Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.22.2

42.22.2

He spoke to the Generalissimo and to the others, with an elegance of language, and a flow of expression that astonished those illustrious personages, and he intermixed his discourses with such marks of benignity and attention, as well as grandeur and superiority, as charmed and over-awed them all. VERSES: "Wise man, said he in verses, do not raise a Buckler against an arrow shot by Fate. "When destiny leads the attack, it is immaterial whether thou be behind the wall of a fortress, or in an open plain. "Crouch to the ground, when merciless adversity directs its shaft against thee; "Crouch low, that it may pass over thee without doing thee harm." He continued discoursing in this manner until the dawn of the day, when the bacaol, or superintendent of the kitchen-office, announced that His Majesty was served. Abul-hassen turning to the Imperialists, asked their leave, and also invited them to partake of his repast. Some amongst them, who were of a rough intolerant temper, were for objecting to his having that liberty; but the Persian Moguls found no inconvenience at all in it, and Moqhtar-qhan in particular, with two or three more, accepted the invitation. Roh-ollah-qhan excused himself politely, but could not help expressing his amazement at a meal taken at such a time. "It is my customary time," said Abul-hassen. — Admitted, said Roh-ollah-qhan, I know it; but cannot understand how you find an inclination to eat at this very time.