
上​家
​126
Friend feared for friend; foes were appeased; and
relations grieved. Cowards wished they had wings
with which to escape by flight; and the water-mills
of war turned round. Blood gushed from jugular
veins; shrieks and screams re-echoed; blood burst
from wounds, and crowds waved like the sea. The
east and west were in obscurity; skulls were hewn
off from necks; and the thrust of the spear fell at
random. Blood streamed upon the ground and
earth; and from the terrors of that night youth be-
came gray-haired-torments descended upon them.
In an hour the Persian troopers retreated on their
rear; and the Chief Hidjar exclaimed, O my cou-
sins, let us seek the spot whence we came; truly we
have erred, in not halting with King Numan: and
thus saying, he retired.
But as to Antar, he was hard labouring in the
cause of destruction and carnage; he left them
wielding their swords one against the other, and
sought the extremity of the valley, accompanied
with Oorwah's men, and his uncle Zakhmet Uljewad,
and his father Shedad, and a party of the tribe of
Carad; all were directing themselves against the
Persians, to overwhelm them with insupportable
calamities. They smote off the heads of every op-
ponent, and left them dead.
THE CONFLICT AND CARNAGE,
They were in this situation when the Chief Hidjar
came ambling on the back of his horse, waving in
his hand a falchion, sparkling through the intense
obscurity of the night. I am the Chief Hidjar, he
HIDJAR IS MADE PRISONER.
127
cried; but he had not time to finish his harangue,
for Shiboob had drawn an arrow from his quiver,
and had fixed it on his bow. He shot it at Hidjar,
and the arrow pierced a mortal part of his horse,
which stumbled, and hurled him with the crown of
his head on the ground; and as he endeavoured to
spring on his feet, lo! the Chief Shedad rushed upon
him, and wounded him in the arm with his sword;
and when he attempted to seize him—No, no! I
am Hidjar, the son of Aamir, he cried. Worthless
art thou, exclaimed Shedad-unavailing are thy
words; neither is there any glory in whom thou
dost boast: and he dismounted and bound fast his
arms.
Rebia and Amarah were behind him, and when
they saw what had befallen the Chief Hidjar, and
heard Antar's yells, they trembled for their lives.
Fly, my gallant brother, fly! cried Rebia to Ama-
rah-or Antar will make us drink of the cup of
death, and extermination. So they fled, and Hadi-
fah with them, for Antar had not recognised them.
The battle raged till midnight; the horses sported
with the skulls of the horsemen, and the valley of
Torrents being too confined for the multitudes, the
Persians were routed in the presence of the Arabs.
Scimitars were plied among them; spears plun-
dered them of their lives. At that moment ad-
vanced Wirdishan in front of the Persians, sur-
rounded with a body of his host. In his hand he
wielded an immense mace, and he came on bellow-
128
DEATH OF WIRDISHAN.
ing like a lion; and in the excess of his alarms and
horrors, he scowled round to the right and to the
left. On that night were slain only five Absians.
Wirdishan having resolved on flight, Antar pounced
down upon him, and drove his spear through his
right side, and it issued out through his left and
hurled him on the ground. When the Persians be-
held the fate of their Chief, they wheeled about
their horses and fled.
Now when the darkness became illumined, and
the day dawned on the survivors, the foc, horse and
foot, rushed out of the valley, whilst Shiboob over-
threw them with his arrows, and Oorwah with his
people pierced them with their spears till their
numbers were diminished, and all hope of relief
cut off.
Antar and his warriors returned to the valley of
Torrents, where they saw the blood flowing as if in
large rivers, and as to the groans of the dying and
wounded-no one pitied them. The whole valley
was full, crammed with the wounded, and the over-
thrown, and the lifeless carcasses. Away with the
spoils of the dead, said Antar; and depart, and drive
the prisoners to the mountains; for this night may be
reckoned a night indeed-for by the faith of noble
Arabs who keep their promises and engagements,
were I not afraid that King Zoheir might be un-
easy at our absence, I would attack King Numan
here also, and would not leave one alive in this de-
sert, were even Chosroe Nushirvan himself with
K
7
them. It will be better for us to fight in the moun-
tains, said Oorwah.
On that night they had made eight hundred pri-
soners; and when they had collected the scattered
horses and dispersed armis, they returned seeking
the mountains. Antar was overjoyed at what had
passed, and he meditated on the horrors he had en-
dured. Oorwal being by his side, he addressed him
thus:
(6
CC
Hail, O Oorwah! O valley of Torrents, hail—
hail, for ever hail, my cousin! How many are
"the youths, whose heads on that night became
66 grey, beardless as they were! How many heroes
"saw the horrors of death, who hoped to see the
"morrow's dawn! Death served them with the
cup of absinth, with my sword, and then said,
"Much good may it do you. O what a night I
passed with those who beheld death with pride,
"Absian heroes, who when they are ranked-their
"rank degrades all that is most high and eminent.
"When their steeds were spurred over the plain, a
peal of thunder was in their movement. Shouldst
"thou ask of me, O Ibla, thou wouldst hear intel-
ligence that would cure even an unknown malady.
"I drove away thy foes when they came, all haughty
"warriors, seeking my destruction. I assuaged
"my heart among the. Persians, and I have slain
"that imperial Wirdishan. I have tempered my
"sword with the blood of glory, that flowed like a
VOL. III.
K
66
66
ANTAR'S SONG OF TRIUMPH.
66
129
66
130
66
torrent through the valley. Tell Numan, I am a
"lion, with my sword and my spear. My drink is
"of the blood of warriors, when their horsemen
"have drank of the cup of extinction. Demand
justice on the day of battle. Should the foe out-
rage, I will redress the wrong. Verily, glory is
"in the day of contention. When my thrust over-
"whelms the assaulting tribes, I glut the birds with
"their carcasses, as I destroy them with the edge.
"of my scimitar. I am appointed for the welfare
"of the tribe of Abs, their glory is mine-their
"honour is mine."
(C
NUMAN'S ARMY IN DISORDER.
(C
As to King Numan, he had halted as we men-
tioned, on the outside of the valley with his Arabs,
resolved to move in the morning and join the Per-
sians, when lo! the fugitives from the valley of
Torrents rapidly advanced, exclaiming, Misery!
woe and destruction! Instantly the horsemen sprung
towards their horses, and inquired the news. They
related what Antar had done to the Persian forces,
that he had slain Wirdishan, and had routed his
whole army of Arabs and Persians. Struck with
dismay at this news, Numan's forces determined on
immediate flight, fearful of death and annihilation.
He himself also mounted, alarmed that his troops
should run away in disorder: and the horsemen
having remained on the backs of their horses quaking
through fear of Antar, the irresistible hero, till
morning dawned, Numan ordered them to march;
131
NUMAN PURSUES ANTAR TO THE DEFILE.
so they proceeded, headed by Prince Aswad, at
whose side rode Maadi Kereb. Enter not the valley
but with great caution, said Numan, for I calculate
something of this kind may still happen to you.
On this account they halted at the head of the
valley, and made the Arab tribes march in first,
who went forwards brandishing their swords in their
hands, but in the greatest terror of Antar, son of
Shedad. They entered the valley, and heard the
groans of the dying, and saw the torrents of blood;
and they were astonished at Antar's masterly con-
trivance; and though there was not one but was in
the utmost consternation, affection for Antar sunk
deep into the heart of Numan, and he felt very de-
sirous of the marriage with the daughter of his king
Motegeredeh (he had once demanded her, but his
messenger had been sent back unsuccessful); for
he thought within himself, were I related by mar-
riage to this tribe, my power would be strengthened,
and my influence increased.
S
He thus marched on till he approached the
mountains, but Antar had reached them first, with
his prisoners and plunder. All exulted in his ex-
ploits; the delight was universal; and their hearts
were quite merry at the result of the engagement.
Antar advanced towards King Zoheir, and kiss-
ing his hand, related what he had done to the Per-
sians, and how many he had slain, and how many he
had captured. King Zoheir was highly gratified.
O King, said Antar, it is still our duty to prepare
к 9
132
ANTAR'S ORDERS TO THE SLAVES.
to engage the armies of Numan, and protect our
women and families.
So Jareer was directed to order the Absians to
take their arms, and issue out into the open space in
front of the mountains, ready for action. Let the
slaves, said Antar, be divided on the two sides of
the defile, and order them to collect a great quan-
tity of stones, and every one they see going forth to
fight, they may let pass; but those they see return-
ing, they must stone to death: and if they should
see that we are all crowded promiscuously with the
encmy, and that we are retreating, then too they
must hurl at us the largest fragments of rocks, and
prevent us from re-entering the defile.
Jareer having communicated Antar's orders,
they prepared for battle, and issued from the valley
into the open space, like wild beasts starting from
their dens. They mounted their horses armed for
the conflict, having slung on their long spears, and
girded on their polished scimitars. The slaves also
came forth, and stood at the entrance of the defile,
and the head of the pass of the mountain, armed
with bows and arrows, fierce as male camels. King
Zoheir and his sons also mounted, and over his head
floated the eagle standard. The battalions ad-
vanced, and the squadrons were drawn up. The
race of Carad stood forth, and at their head was
Antar, like a lion on horseback.
It was scarcely mid-day when the army of King
Numan approached like the billows of the tem-
PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE.
133
pestuous ocean. Numan advanced, and over his
head waved the ensigns and banners; and as he was
about to halt, the drums were sounded, and the
earth trembled far and wide. As soon as they came
up to the mountain, they vociferated in one uni-
versal shout, that deafened the hearing, and made
the hearts of the timid quake. The Absians an-
swered them with a still louder shout, and dashed
their spear-heads against the ground.
King Numan's pavilion was pitched just opposite
the mouth of the mountain. Mooferridj also halted
with the Shibanians on the right of Numan; the
tribes of Zebeed, and Khitaam, and Morad; and
on the left were the tribes of Zeead and Fazarah;
and on their left were the four thousand Kendehan
troopers, whose hearts were greatly exasperated at
the capture of their Chief Hidjar.
Antar stood in front of the Absians like a ferocious
lion. He took his feet out of his stirrups, and
crossed them over the neck of Abjer: he leant upon
his tall spear armed with death, for he was entirely
unconcerned at the multitude of the advancing forces.
He smiled, and seemed exulting on the back of his
horse. His father Shedad was on his right, and
Oorwah on his left, and the race of Carad behind
him. No sooner did the tribe of Kendeh see him
than their rage increased; they advanced, and the
tribe of Shiban, and his furious adversaries to the
number of five hundred followed; all rushed upon
Antar, seeking him with their spears and their
134
CONFLICT COMMENCED.
swords. On to the fight, O Ebeool ebyez! cried
Antar to Oorwah, do you and your men trample
down these paltry fellows.
Oorwah did as he directed, and met them with
one hundred of his men, and they commenced the
battle and the conflict. They thrust at each other
with the barbs of their long spears; the dust rose
and thickened, but as the numbers increased against
Oorwah's people, Antar strengthened them with a
hundred more horsemen of the Caradians, with
whom went his uncle and his father. Now was
their fury let loose; the horses dashed against each
other, and skulls flew off from bodies. Antar stood
behind his men, and whenever he marked any of
them falter, he assaulted the foe like a lion in
armour; neither did he desist till he had driven
away the enemy, when he returned to his post again
to watch over the safety of his friends. Swords
continued to labour, and blood to be spilt, and men
to fight, and the flame of war to blaze, till the day
closed, when the tribe of Kendeh were completely
broken, and were in the greatest alarm and distress;
many of them escaped by flight, Oorwah and his
men having vanquished them by the encouragement
of Antar. More than seven hundred of the Ken-
dehans were killed, but only twenty of Oorwah's
brave spear-armed heroes.
On their return Antar met them and congra-
tulated them on their success.
You know, my
cousins, he cried, you cannot rise to honours but by
FIRST VICTORY OF THE ABSIANS.
135
patience in adversity; and now indeed this day you
are clothed in robes of fresh glory, and only those
friends have been slain whose deaths could not be
deferred: it is not the steel that decides in such
points. O Aboolfawaris, said Oorwah, we could not
have routed the foe but by your aid; this affair is
all owing to your intrepidity and your good for-
tune, for in our troubles we had recourse to you,
and your arm would have prevailed had even moun-
tains moved against us. Antar thanked him for his
compliment, and they all returned to the mountains
As to King Zoheir, he felt himself emboldened by
the events of that day, and rejoiced in the victory
over his foes. He bestowed abundant praises and
thanks on Antar, meeting him with joy and congra-
tulation. O Aboolfawaris, said he, we shall never
doubt about the discomfiture of our enemies as long
as you live for us; whilst exist we shall never
experience adversity or calamity. Antar dismounted
from Abjer, and wished to kiss King Zoheir's hand,
but the king bent down towards him and kissed
him between the eyes. Know, O king, said Antar,
that I have made a calculation of our forces and
that of the enemy, and we are superior to them in
numbers. King Numan's army consists of seventy
thousand bridles, and we amount to four thousand,
but every one of our men can trample down a thou-
sand of Numan's, so by this calculation we are even
numerically superior to them. O Aboolfawaris,
you
136
THE ARMIES IN BATTLE ARRAY,
you are right, said King Zoheir, for where in all
Numan's thousands is there a knight like you to
encounter and destroy?
In the meantime King Numan had alighted in
his magnificent pavilion, and was in consternation
at the deeds of the Absians and their hero Antar.
This is a fortunate man, he said to himself, for he
has made war his habit, his meat, and drink. They
reposed that night till morning, when the men arose
for the battle and the combat. King Numan
mounted, and he placed on his right his brother
Prince Aswad, and Maadi Kereb and Jayda, with
twenty thousand horsemen, and on his left were
Mooferridj, and Rebia and his brother, with the
tribe of Fazarah, with twenty thousand more, and
he himself stood in the centre with the remainder of
the army. Antar also drew up the Absians right
and left, centre and flanks. He stationed Oorwah
and his men on the right, and with him one thousand
horsemen; and on his left were his father Shedad
and his uncle Zakhmet ul Jewad, to whom he added
one thousand horse. He himself advanced, and
with him were one thousand also: he went round
to all the heroes, exclaiming that he would lead
them to the contest.
When all the forces were drawn up, and every
one was in his place, behold the chief Amarah
urged his piebald steed between the two armies, and
exclaimed in a loud voice, What is it, my cousins,
AMARAH'S HARANGUF.
137
that drives you on to your own destruction? What
have you seen in this black slave that you dare the
enmity of King Numan on his account, and have
even roused the anger of Chosroe against you? Do
you think that this perfidious slave is able to defend
you against all these armies that are assembled
against you? And you, O King Zoheir, who call
yourself the king of the tribes Abs and Adnan, of
Fazarah and Ghiftan, of Marah and Dibyan, have
you deigned to ask assistance of a black slave, a fel-
low so worthless and mean? By the faith of an Arab
you have clothed us in shame: you had best de-
liberate again on the state of your affairs. Avert
your decided fate; separate yourself from Antar;
seize the bastard, and deliver him to me that I may
make him over to King Numan, and secure his
protection for you. Then let us all join in one
party, and return all of us to our native land, and
we will wed Ibla to him whose rank equals hers,
and whose connexion equals hers-the great chief
Amarah for instance, whom all the Arabs know;
and thus you, Zoheir and your tribe, will be saved
from perdition and destruction. Amarah had not
finished his harangue when up came Shedad, and
exclaimed, May thy mother soon mourn for thee!
may thy family and all thy tribe witness thy anni-
hilation! thou foul coward! thou son of a two-
thousand-horned-cuckold! thou Amarah. How oft
has he defended thy women from the sharp sword
and lacerating spear! But the best thing we can do
138
SHEDAD'S REPLY; JAYDA'S SORROWS.
is, to ply our edged swords and tall spears till either
these Arabs slaughter us or we slaughter them; till
either you exterminate us or we exterminate you.
Ay, and they will do it too, my brother, cried
Amarah to Rebia; by the faith of an Arab, I
heartily wish I had not come out into the plain, and
had not ventured on a word, for I cannot possibly
stand this battle and this contest. So he threw
away his spear out of his hand, and shrunk back
amidst the shouts from the tribe of Carad. Antar
longed to fall upon him, but his father prevented
him, saying, O my son, it would be an indignity to
yourself to stir a step against this cuckold.
They were thus engaged in conversation, when,
lo! Jayda appeared in the midst of the plain like a
strong tower immersed in steel; her heart and soul
ulcered with anguish. She was robed in garments
of black on account of Khalid; and when she was
between the two ranks, she thus expressed herself:
"O by my tribe, tears have festered my cheeks,
"and in the greatness of my agony sleep has
"abandoned me. These mourning garments have
"debilitated my energies, and sickness has weakened
my bones and my skin; for I had a hero whom
66
66
a black slave by his oppression and violence made
"to drink of death. The full moon indeed fell to
"the earth when the arrow was aimed at him, sped
"from the hand of the slave. Now he is
gone: I
"am left to my afflictions and griefs, and I endure
66
my distresses in solitude. The sword mourns
139
"him, now he is gone, and in the sheath it bewails
"its condition. O thou dead! mourners have wept
"him in the mountains of Fala and the land of
Nedjd. He was like a branch in form-the re-
"volutions of fortune cut him off-alas! how cut
"him off! O by my tribe, who will assuage my
sorrows, and will regard his engagements with
me, now Khalid is gone?"
66
66
ANTAR ATTACKS HER TRIBE.
:
Jayda had scarcely finished, when the tribes of
Zebeed sent forth one general shout that made the
mountains tremble; they remembered the death of
their chief Khalid; they poured down upon Antar,
uncovering their heads and lightening their gar-
ments, to the number of five thousand, and about
two thousand of the tribes of Lakhm and Juzam
followed them; they all attacked, led on by Maadi
Kereb bellowing like a lion. Antar observed their
assault he took with him three hundred horsemen
of the tribes of Abs and Carad, and met the seven
thousand; and whatever he smote he cleft in twain,
and wherever he thrust he slew. The horses closed
upon him; he yelled at them, and they dispersed,
hurling off their riders. He raved as raves a camel;
his eyeballs were fiery red; foam swelled from the
corners of his lips, so that every one that beheld him
exclaimed, God! how dreadful! They were now
in the fiercest of the contest, when Jayda excited
the warriors against him, and rallied the men back
to the conflict. He rushed upon her like a ghoul
or a hungry wild beast, and descended upon her like
140
the descent of the most voracious lion. Jayda would
have fled, but he overtook her, and pierced her
through the sides; he broke two of her ribs, having
burst through her double armour. In her love of
life she threw her arms round her horse's neck, and
sprang beyond the dust. When Maadi Kereb saw
Antar and what he had done to Jayda, he shouted
at him, and rushed upon him, exclaiming, Hola!
thou bastard, dost think thy every attempt will
succeed? This day I will take my vengeance of
thee, and will in thy death wipe out my disgrace.
But Antar met him and roared at him; he hemmed
him in, and closing all means of escape, he drew
forth Dhami, and struck Maadi Kereb a dreadful
blow. The sword fell on Maadi Kereb's helmet
and cleft it, and also the wadding and the edge of
the sword even reached Maadi Kereb's head, and
wounded him severely, and nearly killed him. At
last he threw his arms round his horse and fled, the
blood streaming down his face. As soon as Prince
Aswad saw what Antar had done, he made an
attack against Oorwah with his twenty thousand,
which Antar perceiving, he said to Shiboob, Go to
King Zoheir, and tell him not to quit the mouth of
the defile, but to send me one thousand of his war-
riors that I may meet King Numan and his whole
army. Antar shouted on Abjer; he encountered
the horses' chests, and poured down on them like
the rush of a torrent; he slew the men; he de-
stroyed the warriors, and overwhelmed them with
FLIGHT OF JAYDA AND MAADI KEREB.
ABSIANS AGAIN VICTORIOUS,
141
his shouts and his roars in disgrace and ruin, hack-
ing their joints. But when the thousand arrived
they made one universal shout of O by Abs, O by
Adnan! They assailed the armies and the horse-
men; men encountered men, and heroes heroes;
blood flowed and streamed; the long spears laboured
and also the polished falchions. None were to be
seen but the slayers and the slain; the destroyers
and the destroyed. Every horseman roared in ter-
rors, and the king of death despatched his mes-
sengers to grasp lives. In a short time every re-
source was resorted to. Every sharp sword con-
tinued its blows till the heart and mind were be-
wildered, and the earth rocked under the weight of
the armies, and the undaunted heroes of Abool-
fawaris Antar.
-
This continued till evening came on, when of the
Princes' army were slain an innumerable and incal-
culable host; the remainder took to flight, for in the
contest with Antar they beheld death and perdition.
The Absians returned exulting in their victory and
triumph, and extolling Antar till they came to King
Zoheir, when Antar dismounted, and wished to kiss
the king's hand, but he had also dismounted, and
meeting him, kissed him between the eyes, saying,
Admirable are thy deeds, O protector of Abs and
Adnan, thou hero of the age! By the faith of noble
Arabs, you have this day appeased all my sorrows.
By the life of thy head, O king of the age, said
142
RETIRE IN JOY TO THE Defile.
Antar, I must absolutely drag that King Numan
from beneath his ensigns and standards, and must
make you reign in his stead over all the Arabs!
After this they entered the mountains, and reposed
with their wives and families.
+
GĦASIK COMES TO NUMAN'S AID.
CHAPTER XXI.
143
AFTER the retreat of the army, Numan summoned
to his presence Amroo, son of Nefeela, and consulted
with him about making peace with the Absians.
My advice, replied he, is, that to-morrow morning
you repeat the attack; perhaps they will be discom-
fited, and will demand peace, and that would be
more suitable to your dignity. Numan approved
of his vizier's counsel. The next day both armies
started up, eager for the combat. King Numan
mounted and arranged the standards over his head.
Thus also did the Absians, headed by Antar, the
lord of battles. The ranks being drawn up, An-
tar was anxious to exhibit himself in the field of
battle, when lo! a dust arose, and veiling the land,
seemed suspended over every quarter of the atmo-
sphere; and there came forth a renowned warrior of
immense bulk, like an elephant or a towering palm-
tree. The combatants gazed at him in amazement,
for he was a victorious warrior, one of the haughty
tyrants of Arabia; his name was Ghasik, son of As-
hab; and he was followed by twenty thousand
horsemen. King Numan had long been accustomed
to make him presents, and previous to his expedition
against the Absians he had sent to Ghasik to request
144
HIS TAUNTING CHALLENGE.
his assistance. Now Ghasik was one of the thou-
sand proud tyrants in that age of ignorance, and
his form was one of the wonders of that period. He
fought with various weapons as a horseman and on
foot, and when he ran on foot he would outstrip the
snorting steeds. His countries were Tahl and Zal,
and he and his tribe worshipped the great dogstar.
When Numan's letter reached him he read it, and
having understood it, he called out to his people,
and instantly set out for the land of Hirah. On his
arrival he was told that Numan had already marched,
so he proceeded after him till he came up, as we
have described; and when Numan knew of his ar-
rival, he went out to meet him, and told him all
that had happened: how the tribe of Abs had de-
feated his armies and horsemen. O king of the
age, said Ghasik, this day will I make the Absians
mark the horrors I will perform. He dismounted
from his horse, and threw off his armour and his
coat of mail, till he remained only in his common
clothes, his head uncovered and his feet bare. He
snatched up two darts that were like sparks of fire;
he stood forth between the two ranks on foot and
unarmed; and as he approached the hostile armies,
O tribe of Abs, he cried, stand forth knight to
knight, or ten to a knight, or a hundred to a knight,
or a thousand to a knight; and if you still desire
less odds, attack me with your whole force that I
may encounter ye all alone, and may repulse ye
with the force of my single arm and my single
ANTAR REMOVES ZOHEIR'S FEARS.
145
elbow. And here I am, without armour or polished
mail, for I know that where death is protracted,
armour avails not. When he had thus spoken, he
swaggered over the plain of heroes till the senses of
the wisest and the oldest, as well as of the youngest,
were confounded, and thus spoke:
"Armour repels not the javelin of death; so
"stand forth, O noble heroes; stand forth, and be-
"hold the battle of a youthful hero, firm and resolute
"in the scene of contention."
King Zoheir was stupefied and amazed at Gha-
sik's deeds and heroism; but Antar, perceiving the
state of King Zoheir's mind, exclaimed, O king,
what means this apprehension and alarm? Calm
your mind; brighten your eye; for by the protec-
tion of an Arab, I will put to the rout the whole of
this army, were they even as numerous as the scat-
tered locusts; and were I conscious that my single
arm would not suffice, I would take ten warriors,
with whom I would dash into the midst of King
Numan's forces, and I would drag him away either
alive or dead, prisoner or a carcass. These words
comforted the heart of King Zoheir, and he re-
covered from his fears and his consternation; and
just as Antar was about to dart forward against
Ghasik, a horseman anticipated him, and attacked
him. He was a celebrated one among the bravest
Absians, and one of their most illustrious knights.
He rushed upon Ghasik and attempted to charge
him, but Ghasik gave him not time to wheel round;
VOL. III.
L
1
146
GHASIK'S HEROIC ACTS.
he shouted at him, and smote him with one of his
javelins; it fell between the paps and issued out
between the shoulders. The two armies were
astounded at the blow, for the weapon passed through
the horseman and the steel armour he wore. A
second stood forth against Ghasik, but he overthrew
him; a third, he deprived him of life; a fourth, he
united him to his comrades; and a fifth, he left him
despairing of existence: and thus he continued till
he had slain twenty horsemen. But Antar was
afraid that were he now to oppose him the Arabs
would say, Antar stood forth against a knight with-
out armour or polished mail; or Ghasik might
even say, he attacked me when I was fatigued.
Whilst Antar was reflecting on this dreadful affair,
lo! his father Shedad stood forth. Ghasik per-
mitted him not to charge, but took him prisoner in-
stantly. No sooner saw Antar the fate of his father
than a fire blazed in his heart, and he resolved on
the attack, but Oorwah anticipated him. Ghasik
had now called for his armour, in which having clad
himself, he met Oorwah and assaulted him; he
soon wearied him, and thwarted all his efforts, and
stretching out his arm like the neck of a black
camel, he seized him by the rings of his armour,
and grasping him in his hand as if he were a spar-
row, he threw him to his slaves to secure with cords,
and they placed him by the side of Shedad. Fired
by this double calamity, Antar rushed upon Ghasik
like a devouring lion. Ghasik received him as the
HIS STRATAGEM TO CONQUER ANTAR.
147
parched up land the first of the rain. These sturdy
warriors fought like ravenous wild beasts; they
began the blow and the clash, the retreat and the
advance, till the senses and the minds of all present
were bewildered. They continued till mid-day,
when Ghasik repented of his rash expedition, and
of his combat with Antar.
I have no other resource, said he to himself, but
to practise a stratagem on him; so, desisting from
the conflict: Holà! O Antar, he cried, I have
heard that you are one of those knights that love
fair play, but this day I perceive you act not im-
partially towards me.
Eh! what justice do you
want? demanded Antar. You have engaged me,
said Ghasik, when I was fatigued, and I now wish
to return and change my horse, then will I come
back to attack you, and I will not quit you till this
affair be decided. You shall not escape, said Antar,
if you wish it surrender yourself, that you may be
a ransom for the warriors you have already taken;
or by the faith of an Arab, and by the life of Ibla's
two eyes, with me the most sacred of oaths, I will
make you a proverb among men! What! cried
Ghasik, shall I surrender myself to you without
fighting? Will not the Arabs say, May God curse
the father and mother of Ghasik-what did he see
in Antar that he surrendered himself without a
blow? But if you are one of the horsemen that
love justice, draw the spike out of your spear,
and I will take off the spike out of mine; then let us
}
I. 2
148
HE WOUNDS ANTAR, BUT IS SLAIN.
engage in the field of battle, and he who touches his
antagonist three times, let him do what he pleases
with him. Antar thought him sincere. Just as
you please, said he. Ghasik took off the spike
from his spear, and Antar did so likewise, believing
he should thus be on a par with him. Thus was
Ghasik strengthened in his courage, and he again
had recourse to his stratagems; he snatched from
under his thigh a javelin, and shook it till it coiled
round his hand; he aimed it at Antar, saying, Take
that, thou slave! thou wretch! As soon as Antar
perceived Ghasik had deceived him, he tried to
avoid the javelin, but he could not; it struck him
on the shoulder between the armour and clothes.
Antar was severely wounded; he roared out at
Ghasik in a voice that made the mountains totter:
Thy blow has failed; now prepare, coward, for the
blow of the voracious lion. He assailed him, and
pierced him with the spikeless spear he held in his
hand, and he drove it right through his back qui-
vering; and Ghasik fell dead.
When Numan saw what Antar had done, and
how he had pierced Ghasik with a mere staff through
the chest, driving it out at his back, rending the
steel and the corslet, he said to his attendants:
Verily, such a thrust no one could drive-no,
neither man nor demon, not even the fiends who
rebelled against our lord Soliman. Our character
is blasted by this knight, whose equal the age can-
not produce: Now is the time to order a general
NUMAN'S ARMY ATTACKS THE ABSTANS.
149
assault, cried they all, now that Antar is wounded.
King Numan did so, and the twenty thousand made
the attack as if in one body. But when Antar
reached the mountains, King Zoheir came up to
him and kissed him between the eyes, thanking and
extolling him. He entered the valley, having first
recommended King Zoheir and the Absians to stand
firm at the entrance of the defile till his wound was
dressed; then will I return to the contest, he added;
and he entered the tents, and extracting the javelin,
cauterised the wound. In the mean time Ghasik's
army had assailed the Absians with a force amount-
ing to twenty thousand bridles. The Absians re-
ceived them with undaunted hearts and Arabian
courage. Men met men, and heroes heroes-blood
streamed and flowed-joints were hewn asunder.
Numan, perceiving the steadiness of the Absians,
commanded his left, to the number of twenty thou-
sand, to join him. They made an attack like the
attack of a single individual. Soon the numbers
increased upon the Absians, and their cries for as-
sistance became louder; but as they were in the
thickest of the fight, the chief Antar appeared,
shouting in a voice that made the mountains trem-
ble, and the hollows resound: Worthless dastards!
Antar, the son of Shedad, is coming. For when
his wound was dressing, Ibla came to him; she
bound it up, and wept over him. Weep not, said
he, for by the life of thine eyes, and the black of
thine eyebrows, I care not for those wounds; to me
150
ANTAR REAPPEARS IN BATTLE,
;
they are sweeter than the draught of wine: but, for
thy sake, I will put to confusion the armies of King
Numan, had he even with him all mankind, and the
fiends to boot. He and Ibla were thus conversing,
when lo! Shiboob appeared like a male ostrich :
Hola! son of my mother, he cried, join the Ab-
sians, for King Numan has ordered all his armies
to attack them on every side and direction.
Antar
bellowed and roared; he started from the ground
on to the back of his Abjer, and sprang forth seek-
ing the engagement, till he reached the scene of
horrors, and joined the Absians, who were worsted
in the presence of that immense concourse of war-
riors. So he shouted as we have mentioned; and
he assaulted the enemy with a heart that bounded
at encountering dangers : at his attack, sorrows were
erased from the heart of the Absians; and as they
heard his roar, their souls revived; their courage
was renovated, and they fought in a manner to
startle the boldest. As to Antar, where he struck
he cleft asunder; and where he thrust, he de-
stroyed; and when the heroes resisted him, he
yelled at them, and made them shrink back in
horror. He wrested a horseman from the back of
his horse; he raised him in his hand like a pole, and
whirling him round as a sling, he struck a second
with him down; he precipitated the two, and made
them drink of the cups of death. The warriors fled
in dismay before him, and every one was horror-
struck at his strength.
AND DRIVES BACK THE FOE.
151
When Numan saw how Antar and the Absians
had routed his army, he ordered his right to attack,
and they also amounted to twenty thousand. This
mighty host, calculated at sixty thousand, assailed
the Absians, King Zoheir always assisting them
with a hundred after hundred, till not a single one
remained. But their hearts were encouraged by
Antar, for they knew he was a resistless hero and a
dreadnought lion. At that period the tribe of Abs
was the most renowned among the Arabs for cou-
rage; and at that moment they were fighting the
battle of life and death, and they encountered the
forces of King Numan with hearts to which death
was sweet and easy. The two armies were mingled
together; the sword and spear laboured among
heads and carcasses; blood flowed like lakes; God
glorified that awful, dreadful day! where the steel
armour alone defended bodies, and God prospered
what Antar performed in his intrepidity; he over-
whelmed them in disgrace and ruin, and executed
deeds that will be commemorated for ages, for
deaths were at hand, predestined by the will of the
God of good and evil. The battle continued to
rage between the two armies till the day fled with
the light, and night came on in obscurity, and the
warriors were separated, after they had filled the
earth with the dead.
Numan descended to his pavilions, as he said to
himself, Were I related to the Absians, every one on
whom the sun shines would stand in awe of me; and
152 NUMAN'S ANXIETY TO MARRY MOOTEGEREDEH.
Numan had scarcely alighted when the Arab chiefs,
and Prince Aswad at their head, came unto him:
O King of the world, said they, our opinion is, that
you put to death these two fellows we have in our
power (they were Shedad and Oorwah); I will
slay them to-morrow, said he, and Prince Aswad
rushed from Numan's presence in a great passion;
but when they were gone, he sent for his vizier
Amroo, son of Nefilah, and imparted to him all the
love he felt in his heart for Mootegeredeh, King
Zoheir's daughter. What do you wish? said the
vizier. To marry Mootegeredeh, and make peace
with the Absians; he replied, for were I assisted by
such a tribe as this, or a hero like Antar, I should
by their means strengthen myself against the deserts.
and the cities. O King, said the vizier, with respect
to the marriage rely on me; but on condition, that
you order into your presence Shedad and Oorwah,
robe them in garments of honour, and treat them
kindly. I will then lead them to King Zoheir, and
will demand his daughter for you, and I will not
return till all matters are arranged. Numan ap-
proved of his vizier's advice, and he reposed that
night in tranquillity, for his heart was at ease.
As to the tribe of Abs, when they returned to
the mountain; Console your heart and brighten
your eye, O King, said Antar, by the life of your
head, to-morrow I will decide their fate: I will
disperse this army were it as numerous as the sands;
and King Zoheir was comforted.
HE RELEASES SHEDAD AND OORWAH.
153
S
Thus they entered the mountains, and slept that
night till morning, when the chiefs of the Ab-
sians mounted, brandishing their sharp-edged swords
and slinging on their lances. King Zoheir and his
sons also mounted, and over his head floated the
eagle standard: they were drawn up in front of the
mountains like lions of the cavern, and before them
stood Antar like a rock. He seated his body on
the back of his horse, and drawing his feet out of
the stirrups, he folded them over the neck of Abjer.
King Numan, as soon as it was day, prohibited any
further hostilities; he sent for Shedad and Oorwah,
and investing them with robes of honour, he pre-
sented them some fine steeds with housings of gold;
and as he imparted to them his love for Moote-
geredeh, he required them to assist his vizier Amroo;
and when they had promised to do so, he directed
his vizier to accompany them. The vizier accord-
ingly set out with Shedad and Oorwah, and re-
paired to the tribe of Abs.
When Prince Aswad saw what King Numan had
done, how he had released Shedad and Oorwah, and
had sent his vizier to the tribe of Abs to negotiate
a peace, he was highly enraged and indignant, and
he said to the Arab chiefs, Be calm, till I see what
more passes between them. If he makes peace with
them, I will write to King Chosroe, and com-
municate what my brother Numan has done, that
he has made peace with the tribe of Abs, and con-
nected himself with them by marriage, though their
:
1
154
ZOHEIR ACCEPTS NUMAN'S PROPOSAL.
slave was wounded, and they had retired to the
mountains, and there was nothing more to be done
but to take them prisoners. My brother has acted
most shamefully, and he has betrayed the imperial
government on account of his worldly lusts. I am
now convinced it was Numan himself who ordered
the Absians to lie concealed in the valley of Tor-
rents; and it was he who plotted the death of Wir-
dishan: never will I rest till I have contrived his
death, and I myself rule over the Arabs, and then
will I search out the Absians under every stone and
every clod of earth. But the vizier Amroo con-
tinued his way with Shedad and Oorwah, till they
approached the tribe of Abs, who, on seeing them,
advanced towards the vizier and saluted him: he
presented them the robes of honour, and the noble
horses for King Zoheir, saying, King Numan salutes
you, and demands your daughter Mootegeredeh in
marriage, so that the two tribes may be only as one
tribe: he desires you to demand as much as you
please of cattle and he and she camels, &c. King
Zoheir made no reply, but turned towards Antar;
What is your opinion? said he. O King, he re-
plied, the man has released my father and my
friend, and has subdued my pride by his liberality.
As to your daughter, she must marry some one,
and she cannot find a nobler match than King
Numan, for he is the Vicegerent of King Chosroe
Nushirvan.
In conformity with Antar's opinion, King Zoheir
4
ASWAD ESPOUSES HADIFAH'S SISTER.
155
gave his daughter in marriage to King Numan,
saying to the vizier, I accede to King Numan's
wishes out of respect to Antar the victorious lion.
The vizier, much delighted that Mootegeredeh's
marriage was settled (and from that day love for
Antar entered into his heart), returned to King
Numan, and told him the whole affair was arranged
to his satisfaction.
When the prisoners on both sides were restored,
Antar sent for the chief, Hidjar, and having cut his
hair off, released him. But when the tribes of
Lakhm and Juzam and the Arab chiefs saw what
Numan had done, they first complained of it to his
brother Aswad, and then returned home. After
this the tribe of Abs quitted the mountains with
King Zoheir and Antar, and the chiefs, and all re-
paired to King Numan, who sprang up on his feet,
and received them in the most distinguished man-
ner, investing them with beautiful robes. Prince
Aswad marked all this, And I, said he, I will con-
nect myself to the tribe of Fazarah. So he de-
manded Hadifah's sister, for he was much attached
to that tribe, and he acted towards them as his
brother had acted towards the Absians; he clothed
them in robes of honour, made them presents, and
distributed gold and silver. They remained seven
days in that spot, feasting and carousing; when
Numan having made a hollow peace between the
tribes of Abs and Fazarah, he ordered the march,
recommending the speedy conclusion of the affair
156
with Zoheir's daughter; and Prince Aswad having
also enjoined the same to Hadifah. The tribes of
Abs and Fazarah set out for their respective homes
and deserts; and King Numan also departed, and
when he had reached the throne of his glory, he
thought no more of the calamities of fortune. But
the Persian troops that Antar had routed in the
valley of Torrents, and whose chief, Wirdishan, he
had slain, did not stop in their flight till they came
to Chosroe, and related to him all that Antar had
done to them; how he had slain their chief, Wir-
dishan. We fled and sought protection, they added,
in the tents of Numan, but he ordered us to be
driven out, and we have heard that it was he who
sent to Antar, and recommended him to lie in am-
bush for us in the valley of Torrents, and not a
creature has ever given us any advice but Prince
Aswad.
ASWAD'S TREACHERY.
Andy
This account excited Chosroe's rage and in-
dignation, and he swore he would absolutely put
Antar to death and all the tribe of Abs, and that
he would not leave a head or a tail of them. They
were thus conversing, when despatches were brought
in by Mubidan from Prince Aswad. Chosroe or-
dered them to be read; and as soon as he had
heard their contents, the light became dark in his
eyes. He turned to the eldest of his sons, whose
name was Khoda wend, and ordered him to mount
with a hundred and fifty thousand horsemen, Per-
sians, Turkomans, and Dilemites: March, cried he,
CHOSROE'S SON DISGRACES NUMAN,
157
to the land of Hirah; seize Numan and all the
grandees of his government, and appoint his bro-
ther Aswad to the viceregency over the Arabs; and
after that, he continued, march against the tribe of
Abs and Adnan. Bring me all their men-all their
property-all their women-that I may hang every
one of them on the tower of the palace, and in front
of them all shall be the slave called Antar. Khoda-
wend expressed his submission, and immediately
rose up and gave orders to the resolute knight, the
undaunted warrior, named Zerkemal, the brother
of Wirdishan, whom Antar had slain: but he,
when the news of his brother's death arrived, cut off
his hair and took refuge in the mansions of fire;
and on this day Khodawend ordered him to select
the horsemen for him, and in less than three days
he chose out one hundred and fifty thousand horse-
men, Persians and Dilemites, every one like a lion
when he springs; and on the fourth day the
standards of Khorasan and the imperial eagles
waved over his head. Chosroe came out to bid him
farewell: and having given instructions for his con-
duct, sent with him his chief minister Buzurjmihr.
They continued their march till they came nigh
unto Hirah. Numan went out to meet them; but
at the sight of the troops he was confounded, and
he was certain it was the army of resentment. He
had no other resource but to dismount in the
pre-
sence of Khodawend; and as he kissed the ground
and did homage, Khodawend ordered him to be
f
158
AND RAISES ASWAD TO HIS THRONE.
seized, and also a number of warriors his relations.
He appointed his brother in his place, and having
encircled his brows with one of the imperial tiaras,
he made him King over the Arabs, saying, Know
that the just King has heard that you are a faithful
adviser of the imperial government, so he has made
you
ruler over all the Arabs of the desert. There-
fore, instantly address in writing all the tribes, both
distant and near, and observe who obeys you, and
who rebels against you. Those that submit I will
favour; but as to those who rebel, I will march
against them, and will tear their lives out of their
bodies, and then we will proceed against the tribe
of Abs and Adnan, and will not leave a man alive
ariong them.
Aswad was overjoyed, and exulted at the good
rews. He wrote letters to the Arab tribes, ordering
them to appear at Hirah for the purpose of joining
in the warlike expedition against the tribe of Abs
and Adnan. Among those to whom he sent was
Maadi Kereb, the Zebeedian; and he said to him
in his letter, If you wish to be revenged on the lion
Antar-to arms! to arms! He moreover informed
him of all that had happened to his brother Numan
at the hands of Khodawend, the son of Chosroe.
This letter he sent by one of his carriers, and then
he applied himself to the execution of his duties
towards Khodawend.
During all this time Maadi Kereb in his heart
had endured what no man ever suffered before. All
159
the Arabs derided him, and praised Antar, and he
made a secret vow in his own mind never to mount
a horse, and never to appear in battle, till he should
take vengeance of Antar, son of Shedad. Amongst
the many others who came to him and reproached
him, was one called Direed, son of Samah, and his
relation Sebeea, son of Harith, surnamed Zoolkhi-
mar. Direed had lived four hundred years, and he
survived even to the coming of our Lord Moham-
med, shaded in clouds, on whom be the greatest of
blessings and most perfect happiness! Old as Direed
was, he was strong-limbed-fierce in battle-patient
in difficulties, and on this account the Arabs called
him Rihat-ool Harb (millstone of war). When he
presented himself to Maadi Kereb with Zoolkhimar
(lover of the veil tied round his sword-hilt), he as-
signed him a dwelling; he slaughtered camels for
him and his comrades, and he ate and drank with
him.
DIREED TAUNTS MAADI KEREB.
On the third day Direed being in high spirits with
wine, and singing, he began to banter Maadi Kereb,
jeering and taunting him in the grossest terms for
having been taken prisoner by Antar, and he thus
expressed himself in verses:
"Those, whose protector you were, O Maadi,
66
are now disgraced; their hopes are disappointed;
"their wives are covered with shame: for should
"he not blush who has aimed at glory, and has
<6
fought with a slave who has captured him?
"Abandon the scimitar, you cannot wield it; talk
160
66
66
CC
no more of the honours you once recorded: it is
not for every one who brandishes a sword in his
"hand to enjoy a high reputation, or to inspire fear
"in his attacks. There is not death in the barb of
"the spear, but its employers must instruct it in
"the plunder of souls. Die then of grief, or live in
disgrace and despair! Watch no more the nights
you have watched. If you are still noble-minded
" and high-spirited, march against the demon of
Hidjaz, and assault him. Fear not the warriors
"when they come. Besides him, there is no one
"against whom any precautions are necessary. If
you fear, demand succour of Sebeea, and you
"will see a lion in war with blood-dyed talons, who,
"when he draws his sword, its edge rends the
"earth; with it he bears down souls, and it de-
"fends those that seek its aid."
(6
66
HIS UNSATISFACTORY EXCUSES.
66
On hearing these verses, the heart of Maadi
Kereb melted like lead, and he began excusing him-
self to Direed; he told him what Antar had done
to Hidjar, and spoke of the armies and the warriors
he had destroyed; how he had slain Ghasik and
Wirdishan, and had surprised by night the troops
of Numan. Zoolkhimar smiled; O Maadi Kereb,
said he, all this proceeds from your inability and
your fears, and is the consequence of your alarms
and your terrors. You console yourself with the fate
of others. May God curse him who cannot reduce
Antar to disgrace, or scatter his limbs over the
barren waste! By all that will succeed, or have
HIDJAR JOINS PRINCE ASWAD.
161
preceded him, O Maadi, you must unavoidably
wash off this garment of disgrace and ignominy,
otherwise your affairs cannot be retrieved, and you
will be exposed to most galling difficulties; but if
you wish, I will go with you, and you shall see
how I will treat him, and how I will scatter his
limbs over the hills and the plains.
Having remained five days with him, they re-
turned to their own country; and soon after Maadi
Kereb wrote to the chief Hidjar an account of all
these circumstances, and they all swore they would
root out the tribe of Abs and annihilate them.
About that time arrived letters from Prince
Aswad; so they departed, revenge their sole ob-
ject; and being greatly pleased at the captivity of
King Numan, and the expedition of the Persians
under Khodawend, they quitted their native land,
and set out for the tribe of Abs and Adnan. But
the first that commenced his journey was Hidjar,
for he was resolved to be beforehand with the troops
of Chosroe, so that he might acquire high glory to
the exclusion of others. In the mean time the
Absians, having thus connected themselves by mar-
riage with King Numan, returned home; and as
they consulted about the state of their affairs, they
augmented their stock of he and she camels, and
lived in security with their property and families.
Now Antar had recovered from his wound; one day
Oorwah came to him with some other noble horse-
men, and said, O Aboolfawaris, arise and demand
VOL. III.
M
CO
162
Ibla in marriage, and let this trouble be removed
from our hearts, for now there can be no opposition
to your wedding. I will not do that, said Antar,
and I will not wed my cousin till Numan weds
Mootegeredeh, and when King Numan's happiness
is complete, then consult about me as you please, so
that the freeborn and the slaves may all rejoice. They
were thus conversing and deliberating about such
matters, unsuspicious of the circumstances that had
happened to King Numan, when in a few days ar-
rived a messenger from Amroo, Numan's minister,
with a letter acquainting them with the circum-
stances, how the dominion of the Arabs had been
conferred on Prince Aswad; how he had written
to Chosroe, and had given him information un-
known to his brother Numan; and how Khodawend
had marched, and had seized Numan.
NUMAN'S DISGRACE MADE PUBLIC.
This news excited great consternation among the
Absians, and as a confirmation of this intelligence,
letters to the same effect reached the tribe of Fa-
zarah, who were in transports of joy, and passed
their time in feasting, and drinking evening and
morning. Now that Aswad is our relation by mar-
riage, observed Hadifah, he will certainly avenge
us: now shall we extirpate every trace of the tribe
of Abs and Adnan; now will we plunder and ra-
vage their lands, and now will we slay them young
and old. Rebia happened to be with them; O my
cousins, said he, all are preparing for war; and
whatever tribe comes first, do you join them. Oc-
163
■
THE ABSIANS AGAIN QUIT THEIR HOMES.
cupy every road against the Absians; surprise them
before the Persians can come up with you; and
seize upon their lands and their pastures.
King Zoheir sent for his son Cais, and having
assembled the whole tribe, Know, said he, that the
Vizier Amroo has informed us that the son of Chos-
roe is marching against us with the forces of the
world. Our departure from the mountains, said
Antar, was not a wise measure. Our only resource
is to retire to a spot where we may protect our
women and families. Then will I encounter the
Arab, the Persian, and the Turk, and the Dilemite,
till I have exterminated them; and I will show you
what I will do with this new upstart king; and soon
will I commute the purity of his enjoyments into
affliction. My advice, said Shiboob, is, that you
depart for the mountains of Adja and Selma, for
they are even more inaccessible and stronger than
the mountains of Radm: and when you are there,
no evil can affect you.
The Absians approved of Shiboob's advice, and
as they were all unanimous for a removal-To-
morrow night we will depart, said King Zoheir.
The next day the Absians struck their tents, and
having raised the howdahs on the camels, they drove
away the cattle; and they departed traversing the
wastes and the sand-hills. But Antar ordered two
of his slaves to proceed to the land of the tribe of
Fazarah, and directed them not to quit their country
till they perceived what new plans they were adopt-
M 2
164
ing. The slaves set out accordingly, and the Ab-
sians sought the mountains, where they pitched
their tents, and soon familiarised themselves to that
country.
The slaves soon reached the land of Fazarah, and
they found the whole tribe shouting with joy, for
on that day a letter had arrived by a messenger
from Prince Aswad, informing them of the march
of Khodawend, and the armies of Persia; and now
you may gratify your revenge against the Absians,
he added.
THE JOY OF THE TRIBE OF FAZARAH.
As soon as they heard this intelligence, they sent
to inquire news of the Absians; but finding they
had already removed to the mountains of Adja and
Selma, My idea, said Rebia (that mine of treachery,
fraud, and deceit), to Hadifah, is that you should
acquaint your relation Aswad with their flight; and
let us join the very first that arrives here, and
march against them.
They were thus deliberating, when lo a dust
arose and darkened the whole land, and there ap-
peared the Chief Hidjar, and with him ten thousand
of the tribe of Kendeh. The tribes of Fazarah and
Zeead went out to meet them, and accommodated
them with habitations, and treated them in the
most distinguished manner. Hidjar questioned
them about the Absians, and when they informed.
him of their flight to the mountains of Adja and
Selma, he expressed his regrets at not meeting them
in their own country. Be not afflicted, O Chief
;
th
165
Hidjar, said Rebia; we will march with you, and
we will assist you in taking vengeance; for the Arab
and the Persian are coming against them in every di-
rection, and they cannot possibly escape death and de-
struction. We must now exert ourselves to extirpate
every vestige of them, and to ravage their lands;
and every tribe that comes to us we will join. O
Rebia, said Hidjar, we want not the assistance of
the tribes, for we have a party sufficiently strong;
and soon will arrive Maadi Kereb, the Zebeedian,
and with him Direed, son of Samah, the Djeshmean;
and Zoolkhimar, the Himyarite, accompanied with
intrepid armies.
AMARAH'S EXULTATION.
Rebia and the tribe of Fazarah were rejoiced at
this news, and the Chief Amarah rubbed his hands
in the excess of his joy. O my brother, said he,
now indeed this black bastard cannot escape; and I
shall now obtain Ibla, and shall be made happy ;
for really she cannot suit any one but me; and her
charms are only to be compared with mine. Rebia
laughed at him; O Amarah, said he, my heart tells
me Antar will put to the rout all these armies, and
he will not even let the first fall back upon the last;
for I know of Antar what no one but myself knows.
Now the slaves whom Antar had sent to the land
of Fazarah, when they saw the Chief Hidjar and
his companions, and heard all their discourse about
the Absians, set out for the mountains to join
Antar, to whom they communicated what had hap-
pened, and all the plans of the enemy.
166
1
Antar on hearing this intelligence instantly arose,
his courage all on fire, and repaired to King Zoheir,
and informed him of all he had heard of Hidjar and
the tribe of Fazarah. O Aboolfawaris, said he, we
must now indeed make peace with them: but what
is your opinion? O King, said Antar, we will leave
here one thousand horsemen, with your son Cais, to
defend the women and families; we will march with
the remainder, and will surprise the tribe of Faza-
rah and Hidjar, and will soon overthrow all their
iniquitous projects. That would be well, said King
Zoheir; and they immediately put themselves in
readiness, and marched with three thousand men,
leaving Cais, with one thousand, enjoining them to
be on the alert, and on their guard.
Antar rode by the side of King Zoheir with
Oorwah and his people, and his uncle Zakhmet Ul-
jewad; and when they were at some distance from
the mountains, Antar reflected on what had occurred
to him, and thus expressed himself:
ANTAR'S PLAN OF DEFENCE.
“Our country is laid waste, and our lands de-
spoiled: our homes are ravaged, and our plains are
"devastated. Let us halt, let us mourn for them;
"for there is no friend in that quarter, and the
"country is ruined. Fate has fallen upon our com-
panions, and they are dispersed as if they had
"never alighted at their tents. In sportive merri-
"ment they tucked up the garments of joy, and
"their spears were spread along their tents. The
"wand of happiness was waving over us, as if for-
66
CC
SHIBOOB LEARNS THE PLANS OF THE ENEMY.
66
167
"tune had been favourable, and our enemies thought
"not of us. O Ibla, my heart is rent with anguish
66
on thy account: my patience is fled to the wastes.
"Oh Hidjar! Hey, I will teach thee my station;
"thou shalt not dare to fight me-disgraced as thou
"art. Hast thou forgotten in the vale of Torrents
"the deeds of my valour, and how I overthrew the
"armies, undaunted as they were? I precipitated
"them with the thrust, and I abandoned them and
"their carcasses to be trampled on by the wild
beasts? Shall I not behold thee in anguish to-
"morrow?-Ay; thou shalt not escape from me
to the arms of thy beloved. I will leave the brutes
"of the desert to stamp over thee, and the eagles
"and the ghouls shall mangle thee. I am Antar,
"the most valiant of knights-ay, of them all; and
66
66
every warrior can prove my words. If you have
"a milch-camel, milk her; for thou knowest not to
"whom its young may belong."
When Antar had finished, they continued their
march till they came within two parasangs of Faza-
rah, when Shiboob directed them to dismount, whilst
he himself set out for the land of Fazarah. Re-
turning at midnight, he told his brother Antar and
King Zoheir that the enemy had quitted their tents,
and were assembled to the number of twenty-five
thousand horsemen, under Hidjar, their guide and
counsellor and their plan, he continued, is to ex-
tirpate you, and ravage your country; and by morn-
ing they will meet you.
Wh
168
ANTAR SURPRISES THEM.
Antar selected one thousand Absian horsemen.
Go, said he to his uncles and his father Shedad;
go by night with King Zoheir, by this road to the
right, and surprise the enemy. He also gave Shas
a thousand men, and sent him by the left, he him-
self proceeding with the remainder by the direct
road, till they all approached the hostile army, and
perceived their multitudes that filled the whole de-
sert. They were in perfect ease and security,
and never calculated on the possibility of an attack
from the Absians, till the shouts came upon them
from all directions, and the herald of calamities cried
out over the whole land. They started from
their tents, and sprang on their horses' backs, many
of them without arms. They scarcely knew with
whom they were fighting, with whom they were
engaging, or with whom they were talking. But
in their fears of Antar, they all drew their swords,
and fell upon one another, and soon also laboured
the swords of the Absians upon their shoulders.
When the Chief Hidjar heard the voice of Antar,
he knew him, and cried out to the Kendehans, O
my cousins, stand firm against this bold black slave,
for he has only a small body of men with him; and
he thinks he will serve us in the same manner he
did in the valley of Torrents. But I am aware,
that the battle turns one day for you, and one day
against you: you have only to resist steadily this
black slave, that we may put him to death, and our
name be for ever renowned. The dust in the mean
4
169
time increased, and the horses trampled over the
bodies. It was a night to them abounding in sor-
rows and tumults.
HIDJAR CHALLENGES ANTAR.
The three parties of Absians cried out, O by
Abs! O by Adnan! they drove frightful thrusts till
the horses were unable to charge from fatigue, and
dawn was nearly rising on the tribes. But Antar
did not discontinue the contest, assisted by the Ab-
sians, till morning dawned. Great part of the Fa-
zarah army fled and retired, horror-struck at the
blows of the lion-warrior Antar. Still Hadifah and
Rebia remained with a few Kendehans, who stood
firm, encouraged by their Chief Hidjar. Above
three thousand of the tribes of Fazarah and Ken-
deh were already slain, and only thirty horsemen
of the tribe of Abs.
By daybreak the two armies having separated
from each other, and the troops having alighted,
Hidjar advanced in front of his people, and ex-
claimed, I must defy Antar to the contest, or shame,
disgrace, and infamy will overwhelm me. He waited
till the meridian heat was abated, when he mounted
his horse, and stood forth between the two armies,
and every eye was directed towards him as he thus
expressed himself :
"It is only the thrust with the spear that can
"relieve my affliction, and the blow of the scimitar
66 on the chest, and the skull. When the mind can
“submit to infamy, words are only words without
"deeds. Fortune consists of two days; this is the
h
170
ANTAR COMES FORTH,
66
"coloquintida of sorrow; the next its food is sweeter
"than honey. You dastard, you have clothed me
´in shame; but had you done me justice, you
"would have trembled before me, and have pro-
"strated yourself in disgrace. To-day your chiefs.
"shall bear witness to my superiority, when I make
"you drink of the cups of extinction. You made
me captive in the dark confusion of night, in the
valley of Torrents, by fraud and deceit. Come
"forth-let alone nocturnal stratagems-give me
"fair play. Now I am on the alert, I will be a lion
"without his equal-ay! a lion, a deluge, a sea,
"to whose shore there are no bounds; and mine is
"a youthful heart hewn out of a mountain."
<<
66
When the Chief Hidjar had finished, he sought
the combat. O King, said Antar, as he stood by
the side of King Zoheir, verily I must settle this
affair with Hidjar; for without his death, his army
will never be routed. And he started out against
Hidjar, his head uncovered, and on his body only
his ordinary garments. He had thrown aside his
armour, and his polished corslet, in contempt of
Hidjar. He called out, Eh! thou hast abused me
for treachery and stratagem; truly such is the na-
tural disposition of thyself, and thine own tribe; for
thou didst come against us with the Arab and the
Persian. It was only the judgment-sword of heaven
that overtook thee in that plain and waste; and
now thou art come against me with the tribe of Fa-
zarah, and hast assembled against me a countless
AND ADDRESSES HIM.
host; but I have surprised thee, that I may extir-
pate thee root and branch; then will I return to
engage the rest, numerous as is the host that seeks
us, and though our party is but small. Thou art
clothed in armour, and I am in these simple clothes;
my head uncovered, and bare my feet. And thus
he continued-
66
171
Verily, thou hast falsely accused me of deceit
"and of treachery in word and deed. Thou art
(( now on the alert; meet me; thou shalt see a war-
"rior firm and resolute, fearless of peril. I am he
"before whom the lion of the den humbles himself,
"in fear of whom Chosroe himself trembles. I showed
"thee in the valley of Torrents what my sword
"could execute on the chests and the skulls. Wir-
"dishan was there; and the sons of horsemen fol-
"lowed him like a deluging rain. The horses
"quaked under their saddles, and they drank of
"death from the velocity of my spear. And thou
"shalt be driven into disgrace and calamity without
a friend to aid either in word or deed."
66
1
W
172.
HIDJAR MADE PRISONER.
CHAPTER XXII.
ANTAR, having finished, shouted at the Chief Hid-
jar and rushed upon him; Hidjar met him, and
these two obstinate heroes began the combat and
the contest; the thrust, the blow, the give and take,
now in sport, now in earnest; the approach and re-
treat, till the warriors were amazed at their ma-
nœuvres. Fatigue at length fell on the arms of
Hidjar, for he saw that Antar was an irresistible
hero, and he repented of his expedition into that
land. Antar, perceiving his situation, closed upon
him till stirrup clashed against stirrup, and grasping
him by the rings of his armour and his corslet, he
yelled in his face, O by Abs, I will not be controlled;
I am the lover of Ibla; I will not be restrained. He
seized him in his hand as if he were a sparrow, and
dashed him on the ground. Shiboob pounced upon
him, and having bound fast his shoulders and his
arms to his sides, drove him away to the tribe of
Abs. And as he looked at Hidjar he saw he was in
tears like a woman. Eh! O Hidjar, said he, what
is it that thus distresses thee? God curse thy father
and thy mother! What, wilt engage in hostilities,
and now that thy turn of fortune has caught thee
dost weep like a woman? O Shiboob, said he, my
*
173
tears flow not from my fear of death, or at the oc-
currence of misfortunes; but as I reflect on the re-
volutions of Fortune and rapid execution of her re-
venge, I weep. To no one is she constant: she
never beautifies but she deforms, and she never
causes a smile but she accompanies it with a tear.
How is that, O Hidjar? said Shiboob. Know then,
O Absian, he replied, I had demanded some time.
ago in marriage the daughter of the Lord of Hou-
ran, and on her account I had exposed my life to
every difficulty and danger; but he would not af-
fiance me to her but through the intercession of
King Numan, and just as I was about to be married,
King Numan wrote to me ordering me to march
against your brother Antar when he was in the
mountains of Radm. So I went against him-but
that is all over; and when Numan made peace with
him he released me, having first cut off my hair. I
returned to my family, and asked my uncle to per-
form the marriage ceremony, but he said to me,
Antar has taken you a prisoner, and I will never
marry you to my daughter till you take vengeance
on Antar. About that time came the news of the
seizure of King Numan, and a letter from Prince
Aswad ordering me again on a hostile expedition
against your brother Antar. I set out against him
in the full expectation of accomplishing my ven-
geance; but I have fallen a second time into his
hands, and shame is increased on shame.
Well! O Chief Hidjar, said Shiboob, will you, in-
HIS DISGRACE AND REPENTANCE.
174
"
HE AGREES TO BE ANTAR'S FRIEND,
i
stead of serving Aswad, go with my brother and aid
him in releasing King Numan? Then will your
business succeed to your wishes, and you will be
raised to the highest dignities, for truly King Numan
has been ill requited, and he has fallen into captivity
and disgrace. Now, O Shiboob, said Hidjar, I do
intreat you to intercede for me this once with your
brother, and preserve me from his grasp, then will
I, by the faith of an Arab, submit to him, both
myself, and my people, and my tribe, even until
death; and if after this I ever betray him, may
the mother of Hidjar be no more a freeborn woman!
O Hidjar, replied Shiboob, I will engage for you,
and I will ensure you my brother's protection. But
I require of you to swear to me by Him who ren-
dered the lofty mountains immovable; the Giver of
life and death; that you will never betray us either
in word or deed. And Hidjar took the oath re-
quired by Shiboob, an oath very binding among the
Arabs at that period; and it is said that if a man
ever swore that oath, and afterwards perjured him-
self, the evening would not shine on him before he
would bark like a dog, and the flesh would drop off
his bones, and he would die.
Now Shiboob having bound Hidjar by this oath,
set him at liberty; he restored to him his arms and
armour, and produced his horse. Hidjar mounted,
and returned to the scene of contention.
As soon as the Kendehans saw their chief at
liberty, they rushed upon Antar from all sides and
:
175
directions, and the Absians also attacked; men met
men, and heroes heroes. At that moment King
Zoheir beheld Hidjar, and supposing he had escaped
by force from Shiboob, he called out to his attendants
to seize Hidjar, and drag him back into captivity and
disgrace. But Hidjar dismounted from his horse,
and running towards King Zoheir, he kissed his
feet in the stirrup, relating to him all that had
passed with Shiboob, and saying, Wait, O king, I
will show you what I will do; and Hidjar again
mounted, crying out in a loud voice, My cousins,
hold back your hands from the blow of the sword,
for I have sworn to the Absians to be one of Antar's
friends for ever, in order to release King Numan.
The tribe of Kendeh no sooner heard the voice of
their chief than they withdrew from the contest,
and were rejoiced at their deliverance from the pre-
sence of Antar. They turned upon the tribes of
Fazarah and Zeead, destroying them with the
sword, and the thrust of the tall spear. As to Antar,
he was hewing down the heroes with his falchion,
and revolving in his mind Hidjar's treachery,
when he saw him perform these acts, and as he per-
ceived his party annihilating the tribes of Fazarah
and Zeead, he was delighted at this alliance with the
chief, who no sooner beheld him than he dismounted,
and attempted to kiss Antar's feet in the stirrup,
saying, O Aboolfawaris, let the blood shed between
us be forgiven! God knows all hearts, and may he
curse the father of Hidjar if after this he assists the
AND ATTACKS HIS FOES.
ì
176
foe against you, or ever again harbours evil against
you! Antar thanked him for his kindness, and
having vowed eternal friendship, they assaulted the
remainder of the tribes of Zeead and Fazarah, and
pierced them as they fled with their long spears, and
cut them down with their sharp swords; and they
did not stop driving them away till they had forced
them back on their tents, when they returned to
the scattered horses and dispersed arms, and set out
on their way back to Aja and Selma, Hidjar riding
by the side of Antar, and rejoicing in his society.
But the chiefs of Fazarah, with Rebia, were re-
maining quietly before their tents expecting Hidjar
would return to them with Antar as a prisoner, when
lo! their companions arrived, routed and in flight;
they shuddered. Rebia was in great consternation.
Alas! said he, sons of my uncle, what has befallen
ye? What has happened? And they related the
whole that Antar had taken Hidjar prisoner, and
that he had become one of his companions. Rebia
was horror-struck; he shuddered and fled, fearful
of death and extinction. But as to Amarah, he
flung his spear away out of his left hand, and went
off at a full gallop, looking behind, terrified at An-
tar, exclaiming as he went, O that I had indeed
kept myself clear of this party!
As to Antar, when he returned from the pursuit
his heart was at ease with respect to the tribes of
Fazarab and Zeead, for he had obtained of them all
he wished and desired. He set out on his return to
FLIGHT AND DISMAY OF FAZARAH.
(6
ANTAR'S JOY IN VICTORY.
the mountains, and as he meditated on the horrors
he had endured, he thus expressed himself:
"Ah! O Ibla, keep thy engagement; the past
“is past; it is enough to be kept apart from thee!
"Youth is not faded, and we are not yet become
"old. Fortune has not vanquished our youth;
"our sharp scimitars have not failed; our iron
"fingers can still wield them! Ask the Fazareans
"of us when we assuaged our hearts among their
"warriors. We let alone their women, but they
were disordered; and before dawn they were
"tearing their cheeks with their hands. We have
"filled their country with alarm, and the two tribes
CC are become our slaves. We have mounted above
"the Pleiades in their sublimity, and our valour
"cannot be increased; and when our babes ar
"weaned as infants, our enemies shall bow down to
"them in subjection. He who would attempt to
"oppress us shall see in us the obstinacy of lions;
66 we will surround them with the thrusts of the
"lengthened spear when battle rages in our hearts.
“We will kindle our flames in every contest till
"their bones and their flesh shall melt. We will
"shoe our horses in every land with their en-
"sanguined bones and their dried skins. Our mill-
"stones shall grind down the tribes. We have
." left their cultivated lands a barren waste. But on
"the day of generosity we have given away all we
"possessed, and have filled the country with our
liberality and kindness. Who is there to give in-
VOL. III.
N
66
177
-
1
178
HIDJAR COMPLIMENTS HIM.
66
"formation of us to Numan that soon his deliver-
66 ance will arrive? Behold the Persians have re-
"turned discomfited; they have fled with subverted
"standards; the spear's barb laboured in their rear,
"and they float in blood like the human hearts.
They shall exalt him as their king, and Chosroe
"shall fall; he shall endure what Themood suf-
"fered. I am the slave that encounters deaths; in
"truth, the knight of the noble steeds. In my am-
"bition I will exalt myself to the Pleiades by my
"never-failing fortune and illustrious deeds. I am
"Antar, and my name shall for ages be celebrated
"for sound policy. Mine is a happy star from
"God, who created all mankind his slaves."
As Antar stopped, King Zoheir and his brave
companions, and the hardy Kendehans, expressed
their delight; but the Chief Hidjar, quite amazed,
looked in Antar's face: O Aboolfawaris, said he,
God has truly combined in you all intrepidity,
liberality, and eloquence, and every noble quality,
and has closed them upon the Arab and the Persian.
And he who can recollect these verses will never
require a companion at night or a friend by day.
And these verses were called by the Arabs " con-
vivial, social;" and they are among the chosen
pieces of Antar, the lord of battle.
As to Maadi Kereb and the tribe of Zebeed, as
soon as they heard of the departure of Khodawend
and Aswad against Antar, and that King Numan
was in durance, he summoned five thousand of his
}
DIREED'S ADVICE AND FORETHOUGHT.
179
tribe, and having written to the Chief Hidjar, order-
ing him to join him in the land of Abs, he himself
hastened away to Direed and Sebeea, to demand
their aid and assistance. And when Maadi Kereb
alighted at Direed's, and had related all that had
happened to King Numan, and the departure of
Khodawend and Prince Aswad with the Persians and
the Arabs against the tribe of Abs and Adnan, the
light became dark in the eyes of Direed; and turning
towards Maadi Kereb, If this system, said he, should
really be persevered in against the Arabs, those
filthy Persians will soon overpower us, and our
women will be sold in the cities of Turcomania and
Dilem. As to me, I will never encourage this con-
duct against the Arabs; for I will address the tribes.
in writing, and inform them so. I will not move
hence till I hear what has passed among the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, and the account of King Zoheir's
admittance of Antar to their connexion, for by the
faith of an Arab, were not Antar among the Ab-
sians, I would instantly proceed myself to assist
them against the invasion of the Persians. But
I am afraid of the upbraidings of the Arabs, that
they will say, Direed, son of Samah, lord of the
tribe of Howazin, entered the service of Antar, who
was a slave and a shepherd. But as to you, Maadi
Kereb, I cannot possibly march with you, now that
the Persians have seized the person of King Numan.
I will not violate the sanctity of the sacred shrine;
for I know that Prince Aswad will not enjoy his
N 2
180
MAADI KEREB PURSUES HIS MARCH,
dominion long, and never will they prosper who
submit to him; and moreover, between me and
King Numan there is an engagement which I cannot
falsify.
These words created great distress in Maadi
Kereb's mind, and his resolution wavered. But in
three days he departed, and having assembled ten
thousand horsemen, he set out to attack the tribe of
Abs and Antar; but in his way he passed through
the territories of Hidjar, where he heard of his ex-
pedition against the Absians, and that he had been
joined by the tribes of Fazarab and Zeead; and we
have learnt, they added, that the tribe of Abs has
fled to the mountains of Adjà and Selma; for as
soon as they understood the Chief Hidjar had
marched against them, Antar and King Zoheir set
out with two thousand horsemen, with the design
to surprise the tribe of Fazarah and the Chief Hid-
jar; therefore in the mountains there only remains
Prince Cais with one thousand warriors to protect
the women. This intelligence delighted Maadi
Kereb. Oh! exquisite! he cried; and turning to
his companions, he added, Truly all I wished and
expected has succeeded: and he congratulated them
on the plunder and the accomplishment of their de-
sires; and they instantly departed, traversing the
plains and the wastes till they came near the moun-
tains.
C
Prince Cais had stationed scouts on the summits
of the heights and defiles, and as soon as they saw
AND ATTACKS PRINCE CAIS.
181
the dust, they immediately gave him notice; and
he ordered all the warriors to mount—they obeyed;
and with Cais at their head, they hurried to the
mouth of the pass like lions in a den, where, per-
ceiving the desert waving like the sea with troops
and armies, Prince Cais despatched an Absian horse-
man to inquire the news. He spurred on his horse
till he came among them, and cried out in a loud
voice, Tell me, O Arabs, who ye are before the
battle rage between us. O Absian, said Maadi
Kereb, advancing, ye are of little shame that have
admitted to your connexion the offspring of a slave-
woman. Verily your destruction is at hand, the
Arab and the Persian are in quest of you, and my
advice is that ye surrender yourselves to me without
fighting. But as to your question about our rank,
we are the tribe of Zebeed, and I am Maadi Kereb.
I have stirred up against you all who have blood or
vengeance to demand of ye.
The Absian on hearing this returned to Cais, and
reported the circumstance. Rage was kindled in
the countenance of Cais; he thundered from the
mountains, and behind him followed the noble
Absians whose intrepidity was proverbial. They
shouted so that the mountains were in convulsion,
the universe was agitated at their roars, and the
face of day was blackened. The blasts of death
were blowing with tempestuous gusts-the army
of Maadi Kereb rushed upon the Absians-men
met men, and heroes heroes. Blood streamed and
182
MAADI KEREB'S CHALLENGF.
flowed-limbs were hewn off-horrors increased.
Maadi Kereb penetrated through the Absians, for
he was one of the thousand tyrants of that age of
ignorance; he dashed down heads under his feet, he
cut off wrists and fingers, and performed deeds that
confounded the reason. The Absians were engaged
in a sacred war, and they preferred death to flight,
and would not live objects of shame among the
Arabs. For in those days the Absians were the
firebrands of war in bravery and undaunted spirit;
they dreaded ignominy. The day seemed closed
upon them, and the land was obscured in their eyes.
They continued the engagement til the day fled,
and darkness came on with thick obscurity, when
they returned to the mountains, and Maadi Kereb
halted at the entrance.
Cais assembled the Chiefs; Cousins, said he, my
advice is that we continue the fight till my father
and Antar return. They approved, and kept on
the defensive till daylight appearing and the stars
vanishing, the enemy arose up against them. Maadi
Kereb advanced in front, and wishing to exhibit his
courage, Hola! tribe of Abs! he cried, where is your
black slave, whose aid you seek, and of whose force
ye boast? Let him stand forth this day, and pro-
tect the women, and by the truth of Him who orders
the rain to fall, and the desert to be clothed in green,
I will leave for myself and ye too a tale to be re-
corded, and an example to be cited for ages. And
he twisted and tossed about his spear in a style to
+
CC
CAIS REPROACHES HIM.
amaze the stoutest heart. But Cais observing
Maadi Kereb's excessive vanity, Desist from the
fight, he said to the Absians, whilst I go forth against
this coxcomb, that prides himself above his fellows.
And he urged on his horse till he stood before
Maadi Kereb; How long this presumption? he
shouted out, for thou art the very person our cham-
pion took prisoner: he reduced thee to disgrace,
and was so kind as to set thee at liberty, having first
cut off thy hair; he treated thee nobly, but his
generosity was thrown away on thee, and thou hast
acted like a low-born coward. Were Antar here,
he would fight thee, and would tear out thy life from
between thy sides; and though he is absent to-day,
he will not be long absent; to-morrow he will come,
and thou shalt see the calamities he will bring upon
thee, and how he will punish thee, for truly thou
hast sinned against courtesy; that is, if thou escapest
safe from my presence, and thou bearest no marks
of my spear. Cais thus continued in verse:
"Had you any generosity, O Maadi, you would
"not have come with horses and horsemen to attack
66 us. Our Knight took you prisoner; he pardoned
CC you,
and thought you sincere, ingrate as you
are. You are returned; all kindness was thrown
away on you, for when a dastard is trusted, he
"becomes a traitor. We are Princes, and you per-
❝ceive the rest of the world in the blow of the sword
"are comparatively but slaves. God has favoured
"the Absians, and has ennobled them with the
66
183
184
↓
THEIR UNEQUAL COMBAT.
"honours of crowns and tiaras: had he granted us
"the power, the land should flow with beneficence,
"so that Noah would imagine he had given us the
"flood. Even Chosroe lives in fears at our great-
"ness; he dreads us, and the princes of the earth
"tremble at us.
""
When Cais had finished his verses, Maadi Kereb
vociferated at him, and attacked him. Cais re-
ceived him as the parched up earth the first of the
rain. The contest raged between them in the thrust
and the blow; horrors and dreadful acts took place
between them. But Cais was no match for Maadi
Kereb in skill and prowess, and when the Absians
saw the situation of their Prince, they resolved on
making the assault, and by their aid to deliver him
from his foe, when lo! the Zebeed warriors attacked
at once, and endeavoured to finish the affair, and
accomplish their hopes, and plunder the property;
but the Absian heroes also assailed, and they were.
in one promiscuous confusion on the plain of bat-
tle: the penetrating spear was at work, and also
the Indian blades. Calamity was thus removed
from Cais, for he was near his destruction and death.
He escaped from his antagonist, but not by flight.
Maadi Kereb had wounded Cais in two places; but
when the armies rushed upon one another, Maadi
Kereb's attention was called off from him, and he
routed the warriors till he drove them back to their
mountains, having slain upwards of two hundred
men. Still the Absians stood firm at the entrance; the
ANTAR AND HIDJAR MARCH TOGETHER.
185
two armies continued to fight and smite till evening
came on, when Maadi Kereb returning with his as-
sociates, reproached them for having made the at-
tack. They alighted, and reposed till morning:
Come on, cried Maadi, come on; plunder the Ab-
sians, before any Arabs arrive to prevent you.
At the word the horsemen mounted, and prepared
for the battle of swords and spears; and as soon as
day dawned on the Absians, there burst upon them
the united cries of women and children: they un-
sheathed their swords, they shook their spears, and
resigned themselves to death.
When Maadi Kereb observed the conduct of the
Absians, he dismounted, and his warriors did so like-
wise. The Absians too followed their example, and
every hope, every expectation was extinct. Grief
fell upon the brave; the dust rose, and clouded
over them; the party became quite a proverb; and
they continued in this state till evening.
But Antar and Hidjar returned to the mountains.
Antar was overjoyed in the society of Hidjar,
and when they approached, O Aboolfawaris, said
Hidjar, it occurs to me that I ought to precede you,
because I had engaged myself with Maadi Kereb,
to make a joint attack on your country with him,
and Direed, and Zoolkhimar. I fear, he may have
taken his road by the mountains: now I think, it
would be advisable to send on Shiboob to see what
is going on, and let him return quick.
Antar immediately ordered Shiboob to advance
186
ALARMED ABOUT THE ABSIANS.
V
towards the mountains, which he instantly did: he
gave his feet to the winds, and sought the wide de-
sert till he reached the mountains, where he heard
the cries of the Absians, and Maadi Kereb shouting
to his people, to-morrow, ye shall plunder the
enemy!" As soon as Shiboob had recognised Maadi
Kereb, he hastened back to his brother. Know, son
of my mother, he cried, Hidjar was correct in his
supposition-our friends are reduced to extremities,
and there only now remains to drag them out from
between the mountains. Eh! Ebe-reah! said An-
tar, who has done this? Maadi Kereb, he replied,
and with a world like the sands: and when I ap-
proached the mountains, I saw Maadi Kereb going
his rounds, promising his people the pillage of all
the property of the tribe of Abs! At hearing this,
the light became dark in the eyes of Antar. O, by
the Arabs, he cried, it is absolutely my bounden
duty to make an example of that Maadi Kereb, and
those Zebeedians, for those who will benefit by the
warning.
He was about to put his horse on a full gallop,
but the Chief Hidjar prevented him. Whither art
thou going, O Aboolfawaris? he cried. To fight
with Maadi Kereb, said Antar. I request of you,
O Aboolfawaris, said Hidjar, by the life of Ibla's
two eyes, that you will let me only march against
him. I will requite him for his deeds; I will
frighten him with your strength, and the greatness
of your power. If you approve of this, it will be
(6
1
MEETING OF HIDJAR AND MAADI KEREP.
187
the best plan, and I will bring him to you a pri-
Do as you please, said Antar.
soner.
Upon that, the Chief Hidjar set out with his
noble Kendehans, and he travelled from midnight
till the dawn of day, when he reached the mountains,
and perceived the engagement. Woes of battle be
on you, O Maadi, exclaimed Hidjar; misery to you,
and to yours, henceforward. Could Antar come
and behold the state of his cousins, he would not
leave a Zebeedian alive: and he galloped down from
the end of the desert, and the tribe of Kendeh fol-
lowed eagerly, seeking the scene of contest.
When Maadi Kereb saw the armies advance, he
thought they were of the tribe of Abs. He called
out to his nearest attendants, and rushed towards
the approaching forces; and behold! he saw the
Chief Hidjar. No harm to ye! he exclaimed; for
this is the Chief Hidjar, and I have been expecting
him, that we may totally exterminate the tribe of
Abs. He urged on his horse, and his heart was
filled with joy. Welcome, I greet thee, my dearest
brother, my truest friend, he cried. By the faith of
an Arab, thou art come exactly in time to take thy
share of the plunder.
The Chief Hidjar smiled: Your design is frus-
trated, O Maadi, said he; truly, you imagine my
extraction different from my father's and grand-
father's, for liberality should not be lost on man-
kind; and he who is nobly born and connected,
does not act like a base coward. How is this, said
188
THEIR CONVERSATION.
Maadi Kereb, you are bound to me, O Hidjar, by
an ancient covenant. Ay, said Hidjar, by the lord
of Zemzem, and the sacred wall, if you listen to my
advice; otherwise, I must fight you with my sword
and my spear.
