When the response from Fūr reached Sikandar, the ambitious monarch assembled his most seasoned and wise commanders to lead his vanguard. He set out with a formidable army toward India, covering the earth until nothing remained visible but sea and soldier. Yet the journey proved harrowing; rugged mountains and treacherous paths extinguished the warlike fire in the soldiers' hearts, slowing the army's momentum.
At a camp along the way, a faction of Roman officers gathered before Sikandar, pleading for retreat. They lamented the destruction of their horses, the endless suffering, and the futility of waging war against barren stone and treacherous terrain. Incensed by their complaint, Sikandar rebuked them fiercely, declaring that he required neither their aid nor their goodwill, for Divine favor and the brave warriors of Iran would suffice to trample the heart of any dragon.
Fearing his wrath, the Romans fell to their knees, begging forgiveness and swearing to fight to the death—even on foot should their steeds perish. Reassured, Sikandar reorganized his host: thirty thousand elite Iranian warriors formed the vanguard, followed by forty thousand Roman cavalry, forty thousand Egyptian swordsmen, twelve thousand noble descendants of the Kayanian line, and sixty renowned astrologers and sages.
Meanwhile, King Fūr prepared a massive defensive host, anchoring his vanguard with a terrifying wall of war elephants. Informants warned Sikandar that these beastly colossi stood like moving mountains, their trunks reaching toward the heavens, terrifying battle horses from miles away. Sikandar summoned over twelve hundred master blacksmiths from Rome, Egypt, and Persia. Together, they devised a brilliant stratagem: forging hollow iron horses and riders mounted on wheeled chariots, filled with black naphtha, destined to be set ablaze to ignite and scatter the elephant corps of Hind.
#1
چو پاسخ به نزد سکندر رسید
✦
هم‌انگه ز لشکر سران برگزید
“When the reply reached Sikandar, he straightway chose leaders from his host,”
#2
که باشند شایسته و پیش‌رو
✦
به دانش کهن گشته و سال نو
“Men who were worthy and forward-looking, ripe in wisdom and tested by time.”
#3
سوی فور هندی سپاهی براند
✦
که روی زمین جز به دریا نماند
“He marched an army toward Fūr of India, such that no land was seen save the open sea.”
#4
به هر سو همی رفت زان‌سان سپاه
✦
تو گفتی جز آن بر زمین نیست راه
“The army marched in every direction, as though no other path existed upon the earth.”
#5
همه کوه و دریا و راه درشت
✦
به دل آتش جنگ‌جویان بکشت
“Yet the harsh mountains, seas, and rugged tracks quenched the warlike fire in their hearts.”
#6
ز رفتن سپه سربسر گشت کند
✦
ازان راه دشوار و پیکار تند
“The pace of the host grew sluggish from that arduous journey and fierce campaign.”
#7
هم‌انگه چو آمد به منزل سپاه
✦
گروهی برفتند نزدیک شاه
“When the host arrived at a camping place, a group of captains went before the king,”
#8
که ای قیصر روم و سالار چین
✦
سپاه ترا برنتابد زمین
“Saying, 'O Caesar of Rome and leader of China! The earth can no longer bear your legions.”
#9
نجوید همی جنگ تو فور هند
✦
نه فغفور چینی نه سالار سند
“Neither Fūr of India, nor the Faghfūr of China, nor the Lord of Sindh seeks battle with you.”
#10
سپه را چرا کرد باید تباه
✦
بدین مرز بی‌ارز و زین‌گونه راه
“Why should the army be brought to ruin in this worthless realm and along such a path?”
#11
ز لشکر نبینیم اسپی درست
✦
که شاید به تندی برو رزم جست
“In all the host we see not a single sound steed fit to mount for fierce combat.”
#12
ازین جنگ گر بازگردد سپاه
✦
سوار و پیاده نیابند راه
“If the army turns back now, neither horseman nor footman will find their way home.”
#13
چو پیروز بودیم تا این زمان
✦
به هرجای بر لشگر بدگمان
“Though we were victorious until this hour over every mistrustful host everywhere,”
#14
کنون سربه‌سر کوه و دریا به پیش
✦
به سیری نیامد کس از جان خویش
“Now before us lie only mountains and seas, and none is yet sated with life!'”
