հՍ՚ՕԷ VEfiHlSHEH

ՀՐԱՏԱՐԱԿՈՒԹԻՒՆ ՎԱՐԳԱՆԱՆ8 ԱՍՊԵՏՆԵՐՈՒ ԵՎՐԱՅՐԱԿ8ՈՒԹԵԱՆ ԱՒԱՐԱՑ ՐԻ ՃԱԿԱՏԱՄԱՐՏԻ ՀԱԶԱՐ ՀԻՆԳ ՀԱՐԻՒՐ ԱՄ ԷԱԿԻՆ ԱՌԻԹՈՎ

PUBLISHED BY THE KNIGHTS OF VARTAN, INC. ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTEEN HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF AVARAIR

Second Edition — 1975

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA “The heroic battle of Avarair was the ecstatic and inaccessible peak of the struggle for freedom. That is why it has been, now is and shall ever remain the most glorious page of Armenian history; a magnificent page which has inspired and comforted many generations of Armenians and has shown the paths of national and political virtues to the Country, the People and the Church.” KEVORK VI. Catholicos and S upreme Patriarch of All the Armenians .

Dedication

TO THE MEMORY OF THE PEERLESS AND FEARLESS WARRIORS

OF THE HEROIC COUNTRY OF ARMENIANS, WHO, UNDER THEIR

BRAVE AND VALIANT LEADER, VARTAN MAMIGONIAN, AND, IN­

SPIRED BY THE RESOLUTE AND ELOQUENT MINISTER OF THE

ARMENIAN FAITH, GHEVONT YERETZ, WAGED HOLY WAR FOR

FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE, OF MIND, AND OF SOUL, AND FELL ON

THE FIELD OF AVARAIR, AND THUS BECAME THE EVERLASTING

SYMBOL OF THE IDEAL OF RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL

INDEPENDENCE.

LET THE PUBLICATION OF THIS GOLDEN VOLUME, DEDICATED TO

THEIR HEROIC STRUGGLE, BE A TOKEN OF OUR ADMIRATION,

REVERENCE, AND PROFOUND GRATITUDE, AND A TRIBUTE TO

THEIR BLESSED MEMORY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE IMPASSIONED

AND FERVENT COMMEMORATION OF THE FIFTEEN HUNDREDTH

ANNIVERSARY OF THAT HEROIC BATTLE.

WE OWE TO THEM OUR GLORIOUS PAST, OUR BRILLIANT PRESENT,

AND HOPEFUL FUTURE.

“BLESSED BE THE MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS”

The Second Edition

of the

History of Vartan and

The Armenian War

by

YEGHISHEH

is dedicated to the Memory of

Nakhgin Avak Sbarabed

DICKRAN H. BOYAJIAN

Historian, Prolific Writer, Attorney

and Community Leader

THE KNIGHTS OF VARTAN

Contents

Kevork VI (Excerpt from Encyclical) ...... page v

Dedication ...... vii

Preface ...... xiii

Introduction...... xvii

Address to Priest David Mamigon ...... 1

First Chapter The Times ...... 3

S econd Chapter Events Brought About by the Prince from the East . 9

Third Chapter The Unity of the Holy League of the Church ... 33

Fourth Chapter The Disruption of the Seceders from the Holy League . . 55

Fifth Chapter The Attack of the Easterners ...... 61

S ixth Chapter The War of the Armenians ...... 73

S eventh Chapter The Prolongation of Disturbances ...... 79

Eighth Chapter Concerning the Tortures and Martyrdom of Holy Priests . 91 Concerning the Armenian Confessors Khoren and Abraham The Armenian Nakharars in Bondage ......

Notes ...... 1*1

Kahnamag ...... 152

Partial List of Names Phonetically S pelled .... 153 Acknowledgment 154

THE bi-lingual translation of what is commonly known as Yeghisheh has come to light in response to a great popular demand. The publishers felt that a reproduction of this golden volume of Armenian classical litera ­ ture might be a fitting tribute to the memory of the gallant warriors, whose undaunted courage and supreme sacrifice in defense of the Christian faith, the cultural achievements and the national aspirations of the Armenian people, became and remained a constant source of inspiration to all the generations that followed. The original text was written in the fifth century, shortly after the Battle of Avarair which is generally assumed to have taken place on the 26th day of May, 451. The language used by the author reaches a sublime peak in its choice of words, poetic expressions, descriptive character, and extraordinary construction, a language that has suffered the fate of Vergil's Latin and Homer ’s Greek, and is no longer spoken, and yet it still com­ pletely dominates the services of the Armenian Church because of its enchant ­ ing beauty, majestic expressions and euphonic effect, as if intermixed with the breath of God. The difficulty of understanding the language even by those who are more or less familiar with modern Armenian, was a compelling force in deciding to embark upon the task of this translation. Furthermore, the need for an English translation for the English speaking public was con ­ sidered much greater. In this volume a sincere attempt has been made to give a true version of the original text, both in modern Armenian and in English. The work proved to be exceedingly more difficult than first antici ­ pated, but it was carried on with utmost diligence, untiring effort and unyielding perseverance, the translators being fully conscious of the fact that their struggle was to be a labor of love and duty, far more rewarding and satisfying than any other ordinary undertaking. In this connection it may be appropriate to quote from the Preface of the English translation by C. F. Neumann, to whom reference shall be made later: “. . . industry and perseverance were requisite in translating Elisaeus . Difficulties of a quite peculiar nature are presented by the Armenian language; as will be readily believed when I mention , that the words are

xiii arranged, not as the course of thought might require, but as they best suit each other with regard to euphony. The Armenian authors of the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries were formed in the schools of prostrate Greece. There they acquired all the forms of writing, known under the names of rhetorical figures, antitheses, inversions, and parentheses, and transferred them to the Armenian language; thus doing no little injury to the clearness and easy flow of the language. ” Twenty-eight different editions of Yeghisheh in classical Armenian are known to us. We have, however, chosen for our text one of the most popular and authentic editions, the Antzevatziatz edition, with occasional references for comparison to the one published in Venice in 1859. Yeghisheh has been translated into Russian, Italian, French and English, and there have been five different translations into modem Arme ­ nian, four of which are in the Eastern branch and one in the Western branch of the modern Armenian language. These two branches are not dialects, but are equally well and inde ­ pendently developed modem Armenian, taking their roots exclusively from the basic mother tongue —the classical language of the Golden Era of Armenian culture. The Eastern branch is used within the Soviet Armenian Republic and in other parts of the Caucasus and Trans-Caucasia, as well as in Russia; the Western branch is predominant principally among the Armenians in the Near East west of the Caucasus, in Europe and in the Western Hemisphere including the United States of America. The following books were used or referred to for the translation of Yeghisheh: First: The Antzevatziatz edition in classical Armenian, as the principal copy

Second: The translation into Eastern Armenian by Professor Y. Der Mina- sian , published in the Soviet Armenian Republic in 1946. It is most appropriate to note that this excellent volume contains a very valuable Introduction and extensive notes, most of which we have used for a guide in the preparation of the notes appearing in our bi-lingual volume.

Third: Yeghisheh, History of Vartan , by Kiud Aghaniantz , published in 1911, in Eastern Armenian, with notes some of which we have incorporated in this volume. xiv Fourth: The translation in Western Armenian by S tepan Panian , of Bridge- water, Massachusetts, still in manuscript form, has been useful in clari­ fying some difficult passages in the classical text.

Fifth: The English translation by C. F. Neumann , a commendable work published in London, England, in 1830. It is unfortunate, however, that this work is incomplete. The Eighth Chapter, constituting almost one-third of the book, has been left out in its entirety and many pas­ sages from almost every chapter have been omitted and so noted by the translator: “Here some spiritual reflections are omitted. ” There are, also, numerous errors which, however, may be justified by reason of the fact that the translator, a student of history, was not thoroughly familiar with the difficult Armenian language. The book has an elab ­ orate Preface and valuable notes. We have used it not only for its notes, but for occasional guide and comparison. To all these men of letters we owe a debt of gratitude. The translators are fully aware of their limitations and accept the entire responsibility for any and all errors and defects in this volume. Notwith­ standing that, they wish to believe that their efforts will not have been in vain, and that this bi-lingual volume will serve as a contribution to the spread of Armenian culture in the United States of America and abroad. That will be the reward and satisfaction of those who labored for the publication of this volume.

Hovhannes Zovickian Boston, Mass. Dickran H. B oyajian April 25, 1952.

In traduction

THE publication of this volume in Armenian and English is believed to be a fitting and long-enduring tribute to the memory of the heroes of Avarair, on the occasion of the 1500th Anniversary of their sacrifice. Yeghisheh ’s History of Vartan and the Armenian War describes vividly the true spirit, the faith, the will, and the heroism of the Armenian people of the fifth century. It is an eye-witness story, replete with emotion and fervor, portraying the events in magnificent prose which has stood the test of time. The book is still recognized as one of the most notable volumes of classical Armenian. It is regrettable, however, that so little is known about Yeghisheh ’s life, even though he has been looked upon with admiration and reverence as the most beloved and “sweet-tongued ” author of the Golden Era. Numerous attempts have been made to cast doubts upon the authenticity of his work and upon his being an eye-witness to the events he describes. Notwithstand ­ ing all that, he has persistently dominated the hearts and the minds of gen­ erations of Armenians who have accepted his story of Vartan and Vartanank as an accurate and complete account of the struggle between the Armenians and the Persians. According to legend, Yeghisheh, the historian, was a clergyman, an ordained celibate priest (vartabed) of the Armenian Church. He was one of the youngest pupils of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Mashdotz, the two most remarkable and learned figures of the Golden Era of Armenian culture. He was born probably in the year 415. His elementary education included, besides Armenian, Greek, Persian, and Assyrian. In 434 he was sent to Edessa, Palestine, and Alexandria, together with his classmates David, Mampreh, Goryune, and others. He was tutored in the school of Cyril of Alexandria, where he studied contemporary literature and liberal arte. After visiting Rome, Athens, and Constantinople he and his group of students returned to Armenia in the year 441 or 442, after the death of their former teachers and spiritual fathers. Father Ghevont Alishan of the Mekhitarists of Venice in his book entitled Soperk Haigagank (Armenian writings) relates that after Yeghisheh returned to Armenia, he “devoted himself to St. Vartan and served him faithfully in divine and secular matters ”, continuing later as personal secre-

xvn tary to the Sbarabed Vartan Mamigonian. He accompanied the Armenian Nakharars when they were summoned to Dizpon (Ctesiphon) by Hazgerd (Yezdigerd) II. Toward the end of his life Yeghisheh became a monk, and died in a hermit ’s cell some time between 470-475. Historians believe that he wrote and completed the History of Vartan and the Armenian War during the years 458-464. The authorship of a number of canonical writings and commentaries has also been attributed to him, but his historical essay on Vartan and Var- tanank has immortalized him and has captured the heart and soul of every Armenian through the centuries, even beclouding the monumental work of another famous historian, Lazar of Parbe, who rendered an objective account of the same historical episode, calmly and cautiously, describing the events chronologically and factually, without emotion or passion. Yeghisheh, on the other hand, taking the same historical data, composed a poetic prose, saturated with fervor, thrill, and pathos. Yeghisheh ’s book manifests the eloquence and imagination of a divinely inspired poet. The author swells with emotion, becomes indignant, and explodes into tears while he is narrating history. He appears fully cognizant of his subject —persons and deeds, bravery and cowardice, loyalty and trea ­ son, virtue and wickedness; boldly and courageously he rebukes and con ­ demns the guilty, praises and deifies the virtuous, his sole purpose being the glorification of passion for freedom, devotion, and patriotism. The rebellion of the Armenian people against the tyranny of the Sassa- nids of Persia constitutes the main theme of the book, wherein is described in eloquent words the most remarkable episode of Armenian history, the battle of Avarair, fought on the 26th day of May, 451, on the banks of the Dughmood River. It was, according to the author, a terrific and sanguinary clash between two unequal forces: sixty-six thousand poorly equipped Armenians against three hundred thousand well-trained and well-armed Persians. It lasted from sunrise to sunset, and as the last rays of the sun were disappearing behind the horizon, leaving the battleground strewn with bodies, so die last ray of life left the mortal remains of Vartan and 1035 of his faithful followers. From a military point of view the Armenians were defeated, but fate had decreed otherwise. The spirit of the heroes of Avarair emblazoned the path of countless other heroes and martyrs through the centuries, and xviii deeply impressed on the hearts of the Armenians the love of freedom, and convinced the rulers of Persia that Christianity in Armenia could not be replaced by sun-worship; nor freedom, by slavery. The history of Armenia has recorded many valorous deeds and mag­ nificent triumphs. Armenians have had great heroes and famous kings; they have had their Tigranes the Great, King of Kings and ruler over vast terri ­ tories and neighboring countries; but they chose a vanquished hero for their idol, as a symbol of patriotism, faith, courage, and devotion. Fifteen cen ­ turies of time and space have failed to diminish the glory of his sacrifice and his influence on the hearts and souls of our people. A glimpse into the origin, the traditions, the cultural development, and the geographical location of the Armenians may reveal important factors in determining the reasons for their unique attitude toward Vartan and Vartanank. Armenia, as recognized in history, is a beautiful country with vast plateaus and lofty mountains over which superbly reigns the snow-capped Ararat. Many streams originating in and flowing from the mountain sides form the famous rivers of the Near East—Euphrates, Tigris, Araxes, Gour (Kur), Alice, and Chorokh—which irrigate not only the plains of Armenia, but those of neighboring countries. Araxes alone is confined within the borders of Armenia, upon whose banks once stood magnificent cities, sev ­ eral of which served as metropolises, at one time or another. Many lakes, located on mountain tops and high altitudes, add to the natural beauty of the country. The geographic position of Armenia has had a decisive influence upon the fate of its inhabitants. It was, for a long period of time, a juncture between East and West, dominating the military and commercial roads of the old world, and, because of that, it served as an arena of conflict between rival nations and became the victim of many invasions and suffered conse ­ quential hardships. These factors have been instrumental in the moulding of the character of the Armenian people, and have provided them with moral strength, flexibility, sturdiness, and determination to survive. Many races and peoples invaded their country and brought disasters upon them, but the victims survived, whereas their persecutors were lost in the tide of time. Ethnological factors have also played an important part in the growth and development of the Armenian people. Anthropologists have classified

xix them with the Albian or Armenoid races, the characteristics of which are sturdiness, sagacity, and resoluteness. The Armenian ancestry has been traced to the Nairi-Urartians, the Hittites and the Hayassans, all of whom at one time or another inhabited the Armenian plateau and left important traces of their civilization. In the seventh or eighth century B.C. a new group of people, crossing the Hellespont from Thrace, invaded Asia Minor and advanced to the Armenian plateau, forming a new nation with the inhabitants of the country. From then on the name Armenian began to appear in historical records and inscriptions. The legendary history of the Armenians had come to an end and their authentic history had begun. As heirs to the customs, traditions, and characteristics of the former inhabitants of the country, the Armenians created a new civilization of their own. They continued to remain in the center of all the conflicts between warring nations from the east, west, and south. In their quest for world domination Persians, Romans, Greeks, Macedonians, Saracens, and others trod over the Armenian plateau and caused untold miseries to its inhabit ­ ants, but were never able completely to dominate the people, nor destroy their will to live. They all, however, left a trace of their own culture with the people. The Armenians never had a lust for conquest, and never became a world power, except possibly during the reign of Tigranes the Great, just prior to the advent of the Christian Era, and that for a short time only. The reason for their survival, therefore, may be found in the moral and spiritual values which they cherished. Christianity offered a great oppor­ tunity for the development and the strengthening of these values. From the middle of the first century to the close of the third century this new faith was not tolerated by the pagan ruling classes, and the wor­ shippers of Christ were mercilessly persecuted. In spite of that, however, the number of Christians increased day by day and the religion spread speedily until it became, by royal decree, the national religion, about two decades before it was officially adopted by Rome. The Sassanids of Persia viewed this new faith with suspicion and dis­ favor, and yet they refrained from overt and violent hostilities against Armenia. But when Emperor Constantine decreed Christianity as the state religion of the Byzantine Empire, the Persians began to fear that the Armenians would fall under the influence of the West. Hostilities began in Armenia and within a short time assumed enormous proportions. A xx bloody conflict ensued between the East and West culminating in the parti­ tion of Armenia in 387 A.D. Their sovereignty lost and their country divided into two, the Arme ­ nians were threatened with the loss of their national identity. The church remained their only hope for survival. They rallied to it as their only source of inspiration and guidance. But even the church was unable to afford them the needed and desired comfort, and spiritual leadership, because of an important barrier: lack of a written language. The Greek and Assyrian languages, which were then in use, were very inadequate to satisfy the needs of the people and to safeguard their religion and racial unity. The religious and temporal leaders recognized the need and made serious efforts to meet it. St. Sahag, the Catholicos, in collaboration with St. Mesrob Mashdotz, headed a movement to create Armenian characters. They were encouraged by Vramshabuh, who was then the king of the east ­ ern section of Armenia under Persian influence. The difficult task of formu­ lating an alphabet was entrusted to St. Mesrob. It required years of constant study and perseverance to achieve results. His labors were finally crowned with success; an alphabet consisting of thirty-six letters came into being and was put into immediate use. A new era had been introduced into the life of the Armenian people; a long cherished opportunity was offered to promote and enhance literary and religious development. The Holy Bible was translated into Armenian, and the people came closer to their religion. Life in Armenia underwent a complete change. A new nation was born; and the period of its birth became known as the Golden Era. Within half a century schools and private teaching flourished in the land of Armenia. The people learned to read the Bible in their own alpha­ bet; to write and sing their own hymns, canticles, and prayers; to have and to enjoy their own poetry, literature, and arts; to create their own native civilization, based on the teachings of Christ. They had, therefore a great deal to defend. Hence the Battle of Avarair, a mortal struggle for survival and for the preservation of the principles of religious and political freedom, unique in its universal significance in safeguarding Christianity in the East and in enhancing its propagation in the West. The battle ended in one day, but the persecutions continued unabated and the struggle went on for thirty years thereafter, until a new leader came

XXI upon the scene to guide the destiny of the Armenian people and bring peace to them. It was Vahan Mamigonian, the nephew of Vartan Mamigonian, who waged a relentless war against the Persians and compelled King Vagharsh of Persia to accept his terms for truce. The ensuing treaty, signed at Nouarsag in 484 A.D., contained the following articles: 1. Freedom of religion for the Armenians. 2. Recognition of qualification and experience, and rejection of the services of the unworthy. 3. The king shall examine personally all accusations and shall render decisions independently, disregarding the perjured testimony of false witnesses. The treaty of Nouarsag is the first in history compelling a tyrant to yield to the principles of religious freedom. The ideals for which Vartanank made their supreme sacrifice had been vindicated.