Maadi Kereb stared in amazement
in Hidjar's face, for he knew not what had hap-
pened. But the Chief Hidjar related every circum-
stance about Antar, describing his liberality and
courage, and how he had taken him prisoner, and
delivered him over to Shiboob, and how he had set
him at liberty on his taking the oath, and I assure
you, continued he, O Maadi, were Antar to give me
this day his camels, -I would tend them; and were
even mountains to turn on me I would encounter
them; and if, O Maadi, you can submit yourself to
what I have submitted, make a contract with me on
this point, and be one of Antar's adherents, else,
come on to the fight and the combat, and away with
all dissimulation.
Maadi Kereb was in great consternation, and his
rage blazed the more. Eh, then, O Hidjar, he cried;
hast thou entirely disgraced all thy race on account
of Antar? Away with such folly, said Hidjar, for
I will not permit you to speak thus of Antar; he is
superior to all mankind, male and female, and in this
age is Antar unequalled; for, to engage a thousand
horsemen, or ten thousand horsemen, or a single one,
is all the same to him; and his soul aspires to nothing
but conquest over all the Arab warriors. I used
to think myself the knight of the universe till I en-
M

189
gaged him; but in him I perceived prodigies; and
as soon as he made me prisoner, Shiboob give me
protection, and assured me of security, and Antar
set me at liberty, as if I had never entertained any
evil intention against him. When I perceived this,
my soul was subdued. I became one of his rom-
rades. So, Maadi, think no more of assisting the
Persians, but eagerly seize this opportunity, for I
have left Antar behind; King Zoheir and all the
tribe of Abs are coming after me.
He then told
him that Antar had sent on Shiboob to observe
what they were doing, and he returned, continud
Hidjar, giving us an account of all you had done o
his cousins. Antar wished to march against you
but I dissuaded him out of regard for you. S¢
adopt this plan before death be at hand; do not
expose your life to dangers and perdition.
1
On hearing all this, Maadi Kereb recollected the
words of Direed, and he knew this would be his
advice: O Hidjar, said he, how can you soften the
hearts of the Absians towards me, after all I have
done just now? That business, said Hidjar, will
not tell against you, for I will be a mediator in this
affair, and you will moreover be-a strong support of
this tribe, particularly when we have released King
Numan, you and your party will seize the property
of the Persians, and will hew off their heads, and
you will become also a champion of the sacred
shrine. Hidjar continued to urge Maadi Kereb on
this subject, till he gained him over, and he con-
MAADI KEREB GAINED OVER.
190
ALL DIFFERENCES ARE SETTLED.
sented and he swore by the oath by which the
Arabs swore.
Maadi Kereb returned towards his tribe, and ac-
quairted them with the event, and they were greatly
delighted. But the auxiliary Arabs that were with
him dispersed and sought their homes, fearful that
Anar would put them to death. Thus the tribe of
Kandeh joined the tribe of Zebeed.
Prince Cais and the Absians were in the greatest
distress at the arrival of Hidjar, for they thought
he would assist Maadi Kereb. Their shouts and
creams increased, but Hidjar sent a horseman to
nform them, and quiet their alarms, and by evening
arrived the tribe of Abs with King Zoheir and
Antar. The chief Hidjar met them with Maadi
Kereb, and informed them of his adhesion. Maadi
Kereb advanced and kissed Antar's and King
Zoheir's hand, saying, O Aboolfawaris, all blood
between us is forgiven, and the merciful God knows
all hearts. O Arabs, said Antar, we have only
acted thus out of our partiality for King Numan,
and on account of the sacred shrine, for if the Per-
sians possess themselves of it, they will root out
every vestige of the Arabs from every region. All
present agreed in the truth of this observation, and
thanked him for his conduct. He clothed them all
with honorary robes, and the tribes being mixed to-
gether, they entered the mountains, amounting
to fifteen thousand warriors, proverbial for their
prowess. They reposed that night, and in the
t
JAREER'S ACCOUNT OF KHODAWEND.
191
morning they slaughtered he and she camels, and
made entertainments and feasts for seven days. On
the eighth day came Jareer from the land of Hirah,
and told his brother Antar about the armies of
Arabia and Persia, describing to him the various
tribes and nations that were assembled. Well,
Jareer, said Antar, who are those who have sub-
mitted to Prince Aswad, and with how many thou-
sand has he set out? O son of my mother, he re-
plied, those who have submitted to Aswad are all
those with whom there is blood and vengeance against
you, and those who hate King Numan. But he
did not form any regular plan till Rebia came to
him with Hadifah and the tribes of Zeead and
Fazarah, and those who accompanied them were in
tears in the presence of Aswad, and demanded his
immediate departure to extirpate every trace of ye,
and to ravage your country. He assented, and
swore that he would not leave an individual alive in
your country, not even a fire-blower. Khodawend
had determined on dividing his forces into two
armies, one against you, and the second against
Mecca. But when Rebia and the tribe of Fazarah
arrived and acquainted him of Hidjar's having
made peace with you, they advised the Prince to
march his whole army against you at once; And
let us take, said he, all the tribe of Abs prisoners
in disgrace and misery. Khodawend approved of his
proposal, and ordered the army to march. They
have only left one thousand Persians in Hirah as a
¿
192
THE CHIFFTAINS CONSULT.
guard over King Numan and the few horsemen
who remain his friends. I did not quit them till
the universe was in confusion with the glitter of
arms, and swords, and corslets.
Antar shouted at Jareer, Eh! enough of your
description of those greasy caldrons and Persians,
he cried; by the faith of an Arab, I will disperse
their armies; I will not even let the first join his
nearest neighbour. And he proceeded to King
Zoheir, and informed him of the news. War;
war alone must be our object, said the King, we
must defend our women and our families; but we
do not know whether these who have associated
with us will fight with us cordially, or whether
they be false companions. O King, said Antar, by
the faith of an Arab, let us but exchange a single
look, and should only ten horsemen of ours be
killed, then will they seek each other's blood in
revenge and slaughter.
Upon this they mounted, and quitting the tents,
informed their allies of the advancing armies,
and that two hundred thousand horsemen were
marching against them. Great indeed would be
the disgrace, said he to Hidjar, should we permit
these Persians to trample down our land under the
hoofs of their horses, and King Numan not regain
his dominions. What is your determination, O
Aboolfawaris? said the chiefs. My determination is
to meet them, said he. But, said Prince Cais,
Jareer has informed us, their armies are most
HIDJAR DETACHED TO RELEASE NUMAN,
193
numerous, and Khodawend is on his way against us;
and when he quitted Hirah, there were only one
thousand Persian horsemen left behind; now it
strikes me, that about one hundred of our horsemen,
mounted on swift strong horses, should be detached;
let them march to Hirah, where they may put the
Persians to the sword, and release King Numan ;
thus shall we succeed in our views, for this army
cannot reach us for some days, and should it arrive,
we shall be able to cope with them till King Numan
returns, when many of the tribes will join him. All
present highly approved of this proposal. God be
with you and your father, and may Lat and Uzza
bless you! cried they all. It will do, said Antar,
I will myself undertake it with ten horsemen! O
my cousin, said King Zoheir, your departure from
the Absians at this moment would be very unad-
visable, particularly as Hirah is very distant, and
we are but a small party. No one but myself, said
Hidjar, shall go to King Numan. Antar thanked
him that will do, said he, you ought to go. Take
Oorwah and his men with you. Hidjar assented,
and made ready that very day with one hundred of
his own tribe, and he also took Oorwah and his
people, who being mounted on swift noble steeds,
departed for the land of Hiral; and when they
were gone, Antar, accompanied with Maadi Kereb
and two hundred horsemen, daily roamed away
from the mountains, to ascertain what was going
on. They continued thus for ten days; but on
:
VOL. III.
0
194
ATTACK ON THE PERSIAN VAN.
the eleventh day, behold a dust arose that closed
up the whole region. There appeared five thou-
sand horsemen, the advanced guard of the Persian
army, with a knight called Shahmerd, and he was
an irresistible tyrant, and an untractable devil.
This, said Maadi Kereb to Antar, must be the ad-
vance of the Persians. My advice is, said Antar,
that we make a dash at them, and so saying, he
urged on his horse Abjer, and drew up his men.
Maadi Kereb did so likewise. The Persian chief
saw them advance, and he could not make them
out; as he said to his people, I cannot imagine what
this small party can mean, for if it is the advance of
their forces, whence can they have heard of us?
They must be coming to demand our protection.
However, let one of ye go forward and inquire.
The Persians still advanced to the number of one
thousand. Maadi Kereb shouted to his hundred men,
and wished to assault them. But, said Antar, no,
my brother, be not off your guard, and do nothing
that may prove disadvantageous.
How is that?
said Maadi Kereb. Ay, said Antar, for if you
deign to meet a thousand Persians with a hundred
Arabs, our reputation will be lost amongst those
greasy kettles: let you and I attack this thousand
with ten men alone, and destroy them in the desert;
let us fill their hearts with terrors. I will attack
them alone, said Maadi Kereb, and will disperse
them with my arm and my wrist. Antar attacked
the right, and Maadi Kereb the left, and they were
195
immersed in dust; they both roared out like lions;
all eyes were fixed upon them. The right was
driven in confusion upon the left. The Persian
leader, observing the two knights attack the thou-
sand, was amazed and startled; he instantly dis-
mounted, and worshipped the sun in blasphemy
and pride, saying, Let I and you laud the unity of
God! Do you see, said he to his companions,
these two knights of the sheep-drivers, engaging the
thousand Persian horsemen? This is the stupidity
of the Arabs, said his comrades; soon will you see
their heads laid low.
TITE PERSIAN LEADER'S AMAZEMENT.
He remained gazing for an hour, when lo! the
Persians rushed out from beneath the dust, flying
away, pursued by the roars of Antar and Maadi
Kereb, like peals of thunder in a cloud; and they
continued their flight till they stopped before their
chief. Eh! how is it, he cried, that two horsemen
of the shepherd Arabs have attacked a thousand
knights of Persia, and have routed them as a wolf
the sheep? He shouted to his five thousand, and
they rushed upon Antar and Maadi Kereb, who
received them as the parched up earth the first of
the rain. Joined by the Absians and Zebeedians,
Maadi Kereb exhibited in the contest such in-
trepidity, that Antar was greatly astonished; for
he only looked on and encouraged the warriors.
He was, however, on the watch for Shahmerd,
whom he saw brandishing a mace in his hand as he
invoked the fire. Antar shouted at him--he bel-
My
o 2
196
lowed at him—he made him quake, and terrified
him-he drove his spear through his chest. The
spear penetrated through him ten joints of a reed
out at his back, and hurled him dead to the earth.
But when the Persians saw their chief a corpse, they
wheeled round in flight, and retired in haste, and
escaped, whilst Antar and Maadi Kereb returned
with their comrades to the scattered horses and dis-
persed arms, and property and baggage.
On their way back to the mountains, exulting in
their success, Antar thanked Maadi Kereb for his
part in the combat, saying, By the faith of an Arab,
had we informed our friends, and waited for them
here, never would we have quitted the field till we
had made a more serious impression on the foe. O
Aboolfawaris, said Maadi Kereb, our fighting be-
fore the mountains will be more judicious; (and
Maadi Kereb was afraid that Antar would remain
in that spot with only two hundred opposed to two
hundred and fifty thousand warriors, all armed with
spears). Antar assented; and he travelled on, thus
expressing himself:
1
"tears.
"Stop at home, if thou art in sorrow about
"its lands, then perhaps thine eyes may weep in
Ask of the baggage-camels, when they de-
"parted, and when they will return! Dwelling of
"Ibla! She is far away from thee! She sighs, and
O land of
my eyes are in agony at her sorrows.
"Shoorebah! may the clouds moisten thee!-May
"the pouring rain bedew thy soil!-May the
66
ANTAR SLAYS HIM, AND RETIRES.
66
spring clothe thy lands in robes of flowers!-
May the country be perfumed with their fra-
grance! How often have I embraced in thee the
lovely virgin, whose companion was revived in
"the obscurity. The sun, when it rose in splendour,
"worshipped her charms, and her appearance il-
"luminated the darkness. Death, daughter of the
"noble-born! is like a garden, and my spear is its
"branches and its roots. To-morrow there shall
66
،،
<6
66
pass from my hand to the Persians a cup more
"bitter than the poisons of medicines. I will make
"them taste of thrusts that shall disgrace their
chiefs, and shall make unweaned infants turn
grey. When the armies of Chosroe
pour down
upon me, thou shalt see what will become of their
limbs. I will fight them till they, high and low,
"shall be exhausted, and shall complain of the hor-
12
(C
rors of the dust. I will leave their flesh for the
"ravenous lion, and their horses and their armour
"for my comrades. O Ibla! were Death a sub-
stance, it should bend and bow down before me.
As soon as Antar had finished his verses, Maadi
Kereb was in amazement at his courage and his
eloquence. May God never abandon your mouth,
said he, and may no one ever harm you! And they
continued seeking the mountains till night had
darkened the land.
66
66
ANTAR'S ADDRESS TO HIS BELOVED.
66
197
(6
Now as they had been a long time absent, King
Zoheir and the Absian chiefs mounted, and went
in quest of them till they met them. And Antar
198
PERSIANS AND ABSIANS ENGAGE.
related to King Zoheir how they had treated the
advance of the Persian army, and how they had
routed them, and that he had slain Shahmerd. To
rout the advance, said King Zoheir, is an indication
of victory and conquest, and we ought to offer our
thanksgiving to the God of Old, the Creator of
mankind. They entered the mountains, and told
the horsemen what had happened, and the Ab-
sians were delighted; they reposed that night till
daybreak, when they rushed out, demanding the
combat and the conflict, and lo! the Persian ar-
mies appeared, and their dust rose on high till the
whole country was obscured. The wild beasts fled
from their dens, and the standards appeared. To-
day, said Antar to his associates, will the glories of
warriors be conspicuous. He stationed over every
troop a knight, whilst he superintended them all
like a lion.
When the Persians advanced and saw the small
numbers of the Absians (but they were like fero-
cious wild beasts), they poured down upon them
like a deluging rain. The Absians received them
with blows that stupefied hearts, and thrusts that
blinded the vision. Antar stood apart from the
scene of battle protecting his men; sometimes he
rushed to the right, now to the left, and having
overthrown the heroes, he retired to his post. And
whenever he perceived his party hard pressed, he
was ready to assist them. Maadi Kereb observing
this, acted in the same manner.
The battle con-
}
199
tinued thus till mid-day. Consternation fell upon
the Persians, when, lo! Khodawend approached with
the great body of the army, and seeing the conflict
raging, he called out to Zerkemal to withdraw the
army from the contest, saying. We will establish
ourselves here, and despatch a messenger to the
Absians, for they have always paid us great respect;
and perhaps now they have repented of their con-
duct, they will probably return to their allegiance,
and seize the person of that slave, the worthless
Antar. Upon this Zerkemal called off the army
from the Absians. And the Persians alighted in
their tents, and the land and the desert were filled,
and whilst they were reposing, Khodawend ordered
a letter to be written to the tribe of Abs command-
ing them to submit; and let it be mentioned that in
that case I will stand as mediator between them and
my father, but if they resist I will not spare one of
them either high or low. Accordingly the vizier
wrote a letter to King Zoheir to the above effect,
stating,-Khodawend is advised to destroy you, but
he has had compassion on you; he has resolved on
acknowledging you the supports of his government,
and the abettors of its greatness. Feel therefore
the value of this intention, and presume not to
thwart the imperial government.
KHODAWEND'S LETTER TO ZOHEIR.
Having folded the letter, he gave it to a satrap,
and ordered him to depart. He also honoured him
with ensigns and standards, and gave him an escort.
of twenty Persian horsemen, with an interpreter
200
ANTAR SLAYS THE MESSENGER,
called Ocab, son of Terdjem. The tribe of Abs
had alighted, and not one remained on horseback
but Antar and Maadi Kereb, who on observing the
satrap, Antar said to Maadi Kereb, O chief, verily
there is a satrap advancing towards us, he probably
wants us to surrender ourselves to him that he may
take us and hang us on the balcony; I rather wish
to begin with them before they commence with us.
They were in conversation, when lo! the satrap
came up to them; he did not salute them, but
asked for King Zoheir. He inquires for King Zo-
heir, said the interpreter, for he has a letter from
Khodawend for him. We, O Arab, said Antar, have
read your letter before its arrival; in it your prince
orders us to surrender ourselves without fighting or
contending. Pull that satrap off the back of his
horse, said he to Shiboob; ay, and the rest too.
Seize all their property; and if
and if any one dares
struggle with you, treat him thus-and at the word
he expanded his arm, and pierced the satrap through
the chest, forcing the spear out quivering through
his back, and he hurled him down dead. When
his comrades saw what Antar had done, they cried
out for quarter, and surrendered themselves to Shi-
boob, who bound them fast by the shoulders. As
to the interpreter, he shuddered. May God requite
you well, said he, for you have answered us before
even reading the letter. If this indeed is the
honorary robe for a satrap, let it not be so for an
interpreter; for I have children and a family, and
201
I am but a poor fellow. I only followed these Per-
sians, but with the prospect of gaining some misera-
ble trifle. I never calculated on being hung; and
my children when I am gone will remain orphans.
So he wept, and groaned, and complained, thus
expressing himself:
“O knight of the horses of warriors that over-
"throw; their lion, resembling the roaring ocean.
66
By your awful appearance you have disgraced
“heroes, and reduced them to despair. As soon as
"the Persian sees you he is dishonoured; if they
"approach you, and extend their spears against
your glory, they must retreat, or there is no se-
curity. Have compassion then on your victim, a
person of little worth, whose family will be in
"misery when he is gone. Not the thrust of the
spear or battle are among my qualifications. I
"profess no fighting; I have no cleaving scimitar.
My name is Ocab: but indeed I am no fighting
man, and the sword in the palm of my hand only
"chases pelicans."
66
66
st
66
BUT SPARES THE INTERPRETER,
66
66
Antar laughed at Ocab's verses. O Aboolfa-
waris, said Maadi Kereb, it would be foul indeed to
hang this fellow. He has confessed his crime. An-
tar let him go. Return to your family, said he,
and go no more to the Persian, or you will be in
danger; for when they see you safe they will accuse
you, and perhaps will put you to death. You are
very right, my lord, said he: by the faith of an
Arab, had I known these Persians would have been
202
thus worsted I would not have quitted you; and
probably I might have managed to secure some of
their goods, and have returned with it to my family.
Sheikh, said Maadi Kereb, this business has failed:
but, come, take the spoils of this satrap, and re-
turn to your family, and pass not your evening a
dead man. Ay, my lord, said Ocab, he is a wise
fellow who returns safe to his friends. So he ran up
to the satrap, and despoiled him. Round his waist
was a girdle and a sword, and when Ocab saw all
that wealth he was bewildered; and having com-
pletely rifled him, O my lord, said he to Antar, I
will never separate from you again. I wish you
would present me to your king, that I may kiss his
hand, and offer him my services: then indeed I will
for ever cleave to your party, and whenever you
slay a satrap I will plunder him. Antar laughed
heartily: But, said Maadi Kereb, O Aboolfawaris,
you have slain the satrap, and now King Zoheir
cannot consult with him. O Maadi, said Antar,
whenever any one comes to order us to surrender
ourselves to him we will hang him, and not parley
with him. Antar joined King Zoheir, and gave
him the letter; he read it, and was much agitated.
My lord, said Antar, what is the answer? Hang-
ing and beheading must be the answer, said
King Zoheir, so that Khodawend may send us no
more of his satraps. I have done so, said Antar;
and going out he saw that Shiboob had hung most
of them; only three remained. He ordered him to
WHO RIFLES HIS MASTER, AND ESCAPES.
KHODAWEND COMMENCES THE BATTLE.
203
shave their beards, and cut off their ears, and sling
the heads of those he had hung round their necks,
and send them back to their prince. Shiboob did
as his brother ordered: one of them died on the
road; two arrived, and their clothes were of the
cornelian dyes; and when they stood in the presence
of Zerkemal they grunted and blasphemed, saying,
the fault is Khodawend's, who condescends to nego-
tiate with these Arabs. Zerkemal introduced them to
the prince, and informed him what had passed. Kho-
dawend, on hearing this, swore by the fire that they
must bring before him every Arab fettered, with
their hands bound round their necks, or he would
put to death every Persian he had with him. He
passed that night in great anxiety for the appearance
of day; and soon the men shouted among the
troops; the horsemen mounted; the two armies
prepared; the dust arose and obscured the land;
the trumpets resounded, and shouts were raised;
the imperial standards advanced; the Arab horse
pranced, and the tribe of Abs also were eager for
the contest in defence of their women and families,
but they did not move far from the entrance of the
mountains. Antar attacked the Persian, and scat-
tered away their skulls. He wished on that day-to
keep off the Persians from the assault, but the
armies could not be controlled; they shouted in their
jargons, and raised their voices; but Khodawend
prevented his Arabs from attacking with the Per-
sians. Prince Aswad came forth, and also Rebia
:
204
CARNAGE AND CONFUSION,
and Hadifah, and they stood just without the scene
of battle, enjoying the spectacle of the contest be-
tween the Absians and Persians. The universe
was in convulsions. The sun, with the violence of
the dust, was veiled; the earth shook; lives were
plundered; men were bewildered; swords clashed ;
the senses fled; blood flowed; the land was in
tumults; the dust rose in clouds; the dead were
trampled on with fury; the brave advanced, the co-
wards shrunk away. Antar and Maadi exhibited all
their powers on that day. Khodawend was amazed.
And they continued in that perilous confusion till
the day fled, and the night came on in obscurity.
The whole country was crammed with the dead.
The armies of Khodawend alighted at their tents,
whilst Antar and Maadi Kereb returned in front of
their troops, resembling the flowers of the Judas
tree, so smeared were they with the blood of the
horsemen. They remained on guard till daylight,
when the armies drew up for the battle and the
contest. The Absians stood forth, and in front
were Antar and Maadi Kereb like the lions of the
waste. Khodawend commanded the Persians to make
the attack against the Absians. Instantly the com-
plexion of the beautiful changed; the cries were in-
cessant; the gates of success were closed
upon the
Persians; the battle raged; shouts were vehement.
The coward thought of his life, and screamed.
Skulls were chopped off by the sword; the king of
death was eager in the pursuit of souls; energy was
IN A DREADFUL CONFLICT.
205
excited; all sport was at an end. The horses were
drenched in perspiration; great was the agitation;
heads were smote and were cleft in twain. The
stumbling and slipping were universal; swords and
shields were shattered; hands and necks were
clipped off; spears dashed through the eyes; and
the heart of Amarah burst.
206
66
THIS day is thus described:
"A day alone in the revolutions of time to be re-
"corded in the tales of the historian. Wars com-
"menced, and every evil fell upon the Persian and
"the Arab. The army of Persia came with their
"horses, and the troops filled the whole country to
"destroy the Arabs, and all the inhabitants of the
"barren wastes. The Absians, and the armies
"of the conquering Zebeedians, met them. The
"horses of death rushed among them, and the
“herald of fate vociferated aloud. Dust rose upon
every side; and the brave heroes vanished from
"the contest. The lightning of the scimitars flashed
"like the stars in the obscurity of night. The blows
"of the sword were heard like thunder roaring in
"the rolling clouds. The thrust of the spear rent
પ
open every bosom, and wrenched out the eyes.
"The knights bellowed in the contest like the lions
"of the deserts. They galloped over the plain,
"and exhibited their enmity to their focs. The
youths of war raved in the battle-men, endued
"with every martial quality. They rejoiced in
hearing the sounds issuing from the stringed in-
"struments of the combatants. Brides scemed to
(6
DESCRIPTION OF THIS
66
CHAPTER XXIII.
66
66
"stand among them, sparkling with every exquisite
"beauty as their forms appeared brilliant before
“the combatants, heads flew off as offerings, and
"the men were hacked to pieces by the overwhelm-
"ing spear. The blades and lances played a tune,
" and the dancers moved to the clash of the edged
"sword. They were delighted in listening with ec-
"stasy. They danced, and could not be quiet. The
cups of death passed round with wine of the liquor
"of perils: it intoxicated them, and carried them
"off speedily; and whilst they were singing they
were dispersed. The falchions clashed, and again
they returned to the destruction of dearly-prized
"lives. Where they fought, there fell the requisite
"punishments upon them for drinking the prohibited
draught. He who could see them fell, or was
"trampled under the noble steeds. He who could
"see them threw himself dismounted on the ground,
"and there sought the plains and the deserts. Of
66 one were the limbs hewn off; of another was
.. pierced the heart with the thrust of the spear.
They remained with their faces upon the earth,
"and they drank of the wine of perdition. The
"ravens made their complaints among them, as the
"owl mourns in its notes. The horses of death
66
66
66
FURIOUS ENGAGEMENT.
(C
207
were eager among them, and the carcasses of the
"Persians were crushed under them. They were
"exhausted with the contest, and the horses of death
galloped over them."
Thus they continued to fight, and thus were they
66
208
THE BATTLE CONTINUES.
annihilated in battle. The two armies continued
the contest of blows and thrusts till the day closed,
when they separated, the whole country being filled
with the dead. But, on the return of dawn, they
again started for the combat, and the hundreds and
thousands being drawn up, and the ranks being ar-
ranged, Antar stood forth, and appeared on the
back of Abjer, and he was like a strong tower, or a
block of iron. King Zoheir, and his sons, and the
other horsemen and troops followed him; his father
Shedad, and the family of Carad, preceding him.
The tribe of Ghiftan thundered behind, and then
came all the warriors and knights. O Aboolfawaris,
said King Zoheir, numbers and an immense multi-
tude oppose us! What say you? O King, said An-
tar, by the faith of an Arab, I will verily show you
this day a battle and a contest future ages shall re-
cord. I will exterminate the boldest of these heroes.
And Antar began to encourage his heart with these
verses:
"I am the Absian, the slayer of cowards. In war
"is the time of my glory. I remember my Ibla in
“the hour of battle, and love of her inspires my
"heart. I have assaulted the foe with the chest of
66
my charger in the day of battle, at the hour of
"the concussion of multitudes. I have broken down
"their tribes with the edge of my sword, and their
"blood has flowed like pouring clouds. Never have
"I turned away the chest of my steed from them.
CC
My dependance is on Ibla, and my noble passion.
66
"I said to her, turn thee away, and depart, for the
"destruction of troops is my duty. When the
"movers of terror come down upon us, and the ar-
"mies assail in quest of death, and the troops of
“Arabia and Persia crowd round the great King,
"it is then my noble steed with its hoof of rock
"drives against them; and his rider is a youth of
"the race of Abs, whose father and mother are de-
"scended from Ham. The horse rush upon the
"stern intrepid warriors, the harbingers of terror,
"like male ostriches; in their hands are Indian
"blades and spears: then bursts forth a blaze. of
'light, and it is the lightning flash in the thunder
"cloud. They press on, they present the dreadful
"combat; and then glows a flame like a burning
"fire. I have slain Wirdishan, and he was a stout
warrior, bold in the encounter on the day of as-
"sault. I have left his women to mourn him in
CC
ANTAR'S HARANGUE AND ONSET.
209
66
I am
misery, and he is weltering in blood on the plain.
"This day too will I slay the son of Chosroe, and
"with him Aswad, thou son of a coward.
"Antar, and my reputation is known far and wide,
"as I tear open heads with the rage of my scimitar."
When Antar had finished his verses, he rushed
upon the Persians, and roared; he assaulted, and
with his shouts he made the deserts and the sand-
hills rock, and the country trembled at the howl of
the ferocious lion. That day Antar rushed upon
the Persians, and as he vociferated, the mountains
resounded, and hollows re-echoed. The horses.
P
VOL. III.
ל
210
THEY FIGHT AND RETIRE.
started back in confusion, and hurled their riders off
their seats. In fact, the whole country was ob-
scured; and the dust overshadowed the land: men
burst down on one another; skulls were hewn off;
bowels were wrenched out, spears were shivered,
and swords were shattered. Blood deluged; lives
were plundered; horsemen conversed in various
tongues; darts were sped with rapidity. The noble-
born were in their glory; the base retreated; the
brave advanced: heads flew off; the dead were
tossed about. On that day the very breathing was
checked, and the scene exceeded all calculation. They
continued to fight and to contend, to thrust and to
smite, till God permitted the day to depart, and the
night to throw around its veil of obscurity. Then
the two armies separated, for they were exhausted
with striking and piercing.
The tribe of Abs returned, and Antar at their
head, like the flower of the Judas tree, from the
blood of the horsemen that streamed down him.
King Zoheir, and his sons, and the tribe of Abs in
general, could utter no other word but the “Great
Antar," and the victory and triumph were attributed
to him.
The two armies reposed that night till morning
dawned, when the Persians leaped on their horses'
backs, and were drawn up in the left, and right, and
centre, and flanks. The tribe of Abs also issued
from the mountains, and the men hastened to their
posts, when lo! Antar burst forth to the contest,
1
ANTAR'S GLORY AND BOAST,
on his horse Abjer, like a savage lion, or a wave of
the sea in a tempest. He rushed against the right
of the Persians, and overwhelmed it with disgrace
and infamy, and again he returned to the plain,
when lo a knight of Dilem came down upon him
like a roaring lion; but Antar only said, accursed
be your mother and the mothers of all who
worship fire! and he struck him on the jugular
vein, and separated his head from his shoulders.
Again he galloped and charged, demanding an an-
tagonist: a second stood forth, he slew him-a third,
he hurled him over-a fourth, he soon despatched-
and they continued in this state till the sun being
about to set, he turned away from the field of battle,
after he had slain about two hundred and fifty horse-
men, and taken seventy prisoners: and as he exulted
in what he had done, he thus expressed himself:
211
"When I wish, I steep my lance in the dye of
"vermilion; and I overthrow the vehement horse-
66
men with my spear. I am the son of the noblest
❝of men to the east or to the west; by my strength
"I conquer in battle, and in the attack. I am the
knight of war that never flinches. I hew off the
"heads of the armed men, and am filled with glory.
"I am a knight whose equal the age will not behold,
"unrivalled for my feats, my conquests, and my
66
(6
liberality. I am the wished-for knight, the shouter,
"the vociferator; I am the piercer of the brave in
"the day of assault. I am the object of horrors in
"every fight: I am the grasper of souls, the dis-
P Q
212
AND EXULTATION IN BATTLE.
66
C6
66
"solver of every enchantment. I am the destroyer
"of heroes in every dust; I am he that makes the
"warriors drink of the poison of serpents: I am
"the knight of knights, my ambition soars on high,
"and it is elevated to the sun of Paradise. O Ibla,
"I am the furious horseman, the vanquisher of the
powerful, the stern and the intrepid. I swear
by the procession, by the pillar, by the stone, by
"the temples, and by their supports, and Zemzem,
"that I will raise the war in the field of contention,
" and that I will annihilate heroes, piercing them
"with my tall spear. I will raise the glory of Abs
❝ above all mankind, by my generosity, by my am-
"bition, and my resolution. When the warriors
cry out in the battle, who is there? I cry out, I!
"and death is hurled against death. Should the
"circumference of the world assemble against them,
"I would meet it on that day, as if the earth were
"but the circumference of a dirhem. Truly, in the
"battle of bitterness there is a lion of the tribe, and
"when I am engaged, the valour of the most for-
"ward is conspicuous. I am the lion, but I am not to
"be trifled with; I am the sea, but I am not to be
"tasted. I am he who encounters deaths laughing,
"whilst my foe meets me with not even a smile.
"Not every one whom a steed ennobles is a knight;
"not every polished two-edged instrument is a
"scimitar. Rise, my Ibla, and behold thy Antar
"this day-the lion, when all the armed multi-
“tudes rush upon him. O Khodawend, return,
HIS HAUGHTY CHALLENGE.
<<
expose not your life to dangers with the champion
"of women, or you will repent. I am Antar the
66
Absian, the knight of his clan; I destroy in my
"assault the pillars of the tribes.
At hearing these verses, the Absians with one ac-
claim cried out, May God never split your mouth,
and may there be never one to harm you! Antar
thanked them, and dismounted. They entered the
tents, and remained on the watch till next day, when
the warriors again mounted. The men were drawn
up, and as Khodawend, mounted on his most valua-
ble steed, stood observing the Absians, lo! Antar
started forth between the two armies, exclaiming,
Where is the combatant? Who is the champion?
This day is the day of universal agitation; this is
the day for the elevation of funerals! Will no one
dare to meet me? Ye caldrons of cowardly Per-
sians! Be not afraid; come forth-one knight to
one knight-ten to one-hundred to one-thousand
to one: and if you think it but little odds, come all
of
ye, attack me, that I may encounter ye all with a
staff with which I used to tend the he and she
camels; and I will disperse ye among the wastes
and the sand-hills.
218
99
When the Persian army and Khodawend heard
Antar's harangue, amazement and terror fell upon
them. This, said Khodawend, is the grossest indig-
nity: when lo! one of the priests of fire advanced
towards Khodawend, and kissing his hand, O Prince,
said he, do not despise this hero, whose intrepidity
214
67
CONFLICT CONTINUED.
is quite proverbial. Take my advice, and rush upon
him with all your armies, Persian and Arab, or this
swarthy knight will exterminate us all.
Upon this, Khodawend ordered the whole army to
attack, and they, after the manner of their fore-
fathers, made the assault as if one man, Arab and
Persian, Turcoman and Dilemite. But Antar met
them with blows irresistible and infallible, like a
voracious lion, when he roars and bellows.
When King Zoheir saw the attack of the armies,
and how they surrounded Antar on all sides, he
ordered the tribes of Abs, and Kendeh, and Zebeed,
to the assault. They altogether made a rush at the
Persians, and the ocean of death waved and dashed
till the hair on the head and the locks below the
ears turned grey. The valiant heroes fought, the
cowards were in dismay and fled; beards were
dyed with crimson blood; lords became slaves; and
there passed among them what no pen can describe.
The supports of life snapped, and were thrown
down: the day darkened over them, and blinded
them; the heroes roared and bellowed; wrists and
heads were hewn off.
Khodawend beheld in the tribe of Abs and its
swarthy horsemen a fury of battle he had never ob-
served neither in Arab or Persian. The conflict
continued to rage, blood to be spilt—the flame of
war to sparkle, and men to slay, till night coming
on, the armies separated, and the surface of the land
was covered with the dead: for on that day above
ten thousand Persians were killed. Khodawend re-
tired, surrounded by his warriors of Dilem. The
tribe of Abs also returned with more than two
thousand prisoners.. Khodawend ordered his Satraps
to take care of the Absian prisoners, amounting to
about one thousand. Thus they reposed, anxious
for the dawn of day. But Antar on quitting the
battle was like the Judas flower; and as the tribe
of Abs preceded him, he thus spoke:
"O my Ibla, heed not the calamities of night,
"and let not nocturnal disasters afflict thee. Fear
(
not death, for it is overpowered by the command
"of him who ordains every act. By thy life, wert
"thou to behold the foes that charge upon me, O
"thou, essence of loveliness, as they empty their
"quivers, and rush on with every lion-hearted,
long-mustachioed warrior, as they rave whilst my
Abjer, in the midst of their hell-flames, outstrips
"the winds in the season of the northern blasts;
"and as they roll on in waves like the ocean around
"me-and as they attack brandishing their spears,
"then am I the undaunted lion. I fear them not—
"I heed them not-and when thou seest the light-
ning of death flashing from the blade of my
polished scimitar, and cups of death circling
"round from the barb of my well-proportioned
((
spear, Antar, under the shadow of the dust, will
"cleave off the warriors' heads with his sword, and
"when the pointed lances goad him, he will fight
"on the right and on the left. I am the death
66
<<
ANTAR'S ADDRESS AT ITS CONCLUSION.
(
215
66
"
216
“that overthrows mankind! the rock-ribbed moun-
tains yield to my impetuosity. Let the Imperials
come with all their armies, broad-chinned, and
"their mustachioes plucked out, we will charge
66 among them with our hard-flanked, high-
(6
PRINCE WARCAH WOUNDED.
66
"blooded steeds. We will encounter their fronts
"with the thrust whose fall would level the towers
"of mountains. I am Antar, in form like a lion,
" and I dread not the utmost fury of my foes."
As soon as Antar had finished, King Zoheir
hastened towards him, and kissed him between the
eyes, and thanked him, (for on that day he never
expected to see him escape alive from the arrows of
the Persians). He afterwards sought his sons, and
perceived three of them were wounded, and Warcah's
eye had been grazed. Warriors, said Antar, had
they not fought with arrows, we would have ex-
terminated their hosts, and we would have left
them as a warning to all beholders. When they
had secured their prisoners with cords, and brought
them into the mountains, By the faith of an Arab,
cried Antar, in revenge for Warcah, I will verily
take Khodawend's life. To-morrow will I attack
him under his banners and his standards, and I will
either take him prisoner, or leave him abject and
degraded. They retired to their tents and lighted
their fires, and the two armies were on the watch.
Khodawend ordered the Satraps to examine the
troops, and when it was ascertained that ten thou-
sand had been slain, and two thousand made pri-
MAADI KEREB'S EXPLOITS.
217
soners, his bosom was violently oppressed, and he
was in the greatest consternation. The fire is en-
raged at you all, said he, and you have merited this
disgrace. What! has this catastrophe befallen you,
you so superior in numbers? By this calculation, had
they even amounted to one-fourth of your force,
they would not have left one of ye alive. By day-
light, the two armies being drawn up in order of
battle, a knight came forth from the Persian army
like a fragment of a cloud, mounted on a close-
haired charger: from his neck hung an Indian
sabre, and a thin spear was slung over his shoulders,
and he wore a defensive coat of mail, short-sleeved;
and he came on in a most impetuous style, till he
had reached the middle of the plain, when Maadi
Kereb rushed down upon him, and not permitting
him even to gallop or charge once, he smote him
with his sword, and left him dead. A second
started forth, he slew him-a third, he hurled him
headlong—a fourth he crippled, and a fifth, he ac-
celerated his departure from the world; and so on,
till he had killed fifty horsemen, when the sun in-
clining to the westward, the two armies separated,
and sought their tents, and the picquets protected
the sleepers till the day dawned in smiles, and the
two armies prepared to renew the fight and the con-
flict. The ranks were drawn up, and the thousands
were disposed opposite each other. When lo! a
horseman appeared on a bright roan horse, and
sought the contest. Antar stood forth against him,
Categ
218
ZERKEMAL'S TREACHERY PUNISHED.
but Maadi Kereb anticipated him: this knight was
the brother of Wirdishan, whom Antar had slain
in the valley of Torrents. Ocab saw him, and he
went up to Antar; O my lord, said he, this is in-
deed a mighty Satrap! Maadi Kereb attacked him;
they both assaulted and struck; they retired, and
they closed, and they continued the combat, till the
day closing in, they were about to separate unhurt,
after they had fought a battle that would have
turned infants grey.
Zerkemal was full of rage in his heart, that he
had not accomplished his wish against his foe; and
as Maadi Kereb was returning towards the Arab
army, the Satrap remained quiet till he had turned
his back upon him, when he proved his perfidy, for
he shouted and hurled at him a penetrating javelin,
convinced it would overthrow him. But Maadi
Kereb, hearing his shout, quickly turned his shield
over his back, and the javelin fell upon it more fatal
than the fall of a thunderbolt; it pierced right
through to his body and wounded him. Maadi
Kereb fainted and fell on the ground. The Satrap
was in the act of dismounting, when lo! a yell
struck him like the crushing thunder: he turned
behind him to meet the knight, and as he advanced
he shouted at him; but the other again roared so
that he blinded him; he poured down upon him,
and frightened him, and pierced him. The spear
stuck in his ribs, he fell to the earth weltering in his
blood. This was the swarthy knight-the skilful
ANTAR'S GRIEF AT MAADI KEREB'S WOUND.
219
combatant-the roaring lion-the captain of knights
—the chief Antar, son of Shedad. For when he
saw Maadi Kereb thus betrayed, he resolved on
punishing the Satrap for his deed. He hastened
towards Maadi Kereb, and having extracted the
javelin out of his back, he bound up his wound,
and placed him on his horse, and gave him over to his
companions. It was now dark, and Antar returned
to the tents, his grief excessive on account of Maadi
Kereb. But as to Khodawend, his rage and in-
dignation increased to such a degree, his passion
nearly choked him.
O Prince, said Aswad, this is not the plan by
which the government will last long in your hands.
The warriors of Hidjaz are at all times of very in-
ferior numbers, but every one of,their knights will
overthrow a whole tribe; and if you do not permit
us to attack them in all directions, we shall never
gain our object. I will not attack them, said Kho-
dawend, but with knight to knight, and if you can-
not bring me them one after the other, I do not
want any assistance of you. All this, said Rebia, pro-
ceeds from Antar's good luck, so that at last he will
vanquish us.
