presumption of
Antar, who, born a slave, had dared to cast eyes on his free-born
cousin.

When therefore he slew a slave who had slandered him, his father ordered
him to be flogged, and sent away to watch over the cattle in the
pastures. He had now before him a fresh opportunity for exhibiting his
prodigious strength and invincible courage. A lion attempted to attack
the herds committed to his care. He killed it at the very moment that
his father Shedad, enraged against him, had come, accompanied by his
brother, to do him ill. But a mingled feeling of admiration and fear
held their hands, and in the evening, when Antar returned from the
pastures, his father and his uncle made him seat himself at dinner with
them, while the rest of the attendants stood behind them.

Meanwhile King Zoheir was called upon a warlike expedition against the
tribe of Temin. All his warriors followed him; the women alone remained
behind. Shedad entrusted them to the protection of Antar, who pledged
his life for their safety. During the absence of the warriors, Semiah,
the lawful wife of Shedad, conceived the idea of giving an entertainment
on the bank of the lake Zatoulizard. Ibla attended it with her mother,
and Antar witnessed all the amusements in which his beloved took part.
His passion for her became intensified. He was once tempted to violate
the modesty of love by the violence of desire, but, at that moment, he
saw a great cloud of dust rise in the distance; the shouts of war were
heard; and suddenly the warriors of the tribe of Cathan appeared on the
scene, and, descending on the pleasure-seekers, carried off the women,
including Ibla. Antar, being unarmed, ran after one of the horsemen,
seized him, strangled and threw him to the ground. Then he put on the
armor of the vanquished foe, attacked and put to flight the tribe of
Cathan, rescued the women, and obtained a booty of twenty-five horses.
From that moment Semiah, the wife of Shedad, who hitherto had a
pronounced aversion to Antar, conceived a sincere affection for him.

King Zoheir, meantime, had returned victorious from his expedition.
Shedad returned at the same moment, and went to visit his herds. Seeing
Antar surrounded by horses which he did not know, and mounted upon a
fine black courser, he asked, "Where did these animals, and particularly
this superb horse, come from?" Then Antar, not willing to betray the
imprudence of Semiah, declared that, as the Cathanians had left t