Hovhannes Zovickian Dickran H. Boyajian

XXII MiHISHEH THE HISTORY OF VARTANANK

English Translation by DICKRAN H. BOYAJIAN

ABOUT VARTAN AND THE WAR OF THE ARMENIANS

(.Requested by Priest David Mamigon 1)

EXCELLENT [Father,] I have completed the work which you re ­ quested of me. You instructed me to write about the War of the Armenians, wherein more than a few distinguished themselves. This I have described in seven chapters: First: The Times Second: The Events Brought About by the Prince from the East2 Third: The Unity of the Church League Fourth: The Separation of Some from this League Fifth: The Aggression of the Easterners Sixth: The Resistance of the Armenians by War Seventh: The Prolongation of the Disturbances In these seven chapters I have, with the greatest of care, arranged and recorded the beginning, the course of events, and the end, that you may peruse it continually and learn of the valiant exploits of the virtuous and the degradation of those who remained behind. [I have done this] not so much to fill any gaps in your worldly knowledge, but to perceive the power of the Heavenly Providence, which by prescience compensates both sides and reveals the invisible through the visible. But why did you, who are excellent in the wisdom of God, order me to write, since you could have better satisfied a similar command? 3 It seems to me as well as to you and to those who have been in search of wisdom, that your request is a token of heavenly love, and not of a worldly vanity. As some erudite historians have said, “Solidarity is the mother of good; discord, the parent of evil. ” So when we observed that your command was prompted by sincere love, we delayed not; nor were we discouraged by reason of our ignorance, because holiness is a great help to weakness; as prayer is to knowledge; and sacred love, to the general welfare.

1 When we received this commission from you, we undertook the task willingly for the comfort of our dear ones, for the hope of the hopeful, and for the encouragement of the brave, that with a steadfast will they may scorn death when they behold the victorious Commander,* Who is never trampled upon by an enemy, but Who demonstrates His unconquerable power to all. And indeed. He accepts as a valiant warrior whomever He wishes; and because sacrifice is multifarious, He gives many blessings to all. We acknowledge the holy love of a sincere heart to be greater than all else. This simplicity is similar to heavenly simplicity, the sight of which in you has made us forget our own [frail] nature. And, behold, we rise with you and soar above, and flying high we pass through the dangerous and tempestuous atmosphere; and as we inhale the pure airs of heaven we absorb knowledge for the redemption of our soul and for the glorification of the almighty church. Then let the hosts of the holy clergy joyfully perform their services in their respective communities for the glorification of the Father of all, and with Him let the Holy Trinity rejoice in its sorrowless essence.

2 First Chapter

THE TIMES

HOUGH it is with reluctance that we deplore the misfortune of our nation, yet, because we have received a benign order from Your Excellent Eminence, we shall begin where it is fit to begin. Truly, not of our own free will do we describe with tearful lamentations the manifold misfortunes which befell us, and to which we ourselves have been an eye-witness. After the fall of the Arshagunian 1 dynasty, the Sassanids 2 of Persia ruled over the land of the Armenians. They governed their kingdom ac­ cording to the laws of the Magi, 3 and many times fought against those who refused to accept their religion. Beginning with the days of King Arshag, the son of Diran, they fought until the sixth year of the reign of the Armenian King Ardashes, the son of Vramshabuh. And when this sovereign lost his kingdom, the government fell into the hands of the Armenian nakharars. And, although tributes were being sent to the Persian treasury, in time of war the Armenian troops were being led entirely by the nakharars; 4 and for that reason the worship of God had been widespread in the land of the Armenians, from the accession of the King of Kings, Shabuh,5 till the second year of the reign of King Hazgerd, 6 the son of Vram,7 who found Satan as his accomplice and relieved his soul of the accumulated venom and then

3 refilled it like a quiver for poisonous darts. He became boastful in iniquity and arrogantly spread a cloud of dust over the four quarters of the country and falsely alleged that we, the believers in Christ, were his opponents and enemies. Mentally he was tortured and distressed, and led a turbulent life. Because agitation and bloodshed were dear to him he was undecided how fully to vent the bitterness of his venom and whither he might shoot his countless arrows. So, by reason of his extreme madness, he fell with boundless fury, like a wild beast, on the country of the Greeks, advanced as far as the city of Medzpin, 8 laid waste sundry provinces of the Romans 9 [Horoms,] and burned all the churches. He amassed booty and prisoners and terrified all the troops of the invaded country. But the blessed Emperor Theodosius, 10 being a great lover of peace in Christ, did not wish to engage in warfare. So he sent Anatolius, 11 the sbarabed 12 of the troops in the east, to meet him with much treasure. And he gathered and delivered to the king those Persians who, by reason of their Christian belief, 13 had fled to find refuge in the imperial city. And he did whatever was required of him according to the will of the king and thus prevented the latter from being further enraged. Thereafter the king re ­ turned to the city of Dizpon. 14 And when the ungodly prince saw that his wickedness had been suc­ cessful, like a person who adds more fuel to a burning fire, he began to plan further exploits, because he was no longer afraid of the country of which he had been somewhat suspicious. Thereupon he forced many Christians to renounce the holy faith, some by means of mere threats, others by chains and tortures. There were those whom he put to a painful death; he confiscated their goods and properties, and persecuted all with unspeak­ able degradation. When he saw that they had scattered all over the country, he called to a conference the officials of the left, 15 who had adhered to pagan­ ism by indissoluble bonds, burning like a blazing furnace to destroy the league of the holy church. Because during their lives such people dwell in impenetrable darkness, their souls are held in the body just as a living person is held in a grave, where the holy light of Christ never penetrates. The agonized bears fight more fiercely with their last breath; wise men escape from them. A similar end is imminent for that kingdom. They do not feel the blows they receive, nor are they conscious of the blows they give others. When there is no foreign foe, they fight among themselves. The words of the prophet are

4 applicable to them: “A person suffering from extreme hunger arises and devours half of his own flesh .”16 Similarly the Lord Himself says: “A house or a kingdom divided within itself cannot remain standing ” ^ Therefore, [O King,] why are you struggling? Why are you fighting? Why are you agitating? Why are you incensed? Why do you not calm your­ self? Why do you call to council those who have deprived you of your soul and have corrupted your purity, and, having dragged your corruptible body like a loathsome corpse, have cast it aside? Even if you wish that your impious thoughts remain concealed, you must realize what their disclosure will mean to you. The magi said: “Valiant King! The gods have given you your kingdom and victory. They have no need of physical greatness, but they want all nations and tribes in your kingdom to be brought under one religion, and then the land of the Greeks will also submit to your authority. Now then, O King, do these things with speed; mobilize your troops, form an army and set out against the land of the Kushans. 18 Assemble all the nations and lead them within the Gate of the Watch19 and there establish your camp. When you have checked their advance and kept them away at a great distance, you will then attain the object of your wishes; and as it appears in our prophecies, you will rule over the land of the Kushans, and even the Greeks will not withdraw from your rule. It remains only to exterminate the ( hristian sect. ” This advice pleased the king and all the nobles who were in conference with him. He wrote a proclamation and dispatched swift messengers to all parts of the kingdom. Here is the copy of the proclamation: “To All the Peoples of My Kingdom, Aryans and Non-Aryans : “Many Benevolent Greetings to You. May You Be Well as We Are Well with the Help of the Gods. Without disturbing you, we went to the land of the Greeks, and without warfare, but with love and benevolence, we subjected the whole country to our service . Be of good will and have abundant joy. But listen to what rue are going to say and heed it without delay . We have decided to invade the country in the east, and by the help of the gods to bring the Kushans under our rule. As soon as you have seen this order, assemble men and horses without delay and meet me in the land of Abar.”w A copy of this proclamation came into the land of the Armenians, the Georgians, the Aghouans, 21 the Lipnians, 22 the Dzotians, 28 the Gortvians, 2*

5 the Aghtznik, 26 and into many other distant countries which in former times were not obliged to join these expeditions. Armenia Major26 raised an army of nobles, sons of free men, and free men (Vosdanig) of the royal house. In the same manner armies were raised also in the land of the Georgians, the Aghouans, the Lipnians, and the other southern provinces as far as the boundary of Dajgasdan 27 and the land of the Horoms.28 Armies also came from the lands of the Gortvians, the Kutians, 29 the Dzotians, and the Arznar- zun, 30 all of whom believed in one orthodox apostolic church. In their innocence not suspecting the artful design of the king, they hastened cheerfully from their provinces with unwearied earnestness and obedient minds, resolutely to perform their military service. They took with them Holy Gospels, many elders and many more priests. They warned their country not to expect them to live, but to meet death; and they committed their souls and bodies to each other ’s care. Although the king ’s intent was not known, they regarded it with suspicion; moreover, when they saw the great power of the Greeks broken before him, they were greatly disturbed in mind. They were obedient to the Holy Gospels of God and ever mindful of the lesson of Paul: “Servants, be obedient to your masters according to the flesh, not by deception and with eyeservice, but with good will, doing service as to the Lord and not to men, because compensation for your services will come from the Lord.”31 And with this benign thought they left their country, surrendering themselves to the Holy Spirit; and in compliance with the order, they appeared before the king, having done everything according to his command. The king rejoiced greatly that his will was done; so he treated them as he had been advised by his impious officials. When the king saw this great muster of the army of barbarians 32 who had cheerfully hastened to his service, he manifested his joy before the nobles and the entire body of his troops. His real intent was concealed by a false face and he gave abundant gifts to them, though reluctantly. Now he set out immediately and proceeded against the kingdom of the Huns, who were called Kushans. 33 But during two years of warfare he was unable to harm them in any way. Then he sent the various contingents of his troops to their own provinces, and in their stead summoned others, similarly equipped. And thus he established a yearly custom, and there he built a city for himself to dwell in. This [procedure] began in the fourth year and continued till the eleventh year of his reign.

6 When he saw that the Horoms remained true to their treaty and the Khailanturs 34 had discontinued their attacks on the Watch of Djora35 and peace reigned throughout his dominions and that he had also forced the king of the Huns into an unfavorable position by devastating many of his provinces, and that success was assured for his own kingdom, he sent joyful tidings to all the fire altars of his country. He increased the number of burnt offerings 36 of white bulls and long-tailed goats, intensified more and more his incessant practice of idolatry, and honored with laurels and medals many of the magi and even more mogbeds. 37 Then he issued an order for the confiscation of the goods and property of the Christians living in Persia. And thus he became arrogant and haughty in mind, swaggering and boasting not only that he was superhuman in acts of warfare, but also that he himself was greater in nature than any of his ancestors. He thought, consequently, that he could conceal his real self by subterfuge; the wise, 38 however, recognized that he classified himself with the immortals. Refer ­ ences to Christ’s name, His torture, crucifixion, death, and burial irritated him. He made such demented boasts daily, that one of the youngest Armenian nakharars disputed his words and asked: “Valiant King, where did you learn the words which you utter concerning our Lord? ” The king answered and said: “The books of your heresy were read before me. ” The youth replied and said: “Wherefore, O King, did you have it read only that far? Have the reading continued still farther, and you will hear of His resurrection, His appearance before many, His ascension to heaven, His sitting at the right of His Father, His promise of His second coming to cause the miraculous resurrection of all men; and of His summary reward in just judgment. ” When the king heard this he was deeply hurt, but, laughing forcibly, said: “All that is a deception. ” The soldier of Christ replied and said: “If you take as true His bodily sufferings, so must you yet more believe in His awesome second coming. ” Having heard these words, the king burned like the fire in the glowing furnace of Babylon, 36 and even those who were with him felt themselves scorched like the Chaldeans. Then he poured his entire wrath and indigna ­ tion over the blessed youth, whose name was Karekin. Having his feet and hands bound, he subjected him to tortures for about two years; and after having deprived him of his dominion, sentenced him to death.

Second Chapter

EVENTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PRINCE FROM THE EAST

YY HEN the soul of a man is weakened in heavenly virtue, his physical nature becomes haunted with fear; he is driven by every wind, disturbed by every word, and terrified by every element. Such a person is a dreamer in life, and he suffers irretrievable loss at death. As one of the ancients has said: “Death, not comprehended is mortality, death, perceived, is immortality.” He who knows not of death fears death, but he who recognizes death has no fear. And all these wicked thoughts enter into a man's mind because of his lack of knowledge. A blind person is deprived of the sun's rays, but an ignorant person is deprived of a full life. It is better to be blind in the eye than in the mind. As soul is greater than flesh, so vision of mind is greater than that of the body. A man rich in material wealth but poor in mind is more to be pitied. This we see not only in the ordinary man, but in him who is above everyone. When a king has no wisdom, he cannot keep his position in dignity. If that is true concerning physical beings, how much more true it is concerning spiritual beings. The soul is the life of the body; and body and soul are governed by the mind. As this is true for one man, so it is for the whole world. A king is not responsible for himself alone, but also for the loss of life he has caused others. Even though we are not allowed to slander the sovereign, yet we cannot praise one who quarrels with God either. I will relate without hesitation

9 the events which he forced against the holy church; and I will not refrain from describing the particulars, not because I intend to slander, but because I wish to reveal the truth. I have been neither stirred by opinions of others, nor influenced by rumors. On the contrary, I myself was present and saw, and I heard his voice speaking rashly like a severe storm which swells the waves of the great sea; he stirred and agitated the entire multitude of his troops. He conducted a public examination of all teachings; made compar­ isons between Magianism and Kavteanism 1 and all the creeds within his dominion. Hypocritically he also brought into discussion Christianity and said indignantly: “Inquire, examine and see; let us choose and keep which­ ever is the best. ” And he urged that his instructions be carried out forthwith. But when the Christians in the army who had come from various places perceived that the secretly burning fire threatened to spread through mountains and plains, they also burned with a consuming fire and cour­ ageously prepared themselves against the secret machinations. They per ­ formed holy service with loud voices, thereafter, by psalms and spiritual songs and magnificent preachings, in plain sight of the great army, and cheerfully and fearlessly instructed all who came to them. And the Lord assisted them in their efforts by means of signs and; miracles; [this was evident] because many of the sick soldiers in the heathen army were cured. But when the unbelieving ruler learned that his artful purpose had become known, and that the fire prepared by him had burst into flames, even before anyone had blown on it and had become obvious to those who feared the Lord, he began to irritate his evil mind by secret darts and in ­ flicted incurable wounds upon his own soul and body. Now he hissed and coiled himself like a poisonous serpent; now he reared and roared like an enraged lion; he writhed, rolled, and squirmed with his deceitful design, determined to achieve his purpose. Because he was unable to reach and bring within his power all the Christians, since they were not all in one accessible place, he began to give preference to the youth over the aged, the contemptible over the honored, the ignorant over the wise and the coward over the brave. And, in short, he promoted all the undeserving and demoted all the deserving. He even widened the bridge between father and son. Although he dealt thus unjustly with all nations, he persecuted the Armenians more than all the others, because he observed them to be the most zealous in the worship of God, especially those who belonged to the families of the Armenian nakharars who had sincerely adhered to the holy teachings of the apostles and the prophets. He beguiled some of them with

10 gold and silver, and many others with abundant gifts; still others with grants of hamlets and villages; and some with posts of honor and authority; and all with false promises. Thus he continually allured and exhorted them, saying: “If you would only accept the doctrine of the magi and the truth of our renowned and excellent religion by abandoning your heresy, I would make you equal to my beloved nobles in greatness and distinction. I would elevate you even higher. ” By such hypocrisy he belittled himself to all, speaking to them with pretended love, so that he might win them over by deception, following the original advice of his counsellors. And this he did from the fourth year of his reign to the eleventh. When he observed that his secret machinations served no purpose, but on the contrary, his opponents worked more ardently and Christianity grew day by day and spread through all parts of distant countries through which he passed, he began to pine and sigh in silent prayer. Reluctantly revealing his secret thoughts, he commanded in a loud voice: “All peoples and tongues throughout my dominions shall abandon their false religions and shall come to worship the sun; they shall bring offerings to it and call it god; and they shall render homage to the fire; and, in addition to all these, they shall fulfill all the ordinances of the magi, without omitting any detail. ” So said he in his proclamation to the army, giving strict orders to all; and he sent emissaries urgently to all distant nations making this order known to everyone. At the beginning of the twelfth year of his reign he assembled an army of innumerable troops and invaded the land of Idaghia. 2 When the king of the Kushans learned of this invasion, instead of meeting him in battle, he fled to the inaccessible wilderness 3 with all his troops and remained there in hiding. The Persian king let loose marauders upon the provinces, districts and places and seized many fortresses and cities, took prisoners, and carried the booty and spoils to his kingdom. Thereafter he pursued the same stupid idea, became steadfast in his aberration and said to his impious officials: “Since no one has dared to meet us in battle, what can we offer to our gods in return for this great triumph? ” The magi and the Kavteans, 4 generally in accord, raised their voices and said: “The gods, who hav^given you empire and victory over your enemies, have no need of your worldly gifts, but ask that you obliterate all human heresies, and subject all men to the laws of the Zoroastrian 3 religion. ” *

11 These words pleased the king and all the nobles and especially the religious leaders. After due conference, they accepted the given advice. Within the Gates of the Watch they held closely confined, the multitudinous forces of the Armenians, the Georgians and the Aghouans, and all those who believed in the Holy Gospel of Christ; and gave the guards strict orders to let pass only those going from west to east, but to close the road from east to west. And after they were confined and locked in a strong and impregnable dungeon — truly I said strong and impregnable, as there was no place to escape from or hide, since enemies dwelt all around — he began to mistreat them. He tormented and tortured them, forcing them to denounce the true God and worship the visible elements. But the warriors, generally well- disposed, raised their voices in unison courageously and said; “Heaven and earth bear witness that we have never lingered in our service to the king ­ dom, nor have we mixed cowardice with bravery and valor, and that we are being subjected to merciless tortures unjustly.” Their clamor was so loud that the king himself saw what was happening, and there confirmed his attitude by an oath and said: “I shall not set you free till you fulfill my commands according to my will.” And then, by his order, his wicked servants brought forth four war­ riors of noble birth and subjected them to tortures. At first they beat them severely and then cast them into prison, chained as before. With cunning he granted temporary relief to the others, placing the entire blame on those who were in chains. And he did this with the advice of the devil. Twelve days later he ordered that a more than customarily sumptu­ ous evening banquet be prepared, and invited many warriors of Christian faith. And when he was ready to take his place at the table, he offered a seat to each of them and spoke to them with kindness and grace as for­ merly, that perchance they might agree to eat the flesh of sacrificial victims which was unlawful for the Christians to eat. And when none of them yielded to his request, he did not press them, but ordered that their usual food be set before them, and he let the revelry of the banquet run high on wine. 6 And when they returned to the royal reception hall, some of them were arrested, their hands were tied behind their backs and the cords 7 of their nethergarments were sealed. They were kept in confinement under a close watch, some for two days, others for three. And their treat ­ ment was dastardly in many other ways, which we do not consider worthy of recording. Some were deprived of their rank of nobility and were exiled.

