With tears streaming from his eyes and a heart heavy with anguish, Khosrow Parviz hurried to the chambers of his blinded father, King Hormoz. Prostrating before the fallen monarch, Khosrow poured out his despair, recounting how Bahram Chubin—the very champion Hormoz had once elevated—had turned rogue. Bahram was advancing upon the Nahrawan bridge with an overwhelming army under his glittering dragon banner, acclaiming himself king while the Persian host deserted Khosrow in droves.
Desperate, Khosrow asked if he should flee to the desert clans and rally the Arab cavalry. Hormoz sternly rejected this plan, warning that the Bedouins would offer no true allegiance unless bound by immediate profit, and would readily betray the prince for gold in times of peril. Instead, Hormoz counseled his son to entrust his fate to Yazdan and ride swiftly westward toward Byzantium. He reminded Khosrow that the Roman Caesar commanded vast legions and treasures, and as descendants of Fereydun, the Byzantines shared ancient blood ties with the royal house of Iran.
Khosrow prostrated in gratitude and embraced his father's wisdom. Turning to his maternal uncles, Bandoy and Gostaham, as well as Gardoy, he ordered them to pack their bare essentials and abandon the realm to the usurper. As a dark cloud of dust surged on the horizon and Bahram's dread dragon banner appeared near the Nahrawan crossing, Khosrow and his retinue galloped away toward the western frontier.
As they fled, Khosrow noticed Bandoy and Gostaham slackening their pace. Suspicious, he urged them to ride faster, warning that Bahram was on their heels. Bandoy falsely reassured him, claiming that Bahram intended to enter Ctesiphon only to restore the blind Hormoz to the throne as a puppet king while acting as grand vizier, and would dispatch envoys to Caesar demanding Khosrow's arrest. Surrendering his fate to Divine Providence, Khosrow pressed forward.
Yet treachery burned in the hearts of Bandoy and Gostaham. Turning back under cover of the confusion, the two ruthless noblemen slipped into the royal palace. Unstringing their war-bows, they cast the stout silk cords around the helpless Hormoz's neck and strangled the blind king to death. Thus ended the turbulent reign of Hormoz IV, leaving the ancient throne vacant.
As Bahram's war drums echoed through the city streets, the bloodstained brothers fled the palace and caught up with Khosrow. Seeing their pale faces, the young king immediately divined the horrific crime they had committed. Yet keeping his counsel in the face of imminent peril, Khosrow held his tongue and commanded them to take the desolate desert trails to evade Bahram's pursuing vanguard.
#1
وزآن جایگه شد به پیش پدر
✦
دو دیده پر از آب و پر خون جگر
“From that place he went before his father, his two eyes weeping tears, his heart bleeding within.”
#2
چو روی پدر دید بردش نماز
✦
همی بود پیشش زمانی دراز
“When he beheld his father's face, he prostrated in homage and stood reverently before him for a long while.”
#3
بدو گفت که‌این پهلوان سوار
✦
که او را گزین کردی ای شهریار
“He spoke to him, saying: 'This noble warrior whom you chose, O King,'”
#4
بیامد چو شاهان که دارند فر
✦
سپاهی بیاورد بسیار مر
“'Has come like royal monarchs endowed with divine glory, bringing a vast and countless host.'”
#5
بگفتم سخن هرچ آمد ز پند
✦
برو پند من بر نبد سودمند
“'Whatever words of counsel I offered him proved entirely fruitless upon him.'”
#6
همه جنگ و پرخاش بُد کام اوی
✦
که هرگز مبادا روان نام اوی
“'Battle and strife were his sole desire—may his name never remain among the living!'”
#7
به ناکام رزمی گران کرده شد
✦
فراوان کس از اختر آزرده شد
“'Against our will, a heavy battle was fought, and many a warrior was stricken by ill fate.'”
#8
ز من بازگشتند یکسر سپاه
✦
ندیدند گفتی مرا جز به راه
“'The entire army turned away from me, as if they had only ever met me on the road.'”
#9
همی شاه خوانند بهرام را
✦
ندیدند آغاز فرجام را
“'They now call Bahram their king, foreseeing neither the beginning nor the end of this deed.'”
#10
پس من کنون تا پل نهروان
✦
بیاورد لشکر چو کوهی گران
“'Now he pursues me as far as the Nahrawan bridge, bringing a host heavy as a mountain.'”
#11
چو شد کار بی برگ بگریختم
✦
به دام بلا درنیاویختم
“'When my cause became hopeless, I fled, refusing to entangle myself in the snare of calamity.'”
#12
نگه کردم اکنون به سود و زیان
✦
نباشند یاور مگر تازیان
“'I have pondered gain and loss; none will aid us now save the Arab riders.'”
#13
گر ایدون که فرمان دهد شهریار
✦
سواران تازی برم بی‌شمار
“'If the sovereign commands, I shall bring countless Arab horsemen to our cause.'”
