When the diplomatic letter of Caesar arrived at the court of Khosrow Parviz, tidings of a historic alliance echoed through the royal halls. Khosrow summoned the grandees of Iran, announcing that the turning heavens had cast a new light upon the world: Caesar had sent a profound message seeking to extinguish the ancient enmity between Rome and Iran. The Iranian nobles replied that though malice had long burned between the empires, if Khosrow could bring about true peace, his name would be inscribed upon royal crowns for eternity.
Seeing their approval, Khosrow cleared the assembly of strangers. He called for ink, pen, and Chinese silk, ordering the royal scribe to draft an epistle in the imperial Pahlavi script. Khosrow began by swearing an oath before Holy Yazdan that as long as he reigned, he would demand no tribute from Rome nor send armies across her borders. Every city and territory held by Iranian arms, regardless of its yield, would be restored to Caesar under sealed treaties.
Furthermore, Khosrow willingly accepted Caesar's noble and pure daughter in marriage. He requested that the Iranian nobles residing under Caesar's protection—Gustaham, Shapur, Andiyan, and Khorrad son of Barzin—be returned to Iran alongside the royal bride and her escort. By this match, the ancient ties of blood stretching back to Kyumars, Jamshid, the lineage of Iraj, the farr of Fereydun, and the renowned justice of Qobad the Great (under whose reign wolf and sheep drank together) would be renewed, uniting Romans and Iranians as one.
Sealing the parchment, Khosrow entrusted the letter to Khorrad son of Barzin. The chieftain mounted his bay steed like the swift wind and galloped until he reached Byzantium. Upon breaking the seal and reading Khosrow's definitive terms, Caesar convened the wisest counselors and most eloquent scholars of Rome to deliberate on the alliance. The Roman elders bowed low, declaring that Caesar was the sovereign ruler whose command was absolute, and that their very lives were at his service. Pleased with their loyalty, Caesar praised his lords and awaited the morning light to execute the historic compact.
#1
چو آن نامه نزدیک خسرو رسید
✦
زپیوستن آگاهی نو رسید
“When that letter reached Khosrow, fresh news of union arrived.”
#2
به ایرانیان گفت کامروز مهر
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دگرگونه گردد همی برسپهر
“He said to the Iranians: 'Today the sky's favor turns upon us in a new fashion.'”
#3
زقیصر یک نامه آمد بلند
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سخن گفتنش سر به سر سودمند
“'A magnificent letter has come from Caesar, filled entirely with beneficial words.'”
#4
همی راه جوید که دیرینه کین
✦
ببرد ز روم و ز ایران زمین
“'He seeks a path to erase the ancient grudge between the lands of Rome and Iran.'”
#5
چنین یافت پاسخ زایرانیان
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که هرگز نه برخاست کین ازمیان
“He received this reply from the Iranians: 'Never was that grudge removed from between us.'”
#6
چواین راست گردد بهنگام تو
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نویسند برتاجها نام تو
“'Yet if this comes to pass in your time, your name shall be inscribed upon crowns.'”
#7
چوایشان بران گونه دیدند رای
✦
بپردخت خسرو زبیگانه جای
“When Khosrow saw their counsel thus, he cleared the chamber of all strangers.”
#8
دوات و قلم خواست وچینی حریر
✦
بفرمود تا پیش او شد دبیر
“He called for inkstand, pen, and Chinese silk, ordering his scribe to stand before him.”
#9
یکی نامه بنوشت بر پهلوی
✦
برآیین شاهان خط خسروی
“A letter was written in Pahlavi, in the royal script after the tradition of kings.”
#10
که پذرفت خسرو زیزدان پاک
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ز گردنده خورشید تا تیره خاک
“Stating that Khosrow has pledged before Pure Yazdan, from the turning sun to the dark earth,”
#11
که تا او بود شاه در پیشگاه
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ورا باشد ایران و گنج و سپاه
“That as long as he reigns upon the throne, Iran, its treasure, and its host belong to him,”
#12
نخواهد ز دارندگان باژ روم
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نه لشکر فرستد بران مرز وبوم
“He shall demand no tribute from the rulers of Rome, nor dispatch armies unto their borders.”
#13
هران شارستانی کزان مرز بود
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اگر چند بیکار و بی‌ارز بود
“Every city that belonged to that realm, however minor or value-stripped it may be,”
#14
بقیصر سپارد همه یک بیک
✦
ازین پس نوشته فرستیم و چک
“Shall be surrendered to Caesar one by one, supported henceforth by signed deeds and drafts.”
#15
همان نیز دختر کزان مادرست
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که پاکست وپیوستهٔ قیصرست
“Likewise, the pure daughter born of that mother, related closely to Caesar,”
#16
بهمداستان پدرخواستیم
✦
بدین خواستن دل بیاراستیم
“We have requested with her father's consent, and in this asking, we have set our heart upon her.”
#17
هران کس که در بارگاه تواند
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ازایران و اندر پناه تواند
“Whosoever from Iran is present at your court and takes refuge under your protection,”
#18
چوگستهم و شاپور و چون اندیان
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چو خراد بر زین زتخم کیان
“Such as Gustaham, Shapur, Andiyan, and Khorrad Barzin of Kayanid stock,”
#19
چو لشکر فرستی بدیشان سپار
✦
خرد یافته دختر نامدار
“When you send your army, entrust to them the renowned, wise princess.”
#20
بخویشی چنانم کنون باتو من
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چو از پیش بود آن بزرگ انجمن
“Thus shall I be bound in kinship with you, as was that great assembly in former times.”
#21
نخستین کیومرث با جمشید
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کزو بود گیتی ببیم وامید
“First from Kyumars to Jamshid, through whom the world held hope and fear,”
#22
دگر هرچ هستند ایرج نژاد
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که آیین و فر فریدون نهاد
“And all who are of Iraj's seed, establishing the tradition and glory of Fereydun,”
#23
بدین همنشان تا قباد بزرگ
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که از داد او خویش بدمیش وگرگ
“Down in like manner to Qobad the Great, by whose justice the ewe and wolf became kin.”
#24
همه کینه برداشتیم از میان
✦
یکی گشت رومی و ایرانیان
“We have cast all malice aside; the Roman and the Iranian have become one.”
#25
ز قیصر پذیرفتم آن دخترش
✦
که از دختران باشد او افسرش
“I have accepted Caesar's daughter, she who shall be the crown above all daughters.”
#26
ازین بر نگردم که گفتم یکی
✦
ز کردار بسیار تا اندکی
“I shall not turn back from what I have spoken, whether in deeds great or small.”
#27
تو چیزی که گفتی درنگی مساز
✦
که بودن درین شارستان شد دراز
“Delay not in what you promised, for remaining in this city has drawn long.”
#28
چو کرد این سخن‌ها برین گونه یاد
✦
نوشته بخورشید خراد داد
“When he had thus expressed these matters, he gave the letter to Khorrad son of Barzin.”
#29
سپهبد چو باد اندر آمد زجای
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باسپ کمیت اندر آورد پای
“The chieftain rose like the wind and mounted his swift bay steed.”
#30
همی‌تاخت تا پیش قیصر چوباد
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سخنهای خسرو بدو کرد یاد
“He galloped like the wind to Caesar and conveyed Khosrow's words to him.”
#31
چو قیصر ازان نامه بگسست بند
✦
بدید آن سخنهای شاه بلند
“When Caesar broke the seal of the letter, he saw the words of the exalted King.”
#32
بفرمود تا هر که دانا بدند
✦
به گفتارها بر توانا بدند
“He commanded that all who were wise and capable in discourse be summoned.”
#33
به نزدیک قیصر شدند انجمن
✦
بپرسید زیشان همه تن بتن
“They assembled near Caesar, and he questioned them all one by one,”
#34
که اکنون مر این را چه درمان کنیم
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ابا شاه ایران چه پیمان کنیم
“'What remedy shall we seek for this now? What covenant shall we forge with the King of Iran?'”
#35
بدین نامه ما بی‌بهانه شدیم
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همی روم و ایران یگانه شدیم
“'By this letter we have no excuse left; Rome and Iran have become united.'”
#36
بزرگان فرزانه برخاستند
✦
زبان را به پاسخ بیاراستند
“The wise elders arose and adorned their tongues with an answer:”
#37
که ما کهترانیم و قیصر تویی
✦
جهاندار با تخت و افسر تویی
“'We are your servants and you are Caesar, the world-holder with throne and crown.'”
#38
نگه کن کنون رای و فرمان تو راست
✦
ز ما گر بخواهی تن و جان تو راست
“'Consider now, for the counsel and command are yours; if you ask of us body and soul, they are yours.'”
#39
چو بشنید قیصر گرفت آفرین
✦
بدان نامداران با رای و دین
“When Caesar heard this, he praised those noblemen of wisdom and faith.”
#40
همی‌بود تاشمع گردان سپهر
✦
دگرگونه ترشد به آیین و چهر
“He stayed until the turning candle of the sky altered its face and fashion.”