12 Then again many detachments were formed from among the Christians and dispatched to a distant country to fight against the enemies of the king in inaccessible wildernesses, where many met death by the sword. The customary salaries of all were so reduced that they suffered from hunger and thirst and they were compelled to pass the winter where the climate was very severe. He branded them as evil and contemptible persons. But they endured all these tortures most cheerfully for the love of Christ, in anticipation of that great hope advanced for all the law-abiding and tolerant people. The more wickedly he increased his insolence, the stronger they became in the love of Christ. Many of them, moreover, had studied the Holy Scriptures since childhood, with the knowledge of which they consoled themselves and encouraged their companions, openly per ­ forming and increasing their worship. Thereupon many of the heathens, to whom their voices sounded pleasant and sweet, encouraged them and spoke words of comfort, saying that it was better for any man to suffer tortures equivalent to death, than to deny such a great faith. Even though they were inwardly extremely happy and cheerful, because of their love in Christ, their outward appearance was very pitiful during their servitude. Their remarkable military status had been reduced to dismal degradation and their native freedom was terribly abused in the service of the murderous tyrant who in the shedding of blood excelled all the laws of heathens, never supposing that heaven might revenge all this. He no longer remembered the earthly services of anyone; and, what is worse than all else in the world, he inflicted greater punishment on those of the Armenian nakharars who had nurtured his brothers with their mothers ’ milk. Aside from all this the king conceived another wicked plan. He sent Tenshabuh, one of his faithful servants, on a mission to Armenia. The latter arrived there by royal command, delivered the greetings of the monarch and by hypocritical benevolence censused the population [to establish a head tax]» all over the land of the Armenians, on the pretext that he would relieve them of other taxes and would lessen the burden of their military service. Although he concealed his true intentions hypocritically, his wicked ­ ness was obvious: first, he encumbered the freedom of the church;» second, he subjected to head tax the monks living in monasteries; third, he placed heavier duties on the country: fourth, by intrigue he arrayed the families of nakharars against each other and created dissension in every house. By

13 doing all this, he intended to destroy their unity, disperse the holy league of the church, drive away the monks, and pauperize the peasantry, so that in extreme poverty, they would be forced to adopt the doctrine of the Magi. But the worst of all was his fifth plan: He instigated charges against the hazarabed, 10 who was considered a father to all the Christian peoples, removed him from office, and in his stead appointed a Persian, and also named a mogbed as Chief Justice of the country so that the glory of the church might be dimmed. But, even though all these acts were painful, the church had not yet been molested, and because of that no one opposed the tyrant. The people were taxed very heavily. Where a hundred tahegans 11 was a fair amount, double that sum was exacted. Similar charges were imposed on the bishops and the priests, not only in prosperous places, but in the poorest of locali­ ties 12 as well. Who could describe the weight of the dues, imposts, duties, excises, and taxes on hills and plains and woods? These were collected in a manner unworthy of royal dignity. They seized like robbers, and in the end they wondered how the land of the Armenians whence all these treasures flowed could yet remain prosperous. When, however, it became apparent that the people could not be intimidated, the magi and the mogbeds were ordered to write a letter in conformity with their erroneous religion. Here is the copy of the letter: “MIHRNERSEH, Grand Vizier 13 of Iran and Daniran 1* “To the Armenian Nobles : “Manifold Greetings. “Be it known to you, that every man who dwells beneath the heavens and holds not the Mazdean religion , is deaf and blind and is deceived by the devils of Ahrmen. 13 Because the heavens and the earth were not yet in existence when the great God Zruan 16 made offerings for a thousand years and said: ‘Perhaps, I will have a son by the name of Vormizt,17 who will create heaven and earth 9 And he conceived two in his abdomen: one for the offerings he had made , and the other because he said ‘perhaps 9 When he perceived that there were two in his abdomen, he said: ‘Which­ ever shall come first, to him I ivill give my sovereignty / But he who had been conceived in doubt, ruptured the abdomen and came out. To him Zruan said: ‘Who are youV The other answered: T am your son Vormizt.9 Zruan said to him: ‘My son is radiant and fragrant, you are dark and of evil disposition ! And when the son cried bitterly, the king gave him sovereignty for a thousand years.

14 “When the other son was born to him, he called him Vormizt. He then took the empire from Ahrmen and give it to Vormizt and said to him ‘Till now I made offerings to you; do the same to me now / And Vormizt made heaven and earth , but Ahrmen worked evil against him. And the creatures were thus divided: The angels are of Vormizt, the devils of Ahrmen; all good in heaven and here below are from Vormizt, and all evils on earth and in heaven are created by Ahrmen . And so, Vormizt has made whatexter is good on earth, and Ahrmen has made whatever is evil . Similarly Vormizt created man and Ahrmen made diseases, illnesses and deaths . All the misfortunes and mournful events as well as lamentable wars are the work of the evil god. Fortunes, sovereignties, glory, honor, physical health, beauty of countenance, eloquence of words, and longivity of years have their existence from the good god; and anything that is not of this category has been corrupted by the evil god.

“And all men who say that God made death and that evil and good have their existence from Him, are in error. The Christians err especially, when they say that God is jealous; that because man had eaten a fig from a particular tree, He made death and subjected man to the penalty of death. 1* Such jealousy is not possessed by man against man, much less by God against human beings. Whoever says this, is deaf and blind and has been deceived by the deviU of Ahrmen. “Again they fall into another error when they say that God, who created heaven and earth, came to earth and was born of a woman whose name was Mary, and whose spouse was called Joseph. The truth is, how­ ever, that he was the son of a man named Bantourag, 19 through illicit re ­ lations. Many people have followed this man erroneously. “Just because in their extreme madness the Horoms had erred and to the injury of their souls had deprived themselves of our perfect faith, why do you have to become insane and follow their aberration? You should, on the contrary, accept whatever faith your master holds—especially since we have to render an account of you to God. “Do not believe your leaders, whom you call Nazarenes, 20 for they are very deceitful. They do not practice in deeds what they preach in words. *To eat flesh is no sin / they say, but they themselves eat none; slt is becoming to take a wife / they say, but they themselves will never look at a woman. Tt is very sinful to accumulate wealth; they say, but they praise

15 poverty much more. They respect misery and denounce success. They ridicule the name of fate and mock fame severely. They love plainness of apparel and respect the dishonorable more than the honorable. They praise death and scoff at life. They scorn the birth of man and eulogize sterility. Were you to listen to them and not approach your women, the end of your country would shortly follow. “But I do not want to mention all the details in writing, because the things they say are many. Their preaching, that God was crucified by men, that He died, and that He was buried, and then He rose again and ascended to heaven, is worse than all we mentioned above. Should it not have been worthy of you properly to appraise such unworthy teachings ? Even the devils, who are evil, cannot be caught and tortured by men, let alone God, Who is the Creator of all beings. It is shameful for you to say things which are utterly incredible to us. “Now then, there are two ways open for you: either you answer this letter word for word, or you repair to the Court and present yourselves at the great assembly. ”*1 The Names of the Bishops22 Who Answered This Epistle: Hovsep , bishop of Airarad S ahag , bishop of Daron Meled , bishop of Manazgerd Y eznig , bishop of Pakrevant S urmag , bishop of Buznunik Dajad , bishop of Daik Tatig, bishop of Pasen Kasun , bishop of Duruperan Y eremia , bishop of Martasdan Y evlal , bishop of Martagh Anania , bishop of Sunik Musheh , bishop of Ardzrunik S ahag , bishop of Rushdunik Basil , bishop of Mogk Kat , bishop of Vanant Y eghisheh , bishop of Amadunik Y eghpair , bishop of Antzevatzik Y eremia , bishop of Abahunik

16 All these bishops, many chor-bishops,23 and honorable priests 24 from various places, together with the holy league of the church, unanimous and of one accord, assembled at the capital city of Ardashad,25 and with the consent of the most distinguished nakharars and of the whole population of the country, wrote the following answer: “Bishop H ovsep, Together with All Who Have Joined me, from the Great to the Humble “To Mihrnerseh , the Grand Commander of the Aryans and. Non-Aryans : “Many Greetings to You and to the Great Army of the Aryans, in Peace-loving Spirit. “We have a tradition from our ancestors, founded on divine com­ mand, to pray for the life of the king and to beseech God untiringly to extend the length of his life, that he may, in peace, govern his worldly dominion, which has been intrusted to him by God, and that we also during his peaceful reign, may live in health and in the worship of God. “Concerning the letter sent by you to our country, we wish to remind you that sometime ago one of the mogbeds , who was most perfect in your religion and whom you regarded as a person above the nature of man, and who defined and explained to you your religion word for word, believed in God, the Creator of heaven and earth. And when no one was abld to disprove his words, he was stoned to death by King Vormizt.26 And if you wish to give credence to our words, you may find his books in all parts of your country; read and learn from them. “But as to our religion, it is neither insignificant nor confined to one corner of the world; on the contrary, it is spread all over the earthy on sea and land and in the islands. There is an abundance of it not only in the west, but in the east, the north and the south and in the intermediate regions. It has not sought refuge in man as a steward, for its propagation on earth, but it has its firm support in itself. It is not in comparison with other inferior faiths that it appears magnificent, but because its principles origin ­ ate in heaven above; not through any mediator, for there is only one God and none other, neither great nor small. “God has not received a beginning from anyone else, but He is eternal through Himself. He is not bound by space, for He Himself is space. He is not confined within any time, for all time has its existence from Him. He is not only older than the heavens, but older than the minds of men and of angels can conceive. He does not assume a material aspect, nor

17 does He come within the vision of the eye . Not only can He not he touched by the hand, but He cannot be conceived by the minds of corporeal beings, nor by the incorporeal angels. Should He wish to do so. He can make Himself comprehensible to the minds of those who are worthy of Him, but remain invisible to the eyes. Only those of the earth, who truly believe in God, can comprehend Him. “His name is Creator of heaven and of earth, but He was self-existent and self-named before heaven and earth. He is independent of time, but creatures came into being when He wished; not from anything, but from nothing, for He alone is anything, and all else have their being from Him. Not that He learned later and created, but by His fore-knowledge He could see the creatures before He created them. Even now, before any ­ thing good or evil is undertaken by man , all of his unperformed acts are known to God. So, also. He knew the uncreated before they came into being, not as in chaos, but all parts and kinds lay before Him arranged and in proper order. As to men and angels. He knew the kinds and types of each that were to be created. “Since He is a creative force, our wickedness cannot obstruct His goodness. As He was from the beginning, so have we now the right hand of the Creator for our judge. The hands which founded heaven and earth are the same which carved on tablets of stone and gave us a scripture wherein the laws of peace and redemption are contained, in order that we might acknowledge one God as the Creator of the visible and the in ­ visible; not one good and one evil, but the same one, good throughout. “But if it appears to you that there is evil among God’s creatures, say so, that you may learn of true goodness. You call the devs evil, but there are also good devs, which you and we call angels. The devs, if they wish, may be good; and the angels, evil. This is true aho among men, even more so among sons begotten by the same father: one may be subservient and obedient to his father, the other may be more wicked than Satan. Even man himself appears in dual character, sometimes good and sometimes evil. The good may become evil and afterwards may turn to goodness again, and yet հե nature is one. "I will tell you about God’s having made death because of a fig: a piece of parchment is more insignificant than a fig; yet if the kings com­ mand is inscribed thereon, punishment of death overtakes him who tears it. Now, then, would it be fair to say that the king is evil? By no means! I do not say so, but I have only adduced this as an example to teach others

18 thereby. God would have been jealous, had He not expressly prohibited the eating from that particular tree. By giving a warning in advance to man. He showed him the benignity of His natural love; but when man became scornful, he received the punishment of death. “It was not worthy of you to scoff at or denounce the statement that God was bom of a woman. Behold, Ahrmen and Vormizt were bom of a father, and not of a mother; and if you ponder over this deeply, you will not accept it as tme. And it u more ridiculous to aver that Mihr god was bom of a woman, as if one could enjoy hu own mother. But if you could have discarded a little your arrogant authority and entered into a friendly discussion, I know that — as you are very wise in many other things — you would not have considered the birth of our Lord from the Holy Virgin a fantasy; you would have learned that the final redemption is greater than the creation of the world out of nothing; you would have attributed the error of man to his freedom, and hu freedom from bondage to the benevo­ lence of God. “When you learn that God made the world out of nothing, you will oho understand that creatures came into existence by Hu word. And as God gave birth to thu great body without torture, so He has, as Father, compassion for it. As He Himself is incorruptible, so He made His creatures also free of corruption. But man stumbled of his own free will, sinned, and was no longer able to rise and stand on his feet all by himself. Because he was of dust, he returned to his original nature by his own folly.. And since hu punishment and scourge did not come from any outside power but from hu own negligent disregard of the beneficent ordinance, hu physical part was condemned to death which then became a part of his nature. “Assuming that an evil god created death, how is the existence of death made manifest 7 In no way but in the corruption of God's good creatures. If that is true, then it cannot be called a good god, but a maker of half-finished perishables. And the god whose creatures are perishable and corruptible, cannot be called incorruptible. Abandon, therefore, your insane ravings. One country cannot have two rulers, nor one creature two gods. Should two kings venture to rule over one country, the country would be destroyed; and the kingdoms, disrupted. uThe world consists of matter, and all the elements are distinct and opposed to each other. The Creator of these so opposed is one, Who causes them to love each other by establishing harmony among them. As the

19 Creator softens the intensity of heat by blowing air into it, and the rawness of the air, by infusing intense heat into it, so does He solidify the fine dust of the earth by the mixture of zuater, and thickens the ever-flowing water, like pavement, by mixing soil therewith . “Had the elements been united, some of the ignorant people might have thought that they were true gods and by forsaking the Creator , they might have worshipped the creatures . He, Who created all beings, took precautions, therefore, that man, coming into contact with corruptible elements, will acknowledge only their Ruler as perfect, and none other — the same Maker of these four elements from which all things come into being, at the command of their Creator . And in the rotation of four regular seasons they render their perennial services. And all four are attentive to the will and directions of their Creator and perform their essential duties unconsciously, without stealing rank of honor from each other. “We have here offered a simple explanation , easily to be understood by all. That which is fire is mingled with the other three elements according to its nature and power. More heat is found in stone and iron, and less in air and water, but the heat itself is never visible. The nature of water is such that it exists individually and is mixed in with all the other three elements — more in growths of the soil and less in the air and the fire. But the air penetrates fire and water; and through water, the vegetable foods. “And thus these elements are mixed and become one body without losing their individual characteristics. They have never ceased to exist because of hostility towards each other, ever remaining obedient to the perfect Ruler, 2* who harmonizes all the elements so mixed for the habita­ tion of all the living and the perpetuation of the entire world. “Now, if God can take such care of the irrational world, how much more would He care for the rational world — the man! As one of your famous sages has said, Mihr god was born of a human mother, a king of divine birth and a brave comrade of the seventh gods. It may be plausible for some people to believe such a fabulous story, which you by your actions make it appear faultless in your religion, but we do not believe in fables. We are the disciples of the great prophet Moses, with whom God con ­ versed from the thornbush of Sinai and, face to face with him, inscribed the laws and gave them to him. He made known to him that the material world has been created, and that He is incorporeal in essence, as the Creator of matter out of nothing, and that the earth and the heaven with

20 their respective beings are the work of His hands ; that angeh are the in ­ habitants of heaven and men the inhabitants of earth . Men and angeh are rational , and God is higher than heaven and earth . “All irrational creatures carry out His orders and commands without reasoning and never do they overstep the limits prescribed for them . But men and angels, possessing reason, are left free to their own will; if they remain obedient to God’s will they are immortal and are God’s sons. “All things have been created for some service: the earth for human beings ; the heaven, for angeh. But if they fail to heed His word and to obey His will, they will be opposing God Who will discredit and disgrace them, so that His dominion may ever remain blameless and the trans ­ gressors be put to shame. “But if you are in error because of ignorance, I, who have a firm conviction, cannot turn to your aberration. Were l to become a disciple of your ignorance, both of us would be condemned to irretrievable loss, I perhaps more than you, because I have a witness in the self-expressed voice of God, which says: ‘If a servant ignorant of the command of his master commits an offense worthy of punishment, he shall be punished but slightly; but if he who has full knowledge of the king ’s command and sins in his presence, shall be punished more severely and without favor-’29 “Therefore, I pray you and all those under your authority: neither be you tortured with me severely, nor I with you slightly ; but let us, you and me and your entire host, and your valiant king, so instruct ourselves in the Holy Scriptures that we may escape torture, scorn hell, and deliver ourselves from the inextinguishable fire, inherit the kingdom of heaven, and in this finite life obtain infinite greatness in perpetuity. Believe in that which makes you tremble and you will become a disciple of truth. “One of the angels from the legion of the immortals became rebellious and departed from heaven. He came to our earth and by artful words gave fahe promises and unattainable hopes to the inexperienced, crude, and newly created man, as to an infant child, urging him, in order to become god to eat the fruit of the tree, which the latter was forbidden to approach. And man, disregarding God’s command, was deceived by this evil artifice and lost the splendor of immortality which he had before possessed, but never attained the glory of his dreams. On this account he was driven from the place of life and came to this corruptible earth, which you now inhabit, and having lost your senses, follow the same counselor, not by eating of the forbidden tree, but by calling the creatures god, by worshipping the mute elements, by offering food to the devs without bowels, and by staying away from the Creator of all beings.

