Antenor

“ Then Aias in his turn called aloud to peerless Polydamas: "Bethink thee, Polydamas, and tell me in good sooth, was not this man worthy to be slain in requital for Prothoënor? No mean man seemeth he to me, nor of mean descent, but a brother of Antenor, tamer of horses, or haply a son; for he is most like to him in build."
[475] So spake he, knowing the truth full well, and sorrow seized the hearts of the Trojans. Then Acamas, as he bestrode his brother, smote with a thrust of his spear the Boeotian Promachus, who was seeking to drag the body from beneath him by the feet. ”

“ I am of the race of Abs, the valiant lion of the cavern. If thou art Badhramoot, I am called Antar among men. It was easy for me to vanquish the armies of Chosroe in the contest; and soon will I overthrow Cæsar’s self with my spear. Hear the words of an intrepid lion, resolute, undaunted, all-conquering. I am he of whom warriors can bear witness in the combat under the turbid battle-dust. My sword is my companion in the night-shades, as are also my Abjer, and my lance and my spear in the conflicts. Night is my complexion, but day is my emblem; the sun is unquestionably the mirror of my deeds. ”

“ Then the warriors went to their tents, and the King to his own pavilion. And his wife, Temadhur, came up to him, and kissing his hands—O King, said she, if you are wise and good, be kind to Antar; for it is he that has protected your wife and children. Thus was his joy in the deeds of Antar augmented, and he slept at ease until the morning dawned, when he ordered the sheep and camels to be slain, and a feast to be prepared, and a magnificent entertainment to be made ready for all the tribe of Abs and Adnan. ”

“ And Mubidan added—Let the persons of your faith bear witness for you. Antar understood not what they were saying—Prepare for battle, he cried; and immediately the Greek let go the bridle, and assailed Antar the son of Shedad. Antar was like a furious lion, as he thus spoke:
“This day I will aid King Monzar, and I will exhibit my powers and my prowess before Chosroe; I will break down the support of Greece from its foundations, and I will sever Badhramoot’s head with my scimitar. I will exterminate every lion hero with my sword: let him vaunt, let him boast, let him scoff. ”

“ Antar was in amazement at what he saw, and the people also stared and gazed at him; and this continued till they came before Chosroe. Monzar stepped forward and saluted him, and prayed for a continuance of his glory and power. Then Antar too paid his homage, and thus spoke:
“May God avert from thee the evils of fortune, and mays’t thou live secure from calamities! May thy star be ever brilliant in progressive prosperity, and increase in glory! May thy sword be ever sharp, and cleave the necks of thy foes, O thou King of the age! ”

“ Away, or I will destroy you all, both high and low, with this sword. He then went to Antar, to learn what was the matter, and he heard him growling like a furious lion, and repeating these verses.
“O my soul! strive not to fly, thou cans’t not escape when death seeks thee; death is predestined; it will come in some shape or other. Endure then with the patience of one nobly born. Fly not from the fears of death, or thou wilt remain scorned among the Arab chiefs.”
The Prince desired Antar to explain the business, which he did, and told him all that had happened between Daji and the old woman ”

“ But when they came nigh the tents, there appeared his brother Shas; in his hand was a flaming sword, and under him a steed swifter than a cloud when it rains, and his bosom was charged with fury and indignation, and he was about to slay Antar. When his brother Malik saw him, he was aware if he did not keep him away from Antar, he would injure him. How is it I see thee so disturbed? said he. Know, said Shas, this accursed Antar has killed my servant, and I am come to cut his body in pieces with this sword. You must not touch him, said Malik; he who dares to oppose him is a dead man. ”

“ Antar, the ferocious lion, felt his heart assuaged in the midst of slaughter, and in the concussion of heroes and warriors. He exhibited terrors amidst the concourse of heroes, and scattered whole armies over the plains and the mountains. King Monzar cried out aloud to his troops, and they exposed themselves to the enemy: roused afresh was the flame of war; it fiercely raged, and its sparks flashed; the dust blackened the whole land, so that both earth and heaven were veiled. The ground tottered under the hoofs of the noble steeds, until the sweat even moistened their entrails. ”