They reposed till the dawn of day, when the
horsemen started on their horses' backs; the chiefs
advanced, and Antar stood forth on his horse Abjer
like a resolute lion. Shiboob had told him all that
had passed between Khodawend and Aswad; for
he had insinuated himself among the Persian troops,
220.
THE COMBAT RENEWED.
and having obtained intelligence, he returned to his
brother. By the faith of an Arab, said Antar, I
will exterminate the tribe of Fazarah, and the
armies of Persia, were they as numerous as the
sands of the desert, and I will slay that cuckold
Aswad and all his troops with the weight of my
scimitar. I will restore Numan to his dominions-
I will destroy all the inhabitants of Khorasan : And
he hastened away to the plain, King Zoheir and his
sons, and his father Shedad, and his uncles, fol-
lowing him, and also the tribe of Ghiftan galloped
forwards the tribe of Abs amounted to five thou-
sand, and the tribe of Ghiftan to three thousand,
and the whole of the army consisted of eight thou-
sand, all sturdy lions. But Antar made his well
known assault, and poured out his usual roar. The
battle began to rage, and blood to be spilt, and men
to be slain-and the flame of war to blaze-and
the world to be obscured-and heroes to dash
against each other-and skulls to be dispersed-
and spears to be shivered-and swords to be shat-
tered-and blood to stream in torrents-and lives
to be plundered-and fires to burn--and horsemen
to pierce—and the brave to be exalted in glory—
and the base to retreat—and the Persians to be pre-
cipitated and hands to fly off-and the dead to be
kicked about-and the horses to charge in suc-
cession-and the enemy to be routed-and on that
day the consternation was universal, and the battle
put at nought all calculation-the combat was fu-
221
ANTAR'S CARNAGE AMONG THE FOE.
rious; calamities and misfortunes were innumerable;
the easy became difficult. Antar pierced right and
left, and filled the land and the sands with carcasses:
he drove right through the army, and slew numbers
of their heroes, and he never relaxed. King Zoheir
also attacked with his sons, and they penetrated
through the left. Antar's uncles triumphed on the
right: thus they continued till night brought on
darkness; and as Aswad retired, he took no notice.
of any one, for he was intent on horrors and ven-
geance, and so it was also with Khodawend, for he
was quite stupefied at the fury of the contest, and
he shuddered in terror. As soon as the armies
alighted at the tents, they ate their dinner and re-
posed till day shone.
The first that stood forth in the plain was the
knight of the swarthy Abs, and challenged to the
combat; but as no one sallied out against him, he
rushed upon the Persian right, and hacked among
them with his scimitar; he raved, and he issued
from the dust, having slain seventy brave horsemen.
Again he returned to the conflict and carnage, and
assailed the heroes with the thrust of his spear.
Come forth, ye caldrons of Khorasan! he cried,
aim your swords and your spears at me; and
though the horsemen rushed upon him with the
utmost impetuosity, he plundered them of their
lives, and stretched their carcasses upon the ground;
and he ceased not to thrust at them till they all
shrunk back, when he rushed against the left,
222
{
where fought the Arab tribes. He dealt death and
perdition among them, and slew them till the day
closed, and he only quitted them after he had as-
suaged his soul among them; and Shiboob, like an
unavoidable calamity, always preceded Antar, the
springing lion; but they all returned from the field
of battle towards the tents as night was coming on.
The two armies reposed, keeping on the watch;
but the day dawning, Antar came forth into the
plain, and thus spoke:
66
66
Question the mountaineers of me, O Ibla! ask
"of them what the Persians have suffered from me.
"I have destroyed the multitudes that came upon
me with billows of troops, men and demons.
They wished to devour us, hungry as they were;
"but we have glutted them with blows and thrusts.
“We have eaten, but they have not eaten; for they
"came against us seeking death at our hands. We
"have dispersed their troops from the women more
"beautiful than seraphs. How many horsemen
"have I laid low with my sword, and their hands
66 were stained, but not with henna!
How many
"warriors have I abandoned, whose wives must
66 mourn in tears their dissolution! How many va-
"liant heroes have beheld my thrust, and have
"cried out, Hold, O son of Shedad! My heart has
"been created harder than iron. Mountains may
pass away, but I shall not pass away. I am the
strong bulwark for the race of Abs when their
"enemies erect their fortresses. My complexion,
CC
CC
ANTAR AGAIN ENCOURAGES HIS FRIENDS.
66
THE BATTLE RAGES,
223
"it is true, resembles the night, but my deeds are
"more brilliant than the rays of the sun. Among
"the horsemen there is not my equal; how then can
"I fear man or demon? My dark complexion is my
parentage; my father and my mother are my sword
"and my spear when my genealogy is required."
<<
When Antar had finished his verses, behold As-
wad in front of the Arab army ready to attack him;
and as they assaulted him, Go to King Zoheir, said
Antar to Shiboob, with my compliments: demand
of him one hundred horsemen, that with them I
may cut down the enemy, and disperse them among
the deserts; but let him not stir from the entrance
of the valley. Shiboob departed to execute his
orders, whilst Antar assaulted the armies: horsemen
engaged horsemen; the equals in glory contended;
the shouts were dreadful among them; spears la-
boured against hearts and lives; the blades of the
swords clashed; slaughter and wounds were incal-
culable; exertion was roused, and all jest was at
end; the cowards mourned for themselves, and
wept; and the eyeballs of those in health sunk deep
into their sockets; the brave cried out, Flinch not!
Whilst they were in this tumult, behold from the
quarter of the desert there appeared a dust, which
filled the whole region; the armies stared at it with
attentive gaze to discover what it might be: when,
lo! it was Aboolfawaris Antar, and in his hand was
a prisoner like a camel, and behind him was Shiboob
the subtle lion. The horsemen all looked at the
*
224
ANTAR TAKES ASWAD PRISONER.
prisoner on whom this infancy had fallen, and be-
hold, it was Prince Aswad; for he was the first that
attacked in front of the Arabs, and rushed upon
Antar with the view to make him drink of the cup
of perdition, but Antar frustrated his intention by
his impetuosity, and he assailed him, bearing his
shield over his bosom. He hurled him on his back,
but the Arabs rushed on, anxious to rescue him;
still Antar engaged them till Shiboob returning, he
gave him over to him, and he drove him before him
till he brought him clear beyond the scene of battle.
Antar ordered Shiboob to bind down his arms, and
drive him on to the mountains, whilst he himself re-
turned to the havoc and the destruction of heroes.
Maadi Kereb had continued ill with the pain of
his wound till this day. He now mounted his
steed, and plunged into the dust, exciting his cousins
to the contest, and to follow Antar, the son of
Shedad.
As to Khodawend, his bcsom was stifled, and he
said to his satraps, Let not the Persians fight in
company with the Arabs. The armies continued
to advance and engage, and the sword and spear
laboured among them till the day fled. Discom-
fiture fell on the Arabs, and they returned to their
tents, pursued by the thrusts of Antar, for they
were indeed annihilated, and their old and young
were in amazement. The Absians and the Zebee-
dians retired, and they had filled the land and the
desert with the dead. As Khodawend marked the
1
PREPARATIONS ON EITHER SIDE.
225
catastrophe that had befallen him, Now, indeed,
said he, the imperial government is mangled. Now
the Persian warriors are disgraced, and after this
event I cannot blame Numan who connected him-
self by marriage with this tribe. O prince, said one
of his satraps, attack them with your whole army,
so that we may engage them with darts and arrows,
and
pen them up in the mountains, otherwise they
will bring down infamy and disgrace upon us, were
we to be assisted even by the whole force of Kho-
rasan. Upon this he ordered his officers to instruct
all the warriors on this point, and to direct them to
exert their united powers in the battle. Having
reposed, they prepared their arms and their weapons,
till the morning appearing, they started for the con-
test and carnage. Khodawend mounted, and he
gave a shout that made the deserts ring. They
waved on to the right and left, and prostrating
themselves before the sun at its rising over the sum-
mits of the mountains, they blasphemed the great
Creator, and then advanced with their bows and
arrows, and unsheathed their polished scimitars.
The Absians arose that morning, exulting in their
victory which Aboolfawaris Antar had gained for
them; they were all ready to mount, and attack
with their spears, but Antar prohibited them, say-
ing, O my cousins, this day will not be like other
days. Assemble and stand firm at the entrance of
the defile, and beware of separation or dispersion,
but bear with perseverance the moment of the
VOL. III.
Q
sta
226
ANTAR FIGHTS ON FOOT.
onset. Engage them fiercely this day, and be not
as they imagine you are, though the Persians drive
against your horses, and seek to destroy you. Just
then the armies of horsemen rolled upon them like
the billows of the ocean, and the commotion was
terrific among them. The day became like a night
of total darkness; the horsemen were mixed con-
fusedly, singly, and in pairs; the arrows struck the
jugular veins of the steeds. (Asmaee reports, I have
heard from one of the Arab chiefs in whom con-
fidence may be placed, that this day was such that
no one before him or after him ever saw its like,
for they fought till their bodies fell dead; the blast
of death withered them; the heads of the slain were
dispersed.) But Antar having selected one thou-
sand horse, pursued the conflict, and encountered
horrors, till he drove away the troops from the Ab-
sians, and scattered them among the wilds and the
wastes. When he shouted they were dispersed far
and wide; and when he attacked they were put to
the rout; and thus he continued his dreadful deeds
in front of that valiant army till consternation falling
upon them all, he dismounted from the back of his
horse, and rushed rapidly towards the Arabs with
sword and shield. The tyrants of Persia shouted
round him, and the whole atmosphere resounded.
The scene bade defiance to the description of the
most acute. The high-blooded chargers pranced
over skulls and necks; the swift-sped darts, and
the thin-bladed scimitars and the quivering lances
A
DISCOMFITURE OF THE ABSIANS.
297
penetrated through the tribes of Zebeed and Ken-
deh; and they endured intolerable horrors in the
combat with the Persians. They tasted the bit-
terest draughts; and the swords continued to play
till the sun disappearing in the west, and the night
coming on with impenetrable obscurity, the armies
retired from the field.
On that day the Persians lost twice as many as
the Arabs, but still this diminution was scarcely ap-
parent, so vast was their host. As to the tribe of
Kendeh, they were quite cut up, for they were with-
out their chief, and his substitute was obliged to
fly; so likewise the tribe of Zebeed, they were not
in good spirits on account of the wound of their
knight; even Maadi Kereb had determined on
flight, fearful of death and perdition. As to Rebia,
he was congratulating Hadifah on their victory,
saying, If the like of this day occurs again to the
Absians, every vestige of them will be eradicated.
O Rebia, said Hadifah, they are indeed invincible
warriors. Never will they be vanquished whilst
this slave remains alive among them.
The tribe of Abs thus returned, but in a most
deplorable condition; many of their men were
wounded. King Zoheir consulted Antar about en-
tering the mountains, and fighting by their wives.
and families, but Antar swore he would not move
till he had conquered those foul wretches; For if,
said he, a thousand horsemen will stand with me I
will defend this spot, were even man and demon to
:
Q 2
T
228
BATTLE OF SEVEN DAYS.
They
assemble against me. They talked all night, but
with the first rays of light the horsemen marched
rapidly to the contest. They put on their instru-
ments of war, and made a most formidable attack,
at which the mountains resounded. The Arabs at-
tacked; the chief Antar was at their head.
commenced the blow and the thrust; horsemen
were slain; flames blazed; the multitudes mixed
promiscuously; they fought with sword and spear;
anxiety fell upon all; the eyeballs rolled round;
in every spot they sought for refuge and retreat;
spears scooped out the eyeballs, and the scimitars
flew against necks; the sabres of death flashed and
sparkled like lightning; sword blades and shields
were cleft in pieces. Now, they continued in this
frightful state for seven days entire; on the eighth
day the Absians were unable to contend in open
field, though they engaged still among the sand
hills and defiles, and their destruction seemed in-
evitable. Antar was wounded in three places; still
he protected the tribe and repulsed the foe, till
afflictions falling heavily upon them, the women
screamed, and tears burst from their eyes in copious.
streams, for the oceans of Persia were rushing upon
them from every quarter, whilst Rebia shouted to
his Arabs in a voice every one might hear, Eh!
come on! he exclaimed. Plunder the goods; cap-
ture the damsels, all like rising full moons; cut in
pieces that Antar with the edge of the cleaving
scimitar; tear his carcass with the barbs of the
1
229
+
quivering spears; and as he cried out, he just turned
his head round, and lo! he perceived a cloud of
dust encompassing the whole region, approaching
swifter than instant death. Rebia was quite con-
founded at the sight, and said to Hadifah, Doubtless
this is the dust of Chosroe, who is coming with all
his host, as he has been long without news of his
son; the evil destiny of the tribe of Abs is at hand,
and every vestige of them will be rooted out. But
whilst he endeavoured to ascertain what the dust
really meant, it opened, and behold there was a va-
liant army like the waves of the ocean, headed by
King Numan, and by his side rode the Chief Hid-
jar and Oorwah; and soon after the army galloped
forwards, crying out, O by Lakhm, O by Juzam !
your misery and destruction are at hand, ye Per-
sians! for King Numan is come. Rebia heard this
exclamation; amazement fell upon him; all the
joy he felt fled, and misery and grief were let loose
upon him. He looked at Hadifah, and he too was in
the greatest consternation: They have set at liberty
King Numan at last, he cried; and they are come
with him to assist the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and
I am convinced no one can have released him but the
Chief Hidjar. Soon will he reproach us for our con-
duct towards him; he will indeed requite us, and
say to us, As soon as you knew of my confinement
and my downfall, you assisted my brother, and you
fought against my friends: so now we have nothing
for it but to conciliate him as well as we can, or
THE ARRIVAL OF NUMAN.
230
HIDJAR'S ATTACK ON HIRAH.
death and destruction will overwhelm us. Stand off
from the contest of blows and thrusts, he added,
addressing the Arab tribes, for truly King Numan
is arrived; he has been released from fetters and
chains; he is come in spite of the power of his
enemies and his haters. The Arabs listened to this
harangue, and looking at the army that filled the
desert, they informed each other of the state of the
case, and retired from the combat, crying out to
King Numan, O thou triumphant!
But as to the rescue of King Numan, it was ef-
fected by Hidjar and Oorwah. As we before men-
tioned, they travelled with two hundred men till
they reached Hirah, when they plunged their
swords into the necks of the slaves and the shep-
herds, who screamed and shouted; upon which
sallied forth the horsemen of Khorasan, with the
satrap whom Khodawend had left to guard Numan,
and with him were one thousand Persians. They
commenced the engagement, headed by the satrap;
but Hidjar encountered him, and heard him mut-
tering in his Persian dialect; he understood him
not, neither did he make him any answer, but he
pierced him through the chest, and the barb issued
sparkling through his back. Oorwah struck the
second horseman, and levelled him with the earth.
The tribes of Abs and Kendeh shouted out their
distinct patronymics as they transfixed the Persians
through their chests and their ribs. Hidjar fell
impetuously upon them, and destroyed them with
THE ARABS REJOICE IN NUMAN'S RELEASE.
;
231
the blows of his sharp scimitar. The riders were
hurled off their horses; and the Persians saw the
descent of calamities. Their numbers were soon
diminished, and their strength and energy failed.
A few of them fled; most of them were slain; and
Hidjar entered Hirah with his troops, and releasing
Numan from captivity, related to him what the
tribe of Abs had done for him. Numan thanked
Hidjar, as he said to himself, I was persuaded no
one would release me but the Absians and Antar.
They set at liberty also the thousand horsemen
that were imprisoned with him; and on that very
day having sent a messenger to his friends, and
written letters to his allies, he waited a little to ar-
range his affairs, rejoicing at his deliverance from
bondage; but on the second day by sunrise armies
advanced like the rolling ocean, and in an hour
more he had an army collected of seven thousand
brave horsemen, with whom he instantly departed,
traversing the wastes and the deserts, alarmed for
the virtuous Absians, till they reached Adja and
Selma. And when Numan arrived he had not less
than twenty thousand men with him.
T
and how the
We have mentioned the event,
Arabs returned to their allegiance. Rebia too ad-
vanced towards him, and, kissing the ground, made
his excuses; so did Hadifah and the tribe of Faza-
rah, for they feared some direful misfortune would
overtake them.
As to Khodawend, he expected his death, and
232
NUMAN'S EXCUSES TO KHODAWEND;
retreated from the contest, as soon as he saw what
had happened. The Persians, too, being alarmed
lest Khodawend should be murdered, surrounded
him on all sides through fear of the Arab king, for
Khodawend's force was now reduced to fifty thou-
sand worshippers of fire, the remainder having
drank of the cups of extinction.
SHE
The tribe of Abs issued from the defiles like lions
of the den, and in front of them stood Antar, the in-
vincible hero. The Absians looked about in alarm
at the horsemen and their numbers, fearful they
would want to plunder their property and goods;
but King Numan prohibited them from doing so.
After this he proceeded to seek Khodawend, ac-
companied only by Hidjar and Oorwah. Fear not,
most revered prince, said he, any hostile movement
against you with these nations, for we are indeed
the slaves of the imperial government, and the ser-
vants of the Persian kings. As to myself, O prince,
I cannot see in me that crime that you should seize
my person, except indeed my connexion with this
Absian tribe; and have you not seen in their con-
test during these days something to confound man-
kind? It is on that account I have sought their al-
liance, for not one of them can be slain without the
destruction of a whole body of heroes, and I never
intended by means of this tribe to endanger the
other tribes of Arabia; but I acted like a provident
man, and I had arranged matters in the best man-
ner in my fears for your safety. Your father has
WHO YIELDS, AND RECEIVES HIM KINdly. 233
listened to the words of my enemies, and seized me
on account of a transaction on which he was misin-
formed. I have only rescued myself, and am come
here, urged by my fears lest the Arabs should harm
you, for they are a people that comprehend not the
value of kings; but now what is past is past; and
the sight of the eye is better than the hearing of the
ear. Let your mercy and the mercy of your father
be not denied me, for I cannot acknowledge in myself
any crime that has merited such severity. Be you
reconciled to me, and I will be the protector and
defender of your government, otherwise the desert
before me is extensive and wide. At any rate I will
not separate from you till I have dispersed from
you these armies; and I will attend you to your
father in the firmest confidence. Khodawend, on
hearing this address, meditated, and hung down his
head towards the ground in excess of shame, for he
was a rare and noble youth, as indeed were all the
Chosroes, for they were the monarchs of the world
from the beginning of time till now.
Khodawend dismounted, and affairs being amica-
bly arranged, his alarms were converted into se-
curity. I will not move, said he to Numan, but
with my stirrup against your stirrup: and when I
reach
my father's
is presence you shall see what I will
do with you and your associates, for I never under-
stood your worth till I felt your power. But I de-
sire of you to bring me Antar here, that I may
overwhelm him with my kindnesses and bounty,
234
ANTAR'S RELUCTANCE TO SPARE HIM.
and make of him my coat of mail against the cala-
mities of fortune.
Numan turned towards Oorwah, and having in-
formed him of all the circumstances, ordered him to
go to Antar, and bring him, with King Zoheir, and
all his warriors. Congratulate yourself, O Aboolfa-
waris, said Oorwah, on the most exalted honours,
and the highest glory; for Prince Khodawend re-
quests you will attend him. The Absians had re-
strained themselves from the contest as soon as Nu-
man appeared, and they were in that uncertain state
when Oorwah came and announced the event. Praise
be to God, said Zoheir, who is the cause of our de-
liverance from death and destruction! We must
now indeed go to Khodawend; perhaps this business
may be arranged after all these dissensions, and evil
and wickedness vanish. What say you, O Abool-
fawaris? O King, said he, to my taste there is no-
thing more advisable than the slaughter of Khoda-
wend by the sword, and the massacre of all his
Persians. However, O King of the time, I will not
thwart the general opinion on the subject; and not
to distress your royal bosom at such a moment as
this, I will reply with obedience and submission.
Then King Zoheir took him and departed, ac-
companied with his sons, and in all one hundred
horsemen, whilst Oorwah, going ahead, related all
the circumstances that had passed, and how Numan
had been liberated. But Antar went on like one
going to give false evidence; and when they reached
Pad
THE PRINCE TREATS THEM HONOURABLY.
235
the Persian armies, the Satraps and the Dilemites
stared at Antar as he burst asunder the troops in
front of King Zoheir and his sons; and his spear
was slung across his shoulders.
They continued in procession till they came up
to Khodawend, when they dismounted and saluted
him. Khodawend was astonished at such behaviour.
O noble Arabs, said he, reproaches at such a crisis.
would only produce irritation, and the mention of
what is passed would occasion animosities. I have
only sent for you, to pardon you the blood of my
troops, and to ask also of you a remission for all my
past deeds. I accept you as supports and friends;
and he ordered his slaves to bring forth some high-
mettled steeds, which they soon introduced, with
also a great quantity of honorary robes and presents.
The flames of their hearts were extinguished, and
distresses were cleared away; for the Ruler of the
World is awful, and his bounties eagerly desired.
O munificent Prince, said King Zoheir, we are
indeed the slaves of your government, now and of
old; but when a man sees his disgrace before him,
it is incumbent on him to cast it off from his person
by the exertions of mind and body.
Khodawend presented Antar his own sword, that
was one of the swords of Chosroe, and was worth
the capitation-tax of Egypt and Irak, when well cul-
tivated and populous. He ordered him also five
high-blooded horses, with housings of gold, and
turning towards Numan, he said, Take Antar with
236
us to our throne; for I wish to satiate myself with
looking at him, and hearing his discourse.
Numan expressed his submission, and he was
overjoyed at this fortunate event, for he was still
afraid of Chosroe, and he wished to take Antar with
him to his city. So the business fell out just as he
had wished, and before night every thing was peace-
ably settled; they prepared feasts, and their joy was
complete.
ALL REJOICE AT THE RETURN OF PEACE.
RECONCILIATION OF THE TRIBES.
CHAPTER XXIV.
237
NUMAN now exerted himself to liberate Prince As-
wad, and when they had released him, he kissed his
brother's hand, and apologised for his conduct. Nu-
man also made peace between him and the Absians,
and the tribe of Fazarah, and Antar, and also Re-
bia, and Amarah, saying, O Aboolfawaris, peace
between cousins is the best of proceedings; and now
nothing remains but to settle your own private af-
fairs. O King, said he, I will not consent to marry
the daughter of my uncle till after your own nup-
tials, no, not till your wishes are accomplished, and
your festival completed, and Chosroe be reconciled
to you without any ill will. But should not all these
events be satisfactorily terminated, I will make his
very balcony totter over his head. I will slay all
that dwell in Khorasan, and I will make you in his
stead king of the age and the time.
Numan expressed his thanks to Antar, and they
all remained together three days, but on the fourth
day they prepared for departure, when, said Numan
to Zoheir, Depart home, and make ready for
your
daughter's marriage till my messenger arrives. Do
you too, said Prince Aswad to Hadifah, go home,
and prepare for your sister's marriage.
238
CHOSROE'S PRESENTS TO ANTAR.
Khodawend then marched with the armies till they
reached Hirah, Antar riding by his side. Numan
alighted at his palace, and his family were de-
lighted at seeing him. He gave a magnificent en-
tertainment to Khodawend, who two days after
departed for Modayin, and his heart, after all his
fears, felt secure.
Now Antar and his companions remained with
King Numan fifteen days, but on the sixteenth day
came the presents, and valuable goods, and articles
beyond all calculation or description. For Khoda-
wend, when he came unto his father, found him in
the greatest anxiety for intelligence. Know, O my
father, said he, we have injuriously treated King
Numan, and we have listened to the suggestions of the
treacherous, and rebels, and of his enemies: for his
connexion with the Absians was a proceeding highly
judicious and commendable; and King Numan is
the only one that consults the good of our govern-
ment, for he has a most correct judgment; and
likewise Antar, son of Shedad, whose equal is not
to be found and my desire is, O my father, that
you would send him a magnificent honorary robe, if
you wish for the stability of the imperial govern-
ment.
Thus he informed him of all the circumstances of
the battles. Mubidan also seconded him in this
affair, for he loved King Numan. So Khodawend
did not cease importuning his father till the business
was settled; and being pacified, though at first he
239
was vehemently enraged, he sent the articles by Mu-
bidan, who repaired to Numan, who met him with
all his warriors, and prayed for the imperial govern-
ment: he detained him seven days at Hirah. The
greatest part of the presents were for Antar, and
also for Oorwah and Hidjar; and when all these
favours flowed upon Numan, he felt secure, great
as had been his former fears.
ANTAR QUITS NUMAN.
Antar soon after asked permission to return home.
O Aboolfawaris, said Numan, your departure from
me is like the separation of father and son: but I
cannot detain you from home on account of your
love for Ibla. So he granted him leave to go, after
he had conferred on him presents no words can de-
scribe.
Antar set out with his companions, seeking the
land of Hidjaz; and they continued their journey
till they reached the first country of Hidjaz, where
they halted for the night, at a water called Kywam.
And though Antar was desirous of taking the night-
watch, Oorwah would not let him. O Aboolfawaris,
said he, I will take that duty from you to-night in
this desert. Antar assented, and Oorwah having
selected five of his own horsemen, marched out
when it was quite dark. They roamed to some
distance in the wastes, and went their rounds till the
night was quiet, and all was in repose: and as the
fresh breezes blew upon them, drowsiness over-
powered their senses. They all fell asleep, and not
one of them wagged his head till day dawned and
240
ABJER LOST AND FOUND.
shone, when they returned to their companions, and
roused them from their slumbers. They arose, and
prepared for departure, but they could not find a
single horse. Alas! alas! exclaimed Antar, we
have been surprised in the obscurity of the night,
and have been robbed of our horses: he questioned
Oorwah about what had happened to him during
the night; but Oorwah was confounded, and hung
his head down to the ground through exceeding
shame. O, said Antar, this affair would not even
disconcert a woman; and I feel perfectly easy and
unconcerned about finding my horse Abjer. So he
turned to his brother Jareer; Hie thee away into
this barren wild, son of my mother, said he; and
return not till 'you have discovered their track, and
if in your way you chance to meet some Arab horde,
ask them for a horse for me, that I may mount--
(Shiboob was absent when this event occurred, for
Antar had sent him home with the women, and
gave him charge of Ibla, being alarmed about her
on account of that vile family of Zeead).
As Jareer was about to follow the track, the
neigh of Abjer was heard, in his movements out-
stripping the northern blast. As soon as Antar saw
him, he was delighted, and cried out, What joy!
He shouted towards him, and he replied with a
neigh, gratified at his master's voice. Immediately
he fastened the housings on him and mounted, say-
ing to Oorwah, Do you and your men mount on
these camels, and drive on till we have developed
241
this affair. And they travelled on till the heat
exhausted them, and the desert seemed on fire.
Antar was about to halt, when lo! a man on foot
appeared from the midst of the defiles, speeding
away like a cloud in a storm, although both his
hands were tied; about his neck was a long rope,
and behind galloped a troop of twenty horse, and
he appeared bewildered, like one afflicted with a
sudden calamity.
When Antar perceived the man on foot bounding
along like a fawn, he bent his course towards him.
Come, come to me, O Aboolfawaris, exclaimed the
unhappy wretch, I am your brother Shiboob, and
what has happened to me would even melt the
stoutest heart.
ANTAR FINDS SHIBOOB IN THE DESERT.
At this Antar's heart quaked; he was greatly
agitated, and his two eyes appeared like horse-
leeches, till he came up with him. He instantly
loosened the cords, and untied the rope about his
neck. O my brother, he cried, no Arab shall ever
live to enslave thee. Nothing of that has happened,
said Shiboob; but both your story and mine are
very extraordinary. Thank God, who has sent you
to this spot, or I and Harith, King Zoheir's son,
must have drank of the cup of death; for he is a
prisoner too, and I am dreadfully alarmed about
him. I have left him with the companions of these
horsemen, but I cannot possibly tell you any thing
till I am perfectly convinced of security.
Antar was confounded, and turning his eyes at
VOL. III.
R
my
242
I
AWIS, THE ROBBER,
the advancing horsemen, he gave a shout at them.
He attacked them like a lion, and pierced them with
his spear: he soon laid low sixteen of them, and the
other four escaped by the speed of their horses. He
returned, and asked Shiboob what it was all about.
My narrative will be very long, said Shiboob, if you
do not first tell me who is with you in this country.
Son of my mother, said Antar, Oorwah and his men
are with me. So he informed him of all that had
occurred; how they had quitted King Numan, and
had come down to this spot, and how their horses
had been stolen. Son of my mother, said Shiboob,
this circumstance of the robbery of your horses has
been the means of our salvation; for the fellows
that stole them are forty thieves who followed you
from the land of Irak, and their chief is the nuisance
of the Arabs; he is quite an insufferable fellow. I
could recognise him amongst the whole race of man ;
he is called Awis, son of Saala, the robber. This
morning the tribe of Zohran, with whom I have
been a prisoner, encountered them: they slew thirty
of them, the remainder fled; and whilst the tribe
was occupied with them, I ran away into this de-
sert, till you came up to my assistance. Now, as
to the robbers, they had followed Antar and his
comrades from the land of Irak; and when Antar
was returning with all that wealth, Awis, son of
Saala, happening to have a glimpse of it, assembled
forty robbers. Well! said he to them, if you are
indeed desirous of wealth, and the accomplishment
Į
STEALS THE HORSES BY NIGHT.
243
of your wishes, let us follow this black slave; let
us expose our lives against him, and let us exert
ourselves to obtain this vast property.
That night therefore Awis approached with his
associates. How long, said he, must we be traversing
these wastes ? we cannot bother ourselves any longer.
Upon that one of them advanced towards Antar
and his companions, and found them all asleep.
Much pleased at this, he returned to give informa-
tion to Awis. My opinion, said he, is, we should
content ourselves with their horses, and leave their
men alone, and not bring a war dust upon us. They
all agreed to his advice, and finding the horses
grazing, they mounted some, and drove away the
others; but they had not quitted the desert ere
daylight shone, when Abjer, not knowing these fel-
lows, and missing his master, burst loose from the
person who led him, and galloped over the plain;
the men hastened after him till he came nigh unto
Antar.
My brother, said Shiboob, it would be well to let
Abjer rest a little till Oorwah and his men come up
here, that they may mount these horses that we
have gained, for the enemy will of course follow me
over the desert. Antar approved of the plan, and
he let Abjer graze in the desert, and as he was
quite amazed at Shiboob's narrative, he directed
him to state how he and Harith were made prisoners.
Theirs was a wonderful adventure; for when the
Absians returned home, they waited in expectation
R 2
244
.
of Antar's joining them from the country of King
Numan, and a great dread of the tribe of Abs had
made its way into the hearts of the Arabs. Now it
happened that one day Prince Harith went out to
the chase, and with him a party of Absians. They
had wandered away to some distance from the land
of Shurebah in search of game. And as they
roamed about the wastes and wilds, east and west,
they came to à valley called the valley of Sandhills,
where they beheld a large party of the tribe of
Zohran. Harith questioned a slave; My lord,
said he, we are of the tribe of Zohran, and our chief
is Bekir, son of Moatemid, and whilst Harith was.
in conversation with the slave, a fawn fled away
before him. Harith called out to his horse, and he
made towards it; but having missed it, he passed
by a lake where there was a party of the Zohran
women. Now the cause of their removal from home
was this. This chief Bekir had a daughter called
Labna, and she was more beautiful and lovely than
the full moon; her suitors were numerous, and
many demanded her of her father, but he would not
bestow her on any one.
She had a cousin, who
was Jareer, son of Cadim. Labna detested him on
account of his harsh manners, although he was
brave in the field. He demanded her of her father,
but he refused; and there arose such an hostility
between them, that their removal was absolutely
necessary. So they traversed the wilds and the
deserts till they reached the land of the tribe of Abs
LABNA, DAUGHTER OF BEKIR,
AND HARITH, SON OF ZOHEIR,
and Adnan, and asked the protection of King
Zoheir, which he readily granted. The damsel
Labna, on the day Harith passed by the lake, was
in company with her maidens. Harith beheld her,
and became enamoured; and she likewise saw him,
and all her limbs were in a tremor, and her agita-
tion was great. So she addressed her maidens to
take off their attention, exclaiming in verse:
CC
245
"O truly mine eye has had a glance of the
youth who has passed me, employed in the chase
"of the fawns; he is gone, but his charms have
'
captivated my heart; he is gone, and my heart
"still burns the more.'
""
When Harith heard this, he looked behind him,
and love for her took possession of his whole frame.
His companions, as soon as they perceived how he
was affected, checked him: O Prince, said they, we
observe you are discomposed and dejected. Yes,
said he, I wish to return home; and when he reached
his dwelling, his mother came to him and said, My
son, what has distressed you? I went to bed last night,
said he, a little indisposed, and what is come to me
no one but the Searcher of all secrets knows. But
when his mother had quitted him, he sent for his
nurse, and informed her of his situation. She
listened, and promising to assist him in his troubles,
she set out for the valley of Sandhills, where she
saw the tents, and introducing herself among the
women, she feigned being on a visit to them. At
length she came up to Labna, and addressing her,
246
THEIR LOVE AND SEPARATION.
acquainted her with the state of Harith. She
started up on hearing this, and also imparted her
situation to the nurse, who said, I wish you would
come to-morrow night to the lake. Labna expressed
her thanks, and the old woman departed home to
Harith, who was most anxiously expecting her.
She informed him all about Labna, and the love she
felt for him. This relieved Harith's anguish, and at
the close of the day he took the old woman with
him and set out; and when they reached the valley,
he secreted himself among the Erak* trees. Labna
too waited till evening, and then with one of her
maidens went away to the lake, where she found
Harith, and threw herself into his arms. They re-
mained till daylight, and this became the spot of
their future assignations, till one day he happened
to ride out towards the valley of Sandhills, but he
perceived no vestige of the tribe. In the greatest
agitation and astonishment he returned home, and
he became like a living corpse. The cause of this
removal was a messenger, who came to them from
their chief, reproaching them for their migration,
and he was called As-hath, son of Dharnah. Not
being aware of their total removal from their
country, he waited for some time till he heard
they had gone down to the tribe of Abs and
Adnan. So he sent after them, saying, As to
Jareer, son of Cadim, I have seized his person on
* Trees, with the leaves of which they feed camels,
hai
SHIBOOB'S CONTRIVANCE,
247
your account, and I desire you will return to your
native land.
Labna's father, hearing this message, was de-
lighted to revisit his home, and his rage was quenched.
But when their departure was ascertained by Ha-
rith, he informed Shiboob of all that had happened,
and of his present situation. Shiboob pitied him.
They waited till it was dark; Harith saddled his
horse, and enveloped himself in his armour and
rich corslet, according to his custom. Shiboob too
grasped his bow and quiver, and filled his port-
manteau with arrows, and they both set out for the
land of the tribe of Zohran; and on their arrival,
said Shiboob to Harith, Do you lie concealed here.
But he himself departed for the tents, clothed like
a poor infirm beggar; and he disguised his designs
very cunningly till reaching the tent of Labna's
father, O mistress! he exclaimed to an old woman,
have you any victuals? Yes; wait for me a little,
said she. She came out and said, Here, take these
bean-shells, you famished fellow, and pray to the
mistress of joys for a happy meeting of lovers; per-
haps your prayers may be accepted. Are you a
stranger in this land? said Shiboob. No, said she;
but my mistress has a lover with the tribe of Abs,
and she is out of all patience on his account. Is
it not Harith, son of King Zoheir? said Shiboob.
Yes, answered she, and I see you know him. Yes,
he returned, for he is my master; so he told her all
the story, and of Harith's arrival. Let him stay
248
HARITH CARRIES OFF LABNA.
where he is, said she, for her father has resolved on
marrying her to Kheitaoor, who has even sent the
whole of the marriage dower to her father, and there
are only three days now to the wedding. The maid
ran to Labna in haste, and told her of her con-
versation. Return, said she, and tell him to go
back to his master; assure him that I will join him,
and that he must take me away with him. She
arose as soon as it was dark, and all the family were
asleep, and went to Shiboob, taking her she-camel
with her, 'on which he loaded all she possessed.
Lead this camel, said she, and go with it to your
master. Away went Shiboob, and Labna followed
him till they met Harith. Come with me, cried
Shiboob to them. Labna mounted her camel, and
Harith his horse, whilst Shiboob held the camel's
bridle, and they set out traversing the wastes.
But Labna's father and mother, when morning
dawned, sought for Labna, but she was not to be
found. They raised a hue and cry, and informed
Kheitaoor, who mounted with a party of his war-
riors, and questioned Labna's father about the cir-
cumstance. My lord, said he, I heard on my return
from the tribe of Abs, that Harith, the son of King
Zoheir, was in love with her, and he must have car-
ried her off. By the faith of an Arab, cried Kheitaoor,
I will overtake him by sunrise, and will slay Harith
and all the tribe of Abs. Having stationed some
troops in different places, he himself set out with
five hundred stout horsemen.
249
But as to Shiboob, and Harith, and Labna, they
travelled under the veil of the night till morning
dawned in smiles, when they reached the vale of
Fawns and the mountain of precipices; this was a
lofty mountain, and perfectly inaccessible but by
one road. Arrived at the meadow beneath, they
were desirous of alighting near it, when lo! ten
slaves came towards them from the mountain's side,
shouting and running impetuously. In front of
them was a black slave like a lion. These slaves
had occupied this mountain as a refuge and a safe
retreat in their escapes after the perpetration of
murders; and when they were hard pressed they
climbed up the mountain, and defended themselves
on its summits. Their chief was called Habis, and
as soon as they saw Shiboob, and Labna, and
Harith, they made at them, calculating that the
horseman would escape by flight; that they should
put the man on foot to death, seize the camels, and
enjoy the damsel. But they knew not that this
man on foot was a blaze of fire and a crashing
thunderbolt: for as soon as Shiboob perceived them
hastening from the mountain top, he met them re-
solutely, and smote their chief with an arrow on
the chest, forcing it out quivering through his back.
The slaves, seeing their chief dead, shouted at Shi-
boob, and all their wrath was excited against him.
Harith galloped after him to assist him, but an
arrow fell on the chest of his horse, and down
he fell. Harith instantly sprung on his feet and
CHECKED IN THEIR FLIGHT,
250
SHIBOOB SLAYS THEIR OPPONENTS.
exerted himself to the utmost behind Shiboob on foot,
whilst Shiboob practised all his arts, hurling them
over with his arrows, and slaying them one after the
other till six of them were killed, and only four sur-
vived. They made bitter reflections to themselves.
I cannot think this can be a mortal man, said one,
he must be indeed a devil, and he dwells hereabouts;
for our chief used often to say he had seen a ghoul
in the plain, and we ever bantered him about it.
Talk not now of that, said another, let us escape in
haste to the top of the mountain, and they fled;
but they soon perceived that Shiboob had arrived
before them at the head of the pass: Ye dastardly
Arabs, he cried out, whither would ye fly? Your
death is at hand. The first he struck down with
an arrow on the chest, and it issued out through his
back: he came up with a second, rushed upon him,
and smote him with his dagger through the heart,
and laid him prostrate; but the other two fled over
the barren waste: so Shiboob returned to Harith,
who thanked him for his exertions. O Ebe-reah,
said he, I am now left on foot in this desert, and
the way is long.
They were thus conversing together, when lo! a
troop of horsemen appeared, headed by Kheitaoor,
and he was like a tower or a fragment rent from the
mountain's side, and Labna's father was riding by
his side. When Labna saw this, she was in despair.
Here then is certain death, said Harith, and we
have no other resource but this mountain where
I
THEY ARE AGAIN PURSUED.
251
these slaves retired; for if we were at its summit, we
should be secure. And I, said Shiboob, will empty
my quiver before me, and will show you a little
of my skill, and I will defend you against the in-
habitants of the whole world, wide and long as it is.
I will disperse this party over the sand-hills. Let
us only ask for succour from the Lord of the Foun-
tain Zemzem, and the Shrine. Do as you please,
said Harith, but how shall we ascend this mountain?
and will not our fears and terrors enfeeble our
exertions? Be sure of success, said Shiboob, and he
went up to Labna and took her upon his shoulders,
and went off with her on foot, till he reached the
skirt of the mountain, whence he clambered up
with her till he was on the heights. Harith fol-
lowed him.