21 “The wicked counselor is never satiated. On the contrary , he wants to commit more evil than he himself is; for the devils do not cast anyone into destruction by force , but they render sin pleasing to men and lead the inex ­ perienced into error by flattery, just as many men urge their friends to theft and robbery. They do not force them, but by falsehood and deception they make them do many wicked deeds, some through sorcery , others through voluptuousness, and still others by divers and numberless unclean acts. And the righteous judges take vengeance upon them, equivalent to death. This, however, does not imply that the judges of the good God effect good, and those of the evil god, evil ; for it often happens that evil comes from good men and perfect good from the most wicked men. “And the just judges who judge evildoers cannot be called evil nor torturers, but wholly good and beneficent. Their nature is one, and not two­ fold, but from that one nature emanate two kinds of deeds — deadly for some and munificent for others. And so, if it is the custom among men to maintain order, by the authority of the king, within the limits of the king ­ dom, how much greater God's concern for the whole world would be, since He wills life to all and death to none! Wherever crime became abundant, therefore, there He punished all with death ; but where there was obedient attention, there He granted the gift of immortality. “He is the true God, the Creator of all of us, Whom you, with your unrestrained and audacious lips, boldly and irreverently slander. Disre ­ garding the redeeming name of Jesus Christ, you call Him the son of Ban - tourag and suppose Him to be a teacher of error. You distort and dishonor the heavenly redemption, furthermore, for the destruction of your soul and of the entire world. You will suffer the unending vengeance of those tortures in the inextinguishable fire of threatening Gehenna *3° together with all your accomplices — the first, the middle, and the last. “But this is how we understand God and believe in Him implicitly: “He Who created the world, Himself came and was born of the Holy Virgin Mary without any bodily agency, as it had been before announced by the prophets. Just as He made this bulky world out of nothing , so also He took corporeal form from the Immaculate Virgin without any corporeal medium, in reality and not in a deceptive appearance. He was God in reality and became man in reality. He neither lost His godness by becoming man, nor corrupted the human nature by retaining His divinity, but remained unchanged. For since we could not see the invisible, nor could we approach the unapproachable, He came into our humanity that we might enter into

22 His divinity. He thought it no shame to bear the body created by Himself, But He dignified His work as the creation of God. He did not assume immortality little by little as in the case of insubstantial angels, but He acquired the entire nature altogether — body, breath, and soul — and joined it with His divinity . His nature is one and. not two-fold. Hence we acknowl ­ edge one divinity , which existed before the world, the same today and forever. “This Jesus Christ, Who within Himself redeemed the whole world, came to death of His own will; and, by means knoivn to Himself as God, He assumed a solid form from the Pure Virgin, was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, to which He guided the wise men from the East to worship Him. He was nourished with milk as an infant, grew up and gained for thirty years, and was baptized in the river Jordan 31 by John, the son of a barren woman .32 He performed great miracles and magnificent deeds among the Hebrews, was betrayed by the priests and convicted by Pontius Pilate .33 He was crucified, died, was buried, rose again on the third day, and appeared to His twelve disciples and to many others — to more than five hundred persons. He travelled with them for forty days and then ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives?* before the eyes of His disciples, and seated Himself upon His paternal throne. He promised to come a second time with a terrible might to wake the dead, to redeem the whole world, to deal strict justice to the innocent and the sinners, to reivard the deserving and to punish the wicked who do not believe in all these benevolent deeds. “From this faith no one can shake us, neither angels nor men; neither sword, nor fire, nor water, nor any, nor all other horrid tortures. All our goods and possessions are in your hands, our bodies are before you; dispose of them as you will. If you leave us to our belief, we will, here on earth, choose no other master in your place, and in heaven choose no other God in place of Jesus Christ, for there is no other God. But should you require anything beyond this great testimony, here we are; our bodies are in your hands; do with them as you please. Tortures from you, submission from us; the sword is yours, the neck ours. We are no better than our forefathers, who, for the sake of this faith, surrendered their goods, their possessions , and their bodies. “Were we even immortal, it would become us to die for the love of Christ; for He Himself was immortal and so loved us that He took death on Himself, that we, by His death, might be freed from eternal death. And

23 since He did not spare His immortality, toe, who became mortal of our own will, will die for His love willingly, so that He may make us participators in His immortality. We shall die as mortals that He may accept our death as that of immortals. “Do not, therefore, interrogate us further concerning all this, because our bond of faith is not with men to be deceived like children, but with God to Whom we are indissolubly bound and from Whom nothing can detach and separate us, neither now, nor later, nor forever, nor forever and ever!* The entire multitude, from the highest to the lowest, assented to this declaration of faith. They bound themselves by an inviolable vow to remain true to their confession in life and in death. When the letter arrived at the royal court and was read in the great auditorium35 before the entire assembly, there were many among the audi­ ence who praised the answer. Although they were afraid of the sovereign, secretly they made laudatory remarks among themselves. They were more amazed at the fearless audacity than at the eloquence of the response. Many of the terror-stricken began to gather new strength and the same whispering was on all lips. But the malicious mogbed together with the great hazarabed whis­ pered calumnies about them and inflamed the king like an unquenchable fire. And the king began to gnash his teeth as one mortally wounded. He exclaimed before the whole assembly in the great square 36 and said: “I know the wickedness of all those who do not believe in our laws and are hopelessly ensnared by witchcraft. I have, however, determined not to save anyone from terrible tortures, until they all abandon their erroneous doc­ trine, even against their will. The same treatment will be accorded to those closest to me. ” Then the embittered old man 3? interposed and said to the king: “Why are you so troubled in mind? Since the Emperor does not disobey your order and the Huns have been subjected to your dominion, who on earth can resist your command? Issue a peremptory order, and all that you demand will be accomplished forthwith.” The king then called his scribe and commanded him to prepare a proc­ lamation, not in the customary tone but one with such harsh words as would be used only to the hated and the disgraced, entirely forgetting the distin ­ guished services of men who had loved their master. He designated only

24 those with whom he was acquainted. Here are the names of those nakharars: V asag , of the house of Sunik Nershabuh , of the house of Ardzrunik Ardag, of the house of Rushdunik Katisho , of the house of Khorkhorunik V artan , of the house of Mamigonians Ardag, of the house of Mogk Manej , of the house of Abahunik V ahan , of the house of Amadunik Kiud, of the house of Vahevunik S hemavon , of the house of Antzevatzik These nakharars were summoned individually to the royal Porte. One half of them were already in the royal retinue. Others were in the northern parts of the country, at the Watch of the Huns; and some of the nakharars had been left in Armenia. Although they did not meet in one place as a group, but having per ­ ceived in advance the design of the wicked tyrant, all of them, far away or nearby, acted as if they had been in one spot. After reaffirming their faith through Bishop Hovsep, they repaired to the royal court, each from his place. They made great haste for the sake of their brothers, sons, and dear friends nursed 38 in their families, who were in very great distress. They risked death, not fearfully like cringing cowards but with great valor, and encouraged each other, hoping that they might, perchance, save their loved ones from great danger. When they arrived at the royal Porte, 39 they appeared before the great monarch on Saturday just preceding Easter Sunday. Though they saw their brothers in extreme suffering and tortures, which the latter bore firmly in Christ’s name, to the public they appeared neither sad nor trou­ bled. And the more cheerful they appeared, the greater was the surprise of the wicked. Formerly it had been the custom of the king to send someone to greet the Armenian troops under a distinguished general and to inquire after the health and well-being of the Armenian people. He did this two or three times and personally reviewed their procession. He considered their arrival, before the beginning of hostilities, worthy of thanks; and in the presence of his coadjutors and all the nobles he praised them and

25 recalled the services rendered by their ancestors and told about the bravery of each one. But on that day he mentioned none of these. On the contrary, like an evil spirit, he stirred and agitated the winter ’s storm. He resembled a raging and stormy sea, not merely in outward appearance, but rising from an unfathomable depth, frothy and monstrous, he thundered with a dragon voice, screamed like a wild beast, shaking his universal kingdom, as if he would crumble to pieces and scatter over all the hills, dales and valleys, to destroy the wide-spreading and beautiful plains altogether. He roared and said: “I have sworn by the great Sun God, which illu­ mines the whole universe by its beams and gives life to all creatures by its warmth, that if on the morrow at the rise of the magnificent [sun] you do not kneel 40 before it with me and acknowledge it as god, I will not spare you but will bring upon you all manner of persecutions and tortures, until you, even against your will, shall carry out my commands. ” The believers, however, firmly settled in Christ, were neither frozen by the winter blizzard nor burnt by the extreme heat nor shaken by the thundering voice nor terrified by threats of torture, but gazing into the space above they felt that the power of Christ had come to their aid. They came forward with cheerful countenances and in modest words gave to the king the following answer: “We pray you, O valiant King! Hear our few words and listen sympa­ thetically to what we are about to say. “We wish to remind you of the time of Shabuh,41 King of Kings, who was the father of your grandfather, Hazgerd. God gave him the land of the Armenians as a heritage together with the same laws by which we are now being governed. Our fathers and the grandfathers of our fathers remained in his service and cheerfully fulfilled all his commands, and many times received precious gifts from him. And from that time till your acces ­ sion to the throne we have served in the same manner, and perhaps we have done more for you than for your predecessors. ” With these words they tried to prove that in military service they had performed more deeds of valor than had their predecessors. More yearly tributes, dues, and many other varieties of taxes, flowed into the royal treasury than had during the time of his father. “You imposed taxes even on the holy church, which had been free in Christ from the beginning according to the established rule of our fore ­ fathers. Notwithstanding this, we never opposed you, because of our affection

26 for your kingdom. Why, then, are we subjected to this indignity? Tell us how we have been guilty or sinful. Is it our religion that has made us appear fruidess? ” Then the wicked devil, full of every deceit, turned his face away and said: “I consider the tributes of your land detrimental to the royal treas ­ ury, and your gallantry and valor useless, because in your ignorance, you have wandered away from our true religion. You despise our gods; you murder the fire; 42 you defile the water; you corrupt the earth by burying your dead therein; and you render assistance to Ahrmen by refusing to obey the ordinances of our religion 42 ; and, what is worse than all, you do not approach your women 44 regularly; and the devs rejoice greatly when you refuse to take advice from the magi and to observe their prescripts. I regard you as a flock of sheep, bewildered and lost in the wilderness; and my conscience disturbs me greatly, lest the gods be incensed and take ven ­ geance upon us became of you. But if you wish to remain alive and redeem your souls and be returned home in great honor, do what I have said quickly and without delay. ” Then the blessed nakharars raised their voices and said before every­ one: “Do not, O King, require that of us; for the church is not a creation of man, 48 nor a gift of the sun, which you erroneously take for god, and which is not only no god, but not even animate. Churches are not gifts of kings, nor creations of skilled art, nor a discovery of the wise, nor the spoil of the valor of troops, nor the false illusion of devils. And whatever you say of earthly beings — the great as well as the humble — none of these can ever establish a church. On the contrary, it is a gift from the great God, which He offered not to any particular person, but to all rational people who are predestined to dwell beneath the sun. Its foundation is set on a firm rock, which neither those below can move, nor those above can shake. And that which neither heaven nor earth can rock, no man can boast of conquering. Treat us, therefore, as you will. We are prepared for all sufferings and all machines of torture with which you threaten us; not only to endure torments, but [to suffer] death itself. And should you ask the same thing over again, you will hear from each of us more than we have already said.” Thereupon the king became bitter with rage; the sea of gall, accumu­ lated in his abdomen, overflowed; warm vapor burst forth from his nostrils and mouth, as dense smoke from a flaming furnace. Because he was unable to subdue his heart, the power of his body crumbled; the overflowing con-

27 tainer of his designs became leaky and his malicious thoughts spread and wasted. And that which he would not impart to his loved ones, involun ­ tarily he revealed in detail to the servants of Christ. Three or four times he swore an oath by the sun, and said: “You can ­ not destroy my strong fortifications, and I will not let you have your wish so easily. I will banish all of you and those among the troops to Sacastane 46 in heavy chains, through impassable regions where many of you will perish from the heat-wave and the survivors will be cast into strong towers and prisons from which there will be no escape. I will send into your country innumerable forces with elephants, and will have your wives and children banished to Khoujasdan. 47 I will destroy, ruin, and obliterate your churches and the so-called shrines; 48 and should any man oppose my will, he shall be trampled upon by wild beasts and shall die a merciless death. And I will accomplish and carry out all that I have said on those who remain in your land. ” And immediately he ordered the distinguished nakharars to be led away ignominiously from his sight. He gave strict orders to the chief exe ­ cutioner to guard them unchained, each in his own lodging, and he him­ self returned to his quarters in comfortless despair. On the other hand the true believers in Christ did not waver in the least, nor entertained any doubts concerning the advice of their holy teachers, but they tried to find ways whereby they might save themselves, as well as those whom they loved, from this terrible predicament. They spared no efforts and made great promises of wealth to those nobles who used to help them at the Porte, and gave them valuable treasures even then. And when the gates of their inescapable prison were closed tight on all sides, they recalled Abraham,49 exclaimed aloud and said: “All of us have offered our brothers and sons and all our loved ones, and, like Isaac, have bound and placed them on the sacred altar; receive, O Lord, our voluntary sacrifice and let not this wicked prince subject Thy church to scorn and ridicule. ” One of the privy councilors of the king secretly had an indissoluble love for Christ, as he had been baptized in the living font. He exerted great efforts to save the lives of those in distress. And when he became firmly convinced that the king was determined to inflict on the inhabitants of Armenia all the misery he had threatened to inflict, he advised several of the nakharars to adopt a stratagem whereby they might deliver themselves from immediate peril, at least temporarily.

28 And while troops were being assembled to escort the nakharars into exile, as many Georgian nakharars had been exiled, there arrived an evil intelligence from the Kushans that a detachment of enemy troops had parted from the main body and had destroyed many royal provinces. This was a great help from heaven to the Armenian nakharars. The wicked king hastened to dispatch a mounted force and he himself followed them in great speed; and deeply wounded in mind, he disregarded the solemn affirma­ tion he had previously made. When those who revered the Lord observed this, they were filled with hope and prayed in unison: “O Lord of all. Who knoweth all that is con ­ cealed in the hearts of men, and Who doth see all the invisible thoughts, and Who desireth no testimony for the visible, and Whose eyes behold that which we have not yet performed, we pour out our prayers before Thee. O Lord, hear our secret supplications and make us worthy of Thy commands, that the evil one, who, haughty in his tyrannous rule, is per ­ secuting us, may come to shame. Divert, O Lord, the selfish intentions of the wretch and obstruct his ungodly will and lead us in peace of mind back to the holy church, that it may not be suddenly seized and wickedly destroyed by the enemy. ” And in their souls they made an indestructible vow to God that they would remain firm in their former resolve. Then they sent their counselor as an emissary, indicating that they would conform to the despotic will of the king. When the king heard this, he rejoiced exceedingly, believing that the gods had come to his assistance by altering and destroying the firm resolu ­ tions of the servants of God, who were now prostrating themselves before the sun and were adoring it with offerings and observing the laws of the magi. But the fool was unable to comprehend that the brilliant light of the sun of justice was destroying and consuming his dark designs and that his perverted mind was being ruined and corrupted. Dazzled by outward appearance, he failed to observe the artifice with which they deceived him. He poured out before them earthly treasures; he restored to them their nobility and rank; so he elevated and distinguished them throughout his universal kingdom; and to each of them he gave villages and towns in abundance from the royal kingdom; he called them beloved friends; and in the disdainful arrogance of his stubborn spirit he mistakenly believed that truth could be exchanged for falsehood.