“ Ibla will be concealed from you from this day forward. I fear also that your father will contrive to kill you, and that no one will be able to relieve you. But stay here whilst I tell all this to my father. O my lord, said Antar, the only place of rest for me is on the highways; and I must roam about the whole day and the live long night; for men have conspired to destroy me, such as Rebia and your brother Shas. He passed the whole night with Malik, and at the dawn of day Antar mounted his horse, and put on his armour and his cuirass. ”

“ May you ever be under the protection of God! Thus Antar went on talking with the King, when, Shedad coming up to him, Antar ran towards him and kissed his feet in the stirrup, thus saying;
“O my Lord, I am come begging forgiveness; the slave is come like a criminal; the sword and warhorse would fail, should presumption ever bear sway.” ”

“ The spell was broken as Taurus Antinor resumed quietly:
"The Cæsar," he said, "hath not yet abdicated; he is still our chosen ruler and Emperor. To speak of his successor now savours of treachery and——"
"And what thou sayest stinks of treachery," broke in Hortensius Martius with redoubled wrath, and shaking himself free from the brief spell of superstitious awe which Antinor's words and Antinor's grip on his arm had momentarily cast over him. "Hast come here, O praefect, but to spy on us, to probe our souls and use them for thine own selfish ends?" ”

“ Antar heard all they said, and Shedad praised his son Antar, informing the king of all he had done, and all he had composed in prose and verse, and related the whole story. All this, cried the King, greatly rejoiced at the courage and eloquence of Antar, I anticipated at the time he slew the slave of my son Shas; I knew he would be the refuge of every petitioner. Who can execute such deeds or perform such acts! doubtless he will rise superior to all his contemporaries. And he called out to him, and ordered him into his presence. ”

“ Antar advanced towards the King, kissed his hands, and thus addressed him:
“O King of the universe, I thank thee for the vast gifts thou hast bestowed upon me; thou hast granted me favors I cannot bear; thou art the most beneficent of all that tread the earth! thou art the man to whom all Kings bow in the day of battle; every Arab and every Persian. But thy slave still lives in the agony he endures from his love, his weakness, and his passion. He lives far from his friends, for whom he thirsts; and languishing for Ibla, he lives restless in torments.” ”

“ He waited until the slave returned, and told him that Antar had associated himself with Ghegadh, the son of Nashid, and at that moment he was, single handed, engaged with five thousand horsemen, and Nakid the son of Jellah. Malik wept. May God, said he, prosper him, for he has devoted himself to death and destruction; never will he fly or retreat; but by the life of my father King Zoheir, I must aid him, and if he is dead, never will I return till I have taken vengeance on his foes, and made his murderers drink of the loathsome cup. ”

“ Antar and the horsemen soon returned from the pursuit, having filled the earth with the dead, and having collected the scattered horses, and all the booty and plunder from the plains and deserts; as they prosecuted their journey towards the tribe of Mazin, Antar preceded the troops of warriors like a noble lion, and thus addressed them.
“I am he that makes the warriors drink of the cups of death with the sharp-bladed glittering Indian scimitar. I am the raiser of their dust, and the atmosphere is thick and darkly turbid with [160] blows at which cowards are humbled and terrified. ”

“ Terrified at Antar’s words cried Harith, what is it thou sayst, Aboolfawaris? For God’s sake return with me, trouble not thyself about such matters, and do not banish thyself from amongst us; our property is not so small; and verily I am astonished how my father and brother could let thee depart alone. I told no one of my departure, said Antar; My lord my uncle demands of me camels that we have not, and are not in our tribe, and I have engaged to procure them, and I have said yes: and he thus continued. ”

“ In less than an hour he drove them from the plunder. As soon as the Absians heard the sound of Antar from under the cloud of dust,—Verily, Antar, the magnanimous warrior, will overcome them, said they; may God assist him! This is indeed true intrepidity, and he deserves half the spoil; for if the heroes drink the cup of death, the greatest share will fall to him, for verily the eye of the sun cannot be concealed. Thus their hearts were purified towards Antar, and they all returned to his assistance. ”