But when Labna's father and his party saw that
Shiboob was like a bird, they were amazed, for he
ascended the mountain till he approached the sum-
mit. The party in pursuit overtook Harith on the
mountain's skirts, for he was weighed down by his
armour. He defended himself, and exhibited his
prowess till numbers thronged upon him, so they
took him prisoner, and Shiboob was in the deepest
affliction. The troops alighted in the meadow
under the mountain, and afterwards rushed one
after the other to ascend, in order to accomplish
their hopes with respect to Labna and Shiboob.
But Shiboob overthrew them with his arrows till
darkness came on, when they returned, thwarted in
252
HARITH IS TAKEN.
all their attempts, many of them wounded. Upon
this Kheitaoor and Labna's father halted, in the
greatest alarm at Shiboob's arrows. We are indeed
quite nonplused by this devil, said Kheitaoor, all
we have for it is by daybreak to seize hold of
Harith and prepare for hanging and torturing him;
and we will say to Shiboob, if you do not surrender
our daughter to us, we will hang Harith, and make
his dwelling in the tomb. Here we will besiege you
till we catch you, and we will take your life from
between your sides. So they bound Harith fast,
and stationed over him two black slaves.
Harith laid himself down, suffering the acutest
grief and affliction. But Shiboob returned to Labna
and comforted her heart, vowing to her he would
ransom him with his own existence; and he re-
mained quiet, till being convinced that the influence
of sleep prevailed over the party below, he descended,
sliding down on his back till he was at the bottom
of the heights, where, having recourse to his stra-
tagems, he made a minute scrutiny right and left,
and at last perceiving the slaves were asleep, he
approached them and despatched them all. Con-
tinuing the enterprise on which he was bound, he
crawled along on his hands and feet till he entered
the tents, where he heard Harith thus speaking:
CC
"O my tribe, the fetters of captivity have bound
me fast; there is no escape for me from these gall-
chains. They pounced down on me early in
"the morning, or their thin blades would soon have
ing
66
253
despoiled my life. O my cousins, I had not con-
"gratulated myself on a day's meeting, when se-
paration befel me. Fortune has overthrown me
"with a deadly arrow, and for its sting there is
66
66
<<
no panacea. O my cousins, seek to revenge me
"when I am gone, where the high-spirited steeds
charge. Tell Antar, the son of Shedad, that I
"cannot escape from their hell-flames; he will be
"a match for the foe with his irresistible sword, to
"him all lovers weep their sorrows. Alas! for
"Labna! what anguish must she endure in my ab-
sence when separation shall afflict her! I ima-
gined we should all live happily together in se-
"curity, and all our flames would be quenched.
"But Fortune has tormented us with separation;
"there is no faith, no covenant with Fortune."
CC
66
SHIBOOB RELEASES HIM.
66
When Shiboob heard these verses repeated by
Harith, he knew that he felt assured of death and
perdition; his heart grieved for him; he advanced
towards him he found him tied down-the slaves
about him were asleep-he came closer-he rent the
fetters from his feet, and cut away the handcuffs-
he calmed his apprehensions. Follow me, said he,
and do as I do; and he went crawling along on his
hands and feet: they continued stepping over the
fellows asleep, till they were beyond the tents, and
then they pursued their way in the greatest haste
till they reached the summit of the mountain. As
soon as Labna saw Shiboob and Harith with him, she
was delighted at his contrivance. Shiboob took out
1
}
254
FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS OF THEIR PURSUERS,
some victuals, and they reposed in comfort and hap-
piness till the day dawned, when Kheitaoor starting
up from his pillow, sought Harith, but he could
not find him; he only saw the handcuffs cut away,
and the slaves murdered and lying dead on the
ground. Eh! ye wretches, he cried to his people,
behold the prisoner was fast bound, and a single
person has released him from the midst of ye, and
yesterday he destroyed your bravest warriors; how
will you now defend yourselves or your chief? This
is all your doing, and he resolved on putting to
death the other guards; but Labna's father pre-
vented him. These men are not to blame in this
business, said he; we were in fault, that we did not
station a guard over the mountain's side. We shall
never succeed in seizing him, if we do not all mount
against him, and slay this devil, for he has already
killed fifty of our men, and we shall be a disgrace
to the end of time. They set out with the whole
party, who were ordered to ascend the mountain; they
accordingly began to climb, shouting, but alarmed.
When Shiboob saw this, he emptied his quiver
before him, and strung his bow; he bent down on
one knee, and shot his arrows against their chests
and their necks; the men fell down like leaves.
Harith quitted Labna, and threw immense stones
down upon them from the top of the precipice; in
a short time fifty were killed. So Kheitaoor retired
in despair and disgrace, writhing in agonies of
terror. The tribe of Zohran, he exclaimed, is
THEY SUCCEED IN SECURING SHIBOOB.
255
rendered infamous among the Arabs. By the faith
of an Arab, were I to encounter a thousand horse-
men in the field, it would be an easier task for me
than this devil. And he turned towards the war-
riors, and told them they must struggle in the con-
test. They continued in this state till darkness.
came on.
On that day all Shiboob's arrows were expended
by the number he had shot, and the men and chiefs
he had slain. Kheitaoor stationed ten horsemen on
the skirt of the mountain, whom he ordered to lie
concealed among the rocks, saying in the height of
his passion, Whoever shall sleep, him will I destroy.
I will be near you, for I am convinced that this
devil has expended all his arrows: however, he will
not abandon his design; he will therefore come
down this night against you when the people are
asleep, and will steal away your arrows.
I expect
therefore you will watch him till he descends, then
seize him. But beware, should he escape from you,
I will strike off all your heads; for in his speed he
will outstrip the winds, and I have not a horse that
could overtake him.
Thus he stationed the men, and enjoined them to
be on their guard. As to Shiboob, he was all
anxiety till night came on in obscurity, when he
started on his legs, and hastened down the moun-
tain till he reached the bottom of the heights; but
he had scarcely recovered his breath, when the men
sprung upon him, and surrounded him on all sides.
256 HARITH AND LABNA TAKEN.
He rushed against them like a lion when he terrifies,
and in his hand he held his dagger; and though he
slew numbers of them, they at length took him pri-
soner.
The intelligence soon reached Kheitaoor: the
whole party arose and struck lights. Thou art
fallen at last, thou devil, said Kheitaoor: and hav-
ing ordered his shoulders to be tied well down,
Labna's father and the rest started away for the
mountain.
SHIBOOB ESCAPES.
Harith saw all this, and he was convinced of dis-
grace and misery. He immediately drew his sword
out of the sheath, and fought as long as he had
powers and strength, till he had slain ten slaves, and
brought down perdition upon them, and also two of
the Arab chiefs. At length numbers overpowered
him, and they took him prisoner, and they bound
him miserable and dejected. Bekir advanced to-
wards his daughter, who was trembling like a reed;
he dragged her by the hair to the bottom of the
heights, and would have slain her, had not Kheitaoor
prevented him.
They halted in that place till day dawned, when
they lashed Harith to the back of a horse, and
fastened a long rope round Shiboob's neck, and
stationed a slave over him to haul him along. He
endured it all very patiently, till coming close to
him, he gave him a kick on the stomach, and dashed
out his bowels. He darted forth into the deserts,
and they all endeavoured to gallop after him in a
257
body, till the robbers rushed upon them from the
barren waste, and with them Antar's horses. Hav-
ing slain them and carried away their horses,
Kheitaoor and his companions returned in pursuit of
Shiboob till they met Antar. As soon as Kheitaoor's
eyes fell on Antar, he attacked him; galloping and
charging he sought the contest, and thus addressed
him:
CC
ANTAR ENGAGES KHEITAOOR.
"Lord of the noble black steed, and the sword,
"and the penetrating spear, if you indeed succeed
"in destroying any of our horsemen, fortune must
"have betrayed the invincible lion. When she
"offers a slave the cup of sweetness, she errs, in
"giving him to drink any thing but coloquintida.
"Tell me what you have seen; and know that
"mine is a never-failing scimitar in the revolutions
"of fortune. In every land I have left for the wild
"beasts and the birds a sea of blood shed by my
"sword. When I am present in the fight on the
day of battle I exterminate every lion-warrior;
❝ when I even retreat the foe trembles in horror;
"and you might see the whole earth in the circum-
"ference of a dirhem. So have recourse to some
"subterfuge that you may escape by it, for apolo-
gies cancel even the most heinous offences."
Antar heard Kheitaoor's address, and laughed
exceedingly, and thus replied in verse:
Verily I say I will slay your horsemen, and I
"will leave their flesh as carrion for wild beasts,
"for my spear indeed complains of the inconve
VOL. III.
S
CC
CC
#
258
"nience of thirst; but now I have met a day when
"it shall be moistened with blood. What! have
66
66
you not known my power? truly, the warriors of
"all the cities of Persia confess it; and the heroes
"of war on the day of battle die at the mention of
my intrepidity and liberality. When I lose my
"way over the desert in my nocturnal solitude, my
"only company is my sword, resembling inevitable
66
fate. It is never drawn but on its separation
"from the sheath a sea of blood gushes from its
edge. My piebald steed has a white crescent on
"its forehead, like the dawn of day, and its black
"is like the sable raven. These two are my sup-
port on the day of contention; and the barb of
my spear sparkles like a speckled serpent. How
many heroes have I abandoned as food for the
"wild beasts and every ravenous lion."
66
DEATH OF KHEITAOOR.
66
66
Antar had not finished his verses when he rushed
upon Kheitaoor, and frightened him; he shouted
at him, and made him tremble; he pierced him
with his spear between the paps, and drove it out
through his back, and Kheitaoor fell dead weltering
in his blood. When his companions perceived what
calamity had overtaken him, they rushed on from
all sides; Antar met them with a frightful assault,
and laboured among them like a blazing fire. In
an hour forty of them were slain, the remainder
fled and sought Labna's father. But Antar re-
turned like a raving lion to his brother Shiboob,
and his object was accomplished upon his enemies.
259
Just at that time came up Oorwah and his men.
They were greatly surprised at seeing the scattered.
horses of the enemy, and were exceedingly re-
joiced. O Aboolfawaris, said Oorwah to Antar,
whence are these horses you have obtained? Antar
related the adventures of Shiboob and Prince
Harith's captivity. On hearing this they alighted
from their camels' backs, and having mounted the
high-blooded horses, they went up to Shiboob, and
saluted him.
FURY OF LABNA'S Father.
But as to the fugitives, they continued to flee
away over the desert from Antar till they reached
Beker, son of Moatemed, to whom they announced
Kheitaoor's death, detailing every circumstance,
and the destruction made among the horsemen.
Eh! and who, said he, is the warrior; who is the
dreadful lion that has slain him? A black knight,
said they, mounted on a black steed, as if hewn out
of a black rock, and in his hand is an Indian blade;
and we heard him, as he fought among the horses,
crying out, Ye base cowards, I am Antar, the son
of Shedad. May God curse your fathers above all
men! exclaimed Labna's father. What! has all
this happened to you by a single knight, and he a
black slave, powerless and insignificant? Know,
said one of them, that this is the knight whom horse-
men have described as overthrowing alone a thou-
sand warriors in the plain, vanquishing them by his
intrepidity and superiority. Labna's father shud-
dered. What sayst thou? he cried. Who ever be-
T
s 2
260
held a single horseman attack a numerous host?
Return with me, and I will show thee what I will
do. Mount these steeds, he cried to his horsemen,
and make towards this slave with your scimitars and
HIS PARTY ROUTED.
your spears.
And they put their horses on their speed, and
followed him, when behold, the dust of the Absians
sprung up, and their shouts arose, and they ad
vanced like fate and destiny. It is my opinion,
said one called Jifal to Labna's father, that you
should let me pass over the desert, taking ten
horsemen with me, that I may bear away Harith
and your daughter, and convey them home; and
do
you attack Antar with the remainder. Take
as many men as you please with you, said the
other.
On that Jifal returned, and with ten horsemen
departed, travelling on till they reached the place
where they had left Harith and Labna; but they
could see nothing of them, and no appearance of
their track. We are indeed disappointed in our
pursuit, said Jifal, and Labna has escaped us.
}
They passed on, when lo! shouts arose in their
rear. They turned about to see the cause of this
uproar, and behold their own horsemen and Arabs,
all seeking flight, pursued by the tribe of Abs and
Adnan. Jifal struck his horse's rump, and fled to-
wards his own country, followed by his companions.
The fugitives were scattered in tens and twenties,
and they continued in this state till night advanced,
*
*
HARITH FOUND IN THE MOUNTAIN.
261
when Antar coming up with the Absians, What
think you of this affair? said he to Oorwah; we
have routed the foe, and have succeeded in our at-
tempts; but we have not released either Harith or
Labna, and I am afraid they have carried them
away, and have sought their own country, and if
Harith should be delivered to As-hath, the business
will become desperate, and he will be put to death
for Kheitaoor: Shiboob indeed is gone on before
us, and till he returns this is a serious affair; for if
I pursue these fellows till I destroy them, I shall be
separated from my brother Shiboob; and if I stay
here till I have some intelligence of him, I fear
Harith will be exposed to peril, and every vestige of
him erased.
Whilst they were thus conversing, they heard
some men shouting from the mountain, and saying,
Come hither, O Aboolfawaris, for we have found
Harith, and he is indeed despairing of life. Antar,
on hearing this, took Oorwah with him, and having
ascended the mountain, Antar called out to Harith,
who opened his eyes, and mourned his sad state,
relating what had happened to him. The cause of
it was this: when the fugitives came groaning to
Labna's father, and related Kheitaoor's death, Be-
kir mounted, and sought the contest with his com-
panions, having left his nephew Jireer with Harith
and Labna, and two stout slaves. Instantly, Jireer
unsheathed his sword, and making at the slaves,
smote them with his cleaving scimitar, and slew
262
SHIBOOB OVERTAKES LABNA'S RAVISHER,
them all. He sprung at Harith also, and struck
him with his sword, and dreadfully wounded him ;
and then mounting Labna on one of the fine horses
(thinking Harith was dead), he abandoned him, and
rode away on his own high-mettled steed, with the
design of going with Labna to some of the noble
Arab kings, and to defend himself against accidents
under his protection. In vain Labna shrieked
aloud, and looked about to the right and left, pray-
ing for succour.
As to the subtle Shiboob, he set out in quest of
Harith, and did not stop his progress till he came
to that spot, where he saw no human being, but the
slaves murdered. Advancing towards them, he also
perceived Harith lying between them, groaning
piteously. At this sight Shiboob stood aghast with
horror: O my lord, said he, who has done this?
Harith's heart was strengthened at seeing Shiboob;
so he told him what Jireer, Labna's cousin, had
done. Shiboob took him in his arms, and ascend-
ing the mountain with him, on the summit he found
a ravine, in which he laid him down, placing him
in security: Shiboob then questioned Harith about
Jireer; What road has he taken? he asked. He
directed him to the quarter, and immediately Shi-
boob left him in the mountain, and let loose his feet,
seeking the barren waste, and following the tracks
of Jireer. He continued his course till he overtook
him by break of day, and heard Labna's screams;
she was weeping, and in the greatest affliction.
AND CONVEYS HER TO HARITH.
263
Shiboob was delighted at seeing them; he hasted
towards them, swift as the twinkling of the eye, and
smote his horse on a vital part. The horse plunged
with him, and threw him on his head. Shiboob
sprung upon him, and stamping on his chest, stabbed
him with his dagger, scattering wide his entrails,
and annihilated his existence.
Labna, in the excess of her terrors, was bewil-
dered; and when Shiboob came up to her, she ex-
claimed, Who art thou, O Arab? I am Shiboob,
said he; and he gave her an account of Harith, and
soothed her heart. He returned with her till he
joined his brother Antar, whom he found just as he
had brought away Harith from the mountain. On
seeing Shiboob they were in ecstasies of joy, and
grief and sorrow quitted them. Labna ran up to
Harith, whose life, as soon as he saw her, returned
to him; and thus reunited to her, his happiness was
complete, and he forgot in her society all the pain
of his wounds.
Antar remained the rest of the day in that spot
in security, and by dawn of day he departed with
his horsemen, seeking the land of the tribe of Abs
and Adnan. But, as his love for Ibla burst upon
him, he thus rhapsodised:
"Oh! is it the fragrance of musk? is it itr *? is
"it a voice, or the breeze warbling over the desert,
"that sings of her? Is it a flash of lightning? or
* Oil of roses.
264
"is it her teeth in the wastes, resembling the full
66 moon when it rises? Is it the branch of the tama-
"risk that sweetly waves in the wilds? Is it the
"stem of the spear, or her form? Is it the narcis-
"sus of the gardens, endued with visual powers, or
"her cheek, like the untouched apple? I rave
through love of her; but let my railers see the
"torrents of my tears, to which there is no end !
"O Ibla, my heart for love of thee suffers tortures;
"this frequent separation, and these echoes, fill me
"with grief. O Ibla, fear not thy enemies, for
against the destiny of God there is no oppo-
"sition."
66
66
AS THEY APPROACH HOME
When Antar had finished, the horsemen ex-
pressed their delight at his prose and verses; they
travelled before him, traversing the wastes, till there
only remaining one day between them and the land
of Abs, Antar sent on Shiboob to give notice to
King Zoheir of the safety of his son Harith. Shi-
boob set out by dawn of day, and about midday he
returned. It is impossible that you can have re-
turned, having ever reached home, said Antar. O
my brother, said Shiboob, I reached home, and
saw all the horsemen dispersed about the country,
mounted on their steeds. I inquired what was the
matter of one of them, and he informed me that
King Zoheir rode out with his son to congratulate
and meet his brother Asyed, on his arrival from
Mecca on a visit; and we have now heard, he
added, that they have been taken captives. On this
THEY HEAR OF KING ZOHEIR'S CAPTIVITY. 265
account, the horsemen have mounted in order to
release them; and he who has plundered them is a
notorious knight, and an obstinate warrior, accom-
panied by a troop of noble horsemen. And hast
thou heard, said Antar, in what country they were
detained prisoners? Yes, said he; the troop came
upon them in the valley of Irak trees. This is a
most extraordinary circumstance, said Antar, that
our Princes should be taken prisoners, and perdition
come upon them. Certainly, no one has ventured
on such a deed but one fearless of mankind, and
unintimidated at death.
Antar sent Harith and Labna with twenty war-
riors to the dwellings and homes; but he himself
with his men set out for the valley of Irak trees,
preceded by Shiboob.
266
KING ZOHEIR MEETS ASYED.
CHAPTER XXV.
WHEN King Zoheir missed his son Harith, he sent
out his slaves in every direction, and he remained
anxiously expecting their return till the happy
tidings of his brother's arrival reached him. Asyed
was one of King Jazeema's sons. He was a learned
man in that age of ignorance, and he generally pass-
ed his time at the sacred shrine and Zemzem. He
was full of virtue and liberality, loving justice and
equity, and detesting violence and oppression. He
every year paid a visit to the tribe of Abs, teaching
them the distinctions between right and wrong, and
arranging their affairs, and when he arrived this
time, he sent forward to King Zoheir to announce
his approach. His brother went forth to meet him
with three hundred horsemen, all like stern-faced
lions, and all his relations and uncles, for King Zo-
heir was the father of ten, the brother of ten, the
paternal uncle of ten, and the maternal uncle of ten.
They continued driving away the wild animals over
the wastes and the sands till evening came on, when
having halted in a valley till day dawned, King Zo-
heir marched on without any apprehensions, till
meeting his brother Asyed in the sandhills of Erak,
he and his attendants dismounted and saluted
ASYED GIVES VENT TO HIS GRIEF.
him. My love and affection for you, said Asyed,
have exceedingly distressed me, otherwise I should
not have quitted the fountain of Zemzem, and the
holy mansion, and the sacred shrine. They proceeded
towards the middle of a valley, which was called
the valley of Tamarisks. The wild beasts and the
deer fled before them. King Zoheir looked about
and observed his brother Asyed, who was pointing
with his hands towards the trees, and the tears were
streaming from his eyes; burning sighs burst from
his heart, and as he poured forth the groans of a
woman deprived of her children, he thus addressed
the trees:
(C
267
66
"O trees of the Tamarisks, where do ye behold
"them? Do the people of my vows dwell in your
neighbourhood? I look all around, but the hand
"of ravage has destroyed them; yet never have I
"broken my former protestations, I have not be-
trayed them; my vows were made to one like the
"full moon, resembling the branches and boughs
“of the Tamarisk,—but I am alone and solitary,
though once we met, and here, now they are gone,
are only the owl and the raven. O trees of the
"Tamarisk, whither are they gone? They are
"gone, and in my heart passion has left a burning
"flame. If ye ever, after being watered, complain
"of drought, my tears to-day shall form a lake
"around ye."
(C
<<
When Asyed had finished his verses, his sighs
became more frequent, his countenance changed, and
*
268
his agony increased; his brother advanced towards.
him, having heard his discourse, and asked what was
the matter, but he observed him still pointing to
the trees, and thus exclaiming:
66
"O trees of the Tamarisk, in the name of God,
"tell me what ye know, for I am overwhelmed with
inquietude. Pity the tears of a distracted lover,
"whose eyes weep over these devastated plains.
"The valley is abandoned; but there was an inha-
"bitant like the fawn, richly robed. Speak to me
"of Selima, of Robab, of Zineb, and those, resem-
bling brides, in the sand-hills. They have aban-
“doned me in misery—they are gone, and I weep
over the remains of these desolated scenes.
66
The
૮૯
HIS REPEATED EXPRESSIONS OF SORROW.
66
raven moans over the vestiges of these spots,
"where no more are seen the tents of my mistress
" and the horsemen. Take then, ye boughs of the
"Tamarisk, my tears, that flowing would moisten
"the saturated as well as the parched up soil. Al-
"though the covenant between us is dissolved, yet
66 my love for thee bids me not despair; I live in
hope that God will make us meet in joy, as if we
"had never been parted."
King Zoheir was so struck by his grief, that he
ran up to his brother Asyed, and interrupted his
speech, saying; I cannot permit you to finish these
verses, till
you inform me what affliction has befallen
you. I conjure you, by the sacred shrine, to tell me
what this means. O brother, said Asyed, if I tell
you my story, you will have an indifferent opinion
(C
269
of my discretion and honour; but indeed I am not
much to blame, as I did it in the days of my youth.
Know then, my brother, that the year our father,
King Jazeema, made his pilgrimage, I accompanied
him, and when our pilgrimage was expired, as we
were on our way home, we happened to pass by this
place, in which I saw a vast quantity of wild beasts
and deer. My father rode on and went home, but
I remained for the sake of the chase. Thus occu-
pied, I remained till the meridian heat overpowered
me, and the sultry air became so excessive I re-
turned also, seeking the track of my father; but I
chanced to pass by this tree, and when I reached it
I saw a very old Sheikh beneath it, and with him an
immense quantity of camels, and also his daughter,
who was tending them at the pasture. She was the
most beautiful and most elegant of forms, and as
soon as I came up to him I saluted him. What do
you want, young man? said he. I only said, Will
you accept of a guest when he comes? Welcome, said
he, to me, in winter and in summer. But, young
man, every one according to his means On hear-
ing this, I resolved on alighting at the lake, in order
to drink and water my horse. But the Sheikh pre-
vented me, and called out to his daughter, who
brought me some fresh camel's milk and gave me to
drink, and also watered my horse. I remarked the
beauty of the maiden, and I perceived her moving
in the plains of loveliness. Her father, too, ob-
serving the symmetry of my horse and my rich gar-
ASYED'S STORY.
S
da
i
270
HIS STORY CONTINUED.
ments, brought me some victuals. Excuse my scanty
offering, said he, for I am a poor man, and the libe-
ral pardon when they see the apology is sincere. O
Sheikh, said I, this is the greatest charity; but if
you will accede to my wishes, I would request you
to accept my proposal, and gratify my desire with
regard to your daughter, and you shall then go with
me to my tribe. I am anxious you would receive
me as her husband, and I will take you to my
land
and family; speak to me and bestow her. By Him
who has created her and fashioned her, I added,
take all I have about me as part of her marriage
dower; and I took off my sword belt and my horse
trappings, which were all of gold. The Sheikh at the
sight of this was much surprised and delighted, and
came towards me without hesitation, and giving me
his hand for the marriage, drove away the camels
and cattle, and went to his own dwelling, and I ac-
companied him'; and on our arrival he slaughtered
all the sheep he possessed and some she camels, and
rejoiced in me as no one ever rejoiced before, and
married his daughter to me that night. I tarried
with them three days, and afterwards I informed
them who I was. I staid some time longer, and
quitted them, bearing in my heart the greatest at-
tachment for them, and intending to return to them
with abundant wealth. Having reached home and
joined my family, I despatched a slave to conduct.
my wife to me, and sent with him a great quantity
of camels and sheep to this valley and desert. I re-
4
THE PRINCES SURPRISED AFTER A FEAST. 271
mained, anxiously expecting them, till my slave re-
turned in despair, and brought back all my property.
I asked him what was the matter? I have seen no
one there, my lord, said he. I staid some time quiet,
and despatched emissaries to all the Arab tribes, and
expended amongst them much gold and silver, but
I never could obtain any intelligence of her. And
even now, my brother, I bear her in my memory.
It was on her account I attached myself to
Mecca and the sacred shrine, till I this day beheld
these remembrances of her, and now all my sorrows
come upon me anew; and whilst I meditated on the
past, I was anxious that you should come with me
to this spot, that I might renew the vows made so
many years ago. King Zoheir, on hearing this nar-
rative, was amazed at the revolutions of the days and
nights. He dismounted, and ordered the slaves to
clear away that spot, and spread carpets for them
under the tamarisk trees, and the horsemen soon re-
turning from the chase, bringing with them hares and
deer, they made a sumptuous feast, and expressed
great delight in the presence of King Zoheir and
his brother Asyed, making the time pass pleasantly
for them, and availing themselves of the delicious
hours in joy and delight; and they kept carousing
till the cups of wine overpowered them, and dark-
ness came on, and there was not one but fell asleep,
in which state they remained till the nocturnal wan-
derers on the watch surprised them. A troop of
272
ZAMBAA AND WARCA ALONE ESCAPE.
horses came upon them about the break of day, and
perceiving the spoil, and no one to protect it, they
surrounded them on all sides, and took them pri-
soners. Now these horsemen belonged to the tribe
of Cahtan, and were called among the Arabs the
race of Cayan, and their chief was a brave knight,
an intrepid warrior, well skilled in the art of war
and battle, named the Chief Nazih. As soon as
these horsemen had fallen into their power, they
returned home, and none escaped of all King Zo-
heir's sons and brothers but Zambaa and Warca with
three slaves, who made their way home, and raised
an uproar among the dwellings, and instantly the
horsemen mounted, all seeking the valley of Tama-
risks. The whole tribe were involved in universal
mourning, and loud were the groans and lamenta-
tions; it was at that crisis that Shiboob arrived,
when he found them oppressed with affliction, and
the horsemen already on their way to the valley of
Tamarisks.
On Shiboob's inquiring what was the matter,
they informed him of all that had passed, and what
were their plans. He immediately returned and told
his brother Antar, the lion hero, who sent Harith
and Labna home, whilst he himself with his com-
panions departed in order to release King Zoheir.
But as to the tribe of Cayan, they continued
traversing the deserts till the forenoon, when the
meridian heat oppressing them, they halted to
273
repose by the side of a lake called the Lake of the
Waste. Here King Zoheir recovered from his in-
toxication, and also his sons and brothers, and the
other horsemen, but they found themselves in fetters
and disgrace. What horseman art thou? said King
Zoheir, turning towards the knight of Cayan, and
to what Arabs art thou connected, that thou hast
braved the princes of the tribe of Abs and Adnan?
By the future and the past, we have not fallen into
your power but by the will of fate and destiny, so
we will ransom our lives with whatever thou pleasest,
and we will thank thee; avail thyself of the friend-
ship of such as us.
Nazih, at hearing this, started on his saddle and
swaggered about: O God, thanks be unto thee! he
exclaimed, I did not know that you were of the
tribe of Abs till this moment. With you will I ter-
minate all my sorrows. At last fortune has had
pity on me. Youth, cried Asyed, surprised at these
expressions, what have we to do with such lan-
guage? Hast thou any revenge against us thou
must satisfy? I have no debt, no retaliation against
you, said Nazih, but I will proceed with you to one
who is your enemy and foe. He is my lord Obad,
son of Temeem, with whom I was brought up an
orphan till I attained this high station. I am ena-
moured of his daughter Dhimya, and am wrecked
in the sea of love for her. On her account I en-
dure battles and perils, and have exhibited my
VOL. 111.
T
NAZIH'S JOY AND STORY.
274
HE MEETS ANTAR IN THE DESERT.
prowess against the inhabitants of Sana and Aden.
Besides you, I have found no opposition; but he
is most anxious to have hold of one of ye. Yet I
have always heard every one say, Beware, approach
not the tribe of Abs; but now ye have fallen into
my hands, and I will through ye succeed in my
designs. Conduct us out of the road, cried he to his
comrades, that neither friend nor foe may meet us.
So they did as he directed, and Nazih was over-
joyed, marching in front of the horsemen, till dark-
ness overspread the land, when they halted by the
waters of the tribe Akhrem; and as they were near
home, they imagined their important concerns would
succeed, for King Zoheir despaired of safety, and
so did his brothers and his associates. At day-
break Nazih set out, passing over the barren waste
till the forenoon, when lo! a dust appeared in front
of them that involved the whole region for an hour.
Soon after the dust opened, and there appeared
underneath it a man on foot like a bird when it
flies, like a leopard when it maddens. Behind him
were horsemen clad in iron, like the calamities of
extermination. Ahead of them was a black knight
on a black steed; he was girt with a well-pro-
portioned spear, and his roar was like the roar of a
lion. He was the knight of the swarthy Abs, and
their brightest ornament-the serpent of the bowels
of the desert-the chief Antar, son of Shedad.
How is it, exclaimed Nazih, that this party has
S
1
SHIBODB'S SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE.
275
been directed to this spot? They seem but a small
number of horsemen, their fate has driven them to
death and perdition.
The guide who had conducted them through
these ways was called Aboolgharat, son of Aboolfita,
the most intelligent man of the time for traversing
the wastes and barren wilds. O Nazih, cried he,
our hopes are frustrated—our pains are baffled-
our object has failed-we have forfeited the aid of
heaven, and we have encountered here the slave of
the tribe of Abs, and not one of us will effect his
escape; but as to your expressions, of how this
party was directed to this place, I know that Antar
has a brother called Shiboob, by his mother Ze-
beeba, and he is the calamity of calamities; the
misfortune of misfortunes; for when he departed with
his brother from the land of Irak at the beginning
of the night, he did not halt with him in the morn-
ing but in the land of Syria. As to me, I know
the roads and the ways no one of all the tribes but
myself ever knew; and I am well aware, from my
own feelings, when I am in company with any one
that can puzzle me, or distract or confuse me in the
wilds. But after all, my advice is, that you release
the tribe of Abs from bondage, and relieve us from
battle and contest, first securing protection from
them do not engage this great warrior, for he is
not like those horsemen you have hitherto encoun-
tered. Nazih bellowed and foamed: What mean
these words? said he, am I with a hundred horse-
T 2
276
men of the tribe of Cayan, and they Himyarites
and brave heroes, and shall I fear the contest with
this black devil? This day shalt thou see how I
will bring destruction upon him. I will make an
example of him amongst mankind. And he rushed
towards Antar, galloping and charging to and fro;
he thus burst out:
NAZIH'S CHALLENGE
66
66
"Away! ye that reprove me, I will not listen to
ye, my railers, I will not answer either by word.
or deed. Let me die young; the swords of India
"that tear out life are preferable to a life of dis-
"honour and infamy. It is not the approach of
"the day of battle that alarms me; it is not flight
"that shall rescue me from death. Who is he that
"avoids it, though death should encounter him?
"Death is sweeter to my heart than honey. I
“have indeed taken captives the chiefs of a power-
"ful tribe. I am a knight, and the world can
"testify it."
Nazih having finished his verses, Antar com-
menced his attack upon him, and as he charged
him, he thus expressed himself:
"O antagonist, that wouldst desire a contest
"with me in the battle, and wouldst aim at me in
"the confusion of spears! How many armies, how
66 many camps have I routed! and have assaulted
"when the water-mills of war were revolving!
"The lightning of my sword flashes through the
"dust, and its brilliancy sickens the eyes of all be-
"holders. The barb of my spear falls on the chests
AND BOAST; ANTAR'S INDIGNATION.
277
"of the east and west, till they are all mangled, and
"I will defend the tribe of Abs for ever till I die,
“ and their name through me shall be renowned.”
Antar again turned upon Nazih, and attacking
him, exclaimed, Eh! what a coxcomb art thou
amongst thy fellows! thou must be frantic! What
Arab art thou? But this day I will silence thy
presumption; I will make thee an inhabitant of the
tomb, and I will make thee feel the ill-luck of thy
resistance against the tribe of Abs and Adnan, and
of thy daring violence against the prince of the
age.
By the faith of an Arab, said Nazih, I have ob-
tained unbounded good from the tribe of Abs, and
I have captured every one of their chiefs and
princes, and soon will I bring down annihilation on
thee. At hearing this, Antar's passion increased,
and he rushed upon him, eager for his death. Nazih
met him and fought him; they engaged till their
limbs were powerless, and the perspiration streamed
down their bodies, and the blood flowed from their
wounds. Indignation seized the heart of Nazih;
he rushed at Antar and thrust at him, quick as the
twinkling of the eye, aiming at Antar's chest; but
in this thrust the spear came short, and as it was
falling between the eyes of Abjer, Antar warded it
off with his shield, but it wounded him in the thigh;
then indeed was his wrath roused; he pounced
down upon Nazih, and struggling with him till he
quite exhausted him, he stretched forth his arm
e
7
278
A
*
|
NAZIH TAKEN; THE PRINCES RELEASED.
towards the belt of his armour, and dragged him
off the seat of his saddle, and took him prisoner.
Shiboob ran up to him and received Nazih from his
hands; he bound fast his shoulders, and tied down
his arms and his sides, whilst Antar shouted out
to his horsemen, and ordered them to strike and
thrust. So they attacked the tribe of Cayan, and
plied their swords and their spears among them;
and the dust arose over their heads. Perdition
fell upon the horsemen of Cayan, and the horse-
men of Yemen, and they were overwhelmed
with perils. The Absians slew thirty of them,
and took seventy prisoners. In the mean time
Shiboob, seeing them all occupied, hurried to-
wards King Zoheir and his associates, and released
them, slackening away from them the tightness of
the bow-string. Antar also soon came up with
his comrades and saluted King Zoheir, who told
him what had passed. O King of the time, said
Antar, it is incumbent on every one to give way to
the changes of fortune, for it is ever treacherous.
But pour forth your thanks to the great God for
your deliverance, and your release from this perilous
situation. Antar also related all that had happened
to him in the land of Irak, and how his horses had
been stolen from him on the road, and how he met
Shiboob, and Harith, and Labna, and the tribe of
Zohran; how he released them all, and slew Khei-
taoor. O Aboolfawaris, said King Zoheir, my son
Harith lives then? Yes, said Antar, and is now
with his family and relations. Glorious indeed are
↑
279
thy works, O Aboolfawaris, said King Zoheir, for
I had despaired of my son. But now conduct us
home. King of the age, said Antar, it will first be
advisable to cut the throats of these dogs. So
Shiboob went up to Nazih first of all, who was in
the greatest agony; he stripped him of his clothes,
and his body appeared whiter than hail, and above
his wrist was a bracelet of cornelian, and on it were
shaped two images of burnished gold in the form of
Lat and Uzza. As soon as Asyed saw this bracelet
he recognised it, and perfectly recollected it; and
as Shiboob was proceeding to despatch Nazih,
Hold, my cousin, he exclaimed, a little for me, and
he advanced towards Nazih; his agony of mind in-
creased; he took the bracelet in his hand, he kissed
it and wept over it; he sighed and sorrowed.
Whence had you this bracelet, young man? he
quickly asked. Nazih shed a torrent of tears;
Know, my lord, said he, I was brought up an
orphan among the tribe of Cayan. Who was your
father? demanded Asyed. O my dread lord, said
Nazih, I never knew who was my father; neither
do I know of what Arab tribe he was.
brought up as a poor fatherless orphan by the
charity of my master Obad, son of Temeem. He
has a daughter called Dhimya, and I have loved
her from the days of childhood. On her account I
have engaged my equals, and have subdued horse-
men, and although I am mad to demand her in
marriage, modesty has prevented me; and oft I
I was
say to
THE BRACELET; NAZIH'S STORY.
•
280
HIS STORY CONTINUED.
myself, I shall be this evening in his tent, then it
shall be done; and again, to-day I will demand his
daughter, but I have never ventured yet, and were
I to drink of the draught of death and perdition, I
shall never approach him, however great my
in-
fluence is over him, and however serviceable I have
been to him. But in my heart I conceal my love
for his daughter, and it is only to my mother I
complain when my sorrows oppress me; and my
mother, she sometimes says to me, O my son, you
can never find any relief for this passion till
you make an attack upon the tribe of Abs and
Adnan, and are roused to seize some of their chiefs
and bring them here, then may your plans succeed.
For, O my son, your master Obad has an old ven-
geance against them; and if you do not march
against that country, you will never gain your
point. Mother, I said to her, I hear every one
extol the tribe of Abs for their irresistible steadiness
in the day of battle, and they are the knights of
extermination and of instant death. But my mo-
ther still would say, good luck is oft in penury, and
victory comes from God; and moreover, if you
have fears, you must ever live a trifler. But take
with you this bracelet, on which is the name of the
Lord of heaven and earth; your father gave it me,
alas! alas! on the night he was wedded to me—
and he said to me, Preserve it! So if you succeed
in your wishes, praise be to the God of Zemzem
and the shrine; and should you be taken prisoner,
ASYED DISCOVERS HIS SON.
281
this will liberate you from bondage and infamy.
I took it from my mother and bound it on my arm,
and I set out on an expedition against the vagrant
tribes with these hundred men, and I did not dis-
continue my journey over the deserts till I came to
the spot, the valley of Tamarisks, where we over-
came you and succeeded in our attempts. There
indeed shone clear the proof of my mother's say-
ings, and with you I was traversing the wilds and
the wastes till I encountered this black, this dreadful
warrior, and infamy fell upon me, and now you are
come to cut off my head.
As Asyed listened to this tale, a shuddering came
over him; he gazed at Nazih very minutely, and
tracing the well-known features, he clasped him to
his bosom, and kissed him between the eyes, ex-
claiming by the truth of the sacred Shrine, Thou
art my son !-thou art a part of my heart! I gave
this bracelet to thy mother Selma, and my name is
inscribed thereon, and thy mother only sent thee to
this land to gain authentic intelligence of us. O
my brother, added he to Zoheir, the times have
changed and turned round, and what was lost is
come back to me: it was of this young man's mother
that I spoke to you. All that were present, when
they heard this story, were in amazement. But Antar
dismounted and received Nazih with great kindness,
and kissed him between the eyes, for he was a true
lion warrior, and a noble knight. Nazih was much
pleased: O tribe of Abs, said he, indeed you are
282
ABOOLGHARAT CONFIRMS THE DISCOVERY.
the mine of liberality and generosity, and he who is
connected by birth to you can never care for death.
I indeed rejoice in your parentage, and in my union
with your lineage, and I will be as a slave among
you. Yet must I interrogate my mother about my
father, that the truth may be fully proved, and I
realise all my expectations.
your
Make no such delays, O Nazih, said Aboolgharat,
you have no occasion to inquire of your mother on
this subject, for I am better acquainted with it than
any one. I was the person who conducted
master Obad to this country; he invaded it, and
took your mother captive. We returned home im-
mediately under alarm that the tribe of Abs and
Adnan might overtake us, and on our arrival we
divided the spoil, and your mother fell to the lot of
your master Obad; and as soon as her pregnancy
became evident, he questioned her about her situa-
tion, and who was her husband. My husband was
slain in the valley, said she. Thus she concealed
her story, and never revealed the secret to any one,
fearful of death and perdition. This man is your
father, and you are his son; but this is no time for
talking at length, for we are about to have our
heads cut off. At hearing this the noble Nazih
smiled, and his heart pitied his people when they
communicated to him his real situation; but Asyed
hastened and untied his handcuffs, and did the same
to the others, and mounted them on horses, and
they all set out for the land of the tribe of Abs,
1
NAZIH'S JOY AND REGRETS.
283
Nazih travelling by the side of his father Asyed,
who talked pleasantly with him, and gave him ac-
counts of his mother. Now that it is certain that
you are my father, said Nazih, I have no more
anxiety on your account; but I must bring my mo-
ther here. I am, however, distressed when think-
ing how I shall remain with you among the tribe of
Abs and Adnan, and my mother in the tribe of
Cayan will suffer death and infamy; particularly
when Obad hears I am an Absian he will not let
my mother survive a day, and I shall die of sorrows
for her, and regret for his daughter Dhimya. O
my son, said Asyed, it appears as if I must either
abandon your mother in the hands of foes, or you
drive Dhimya from your heart: but let us say no
more till we reach home and join our tribe. Thus
they travelled on, highly gratified, till evening, when
they halted at the waters, and waited whilst the
horses were refreshed. They took their dinner,
and again mounted their steeds, and passed on
during the darkness of the night till morning shone,
when they reached the valley of Tamarisks; but as
soon as the sun rose they perceived the camp of the
tribe of Abs, who were hasting over the desert in
pursuit of King Zoheir, for every family was in
movement. And as King Zoheir and his party ap-
proached, the first that espied them was Rebia; he
had also set out on that expedition, hoping that King
Zoheir would receive his deliverance at his hands,
and thus would his past actions be erased from his
i
284
DEBATE ABOUT SELMA AND DHIMYA.
heart: but he was disappointed. The tribe ad-
vanced and saluted King Zoheir, and inquired the
cause of his captivity, and how it had happened. He
related the whole to them, and also the story of
Nazih, at which they were in astonishment. Re-
bia came up to Antar, jealous that King Zoheir had
been released by him, and said, O Aboolfawaris,
there is no day but we see you in it, for you are in-
deed the daily food of friends. May no evil, no
harm ever reach you! for you are our polished
sword and our long spear. Antar thanked him.
About evening they set off: they crossed over the
desert, and reposed that night in the valley of
Erak. In the morning they resolved on pursuing
their way: O king, said Asyed, I will go with you
to the tents, and thence I will proceed to liberate
my wife Selma, and will gratify my son's designs
upon Dhimya, for unless I effect this he will never
feel happy in staying with us. If such is the case,
said King Zoheir, we will all proceed to the cities
of Yemen with our warriors and armies, and we
will not return till we have accomplished our pur-
pose. No, said Antar, by the faith of an Arab no
one but myself shall proceed on this expedition, for
I do not see the necessity of your taking all that
trouble and anxiety. On hearing this, Rebia
thanked him for the loyalty of his spirit. Admirable!
my cousin, said he; and I and my brother also, we
will go with you, and will expose our lives on this
occasion.
285
ANTAR Resolves ON THE EXPEDITION.
ANTA
Now this speech was only meant to excite Antar
to the expedition, for he was vexed at him, as all
his plans had failed through him; so he wished him
to expose himself among the cities of Yemen, in the
full expectation that the calamities of fortune and
perils would put an end to him. Antar thanked
him for his speech, though well aware of his malice
and insidious motives.
:
We cannot agree with you in this respect, said
King Zoheir, we will not let you go into Yemen to
endanger yourself on our private necessities with
only one hundred horsemen take with you a thou-
sand of the most tried warriors, that our hearts may
be at ease about you. O great king, said Antar,
were I even going to the conquest of the cities of
Syria, or to fight with the Chosroe of Persia, I
would not take so many as a thousand horsemen. I
do wish it may be publicly announced that your
slave Antar invaded the cities of Yemen, and those
countries, with only one hundred horsemen, every
one indeed a hardy warrior; and that he executed
his objects, and returned with affluence and plunder.
But my heart does not feel happy that I should un-
dertake this expedition before my Lord Harith has
wedded his bride Labna.
P
Now Harith was recovered of the wounds he had
received; he was quite well and in good health. They
continued till they reached their native land, and
universal joy and delight was the result of their ar
rival. They made entertainments and feasts, and per-
5
286
fect happiness and felicity dwelt among them. They.
slaughtered cattle for the banquets; the liquor and
the wine went round; the damsels beat the dul-
cimers; and the high and low were in full glee.
Labna was married to Harith; he entered unto her,
and he was happy. After feasting seven days, An-
tar prepared for his expedition and passage over
the desert, in order to finish the affair so interesting
to Asyed and his son Nazih. He took with him
his father Shedad, and three hundred horsemen of
the race of Carad; Asyed also went with him, de-
termined on success. King Zoheir accompanied
them to take leave, and when they reached the val-
ley of Erak they left King Zoheir behind, and
quitted him there. He returned home, and Antar
departed for the cities of Yemen.
But as to King Zoheir, he had not rested two
days after Antar's departure when Numan's mes-
senger arrived, and with him innumerable camels,
and robes, that amazed the eye, and also a thou-
sand Asafeer camels. When King Zoheir learnt
the arrival of the messenger, he went out to meet
him, and welcoming him to his dwelling, made him
dismount, and treating him hospitably, inquired
about King Numan's health. And when he had
described to him all the goods and presents destined
for him (and indeed the quantity was immense),
King Numan, he added, salutes you, and desires
you to send him your daughter, merely herself;
but not a single article of your own property, for he
NUMAN'S PRESENTS TO ZOHEIR.
1
MARRIAGE OF NUMAN AND ASWAD.
287
does not require of you either goods or presents.
King Zoheir upon this made a long panegyric on
King Numan.
Aswad's messenger also arrived about the same
time at the tribe of Fazarah, who did the same to-
wards him as King Zoheir had done with regard to
King Numan's. The cymbals were struck up in
the hands of the damsels, and they remained in this
state seven days. On the eighth day the howdahs
were raised on the backs of the camels, decorated
with splendid velvet. The ladies were lifted in, ac-
commodated on silken cushions and couches. The
standards and ensigns were unfurled, and the men
rode round them like lions. Hadifah accompanied
his sister with one hundred horsemen, and King
Zoheir sent his son Shas with his daughter; and they
continued traversing the deserts, the Arabs treating
them as they passed, till they reached Hirah. And
when Numan heard of their approach he went out
to meet them, his brother riding by his side, and
surrounded by troops; the drums were beaten on
all sides, and this was a day of joy and pleasure, the
like of which was never known in the whole world ;
for Numan gave away alms, made presents, distri-
buted gold and silver, prepared magnificent enter-
tainments, and had tables covered with meat. This
continued in the same manner for ten days, and
Mootegeredeh was married to King Numan, and
the hour and the time were most propitious; and
Maria was also married to his brother Aswad, and
1
288
theirs was a state of happiness never experienced
before by man; each realised his hopes, and all
their friends and well-wishers rejoiced. In three
days the Arabs separated, and every one took his
own road, and every chief sought his own clan.
Aswad invested Hadifah with an honorary robe,
and also the chiefs of the tribe of Fazarah. So also
did King Numan towards Shas; he bestowed on
him rich presents, and gave him splendid robes, and
treated him in the most distinguished manner.
When Shas saw this, and all the rich presents
that were produced before him, O king, said he, do
not bestow on me any article of your property, not
even to the value of a halter. We only coveted
your connexion on account of your glory, and the
honour of
your name. Numan thanked him; and
having loaded the she camel that had conveyed his
bride with aloes, and amber, and musk, and per-
fumes, he also wished to send with him an escort of
troops to attend on him and protect him. But, said
he, are you not my relation? King Zoheir my fa-
ther? the tribe of Abs my countrymen? and the
protector of our lands and our property, the Chief
Antar, son of Shedad? and shall I go with an es-
cort? No! by the faith of an Arab! So he bade
them farewell, and departed in company with Ha-
difah and the tribe of Fazarah.
PRINCE SHAS AND HIS CAMEL.
Now Shas had no one with him but the slave that
drove his camel; and when they were at some
distance from Kufah they began to converse about
289
the weddings and the feasts, and each of them
talked about his connexion, and what had occurred
during the entertainments. Hadifah was quite ex-
travagant in his eulogium of Prince Aswad, ex-
tolling him greatly, and preferring him to Numan.
Shas was now aware that they wished to irritate him
by their discourse; but as he was anxious to put a
stop to any enmity or ill will between them, he se-
parated from them, feigning a desire to indulge in
the hunt and chase. As soon as Hadifah saw this,
he said to his cousins, Let us away over the wastes
and the wilds, and let us escape from danger and
destruction; perhaps some one may fall upon him
who will cut off his head, and will take his horse
and his armour, for he is also one of Antar's friends.
Thus they passed over the deserts, and Shas fol-
lowed behind, who being thus separated from Ha-
difah, travelled alone, amusing himself on the skirts
of the waste, and rejoicing at having avoided their
misconduct, till he reached the waters of the tribe.
of Aamir, where he arrived in the obscurity of the
night, and as he was exceedingly thirsty, he was
much troubled. By the side of the lake there was
a huntsman chasing the wild animals as they passed
to and fro; he was called Thalaba, the son of Aaridj.
He was extending out his nets, and fixing them by
the water-side, and as Shas came up, the wild ani-
mals being frightened away, the huntsman was
much annoyed, and he cried out to Shas, Who art
thou? thou hast spoiled my sport, and hast driven
VOL. III.
U
SHAS SEPARATES FROM HADIFAH.
SA
290
HE IS MURDERED BY THALABA.
away the beasts from me.
Fear not, young man,
said Shas, for I will reward you for what
you lose.
But have you a drink of water, that I may quench
my thirst? Ay! you shall have water from me,
said the huntsman, but not water that shall moisten
your thirst or relieve your entrails. Shas, on hear-
ing this, was very angry, for he was a prince and
the son of a prince. You dog of the tribe of Aamir,
said he, were you not a poor miserable fellow I
would punish you in the manner that kings punish.
But the huntsman immediately drew an arrow from
his quiver, and fixing it on the centre of his bow,
aimed it at Shas by the sound of his voice, and it
struck him through the heart, and it hurled him
dead off his horse. The slave, when he saw his
master fall headlong, left him there, and departed
home to the tribe of Abs, making all speed in his
flight. Then came up the huntsman, and examined
him, and looked at his horse, and lo! its trappings
were of gold; and perceiving the garments of a
mighty prince upon him, he was in the greatest
agitation. He dug a hole for him in the sand, and
buried him; but he took away the horse and the
camel, and hastened home, and when he came to
his wife he acquainted her with the circumstance,
and directed her not to discover it to any one. He
slaughtered the camel, and distributed the meat,
concealing the property and perfumes, and the fine
horse. And thus it was all over with Shas.
In the meantime Hadifah reached the tribe of
KING ZOHEIR'S GRIEF AND VENGEANCE.
Fazarah, and the whole universe could not contain
him, so excessive was his joy. King Zoheir heard
of his arrival, and his heart was in a flame about his
son Shas, till the slave also came back and informed
King Zoheir of the murder of his son. Great in-
deed was this affliction. His tears, his lamentations
were incessant; he tore off all his clothes. The
news soon reached his mother, and his brothers, and
his comrades, and their distress equalled his. The
whole clan was absorbed in tears, and sobs, and
groans. The next day arrived Rebia; and in three
days more King Zoheir assembled in haste all his
lion warriors, and prepared two thousand horsemen
that would have infused fears even into the genii
and the fiends. And they departed, traversing the
burning sands, seeking the land of the tribe of
Aamir; and at their head rode King Zoheir, his
heart ulcered with grief, and by his side was Rebia ;
and they continued their successive marches till they
drew nigh to the land of the tribe of Aamir; and
when their dust appeared, Ghashm*, son of Malik,
mounted, and went out with a party of his people
to meet King Zoheir, and saluting him, O great
king, said he, art thou come to our land to take your
pleasure with us, and to hunt in the vicinity? O
Ghashm, said King Zoheir, we are not come on a
visit or as guests. We are come with no other pur-
pose but to extirpate you with the sword. What,
* Surnamed the Brandisher of Spears.
$
291
U 2
292
HE RETURNS ABASHED.
said the Brandisher of Spears, has produced this
enmity between us, that we should deserve such
violent measures at your hands after such friend-
ship? Ay, said King Zoheir, for my son Shas, on
his return from his relation, King Numan, was
slain at your waters. O king, said Ghashm, who
told you this? The slave that accompanied him,
said King Zoheir, informed me of his murder and
his destruction. And would you, O great king,
added Ghashm, take away a man in health for one in
sickness? and have you believed a base slave to our
prejudice? and had even the slave told the truth,
how many thieves and robbers are there in our
neighbourhood! But if, notwithstanding this, you
are resolved on shedding blood, God forbid that
hostility should arise between us! But if you will
not assent to my proposal, and you are certainly a
man of honour, at least have pity on the widows and
the infirm. King Zoheir, on hearing this address,
returned, alarmed at the consequences of violence
and oppression. He hastened his march till he
reached home. But his son Cais was extremely af-
flicted, and wept bitterly, saying, I will not permit
the blood of my brother to pass away in vain. I
myself will undertake this business. It happened
that this was a year of drought and scarcity, and
the people were in total want of every thing. So
Cais selected two she camels, and loading them with
dried dates, and wheat, and butter, sent for an old,
grey-headed woman, from whom there was no sort
?
CAIS'S PLAN TO FIND OUT THE MURDERER.
293
of deceit concealed. Take these two camels, said he
to her, and go to the land of the tribe of Aamir, but
take special care not to discover yourself; buy no-
thing in exchange but rarities and valuable articles,
and when any perfumes fall in your way, inquire
whence they were imported.
As soon as the old woman heard Cais's instruction,
she understood the whole affair, and she departed
with a heart proof against all perils. He, however,
sent with her some one to conduct her to the tribe
of Aamir, and when she reached the dwellings, she
roamed about and offered for sale her stock of wheat,
inquiring for excellent perfumes in exchange. They
produced all the perfumes they had, till she came, in
her rounds, to the families of Ghani and Kellab;
and, moreover, she importuned the whole tribe of
Aamir till she reached the house of Thalaba, son of
Aaridj, the huntsman. He himself was, at that
period, away from his wife, who, in his absence,
being in want of provisions, and seeing this stock
brought by the old woman, cried out to her to come
into her tent; she conducted her in, and offered
her for sale some aloe wood, and musk, and amber,
and as she inhaled the fragrance of them, the bar-
ren waste was scented with their odour. The old
woman was quite amazed at the extraordinary qua-
lities of these perfumes, and their fragrance quite
intoxicated her. O my mistress, said she, this is
indeed a rarity not to be purchased with wheat.
The God of old knows my intention, and may I
&
294
THALABA'S WIFE IMPARTS THE SECRET
never lose my daughter! For God's sake, do now
take all my stock, and relieve me from any further
trouble and delay. But tell me whence was this
perfume brought you, for in no place whatever have
I ever seen any thing like it; such as this is not to
be found at any merchant's or perfumer's. I will
not inform you on this point, said Thalaba's wife,
and I will not reveal the business to you unless you
promise me, by him who fashioned the human frame,
that this affair shall not proceed from you to any
human being, and that you will not acknowledge it
to any one, man or woman. The old woman ac-
ceded to her proposition. O aunt, said she, my
husband is called Thalaba, the son of Aaridj, the
huntsman, and he gained, in this pitiful business,
what no one of the servants of God ever gained be-
fore, for one day he was by the side of the lake
hunting. It was night, when a youth called Shas,
son of King Zoheir, passing by, frightened away the
wild beasts, at which my husband was very angry
and abused him; the youth spoke in terms that ir-
ritated him, so my husband struck him with an ar-
row and slew him, and when the business was over
my husband went towards him and perceived the
whole catastrophe. A slave had accompanied Shas,
and there was also a black-eyed camel, laden entirely
with these perfumes. The slave, on seeing what
had happened, fled away, and my husband, having
first buried Shas in the sand, immediately came
home, and with him the horse and camel; he is now
295
gone to sell the horse and the trappings in some of
the Arab hordes, and will bring me back some gold
and silver. Now, were you not a foreign woman I
should not have informed you of this extraordinary
story. But still I will not let you go after this meet-
ing, till you have given me your promise not to tell
any one. I am a foreign woman, said the other, and
am very old, and I live in the land of Yemen, and
I have never heard any one mention the tribe of
Abs or their king's son, Shas. So she made the re-
quired promise, and took away all her perfumes, and
put them on the two camels; and, bidding her adieu,
shę departed much pleased at what she had done.
She instantly set out for the land of Abs, and she
thought she should never reach home, so eager was
she to execute Cais's commission, and inform King
Zoheir of his son's death, till she actually arrived
and related the surprising circumstances that had
occurred to her. Now, do what you please, said
she, and make whatever arrangements you choose.
And what man slew him? said he. Thalaba, the
huntsman, said she; and she informed him what
Cais had done in his ingenuity, and showed him the
perfumes. King Zoheir wept and sobbed, the tears
streamed and flowed, whilst he thus gave vent to his
grief in verse:
"The vicissitudes of fortune have thrown me
"into misery and wretchedness, and fortune has
"ever evinced its treacherous disposition. I am in-
"volved in affliction by it, as if I were the friend of
TO AN OLD WOMAN, WHO TELLS ZOHEIR.
296
GRIEF OF ZOHEIR AND REBIA.
"intoxication, produced by excess of wine. It has
"left me in solitude; I have no one to assist me.
“O that I were with him; united to him in the
"tomb.
When the messenger of Shas's death ar-
"rived, grief took possession of me, and I am
"bewildered. O Shas, thou hast cast a grief into
A
<C
ત
my heart that will not pass away, were even my
"life to pass away. Think not, O vengeance, that
"thou shalt sleep, now that he is gone. Let not the
goose imagine it shall escape the vulture. Soon
"shalt thou see the Absian warriors plunge into
"deaths, and seas, and horrors. The kings of the
"earth shall see that we are able to take vengeance
on their boldest heroes."
66
To arms! to arms! cried King Zoheir to those
that were about him, and he mounted that very day,
accompanied by all the chiefs and Rebia, who thus
exclaimed, in verses :
"I was heedless of the nocturnal depredators, and
Co
my heart is insensible to joy. A calamity has
"befallen me that has taught me afflictions, and the
"heaviest sorrows. O my tears, flow fast from your
"stores for the loss of our hero. O my tribe, I have
"lost one who was my sword, and my right hand,
"and left hand, in the battle. He was a crown on
"the heads of the tribe of Abs, brilliant as the full
66 moon; but that moon is on the wane and is lost,
66 now that the hostile hand has aimed at him the
"fatal arrow. O tribe of Aamir, do ye not dread
"the assault, that would even endanger the summits
THEY INVADE THE TRIBE OF AAMIR.
<<
297
" of the caverned mountains.
O land, now Shas is
66
66
gone, what can protect thee? Will the heavens
"shadow thee from destruction? Our steeds are
"fearless in the contest, and our swords are death's
harbingers in the battle. The barbs of our spears
"bear witness that the heights of glory are our
"mansions of honour. The kings of the universe
are our slaves. They serve us, and we are the
"lords. Shall they venture to oppose us? and we
are on our thin-flanked coursers, like dragons."
When King Zoheir looked round at his sons and
saw not Shas, he wept bitterly. They hastened
their march, and a burning flame was concealed in
their breasts, till they reached the tribe of Aamir.
Their chief and ruler was called Khalid, son of
Giafir, and their knight that protected them in the
days of trouble was the Brandisher of Spears,
Ghashm, son of Malik. The family of Ghani had
also a skilful warrior whose name was Rebia, son of
Ocail, and the family of Kellab had also a horseman
called Jandah, son of Beka. These three tribes
resided in one land, and their waters approximated,
and they were nearly related. But at that time the
chief, Khalid, was absent with Prince Aswad, in the
land of Irak, who had also married the daughter of
his brother, Akhwas, and her name was Saad; and
when Khalid heard of Aswad's marriage with Hadi-
fah's sister, he took with him some of the chiefs of
the tribe of Aamir to visit him, and when he was
about to return, his niece would not let him go. O
298
IN RETALIATION FOR SHAS'S MURDER.
my uncle, said she, stay with me till I see how I like
my situation; for, indeed, if I am annoyed, I will
return to my own country and my family. So he
staid some time with her, and it was during his
absence these events occurred, and King Zoheir
invaded the tribe of Aamir, where he found the
dwellings without their warriors, and there was no
one but the Brandisher of Swords with a few men.
Now, when they saw King Zoheir return, they rode
out to meet him, and made a very humble address
to him, inquiring the cause of his return. He in-
formed them of the stratagem Cais had adopted, in
order to succeed in his object; he also told them
that Thalaba, the huntsman, had slain his son Shas.
On hearing this, and ascertaining it to be true, they
searched for Thalaba, but could not find him. Upon
this they sent for his wife, and ordered her to con-
fess; she acknowledged what her husband had done,
and produced all the perfumes she still had. King
Zoheir was highly incensed, and his eyeballs started
into the crown of his head. O tribe of Aamir, cried
he, I demand of you one of three conditions. First,
that you return me my son as he was; but if you
cannot effect that, fill then my outer cloak with the
constellations of heaven; and if you cannot effect
that, I demand of you the whole tribe of Ghani, that
I may sacrifice all their children and their parents.
O my lord, said they, verily you insult and outrage
us, and demand of us impossibilities; for he who
requests what no human being can perform, oppresses
299
and tyrannizes. It is impossible for any one to
revive the dead or kill the living, but Him who out-
spread the earth and vaulted the skies; but as to
your proposal of delivering over to you all the tribe
of Ghani, it is a thing you in your senses could
never suppose we should do, for you are a generous
king, therefore do not exact the living for the dead.
But as to exciting war and dissensions among us,
heaven forbid that we should ever have recourse to
such a proceeding, and that we should exchange our
security for alarms and fears. But we will pay you
ten times* the price of blood, and we beg of you to
set at liberty our women and our daughters. Thus
the tribe continued till King Zoheir was duped and
relented. Consulting with Rebia about the aban-
donment of retaliation and their return home, O king,
said Rebia, what is this you say? How can we raise
our heads among the Arabs, if we permit the blood
of Shas to pass unrevenged? And, unsheathing his
sword, To arms! to arms! he exclaimed, and rushed
with his drawn sabre among the tribe of Aamir,
whilst the sons of King Zoheir, also joining in a
similar shout, extended their spears and plied their
scimitars among them. The shouts arose on all
sides; the tribe of Aamir put on their arms and
defended themselves; the battle became furious, and
many were slain and wounded. Blood flowed and
streamed, and the dust uprose and sickened the eye-
REBIA THWARTS THEIR ARTIFICES.
* Ten camels was the price of blood in those days.
300
ZOHEIR IS AGAIN DUPED,
balls of the shouters. Heads were severed from
bodies; the tribe of Aamir just kept off the contest
from their children, but were reduced to great dis-
tress as the confusion and uproar increased. The
tribe of Abs cut through them by the force of their
steeds, and slaughtered numbers of their horsemen
and troops. On that day the only one that could
fight on the offensive, and repel the attack, was the
Brandisher of Spears, for he was one of the renowned
heroes and celebrated warriors; but observing the
tribe of Abs, how they overpowered him, and the
numbers of his own party, how they were cut up,
and alarmed for their total annihilation, and the
destruction of his country, he took with him a party
of his tribe, all noble horsemen, and repaired to
King Zoheir, who was under the standards; he
dismounted and paid obeisance, and kissing his hand,
O dreaded king, said he, do not the deeds of a
coward, for you are a great prince. Draw back your
swords from us, that we may extract this tribe for
you from the midst of us, and may separate from
them and deliver them over to you. Do not destroy
us for the crimes of others, leave us quiet in our
lands and territory. All I request of you is, to
delay for the remainder of this day, and to-morrow
morning come on and the tribe shall be yours. He
continued to engage his compassion in this proposal,
and so humiliated himself, that King Zoheir was
induced to agree to his request. I grant you, said
King Zoheir, the term of this day, so that no blame
AND IS OBLIGED TO DESIST FROM WAR.
301
or reproach may attach to us. And he immediately
directed his slaves to order back the troops from the
contest. The Brandisher of Spears returned to his
tribe: Now then, said he, entrench your women and
families on the summits of the mountains, for I have
circumvented King Zoheir in my discourse. Let us
occupy a strong post for some days, till the sacred
moon shine upon us, when battle and contention
must be stopped, and these unexpected oppressors
must depart. Moreover too, our Chief Khalid may
arrive from the land of Irak, and he will avert from
us this insupportable calamity.
The tribe of Aamir, on hearing this, were con-
vinced of the expediency of the measure.
So they
all hastened away, and struck their tents and dwell-
ings, every one carrying away his property, and
placing his family in security among the mountains.
Before daylight, the whole country was abandoned,
and they moved like waves towards the hills.
By the dawn of day King Zoheir mounted, and
when he saw what they had done, he was aware that
the Brandisher of Spears had deceived him. He
was furious with passion, and marched in haste
against the Aamirites, with his men, and be-
sieged them in the mountains. All that fell into
his hands he made to drink of the cup of death and
extinction, for the troops were greatly exasperated.
They continued in this state for five days, and then
arose the sacred moon. It was the month of Redjeb,
which the ignorance of the Arabs sanctified. War
302
THE MONTH REDJER.
ceased during that time, and had it happened that
any one had killed his father or his brother, it was
never spoken of to him, and he could not be brought
to trial. The Arabs went every where unarmed; and
for that reason it was called the deaf and dumb
month, for the ears were insensible therein, and the
Arabs, laying aside their arms, repaired to the holy
Shrine, and made a pilgrimage, demanding forgive-
ness of sins.
When King Zoheir perceived the rising of the
moon, and that the month of Redjeb had com-
menced, his heart was in flames, and burned with
rage. He abandoned the contest, not to give an
evil example among the Arabs.
PILGRIMAGE OF MECCA.
CHAPTER XXVI.
303
THE Absians were returning home, when, said
King Zoheir to his son Cais, Fetch me hither your
mother, that we may visit the holy Shrine, and pass
these days there: and thence I will return to these
dastards, and will extirpate them with the sword.
Cais accordingly departed, and went home. King
Zoheir afterwards repaired to Mecca, after having
waited for the arrival of his wife, and a party of fe-
male attendants; and they halted in a part of the
sacred valley, which had been the quarter of the
Absians for ages; for the Arabs had ever possessed
there each their respective abode.
At this time also the Chief Khalid returned from
his visit to his niece, and as he was passing with his
followers by the sacred Shrine, he sought the fulfil-
ment of his religious duties, previous to his pro-
ceeding home. So he made also a pilgrimage with
a party of Aamirites, and amongst them was the
Brandisher of Spears. They all met Khalid, and
informed him what had passed, and the plans they
had adopted; how King Zoheir had invaded them,
to seek vengeance for his son Shas, and the numbers
he had slain.
At this recital Khalid's eyes became like fire:
ĭ
304
MEETING OF ZOHEIR AND KHALID.
Woe, woe unto thee, O Zoheir, son of Jazeemah!
he cried. Alas! that I was not present when thou
didst perpetrate that villanous deed. Truly thou
hast taken advantage of my absence, and hast slain
some of my family and my tribe; but if I do not
requite thee for thy acts in the dusty fight, I am not
of the loins of Giafer. He reposed, and at dawn of
day he went round the Shrine and the portico, and
met King Zoheir in the circuit. He no sooner be-
held him than his very entrails were on fire. Zo-
heir, he exclaimed, thou hast indeed accomplished
thy iniquitous projects against the tribe of Aamir;
thou hast availed thyself of the inferior numbers of
their troops. Thou hast violated our wives, and
our noble matrons. Truly, I have had my revenge,
replied Zoheir, and I have quenched my fury: had
it not been for this sacred month, I would not have
left among you either an old or a young one, and
I must root out every vestige as soon as these days
are expired. Dost thou not fear, said Khalid, that
the vicissitudes of fortune may turn against thee, and
against thy family, and that thy vestiges may be
rooted out as those of thy predecessors?
Then went Khalid towards the Caaba, and prayed,
O Thou, who hast raised these columns, and hast
consecrated the glory of this place, and hast made it
a sanctuary for the Arabs, let not this year pass
away before my hand rest on the neck of Zoheir;
grant me but to reach him, and through thee I will
vanquish him. But Zoheir, in the excess of his
305
presumption, thus said, O Lord, let not this year
pass before thou grantest me the accomplishment of
my designs. Let my hand rest on the neck of
Khalid, and no assistance do I require against him.
•
Now, as he spoke, there was a crowd of Arabs
around him, and as soon as they heard these words,
they kissed the columns of the sacred shrine, and
turning towards King Zoheir, In this very year
thou wilt expiate with thy life the words thou hast
spoken, cried they all. Did I not respect these
days, said Zoheir to them, I would drink of the
blood of Khalid, as guests drink of wine. And
Khalid turned away from him, and all the Arabs
separated. Khalid, after remaining at Mecca three
more days, set out to his own country with his tribe,
and thus exclaimed in verse—
Prepare, O Zoheir-come to the field-let our
"blood flow-let the forbidden now become legal.
"O tribe of Aamir, brandish with me the parbed
spear, and unsheath the sword. Incur not dis-
66 grace in the day of attack; sell your lives, and die
"honourably. If infamy establish itself in our
،،
dwellings, haste away and quit the tents. O tribe
"of Aamir, the time is eventful; raise the sword
6.
66
CC
66
KHALID BURNS FOR REVENGE.
against your foes. Lay low Zoheir and his sons,
"when they quit Zemzem and the shrine. Draw
66 upon them the sharp scimitar, tear off their flesh
"and their bones, that we may destroy the sup-
ports of Abs, as our brother laid low Shas. Let
"us make their wives widows, and by the death
VOL. III.
X
306
HIS PLAN OF ATTACK.
"of their heroes let us make their children or-
66
""
phans.
When Khalid had finished his verses, he pressed for-
ward his march, his heart boiling with a blazing flame
against Zoheir, and with him was the Brandisher of
Spears and ten horsemen. On reaching home, they
perceived that their families had come down from
the mountains, and had pitched their tents on ac-
count of the sacred month. But in many of the
dwellings there were wailings and lamentation for
the horsemen that had been slain. Khalid went
down among them and consoled them. On that
very day he assembled the three tribes, and in-
formed them what had passed with Zoheir in the
land of Mecca; and I am resolved, he said, to at-
tack the tribe of Abs, and I will not stop till I have
succeeded in my project, and when I have slain
Zoheir, I will repair to their lands, and I will exter-
minate their families and their tribe; for Antar is
absent, and they seem fearless of calamities.
The Aamirites assented, and prepared for the
march, amounting to five thousand brave horsemen.
And when there was only a short space of the sacred
month remaining, they terminated all their prepara-
tions in seven days and departed, Khalid having
first sent different parties by different routes, and
appointed a leader to each. Haste then, said he, on
this expedition, and let us all meet in the land of
Howazin. So they separated, and set off for the
spot he had pointed out to them, where they con-
ZOHEIR'S FATAL IMPRUDENCE.
307
cealed themselves, and remained in anxious expect-
ation of the event. But as to King Zoheir, the
pilgrimage being now over, he returned with his
followers, and his heart was boiling with rage against
Khalid. He continued his march till he reached
the market of Ocadh, where he halted among the
Arabs, who entertained him for three days; and
quitting them in security, he pressed on under the
influence of Fate, till he came to the land of Howa-
zin, where he halted at the waters about the even-
ing. He took his repast, and did not repose till
night. O my father, said Prince Cais, march with
us during the night; perhaps we may avoid the tribe
of Aamir, for you indeed have stamped on them the
foulest disgrace, and I fear for your sake their Chief
Khalid. King Zoheir, on hearing these words, ex-
claimed, What sayest thou, O Cais? Who are these
vile Aamirites, or Khalid, or all the inhabitants of
the barren waste? By the faith of an Arab, I will not
stir hence for three days. Cais, when he heard this,
felt aware that death was at hand. But he roused
his companions for the contest, obliged as he was to
yield to his father's authority.
At the dawn of day, whilst King Zoheir was sit-
ting among his tribe, behold a horseman advanced
in haste from the quarter of the tribe of Aamir,
and that horseman was the brother of Temadhur,
King Zoheir's wife, and he was come as a spy from
the tribe of Aamir. He had long since established
himself among them, and married one of their
x 2
308
AMROO, SON OF SHIREED,
women; for he detested King Zoheir, because he
had banished him from the country; and had not
his sister Temadhur been present, Zoheir would
have put him instantly to death. So when King
Zoheir drove him away, he took refuge among the
tribe of Aamir, and settling himself among them,
married there, and adopted all their habits, never
ceasing to abuse King Zoheir. We have men-
tioned that Khalid was waiting in ambush for Zo-
heir; O my cousins, said he to his comrades, who
of ye will go to the waters of the land of Howazin,
and procure intelligence for us of Zoheir, son of
Jazeemah, so that our labours may not be lost, nor
our projects fail? O Khalid, they replied, for such
an expedition you need no one but Amroo, son of
Shireed, for he is a relative of that tribe, and one
of them; and he is the only person that can procure
intelligence for us: he has a very good excuse when
he sees them that can give no umbrage, for he can
say to them, I am come to congratulate my sister
on her return from Mecca. Thus he may observe
where they have halted, and tell us of their march.
But I fear, said Khalid, he may betray us, and im-
part to his tribe all we have done. Upon that score
there is no fear, said they; his hatred to King Zoheir
is unquestionable. On this, he ordered him to his
presence, and telling him what he wanted, Amroo
thanked him, and assented, saying, I will bring you
the required news, provided you will make this
condition with me-it shall be a covenant between
GOES AS A SPY TO KING ZOHEIR.
309
me and you, and for it
and for it I must take the firmest
engagement and promise. They agreed to his pro-
posal, saying, Explain to us your demands.—When
you have slain King Zoheir, said he, and you have
succeeded in your wishes, capture not my sister
Temadhur, and slay not one of her sons.-Let this
be a sacred covenant between you and us, said
Khalid; and he promised all he required, request-
ing his aid in the accomplishment of their hopes.
Amroo quitted them about midnight, and in the
morning he reached the waters of Howazin; and
as soon as King Zoheir saw him, he recognized
him. Father, this is my uncle, said Cais; he is
hastening towards us; I am convinced he is a spy
from the tribe of Aamir.
And before Cais had finished, Amroo arrived,
and congratulated King Zoheir on his pilgrimage:
he then repaired to his sister, and saluting her,
seated himself. O uncle, said Cais, what has brought
you here?—I am come on a visit to you, said Am-
roo, and to congratulate you on your pilgrimage.
I have also some news for you; which is, that
Khalid son of Giafer, on his return from Mecca,
assembled all the Aamirite chieftains, and related
to them what happened with your father at the
sacred shrine: he wept torrents of tears before
them: revenge and rage rose in tumults in their
hearts, and they have combined against your wicked
and iniquitous designs. Unanimous in their reso-
lution to waylay you on your return from the
J
310
CAIS SEIZES HIM,
sacred shrine, they marched out some days ago,
and are five thousand in number. They heard of
your having halted at the market of Ocadh; and
out of my alarms for you I am come to congratu-
late you, and give you this information.
Well, Amroo, said King Zoheir, what have we
to fear? We are able to meet our enemies; and if
they have sent you as a spy, return and tell them
that I will not move hence till I meet them and
destroy them, high and low.-Great King, said
Amroo, you still hate me; your detestation is not
yet extinct. So I have lost my pains, though I
was willing to make peace, and even my kindness
to you is received as an act of baseness. I have
only been induced to this deed by my fears for my
sister, that she should be made captive, and infamy
be heaped on me, east and west: but now that I
have seen her my heart is at ease, and if I again
return to you pardon not my offence. He then
moved towards his horse, in order to mount and
return. Cais would not permit him to execute his
purpose; but he sprung at him like a hissing ser-
pent, and threw him under him, and secured his
arms. Uncle, he cried, I will not let thee go from
us, and I will not let thee escape out of our power,
till we have passed over this country, and we ap-
proach our own land.—What is this, my son? said
his mother. Why hast thou seized the person of
thy uncle, and thus repaid him for his visit to us?
O mother, said Cais, let me alone in this affair; do
311
not question me. I will not release him till he
gives me the promise of God and his engagement
that he will not mention us to any human being,
and will not give any information of us either to
man or woman.—My brother, said Temadhur, give
the required promise to my son Cais. Upon this
Amroo, having sworn and bound himself by oaths
that for three days he would not mention any one
of them, Cais untied the ropes, and granted him
his liberty: but he requested of his sister Temadhur
some provisions, to feed him till he reached home.
She gave him some bread and milk, and he mounted
his horse and departed.
As soon as Amroo was gone, and vanished among
the sand-hills and the mountains, Zoheir turned
towards his son, to rebuke him. What is this thou
hast done with thy uncle? cried he; this is all
through fear of death or the foe.-Yes, my father,
said Cais; for when a wise man has an enemy, he
sleeps not by night. His father's expressions con-
vinced Cais that death was at hand; so he went out
with the horsemen, and stationed himself on the
look-out for the enemy.
AND LETS HIM GO UNDER CONDITIONS.
But as to Amroo, he urged on his march in-
cessantly till he reached the tribe of Aamir. They
mounted, and met him; as also did Khalid, though
he believed he should never see him again. And
when he came up to him, he asked him how he
was: he gave no answer; but turning aside towards
some erak trees, he alighted beneath them, and
312
THE SECRET DISCOVERED.
placed down on the ground before him the bottle
that contained the milk. Amroo pointed to the
trees with his hand, and thus addressed them:
Thou form, that canst return no reply, and under-
standest not what is said, and canst not distinguish
between right and wrong, truly I have been pro-
vided with milk from a hated tribe. I wish thou
wouldst taste thereof, that no harm may come to
me from drinking it. O my cousins, said Khalid,
the man has fallen among the tribe: afraid of him,
they have bound him by oaths that he will not
speak of them, nor give any human being in-
formation of them: he has thus engaged himself by
oath, and had it not been so, he could not have
escaped from them. The wisest plan is for you to
taste this milk, and try his food; if it be sweet, it
is fresh milk, and Zoheir is near us; if it be sour,
and the victuals tainted, then the party is distant
in the barren wastes. Accordingly, some of the
horsemen approached and drank of the milk, and
it was fresh camels' milk. They informed Khalid :
You have proved the fact, said he, and I am con-
vinced Amroo only left them in the land of Howa-
zin; and it is my advice that we march against them
instantly. Let us seek them, and disperse ourselves
over the desert in search of them; and if we fall
upon them in this desert, we will bring down death
and extinction upon them; and if we do not meet
them, we will return to the high road, where we
must find them halting somewhere to repose.
}
CONTEST OF THE TRIBES.
S
313
Thus Khalid formed his plans for the execution
of his purpose, and urged on over the plains and
wastes till it was night; when they returned to the
high road, and continued their march till they
reached the waters of Howazin by morning.
Cais was stationed as the scout; and as soon as
he saw the dust of the tribe as it drew nigh, he
returned to his father. Be on your guard, O father,
he cried, for there approaches what you cannot over-
-What is the matter? said Zoheir. The
dust of the foe is at hand, said Cais; there is the
tribe of Aamir, and Khalid son of Giafer: and his
tears burst forth in torrents as he spoke. But his
father mounted his horse, having first clothed him-
self in armour, to meet his foes and his enemies.
Welcome, welcome to Khalid, the son of Giafer the
Aamirite, he cried, and galloped forward on his
horse Caasa, followed by his sons and his troops.
When Khalid saw this formidable array, he called
out to the tribe of Aamir, and excited their ener-
gies for the stroke of the cleaving swords. Upon
this, shouts were raised, swords were drawn, spears
were extended; all shouted, and attacked, and ex-
claimed, and vociferated. Fury boiled in every
bosom; patience and perseverance were evinced by
all. The scene was dreadful; multitudes crowded
promiscuously; discourse was at an end. The
cowards fled; round them revolved the cup of
perdition. The dust thickened like clouds. Zoheir
roared and bellowed: he gave vent to all his feelings,
314
DIFFICULTIES OF THE ABSIANS.
and poured forth his fury and his pride: he assailed
them, and exposed himself to dangers. But be-
fore mid-day the Aamirites resolved on flight, for
they saw in the Absians what amazed their senses.
Not one of the Aamirites could stand firm in that
terrific hour but the Chief Khalid, son of Giafer;
for he preferred death to flight.
At that moment arrived another division of the
tribe of Aamir, every one of them eager for the
battle; and as soon as they appeared their hearts
were comforted, and they attacked: for among
them were Knights whose equals the age could not
produce, Rebia, son of Ocail, and Jandah, son of
Beka, and their companions were the champions of
the tribes. Upon this, they made an assault from
every direction; their shouts arose on high; num-
bers increased against the Absians, whose difficulties
augmented; patience and perseverance were ex-
hausted, for they did not consist of more than one
hundred men, and their enemies were five thousand
warriors, all armed with spears.
But King Zoheir, when he was aware that there
was no reprieve from death, and evidently beheld
his destruction, resolutely encountered the barbs of
the spears that goaded him on all sides; and he
made assaults such as after ages never witnessed.
Khalid marked his exploits, and threw himself upon.
him, anxious for a personal contest; at the same
time thinking that though he might kill him, he
should also be slain himself. They shouted and
•
BATTLE OF KHALID AND Zoheir.
315
roared aloud till they distinguished death and an
eternal blindness; the earth and sky vanished from
them.
Heaven protect us from the unenlightened per-
sons of that period of Arabian ignorance, particu-
larly from such as these two warriors renowned in
battle, namely, King Zoheir, and Khalid, son of
Giafer!
They continued now to close, now to start asun-
der; and a combat and contest arose between them
that would have turned infants gray. They per-
sisted in driving at each other till their spears were
shivered: they flung them on the ground, and drew
their swords: they did not desist from smiting each
other with their sabres till their arms were quite
exhausted. Throwing these likewise away, they
grasped each other on their horses till their wrists
were quite numbed, and continued in this position
till they both fell at once on the sand; but Khalid
fell uppermost, upon King Zoheir, on account of
his arrogant speech at Mecca.
Khalid attempted to draw his sword, but he
could not quit the hold of his antagonist; upon
which King Zoheir cried out to the Absians, Come
to me, and assist me against Khalid; and if ye can-
not succeed against him, then slay him and slay me
too. At that moment his son Warca stood near
him, and the instant he heard his father call out,
being beneath Khalid, O my father! he exclaimed,
and he threw himself towards him, and dispersing
316
ZOHEIR RECEIVES THE FATAL BLOW.
E
the Aamirites, struck Khalid a blow on the shoulder.
But the sword turned round in his hand, and slipped
aside, and he could not relieve his father from the
power and oppression of the foe. Then came up
Jandah, son of Beka, and heaved up his arm with
his sword, and struck King Zoheir on the crown of
the head; and his brains dropped out from his
head, for the blow fell right against his temples:
he heard his sword grate and rattle against Zoheir's
skull. Convinced that the blow had made its way
into Zoheir, and had slain him, Arise now, my
cousin, he cried to Khalid, for it is all over with
him; and Khalid sprung up off his chest, and his
project was completed. He seated himself again
on his horse's back, as he cried out to his cousins.
and troops, saying, O my cousins, retire from these
dastards, for my purpose has succeeded, and God
has listened to my prayer.-What has this to do
with us? said Rebia, son of Ocail. I swore to Am-
roo, said Khalid, by him who hath spread out the
earth and the canopy of the skies, that I would not
take his sister Temadhur captive, and that I would
not slay one of her sons; and now that we have
accomplished our designs against Zoheir, I wish to
fulfil my promise and engagement with Amroo.
Thus commanding his horsemen to withdraw their
hands from the blow and the thrust, he departed,
seeking his family and home, having first taken
possession of King Zoheir's sword, Zinoor, and his
charger, Caasa; and as they were traversing the
plain and the waste, Khalid turned towards Jandah,
317
and said, Well then, the blow you struck Zoheir
was mortal? Eh! for I have sworn by the sacred
shrine, that if we met we should not part but in
death. I struck him such a blow, said Jandah,
were even assistance to come from Hibel for him,
never will he revive to snuff the air of heaven; for
my arm is powerful, and my sword sharp; it would
cleave even iron. And when I heard the rattle and
grating of my sword against Zoheir's skull, some-
thing issued like the oil of jessamin. I tasted it with
my tongue, and I perceived it salt, so I was con-
vinced it was the juice of his brains, and that his
career was closed. Upon that Khalid smiled, and
thanked him for his deed.
CAIS FINDS HIM ALMOST DEAD.
#
But as to King Zoheir's sons and his people,
when they knew of his death, they feared for their
own destruction: they gave their horses their heads,
and fled away, till all pursuit being cut off, they
halted. And as they expressed their regrets for
King Zoheir, said Cais to his uncles and brothers,
Return with me to my father, that we may carry
him away with us; for if there is a breath of life,
we will cure him, and if he is dead, we will dig a
grave for him, and bury him; for the enemy has
given us up, and something has called away their
attention from us.
}
He accordingly returned with them to his father,
whom they found in agonies. He dismounted, and
spoke to him he opened his eyes. What dost thou
want of me, my son? said he, in a faltering voice;
1
318
HE DIES. THEY BURY HIM.
depart, for thou art my successor, and only seek to
avenge me on Khalid, son of Giafer; there is no
occasion for me to recommend to thee thy cousin
Antar. With this last injunction he again fainted.
All present burst into tears and lamentations; they
let loose their turbans about their necks. Their
clamorous grief recalled Zoheir to life. Shall we
not carry thee home with us? said Cais. No, said
he; do not move me, my son. Trouble not thy-
self, for the blow on my head has inflicted its death
on my heart, and I must inevitably die. A corpse
is but dust; only just let it be concealed from the
wild beasts and the wolves. Here his speech failed,
and he expired.
So they dug a grave for him, and having buried
his dust therein, they returned home, their tears.
streaming copiously. But Warca was more grieved
and afflicted than any one, and his mind was in the
greatest agony on account of his blow at Khalid,
when the sword turned round in his hand, for he
knew the Arabs would shame him on account of
such a blow. He evidently wished for death in the
excess of his anguish and the calamity he endured,
and he thus mourned his father:
"I beheld my father under the breast of Khalid,
"and all my happy prospect died in him. He cried
"out to us-O by Abs, turn towards me, for my
eyes are overpowered by Khalid. I rushed upon
him, and the horse shook their quivering spears,
"and death closed up every passage.
(6
But my
"C
(6
"sword turned round in my hand and betrayed
me, and the God of heaven's canopy palsied my
“hand.and my arm: O that before I had struck at
"Khalid I had drunk the cup of the poison of
"venomous beasts! O that before I rushed on,
"the pangs of death had seized me in the contest!
My mother Temadhur will not be congratulated,
"as she was once congratulated by illustrious heroes
"at my birth. She indeed depended on me, and
"she prayed for my success; but her hopes have
"been disappointed in the hour of tribulation. I
(C
<<
am become a common tale, after this blow at
"Khalid; I shall be spurned by foes and enemies.
"O that I had been laid low in the dark desert,
"and that the birds were devouring me! O son of
"Giafer, may the God of the canopy make thee
"drink of the cup of extinction, and of death, hot
"and cold! May the Omnipotent God, the uni-
"versal Ruler, destroy thee, and mayest thou feel
"the direst evils of fortune, O Khalid! Soon ye
"shall see horsemen brandishing death on their
spears and their arms. Alas! O tribe of Abs and
"Adnan, rush to the fight, and come to me with
your illustrious heroes. O Absian Antar, Cham-
pion of the tribe, thou sympathisest with them.
"in the hour of battle and adversities. Come on,
"O tribe, to revenge; haste-for the foe and our
"rivals have triumphed over us. May the Lord
(6 steep
their land in blood; may it be a den of lions,
"and may the birds never fly over it! The enemy
(C
WARCA'S GRIEF AND DISAPPOINTMENT.
(c
319
(C
320
66
reposes on the couch of gratulation in the murder
"of Zoheir, and Khalid's heart is exulting. Alas!
"O my cousins, rush on to the sea of death with
((
your spears and your arms.
Let us slay every
one of their chiefs; let us take their women cap-
"tives in fetters and chains; let us destroy the Ke-
"labians, with the tribes of Ghani and Aamir; and
"let us extirpate a thousand knights for one. Alas!
"alas! how the foe laid him low; and the hand of
"the antagonist and the hater has stretched him on
"the ground. My dependance was on him: I even
"thought fortune feared his might, and would de-
"mand pardon of him in adversities. Oh! I shall
weep for him as long as I live with ulcerated eyes,
whose lids no rest shall visit. Since it is my doom
"to be cast down in misery, I will mourn in flowing
“tears that shall never be stayed."
(6
(6
TEMADHUR'S DESPAIR; KHALID'S JOY.
<<
Then, as they pursued their journey homewards,
Temadhur dashed her fists against her cheeks, ever
casting her eyes behind her: she anxiously wished
to destroy herself, yet her better reason checked her,
for she was one of the most sensible of women: still
she was reduced to misery and ignominy. But as
to the tribe of Aamir, when they reached their own
country, the Brandisher of Spears came forth with
his suite to meet Khalid, saluting him, and in-
quiring about all that had passed. Khalid informed
him of the victory and triumph, at which the Bran-
disher of Spears was happy and delighted, until he
heard of the safety of King Zoheir's sons, at which
1
321
he was grieved and distressed. O Khalid, said he,
what thou hast done is wrong; had I been with
thee, by the faith of an Arab, I would not have left
a head or tail of them; for when a man undertakes
an affair, he should finish it, and should not leave
any thing to be done.
PLAN TO WAYLAY ANTAR.
Cousin, said Khalid, I was afraid the same mis-
fortune would befal me as King Zoheir. But now,
he added, I wish you would execute an act that
will make you renowned indeed. Take with you
one thousand horsemen, and proceed to the defiles
between us and Yemen: conceal yourself there till
Antar returns, and do with him as I have already
done with Zoheir, for I have heard that Antar is in
the land of Yemen, and with him a party of horse
that despise the calamities of the times. If you can
slay them, we shall succeed in all our attempts, and
by killing them, we shall destroy the strong defence
of the Absians.
When Gheshm heard Khalid's advice, his pride
and vanity were shocked, and he was greatly an-
noyed, for he was a puissant horseman, and a stout
hardy warrior. Hast thou not found for me any
greater honour, said he to Khalid, than to detach
me against a baseborn slave? Let me protect our
property and families. I will assemble for them
the troops and the heroes; go thou thyself on this
expedition thou hast planned, and relieve me from
the life of Antar. He then despatched horsemen
in every direction, and ordered every one to as
VOL. III.
Y
322
ANTAR AIDS NAZIH AND ASYED.
semble who had blood or vengeance against the
Absians. In three days Khalid had equipped one
thousand brave horsemen, amongst whom were
Jandah and Rebia, son of Ocail, with whom he set
out towards the defiles, saying to his cousins, We
are engaged in an affair whose knot cannot be well
tied, till we have completed it, and have executed
the most difficult part of it. We have indeed cut
off the serpent's head, but the tail remains.
The defiles where Khalid was going were on the
road by which every traveller must pass, and the
Arabs called them the defiles of Mesarih. Khalid
had taken to himself King Zoheir's horse Caasa,
and made it his own charger, and also his sword
Zeenoor. They continued their march till they
reached the defiles, where he halted with his party
in the meadows and ravines. Now, as to Abool-
fawaris Antar, he set out with Asyed and his son
Nazih, as we before mentioned, and entered the
land of Yemen, in order to rescue Selma, Asyed's
wife, and to assist his son Nazih with respect to
Dhymia, the daughter of Obad. They continued
traversing the wastes till they came nigh unto the
land of the tribe of Cayan. But Nazih perceiving
on a sudden birds flying about and scimitars flash-
ing, shouts and battles, and armies and camps,
Alas! said he to his comrades, we have fallen on
what we did not expect. Compose your heart and
brighten your eye, said Antar; proceed on forward
with your party, and ascertain what is the matter,
323
that we may take measures accordingly. Nazih
slackened his bridle, and galloped up to the tents of
the tribe of Cayan, where were the women in the
greatest affliction, and the young damsels in tears.
He beheld his chief Obad, and he was one mass
of wounds. Dhymia was weeping among the wo-
men, and still exciting the horsemen to the combat,
and rallying the troops to face the contest. At the
sight of his mother Selina, he was quite distracted,
as she was crying out: O my son Nazih, from what
quarter can call thee? and in what land shall I
meet thee? Congratulate yourself, exclaimed Nazih,
advancing towards Obad, victory and conquest are at
hand; but what's this misfortune? O my son, he
replied, are we involved in this calamity, and you
among the living still? Where have you been, and
what has happened to you and to your comrades?
O my lord, said Nazih, mine is too long a tale to
relate now; but inform me what has happened to
you, and congratulate yourself on the fulfilment of
every hope. For with me are horsemen, were they
to assault the ocean, they would disperse its waves;
were they to strike the mountains, they would rend
open their sides. But who are these foes? O my
son, said Obad, after your departure from hence,
Nacmah, son of Ashter, King of the land of Sawdah
and the mountain of Ghemam, sent and demanded
my daughter Dhymia in marriage, but I refused her,
and rejected his suit, sending back his messenger
in despair. He repeated his offer, but I still denied
DISTRESSES OF OBAD.
1 2
324
him, till his rage and indignation became excessive,
and he ordered against me his armies, with his son
Kelboon, and a contest took place between us.
ANTAR'S PLAN TO RELIEVE HIM.
Nazih listened, and the light became dark in his
eyes; he hastened back to Antar, and told him
what had happened. But Antar soothed his heart,
and dividing his troops into three bodies, ordered
them to make a general assault. Oorwah and his
men he stationed on the right, and Nazih and a
hundred men to the left, and he himself stood with
a hundred horsemen in the centre. Asyed also
stopped on a rising ground with ten horsemen, re-
solved also to fight; but Antar would not permit him:
This is not right, said he, think not of exposing
yourself among this tribe of dogs; stand firm at
your post with this standard, that our foes may
know we have also a knight-chief. Antar shouted
out to the Absians, and leading the attack, thus
expressed himself:
"When the dawn shines from the east, and the
"birds sing and mourn on the entangled trees, my
"sword flutters in my scabbard, and cries out that
"it longs for the contest. My spear quivers when it
(6
sees the experienced warriors brandish their lances.
"My horse aids me on the day of the spear-thrust;
"when it moves, the winds even are.dead. Behold
"a true-hearted warrior, when the horsemen see him
"they fling away their arms. O cup-bearer of death,
prepare the glass for us, for I am resolved on de-
parture. Give us to drink nought but the drops
66
"6
325
"of blood, when the people drink of water and
❝ wine! Let the skulls be our apples, and spears
"in the battle our fragrant flowers! Sing to my
"distracted heart of my love for the beauteous Ibla,
"adorned with jewels. Be patient under the dark
"shadows of the battle and the harsh din of the
"combat, if thou art enamoured of lovely woman.
"I am Antar, like the lion of the tomb, I destroy
"enemies with the blow of my scimitar !"
senses.
As soon as Antar had finished his verses, he re-
ceived the whole tribe of Arcat as the parched earth
receives the first of the rain, with blows that would
cleave a rock, and blind the vision, and stupefy the
The tribe of Arcat was the most potent of
all the tribes of the land of Yemen, so also was
their king pre-eminent above all the kings of those
regions, the most arrogant and most powerful of all
their ignorant and blasphemous race; addicted to
debauchery among the maidens and the matrons
of Arabia, for whom beldams in his employment
searched amongst the tribes, and whenever they
happened to find a beautiful maiden or lovely
damsel, they came to him and informed him; then
would he send to her father to demand her in mar-
riage, and if her father assented, it was all well; but
if he refused, Nacmah would mount against him
with his armies and his bravoes, and would subdue
him with the sword-blow and the spear-thrusts, and
seizing her by force, he would keep her as his slave,
till he should hear of some other, when he would
BRUTALITY OF NACMAII,
326
SENDS HIS SON AGAINST OBAг.
make her over to his servants, and take another,
with whom he would act as with the first. About
this time he heard of the beauty of Dhymia, the
daughter of Obad, and he sent to make his pro-
posals, as we mentioned. But Obad sent his mes-
senger disappointed away, saying, I will not marry
my daughter to an ignorant tyrant.
As soon as Nacmah heard this reply, he was in a
violent rage. He forgot it for a short time, and re-
peated his message, but still Obad rejected him.
Now, said Nacmah, I must reduce him to disgrace,
and subdue him by force, and he instantly sent for
his son, whose name was Kelboon, a brave man,
and a sturdy warrior; him he ordered to mount,
and proceed against the tribe of Cayan, and bring
with him his beloved Dhymia. His son Kelboon
obeyed his orders and mounted, specding to the
tribe of Cayan; when he arrived, he attacked them
without any excuse, or previous notice, or explana-
tion for the tribe of Arcat acknowledged no law
or compact; they worshipped the moon, and pro-
strated themselves before it when new, and when at
the full, at its renewal, and its completion; and on
the fourteenth night they demanded of it all their
wants and exigencies, renouncing him who spread
out the earth and raised up the skies. In every
month they had a festival, and they rejoiced at the
rise of the new moon. Kelboon plied among the
tribe of Cayan the blow of the deadly sword with-
out any cause assigned, or previous warning. The
327
carnage lasted three days; but on the fourth day
arrived Antar, and Nazih, and Asyed, and found
the tribe of Cayan reduced to great straits and
difficulties, all huddled together in their tents, and
disasters were falling heavy on them.
Antar divided his troops into three corps: they
rushed upon the encampment, and trampled down
the foe from every quarter; for Antar's rage and
fury were at their height. He shouted at the horse-
men of Arcat-he dispersed them-he drowned
them in their own blood-he mangled the foe as he
cut through them-he gored their breasts with his
spear-he crushed their ribs-he dragged forth
their lives-he spoiled them of their existence-he
dyed their carcasses in blood, and painted them
with gore-he dashed down their skulls, and tossed
them about—he vociferated at the foe, and the Ab-
sians answered to his shout. The enemy were only
anxious to escape by flight, for the tribe of Arcat
saw death was come upon them, and they fled.
Antar's yell was heard again, and the whole country
was in convulsions. Then retreated the tribe of
Arcat from the tents, as they still saw horsemen
gathering upon them, and warriors assailing them:
back they turned, but death was ever before their
eyes. They dispersed like wild beasts, every one
felt the certainty of his fate; to every one this truth
was unquestionably manifested.
Their Chief Kelboon was stationed beyond the
field of battle and carnage, and with him a body of
HIS ARMIES ROUTED BY ANTAR.
328
THEIR FLIGHT; KELBOON'S RAGE.
warriors. He was expecting the prisoners to be
brought to him, for he had seen the party of Ab-
sians when they attacked and plunged into the fight,
but he despised them on account of their inferior
numbers. He knew not they were the horsemen of
fate, and of instant death. But when he perceived
his comrades scattered right and left, he shuddered,
crying out at them, What means this abandonment
of the contest? He himself then attacked the Ab-
sians, and he found in them warriors who regarded
not wealth, who wished not for life, who never
thought of flight, who feared not the storm of fire,
but whose assault was like the assault of hungry
lions, and whose spear-thrusts pierced the breasts
and the ribs. Then was the calamity frightful, and
awful the catastrophe. The arrows of destruction
were sped, and the warriors shrunk away terrified
at death, and at the circling cups of perdition, and
the furious steeds of annihilation. Some rushed
upon their fate, some sought safety in flight. They
demanded succour of Kelboon. We advise you,
cried they, to fly, before this knight comes down
upon you, and tears off your head from your shoul-
ders. He was highly indignant at such a sug-
gestion, and sparks of fire shot from his eyes. He
drew his sword, and smote his companions; five of
them he slew. Eh! he cried, what is there more
intolerable than this? How? what? can a thousand
horsemen of Arcat fly from one hundred only, many
of whom are slain too? By the truth of the rays of
ANTAR'S FURIOUS ASSAULT.
329
the new moon and the full, and by the night when
it is dark and obscure, I will show you what I will
do with this horseman: and he darted from beneath
the standards, and with him five hundred men,
brave warriors, in whom he could confide, and every
one almost his equal in skill at arms.
When Antar had eased his fury, and routed all
that came before him, he turned towards his heroic
Absians, and saw them fiercely engaged with two
thousand horsemen: he was alarmed for his com-
rades, on account of those fellows who rolled on like
the salt sea.
He was also much afraid for Nazih,
and these circumstances creating great disquietude
in his mind, he sent them out of his hundred men
thirty horsemen, and then galloped forward with the
remaining seventy, to seek the King's son's stand-
ard, whom he observed hastening towards him, at-
tended by his five hundred; and as he approached
Antar, Advance, he cried to his people, towards
this demon, and ask him of what Arab tribe he is.
So they charged upon him; but one anticipated the
rest, and he was a spear-armed warrior. What Arab
art thou? cried he; whence comest thou, frantic as
thou seemest? But Antar, though he heard this
speech, condescended not to reply. He attacked
him, and made at him; he pierced him through the
chest, and hurled him over. He also slew the one
who came up next, and again sent to join them a
third brother, goring the remainder with thrusts in
V
330
NAZIH AND OORWAH VICTORIOUS.
their sides, till they retired on their rear, and hur-
ried towards Kelboon to demand his assistance.
When Kelboon saw this dreadful event, he rushed
upon Antar. He galloped, charged, and assaulted;
soon laboured amongst them the blow, and the
thrust from the sword and the spear. At this mo-
ment the thousand opposed to Nazih were routed,
for Antar's reinforcement reached him in good time,
and strengthened his courage and resolution. We
have already mentioned all he felt in his heart for
his dear Dhymia. So he scattered heads like balls,
and hands like leaves of trees, and by mid-day he
had dispersed them over the barren waste. Next
were repulsed the troops that were opposed to Oor-
wah; they too were dispersed over the land, death
and destruction came upon them.
Now then, cried Obad to his tribe, now congratu-
late yourselves on victory, in the arrival of your
Knight Nazih, accompanied by this Absian party.
Now turn again upon the foe with firm purpose, and
protect your women from every foreign invader.
All the horsemen gave an universal shout, and
the freeborn and the slaves attacked, and made.
great havoc and slaughter. The sword ceased not
to act, nor blood to flow, nor men to fight, nor the
flame of battle to rage, till the tribe of Arcat was
completely cut up, when Nazih and his comrades
sought the tents with Oorwah, where they were all
crowded together; and thus they continued their
KELBOON SLAIN; ASYED'S JOY.
331
work of death. But Antar and Kelboon were oc-
cupied in the thrust, and the assault, and the skull-
cleaving blow.
Antar, being anxious speedily to conclude this
difficult affair, pretended being exhausted. This
increased Kelboon's fury, and he thrust at him with
his spear, in the hope of annihilating him. Antar
waited patiently till the spear came close to his
chest, when he shivered it with his sword, and
rushing upon Kelboon, struck him on the side of
the neck, and his sword issued quivering through
the joints. Upon this the tribe of Arcat assailed
Antar from all sides, shouting, Alas! alas! Kel-
boon! But Antar also cried out to his men, and
he encountered them, piercing their chests and their
eyes, and making their blood stream down with his
spear. Asyed perceived him; the pride of glory
was roused in him; his joy and delight were com-
plete, and seeing that the business was now rendered
easy, he attacked with the remaining horsemen, and
plunged among the foe with his sword and spear.
Now fled the tribe of Arcat, and Antar in pursuit
like an overwhelming destruction, the blood trickling
from his scimitar and lance.
Shiboob caught up the head of Kelboon, and
stuck it on a tall spear, and ran on till he came
near the tribe of Arcat. For whom would
ye now
remain to fight? he exclaimed; Behold the head
of your Chief Kelboon! With that he mounted the
head on high towards them, and when they recog-
2
332
OBAD'S GRATITUDE.
nised it they dispersed over the wastes and the wilds.
And God made security succeed to fears with the
tribe of Cayan. They all dismounted before Antar,
and walked towards him. Nazih also dismounted,
and pressed Obad to mount, but he refused, saying,
O my son, who are these noble people? My Lord,
said Nazih, these are of the tribe of Abs, whom the
Arabs call the Knights of death and instant destruc-
tion, and the cause of my acquaintance with them
is an extraordinary event; for their Prince is my
father, and their parentage is mine.
Thus he related to him all that had happened
to him on his expedition. Obad was exceedingly
surprised: By the faith of an Arab, said he, this is
indeed a story unequalled in the world; and truly I
hated the Absians on account of what my father
told me of them, but now, my son, it is incumbent
on us that our men become their slaves, and our
women their handmaidens; but which of them is
your father? Nazih pointed to Asyed—he who
has the standard over his head, he replied; the lord
of the embroidered robe. Obad ran eagerly up to
Asyed, and kissed his foot in] the stirrup: Had I
known this youth, who is among us, I would have
made him lord over the tribe of Cayan; but He,who
is unseen is wonderful, and is the Author of all
things. You alone deserve well of me and my com-
panions, replied Asyed, kissing his head, and we
must partake in all your disgraces and your honours;
and had we done for you two-fold of what we have
ASYED RESTORED TO HIS WIFE.
333
effected, we could not have requited you for your
acts in educating my son among the Arabs; but we
request of you to marry him to your daughter
Dhymia, that we may be allied and connected, for
you are an eminent chieftain, and we are the princes
of the Arabs; and all of us are men of high renown
and degree. One like me, returned Obad, express-
ing his obedience, must be honoured with such good
fortune. Asyed thanked him.
Now when they came nigh to the dwellings, the
women and slaves met them. Nazih's mother had
heard of her son's return, and observed him'engaged
with the enemy. She could scarcely believe he was
come back. She kissed him, and inquired how he
was. He acquainted her with his having discovered
his father. The Almighty God has restored him
to us; a tribe of Absians is come with me, and it is
by them that this affliction has been removed. Then
was her joy increased, and all sorrow and grief
were dead within her heart. She looked upon her
husband Asyed, and immediately recognising him,
she walked up to him, and tendered her services;
and when he saw her, he dismounted and embraced
her. Every one of them was now united to his
friends; they wept and talked over the horrors they
had endured, and wept again.
Before evening the tribe of Abs had pitched their
tents, and wine and meat were served up to them.
The tribe of Cayan treated them very hospitably,
and in the morning some slaves came from Obad to
334
OBAD PROMISES DHYMIA TO NAZIH.
Asyed with generous steeds, and horses, and spears,
and scimitars; he also sent to Nazih's mother fifty
party-coloured robes, and also fifty maidens, bearing
valuable jewels in their hands; and before the day
was passed and the night came on in obscurity, Na-
zih's mother had absolute command over the tribe
of Cayan, after all the afflictions and ignominy she
had suffered among them. Soon after Asyed pre-
pared a magnificent entertainment, and assembled
all the tribe and families. The tribes of Abs and
Cayan made obeisance to Antar, and thanked him
for what he had done present or absent. The
feast lasted three days, and then Asyed requested
Obad to marry his daughter to his son; he assented.
My daughter will indeed execute her part, said he,
but my heart is under severe apprehensions on ac-
count of this tyrant whose son you have slain; for
I am well aware the flame will not be quenched in
him, and he will not submit; and as soon as the
fugitives arrive, and notify his son's death, he will
march against us with incalculable numbers, for his
armies are like the seas, and his country is the most
savage of countries; and if he comes he will leave
our habitations a desert wild. O Obad, said Antar,
we will not quit this country till we have bound this
tyrant by the neck for you, and I will make every
one in the whole country subject to you. So enjoy
your present happiness, and let it not be tainted
with sorrow, whilst I go with one hundred men and
annihilate Nacmah, son of Ashter, for not one will
ANTAR ENGAGES TO DESTROY NACMAH.
335
ART
I leave alive of his tribe. O Aboolfawaris, ex-
claimed Obad, in amazement at Antar's expressions,
these are not like the people you have hitherto en-
gaged; their country is most extensive, and they
are as numerous as the sands. I had better write
to my confederates. Let us all march together to
the mountain of the Volcano; there let us exert
our endeavours to extirpate this monster; for if he
demands the ransom of his son, he must prevail.
What say you, Obad? said Antar: by the truth of
Him who created mankind, and infused life into our
bodies, I will not march but with two hundred
horsemen of the tribe of Carad, and no one shall
accompany me but Oorwah and my father Shedad,
let them be as numerous as Themood and Aad.
Heaven protect us! ejaculated Asyed and Obad.
At such imprecations they were stupefied, and no
one could venture a reply. At last, said Asyed, O
knight of the age, verily thou hast sworn by an oath
that was not required; and if indeed we are able to
accomplish this, we will not acquiesce in thy pro-
posal. But, O my cousin, if it must be so, let it
be; do as thou wilt; march to-morrow, and we will
join thee in two or three days, for we cannot permit
thee to enter a country of which thou art ignorant
with this small body. It is for thee to command,
said Antar, but I had much rather execute this
business without them; and I trust you will not
join me till I have performed my engagement. This
passed in the evening, and the people retired to their
}
336
tents. As soon as the darkness had passed away,
Antar sent Shiboob for his father Shedad, and
Oorwah, and selecting from the Absians two hundred
horsemen, he bade adieu to Asyed and Nazih, tra-
versing the plains and the deserts; and when Antar
was alone, he thought of Ibla. It was now a long
time that he had not seen her in his sleep, at which
he was nearly dead through grief; he was exceed-
ingly distressed, and in his passion he thus spoke :
"My virtues are enemies to the world, and my
"actions are faults and disgraces. My lot is eternal
"separation from my love, but the lot of others is
"to approach her. Every day the world renews its
66 reproaches on account of my fondness, and I have
66
no physician for my body. The world is enamoured
"of my mistress, as if I were its rival. If my ima-
"gination, O Ibla, has deceived me, let my heart
"die insulted, for death is sweeter to me than life,
"when it is my beloved that oppresses me. How
can I
go or pass the deserts, when the west and the
"south winds contend to check me? O breeze of
"Hidjaz, if thou dost not quench the fire of my
“heart, my frame must melt with the heat. Truly
"the dove mourns on the bough, and its plaints
“and murmurs distress me; it remains wailing its
separation from its mate, and laments itself as a
lonely stranger. But I pour forth sighs from my
"burthened heart, that even the most wretched cries
"at it, Heaven protect me! O dove of the bough,
"if thou wert like me, thou wouldst not rest under
.
CC
ANTAR MOURNS HIS ABSENT LOVE, N
(C
66
#:
HIS SORROWS MOVE THE PITY OF HIS FRIENDS. 337
"the green branches. Leave their love and passion
"for the real lover, whose heart is ever in torment,
"whom fortune punishes every day, when any one
"addresses him. O anguish interminable! O cala-
mity that will never cease! Ask the herald con-
cerning me. O Ibla, ask the brave man, grown
gray in battle. He will tell thee, that on the edge
"of my sword sits the king of death, ever present
"and never absent. My spear, on the day of thrusts,
"knows me. Ask it then, what will joy thy heart,
"how many warriors approached me, each crying
out, O by my tribe, I am a noble hero! but he
never returned, but he bit the ground, and his
garments were rent from him. My sword laughs
"in my hand, but in another's grasp it would weep.
"In the dark shadow of my spear is my parentage;
"and my black complexion, when it is questioned,
66
66
..
66
66
66
tr
gives the reply. It protects me in the day of spear-
thrusts, as one noble-born defends his fellow. They
“forbid me from drinking cups of wine, with damsels
"scented with musk and perfumes; they compel
me to hold up the skirt of glory, what even the
"contemptible coward would renounce."
As soon as Antar had finished his verses, his
father's heart pitied him, and compassionated his
situation, and so also did Oorwah and his people.
They urged on their march, till they reached the
land of the tribe of Arcat. As to Nacmah, after he
had despatched his son, Kelboon, he remained ex-
pecting news of him, and hoping that he would soon
VOL. III.
Z
66
:
1
338
NACMAH BEHEADS THE FUGITIVES.
return with Dhymia, Obad's daughter, but he was
not aware that fortune had belied her former habits
with him, and had, instead of her, sent Antar.
Thus it continued with him, till the fugitives arrived
and announced his son's death. Accursed! ye
wretches! he roared out, ye went with seven thou-
sand horsemen, and has this calamity befallen you
at the hands of the tribe of Cayan? And have ye
left my son dead on the desert? My lord, one
named Masrook ventured to say, by your life, this
did not come upon us from the tribe of Cayan. We
had nearly effected their destruction, and had driven
them to their tents, but three hundred horsemen of
Hidjaz rushed upon us, on whose spears sat death,
and with them was a black knight like a thunder-
cloud; he understood no address; he made no reply;
but he thrust his spear through chests and ribs; he
wrenched out eyes, tore out entrails, and repelled
affliction from the tribe of Cayan, and he gored us
in our rear, till he drove us far away, and I should
say that he was even now at our heels. Nacmalı
permitted him not to finish his tale, before he smote
him with his sword, and off flew his head. Bring
before me these fugitives, he cried to his attendants,
and they accordingly seized them, and dragged them
before him, and he struck off their heads till the
strength of both his arms was exhausted. Now he
had a brother whose name was Niamet, and when he
saw his brother's outrageous conduct, he advanced
towards him; he took the sword out of his hand,
HIS GOOD BROTHER NIAM ET.
339
and calmed his rage and fury. This Niamet was
the reverse of his brother, he was a kind-hearted
man, and one to whom people referred in their
troubles; hating oppression and violence. He was
ever checking his brother, and requesting him to
abstain from his hateful acts towards his people, and
to be just to his subjects, warning him of the conse-
quences. But Nacmah would never listen to his
discourse, and would not even deign an answer; and
on this day, when he prevented him from slaying
his companion, and took the sword out of his hand,
saying, How oft have I checked
still
you, and
you
indulge in this fury? And now fortune has struck
you with affliction, with respect to your son Kel-
boon"-Nacmah was confounded with horror, and
his eyeballs started into the crown of his head ;
every one that saw him shuddered. Well, how oft
wilt thou reprove me for my actions, cried he to his
brother, and oppose the accomplishment of my de-
sires? I am the king of the universe, and I will in-
dulge the lust of my heart; if thou darest again to
come into my sight, I will despoil thee of thy life,
and I will strike off thy head. Upon this, Niamet
mounted his horse and went home, and his heart was
full of grief at what had happened with his brother.
In that quarter, he had with him three thousand
heroes, the best of the tribe, all obeying his orders,
and detesting his brother Nacmah, on account of his
insolent pride. As soon as Niamet returned to them,
he told them what his brother had done to him, and
z 2
940
how he had struck off the heads of the fugitives.
Never return to him, cried they all, highly incensed;
raise not up your head to him again, consider him
no longer as a human being. I must, said Niamet,
destroy this monster. I will depart into the interior,
and will collect all the Arabs whose daughters he has
seized, and will excite the horsemen against him,
and I will not desist till I have destroyed him, and
I am relieved from this infamy and contempt. First
of all, I will try these Absians who slew his son
Kelboon; for I have heard they have a knight as
good as a thousand, and that the warriors of the
earth cannot stand before him, and I will ask their
aid against this dæmon. It is expedient that you
let us march this very night, said one, and let it not
be morning before we have traversed the wastes
and the wilds. He instantly ordered his slaves to
move off; he struck his tents, and so did his cousins,
and it was not night before they were all on horse-
back, and were traversing the deserts under the
shades of darkness.
i
RAISES AN ARMY AGAINST HIM.
NACMAH ASSEMBLES HIS SUBJECTS.
CHAPTER XXVII.
341
**
BUT as to Nacmah, son of Ashtar, I will posi-
tively exterminate the whole tribe of Cayan, cried
he to his people, I will sacrifice their women and
their children; then will I march into the land of
Hidjaz, and put to the sword the tribe of Abs, who
have slain my son. He reposed till day dawned,
when he sent to the tribes of Riyah, and Sabah,
Washah, and Atbool, and Barik, and Shamrack,
and ordered them to march with all expedition; for
these tribes were subject to him, and feared his
cruelty. Their residences were round the mountain
of volcano, and all had adopted the worship of the
Moon. This mountain was one of the phenomena
of the All-merciful Lord, for there incessantly issued
from it something like a black cloud, and whenever
the new moon rose, from this mountain burst forth
groans, and sparks of fire flew forth. It was a black
mountain, and no one was able to ascend it, and
iron could not have any effect on its stony sides.
An historian has noticed it, saying, The Lord God
has been angry with this mountain, ever since he
created the world at first, and at the consum
܀
342
VOLCANO MOUNTAIN.
mation it will be the stone-work of hell. In one
of my excursions I ascended it, and I saw within
it terrific wonders; its summit is divided in two,
and in the centre is a sea of fire, that never subsides,
but day and night it rolls in waves of flame, and
on it are angels of wrath, and stern enormous
monsters, that are never weary, but are continually
stationed for its punishment by the will of the
omnipotent God. But let us return to our story,
and to Nacmah. As soon as the tribes came to
him, he was also informed that his brother had
marched away with his property, in order to as-
semble the Arabs against him; And he will, they
said, conduct against you the tribes from the sur-
rounding regions, and will requite you for your
contemptuous conduct towards him. Ah! I am
foiled, cried Nacmal, for I should have cut off his
head, and thus I should have been at ease; but I
will pursue him, and put to the sword all his com-
panions. He instantly ordered his slaves to proclaim
the march, and early in the forenoon all the tribes
had mounted, as well his allies as his attendants, and
he ordered them to pursue his brother and his com-
panions, directing them to take a vast supply of
horses, and arms, and armour, and coats of mail,
and before mid-day they had quitted the land, and
they continued traversing the wastes and wilds in
their march, till next day at sunrise, when they
distinctly saw ahead of them a black dust. Behold
NACMAH OVERTAKES NIAMET.
343
how fortune favours us, cried they all. Niamet was
in company with his associates on the march, and
when they were distant from home, and nigh unto
the plains of Khidret, and the fountains of Hywan,
he considered himself as secure. It was thus, when,
on a sudden, arose the shouts in his rear, and the
whole country was in agitation. He gazed atten-
tively, and perceived the camp, and the troops and
horsemen galloping over the desert, and various.
corps that cut off all communication, and every road.
Niamet was certain his brother had overtaken him.
O my cousins, said he, here is my brother, who has
overtaken us, and our hostility has been discovered.
I request of you to make some proper arrangement,
and let no one call me 'Chief.' Comfort your heart,
and brighten your eyes, said they, for there is not
one of us that will shrink from the fight; every one
of us will engage with the scimitar, and defend his
wife and family. Then shaking their spears, they
advanced to the battle and the contest, and at that
moment approached Antar, son of Shedad. He
beheld armies that filled the desert; he was ex-
ceedingly astonished. Gain some intelligence for
us about these bold armies, cried he to Shiboob, for
I perceive troops are preparing for battle.
Shiboob set his feet forward, and coming up
with the companions of Niamet, O Arabs, he ex-
claimed, tell me what is your kindred, and what is
your business?—What want you of us, young man ?
344
asked Niamet himself; we are a tribe flying from
a tyrant, and he is in our rear, seeking to destroy
us, and capture our women. He is Nacmah, son
of Ashtar; but you, who are ye? Explain to me,
perhaps by your means this trouble may be removed
from us.-Congratulate yourself, O Arab, replied
Shiboob, on the annihilation of Nacmah, and the
arrival of relief, for.we are come purposely against
him. We are those who slew his son Kelboon, and
we are come to send him to bear his son company,
and pull down his dwellings over his head; but as
to your question about our parentage, we are a
tribe from the land of Hidjaz.
On hearing this, joy infused itself into the heart
of Niamet, and he felt assured all his troubles would
be satisfactorily settled. O my brother, said he to
Shiboob, were it not for these troops that have
overtaken us, I would go with you to pay my
respects to your companions; but the time presses
upon us.
Return to your party, and relate what
you have heard, and assure them of wealth and
success in their enterprise; and when he is slain,
we will return home. Shiboob returned to Antar,
and informed him of the news; much delighted,
he said to his father Shedad, I am afraid there may
be some plot against us; and when we are among
the two parties, said he, it is possible they may
turn upon us the troops on both sides.-We, said
Shedad, shall not meet them, but with the firm
SHIBOOR GIVES GOOD NEWS TO NIAMET.
.
ANTAR'S IRRESISTIBLE AID.
345
resolution to fight. My opinion is, you should
attack their right, and we their left; probably
we may thus terminate our labours, and return
home.
Antar alone assaulted their right, Shiboob going
ahead; and the troops of Niamet closed upon them,
transfixing them with their spears. The armies were
thronged together, and the flame of war blazed.