29 Thereafter he assembled and sent with them a large number of horse ­ men, about seven hundred or more magi as teachers, and appointed a great prince as mogbed over them. He humbled himself and begged say­ ing: "By the time I return from the present conflict in peace, you should accomplish everything according to my wishes. ” And so he sent them on the long journey to the land of the Armenians with splendor and honor. He dispatched joyful tidings to many fire altars. He wrote and announced to all the magi and mogbeds and to all the nobles of various countries, how, with the help of the gods, he had accomplished this excellent deed. But the loathsome magi broke forth from their dark ambush anxious to carry out the order of the king swiftly. Word was sent to distant lands, calling on all to arise and repair towards the country in the West. Before reaching the land of the Armenians, by drawing stakes of wood,51 they determined which group of magi would instruct which class of people. For they had orders from the royal court to invade not only the land of the Armenians, but also those of the Georgians, the Aghouans, the Lip- nians, the Aghtznik, the Gortvians, the Dzotians, the Tasans, 52 and all other places within the dominion of Persia, where Christianity was being pro­ fessed secretly. And attacking suddenly, they hastened to rob the treasures of the holy churches, and like devils, they congregated in one place. A great army was thus assembled, with the wicked Satan appearing among them as their captain, incessantly exhorting them to make haste. A period of six months having been prescribed for them, they were anxious and impa­ tient to carry out the royal order. “During the period from Navasart53 to Navasart,” the order had said, "the church services in the entire dominion of the great king shall be discontinued; the doors of the holy temples shall be locked and sealed; the sacred vessels, listed and numbered, shall be delivered to the royal treasury; the sound of psalms shall be hushed and the reading of the true prophets shall be stopped. The priests shall not have authority to instruct the people in their homes, and the believers in Christ, men and women, who dwell in convents, shall change their garb to that of laymen. “Nakharars’ wives, furthermore, shall be instructed in the doctrine of the Magi. The sons and daughters of nobles and peasants shall be instructed by the same magi in public assemblies. The laws of holy matri­ mony, received of their forefathers according to the tenets of Christianity, must be curtailed and prohibited; and, instead of one wife, a man shall

30 take many, so that the Armenian race may grow and increase in number. Daughters shall be for their fathers and sisters for their brothers; mothers shall not withdraw from their sons, and grandchildren may enter the couch with their grandparents. “Sacrificial animals, such as sheep, goat, cattle, hen, or pig, shall not be killed [for food], unless offered to the gods. Dough shall not be kneaded without [the use of] pantam; 54 dung and filth55 shall not be thrown into the fire; hands shall not be washed without bull’s urine; 56 sea-dogs, foxes, and hares shall not be killed. Snakes and lizards, frogs and ants, and all other kinds of worms shall not remain, but shall speedily be brought forth in quantities required by the royal order. And whatever else there may be with regard to offerings and killings in connection with annual festi ­ vals, shall be done and performed in the same proportion as ashes 57 furnished. “All that we have said, must be fully accomplished in due time, by the end of the year; and everything else shall be done later. ” When this order reached the magi and the mogbeds, they travelled day and night to reach Armenia swiftly, and in their ecstasy they did not at all mind the length of the journey.

31

ThirdChapter

THE UNITY OF THE HOLY LEAGUE OF THE CHURCH*

յլHOUGH we are unable to relate all the evils which befell the army of the Armenians, yet we do not wish to remain silent and conceal our grief and afflictions. So we shall describe them more or less, in order that we may join in sympathy with those who bemoaned us2 bitterly, and upon hearing this you3 may shed many tears over the misery of the nation. When the believers of the Holy Gospel of Christ among the various nationalities in the Persian army saw the wicked submission of the Arme ­ nians, they were heart-broken and cast themselves down and fell upon their faces. Stricken with grief, broken in spirit and shedding bitter tears, many of them came and reprimanded the nakharars and severely rebuked the clergy. They shamed them all and said: “What are you going to do with your Holy Testaments? Or where are you going to take the sacred vessels of the altar of God? Will you perchance forget your spiritual benedictions or lend deaf ear to the voice of the prophet? You have covered your eyes not to read and have closed your ears not to hear; but can you forget what is unforgettable in your mind? What of the Master ’s precept: 'He who denies me before men } him will I also deny before my Heavenly Father and before the holy angels? ’* “You were instructors of apostolic teachings; are you now to be disci­ ples of an errant deception? You were teachers of truth; are you now to teach the false doctrine of the magi? You were the expounders of the powers of the Creator; are you now to profess the elements to be gods? You repri ­

33 manded deceitfulness; are you now to be more deceitful than deceit itself? You were baptized in fire and spirit; are you now to be engulfed in ashes and dust? You were nurtured by living flesh and immortal blood; are you now to be defiled with greasy tallow and the filthy blood of sacrificial offer ­ ings? You were the temples of the Holy Ghost; are you now to be the sacri­ ficial chambers of demons? You were clothed in the spirit of Christ from infancy; now, denuded of that glory, are you to dance 8 before the sun like devils? You were the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven; now you have made yourselves inheritors of Gehenna. It was they whom the inextinguish ­ able fire was threatening; why are you being scorched and roasted with them? The immortal worm was fatted on their flesh; are you now to fatten your bodies to furnish food for it? External darkness was being kept dense for them; why did you who were radiantly attired proceed with them towards the same darkness? It was for them the pit had been dug; why did you fill it ahead of them? They have been blind long since; you have followed the blind blindly. When shall you learn the names of their many gods, none of whom appears anywhere? You had been eased of your burden; but you burdened yourselves heavily of your own will. You had been free since childhood; but you entered miserably into inescapable servitude. “Had you known or had it only become evident to you, that the heavens mourned for you and the earth grieved under your feetl In heaven the angels have been infuriated with you and on earth the martyrs6 have become enraged because of you. We pity your loved ones, but we pity you much more. Had a man set you free from servitude and you had then voluntarily sub­ jected yourselves to new bondage, you would have enraged your previous master greatly. And now, what are you going to do with that divine threat, which says,'/ am God, there is none other but Me, and none other shall be God after Me. I am a jealous God; I shall punish the sons for seven cen ­ turies for the sins of their fathers. ”1 Therefore, since the innocent sons are being punished by death for the sins of their fathers, if they also transgress, will they not be answerable both for themselves and for their fathers? “You were the strong rampart of our refuge; whenever danger threat ­ ened us, we sought security with you. Now that fortress has been ruined to its foundation. You were our pride before the enemies of truth; now you are our disgrace before the same enemies. Till now they spared us somewhat because of your true faith; but now they persecute us mercilessly because of you. You will be called to account at the awesome tribunal of God not only for yourselves but for many others who will be tortured on account of you.”

34 This, and yet more than this, they said to the distinguished nobles, piling up sorrow upon sorrow. The latter did not wish to explain and make evident their designs, but it was also impossible to remain silent and give no reply; stifled by grief, they shed profuse tears. Others, who had seen and heard this, joined them in comfortless sorrow. At that time the priests who were with the troops, incensed in spirit and unable to tolerate any more, separated and left the nakharars and the whole crowd and hurriedly sent an emissary» on horseback to Armenia. Carrying the mournful news in his mouth, and with his collar tom, the emissary arrived at the assembly of the bishops, and in bitter tears related the details of the tortures without revealing to them the secret design. Then each of the bishops departed for his diocese and dispatched the chor-bishops to the villages and farms and to many fortresses in the moun ­ tainous provinces. They aroused and assembled together a large crowd of men and women, peasants and freemen, priests and monks. They exhorted and urged, and made them all warriors of Christ. The first resolution of the council was the following: “Let the hand of a brother be raised against a brother who has abandoned the league of God's command. Let a father not spare his son and the son not show regard to his father ’s dignity. Let a wife oppose her husband and a servant resist his master. Let the laws of God reign supreme over all and the transgressors receive their conviction and punishment from the same laws.” When this was so confirmed and adopted, they all came out fully armed with helmets on their heads, swords by their sides, and shields in their hands — not only valiant men, but gallant women as well. But the Armenian unit, together with auxiliaries and a large group of magi, arrived in Armenia, in the fourth month, at a prominent town known as Ankgh. 9 There they pitched camp» gathered together, and settled; and an innumerable multitude congregated from all sides. On a Sunday twenty-five days later the mogbed himself arrived with the magi and a strong force and tried to break the doors of the church; this was an attempt to see how his plan would fare. But the holy Priest Ghe- vont was ready on the spot together with his principal associates and many from the holy league, and would not allow them to proceed. Though he was not aware of the intentions of the nakharars, nor of the striking power of the mogbed, he did not wait for the arrival of the bishops, nor would he tolerate the iniquitous prince even slightly or excuse him; on the contrary.

35 he raised a great cry and created panic among the troops and the magi; and armed with clubs, the people crushed the heads of the magi and the mogbed and forced them back to their camp. Thereafter they resumed their divine services in the church and continued to pray throughout the whole Sunday. After this awful crisis a large number of men and women from all quarters of Armenia arrived there. One should have seen the disastrous panic [to appreciate it.] Some shed copious tears; others screamed loudly as though they would shake the heavens; a good half of the crowd boldly flew to arms, preferring to die rather than to live. Whereas some members of the church league, with Gospel in hand, prayed to God, others wished that the earth would be torn open to make a grave for them. And thus they caused great distress to the mogbed, who repeatedly begged his assistants to find a way to save him from death and to escort him in safety to the royal court. Turning to the purpose for which he had come there, he urged them saying: “Let me write the great king and explain to him that he should abandon this venture; because even if the gods themselves were to come to our assistance, it would still be impossible for the religion of the magi to gain a firm footing in Armenia, in view of my own experience with the holy league of the church. And even if all the magi of our country were warriors, the Armenians would not have spared them in the least, but would have slaughtered them just as readily. Such would have been their attitude not only toward strangers but toward their brothers, their sons, and all their close relatives, even toward their own persons. Who can with­ stand men like these, who are neither afraid of chains, nor frightened by tortures, nor allured by wealth, and, what is greater than all evils, prefer death to life? “I have heard from our ancestors that in the days of Shabuh,1^ King of Kings, when that doctrine began to spread itself and filled the whole king ­ dom of Persia and even reached the east, the teachers of our faith advised the king to issue a rigorous order to silence and obstruct Christianity, so that the religion of the magi might never be effaced from the world. The more he sought to check them, however, the more they increased in number and multiplied; and Christianity reached the land of the Kushans, whence it spread itself as far south as India. “And they were so fearless and bold in Persia, that the churches they erected in all the cities of the country, excelled the royal palaces in gran ­ deur. They also built so-called shrines and adorned them like their churches.

36 They constructed monasteries in all the inhabited places, as well as in the wilderness. And though there was no visible assistance from anywhere, they increased continually and multiplied and grew in physical strength. The causes of this opulence were not known to us, but only this much we had truly learned, that the whole world followed their teachings. “Although the king treated them cruelly, seized and tortured many of them, and punished very many others with death until he became embit ­ tered and wearied, yet he was unable to lessen their numbers. Again, even though he closed and sealed the church doors throughout Persia, they made a church of every house and performed their services everywhere. Each of them considered his person a temple and they all believed that a temple built of flesh was better than that of soil. The swords of the assassins became blunt, but the necks of their victims were not wearied; the plunderers of their goods were exhausted, but the booty increased and became more abun ­ dant day by day. The king was furious and the enraged executioners were embittered, but they [the Christians] were merry and cheerful, receiving all blows of torture joyfully and submitting to the plunder of their goods willingly. “When the king saw that they rushed on to meet death as the holy sheep rush to the heavenly salt, he stopped the persecutions and commanded the magi and mogbeds not to molest them, but to let all of them follow their belief without fear —the Magi, the Sandiks, 11 the Hebrews, the Christians, and all other sects within the various parts of the Persian land. Thereupon peace reigned in the land and all agitations ceased. By reason of the disturb­ ances in our country the people of the west had been greatly moved and all Dajgasdan had been stirred with them. “This we know by hearsay, but what I have seen with my own eyes, appears to me still greater than the former. Now then, you, who are the marz- ban 12 of this land, are duty bound to be concerned with the situation per ­ sonally. You should write and make known to the court the united power of this people, and tell how they scorned the royal order fearlessly. Had we not taken to a hasty flight, none of us would have been left alive. And if unarmed people could exhibit such power, who could oppose their bold assault, should the troops suddenly join them? “I was unaware that the holy league of that church was indissoluble, because to hear is one thing, but to see with one ’s own eyes is quite another. But you, who have been nurtured in this faith since childhood and have had personal knowledge of the fortitude of these men, [and knew] that without

37 much bloodshed they would not suffer us to lay hands on their churches, why did you not truthfully disclose this to the king? Since you were at the head of all the nakharars and the entire country was entrusted to you as marzban, why did you not take greater precautions? You have shown wis­ dom on other occasions, I know; but in this matter you did not act with wisdom. Otherwise it would seem that you connived with them and it was with your advice that they dealt with me and with my troops in such manner. “Now then, if that is true and you do not wish to accept the creed of the magi, say so, and do not be afraid of the king. I shall write and explain to the chief mogbed, 13 the terantertzabed 14 and the great hazarabed, 15 that they should prevail upon the king to restore freedom according to a former edict and leave everything to their individual choice, so that grad ­ ually they may become acquainted with the religion of the magi; and those who accept it will have acceded to the king ’s command of their own free will. This country is a borderland, and should any wrong be done to the people, they may leave and scatter diemselves among foreign lands. And should the country be so abandoned by its population, great harm will come to you from the court.” The marzban answered the mogbed and said: “All your words of admonition are true. What we were unable to comprehend first, you saw; now we regret it deeply. But do what I tell you now and you will not regret it. Have a little patience and do not reveal your thoughts to any except to those whom I may designate, until I gather a force around me and then perhaps I may be able to break the holy league of the church. Should I succeed in that, I should certainly be able to fulfill the royal command as well. ” And immediately thereafter he raised an army from the land of Sunik and increased the number of his troops to bring relief to the magi and the mogbed. Then he said to the mogbed: “You may now send a request to the Porte that the army of ten thousand men and horses, now in the land of the Aghouans, be ordered to come and winter in Armenia. After we have them in our hands, no one can reject the royal command. ” The mogbed answered and said to the marzban: "That idea is not in accord with my suggestions, because if we use force in this country, it will be ruined and personal harm will come to us as well as a great loss to the kingdom. ” The marzban paid no attention to this, because he had accepted the Persian religion wholeheartedly. Then he began to deceive some people

38 with goods and others with words of appeasement. He dismayed the peas ­ ants by terrible threats. He kept on increasing the provisions of the table, lengthened the hours of jubilation, and caused whole nights to be spent in drunken singing and lascivious dancing. He caused musical compositions and heathen songs to be endeared to some people and bestowed excellent praises on the religion of the king. He had received considerable funds from the court and gave bribes to one and the other as if he were giving presents and bestowing honors; and with a great deal of cunning he allured innocent persons to his side. When the holy bishops saw all this, they became more firmly attached to their league, and with ingenious wisdom divided the army into two sections. After they were definitely convinced that the wicked prince of Sunik was incurably wounded in his soul, they became disgusted and turned away from him, in contempt. One evening the entire group of the holy league held council and summoned the sbarabed 1® of the troops for consultation. They subjected him to examination and inquiry and found that he had remained firm and he had not in the least faltered in his love for Christ. And praying for him in unison, they accepted him anew among the host of the virtuous; through him they attracted many others into the league. Those who had not abandoned the league came together and formed a great army and withdrew more than ever from the magi, the mogbed, and the godless Vasag. But Vasag had so fouled and stultified the mogbed ’s mind that the latter was unable even to comprehend the consequences of his actions. He began to place the magi in the homes of the nakharars and to appropriate large salaries. He made offerings of animals and forced baptized persons to eat sacrificial meat and to worship the sun. The impious excesses in the entire country increased so much that even the wives of deputies 17 dared to put out the church lamps on Sunday and to tear the garments of the nuns 18 into shreds. When the holy bishops saw these disturbances and howlings, they took the Gospel in their hands and, without seeking permission, went and entered the camp of the sbarabed, where the Armenian troops were assem ­ bled. They raised their voices and said: “We beg all of you by this Holy Gospel: if the marzban and the mogbed are committing these wicked crimes with your advice, cut off our necks first and then surrender the church; but if their evil deeds are without your consent, then vengeance should be wreaked upon them even today.” 39 Those who were within the quarters of the sbarabed stood up and unanimously appealed to God saying: “O Lord, Who knowest the hearts of all, Thou requirest no testimony from men. Should we have fallen away from Thee in our hearts, Thou wouldst know it well; judge us according to our sins even this day. But if we have been firm in the faith of the Holy Gospel, Thou, O Lord, help us this day and give unto our hands the enemies of truth, so that we may deal with them according to our will.” After they had said this, they bowed their heads to the ground and communed with the Gospel and the bishops. One of the nakharars, how­ ever, who had been there and had taken part in their deliberations but did not join them in the great confession, was stoned to death on the spot, and great consternation fell over them. Then they all became so imbued with fervor and rage that whoever saw them, trembled in body. They scoffed at the king ’s presents and trampled his cruel order under their feet. They rushed to arms, spent the whole night in preparing and arming themselves and at dawn they divided the troops into three divisions and broke in upon the army [of the invaders.] The first division from the east, the second from the west and the third from the north encircled the multitudinous army,*9 slew many20 bound many of the distinguished men, and imprisoned them in strong fortresses within their control. The booty of the army, spoils, and loot were collected in one spot and guarded, as though the king had so commanded. But when they arrested the marzban, he attempted to join with them by an oath that he would remain faithful to the league; he expressed regrets for his separation from them in the beginning. He fell at the feet of the holy bishops in penitence and implored them not to reject him and cast him off. Two or three times he made an inviolable oath on the Holy Gospel, in the presence of the crowd, and set his oath in writing, sealed it, and attached it to the Gospel. He beseeched them not to kill him in the manner of men, but to let God take vengeance upon him. Although they were fully aware that his was artful hypocrisy and that he would deceitfully return to his former erroneous ways, yet they used no violence on him for his transgressions, but surrendered him to the Holy Gospel for punishment. But those, who had come to plunder the sacred treasures of the church, submitted themselves unwillingly and placed their loot before the holy bishops and the entire army. And the royal order was obliterated and

40 destroyed. Men and women and the entire multitude of the peasantry, having succeeded with the power of God, exclaimed aloud and said: “We are ready to suffer persecution, death, and all sorts of violence and afflictions for our holy churches, which our forefathers entrusted to us by the grace of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through which we were reborn; and we were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ with the hope of one faith. In the same manner we wish to redeem ourselves by torture and by shedding of blood. Since we recognize the Holy Gospel to be our father and the Apostolic Orthodox Church our mother, let no evil meddler come between us to separate us from her/* Thereafter, master and servant, a delicately reared noble and a rustic peasant, were considered equal, and no one was more or less valiant than the other. They all possessed the same willing heart — men and women, old and young, and all who were united in Christ — because generally all men as well as women were equipped with the same militant spirit, wore the same armor of faith in Christ, and reinforced their waist with the same girdle of truth. They discarded gold and no one took silver for his own use; and being without greed they held in contempt their elegant garments, once used as adornment and symbol of splendor. All possessions seemed worthless in the eyes of their owners. They looked upon their bodies as upon dead corpses, and each of them dug his own grave. Life meant death to them, and death was as assured life. But the following expression was repeatedly heard: “If only we could die bravely; if only we could inherit fame and spirit, so that within us may abide Christ, Who can easily restore us from dust, as well as all the others who died before, and can reward each according to his deeds. ” All this and yet more the warriors said, comforting themselves and each other, and prepared their arms once again. The devout kept on praying incessantly; and those who were fasting continued to suffer in fast­ ing. The voices of the clergy never ceased to sound sacred psalms day and night. The reading of the divine Gospels and the comforting words of the expounders of the heavenly creed never stopped. Again they attacked the forts and the towns occupied by the Persians in the fortified areas of the country. They wrecked and destroyed their dwellings. At first they took the great Ardashad and its environs; then they occupied the impregnable fortresses, such as the cities of Kami, Ani, Ardakers, and their environs; Ergainortk and Arhni and their suburbs;

