Dochia, Trajan and Cobal

Who has not heard of the brave Dacian king, Decebal and the great Roman emperor Trajan? Well, and then you should know about Dochia, too, the beautiful and courageous princess, king Decebal’s very sister. It is no wonder that many would sigh thinking of her and wishing her for a wife. The brave Cobal – brother of the late king Duras, who had reigned before Decebal – was one of those who suffered secretly. CobaI would love her dearly, but being less courageous in speech would still wait for the right time to tell her of his heart’s torment…

The problem was that the country was engulfed in a terrible was with the army of Emperor Trajan, who was leading his legions seeking to conquer the rich country of the Getae-Dacians.

The story goes that Trajan dressed in plain clothes, while walking one day through a forest, in a clearing, came across, princess Dochia, wearing a soldier’s dress. As she was tired and much too skirmish with the worries of that war, Decebal’s sister was so startled at the unexpected apparition that she fainted… Bending over her in amazement and taking her fur cap aside, Trajan was even more astounded to see that it was a maiden – a very beautiful maiden one! No wonder, he fell for her that very moment! …

They met for several days in that clearing and chatted as Dochia also felt for Trajan, whom she thought a brave Getae-Dacian. It was only the faithful Cobal, not losing his beloved from sight, who quickly understood who was now winning a place in the princess’ heart. Grieved and foaming with anger, he vowed to forget about Dochia and to take a cruel vengeance on Trajan. Unfortunately, the war soon came to an end, and there was peace between the Dacians and the Romans again. Three years later, Trajan and his legions embarked upon a new war against Dacia, a more successful one this time.

The strongholds were either conquered or crashed one by one and the thousands war prisoners were sent to mighty Rome. The brave Cobal was there, too, in chains, after one night, when dressed in Roman clothes, squeezed through to Trajan’s tent, trying to kill him. Decebal himself, seeing that the invaders could not be held back, drank from a cup of poison lest he would fall into enemy hand, hence dying a free man as he lived all his life.

Overwhelmed with worries and sorrow, just like many escapees, Dochia started her trek to the east and north of the land, thinking that she would become a shepherdess. But… she was not meant to find her peace as Trajan himself, his love unrequited yet.

Dochia, who reached as far as the rocks and pastures on the sacred Mount Ceahlău, chose a flock of sheep and, in the mountain quietness, started her life of a shepherdess. This is how the passionate Trajan found her. As he started as once to share with her the ardour in his heart, wishing to take her with him, Dochia remembered that she did not know his name…

“I am Emperor Trajan and I would do anything for you!” – said all in one breath the mighty Roman leader. When he heard that she was facing the deadly enemy of her land, Dochia severed her heart’s feelings instantly and overwhelmed with hatred, pulled herself off his arms, seeking escape on the top of the sacred mountain. She was quick but Trajan was even quicker owing to the wings of his passion. Seeing in horror that there was no escape, Dochia prayed to the great Zalmoxes not to let her at the enemy’s mercy. Then, a lightning struck the clear bright sky turning the miserable princess into a rock.

The old people also say that, when Cobal returned from the dungeons of Roma, asking about beautiful Dochia, he reached the majestic rock appeared from the maiden’s desperation and the skies’ mercy. He mourned for several days and nights and then thinking that his life is pointless, he plunged into the mountain’s abyss, his beloved name on his lips. Zalmoxes took mercy of him, too, and turned him into a rock so that the image of the brave and faithful lover can be deciphered still in stone, higher from Vulturul lui Traian [Trajan’s Eagle], along Plăieșii [The Frontier Guards] and Cetățuia [The Stronghold]…