Necks were cleft by the sword-armour was clotted
with gore-hope itself became despair; chests were
pierced with the spear, and souls fled from bodies;
while skulls flew about on all sides, or were rolled
along the plain. As soon as the black lion at-
tacked, the renowned hero, the invincible warrior,
the knight of the battle and contest, the serpent of
the centre of the valley, the Chief Antar, son of
Shedad—he alone burst through the right, though
more than a thousand horsemen opposed him, and
with his cleaving falchion he struck horror into their
hearts. On that day Shiboob assisted him with his
arrows the troops again attempted an attack; he
turned upon them, and dispersed them; and he did
not desist from his assault till he scattered them
over the desert, and filled the whole country with
the dead. Thus also did Oorwah and his father
Shedad, and the Absians; they completely de-
stroyed the left by their terrible attacks. Niamet
and his men observed their battle and their actions,
and were astounded at their deeds, observing in
346
THE FUGITIVES EXCULPATE THEMSELVES.
them what they could not comprehend. The battle
continued to rage in every quarter till the armies of
night came on, when the two hostile forces sepa-
rated and dismounted.
:
Nacmah's troops retreated, for they were totally
routed, and there was not one but talked of the
tribe of Abs and their deeds. Eh! cried Nacmah,
assembling his companions about him, with such
hearts would ye wish to go with me into the land
of Hidjaz, and encounter its heroes in the combat?
Here one knight with three hundred men has over-
thrown you, and these stern fellows have annihilated
you.—O Chief, said they, do not reproach us, for
this day we saw, with your brother, horsemen, whom
had we seen in a dream we should have been horror-
struck we know not whence they come. Perhaps
you beheld the knight who attacked on the left,
how he crushed it; how he roared out to the right,
and dispersed it. If you blame us for this, you are
no wise man. On hearing this, his rage became
dreadful. I had resolved to attack them in person,
he bellowed out, and with my single power to re-
move this evil from you; but I was afraid of shame
and reproaches, for truly men of high dignity may
scorn me on this account. But I must clear my
honour now that this catastrophe has befallen us,
and I will not endure the insults of living man.
To-morrow I will disguise myself, and I will
sally forth into the plain, and I will engage my-
S
NACMAH'S FURY AND THREATS.
347
self in fight, in the scene of the spear-thrusts;
and for every one of that tribe I will slay an-
other of you also, so that not one of you must re-
treat or quit the battle unless he be covered with
wounds.
When his comrades heard this, they were alarmed
for the fate that awaited them, and they remained
expecting the daylight. But as to the Absians
and Niamet's troop, the women and young damsels
were in agonies of fear, alarmed for their husbands
and chiefs, as soon as the tribe of Arcat approached
them, and surrounded them on all sides. They
continued weeping and lamenting, in dread of cap-
tivity and separation, till the moment they saw the
Absians, and the deeds they performed, and how
they environed the troops right and left. At
this their hearts were composed, and they thanked
the omniscient Creator. Niamet ordered his slaves
to slaughter deer and sheep, and the women pre-
pared the repast; and before evening the horse-
men being returned to the tents, they took their
food.
Antar, having mangled the right and left, went
to his father Shedad, and Oorwah, and his men,
and found them all safe from peril, for they only
lost seven men: he congratulated the rest on their
safety. Niamet advanced towards him, and saluting
them all, received them with honour: he walked
before them till they came to the tents, where he
348
NIAMET'S GRATITUDE TO ANTAR.
made them dismount at their dwellings, among
their wives and daughters. But Antar declined,
and alighted with his party without their tents; so
they supplied them with victuals, and Niamet stood
amongst the slaves, to attend on them: but Antar
perceiving him arose, and taking him by the hand,
made him sit down by his side, saying, Do not so,
young man; eat with us, and feel assured of suc-
cess. Know that we entered this country for our
own concerns only, and we did not come without
reasonable grounds. And he gave him a full ac-
count of Nazih's adventure, at which Niamet was
exceedingly surprised, remarking the wondrous
changes of fortune. The tribe of Abs rose still
higher in his estimation, and he said within him-
self, Doubtless these horsemen are the wonders of
the Genii, for they have marched against my brother
with these two hundred horsemen. Now, O Arab,
said he to Antar, if you slay my brother, and com-
plete my wishes, I will submit myself as a slave to
the tribe of Cayan, and I will for ever live their
servant. I consent that the country be yours, and
all the wealth therein.-By the faith of an Arab,
said Antar, I never in all my life took a bribe for
an honourable action; and now we will only con-
sider you as independent, and our friend, for our
possessions are great, and our property abundant.
But, by him who ordered us to make a pilgrimage
to the sacred shrine, I must make thy brother drink
1
349
of the cup of death. By to-morrow's dawn I will
assail him, and I will strike off his head from be-
tween his shoulders: I will make thee lord over
all his property and possessions, and I will put to
death his adherents and friends.
ANTAR'S ADVICE AS TO THE BATTLE.
When they had finished their dinner, they hasted
to repose; and as soon as the day arose in smiles,
they hurried to the battle and the combat. Do you
and your comrades, said Antar to Niamet, betake
yourselves to the left, and leave us the right;
and if you find yourselves unable to sustain the
combat, retire from before them for a few steps.
only, so that the troops may pursue you, and
rush with avidity among you: but when I look
towards you, and you are engaged with them,
I will sally out against them, and will plunder
their souls. Niamet highly approved the plan:
he separated towards the left, and quitted the Ab-
sians.
When the tribe of Arcat saw this manoeuvre,
they were alarmed for Nacmah. O my cousins,
cried Antar to his friends, know that this affair is
a mere trifle; be assured of victory and conquest.
Attack with me, that we may attempt the lord of
the great standard, on which is the form of the
moon, for King Nacmah is beneath it, and if we
do not slay him we shall not succeed in our ex-
pectations.
Antar had scarcely finished when the foe attacked.
350
THE CONTEST; NACMAH SLAIN.
Then too the Knight of the swarthy Abs went to
work, and fell among the enemy like inevitable
fate. The battle commenced; the heroes stood firm
against the spear-thrust and the sword-blow-the
warriors turned upon each other—the men assaulted
-all headed by Antar, the ravenous lion. The
spear-barbs laboured on the backs of the tribe of
Arcat like sparks of fire. Certain of death and
destruction, they dispersed over the wastes. Nac-
mah sought out his brother in the battle, but
the party met him like the waves of the ocean;
fear and horror seized him, and he attempted to
fly, when lo! Antar rushed against the standard-
bearer, and piercing him through the heart, hurled
him off his horse, and then made at Nacmah, to
overwhelm him also in death. He fled, for he felt
his death certain: still Antar drove at him, and
smote him on the head with his sword; he cleft it
even to the girdle of his garment. He poured
destruction upon the tribe of Arcat, and let loose
an overwhelming calamity upon them. In fine,
every one that knew of the death of Nacmah im-
mediately returned under allegiance to his brother
Niamet, and sought his protection; and those who
ran away at first fled home.
Before mid-day Niamet possessed a valiant army,
and over his head waved the standards and ensigns.
The whole camp came towards him, and marched
before him till they reached the tribe of Abs.
NIAMET'S PRESENTS TO ANTAR.
351
Niamet was about to dismount, but Antar checked
him, and kissed him between the eyes. Niamet
kissed Antar's two hands, and extolling him, re-
quested his protection; and peace was concluded
between him and the Chief Obad, and terms were
arranged.
And when they were about to proceed each to
his country, Niamet turned towards Antar, say-
ing, Aboolfawaris, I request you will do me a
favour.-Speak your wishes, said Antar, and say
what you want. I swear, said Niamet, by the faith
of an Arab, not an article of my property, great or
small, that came with me, shall return with me:
but do not reprove your slave for its inadequacy.-
No, by the duty of an Arab, exclaimed Antar, not
even a halter shall follow me of yours. But if you
have any other enemy, tell me, that I may go
against him, and extinguish his life, and may ease
you of his iniquity.-Besides my brother, said
Niamet, I have not a foe; and if I had, you ought
to return home. So take some of my camels, that
are unequalled in all lands; very patient they are
in traversing the deserts, and they are not to be
had in the land of Hidjaz. Upon this, two thousand
she camels were put aside, all with large overlapping
humps: they were given over to a hundred men
and as many women slaves, who were ordered to
drive them before Antar, son of Shedad, the Knight
of the dust and the fight.
352
NAZIH'S MARRIAGE; RETURN OF ANtar.
This done, Niamet and his subjects returned
home, and Antar, with his comrades, set out for
the land of the tribe of Cayan. That day they
remained in the desert, and the next till mid-day;
when lo! there arose a dust ahead of them, and
they discovered the tribe of Cayan, commanded by
the Chief Nazih, and his father Asyed, and the
Chief Obad. They advanced, and the heroes sa-
luted each other. Obad came forward; he kissed
Antar's hand, and inquired what had passed. Antar
recounted the whole; at which the Arab chieftains
were in amazement, and they returned to the dwell-
ings of the tribe of Cayan.
About this time rose the moon of Redjib, which
the Arabs held sacred, hostilities were checked:
men and women were secure during that season.
Arrived, they married Dhymia to Nazih, and they
passed that month in feasts and entertainments.
Asyed also took away his wife, and soon they set
out on their way to their own country. Obad
bade them adieu, and returned home with his
troops, whilst Antar continued his march over the
desert; and as his love and passion for Ibla seized
him, he thus expressed himself:
66
"I march, and in my heart is a flame and a fire,
" and I point towards home in my eager love-I
languish for thee; so understand that I am weak,
"and thoughts only are alive. I march over the
"desert adoring her, and in my heart are hell-
}
66
ANTAR 1ONGS FOR HIS HOME.
G
66
"flames and fiery tortures. O Ibla, I have en-
"countered warriors, from the thrust of whose
spears gushes out blood; but I have dispersed
"them with the spear-thrust, till I have left them
to be dried up on the earth in the deserts. I have
"killed Kelboon before Nacmah, and I have aban-
"doned them as dried flesh on the ground. I die,
"and revive every day and night; for captive lovers
"there is no rescue. Fortune and time have fa-
"voured Nazih, a youth skilled in the spear-thrust,
" and tried in war. O mountain of volcano, ever
"be in hell-flames-ever be thy food the infernal
"fire! and thou, O Mount Saadi, mayst thou ever
"be my home, and mayst thou ever be moistened
"with rain; there is my home; in every hour I
languish for it; there is my beloved, from whom
CC no captive can break loose. But I have endured
"in patience this lengthened absence. May God
"now unite us! He alone is omnipotent!"
At hearing Antar's verses, there was not one but
thanked him and praised him, and they travelled
night and day till they came nigh unto the defiles
of the passage where Khalid was concealed, and of
which he had taken possession, in order to succeed
in his attempts upon Antar, having stationed scouts
and advanced posts. Antar arrived about night-
fall, and halted by a lake on the Yemen side; as
soon as the outposts saw his dust, they came to
Khalid, and informed him. He was overjoyed;
VOL. III.
A A
66
353
354
KHALID WAYLAYS ANTAR.
but waiting till the night was quite darkened over,
he sent out a slave to obtain intelligence. He de-
parted, and returned about midnight, saying, It is
the Absians, and with them is Antar: so prepare
your companions for the battle and the combat. As
to Antar, as soon as the men had rested, and the
horses and camels had eaten their provender, he said
to Shiboob, Order the slaves to load the baggage,
and let us move.
Shiboob quitted him, and made the proclamation
in conformity with his brother's orders, and in an
hour the men were mounted, and the slaves had
loaded the camels, and they set out over the country
till they reached the defile. About an hour before
daylight they stopped at the head of the pass, when
the slaves were ordered to drive the cattle before
them so the he and she camels, and the how-
dahs, and the baggage, were driven forward, and
entered the defile. As soon as Khalid saw this,
and perceived the baggage-camels, and behind one
hundred horsemen with Shiboob to protect them,
letting them pass till Antar appeared with Shedad,
and Asyed, and Nazih, he shouted to his comrades,
and they assaulted in every direction, brandishing
their barbed spears and their scimitars, and rushing
upon them in the obscurity of darkness. The first
that engaged Antar was Rebia, son of Ocail: he
made a murderous thrust at Antar, but he grasped
his cleaving Dhami, and striking the spear, clipped
REBIA AND JANDAH MADE PRISONERS.
355
it off; then aiming at him with his sword, he cut
through his helm, and smote him on the crown of
his head, depriving him of his senses, and before he
could recover himself, Shiboob sprang upon him
and bound him fast by the shoulders, and pinioned
his arms and sides.
:
Jandah attacked Nazih, followed by his horse-
men: they were all so crowded in the defile, and so
thick rose the dust, that it was impossible to distin-
guish friend from foe. Rebia being secured, Antar
vigilantly looked after himself, as he continued to
pierce the chests of the heroes. But Shiboob, when
he had bound fast Rebia, returned to seek for Jan-
dah he had almost overpowered Nazih, when
Shiboob met him, and struck his horse with an
arrow: he threw him off, and Jandah being hurled
over from his height, Nazih was about to dismount,
but Shiboob anticipated him, saying, Do not trouble
yourself, O Chief; do not dismount, for the game
belongs to him who first struck it down, and be-
sides I understand such business much better than
you. So saying, he ran up to him and tied down
his arms.
The Absians then came on, issuing from the
defile. They extended their spears, and the battle
and the contest grew fiercer: their bodies were co-
vered with wounds, and blood streamed over the
sands. Antar slew of the tribe of Aamir those
whose death was at hand, and whose departure
was ordained.
A A 2
356
KHALID, SEEING HIS DEFEAT,
Khalid observed the defeat, and repented of what
he had done; but they continued the engagement
till the day dawned, when the tribe of Aamir being
completely discomfited, took to flight; and Khalid,
feeling aware of his death and destruction, had no re-
source but deceit and stratagem. So he cast away
his spear out of his hand, and returning his sword
to its scabbard, urged the speed of his horse Caasa,
that had belonged to King Zoheir, till he came up
to Antar, exclaiming, Hold, in the name of God!
O Arab, I see my mistake, truly rapacity has ex-
cited our men, and the horrors of war have visited
them; they attacked your property in the dark,
but vengeance has overtaken them-they arose to
engage you before they made inquiries of you, but
their treachery has swiftly laid them low, and the
great and mean have been slain: but, O Arab, I
am their Chief, and on me ought to fall the blame
and the reproach; but, O hero, I demand of you
in the name of Him who raised the heavens, that
you tell me to what Arabs you belong, and that
you order your companions to withhold the sword-
blow till the morning brightens, when perhaps
our dissension may terminate in peace. Know
too, that the daylight will demonstrate this fact,
and the Cahtanian will be distinguished from the
Adnanian.
Antar, on hearing this, acquiesced, and seeing
that he had thrown away his spear, instantly de-
spatched Shiboob, ordering him to withdraw the
357
Absians from the tribe of Aamir, and to tell the
tribe what Khalid, the chief of the fugitives, had
said, and to prohibit them from thrusting and
striking. O Arab, exclaimed Antar to Khalid, as
to your demand about our parentage, we are of the
noble tribe of Abs, and I am Antar, son of Shedad;
our leader is the Chief Asyed, son of Jazeemah,
and wherefore have you exposed us to this dis-
graceful transaction? I have been absent in the
land of Yemen on an affair that interested our chiefs.
I went and I slew their foes, and with my sword I
have overturned their power. I exerted myself,
that my promise might be fulfilled. Having finished
all my business, I am now on my way to my family
and tribe. But what is it you mean by your ques-
tions? Woe! woe, O Aboolfawaris, said Khalid,
how is it you have concealed all this from us, so
that evil at your hands is come upon us? How has
misfortune fallen on us from a tribe most dear to
us! Truly my love for you would have increased,
and in my heart would have been your glory and
honour, had not this cruel affair cut asunder the
connexion between us. What relationship is there
between us and you? said Antar in the greatest
astonishment, and what parentage? Hear, O cham-
pion of the tribe of Abs, said Khalid, for I will
relate to you what has occurred during your ab-
sence, when you were in the lands of Yemen: but
be not too much distressed at what you have done
to my people, and that you have brought destruction
HAS RECOURSE TO STRATAGEM.
1
358
HIS FALSE TALE
upon them, for we commenced the insult, and we
were the origin of the violence, and truly I will for-
give you the blood of those who have been slain
out of regard to your Chief Zoheir, whom may Lat
and Uzza keep in holy remembrance! for his
liberality was universally aknowledged by us all,
and in him we have found a strong tower and a
defender. The reason of this is, that I met him at
Mecca at the holy shrine, and between him and me
was formed mutual faith and engagement, and
when we returned from the pilgrimage, I bound
myself to him, and took him with me to the tribe
of Aamir (for I am their Chief Khalid, son of
Giafer); I made him and his sons alight with me
in the middle of the tents, and I offered them
all that was in my power, in the way of hospitality,
for the space of ten days, and they did not quit me
till between them and us relationship was confirmed:
for Zoheir, whom may Lat and Uzza ever guard in
holy remembrance! demanded my daughter Beder-
ool-Hoolel for his son Shas, and gave us things in-
calculable, such as no human being possesses: he
also did not depart till he had given me his charger
Caasa, and it is this I have under me; and he girt
me on this his sword, which is now slung over my
shoulders, and its name is Zeenoor: he left us
praising him and full of obligations, and when he
departed, I took with me a thousand horsemen of
my tribe, and I am now on my way to the land of
Yemen, that I may procure jewels, and robes, and
SUCCEEDS, AND DUPES ANTAR.
359
articles no King of Yemen possesses. We halted
in this spot but yesterday evening, and in the
morning we resolved on marching, when you ar-
rived with your baggage-camels, and your slaves
were driving them. As soon as my party saw
them, they considered them as some plunder of the
inhabitants of Yemen. Their avidity excited them
to seize on them, and thus it all happened.
When Antar heard Khalid's narrative, and saw
King Zoheir's charger under him, and his sword
over his shoulder, he was confounded for a reply,
and hung his head to the ground in excess of
shame, and he knew not what to do.
Khalid, on seeing this, felt certain that by his
artifice and deceit, the stratagem and manoeuvre
had had its effect, so he did not cease his villany
till he dismounted and did homage to Antar, say-
ing, May God be ever with thee; grieve not, O
champion of Abs; repent not, for unwittingly you
have acted thus; the fault was ours, and on us has
fallen the loss. And Khalid wished to kiss his feet;
but Antar dismounted: My lord, said he, death
would be more tolerable to me than this act; but a
liberal man pardons a slave when he perceives the
apology is sincere.
The Absians came up and heard all Khalid said,
and they did as Antar had done; and Antar cried
out to the slaves to release the prisoners they had
in charge, amongst whom were Jandah, son of
Beca, and Rebia, son of Ocail, and others of the
360
Aamir horsemen. The whole came up to Antar
and made their excuses. Peace was concluded,
and Khalid rescued his friends by this deceit and
stratagem, and as they took leave of each other,
said Khalid, Make my compliments to my brother,
King Zoheir; and he went off with the Aamirites,"
hardly crediting their escape. As to the Absians,
they continued traversing the desert on their way
home. Antar went ahead, and when his love and
pensiveness overcame him, he began thus:
"O tamarisk of the mountains, is there one to
<< report of me-to tell the state of a lover-one
"distracted and melancholy? Mention then, in the
name of God, ye northern breezes, the honours
"and glories I have attained; tell Ibla that, for
"her sake, I have encountered horrors of the most
"eminent hazard; that I have endured dreadful
"scenes, and have returned triumphant, and the
❝foe, in terror of me, dared not to appear before
O Ibla, by thy life, couldst thou but see
"Antar amongst the armies and contending mul-
"❝titudes, and the horse tearing down towards me
"at the head of the defile, like the tempestuous
"rain, in the battle, destroyer of joys. They come
"on the backs of swift high-mettled steeds, some
“black, like the winds when they rush forth, some
"red, some white, and some piebald. I shout at
"them with an Absian shout, like thunder, that
"thrills through the whole army. I charge towards
"them, and I gallop at them, and I storm them with
(6
ANTAR DESCRIBES HIS FEATS
❝ me.
66
AS HE PASSES OVER THE DESERT.
66
361
"the chest of Abjer. I make them taste of sword-
"blows, and terrible spear-thrusts, with my cutlass
" and the barb of my lance. I make them like the
“harvest, as if they were the roots of date trees,
deeply interwoven in the rocks. I have dyed the
"face of the land with their blood, and it has be-
66 come like the crimson cornelian. The gore, like
"a rolling sea of Judas flowers, resembles a bursting
"river. O Ibla, couldst thou but behold my
"achievements against the foe on the day of battle,
"in my force and my impetuosity, and my arms,
"like the Judas tree, and my Abjer dyed with the
"blood of every lion-hero. It is then I cry out from
"beneath the forest of spears, whilst the dust and
"black volumes of sand encompass me. O, by Abs,
"I am the stubborn one among men, I will annihilate
"horsemen with my cleaving scimitar. It is then
"I dart from beneath the dust, and my coat of mail
"is like the piony, and as if painted with saffron.
"I have slain Jabir, and Hosein, and also the
"voracious lion Ebeleshbal. I have left Masood
"and Amroo in the desert, on the ground, and
"Nabih, son of Ashter; also Kelboon and his father,
"called Nacmal the tyrant, the oppressor; and
"Soheib, him have I made to drink of the cup of
"death on the lofty towering mountains. Them
"all I have destroyed with the hewing blows of my
CC
polished, my irresistible Dhami. Their property
"I have seized, their plunder I have taken, and the
"deserts are filled with the incalculable booty. As
"to the troops of horsemen in the valley, there does
362
1
THEY FIND THE TRIBE IN AFFLICTION.
CC
:
66
"not survive of them one to tell the tale. The
"heroes can witness for me in the contest, that I
"am the lion-the devouring warrior: not a knight
“like me has arrived at the highest glory, durable
"for ages. My mother is Zebeeba, I disavow not
"her name, and I am Antar; but I am not vain-
glorious her dark complexion sparkles like a
"sabre in the shades of night, and her shape is
"like the well-formed spear. I am the son of Shedad,
"and my lineage is Absian, known above the bril-
"liant canopy of heaven. I have attained honour,
glory, and fame, by my resolution, so that I am in
"the vicinity of Jupiter. Were death to see me,
ay to see me, he would turn aside from me, in
"fear of my tempestuous might and power. I am
"sublime above all knights in the field of fight, by
my intrepidity, by my modesty and forbearance."
When Antar had finished his verses, they all
cried, May God never abandon thy mouth, may
there never be one to harm thee, O hero of the age,
thou champion of the tribe of Abs and Adnan!
They continued their march till they came near to
the land of Shoorebah and Mount Saadi, and when
they turned their eyes toward their homes, and saw
the desert in tumult with the glitter of armour, and
the concourse of people, and wailing lamentations,
Antar was startled, and so were his companions.
Doubtless some evil has befallen our families in our
absence, he cried, for the whole tribe is in the utmost
affliction. Now when Cais had returned home, after
the death of his father, the whole land was convulsed
66
.
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45
363
with weeping and clamorous sorrow.
Their grief
for Zoheir continued long. The tents and the
dwellings of the tribe of Abs were thrown down,
and re-echoed to the groans and sobs of the mourners.
The people met them, and seated themselves, with
Cais, on the carpet of affliction. The tribes of Fa-
zarah, and Ghiftan, and Marah, and Dibyan, all
attended, with their friends and allies; they let
their turbans hang loose over their necks, and rent
all the garments they had on. But when they had
condoled with Cais for his father, they congratu-
lated him on the kingdom that had fallen to him.
Congratulate me not on my kingdom, said he; there
is no joy till you see that I have had my revenge.
Comfort your heart, and brighten your eye, said the
warriors, for we will not separate from you till we
have avenged you. And they despatched their
slaves to bring them their horses and their arms, and
they remained preparing for the contest, whilst Cais
every day rode out, gaining the hearts of the people,
and showing every kindness to the warriors, giving
them arms, and weapons, and corslets. His father,
in his lifetime, had banished many of the Absians.
Cais recalled them; he conciliated them, and made
them return to their native land. But as to Rebia,
son of Zeead, he had great influence with King Cais,
for Cais had married his daughter, and he placed
great confidence in him, in all his plans, and when
Cais was making his preparations for his expedition
to attack the tribe of Aamir, and had assembled his
forces, said Hadifah, son of Beder, to him, Wait for
CAIS'S FUTURE PLANS OF REVENGE.
•
A
1
1
364
me ten days, till I write to my allies, the tribe of
Marah; for their knight Harith, son of Zalim, is
my relation by birth, and he is now the knight of
the Arabs. My cousin, said King Cais, I have in-
deed heard marvels of this knight, and they raise
him above Antar, son of Shedad. Who is Antar,
said Rebia, O Cais, when Harith is present? Now
then will he exhibit in his actions things that shall
be recorded of him to eternity. So Hadifah wrote
to Harith, requesting his assistance against the tribe
of Aamir, having first stated all about King Zoheir,
and the disgrace and infamy they had brought down
upon him, and he despatched the letter by a horse-
man of Fazarah. This Harith was a confirmed
impostor; he regarded no hospitality, neither did
he respect any engagement. He never kept his
word; he was a great depredator, and iniquitous in
all his actions. If he associated with a friend, he
would betray him; and if he could overreach an
ally, he would put him to death. All the Arabs
were on their guard against him, and his villany
had been felt by every man alive, and moreover he
could not be quiet with Antar; he stationed spies
and scouts over him, and his very favours were
malice and perfidy.
HARITH, THE IMPOStor.
Khalid had also written to Harith to require his
aid in his hostile preparations against the tribe of
Abs, saying, O Harith, I have slain King Zoheir
and his son Shas, and I am resolved not to leave
them a tent standing. You know what their slave
Antar did to your father Zalim, and how he cut his
HIS FIRST ACT OF PERFIDY.
365
hair off. If you are really what I have heard
you
to be, that you are active and zealous, haste then,
that I may accomplish your every wish, and marry
you to my daughter Sitularab. Harith acquiesced
in the requisitions of Khalid's letter, and having as-
sembled five hundred of the tribe of Marah, he
resolved on the expedition. About that time also
arrived Hadifah's messenger, and gave him the
letter; to whom he said in his malignity and deceit,
There was no occasion for your chief to write me a
letter; I am now marching to his assistance, and
shall probably have slain Khalid ere he arrives. He
sent the messenger back that very day, and he him-
self set out for the tribe of Aamir. When they had
proceeded some distance, O Harith, said his people,
we wish you would tell us what is your real intention,
and whom you will assist? My cousins, said he,
march with me, and be sure of wealth, for these
tribes are populous, and they must engage each
other; and whichever we see will conquer, to that
we will turn. But we wish, said they, you would
inform us which you will join first? The tribe of
Khalid, said he. And thus he continued his march
with his comrades, and such was his resolution.
In the meantime Hadifah's messenger returned,
and informed him that Harith had preceded him
against the tribe of Aamir with five hundred horse-
men. Away went Hadifah to King Cais: O King,
said he, know that the man is wise and faithful; he
is now gone to execute what we requested of him,
366
ANTAR HEARS OF THE DEATH OF ZOHEIR AND SHAS.
and he is already on his march to fight the Aamir-
ites before us: it is my opinion we should join him,
or he will sustain their attack alone. Do, my uncle,
what you please, said Cais, and tell the Arabs to
make ready their warlike weapons for the expedition
on this very day. The Absians accordingly came
forth with their arms; they slung on their spears,
and were preparing to march, and at that very mo-
ment arrived Antar and Asyed with the horsemen ;
they stopped near the tents. The Absian warriors
mounted to go and meet them; and amongst them
were Malik, King Zoheir's son, Antar's friend, and
his brother Harith by his side; and as soon as they
saw their uncle Asyed and Antar they scattered dust
over their heads, and let down the turbans over their
necks.
But Antar, marking the conduct of King Zoheir's
sons, shuddered, and was stupefied, for he thought
they were occupied on Shas' happiness, as Khalid
had informed him. He dismounted, and in great
dismay, My lord, he said to Malik, what is the
matter? O Aboolfawaris, said he, a calamity never
to be forgotten, a misfortune that overwhelms both
men and women. And he announced the death of
his father King Zoheir, and his brother Shas. The
colour of the swarthy Antar became wan and livid;
he was nearly fainting. My lord, said he, dead? or
killed? Killed, my cousin, said Prince Malik, and
their enemies have triumphed over them; and then
he told Antar how his father and brother were
367
slain, and what Khalid had done. Upon this, An-
tar also related his victory over the tribe of Aamir
in the defile, and that he had taken more than two
hundred prisoners, among whom were Rebia, son
of Ocail, and Jandah, son of Beka, and that all
were set free; and how Khalid had duped him by
his stratagem and deceit. On hearing this, all King
Zoheir's sons set up an universal shout of grief. O
Aboolfawaris, said Prince Malik, it was that Jandah
who slew my father. At this Antar's agony and
transports were most intense. Woe, woe unto thee,
O Khalid! he cried; by the faith of an Arab I will
not leave thee but as a proverb for every one that
stands and sits. His tears flowed in streams; his
sobs and lamentations augmented; and thus he gave
vent to his sorrows:
ANTAR'S MIGHTY GRIEF
<6
"O my eyes, shed showers of tears for the an-
"guish and calamities that have befallen' me. Dry
"not on my cheeks, but flow in gushing torrents
"like the rain-charged clouds. O my woes, quit
"not my frame. O my agonies, leave not my body.
"O mourners of the tribe, weep and lament; mul-
tiply your afflictions with sobs of sorrow and
"distress, for he is lost on whom I most relied for
❝ aid.
Fear not the rebukes of the railers: he was
my stay in every evil, and my sword when cala-
"mities flowed upon me. He was the refuge for
"the weak, and the asylum of the poor, who
"mourned in emaciating penury.
"to whom princes bowed down,
66
He was a king
and to whose
368
66
;
66
power the Arab chiefs submitted. O Zoheir,
verily my spirit is broken. It was thou that didst
repulse the foe, and every enemy from me. Alas!
"O race of Abs, thou hast lost thy glory; thy
“noble, thy merciful, and bountiful prince! Past
away is thy benefactor! Thy days are darkened
now their light is gone, thy flame is extinguished
"in the obscurity of death. He was a full moon
"shining in its sublimity, and he was to me the
"most eminent of virtues. How indeed has the
"tribe of Aamir triumphed! Khalid exults and is
"proud of his conquest. Verily they have slain.
"Shas, and he was a knight who was my succour
"in every adversity. Oh! I will weep for them as
long as the birds shall sing, or the drops of the
pouring clouds shall fall. I will take vengeance
"on the tribe of Aamir, who have revolted, and
"have vanquished these warriors. Khalid! Oh!
"I will make him drink with my sword the draught
"of the black gore in the midst of the heroes. I
"will exterminate the tribes with penetrating spear-
"thrusts, and tear out their hearts with sharp-
"edged scimitars. If I do not keep my word, may
"I never succeed in my wishes for a friend! Soon
❝ will I realize my project against them with my
"sabre; soon will I pull down their glories and
"their honours. I will leave among their dwell-
❝ings nought but lamentations and shrieks of woe
"for the loss of friends! I am Antar, well known
"in war and battle, when I make the heroes fly
66
66
cc
66
AND ANGUISH AT THE NEWS.
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369
"terrified at death. But, alas! fortune has cast
"me into affliction, and for the loss of Zoheir my
"heart is melted!"
When the horsemen heard these verses they
burst out into a loud expression of grief and afflic-
tion, and the creeping thrill of sorrow crawled over
their bodies. They entered the tents, their heads
exposed, and their clothes all torn. Rebia, old in
villany, met them, saying, Cousins, men should as-
suage their grief, and soon resign their sorrows.
Let not one of ye prolong his discourse, for this day
is fixed for departure. It was Rebia's intention
thus to add new anguish to the heart of Antar. He
made him no reply, but he swelled with fury; his
eyeballs glared red, till they became like two liquid
globes of crimson blood; he roared and bellowed;
his patience was spent; he struck Rebia on the
chest, and hurled him on his back, and his helmet
flew off from his head, and he was unable to utter
a word. Antar repaired unto King Cais. At the
entrance of the tent Antar stopped and wept; he
sobbed and shrieked in excess of grief, as also Asyed;
but Antar thus exclaimed:
THE ANGUISH OF HIS HEART.
"Set is the full moon, though once it was in its
"zenith; hidden is its light, and all is dark.
Eclipsed is the sun, and the morn no more re-
"turns in smiles. Fallen are the constellations;
they have disappeared; the atmosphere is ob-
"scured; the dust of darkness is over it; all the
"seas are hollow, and are sunk deep; we have lost
VOL. III.
B B
66
66
1
370
66
"its dews and its clouds. At the moment that Zo-
"heir fell dead infamy shrouded us, and sat upon
66 us. Fortune has made him drink of the cup of
death, but likewise fortune will be quick in its
vengeance. He was my stay, my armour in ad-
"versity; he was my breastplate, my spear, my
"scimitar. O my eyes, when ye shed not tears,
"may sleep be denied ye! I swear by Him who
slays and brings to life, by Him who rules the
"light and the darkness, never will I raise my
"sword in battle till I behold all my enemies in
"dismay and in shame. O tribe of Aamir, O clan
"of Kelab, dread the light and shade of my sword;
soon shall thy wives scream in terrors of captivity;
soon shall they weep for their orphaned little ones.
"I am Antar, son of Shedad, and my star is high
“ raised above the sublimity of the seven heavens !"
66
66
When Antar had finished his verses, his tears
gushed out in incessant streams, and he wept bit-
terly, till he could no more, and he fainted'; but
when he recovered from his swoon, he cast his eyes
towards King Zoheir's seat, and thus expressed
himself:
66
+
66
HE MOURNS AND FAINTS.
"Weep abundantly, my eyes, in torrents of tears;
"aid me, relieve my woes with weeping! For oh!
"I have lost a prince that was my support-that
"( was my
full moon; but it is now set below the
"earth! I have lost the sea and the rain by my
"enemies, and him whose benevolence resembled
"the deluging clouds. I have lost a lion, but in no
371
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"lion was there his power. I have lost the knight
<< of war, the invincible hero: my heart is on fire.
“I have lost all resignation for a prince who taught
"the Arabs on the day of combat with his spear.
"O Cais, depend on me; for in my heart is a flame
"of fire that consumes it, and my forbearance I can
"no longer persist in. Rise with me; let us seek
vengeance speedily, for death is sweeter to my
"heart than honey. Reproach me not for my wars
-I love them: I will hear neither word nor re-
"buke. Night is my complexion, and the lions of
66 war know me. The coat of mail is my strong
tower, and my heart is hewn out of a rock. War-
"riors are reduced to contempt by me in the day of
combat, as the Arabs can witness for me. Woe,
"woe to my heart, for what it has lost. Death,
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،،
(6
(6
now Zoheir is no more, is my noblest aim. O
"race of Abs, haste ye to vengeance against the
"tribe of Aamir, and fear not death. Exert your-
"selves with me, for you have a slave that has felled
"into disgrace every knight of the plains and the
"mountains. How many tribes are there in whose
"blood I have dyed my sword in the day of battle!
"How many the heroes I have laid low! How
"many valleys has it tinged! How many lions have
"bowed to me! How many multitudes have I ex-
tirpated! death can bear me witness. Khalid!
"soon will I leave him stretched on the face of the
S
AGAIN HE GIVES VENT TO HIS GRIEF.
66
earth, and his women as childless mothers shall
"mourn him. To-morrow will I annihilate ye, tribe
}
372
"of Aamir, quick with the point of the spear, and
"the edge of my polished sabre.
I will capture
66
SUCCESS OF REBIA'S INTRIGUE.
your women; I will leave no vestige of them; I
"will plunder your cattle, your property, and your
"camels. I am Antar, whose qualities are well
“known; the destruction of warriors, undaunted at
"death."
When Antar had finished his verses, he went to
his own dwelling, where all his regrets were re-
newed. But Cais was resolved on immediate de-
parture; and he set out with the tribes of Abs and
Fazarah, and the Arabs of that land and country.
Antar also wished to go and aid him; but Malik,
the brother of Cais, came to him: O Aboolfawaris,
said he, stay at home, and do not follow my brother
this time, for he would ill-use you, and perhaps even
reject you, and make you ashamed on account of
that miserable Amarah, and his despicable brother.
How so? said Antar. Malik upon this related to
him about Harith, and told him all the news;
how Hadifah had written to him requesting his as-
sistance, and last night Rebia hinted that the expe-
dition would not be offered to you, and it is he who
has concerted this plan. Then he described to him
Harith's intrepidity and prowess, and how the Arabs
boasted of him, even above you, said Malik.
Antar was exceedingly annoyed at hearing this:
Go you, however, and join your brother, and tell
him that Antar thanks him, and begs his pardon for
all he has done. May the praise of God be on the
CAIS DEPARTS WITHOUT ANTAR.
373
man who assists him, and can serve him instead of
me in this expedition; and if he can take his revenge
on Khalid, son of Giafer, praise be to the only and
Omnipotent God! but, if he does not subdue his foe,
then will I go against him alone, and will do unto
him and his, what shall be for ages recorded. Thus
Malik taking leave of him, astonished at his magna-
nimity, said, O Aboolfawaris, were I not afraid of
being a scandal among the Arabs, and of their re-
proaches, for refusing to seek vengeance for my
father, I would not follow him on this occasion. At
last he departed, and his tears streamed copiously.
The camps, and horsemen, and troops, all fol-
lowed Cais: his army amounted in all to twenty-
five thousand men, all bold horsemen. Every one
of them thought that Antar only staid at home to
have his fill of Ibla, whilst Amarah headed all the
warriors, brandishing his spear in his left hand, quite
delighted at the absence of Antar on this expedition.
But Antar, as soon as Prince Malik quitted him,
returned home; he took off his warlike weapons,
and entering the tents, his tears burst from his eyes,
and he was absorbed in an ocean of reflection; when
lo! the wives of his uncles came to him, and con-
gratulated him on his safety. He paid them great
respect, and received them with honour and atten-
tion; and they thus addressed him:
"Had we known of your arrival in the night,
66
we would have hasted to you on the crowns of
66
our heads. We would have given you the most
374
IBLA AND THE WOMEN VISIT ANTAR.
"honourable reception. O you illustrious one! the
"life of our existence !"
Ibla and her mother were among the women; so
Antar was much pleased, and his heart was filled
with joy at seeing his beloved. He inquired about
her health, &c.—to which she replied, Nothing has
happened but what you have heard respecting King
Zoheir and his son Shas-every one is acquainted
with that. But we have been expecting your arrival,
and that you would take vengeance on them; but
we see all the men are gone, and you remain at
home. Daughter of my uncle, said Antar, the party
have obtained one who will seek their retaliation
without me: they rejected me; I wished to accom-
pany them, but they refused me. He told her what
Prince Malik had imparted to him, at which the
women were greatly surprised, saying Ay! that is
the foul plan of the rogue Amarah and his iniquitous
brother, for King Cais never did any thing but by
the advice of Rebia. Well, cousin, said Ibla to
Antar, pray where is my share of all this spoil? or
am I no longer an object of value or consideration
with you? By the faith of an Arab, said Antar,
my share has been five hundred he and she camels,
of the camels of Sewda, and the mountain of Vol-
cano, and they are all blue-eyed, with black hair and
bodies. So tell your black slaves to drive them out
to-morrow morning, and mix them with the Asafeer
camels, and excuse the trifle, for I was on Asyed's
business. Then he told her all that had occurred
-
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on the excursion, and the horrors he had endured,
thus expressing himself:
"O Ibla, I have a heart steady in its love for
"thee; and ever anxious in its passion. O Ibla,
pity me for my love. I am thy captive-victim,
"and my tears are like the stormy ocean. O Ibla,
"thou hast vanquished my heart with a form, whose
"beauties even flash before the brilliant sun. O
"Ibla, thy face resembles in its lustre the dawn,
"and thy tresses the darkness of night, the com-
plexion of thy adorer. O Ibla, not in all the
songstresses together are thy charms: no, by
"God, thy beauty is far superior. O Ibla, I am
" indeed overwhelmed with love; all the world must
"pity-compassionate me. O Ibla, thy cheek re-
"sembles the crimson rose, and the pionies of the
"gardens are like it. O Ibla, in thy bosom are the
pomegranates I desire, were even the swords armed
"with lightning to flash from it. O Ibla, among
"the Houris there is not a face like thine; and
amongst mankind there is no lover like me. O
“Ibla, grant but a meeting to me, whose whole
"soul pants for thee. O Ibla, were even death to
"visit me, nought shall daunt me, for I am true
"and firm; for all I demand of God is a sight of
"thee at the dawn and mid-day, and whenever
"shines the sun!"
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ANTAR'S ADDRESS TO IELA.
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375
END OF VOL. III.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

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