Matthew Arnold's Sohrab and Rustum and Other Poems Part 3

_The Poetry of Matthew Arnold_, by R.H. Hutton, in _Essays Theological and Literary_, Vol. II.

_Religion and Culture_, by John Shairp.

_Arnold_, in _Victorian Poets_, by Stedman.

_Matthew Arnold, New Poems_, in _Essays and Studies_, by A.C. Swinburne.

_Arnold_, in _Our Living Poets_, by Forman.

SOHRAB AND RUSTUM

AND OTHER POEMS

NARRATIVE POEMS

SOHRAB AND RUSTUM

AN EPISODE

And the first grey of morning fill'd the east, 1 And the fog rose out of the Oxus stream. 2 But all the Tartar camp along the stream 3 Was hush'd, and still the men were plunged in sleep; Sohrab alone, he slept not; all night long 5 He had lain wakeful, tossing on his bed; But when the grey dawn stole into his tent, He rose, and clad himself, and girt his sword, And took his horseman's cloak, and left his tent, And went abroad into the cold wet fog, 10 Through the dim camp to Peran-Wisa's tent. 11

Through the black Tartar tents he pa.s.s'd, which stood Cl.u.s.tering like bee-hives on the low flat strand Of Oxus, where the summer-floods o'erflow When the sun melts the snows in high Pamere 15 Through the black tents he pa.s.s'd, o'er that low strand, And to a hillock came, a little back From the stream's brink--the spot where first a boat, Crossing the stream in summer, sc.r.a.pes the land.

The men of former times had crown'd the top 20 With a clay fort; but that was fall'n, and now The Tartars built there Peran-Wisa's tent, A dome of laths, and o'er it felts were spread.

And Sohrab came there, and went in, and stood Upon the thick piled carpets in the tent, 25 And found the old man sleeping on his bed Of rugs and felts, and near him lay his arms.

And Peran-Wisa heard him, though the step Was dull'd; for he slept light, an old man's sleep; And he rose quickly on one arm, and said:-- 30

"Who art thou? for it is not yet clear dawn.

Speak! is there news, or any night alarm?"

But Sohrab came to the bedside, and said:-- "Thou know'st me, Peran-Wisa! it is I.

The sun is not yet risen, and the foe 35 Sleep; but I sleep not; all night long I lie Tossing and wakeful, and I come to thee.

For so did King Afrasiab bid me seek 38 Thy counsel, and to heed thee as thy son, In Samarcand, before the army march'd; 40 And I will tell thee what my heart desires.

Thou know'st if, since from Ader-baijan first 42 I came among the Tartars and bore arms, I have still served Afrasiab well, and shown, At my boy's years, the courage of a man. 45 This too thou know'st, that while I still bear on The conquering Tartar ensigns through the world, And beat the Persians back on every field, I seek one man, one man, and one alone-- Rustum, my father; who I hoped should greet, 50 Should one day greet, upon some well-fought field, His not unworthy, not inglorious son.

So I long hoped, but him I never find.

Come then, hear now, and grant me what I ask.

Let the two armies rest to-day; but I 55 Will challenge forth the bravest Persian lords To meet me, man to man; if I prevail, Rustum will surely hear it; if I fall-- Old man, the dead need no one, claim no kin.

Dim is the rumour of a common fight, 60 Where host meets host, and many names are sunk; 61 But of a single combat fame speaks clear."

He spoke; and Peran-Wisa took the hand Of the young man in his, and sigh'd, and said:--

"O Sohrab, an unquiet heart is thine! 65 Canst thou not rest among the Tartar chiefs, And share the battle's common chance with us 67 Who love thee, but must press for ever first, In single fight incurring single risk, To find a father thou hast never seen? 70 That were far best, my son, to stay with us Unmurmuring; in our tents, while it is war, And when 'tis truce, then in Afrasiab's towns.

But, if this one desire indeed rules all, To seek out Rustum--seek him not through fight! 75 Seek him in peace, and carry to his arms, O Sohrab, carry an unwounded son!

But far hence seek him, for he is not here.

For now it is not as when I was young, When Rustum was in front of every fray; 80 But now he keeps apart, and sits at home, In Seistan, with Zal, his father old. 82 Whether that his own mighty strength at last Peels the abhorr'd approaches of old age, Or in some quarrel with the Persian King. 85 There go!--Thou wilt not? Yet my heart forebodes 86 Danger or death awaits thee on this field.

Fain would I know thee safe and well, though lost To us; fain therefore send thee hence, in peace To seek thy father, not seek single fights 90 In vain;--but who can keep the lion's cub From ravening, and who govern Rustum's son?

Go, I will grant thee what thy heart desires."

So said he, and dropp'd Sohrab's hand, and left His bed, and the warm rugs whereon he lay; 95 And o'er his chilly limbs his woollen coat He pa.s.s'd, and tied his sandals on his feet, And threw a white cloak round him, and he took In his right hand a ruler's staff, no sword; 99 And on his head he set his sheep-skin cap, 100 Black, glossy, curl'd, the fleece of Kara-Kul; 101 And raised the curtain of his tent, and call'd His herald to his side, and went abroad.

The sun by this had risen, and clear'd the fog From the broad Oxus and the glittering sands. 105 And from their tents the Tartar hors.e.m.e.n filed Into the open plain; so Haman bade-- 107 Haman, who next to Peran-Wisa ruled The host, and still was in his l.u.s.ty prime.

From their black tents, long files of horse, they stream'd; As when some grey November morn the files, 111 In marching order spread, of long-neck'd cranes Stream over Casbin and the southern slopes 113 Of Elburz, from the Aralian estuaries, 114 Or some frore Caspian reed-bed, southward bound 115 For the warm Persian sea-board--so they stream'd.