#15
مگردان همه نام ما را به ننگ
✦
نکردست کس جنگ با آب و سنگ
“'Do not turn our glorious name to shame, for none hath ever fought against water and stone.'”
#16
غمی شد سکندر ز گفتارشان
✦
برآشفت و بشکست بازارشان
“Sikandar grew grieved at their words; he flared with rage and shattered their market of complaints.”
#17
چنین گفت کز جنگ ایرانیان
✦
ز رومی کسی را نیامد زیان
“He spoke: 'In fighting the Iranians, no Roman ever suffered harm.”
#18
به دارا بر از بندگان بد رسید
✦
کسی از شما باد جسته ندید
“It was from his own servants that evil befell Dara; none of you sought the wind of battle.”
#19
برین راه من بی‌شما بگذرم
✦
دل اژدها را به پی بسپرم
“Upon this road I shall press onward without you, and trample the heart of the dragon underfoot!”
#20
بیینید ازان پس که رنجور فور
✦
نپردازد از بن به رزم و به سور
“Then shall ye see how afflicted Fūr will abandon both battle and feast from his very roots.”
#21
مرایار یزدان و ایران سپاه
✦
نخواهم که رومی بود نیک‌خواه
“My allies are God and the host of Iran; I desire no Roman as a well-wisher!'”
#22
چو آشفته شد شاه زان گفت و گوی
✦
سپه سوی پوزش نهادند روی
“When the king grew enraged at those words, the host turned their faces toward apologizing,”
#23
که ما سربسر بندهٔ قیصریم
✦
زمین جز به فرمان او نسپریم
“Saying, 'We are all servants of Caesar; we shall tread the earth only by his command.”
#24
بکوشیم و چون اسپ گردد تباه
✦
پیاده به جنگ اندر آید سپاه
“We shall strive, and when our horses perish, the host will enter battle on foot.”
#25
گر از خون ما خاک دریا کنند
✦
نشیبی ز افگنده بالا کنند
“Even if the dust of the sea is made of our blood, and mountains raised from the slain,”
#26
نبیند کسی پشت ما روز جنگ
✦
اگر چرخ بار آورد کوه سنگ
“None shall see our backs on the day of battle, though the heavens rain down heavy stones.”
#27
همه بندگانیم و فرمان تراست
✦
چو آزار گیری ز ما جان تراست
“We are all your servants and the command is yours; if you are aggrieved by us, our souls are yours.'”
#28
چو بشنید زیشان سکندر سخن
✦
یکی رزم را دیگر افگند بن
“When Sikandar heard their words, he laid a new foundation for the coming war.”
#29
گزین کرد ز ایرانیان سی هزار
✦
که بودند با آلت کارزار
“He selected thirty thousand from among the Iranians, fully equipped with instruments of battle.”
#30
برفتند کارآزموده سران
✦
زره‌دار مردان جنگاوران
“Battle-tested leaders went forth, armored men and valiant warriors.”
#31
پس پشت ایشان ز رومی سوار
✦
یکی قلب دیگر همان چل هزار
“Behind them came the Roman cavalry, one center corps and another forty thousand strong.”
#32
پس پشت ایشان سواران مصر
✦
دلیران و خنجرگزاران مصر
“Behind them followed the horsemen of Egypt, brave men and wielders of daggers.”
#33
برفتند شمشیرزن چل هزار
✦
هرانکس که بود از در کارزار
“Forty thousand swordsmen marched forth, whoever was worthy of the battlefield.”
#34
ز خویشان دارا و ایرانیان
✦
هرانکس که بود از نژاد کیان
“From the kinsmen of Dara and the Iranians, whoever was of the royal lineage of Kayans,”
#35
ز رومی و از مصری و بربری
✦
سواران شایسته و لشکری
“And of Romans, Egyptians, and Berbers—worthy horsemen and warriors all,”
#36
گزین کرد قیصر ده و دو هزار
✦
همه رزمجوی و همه نامدار
“Caesar chose twelve thousand, all warlike and renowned,”
#37
بدان تا پس پشت او زین گروه
✦
در و دشت گردد به کردار کوه
“So that behind him, this host would make valley and plain seem like a mountain.”
#38
از اخترشناسان و از موبدان
✦
جهاندیده و نامور بخردان
“From astrologers, Mobads, world-wise men, and renowned sages,”
#39
همی برد با خویشتن شست مرد
✦
پژوهندهٔ روزگار نبرد
“He took sixty men with him, researchers into the times of battle.”
#40
چو آگاه شد فور کامد سپاه
✦
گزین کرد جای از در رزمگاه
“When Fūr learned that the army was approaching, he chose a fit ground for battle.”
#41
به دشت اندرون لشکر انبوه گشت
✦
زمین از پی پیل چون کوه گشت
“In the plain the host gathered in dense masses; the ground became like a mountain from the feet of the elephants.”
#42
سپاهی کشیدند بر چار میل
✦
پس پشت گردان و در پیش پیل
“They drew up an army four miles deep, behind the warriors and in front of the elephants.”
#43
ز هندوستان نیز کارآگهان
✦
برفتند نزدیک شاه جهان
“Scouts also went forth from India and came before the King of the World,”
#44
بگفتند با او بسی رزم پیل
✦
که او اسپ را بفگند از دو میل
“They told him much of the elephant war: how an elephant overthrows a horse from two miles away,”
#45
سواری نیارد بر او شدن
✦
نه چون شد بود راه بازآمدن
“No rider dare approach it, nor if he does is there any way of return.”
#46
که خرطوم او از هوا برترست
✦
ز گردون مر او را زحل یاورست
“Its trunk rises higher than the air; Saturn itself seems its helper in the high heavens.”
#47
به قرطاس بر پیل بنگاشتند
✦
به چشم جهانجوی بگذاشتند
“They depicted the elephant upon paper and placed it before the eyes of the world-conquering king.”
#48
بفرمود تا فیلسوفان روم
✦
یکی پیل کردند پیشش ز موم
“He commanded the philosophers of Rome to fashion an elephant out of wax before him.”
#49
چنین گفت کاکنون به پاکیزه رای
✦
که آرد یکی چارهٔ این به جای
“He spoke thus: 'Now, with pure wisdom, who can devise a remedy for this?'”
#50
نشستند دانش پژوهان بهم
✦
یکی چاره جستند بر بیش و کم
“The scholars sat together in counsel, seeking a remedy for every detail of the challenge.”
#51
یکی انجمن کرد ز آهنگران
✦
هرانکس که استاد بود اندران
“He assembled a council of blacksmiths, gathering everyone who was a master of the trade.”
#52
ز رومی و از مصری و پارسی
✦
فزون بود مرد از چهل بار سی
“From Romans, Egyptians, and Persians, there were more than twelve hundred craftsmen.”
#53
یکی بارگی ساختند آهنین
✦
سوارش ز آهن ز آهنش زین
“They constructed an iron steed, with an iron rider mounted upon an iron saddle.”
#54
به میخ و به مس درزها دوختند
✦
سوار و تن باره بفروختند
“They joined the seams with nails and copper, polishing the rider and the body of the horse until they shone.”
#55
به گردون براندند بر پیش شاه
✦
درونش پر از نفط کرده سیاه
“They rolled it on a carriage before the king, its interior filled with dark naphtha.”
#56
سکندر بدید آن پسند آمدش
✦
خردمند را سودمند آمدش
“When Sekandar saw it, he approved; the wise monarch found it exceedingly useful.”
#57
بفرمود تا زان فزون از هزار
✦
ز آهن بکردند اسپ و سوار
“He ordered that more than a thousand such horses and riders be forged of iron.”
#58
ازان ابرش و خنگ و بور و سیاه
✦
که دیدست شاهی ز آهن سپاه
“Painted as piebald, white, chestnut, and black—who has ever seen a king with an army made of iron?”
#59
از آهن سپاهی به گردون براند
✦
که جز با سواران جنگی نماند
“He advanced this iron army on carriages, appearing no different from living battle-knights.”