That dost thou disobey me in what I have written
I will surely make of thee meat for eagles.
Divorce Saida, and send her equipped instantly,
With el-Kamît and Nasr son of Dzabyân.
Then he folded the letter and sealed it, and summoned el-Kamît and Nasr son of Dzabyân, and entrusted this important matter to their care.
So they took the letter and journeyed until they arrived at el-Medînah. Then they went to Marwân son of el-Hákam, and saluted him, and presented the letter to him, and intimated to him the state of affairs. And Marwân read the letter, and he wept. Then he went to Saida and told her. And not daring to disobey Muʾâwiyah, he divorced her in presence of el-Kamît, and Nasr son of Dzabyân. And he equipped them, and Saida accompanied them. And Marwân wrote a letter, saying the following lines:
Be not hasty, Commander of the Faithful. For verily
Thy vow shall be redeemed in private and in public.
Though overcome by admiration, I acted not unlawfully,
For how could I bear the titles oppressor, adulterer?
Hold me excused, for surely, hadst thou seen her,
My passion had been thine, by nature's inevitable law.
This Sun will soon approach thee; there is not her peer
Within the realms of men or of genii.
Then he sealed the letter and made it over to the