41 Partzrapukh, Khoranisd, Dzukhanisd, the dependable Voghagan and their environs; Arpanial and the town of Van and its environs; Kreal, Gaboid, Vorod, and Vasagashad. 21 In the same year they seized and destroyed all these places, together with their villages and farms, troops and officers. They carried men and women in captivity together with their property and possessions, valuable treasures and household goods. They overturned and ruined their buildings and burned and scorched their houses used for services 22 and for the worship of fire. They obliterated the corrupt practice of paganism, and confiscated the furniture and fixtures of the fire altars and placed them in the holy churches to be used by the priests at the altar of God. Everywhere they abolished the worthless worship of the heathens, and raised Christ’s redeem­ ing cross instead. They prepared sacred altars and performed vivifying services with devotion, and installed ministers and priests in those places. The entire country rejoiced with steadfast hope. And while they were thus perfecting the work of their sacrifices by noble deeds, a sort of divine grace appeared over them, for without any request from the Armenian troops, some people from the east attacked Aderbadagan 23 and caused great damage to many places — seized, ravaged, and devastated many fire altars. Those who came upon the great fortresses, on the other hand, made the sign of the cross and rushed upon the [enemy] troops. The walls of two strong castles fell without anyone ’s approaching them. This great miracle filled all the inhabitants of the land with such great awe that they burned the fire altars with their own hands, and renouncing the religion of the magi turned to the holy Gospel. Other great successes were achieved by the warriors. In places where there was not the slightest hope that anyone would mention God’s name, there great disasters fell on the people, and all were relating to each other the new and amazing wonders. Even the stars in heaven appeared more than usually radiant and bright, to a degree not in their original nature. And all the boys of the land fought like hardened warriors. Many days later the hazarabed of the Aghouans arrived together with the holy bishop of that country and urged the troops in anxious haste, saying: “The Persian troops stationed in the land of the Huns have returned and invaded our country, and many other mounted forces have also arrived from that kingdom. They have brought with them, moreover, three hun ­ dred learned magi who have already created dissension in the country and

42 have converted many to their belief, bent on destroying the churches. They urged the people in the name of the king, saying: ‘If you accept our faith of your own free will, you shall receive presents and honors from the king, and the court shall relieve you of your taxes. But in case you refuse to comply, we have been ordered to construct fire altars in your towns and cities and set therein the fire of Vram24 and appoint magi and mogbeds to rule over your entire country. Should anyone disobey and resist, he shall suffer death and his wife and children shall be exiled.* ** When the Armenian troops received this mournful news, they did not lose their courage nor become disheartened. On the contrary, they assembled from all parts of the country to deliberate on the messengers of evil, who had come to them. They dismissed the messengers with words of encouragement, in order that they might by deception forestall the evil plan [of the enemy,] at least temporarily, and prevent them from molesting the holy league of the church. They themselves deliberated at length, trying to find a solution to their problem, with the help of God. Thereupon they hurriedly sent one of the distinguished nakharars of the house of Knuni, named Adorn, to the emperor of the country in the West, in order to make known to him the designs of the wicked king of the East; also to describe their own bravery, which they proved by deeds, such as scorning the frightful order of the king and slaying many of the magi; and to implore the emperor for aid and support, expressing willingness to enter into his service should he so desire. The following is the copy of the petition which they wrote to Emperor Theodosius: “Bishops Hovsep, Together with many of My Bishops and the Entire Body of the Armenian Troops, the Marzban Vasag, Nershabuh Rum- posian, Sbarabed Vartan, and All the Distinguished Nakharars “To the Illustrious Emperor Theodosius: “Greetings from All of Us to You and to All Your Troops, Who Rule the Sea and the Land by Your Peace-loving Benevolence, There Being no One on Earth Daring to Oppose Your Unobstructed Dominion . “According to our true annals,™ after your forefathers had conquered Europe, they passed into and occupied all the Asiatic countries from Serai to Gades [in Europe],™ and no one ventured to oppose them or to with­ draw from their rule. “And within that great empire Armenia was known as a beloved and magnificent handiwork.™ And because of that our ancestor Dertad ever

43 remembered your former affection , for he was saved as a child from his murderous uncles , the assassins of his father, and brought to the land of the Greeks , where he lived and was reared, and later with your help ruled, over his patrimonial land as king; and having received the Christian faith from the holy bishop of Rome, 2* he enlightened the dark regions of the north, which now the darkness-loving sons of the east ivish to extort from us. “And because we relied on your bravery and valor, we resisted their commands in certain matters. But there is much more we are prepared to oppose. We prefer to die in the worship of God than to live in apostasy. Should you lend us a helping hand also, our lives will be spared once again and death will be averted. But should you linger even a little, the flames of this conflagration may reach many other lands. ” When they appeared before the great king, they read the solicitous petition of the Armenian people and the memoirs of their ancestors. They produced and read, moreover, many volumes wherein was inscribed the same solemn profession of faith. And while the excellent Theodosius was making inquiries of his senate, trying to find peaceful means for the solution of the problem and was seeking adequate measures to prevent the churches of the East from being demolished by the unbelieving heathens, the end of his life suddenly came upon him and the plan of aid was woefully obstructed. In his place reigned Emperor Marcian 29, who, guided by the advice of two of his evil-minded servants, Anatolius the Marshall and Plorendius the Assyrian — both contemptible and evil men and altogether ungodly — ignored the holy league of the Armenians who were resisting the iniquity of the heathens with all their might. This cowardly monarch preferred to keep his alliance 30 with the heathens for his own personal safety, rather than to become involved in a fight for the Christian faith. He speedily sent the same Plorendius as ambassador to the king of the Persians, therefore, and concluded a firm treaty of alliance with him to the effect that he would not render any help to the Armenians by troops, arms or by any other means. Even after this treaty, when all hope for human help had vanished, the bishops reassured themselves and the Armenian troops. Although they were well aware of the smallness of their numbers and of the alliance between the two monarchs, yet they were not dismayed like cowards; but true to their original pledge, they said: “We are prepared to slay and to be slain. It is easy for God to accomplish the work of many through few and to perform noble deeds through the meek.* ’

44 Without a king to lead them or assistance from any foreign powers, but relying on their own valor and the comforting words of the holy teachers, they congregated speedily in one place together with the troops from each of the nakharars. Many horsemen from the royal house had also arrived. The troops were divided into three divisions. The first division was entrusted to Nershabuh Rumposian, charged with the duty of guarding the country near the boundary of Aderbadagan. The second division was given over to Vartan, the commander-in-chief of the Armenians, to lead his troops by the borders of Georgia against the marzban of Djora, who had come to destroy the churches of the Aghouans. The third division was given to Vasag, the prince of Sunik, who in his heart had not disengaged himself from alliance with the heathens. Vasag selected and took with him all those whose faith he knew to be weak: the prince of the Pakradunis with his troops, the prince of the Khorkhorunis with his troops, the prince of the Abahunis with his troops, the prince of the V ahevunis with his troops, the prince of the Balunis with his troops, the prince of the Capeghenians with his troops, and the prince of the Urds with his troops. He enticed many other warriors from the royal house and several noblemen from other houses. By skillful cunning he lay in wait in the fortified regions of his own province, hypocritically pretending that he would shortly attack the Persian forces and would drive them out of the land of the Aghouans. But from his secret hiding place he hastened to send emissaries to the Persian forces, saying: “Behold, I have wrecked the holy league of the Armenians and divided the army into three divisions. I sent the first division to a distant territory near Her and Zaravant. 31 The second division is in my hands, and I will not permit them to cause any harm to the royal troops. And I scattered throughout the land all others who were able to fight. I dispatched the third division, consisting of a small number of troops com­ manded by Vartan to the land of the Aghouans. Confront him boldly and do not be afraid to give him battle. I know that they will suffer defeat before your great force. ” He wrote and explained this to the marzban Sepukhd. When the latter received these encouraging words from Vasag and ascertained that the

45 sbarabed of the Armenians was coming upon him with a small force, he did not remain in the neighborhood of Djora, but assembled his entire force and hastened to cross the great River Gour and came into contact with him near the boundaries of Georgia, opposite the city of Khaghkhagh, 32 which served as winter residence for the Aghouan kings. He proceeded and encamped there, spreading his forces over the entire expanse of the field, fully armed and ready to engage the Armenian troops in battle. When the brave Vartan and his troops saw the immense preparations of the army of the heathens and looked upon their own insignificant number, they were not in the least afraid of the tremendous force of the enemy, although they themselves were much smaller, but raising their hands to heaven, exclaimed: “Judge, O Lord, those who are judging us; fight against those who are fighting against us; help us with Thy armor and Thy shield. Rock the great multitude of the unbelievers and cause them to tremble; disperse and annihilate the evil union of Thine enemies before Thy great sign of redemp ­ tion, and give into the hands of the few of us the power of victory over the overwhelming hordes. We do not implore Thee for the futile glory of needless gains, nor for the accumulation of wealth with miserly greed, but that all may yield obedience to the teachings of the Holy Gospel and may recognize and understand that Thou art the Lord of life and death, and that victory and defeat are in Thy hands. We are ready to die for Thy love, and should it become necessary to slay them, let us be the avengers of truth.”33 Thereafter they formed themselves into groups and began to attack. They broke through the right wing and forced the enemy to the left; they tore them asunder all over the plain and forced them to retreat to more secure parts of the forest near the deep ravines of the Lopnas River. 34 There some of the royal troops of the king of Paghasagan 36 rallied and forced down from his horse one of the Armenian nakharars, slew Moush of the Timaksian division, and wounded Kazrig. When Arshavir Arsharuni 38 observed what was happening, he roared like a lion and attacked like a wild boar, dealing blows and killing Vurk, the valiant brother of the king of the Lipnians, and many of his kinsmen. And in like manner nearly everyone brought down his opponent. And in consequence of this extremely bold attack, those who drowned in the river were greater in number than those who fell by the sword on land. The clear waters of the river were turned to blood by innumerable corpses and

46 none of the enemy escaped or was able to find refuge in the thick woods, except one warrior who had barely survived the battle. He crossed the great river 37 on horseback with his weapons, and carried the sad tidings to the rest of the main troops who fled to the commercial city33 of the country. After the Armenian troops had won this great battle, they turned to plundering; they gathered enormous spoils left by the enemy and looted the bodies of the dead. They collected large amounts of gold and silver, as well as the weapons and ornaments of brave men and magnificent steeds. Then with no less valor they attacked the fortresses and cities which the Persians had occupied in the land of the Aghouans, fighting vigorously and burning their strongholds. They slaughtered those groups of the magi, who had been brought there to create dissension, in whatever fortified places they found them, and left their flesh to be devoured by the vultures of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth. They cleansed every place of impure offerings and freed the churches from intolerable adversities. Many of the Aghouan nakharars and peasants — who in God’s name had been scattered and lost in the fastnesses of the Caucasian mountains 39 and had seen the success of that undertaking which God had effected through the Armenian army — also came and joined the Armenian troops, united with them, and assumed equal responsibilities in the heroic work. They marched forth against the Watch of the Huns, 40 which the Persians had occupied by force. They destroyed the Watch and slaughtered the troops stationed there and turned the Gate over to Vahan, who was related by blood to the Aghouan kings. In all these brave exploits none among them was wounded, except one blessed man 41 who sacrificed his life in the great battle. And from that place they sent the same person [Vahan], to whom the Watch of the Gate had been intrusted, as envoy to the Huns and to many other barbarous nations allied with the Huns, in order that he establish friendly relations and conclude a lasting treaty with them. When the Huns heard what had taken place, they came swiftly and saw the successful accomplishments with their own eyes. Immediately thereafter they signed a treaty under oath in conformity with their belief, and accepted the pledge of the Christians that the latter would firmly preserve the alliance with them. But after this was accomplished and they felt secure and settled in peace, there arrived from Armenia a bearer of sad news, with his forehead wounded and his collar torn, and told about the rebel Vasag, saying: “He

47 has abandoned the Christian league and has laid waste many parts of Armenia, particularly the royal winter residences 42 where the troops were sheltered. Kami, Yeramon, the monumental city of Trasklianagerd, Var- tanashad, the fortified Oshagan, Parakhod, Artiank, the town of Tzolagerd, the fortress of Armavir, the town of Guash, Arudj, Ashnag, and all the places at the foot of Arakadz, the province of Ardashad, and the entire city of Ardashad itself, and all the villages and towns surrounding it were plundered and burnt and all your families were driven away from their homes. “He tampered with the holy churches and despoiled them of the sacred vessels of the altar. He made captives of the families of the priests, chained the latter, and cast them in prison. He spread rapine and devastation throughout the whole country. The contingent in the neighborhood of Aderbadagan did not come to the aid of the inlanders, 43 and the troops which were already there, escaped from the iniquitous Vasag and took shelter in a remote section of the country, where they continued to remain in the league true to their oath with you for the love of Christ. Some of those who were with Vasag fled to their homes, but many others shared his impiety.* 1 They [the Armenian troops]44 left the place of their encampment in great haste and proceeded toward Armenia with countless spoils and im­ measurable wealth. They sang with sadless joy and with loud voices, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is eternal; Who smote great nations and slew mighty princes; for He is good; for His mercy is eternal ”** And they sang these psalms to the end and with prayers they glorified the Holy Trinity. The general of the army personally provided for his troops and protected them, van guard, rear guard, and flanks; and in thirty days brought them safely to the borders of their native land. News concerning the valiant deeds of Vartan ’s army and also of the treaty with the Huns reached the apostate Vasag and the princes with him. Before the two troops had encountered each other, taking advantage of a dark night, Vasag fled to a fortified section of his own province. So hasty was his departure that he left behind not only the prisoners and the booty he had seized in the province of Airarad, but even his own personal belong ­ ings, and escaped. But as the winter 46 season was upon them and the supplies [of his troops] had been destroyed by the enemy, he [Vartan] was unable to keep and maintain his army in one place; so he scattered them over the various provinces of the land to winter. He gave strict orders for them to be

48 ready for the spring campaign. Keeping a few of the grand nakharars as his adjutants, he captured the royal places by force. He released many detachments of troops against the province of Sunik, occupied and destroyed many towns, and caused so much distress to Vasag and to the troops with him, that, threatened with starvation, they devoured the carcasses of asses and horses indiscriminately. The apostates were subjected to such punishment that the assembly of the holy bishops and the entire order of the priests shed bitter tears over the afflicted, because men and delicately bred women were being driven away on bare feet, and many small children crashed against jutting rocks and fell by the wayside. In view of all these successes for those who feared God, the bishops and the priests issued an order in the land to the effect that during the entire month of Kaghotz, 47 supplication be made to God by fasting and prayer, and that the festival of victory in war be joined with the Festival of the Revelation 48 of Christ, so that the memory of this great event might be permanently affixed to that everlasting divine festival. The bishops wrote all about the glorious visitations of God in Armenia to the holy league of the church in the land of the Greeks at the imperial city,49 so that they also might beseech God to help us finish the work in the same manner as we had begun. One of the Persian prisoners 50 was released from his chains and brought before the nakharars. They spoke to him and mentioned all the damage that had been caused: the devastation of the countries, the slaughter of the royal troops, and all else that might well happen in the near future. And when they pointed out all these to him, both the valiant and those who had remained behind were agreed that it had been vain and useless to force them to renounce the faith of their forefathers; that the rebel Vasag had deceived the king that the Armenians would accept the doctrine of the magi, although no such promise had been given to him, and that he himself had cowered in deceit. When they had impressed all this upon him, they sent him to the king as their emissary, to try to justify what had taken place and to find means whereby their brothers might be delivered from oppression. But the bearers of sad tidings from the ungodly Vasag had already reached the palace to tell of the misfortunes befallen the royal army, and had placed the whole blame on the holy league of the church, because it had always been the purpose of this lawless man to dissolve the union between the bishops and the nakharars. But he was unaware that, even though body

49 and soul do separate from each other temporarily as a phenomenon of nature, such separation was impossible between those who were united by divine love. And so the released prisoner went to the winter residence 61 of the king and related everything to him. The king was terrified, lost his strength and weakened, especially since he had returned from the war in the east 62 as a sad loser and not as a proud victor. When the king learned the truth from the last messenger who had come to him, he ascribed the failures of his undertakings to his councilors. His extraordinary rage subsided, because his evil advisors, who had un ­ ceasingly exhorted him to commit wicked deeds, had been silenced. His haughtiness was humbled, and his ferocious heart resumed human dignity. He realized how powerless he was and perceived that he could no longer accomplish all he wanted to accomplish, and for that reason he refrained from bold aggressiveness and ceased his furious rantings. He who had thundered with a frightful voice and had terrified the far and the near by his even more appalling orders, began to speak to everyone in sweet and pleading words, saying: “What harm have I caused, or what sin have I committed against any nation, or any people, or any particular individual? Are there not many creeds in the kingdom of the Aryans, and are not the services of each obvious? Who has ever forced anyone to accept the religion of the magi? Referring to the laws of Christianity especially, it can be said that just as the Christians have remained firm and loyal to their faith, so have they appeared to us better than all other sects. “No one can find a flaw in their select laws, which I consider equal to the laws of Mazdaism, and which were respected by our ancestors, as I myself remember from my father 63 who sat on this great throne. After he had inquired into and examined all teachings and had become well acquainted with all, he found the laws of the Christians to be the most exalted of them all. Because of that they were much distinguished and honored at the royal court and were happy to receive generous gifts from him and travelled all over the land freely. He even considered the leaders of the Christians, known as bishops, worthy of presents and grants as faithful guards. He assigned to them the supervision of distant territories but never once erred in his judgment by committing the great affairs of the kingdom to their care. “You have never mentioned any of this, but have incessantly wearied my ears with all kinds of stories about their wickedness. See now, you have

50 made me do things which I did not wish to do, causing serious destruction to the territories between two implacable foes. 54 And while we were far away in a war in which nothing has yet been accomplished by us, you here, in my own home, forced another war upon me, the consequences of which are bound to be worse than those of a war waged against foreign enemies. ” This and yet more than this he said to all the nobles and placed the blame for the injuries on the mogbed and the magi. And all the great and distinguished ministers who sat in council and listened to this irrational speech, were covered with shame; they lowered their glances to earth, and could not lift up their heads. But some of them were pleased with his speech and said: “Yes, valiant King, King of Kings, what you said is true, and now you can really over ­ come all the obstacles. No one can repudiate your will, for the gods have decreed that you take whatever you wish. Do not be distressed, nor disturb our minds; a way out of all the difficulties may easily be found. Be merciful and with patience allow these men 55 to return to their Christian worship, and through them you may bring the rebels to submission. ” These words pleased the king and he summoned before him all the Christians who were among his troops and whom he had forcibly forbidden to worship God in his presence; whoever had resisted his command had been tortured and prevented from worshiping God openly. He had even compelled some of them to worship the sun and had brought misery and sorrow on all the warriors. But on that day he ordered them to pursue their Christian faith freely according to their former custom. But those who had transgressed did not want to return and join the rank of the Christians hurriedly and without solemn repentance. The king ordered that they be seized and led back to their churches by force; and he authorized the priests to do with them whatever their religion allowed them to do. He restored to each the salary diat had been cancelled and instructed that all homes that had been confiscated be returned to their owners and that the Christians be allowed to have free access to the palace. And he reinstated all things to their previous order. He humbled himself and spoke with them affectionately according to the custom of the past. After all this had been done and completed, in the presence of all he sent the following proclamation of amnesty to the Christians of every country within his rule and dominion: “All persons in bondage must be set free by royal command; and all properties that have been confiscated.

