Book II: The Unjust Fate of Men
An army was assembled to march south,
Led by the prince Aryandes and his kin
He was soon joined by Zeionises’ men
And Oxyboakes’ skilled warriors.
When they learned where the Yavanas were camped,
They set up an ambush in the bare hills
Above the old rod to Marakanda
The army of the Yavanas marched on
Ignorant of the Saka watching them.
The battle trumpet signaled the attack,
The drums of war rolled deep like thunder’s march
The Saka rode down the grassy steppe hills
Their arrows pierced the air like birds in flight
The Yavanas walked their last on that day.
Further to the west, Sapalbizes marched
Into the lands of the Alantae tribes
Their chieftain, Asparung, learned of the horde
Massing on the edges of his clan’s land
He rode out swiftly to greet them in war
And routed the armies of the Rrudi.
Great Sapalbizes promised to return
When he could muster more Saka horsemen.
Runners brought him news of the siege upon
The haughty Baktrans of Marakanda.
He smiled and said, “Their cruelty shall be
The cause of their most desired demise.
Their people will rise up in revolt soon
This I know in the bottom of my bones.”

Seeking to strengthen the federation,
He sent out an emissary, Shafar,
To the land of the bold Mazakata
And offer them an esteemed place in the
Growing domain of the Saka Rauka.
Some of them accepted in great wisdom,
Yet others still refused the Rrudi’s reign.
The allied tribes laid siege to Bukharak
And urged the rebel leader, Urgaspa
To capitulate to the Sakas’ rule.
Poor fool, he refused to acknowledge them
Claiming that the gods were on his men’s side.
His head was soon rotting upon a pike.
This was to be the last great victory
Rrudi Sapalbizes lived to witness.
Three days after, he lay dead in his tent
The knife in his chest was of Baktran make!
The Yavanas had a great commander,
Apollodotos Agathekleious,
A veteran warrior and survivor
Of countless battles against many foes.
With Antigenes Antimachou, they
Marched to Marakanda and struck the horde.
The Saka retreated, but not for long
For Apollodotos came upon them,
Outwitted Raudäka Aryandes, who
Had just be declared Rrudi Aryandes,
And killed many of the Saka’s best men
Forcing them to flee into their own lands.
Apollodotos almost followed them
But was ordered by his king to return.
The poor warlord Aryandes was left
With a scattered camp of exhausted men.
They had been dazzled by the great city,
Tasted fine wines plundered from its vineyards,
And now they were back upon the fierce steppe,
Their beloved chieftain dead, and their new king
Beaten back by the Yavanas’ power.