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should want to mount guard over[1] the Kadjis in Kadjet'hi; if so, I tell thee I would by no means have given it to thee, such is mine avarice!"
1383. P'hridon the gay[2] jests with such discourse as this; thereupon they, the eloquent, wise-worded ones, laugh, they joke one with another, with merriment beseeming them. They dismounted and arrayed themselves; they mounted their excellent steeds.
1384. Again they interchanged words, not tart[3] to the mouth. They resolved on that plan proposed by Taria. They divided among them by hundreds the men, all equal to heroes. They mounted their horses; their helmets[4] they raised.
1385. I saw those heroes[5] shining with rays excelling the sun; those three are covered by the seven planets[6] with a column of light. Tariel with slender[7] form sits on the black (horse); they consumed their foes in fight as their admirers by gazing.[8]
1386. Now, this is what I shall say is their image and likeness: When clouds rain down, and the stream pours from the mountains, it comes and glides through the glens, turmoil and uproar is heard; but when it unites with the sea then is it even so calm.
1387. Though P'hridon and Avt'handil are unrivalled in valour,[9] yet to engage with Taria is to be desired of none; the sun hides even the planets, nor do the Pleiads[10] shine. Now give heed, O listener; thou shalt hear of fierce fights.
1388. The three split up into three, one for each gate; with them they had three hundred men all equal to heroes. That night they hastily made a reconnaissance,[11] not illusory.
- ↑ Mzera.
- ↑ Laghi, ? proud; but cf. line 3.
- ↑ Mcvakhe, unripe, 204.
- ↑ Chabalakhi, 597.
- ↑ Dchabuci, ? knight; 1221, 1368.
- ↑ Mnat'hobni, seven including sun and moon; 944, 1515.
- ↑ Tsertseti.
- ↑ There are four internal rhymes; ? this and the next two quatrains spurious.
- ↑ Sicet'he.
- ↑ Khomlni; khomi, khomli, lustre, chandelier; 1117.
- ↑ Sadarno.
