In the Battle of Ankara in 1402, Timur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, defeated Bajazid, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and took him prisoner. He gave Bajazid a very civil reception at first, and asked,"Now, tell me truly what you would have done with me, had I fallen into your power?"
Bajazid is said to have replied,"I would have enclosed you in an iron cage, and carried you about as a spectacle of derision to the world."
Timur said,"Then, proud man, as you would have done to me, even so shall I do to you." An iron cage was made, into which Bajazid was thrust, and he was carried along in Timur's train like a wild beast for nearly three years until, despairing of obtaining his freedom, he struck his head with such violence against the bars of the cage, as to put an end to his wretched life.
一四○二年，成吉思汗後人帖木兒在安哥拉一戰之中，打敗並活捉了鄂圖曼帝國的蘇丹巴耶塞特。他接見巴耶塞特時，最初很客氣，問道：「要是我落在你手上，你會怎樣對我？老實告訴我吧。」
據說，巴耶塞特的回答是：「我會把你關進鐵籠裏，帶在身旁，供世人取笑。」
帖木兒說：「你真狂妄。既然你會這樣對待我，我就照樣對待你好了。」他叫人造了個鐵籠，把巴耶塞特推進去。巴耶塞特像野獸一樣，被帶在帖木兒的隨從之中，過了將近三年。最後，他自覺沒有機會恢復自由，用力把頭撞在籠子的鐵條上，結束了悲慘的生涯。
（古德明）
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