“ ANTARA, or. as he is usually called, Antar, an early Arabian warrior and poet, famous as the author of one of the poems hung up in the Kaaba at Mecca, and as the hero of a romance which bears somewhat the same relation to Arabic literature which the Arthurian legend bears to our own. He was the son of Shedad-el-Absi, a warrior in the army of Zoheir, by Zabuba, a negro slave who had been captured in some plundering expedition; and, if we can trust the Arabian romancist, he bore strong evidence of his negro origin. ”

“ I am the well known Antar, the chief of his tribe, and I shall die: but when I am gone, history shall tell of me.”
Antar’s eloquence and intrepidity made the Prince’s heart bound with joy, for not an Arab amongst the neighbouring or distant tribes could equal him. Verily, said Malik, the spirit of God animates you, and inspires your mind; for you have attained the full expression of words, and are perfect in rhymes. They went on, passing over the wilds and the deserts, until they approached their own country, when Malik sent forward one of his [124] men to give notice of his coming. ”

“ Antar smiled, and presented himself before Ibla’s mother. O mistress, said he, what think you of these our enemies? verily they are eager for their prey. O Antar, said she, my force and spirits are exhausted; in a moment we shall be the prisoners of our enemies, and they will scatter us over this desert. O my mistress, said Antar, give Ibla to me in marriage, and I will disperse [78] your enemies at a single onset. I will reduce them to annihilation; and I will give you their horses and their armour as a dower. ”

“ Arabs in that country, and their property and camels very abundant; with them is my object, and what my uncle has demanded.
Shiboob trembled and was confounded at this intelligence, for he knew the country. Why not stop till morning, said he, that thou mayst acquaint King Zoheir and Prince Malik? for they may perhaps be able to assist thee in this affair. Return my brother, and expose not thy life to difficulties and dangers. Away! away! cried Antar; not a word; none but the Creator of mankind can aid me; I must destroy my accursed enemies. ”

“ Let not thine eyelids be weighed down with sleep. But had I not a chief who commands me, liberal in speech, and exalted in power, I would do myself justice with my sword, and soon would I shew the difference between virtue and outrage.”
When Antar had finished, the chiefs admired his eloquence: King Zoheir went up to him, and made him dismount. May God never renounce thy mouth! said he: may no one ever harm thee, O thou protector of the tribes! And then turning towards Malik, Ibla’s father, he said—How is it that you will not marry your daughter to a hero? ”

“ Verily, said they, O my cousin, the foe is come up with us, and to day will our booty be torn away, and our sculls will fly off. Know, my cousins, said Antar, that death will not be wanting, neither will it increase; but I have long wished for such a day as this, for I have not given up the tribe of Abs; my heart is fixed on returning home; and this fortuitous circumstance has happened to us by the will of Him who disposes life and death. Now is the flame of war at hand, and sorrow and anguish are approaching. Whoever among you is ready to fight, let him fight ”

“ Antar went apart from them for a while into the rocky plain, then galloped, and challenged them to the contest, thus addressing them;—
“When my foe sues me for a debt, I settle the debt with the Redeinian spear: [2] my scimitar’s edge shall extirpate ye all, and shall justly decide between you and me. I am exalted by my sword and spear far above the minutest stars and the two bears. Foul wretches! ye know not my power, but the inhabitants of the two hemispheres shall feel it. The grasp of fortune has not destroyed my strength, and the fingers of time have not been stretched out against me. ”

“ What can men do, said Monzar, when double their numbers attack them? and they are overwhelmed by those who do not fear their carnage? Man, said Antar, must patiently resist, and drink of the cup of death as he drinks the purest water, and not fly or run away. I am now in your power, and I demand of you the marriage dower of Ibla, my uncle’s daughter; restore me my sword, my cuirass, my arms, and my horse, and give me a thousand men to defend my rear ”

“ So the next day Amarah mounted his horse and went to Malik to give him the dower and marriage presents; and just at that moment arrived a messenger at the tents of the tribe of Abs, announcing the approach of Prince Malik son of Zoheir, and Antar son of Shedad, and all the noble warriors in their suite. Every one mounted his steed to go [168] and meet them. And friends saluted friends. Antar went home, and entered his aunt’s apartments, and staid till morning with his mother, whom he questioned about Ibla, enquiring whether she had mentioned him during his absence? ”