The Tartars of the Oxus, the King's guard, First, with black sheep-skin caps and with long spears; Large men, large steeds; who from Bokhara come 119 And Khiva, and ferment the milk of mares. 120 Next, the more temperate Toorkmuns of the south, 121 The Tukas, and the lances of Salore, 122 And those from Attruck and the Caspian sands; 123 Light men and on light steeds, who only drink The acrid milk of camels, and their wells. 125 And then a swarm of wandering horse, who came From far, and a more doubtful service own'd; The Tartars of Ferghana, from the banks 128 Of the Jaxartes, men with scanty beards 129 And close-set skull-caps; and those wilder hordes 130 Who roam o'er Kipchak and the northern waste, 131 Kalmucks and unkempt Kuzzaks, tribes who stray 132 Nearest the Pole, and wandering Kirghizzes, 133 Who come on s.h.a.ggy ponies from Pamere; These all filed out from camp into the plain. 135 And on the other side the Persians form'd;-- First a light cloud of horse, Tartars they seem'd.

The Ilyats of Khora.s.san; and behind, 138 The royal troops of Persia, horse and foot, Marshall'd battalions bright in burnish'd steel. 140 But Peran-Wisa with his herald came, Threading the Tartar squadrons to the front, And with his staff kept back the foremost ranks.

And when Ferood, who led the Persians, saw That Peran-Wisa kept the Tartars back, 145 He took his spear, and to the front he came, And check'd his ranks, and fix'd them where they stood. 147 And the old Tartar came upon the sand Betwixt the silent hosts, and spake, and said:--

"Ferood, and ye, Persians and Tartars, hear! 150 Let there be truce between the hosts to-day.

But choose a champion from the Persian lords To fight our champion Sohrab, man to man."

As, in the country, on a morn in June, When the dew glistens on the pearled ears, 155 A s.h.i.+ver runs through the deep corn for joy-- 156 So, when they heard what Peran-Wisa said, A thrill through all the Tartar squadrons ran Of pride and hope for Sohrab, whom they loved.

But as a troop of pedlars, from Cabool, 160 Cross underneath the Indian Caucasus, 161 That vast sky-neighbouring mountain of milk snow; Crossing so high, that, as they mount, they pa.s.s Long flocks of travelling birds dead on the snow, Choked by the air, and scarce can they themselves 165 Slake their parch'd throats with sugar'd mulberries-- In single file they move, and stop their breath, For fear they should dislodge the o'erhanging snows-- So the pale Persians held their breath with fear.

And to Ferood his brother chiefs came up 170 To counsel; Gudurz and Zoarrah came, And Feraburz, who ruled the Persian host Second, and was the uncle of the King; 173 These came and counsell'd, and then Gudurz said:--

"Ferood, shame bids us take their challenge up, 175 Yet champion have we none to match this youth.

He has the wild stag's foot, the lion's heart. 177 But Rustum came last night; aloof he sits 178 And sullen, and has pitch'd his tents apart.

Him will I seek, and carry to his ear 180 The Tartar challenge, and this young man's name.

Haply he will forget his wrath, and fight.

Stand forth the while, and take their challenge up."

So spake he; and Ferood stood forth and cried:-- "Old man, be it agreed as thou hast said! 185 Let Sohrab arm, and we will find a man."

He spake: and Peran-Wisa turn'd, and strode Back through the opening squadrons to his tent.

But through the anxious Persians Gudurz ran, And cross'd the camp which lay behind, and reach'd, 190 Out on the sands beyond it, Rustum's tents.

Of scarlet cloth they were, and glittering gay, Just pitch'd; the high pavilion in the midst Was Rustum's, and his men lay camp'd around.

And Gudurz enter'd Rustum's tent, and found 195 Rustum; his morning meal was done, but still The table stood before him, charged with food-- A side of roasted sheep, and cakes of bread; And dark green melons; and there Rustum sate 199 Listless, and held a falcon on his wrist, 200 And play'd with it; but Gudurz came and stood Before him; and he look'd, and saw him stand, And with a cry sprang up and dropp'd the bird, And greeted Gudurz with both hands, and said:--

"Welcome! these eyes could see no better sight. 205 What news? but sit down first, and eat and drink."

But Gudurz stood in the tent-door, and said:-- "Not now! a time will come to eat and drink, But not to-day; to-day has other needs.

The armies are drawn out, and stand at gaze; 210 For from the Tartars is a challenge brought To pick a champion from the Persian lords To fight their champion--and thou know'st his name-- Sohrab men call him, but his birth is hid.

O Rustum, like thy might is this young man's! 215 He has the wild stag's foot, the lion's heart; And he is young, and Iran's chiefs are old, 217 Or else too weak; and all eyes turn to thee.

Come down and help us, Rustum, or we lose!"

He spoke; but Rustum answer'd with, a smile:-- 220 "Go to! if Iran's chiefs are old, then I 221 Am older; if the young are weak, the King Errs strangely; for the King, for Kai Khosroo, 223 Himself is young, and honours younger men, And lets the aged moulder to their graves. 225 Rustum he loves no more, but loves the young-- The young may rise at Sohrab's vaunts, not I.

For what care I, though all speak Sohrab's fame?

For would that I myself had such a son, And not that one slight helpless girl I have-- 230 A son so famed, so brave, to send to war, And I to tarry with the snow-hair'd Zal, 232 My father, whom the robber Afghans vex, And clip his borders short, and drive his herds, And he has none to guard his weak old age. 235 There would I go, and hang my armour up, And with my great name fence that weak old man, And spend the goodly treasures I have got, And rest my age, and hear of Sohrab's fame, And leave to death the hosts of thankless kings, 240 And with these slaughterous hands draw sword no more."