The Rashīdī History 34.2

34.2

The fighting began at a place called Kaba Matan, and clamour and shouting filled the vault of the heavens. The first attack was made upon the soldiers of Amir Timur, by the scouts of the enemy, who were boasting of the superiority of their army in numbers, and were burning for the fray. But Timur, keeping his foot as firmly fixed upon the spot where he was standing, as was his kingdom upon its foundations, seized his bow and arrow and made his left arm like an Alif and his right arm like a Dál, [Verses] .... And his soldiers, in imitation of their king, discharged their missiles into the souls of the enemy, just as the starry army of the moon let fly their shooting stars; and the reed of the arrow — according to the words "we have ordained them as missiles against the evil spirits" — made such writing with the blood of the scouts, that not one of them remained alive. . . . Among those slain were Tuk Timur, a Beg, brother of Begjik, Daulat Shah, and two princes besides, who were both of them leaders of the other army. [Verses]: Of all these daring men not one was left. But all fell wretchedly, of life bereft. The two armies then rushed upon one another, and blood flowed from the enemy as if it were tears from a thousand eyes. [Verses]: They charged one another like great mountains; The desert became a sea of blood; You would have said that tulips had Sprung up on the face of the earth.