Enchanted by her charms; she was the cause
Of this destruction. Thou art woman's slave!
Woman, the bane of man's felicity!
Who ever trusted woman? Death were better
Than being under woman's influence;
She places man upon the foamy ridge
Of the tempestuous wave, which rolls to ruin,
Who ever trusted woman?--Woman! woman!"
Kaus looked down with melancholy mien,
And, half consenting, thus to Rustem said:--
"Sudaveh's blandishments absorbed my soul,
And she has brought this wretchedness upon me."
Rustem rejoined--"The world must be revenged
Upon this false Sudaveh;--she must die."
Kaus was silent; but his tears flowed fast,
And shame withheld resistance. Rustem rushed
Without a pause towards the shubistan;
Impatient, nothing could obstruct his speed
To slay Sudaveh;--her he quickly found,
And rapidly his sanguinary sword
Performed its office. Thus the Sorceress died.
Such was the punishment her crimes received.

Having thus accomplished the first part of his vengeance, he proceeded
with the Persian army against Afrasiyab, and all the Iranian warriors
followed his example. When he had penetrated as far as Turan, the enemy
sent forward thirty thousand men to oppose his progress; and in the
conflict which ensued, Feramurz took Sarkha, the son of Afrasiyab,
prisoner. Rustem delivered him over to Tus to be put to death precisely
in the same manner as Saiawush; but the captive represented himself as
the particular friend of Saiawush, and begged to be pardoned on that
account. Rustem, however, had sworn that he would take his revenge,
without pity or remorse, and accordingly death was inflicted upon the
unhappy prisoner, whose blood was received in a dish, and sent to Kaus,
and the severed head suspended over the gates of the king's palace.
Afrasiyab hearing of this catastrophe, which sealed the fate of his
favorite son, immediately collected together the whole of the Turanian
army, and hastened himself to resist the conquering career of the enemy.

As on they moved; with loud and dissonant clang;
His numerous troops shut out the prospect round;
No sun was visible by day; no moon,
Nor stars by night. The tramp of men and steeds,
And rattling drums, and shouts, were only heard,
And the bright gleams of armour only seen.

Ere long the two armies met, when Pilsam, the brother of Piran, was
ambitious of opposing his single arm against Rustem, upon which
Afrasiyab said: