-
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- The
Letter Written by the King of
- the
Khatavians in Answer to Tariel
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- 401
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- "HE wrote: 'I, Ramaz the king, write a
letter to thee,
- Tariel. I marvelled at what was written in
the letter penned
- by thee. How dost thou summon thither me
who am lord
- over many peoples! I will look at no other
letter which
- comes from thee.'
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- 402
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- "I COMMANDED the soldiers to be
summoned; I sent
- forth the Lord of the Marches. They
gathered together the
- armies of India more numerous than the
stars, from near
- and far all hastened towards me, plain,
rock and waste
- were altogether filled with soldiers.
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- 403
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- "THEY came swiftly; they made no
tarrying at home. I
- held a review; the good order of the troops
pleased me—their
- alertness and valour, beautifully drawn up
in squadrons, the
- speed of their steeds, their Khvarazmian1
armour.
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- 404
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- "I RAISED the royal standard with flag
of red and black.
- I commanded the countless troops to set out
in the morning.
- I myself wept, I mourned exceedingly my
evil fate: 'If I see
- not the sun I know not how I can ever
depart.'
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- 405
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- "I WENT in. The sadness of my pensive
heart was
- increased unto me; burning tears welled
forth from mine
- eyes like a pool. 'My luckless fate,' said
I, 'has never yet
- ruled. Why did my hand lay hold of the rose
since thus it
- could not cull it!"
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