#14
بدو گفت هرمز که این رای نیست
✦
که اکنون تو را پای برجای نیست
“Hormoz said to him: 'This is not wise counsel, for currently your footing is unstable.'”
#15
نباشند یاور تو را تازیان
✦
چو جایی نبینند سود و زیان
“'The Arabs will not be your helpers when they see no immediate profit or advantage.'”
#16
به درد دل اندر تو را زار نیز
✦
به دشمن سپارند از بهر چیز
“'In the anguish of your heart, they will bitterly surrender you to your enemy for the sake of wealth.'”
#17
بدین کار پشت تو یزدان بود
✦
همآواز تو بخت خندان بود
“'In this ordeal, God shall be your support, and smiling fortune shall be your ally.'”
#18
چو بگذاشت خواهی همی مرز و بوم
✦
از ایدر برو تازیان تا به روم
“'Since you must leave this realm, depart from here and pass beyond the Arabs unto Rome.'”
#19
سخنهای این بندهٔ چاره جوی
✦
چو رفتی یکایک به قیصر بگوی
“'When you arrive, speak one by one the words of this resourceful servant to the Caesar.'”
#20
به جایی که دین است و هم وخواسته‌ست
✦
سلیح و سپاه وی آراسته‌ست
“'To a realm where faith and riches abide, and where his weapons and hosts are ready.'”
#21
فریدونیان نیز خویش تواَند
✦
چو کارت شود سخت پیش تواَند
“'The lineage of Fereydun are also your kinsmen; when your cause grows dire, they will stand before you.'”
#22
چو بشنید خسرو زمین بوس داد
✦
بسی بر نهان آفرین کرد یاد
“When Khosrow heard this, he kissed the ground and praised his father's inner wisdom abundantly.”
#23
به بندوی و گردوی و گستهم گفت
✦
که ما با غم و رنج گشتیم جفت
“He said to Bandoy, Gardoy, and Gostaham: 'We have become companions to sorrow and pain.'”
#24
بسازید و یکسر بنه برنهید
✦
بر و بوم ایران به دشمن دهید
“'Make ready and pack up entirely; surrender the land and soil of Iran to the enemy.'”
#25
بگفت این و از دیده آواز خاست
✦
که ای شاه نیک اختر و داد و راست
“He spoke thus, and tears rose from his eyes: 'O noble, just, and righteous King!'”
#26
یکی گرد تیره برآمد ز راه
✦
درفشی درفشان میان سپاه
“A dark cloud of dust arose from the road, with a gleaming banner shining amidst the army.”
#27
درفشی کجا پیکرش اژدهاست
✦
که چوبینه بر نهروان کرد راست
“A banner bearing the image of a dragon, which Chubin had raised straight over Nahrawan.”
#28
چو بشنید خسرو بیامد به در
✦
گریزان برفت او ز پیش پدر
“When Khosrow heard of it, he came to the gate and fled from before his father.”
#29
همی شد سوی روم برسان گرد
✦
درفشی پس پشت او لاژورد
“He rode like dust toward Rome, a lapis-blue banner trailing behind him.”
#30
بپیچید یال و بر و روی را
✦
نگه کرد گستهم و بندوی را
“He turned his neck, chest, and face, looking back toward Gostaham and Bandoy.”
#31
همی راندند آن دو تن نرم نرم
✦
خروشید خسرو به آوای گرم
“Those two were riding gently and slowly; Khosrow shouted to them in a warm, urgent voice:”
#32
همانا سران‌تان ز پیش آمده‌ست
✦
که بدخواهتان همچو خویش آمده‌ست
“'Surely evil has come upon your heads, as if your enemy were your own friend!'”
#33
اگر نه چنین نرم راندن چراست
✦
که بهرام نزدیک پشت شماست
“'If not, why ride so softly, when Bahram is right behind your back?'”
#34
بدو گفت بندوی کای شهریار
✦
دلت را به بهرام رنجه مدار
“Bandoy said to him: 'O King, do not afflict your heart on account of Bahram.'”
#35
کجا گرد ما را نبیند ز راه
✦
که دورست ز ایدر درفش سیاه
“'He cannot see our dust from the road, for his black banner is far from here.'”
#36
چنین است یارانت را گفت و گوی
✦
که ما را بدین تاختن نیست روی
“'The talk among your companions is that we have no reason for such frantic riding.'”
#37
چو چوبینه آید به ایوان شاه
✦
هم آنگه به هرمز دهد تاج وگاه
“'When Chubin reaches the king's palace, he will forthwith return the crown and throne to Hormoz.'”
#38
نشیند چو دستور بر دست اوی
✦
به دریا رسد کارگر شست اوی
“'He will sit at his side as minister, and his political hook will reach the sea.'”
