When King Khosrow Anushirvan gave the command for war, a mighty resonance of war-horns, cymbals, and Indian bells echoed at the royal gates. Great kettle-drums were bound to the humps of formidable war-elephants, turning the face of the world dark as indigo beneath the rising dust. An ocean of troops marched out from Ctesiphon into the plain, so vast that even the green sea would gaze upon it in bewildered awe. From the wail of brass horns, the gleam of royal banners, and the surge of golden-shoed cavalry, it seemed as though the stars had plunged into deep waters and the revolving heavens themselves had fallen into a stupor.
When intelligence reached the Caesar of Rome that the Iranian monarch had set forth from his palace in fierce anger, he hastened from Amorium to Aleppo, filling the realm with turmoil and the thunder of mobilization. Three hundred thousand Roman horsemen encircled Aleppo in a tight siege, wasting no time in launching violent assaults. The Catholicos, a renowned commander among the Romans, erected massive catapults before every gate, while evacuating the fortress of Saqilan to serve as a staging ground for swift raids.
Soon, Aleppo was transformed into a sea of blood. The forces of Batrun sought quarter before the unstoppable Iranian onslaught. Within two weeks, thirty thousand Roman horsemen were captured and paraded before King Khosrow, while countless others fell beneath clouds of Iranian arrows. Desperate to check the relentless Iranian advance, the Romans dug a colossal trench across the highway in front of the royal army and flooded it with water under the cover of twilight, temporarily halting the King's march.
#1
بفرمود تا بر درش کرنای
✦
دمیدند با سنج و هندی درای
“He ordered the war-horns to be sounded at his gate, together with cymbals and Indian bells.”
#2
همه کوس بر کوههٔ ژنده پیل
✦
ببستند و شد روی گیتی چونیل
“They bound all the kettle-drums onto the humps of massive elephants, until the face of the earth grew dark as indigo.”
#3
سپاهی گذشت از مداین به دشت
✦
که دریای سبز اندرو خیره گشت
“An army marched forth from Ctesiphon into the plain, so vast that the emerald sea was astounded by it.”
#4
ز نالیدن بوق و رنگ درفش
✦
ز جوش سواران زرینه کفش
“From the wailing of war-horns, the vivid colors of the banners, and the clamor of horsemen shod in gold...”
#5
ستاره توگفتی به آب اندرست
✦
سپهر روان هم بخواب اندرست
“You would have said the stars were submerged in water, and the swift heavens themselves were asleep.”
#6
چوآگاهی آمد بقیصر ز شاه
✦
که پرخشم ز ایوان بشد با سپاه
“When word reached the Caesar concerning the Shah—that he had marched out of his palace in great wrath with his host...”
#7
بیامد ز عموریه تا حلب
✦
جهان کرد پر جنگ و جوش و جلب
“He came from Amorium all the way to Aleppo, filling the world with war, turmoil, and uproar.”
#8
سواران رومی چو سیصد هزار
✦
حلب را گرفتند یکسر حصار
“Some three hundred thousand Roman horsemen surrounded Aleppo completely in a tight siege.”
#9
سپاه اندر آمد ز هرسو به جنگ
✦
نبد جنگشانرا فراوان درنگ
“The armies closed in from every side to do battle, and their assault suffered no delay.”
#10
بیاراست بر هر دری منجنیق
✦
ز گردان روم آنکه بد جاثلیق
“The Catholicos, among the Roman warriors, set up catapults at every gate.”
#11
حصار سقیلان بپرداختند
✦
کزان سو همی‌تاختن ساختند
“They evacuated the fortress of Saqilan, using it as a base from which to launch swift attacks.”
#12
حلب شد بکردار دریای خون
✦
به زنهار شد لشکر باطرون
“Aleppo became like a sea of blood, and the army of Batrun surrendered, seeking quarter.”
#13
بدو هفته از رومیان سی هزار
✦
گرفتند و آمد بر شهریار
“Within two weeks, thirty thousand Romans were captured and brought before the Sovereign.”
#14
بی‌اندازه کشتند ز ایشان بتیر
✦
به رزم اندرون چند شد دستگیر
“Countless enemies were slain by arrows, while many were taken prisoner in the thick of battle.”
#15
به پیش سپه کنده‌ای ساختند
✦
بشبگیر آب اندر انداختند
“Before the advancing army they dug a trench, and at morning's first light diverted water into it.”
#16
بکنده ببستند برشاه راه
✦
فروماند از جنگ شاه و سپاه
“With that trench they blocked the Shah's main road, leaving the King and his host halted from battle.”