His proposal and said that they would join with all their
hearts. So when the Barons had assented, BOGA (which was he who had set
the business going), and with him ELCHIDAI, TOGAN, TEGANA, TAGACHAR,
ULATAI, and SAMAGAR, - all those whom I have now named, - proceeded to the
tent where Argon lay a prisoner. When they had got thither, Boga, who was
the leader in the business, spoke first, and to this effect: "Good my Lord
Argon," said he, "we are well aware that we have done ill in making you a
prisoner, and we come to tell you that we desire to return to Right and
Justice. We come therefore to set you free, and to make you our Liege Lord
as by right you are!" Then Boga ceased and said no more.
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW ARGON GOT THE SOVEREIGNTY AT LAST.
When Argon heard the words of Boga he took them in truth for an untimely
jest, and replied with much bitterness of soul: "Good my Lord," quoth he,
"you do ill to mock me thus! Surely it suffices that you have done me so
great wrong already, and that you hold me, your lawful Lord, here a
prisoner and in chains! Ye know well, as I cannot doubt, that you are
doing an evil and a wicked thing, so I pray you go your way, and cease to
flout me." "Good my Lord Argon," said Boga, "be assured we are not mocking
you, but are speaking in sober earnest, and we will swear it on our Law."
Then all the Barons swore fealty to him as their Lord, and Argon too swore
that he would never reckon it against them that they had taken him
prisoner, but would hold them as dear as his father before him had done.
And when these oaths had passed they struck off Argon's fetters, and
hailed him as their lord. Argon then desired them to shoot a volley of
arrows into the tent of the Melic who had held them prisoners, and who was
in command of the army, that he might be slain. At his word they tarried
not, but straightway shot a great number of arrows at the tent, and so
slew the Melic. When that was done Argon took the supreme command and gave
his orders as sovereign, and was obeyed by all. And you must know that the
name of him who was slain, whom we have called the Melic, was SOLDAN; and
he was the greatest Lord after Acomat himself. In this way that you have
heard, Argon recovered his authority.
CHAPTER XV.
HOW ACOMAT WAS TAKEN PRISONER.
<+> (A messenger breaks in upon Acomat's festivities with the news that
Soldan was slain, and Argon released and marching to attack him. Acomat
escapes to seek shelter with the Sultan of Babylon, i.e. of Egypt,
attended by a very small escort. The Officer in command of a Pass by which
he had to go, seeing the state of things, arrests him and carries him to
the Court (probably Tabriz), where Argon was already arrived.)
CHAPTER XVI.
HOW ACOMAT WAS SLAIN BY ORDER OF HIS NEPHEW.
And so when the Officer of the Pass came before Argon bringing Acomat
captive, he was in a great state of exultation, and welcomed his uncle
with a malediction,[1] saying that he should have his deserts. And he
straightway ordered the army to be assembled before him, and without
taking counsel with any one, commanded the prisoner to be put to death,
and his body to be destroyed. So the officer appointed to this duty took
Acomat away and put him to death, and threw his body where it never was
seen again.
[1] "Il dit a son ungle qe il soit le mau-venu" (see supra, p. 21).
CHAPTER XVII.
HOW ARGON WAS RECOGNISED AS SOVEREIGN.
And when Argon had done as you have heard, and remained in possession of
the Throne and of the Royal Palace, all the Barons of the different
Provinces, who had been subject to his father Abaga, came and performed
homage before him, and obeyed him, as was his due.[NOTE 1] And after
Argon was well established in the sovereignty he sent CASAN, his son, with
30,000 horse to the Arbre Sec, I mean to the region so-called, to
watch the frontier. Thus then Argon got back the government. And you must
know that Argon began his reign in the year 1286 of the Incarnation of
Jesus Christ. Acomat had reigned two years, and Argon reigned six years;
and at the end of those six years he became ill and died; but some say
'twas of poison.[NOTE 2]
NOTE 1. - Arghun, a prisoner (see last note), and looking for the worst,
was upheld by his courageous wife BULUGHAN (see Prologue, ch. xvii.), who
shared his confinement. The order for his execution, as soon as the camp
should next move, had been issued.
BUKA the Jelair, who had been a great chief under Abaka, and had
resentments against Ahmad, got up a conspiracy in favour of Arghun, and
effected his release as well as the death of ALINAK, Ahmad's
commander-in-chief. Ahmad fled towards Tabriz, pursued by a band of the
Karaunas, who succeeded in taking him. When Arghun came near and saw his
uncle in their hands, he called out in exultation Morio! - an exclamation,
says Wassaf, which the Mongols used when successful in archery, - and with a
gesture gave the signal for the prisoner's death (10th August 1284).
Buka is of course the Boga of Polo; Alinak is his Soldan. The
conspirators along with Buka, who are named in the history of Wassaf, are
Yesubuka, Gurgan, Aruk, Kurmishi, and Arkasun Noian.
