misfortunes. The beneficent has died, and Abu al-Husayn, the
possessor of depravities, still lives. Sore of heart art thou and criest
over him. His life is like to his death. Therefore, beat thine own
head with both hands.
His first verses became very celebrated and proverbial. People began to
recite them as proverbs and chess players unconsciously began to hum
them. Ibn Hamdun narrates:
One day I was playing chess with Mu'tadid bi Allah. "Ubaydullah
came to seek permission about something and went away. When he
had gone Mu'tadid recited the hemistich [hayat Hadha karnawt
Uadha - his life is like his death). He was humming this and throwing
the dice. 'Ubaydullah Abu al-Qasim had to come in again in connexion with some other work. Mu'tadid was not aware of his coming
and went on humming the hemistich. I, however, tactfully signalled
that 'Ubaydullah was in the room. Mu'tadid lifted his head and saw
'Ubaydullah in the room. Mu'tadid felt so ashamed and humiliated
that his face reflected his shame and disgrace. At last he said: "O
Abu al-Husayn, why dost thou not chop the tongue of this speaker of
gibberish?" (Humiliation had forced the Caliph to address 'Ubayd
by his paternal name). 'Ubaydullah, thinking this to be the appropriate opportunity hurried away from there, and reached his home. He
sent for Ibn Bassam in order to achieve tranquillity of his heart.
When I came to know of this, I became dizzy, my hands became
palsied, and tongue disorganised. I was afraid lest Ibn Bassam be
punished. When Mu'tadid enquired what had transpired, I said:
"Commander of the Faithful! Abu al-Qasim is being consumed by
his own fire and I am afraid he will have the tongue of Bassam
chopped off in his present state of frenzy. Bassam is among the great
poets, and if this happens, it will bring disrepute to you." The
Caliph sent for Abu al-Qasim and asked him what he had done to Ibn
Bassam. Abu al-Qasim said he had sent for a friend of his to chop off
Ibn Bassam's tongue. The Caliph thereupon expostulated: "We had
wished that you should be kind and generous to him so that he may
compose encomia instead of lampoons and satires". Abu al-Qasim
said: "Commander of the Faithful! Were you better acquainted with
him and heard his verses, you would have allowed me to cut off his
tongue." Mu'tadid smiled, and said: "It was because of such people
that we had ordered the dilapidation of Buhayrah. Call him and
donate to him 300 dinars. It would be better thus for us than that
we should have his tongue cut off". And Ubaydullah did as he was
told, gave the poet money, and had him appointed at the despatch
post of Saymarah, where he retained his position till the last days of
Mu'tadid's reign.