51 must be returned; similarly seized land, acquired by inheritance or gift or purchase, must be restored to the rightful owner, as we have ordered. ” And after he had made all this known to them, he requested them to send an accurate testimonial to Armenia, and he took an oath in their presence, and with the acquiescence of all his nobles said: “I do not think of being revengeful in the least. As you have heretofore freely followed your creed, henceforth you may do so even with more freedom; only do not withdraw yourselves from our service. ” He wrote to and proclaimed all this in Armenia and in many other countries where Christian laws prevailed. But at the same time, intent on secret deception, he hastened to send envoys to Emperor Marcian. And after he had confirmed that the Horoms had denied help to the Christians, either by auxiliary troops or by other means, he reverted to his erroneous views. Since the blame for the failure of the undertakings had been placed on his officials, he entertained the idea that everything would be done according to his original intentions. When the Armenians received the deceitfully amiable letter of the king, which on its face contained joyful tidings of life but underneath was full of the bitterness of death, they were amazed at his childish reasoning and said to each other: “How insolent is his deceitful guile! Even though he was disgraced in his two or three attempts, he is still unashamed. And although he is well aware of our indissoluble union, he continues to pursue us indecently and impudently, determined to discourage us. “But should we give credence to his faithless proclamation? What benevolence of his have we seen concerning our churches throughout all Persia? He who is evil cannot be good to others, and he who proceeds towards darkness will not lead others by the light of truth. Just as justice cannot flow from injustice, similarly no truth can emanate from falsehood, nor can there be any expectation of peace from a turbulent mind. “But we — who have been redeemed by the might of God and confirmed with a faith in the hope of Christ Who came and assumed a body like ours in the Holy Virgin, formed an indissoluble union with His divinity, suffered on His flesh the tortures of our sins, was crucified and buried, and after resurrection appeared to many, and in the presence of His disciples ascended to His Father and sat at the right of the Almighty — believe Him as the true God and we expect Him to come again with the glory and the power of His Father, to raise all the dead, to give new life to the creatures and to sit in eternal judgment between the righteous and the wicked.

52 “We shall not be beguiled as children, nor be misled as the uninformed, nor be deceived as the ignorant; on the contrary, we are prepared to meet all adversities. And we pray God and incessantly beg Him for an abundance of His mercy, so that we may finish our task as we have begun, with valor and not with cowardice. East and west, [O King,] are already aware of your hostility towards God and of your killing us without justification and in spite of our services. Heaven with the heavenly and earth with the earthly do testify that we have not sinned against you even in our minds; and instead of rewarding us and being charitable to us, you wish to deprive us of our true life; that cannot be and never will be done. “But should we now give credence to his unworthy mouth which has been cruelly forcing us to apostasy? And, can he today become a preacher of truth without having performed any benevolent deed? We cannot hastily accept the involuntary penance of one who has been cursing Christ and forcing the faithful to disavow Him. He, who was swearing by the idle worship of his erroneous creed that he would subject the clergy of the church to all sorts of tortures, has now come surreptitiously to offer thanks, and by so doing wishes to pour his wickedness upon us. We do not believe him, nor do we submit to his deceitful command. ” And when he [the King] realized that he was unable to destroy the firmness of the league, he released from his side the resentful old man, [Mihrnerseh,] in whom Satan dwelt with his might, and who had com­ mitted many acts of carnage. The pure flesh of saints constituted his cherished food and the blood of the innocent, his avaricious drink. To the wickedness of this man the king added his own lethal order. He furnished him with a multitude of troops from all countries and provided him with many herds of elephants. Approaching the borders of Armenia, he entered the city of Paida- garanse and deployed his troops around the whole city, as a precautionary measure in carrying out his treacherous design. And there, in a secure hollow, lay the old venomous serpent and hiding himself by artfulness as if without fear terrified those afar by dreadful roarings and hissed over those near like a crawling snake. This man was the ruler and the commander-in-chief of the entire Persian kingdom, and his name was Mihrnerseh. No one dared to oppose him. Not only the great and the little, but even the king himself heeded the words of the man who had been responsible for past failures.

53

Fourth Chapter

THE DISRUPTION OF THE SECEDERS FROM THE HOLY LEAGUE

ITHERTO I have described without fear the disasters which the foreign foes of truth brought upon us maliciously. Few, indeed, of our ene ­ mies seriously harmed us, but there were many whom we injured, because we were then still united and equal to them. Although there were some among us who in secret were treacherously inclined, yet in the eyes of the outside world our unity appeared formidable; for instance, in two or three places our enemies did not dare to confront us. It is apparent, therefore, that where dissension creeps in unity is destroyed and heavenly virtue vanishes; and when people become selfish, the shedding of tears and lamentations multiply; because when the limbs of one ’s holy body are severed and dropped, one is inclined to weep over the corpse in front of him. The grief will be still greater when soul and body die together. If that is true in regard to one person, how much more would it be concerning a whole nation. Our lamentation at this time is not for one nation only, but for many nations and countries. I shall describe the events in their order, although not with a joyful heart. Truly it is with reluctance that I do write about many, some of whom not only lost their own true lives but became respon ­ sible for the losses suffered by many others, some in things visible and others in things both visible and invisible. But the worst of all is that the gates of perdition which they opened, none save God alone can close again, as doing so is far beyond the power of man.

55 Having already known of the impiety of Vasag, this iniquitous Mihrnerseh sent a messenger and summoned him to appear. Since he [Vasag] had previously withdrawn and separated himself from the Armenian league, he came and presented himself. He reaffirmed his own loyalty and the unjustifiable insurrection of the Armenians; and in order to become in ­ timately pleasing to the ungodly prince, he told an exaggerated story and described deeds of which the Armenians were wholly innocent. Though inwardly Mihrnerseh despised him, still he distinguished him with honor and offered him very great worldly gifts. He promised also greater powers than Vasag already possessed. He directed the latter ’s mind to hopes so vain that they were even above his own authority to grant — suggesting that he deserved to become a king, if it were only possible for him to find means to destroy the holy league of the Armenians and to subject the country to the will of the king. And when he [Vasag] promised to assume all responsibility and to act according to his will, the bitter old man was convinced that he was stupefied and demented and had already broken away from the holy league. His depressed mind was much comforted and he thought that in a similar manner he could allure all the others into ultimate perdition. He attributed this to his own ingenuity, unmindful of the fact that he [Vasag] had separated himself and had withdrawn from the holy church of his own will and was wholly estranged from the love of Christ. The memory of the coming of the Son of God was lost to him and he never recollected the teaching of the Holy Gospel. He was neither affected by threats nor comforted by promises. He renounced the font 1 wherein he was conceived and was completely oblivious of the receptive Holy Spirit2 which gave him birth. He reviled the sacred flesh with which he was purified, and trampled the living blood by which his sins were expiated. He obliterated the certificate of adoption and with his own hands destroyed the firm impression of the ring-seal.3 He withdrew from the ranks of the blessed and caused many to rebel with him. He embraced devil worship stubbornly and became a receptacle of evil and Satan filled him with all manner of artfulness. He took Satan in hand as a shield, attired himself with him as armor, and became an obedient servant to his will. He fought against the wise with artifice and against the learned with considerable perception — openly against the innocent and secretly against the erudite. He seduced many from the congregation of Christ and combined them with the legions of the devil. He crept into

56 many other places surreptitiously, and like a serpent entering into the rank ol the faithful and creating a break in the barricade, he seduced and openly lured away many nobles and many more of the peasants, as well as others who were priests in name only. The names of his accomplices are the following: Ardag, prince of the Rushdunis Katisho , prince of the Khorkhorunis Kiud, prince of the Vahevunis Dirotz, prince of the Pakradunis Manej , prince of the Abahunis Arden , prince of the Capeghenians Untchugh, prince of the Akeans Nerseh , prince of the Urds V arazshabuh , prince of another branch of the Balunis Manen , a noble of the Amadunis and many other freemen from the royal household, known as Vosdanig. He led the entire population of his province into a rebellious apostasy— not only a multitude of laymen, but many from the church league as well. He perpetrated evil chiefly through false clergymen, such as a priest named Zankag, another named Bedros, and a deacon named Sahag. He sent these men to deceive and corrupt innocent people. They swore on the Holy Gospel and said that the king would grant to everyone the right to profess Christianity. By this guileful deception they detached many from the holy league, taking and joining them with the group of the apostates. He gathered together all those who had been led astray and formed a large army. He wrote the names of many of them and presented them to the great hazarabed; he praised his own valor and bravery, boasting greatly of his success in making them disciples of his misguided deception, and made it appear that the army of the Armenians had been disunited and tom apart. And after he had effected all this evil he dissolved the union 4 between the Georgians and the Armenians; prevented the Aghouans from advanc­ ing, and held back the Aghtznians in the same manner. He wrote a letter full of falsehood and distortion to a man also named Vasag living in the land of the Greeks and belonging to that branch of the Mamigonians who were in the service of the Greeks. During the period of these adversities

57 this Vasag was the sbarabed of Lower Armenia; he was loyal to the Horom guard at the Persian boundary, and his deeds were contrary to the laws of God. This Vasag found in the other Vasag an associate in brutal evils, for the commission of which they entered into an alliance. He wrote and publicized continually as if all the Armenians were united with him. With great caution he had the other Vasag take a letter with similar contents to the imperial city, causing the holy bishops to turn against the Christian Armenians and creating doubts about the holy league in the minds of the Greek troops. Through the false priests, moreover, who pretended to be truthful men, he deceived and misled the people, using the Gospel and the Cross to cover his satanic falsehood. He placed himself and all the apostates on the side of the worshippers of God, and made himself appear more steadfast than the loyal Armenian troops. He produced all the grants of amnesty from the court and confirmed them by a solemn oath. The Greeks were already inclined to hear of all this with pleasure, but thanks to Vasag they sank deeper into this line of thought. He acted in the same manner with the inhabitants of the natural strongholds of the country — the Dmorik,5 the Gortvik, the Arzakhs, the Aghouans, the Georgians, and the Khaghdik 6—sending word urging them not to consider them [the Armenian troops] worthy of hospitality. And more than his gross wickedness the circumstances of the time brought success to his venture, because the Armenian troops received no help from outside except from the Huns, with whom they had an alliance. And because of the latter he assembled many of the Aryan mounted forces and obstructed their roads and closed their exits. He gave no respite to the Persian king, but continually sent for and secured large numbers of troops at the Watch of Djora. He mobilized the forces of the Georgians as well as those of the Lipnians, the Jughpians, the Vads, the Kavs, the Kughvans, the Khursans, the Hejmadags, the Pishkuhs, the Pushtkuhs, the Pukouans, and all the troops of the Tavasbars7 — those of the hills and those of the valleys and those of the mountain fastnesses. He aroused some with per ­ sonal effects and generous gifts from the royal treasury, and terrified others with the royal ordinance. After he had accomplished all this according to the order of the King, he wrote daily to the great hazarabed of the Persians, who kept himself secluded and concealed in the city of Paidagaran. Thereupon the latter took courage to show himself to many nations, terrifying some and amiably distributing gratuities to others. He summoned before him Vasag and all

58 the other princes who were with him and gave them and their troops many presents from the royal treasury. Vasag presented the apostate priests also. Anxiously he tried to prove that through them he would entrap the others and would break them away from the holy league. When the hazarabed heard this, he expressed his unbounded thanks to the two priests 8 and encouraged them saying: “Should we conquer, the possessions of other priests will be given to these priests, and I will inform the king of their great services. ” Such was the disturbance and confusion he [Vasag] caused in Armenia. He estranged even true brothers from each other, destroyed harmony between father and son, and created turbulence in the midst of peace. In his own province he had two nephews who acknowledged the holy faith of virtue. He wrote to the court about them and secured authority to seize their property and banished them from the country, never to return. He persecuted and drove away all the monks in the land, who cursed his hopeless impiety for having performed all sorts of wicked deeds against truth. He informed the unbelieving heathens of whatever they did not know, and made known his plans whereby he would be able to eradicate the Christian faith from Armenia. When Mihmerseh observed all this wickedness in him, he settled his hopes on him more than on himself. He inquired into and ascertained the number of men in Vartan ’s army in Armenia. When he learned that they numbered more than sixty thousand, 9 he demanded information about the bravery of each, or how many of them carried armor, or how many were unarmed or armed only with bows, or how many infantrymen were provided with shields. When he learned of their number, he became more anxious to know how many leaders there were among the gallant warriors, so that he might produce three against each one of them. Besides all this, he inquired also concerning the different banners used by each group, how many divisions the troops were formed into and who among them would be their com­ manders, what general would command and from which side he would enter the battle, what were the names of the adjutants, and how many trumpeters would blow the trumpets in the division; whether they would setde in intrenchments or be encamped in the open field; whether they would make frontal attack or would gather in a group and attack at one spot; who among them were weak in spirit and who would fight unto death.

59 When he had received information on all these points, he called all his officers and in Vasag ’s presence commanded them to hearken to the latter ’s instructions. Then he placed all the officers and troops under the command of one of the nobles, whose name was Mushgan Nusalavourd.10 He himself set forth towards the east and appeared before the great king to whom he related everything that had taken place. He mentioned his own ingenious wisdom and. Vasag ’s deceptive skill, and how with that deceptive skill the latter had concealed his original impiety in order to disrupt and disorganize the Armenian army. When the king heard all this from the lips of the great hazarabed, he was embittered and swore the following inviolable oath: “Should that ungodly creature live through the great battle, I will make him drink the bitter cup of death with utter disgrace. ”

60 Fifth Chapter

THE ATTACK OF THE EASTERNERS

OD’S love is greater than all earthly greatness and makes men as dauntless as the incorporeal hosts of angels above, as has been manifested in many instances and at many places since the beginning of the world. Men who had been armored with the love of God spared nothing, and unlike shrinking cowards they were afraid neither of death nor of the plunder of their possessions nor of the massacre of their dear ones nor of the enslavement of their families who were driven out of their fatherland and had been enthralled in foreign lands. They considered all these miseries as naught if only they could remain united unto God, and not be rejected by Him. In their hearts they held Him above all greatness. Apostasy meant death to them and death for the sake of God, an everlasting life; to serve on earth meant freedom for their lives, and to be forced into exile meant to have found God. We observed these with our own eyes, because the land of the Armenians suffered the same martyrdom. When Vartan the Great saw the disunity in his country, neither his faith nor his courage weakened. Although he was aware that many among those who were still united with him were wavering, nevertheless, he enheartened himself and encouraged his troops; for he still retained control over all the royal residences of the land, together with all the nakharars who had not abandoned the holy league. He ordered all his troops to assemble 1 in the city of Ardashad; and in place of those who had deserted and joined the prince of Sunik, he appointed their brothers, their sons,

61 or their nephews, and assigned to them their own respective troops, since he still held 2 the entire land. And all hastened to the battlefield 3 with their fully-equipped troops and joined the others who had been firmly settled there from the beginning. They were the following: Nershabuh Ardzkuni Khoren Khorkhoruni The S barabed Himself Ardag Baluni V ahan Amaduni The V ahevuni Division Tatoul Timaksian Arshavir Arsharuni S hemavon Antzevatzi Dajad Kuntuni Adom Knuni Khosrov Capeghian Garen S aharuni Humayag Timaksian Kazrig, another Timaksian Nerseh Kachperuni Parsman Mantaguni Arsen Undzayetzi Ayroug S ughguni V ren Dashratzi Abrsam Ardzruni The Royal S table -man Khours S urvantzdiantz Koghians Akeans Durbadunis The Troops of Rushdunis AND ALL THE ROYAL RETAINERS, EACH WITH HIS OWN TROOPS.4

