University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XX.

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, commanded
by Hidjar, son of Aamir, the Kendehan,
a man of severe morose disposition and harsh manners,
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

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 returned
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 repaired
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 absolutely
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;

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
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 Zoheir, 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 trembled
and shrunk back. Heh! thou bastard, exclaimed
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 infamy
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,
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 delivered
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 contrive
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

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 saying,
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 danger,
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 property:
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
marched to Modayin—I would have slain Chosroe,
and made his balcony totter over his head.

Having now entered the mountains, Antar ordered
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, saying,
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 bareheaded;
and as they were executing Antar's commands,
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
eat or drink! By the faith of an Arab, said Antar, reproach
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 thousand
times: my best plan would be to kill ye all at
once; thank God you are alive. Do not act thus,

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 instantly
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.
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 intelligence
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
Chosroe to inform him that he had taken Prince
Aswad prisoner and seven thousand men. Antar's

power, indeed, must have greatly augmented, cried
Chosroe, thus to compass such deeds; he has forgotten
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 government,
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 captivity
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, because
he could not confide in the Arab hordes,
saying, Be you their leader; exert yourself nobly,

that our power may be respected. Wirdishan
mounted, and over his head were raised the standards
and dragons of Persia. He marched night
and day till he came nigh unto Hirah, where he
was greatly surprised at seeing the immense multitude
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 prisoner,
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 resolved
on marching with seventy thousand men
against only four thousand.

After a repose of two days at Hirah, he departed
for the mountains of Radm, not mingling
with Numan's troops, on the contrary, reviling and
reproaching them.

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 numerous
host against him. My brother, said he, I
never beheld a haughtier fellow than that Wirdishan;
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 Zoheir,
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 families,
till the horses sport with our skulls in the battle.
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

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 excellent,
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 armies
of Numan by half a day; and whilst he concealed
his men in the ravines, Shiboob ascended the
loftiest mountain, and stationed himself as their

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 armies
reached the valley of Torrents, King Numan
halted without the valley, alarmed at the embarrassment
of the defile, and the length of the pass. The
Persians marched on, headed by the Satrap Wirdishan,
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

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 confusion,
from the right to the left. The Arab and
the Persian were promiscuously crowded together.
The spot being narrow and confined, all were huddled
into one mass. At that instant out rushed Antar
with his troops of Absians, fearless of death, undaunted
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 scimitar;
and the black gloom of the night became
darker still. The mind was in despair; troops disappeared;
designs were glorified; falchions glittered,
and blood ran down the sides of the valley.
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.
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 became
gray-haired—torments descended upon them.

In an hour the Persian troopers retreated on their
rear; and the Chief Hidjar exclaimed, O my cousins,
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 opponent,
and left them dead.

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

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 Amarah—or
Antar will make us drink of the cup of
death, and extermination. So they fled, and Hadifah
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 plundered
them of their lives. At that moment advanced
Wirdishan in front of the Persians, surrounded
with a body of his host. In his hand he
wielded an immense mace, and he came on bellowing

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 beheld
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 foe, horse and
foot, rushed out of the valley, whilst Shiboob overthrew
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 overthrown,
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 uneasy
at our absence, I would attack King Numan
here also, and would not leave one alive in this desert,
were even Chosroe Nushirvan himself with

them. It will be better for us to fight in the mountains,
said Oorwah.

On that night they had made eight hundred prisoners;
and when they had collected the scattered
horses and dispersed arms, they returned seeking
the mountains. Antar was overjoyed at what had
passed, and he meditated on the horrors he had endured.
Oorwah being by his side, he addressed him
thus:

"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
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 intelligence
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

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 outrage,
I will redress the wrong. Verily, glory is
in the day of contention. When my thrust overwhelms
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."

As to King Numan, he had halted as we mentioned,
on the outside of the valley with his Arabs,
resolved to move in the morning and join the Persians,
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;

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 contrivance;
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 desirous
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 marriage
to this tribe, my power would be strengthened,
and my influence increased.

He thus marched on till he approached the
mountains, but Antar had reached them first, with
his prisoners and plunder. All exulted in his exploits;
the delight was universal; and their hearts
were quite merry at the result of the engagement.

Antar advanced towards King Zoheir, and kissing
his hand, related what he had done to the Persians,
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

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 quantity
of stones, and every one they see going forth to
fight, they may let pass; but those they see returning,
they must stone to death: and if they should
see that we are all crowded promiscuously with the
enemy, 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 advanced,
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 tempestuous

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 universal
shout, that deafened the hearing, and made
the hearts of the timid quake. The Absians answered
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

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 Kendehans
were killed, but only twenty of Oorwah's
brave spear-armed heroes.

On their return Antar met them and congratulated
them on their success. You know, my
cousins, he cried, you cannot rise to honours but by

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 fortune,
for in our troubles we had recourse to you,
and your arm would have prevailed had even mountains
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 congratulation.
O Aboolfawaris, said he, we shall never
doubt about the discomfiture of our enemies as long
as you live for us; whilst you 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 thousand
of Numan's, so by this calculation we are even
numerically superior to them. O Aboolfawaris,
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,

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 fellow
so worthless and mean? By the faith of an Arab
you have clothed us in shame: you had best deliberate
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 annihilation!
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
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
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
my distresses in solitude. The sword mourns

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 revolutions
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?"

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 garments,
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

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 warriors
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 destroyed
the warriors, and overwhelmed them with
his shouts and his roars in disgrace and ruin, hacking
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 horsemen;
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 terrors,
and the king of death despatched his messengers
to grasp lives. In a short time every resource
was resorted to. Every sharp sword continued
its blows till the heart and mind were bewildered,
and the earth rocked under the weight of
the armies, and the undaunted heroes of Aboolfawaris
Antar.

This continued till evening came on, when of the
Princes' army were slain an innumerable and incalculable
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

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.