#39
به قیصر یکی نامه از شهریار
✦
نویسد که این بندهٔ نابکار
“'He will write a letter from the sovereign to Caesar, saying: This worthless servant,'”
#40
گریزان برفته‌ست زین مرز و بوم
✦
نباید که آرام گیرد بروم
“'Has fled in panic from this realm; he must not find rest or refuge in Rome.'”
#41
هم آنگه که او خویشتن کرد راست
✦
نژندی وکژی ازین بهر ماست
“'The moment he makes himself firm, ruin and affliction will fall upon us.'”
#42
چو آید بر آن مرز بندش کنید
✦
دل شادمان را گزندش کنید
“'When he arrives in that realm, bind him fast and bring injury to his glad heart.'”
#43
بدین بارگاهش فرستید باز
✦
ممانید تا گردد او سرفراز
“'Send him back to this court; do not allow him to raise his head high.'”
#44
ببندید هم در زمان با سپاه
✦
فرستید گریان بدین جایگاه
“'Bind him at once with your army and send him weeping to this place.'”
#45
چنین داد پاسخ که از بخت بد
✦
سزد زین نشان هرچ بر ما رسد
“Khosrow answered: 'By ill fortune, whatever befalleth us is well deserved.'”
#46
سخنها درازست و کاری درشت
✦
به یزدان کنون باز هشتیم پشت
“The matter is grave and long is the tale; we have now placed our reliance upon God.”
#47
براند اسپ و گفت آنچ از خوب و زشت
✦
جهاندار برتارک ما نبشت
“He urged his steed forward and said: 'Whatever of good or ill the Ruler of the World hath written upon our brow...'”
#48
بباشد نگردد به اندیشه باز
✦
مبادا که آید به دشمن نیاز
“'...Will come to pass and cannot be altered by thought; may it never be that we stand in need of the foe.'”
#49
چو او برگذشت این دو بیدادگر
✦
ازو بازگشتند پر کینه سر
“When he had passed, those two treacherous men turned back from him, their heads filled with malice.”
#50
ز راه اندر ایوان شاه آمدند
✦
پر از رنج و دل پرگناه آمدند
“From the road they entered the King's palace, full of grief and with hearts heavy with sin.”
#51
ز در چون رسیدند نزدیک تخت
✦
زهی از کمان باز کردند سخت
“As they reached the royal throne from the doorway, they swiftly untied a tough bowstring.”
#52
فگندند ناگاه در گردنش
✦
بیاویختند آن گرامی تنش
“They suddenly cast it around his neck, and choked that noble body of his.”
#53
شد آن تاج و آن تخت شاهنشهان
✦
تو گفتی که هرمز نبد در جهان
“Gone was that crown and the throne of monarchs; you would say Hormoz had never even existed in the world.”
#54
چنین است آیین گردنده دهر
✦
گهی نوش بار آورد گاه زهر
“Such is the custom of the turning heavens: at times it yields sweet nectar, and at times bitter poison.”
#55
اگر مایه اینست سودش مجوی
✦
که در جستنش رنجت آید به روی
“If such is its capital, seek not its profit, for in pursuing it, only distress shall meet your face.”
#56
چو شد گردش روز هرمز به پای
✦
تهی ماند زان تخت فرخنده جای
“When the turn of Hormoz's reign came to its close, that blessed throne was left vacant of him.”
#57
هم آنگاه برخاست آواز کوس
✦
رخ خونیان گشت چون سندروس
“Right at that moment, the sound of war-drums arose, and the faces of the murderers turned pale as sandarac.”
#58
درفش سپهبد هم آنگه ز راه
✦
پدید آمد اندر میان سپاه
“The banner of the general appeared along the road, coming forth amidst the army.”
#59
جفا پیشه گستهم و بند وی تیز
✦
گرفتند زآن کاخ راه گریز
“The cruel Gostahm and the swift Bandoy hastily fled from that palace.”
#60
چنین تا به خسرو رسید این دو مرد
✦
جهانجوی چون دیدشان روی زرد
“Thus they rode until the two men reached Khosrow; when the world-seeker saw their pale visages...”
#61
بدانست که‌ایشان دو دل پر ز راز
✦
چرا از جهاندار گشتند باز
“He knew that their hearts were filled with secrets—why else had they turned back from the king?”
#62
به رخساره شد چون گل شنبلید
✦
نکرد آن سخن بر دلیران پدید
“His countenance turned pale like the fenugreek flower, yet he revealed not that matter to the brave warriors.”
#63
بدیشان چنین گفت کزشاه راه
✦
بگردید کامد به تنگی سپاه
“He spoke to them thus: 'Turn away from the main highway, for the host hath closed in tightly!'”
#64
بیابان گزینید و راه دراز
✦
مدارید یکسر تن از رنج باز
“'Choose the desert path and the long journey, and spare not your bodies from hardship at all!'”