The Man in the Panther's Skin/Chapter 7

by Shot'ha Rust'havelli

VII

FIRST LETTER WRITTEN BY NESTAN-DAREDJAN TO HER LOVER

363. "I saw the letter; it was from her for whom fire consumes my heart. The sunbeam wrote: 'O lion! let not thy wound appear. I am thine. Die not, but I hate vain fainting. Now Asmat'h tells thee all that is spoken by me.

364. "'Pitiful fainting and dying, what love dost thou think this! It is better to exhibit to the beloved deeds of heroism.^[1] All dwellers in Khatavet'hi^[2] are our tributaries; now their ill-will^[3] towards us cannot be borne by us.

365. "'I was desirous to wed thee even before, but hitherto I have not found opportunity to speak. The other day^[4] I saw thee deprived of reason sitting in the litter^[5]; then I heard all that had befallen thee.

366. "'I will tell thee truth; hearken to this that I say to thee: Go, do battle with the Khatavians,^[2] exhibit thyself to me in a goodly manner, this is better for thee. Weep idly no more; why moisten more the rose! What more can the sun do to thee!^[6] Behold, I have turned thy darkness to dawn.'^[7]

1. Cf. 11, 12.
2. Cathay, 196, 373, 976. Query: Is "Cathay" derived from Khatavet'hi?
3. Djavri, P.
4. Or, last time.
5. Cubo, 380; also "canopy."
6. (than I do)
7. Ch. here inserts a quatrain (377).