62 All these forces arrived in groups to take part in the battle on the plains of Ardaz.6 In all, mounted or on foot, they numbered sixty-six thousand men. With them also came Saint Hovsep, Saint Ghevont, num ­ erous other priests, and a multitude of ministers, none of whom were afraid to participate in the struggle, because they did not consider this war to be for material gains, but for spiritual virtues. They were anxious to join the valiant martyrs in death. The Sbarabed, surrounded by the nakharars, addressed the troops as follows: “You and I have been in many battles together. In some we triumphed over our enemies gallantly; in others we met defeat at their hands. But our victories have been more in number than our defeats. But all these, however, were for personal glory, because we were fighting at the command of a mortal king. He who deserted was branded a coward throughout the land and met merciless death; whereas he who pressed onward valiantly inherited fame for bravery and received splendid gifts from a temporal and mortal king. “We all have numerous wounds and scars on our bodies, and there have been many deeds of valor for which we have been excellently re ­ warded. But I consider all these notable accomplishments ignoble and useless and all the honors idle, because they will all fade away. “Now then, if we were able to perform such brave deeds in obedience to a mortal commander, how much more should we do for our Immortal King Who is the Lord of the living and the dead and Who will judge men according to their deeds. Indeed, even if we were to attain a ripe old age, we should have to abandon our flesh eventually, in order that we may unite with our living God, never to leave Him again. “I entreat you, therefore, my brave companions, especially because many of you surpass me in valor and precede me in princely rank. But since you, of your own free will, have selected me as your leader and commander, let my words be pleasant and agreeable to you all, great and small: Fear not the heathen hordes and never turn your backs to the frightful sword of mortal men; because should our Lord grant us victory, we shall destroy their might and the cause of righteousness shall be ex ­ alted. But if the time has come for us to meet a holy death in this battle, let us accept our fate with joyful heart, without mingling cowardice with our valor and courage. 63 “I shall never forget, furthermore, but shall ever remember the time when some of you and I deceived the wicked ruler and misled him like a contemptible child by feigning to accede to his impious will; but the Lord will bear witness to the fact that within our hearts we remained inextricably bound to Him. "As you yourselves well know, for the sake of our dear ones, who were in great distress, we sought all means to secure their release and together with them to enter into the struggle against the ungodly prince for the preservation of the God-given laws of our land. And since we were unable to assist them in any manner, let it be impossible for us to exchange God for men for the sake of worldly love. “We all recall two or three engagements in which our Lord has come to our aid with a mighty force and has enabled us to earn great fame in bravery, to smite the royal armies fiercely, to massacre the magi without mercy, to obliterate the sacrilegious idolatry in some places, to destroy and annihilate the ungodly decree of the king, to subdue the rage of the sea, whose mountainous waves subsided, whose surging foams wasted, and whose ferocious fury disappeared. He who was thundering above the clouds humbled and lowered himself more than his nature permitted, and spoke with us. He who intended to cause injury to the holy church with words and commands is now fighting with bows, spears and swords. He who thought that we donned Christianity like a garment has now dis­ covered that, as man cannot change the color of the skin, so he cannot and will never succeed in altering our minds, because the foundations [of Christianity] are firmly set on an immovable rock, not only on this earth, but in heaven above, where neither rains fall, nor winds blow, nor floods are formed. Although we are on this earth in flesh, we are established in heaven by our faith, where no one can reach the structures built by Christ without the touch of hand. “Stand firm by our resolute Commander, Who shall never forget your deeds and valor. Gallant warriors! For us it is a great distinction that God is performing this work through us, greatly revealing His real power. If by destroying others for the sake of divine laws we were able to inherit personal fame and thus bequeathed the valiant name of our families to the church, expecting from our Lord the reward which has been reserved for each of us according to the good will of His heart and the deeds accomplished, how much more valuable will be the reward were we to die for the great testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ! Even the angels in

§4 heaven would covet [such a reward,] if they could. And, since these re ­ wards are not intended for everyone but only for those for whom the beneficent Lord has prepared, this opportunity is being offered to us not for our righteous deeds but because of the magnanimity of the Donor, Who truly has said in the Holy Testament: ‘But where sin abounded , the grace of God did much more abound. ’* “This assertion Is most appropriate for us: where we appeared sadly wanting in piety before, we shall now appear the more righteous to men and angels and to the Father of us all. The day when our impious act became known, many tears were shed at the holy church and a great deal more by those we love. Even our infuriated companions were threatening us with their swords, eager to punish us with bitter death. Our servants were running away from us in disgust. Far distant people who had heard of our Christian faith, unaware of our secret intentions, mourned us with incessant lamentations and unknowingly uttered words of vilifica­ tion against us. But what I consider the most important of all was this: not only men on earth, but angels in heaven turned their faces away from us so as not to look upon us ruefully. “The time has now come to cleanse ourselves of every stain of disgrace. There was a time when we were distressed in body and soul as grief- stricken mourners; today we are joyful and discreet in both respects and generally more serious, because we have with us our beneficent Lord as our leader. Our Commander is not a mere man, but the Commander-in- chief of all martyrs. Fear is a sign of doubt; but as we have repudiated doubt long since, let fear also disappear from our hearts and minds. ” The valiant general spoke these words in the presence of the entire host. Thereafter he comforted and encouraged one and the other separately and provided for their needs and necessities. If any of his warriors lacked something, he offered from his own supplies or from those of his companions. He armed those who needed weapons, clothed those who needed garments. and procured steeds for those who needed steeds. He satisfied them all with abundant rations and appeared cheerful before them. Again and again he repeated the recorded deeds of valor of all brave men, naming each war in order, as he was early versed in the Holy Scriptures. Holding the Holy Book in hand he read aloud for everyone to hear about the valiant character of the Maccabees ,and with eloquent words he explained to them the nature of their struggle and the valor with which they had fought for their God-given laws against the king of Antioch. Although they met death

65 in battle, the memory of their bravery survives yet, not only on earth, but in heaven as well. He mentioned also to the warriors how the kinsmen of Matathias with­ drew from the union, submitted to the king ’s command, built temples of idolatry, made sacrilegious offerings, drifted away from God, and suffered the penalty of death at the hands of the men of the holy union. But Mata­ thias and those who stayed with him did not lose their courage; on the contrary, they became more and more steadfast, and for a long time they continued in warfare. He related all this; and there on the plain he established camp, settled his troops, and gradually organized his mounted forces from all sides. Several days later the commander of the Persian army marched forward with a great multitude of heathens and arrived in the land of the Armenians at the province of Her and Zaravant. He halted and encamped there, dug trenches, raised barricades, surrounded the camp with wooden stockades, and fortified the place like a citadel with all necessary preparations. A large number of his soldiers formed a group and invaded the surrounding territory, intending to ransack many provinces. When the Armenian troops heard this, they selected from among the warriors Arantzar, a nobleman of great wisdom and valor, of the Amaduni Howe. He encountered the Persian with two thousand 7 strong, slaughtered a great number of his troops, and drove the rest back to their camp. He himself returned uninjured. That was a great day for joy and jubilation for the Armenian troops. Reverting to his former deception the apostate Vasag, on the other hand, set his treacherous designs to work. He went here and there with the false priests, whom we have already mentioned, and through them he spread the royal orders and on oath tried to convince the people that they were allowed to worship Christianity. Although he pursued this line for many days, he did not succeed in dissolving the union, or the holy league of the church which had never been abandoned by the troops. Receiving permission from his holy friends, Hovsep the Great and all the nobles, the priests and the commanders of the army, the blessed Priest Ghevont stood forth and with a loud voice spoke in the presence of the representatives [of the troops.] “Remember our forefathers who lived at different periods of time prior to the birth of the Son of God.

66 When the evil spirit drove us out and cast us away from our celestial abode, 8 we were condemned relentlessly for the unjustifiable sins we com­ mitted freely and unworthily, and provoked the anger and resentment of the Creator and stirred the merciful Judge to take revenge upon all creatures indiscriminately. He even ordered the oceans of heaven to pour their waters on the land below and caused a similar action from the opposite direction by opening large fissures in the firm foundations of the earth. 8 [The waters] from above and below became implements of torture to wreak unmitigated vengeance upon us for our transgressions. “Indeed, the only righteous person in the entire human race was the just Noah, who was able to placate the wrath and indignation of the Lord and became the instrument of the survival and growth of the human race. Abraham likewise proved himself virtuous in the hour of his temptation and with his own hands offered to God all the gifts he had received from Him. For that very reason God selected him for a pattern, because He saw in him an impression of the invisible coming of the Son of God, the con ­ ception of the inconceivable, and the sacrificing of the immortal Who by His own death destroyed the power of death. If death is, therefore, destroyed by death, let us not hesitate to share the death of Christ, because were we to die with Him, we shall also live again with Him. “Remember, blessed ones, the great Moses who had not yet attained his manhood when the idea of holy martyrdom came to him in his child­ hood. The household of the king of Egypt rendered service to him and reluctantly had him fostered. And at the time of the liberation of his people from their afflictions, Moses became a mediator between heaven and earth and was named god over the Egyptians — this, because wherever he had found the holy sacrament stronger in him, he himself had taken vengeance upon the Egyptians; but wherever divine revelation came to him, he per ­ formed great miracles by his rod. Because of his sacred jealously he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. For that reason God exalted him and appointed him the leader of the people. The important thing is that he became absolved by shedding blood and was called the greatest of all the prophets, for massacring not only the foreign foe, but also his own kinsmen who exchanged God for the [golden] calf in the desert. “And if in the distant past he could so jealously guard the belief in the coming of the Son of God, we who have seen and have deeply enjoyed the heavenly benefits of His benevolence should be more zealous about the truth revealed in a more recent time. The Son of God sacrificed Himself

67 for our sins and saved us from hopeless condemnation. Let us, therefore, sacrifice our lives for His immortal power, so that we may not be regarded less revengeful than those who preceded us. "Remember the excellent priest Penehez, who by murderous battle wiped out idolatry and established the priesthood under oath, from gen­ eration to generation. Do not forget either the holy prophet Elijah who, unable to tolerate the heathenism of the inhabitants of Akab, with righteous jealousy killed eight hundred of them with his own hands and offered another hundred as kindling 10 for the unextinguisliable fire. After exacting such divine vengeance, he ascended from earth to heaven in an incon ­ ceivable and awe-inspiring chariot. You have come upon a greater fortune because no chariots will be sent for your ascension, but the Lord of all the chariots and steeds shall arrive with a mighty force and holy angels and shall bestow wings on each of you so that you may become His travel companions and share His abode. "What else can I recite before Your Excellencies, since you are more learned and more acquainted with the Holy Testaments than I am? David in his youth triumphed over the great mountain of flesh 11 with a mere stone, without the least fear of the awful sword of the giant. He scattered the army of the aliens and saved his troops from destruction and the people from slavery. He became the first of the kings of Israel and was called the father of the son of God. He was so designated because of the exigencies of the period; but you, who are really born of the Holy Ghost, are sons of God and co-inheritors with Christ. Let no one deprive you of your share and disinherit you by declaring you imposters. “Remember all the former generals of Israel: Joshua, Gideon, and Jephthah, and all the rest who had the true faith. They attacked and mas­ sacred the hosts of the heathens and cleansed their country of obscene idolatry. And for their steadfast and righteous conduct, wherein their thoughts never wavered, the sun and the moon, having no ears, heard their commands and requests and fulfilled them; the sea and the rivers, contrary to their nature, opened passage for them; and the colossal walls of the city of Jericho crumbled at a mere voice, to revenge the laws of righteousness. And all the others, who in their respective eras performed deeds of valor according to their own belief, were praised by men and vindicated by God. “Indeed our Lord is the same Lord, from the beginning to the present day, and hereafter and forever and ever, beyond eternity. He is not reno-

68 vated, because He never wears out; He does not become rejuvenated, because He never grows old. The immutable nature of God does not change, as He Himself has said through the mouths of the holy prophets: 7 am, I am the same from the beginning to eternity. I shall not give my glory to another, nor my valor to graven images. ’12 “Knowing all this, my brothers, let us not weaken or become dis­ couraged, but with resolute hearts, with a firm faith, and willingness let us attack our foes, who have arisen to come upon us. Our hope appears two-fold to us: if we die, we shall live [in the hereafter;] if we cause death to others, we shall retain our present life. Let us recall the words of the apostle: ‘Instead of bliss which was available to Him, He patiently awaited death, even death on the cross. And because of that God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name which is greater than all the names, because at the name Jesus Christ every knee bends, the things in heaven and. the things on earth and the things under the earth. ’12 “Because he who has truly joined the Son of God can see with the eyes of his soul the invisible but clear light of the rays of the comprehen ­ sible Sun 14 which appears to be rising more radiantly every hour and every day. It attracts the holy-visioned and the holy-sighted with limpid clarity; and by causing them to penetrate through the sky brings them closer to the inaccessible vision and strongly influences them to worship the united power of the Trinity. He who has ascended the divine ladder, therefore, has reached the royal abode high above, and has seen the all-inclusive great ­ ness, he alone shall inherit the everlastng joy and solace without grief. “After ascending to such a height, my honarable sirs, let us not stumble to earth and welter, but let us remain firm in our high stations above. When we look upon the low side of the earth, we see it full of all kinds of corruptions and unholy profanities. For what afflictions are there that are not brought upon the pestiferous inhabitants of the earth! The misery of the destitute and their innumerable tortures, the exacting burdens of the tax collectors, the disgust and contempt from our tyrannous friends, the hunger and thirst according to our natural needs, the frosts of the winter and the droughts of the summer, unseasonable ailments and deadly diseases always torment humanity. Fear from the outsiders and panic from the insiders follow each other incessantly. There are many who desire an untimely death, but do not find it; and many others look and beg for it and are elated when they find it. But it seems to us that all those who

69 attain success and greatness and weaken their frail lives in pleasure, and boast and brag about the transitory things of this world, are blind to the true life. Now then, what mischiefs are there that are not being perpetrated by them? Their greatness is comingled with plundering the possessions of the poor and their holy matrimony, with base lewdness. As strayers from the true life, they worship as god whatever they cherish of their own choice. “Is it not true that the whole world has been created by the Creator of all, and whatever they now worship and revere is indeed only a part of the same matter? It follows, therefore, that some parts are rendering homage to other parts. Hence, if one part of this world is corruptible, all the remain ­ ing parts must also be corruptible. Then again selection should be made among these parts. The best among them is manifest to all, and the one who is able to understand is the most select of them all. If that is so, then the heathen worshippers are superior to all the irrational elements which they worship and revere and serve so obediently. They do not worship the Almighty God Who assumed human form, but adore the creatures. There shall be no expiation of their sins at the equitable tribunal. “Come now, let us cast aside the obscure thoughts of the misled. Let us consider them as the most pitiable and deplorable of all men, principally because they have been blinded of their own free will and not under com­ pulsion, and they will never be able to find the way of truth. And since we have already seen the heavenly light with open eyes, let not external darkness come upon us again. The true light came to those who were in darkness; but being blind, they missed life. But you, who received it with faith, are sons and not aliens, loved ones and not enemies, the participants and inheritors of the comprehensible heavenly city. “The leader of our salvation is there. He sacrificed Himself cour­ ageously here below and taught the same lesson to His apostles who were His companions and co-workers. Today you appear with them once again, blessed with faith, against the invisible enemy who, protected with heavy armor, stands facing you with his accomplice Satan. Somehow or other you will defeat both of them, just as our Lord did. It appeared to the world as if He had died, whereas He had earned the excellent reward of courageous martyrdom. He overthrew His adversary, won the battle, scattered the foe, gathered the spoils, released the captives, and rewarded all those dear to Him, each according to his merit.

70 “You all know that in former times although it was your custom to have priests in the army during the war, at the commencement of the battle you resigned yourselves to their prayers and stationed them at comparatively secure places. But today, bishops and priests, deacons and singers of psalms, and readers of the Scriptures are fully prepared and anxious to join in battle with you to slaughter the enemies of truth. They do not mind facing death, because they prefer to die rather than to kill. They seem to have acquired a double vision: with the eyes of their faith they see the stoning of the prophets, and with their physical eyes they see your valorous self- sacrifice. We observe that you also possess a double vision, because you also are able to see the tortures of the holy apostles and the murder of all the holy martyrs, by whose death the holy church was founded, and the effusion of their blood became the pride of those in heaven above and the earth below. Until the day of the second coming [of Christ,] therefore, the same valiant deeds shall be performed through the suffering of the virtuous and excellent martyrs, with whom you have been classified this day and have been invited by your holy illuminators to join their legions and to become heirs to the everlasting benefits promised by Jesus Christ Who has been blessed forever. ” Thus spoke the holy Priest Ghevont that night and ended his bene­ diction by saying, “Amen. ” Then an altar was set up and the most holy Sacrament was offered. Baptismal fonts were prepared and all through the night those of the troops who had not been baptized were baptized. In the morning all of them received communion and became as radiantly attired as on the festival day of the great Holy Easter. And the entire body of the troops shouted with great joy and high exultations and said: "May our death be equal to the death of the righteous and the shedding of our blood to that of the sainted martyrs; and may God be pleased with our voluntary sacrifice and deliver not His church unto the hands of the heathens. ”

71

Sixth Chapter

THE WAR OF THE ARMENIANS

^^HEREAFTER when the commander 1 of the Persian forces realized that

no more emissaries were left to deceive them and that all hope for dissolving their firm union had been lost, he summoned the iniquitous Vasag and all die apostate Armenian princes who were with him, questioned them, and tried to learn the means whereby victory would be assured. And after he was informed of the valor of each person individually, he called many of his subordinate commanders and ordered them to bring forth hordes of ele ­ phants. He divided the beasts into different groups and assigned three diousand armored soldiers to each elephant. He had numerous other troops besides. He spoke to these nobles according to the royal command and said: "Remember, each of you, the order of the great king and resolve to win fame in bravery. Prefer death to life in infamy. Do not forget the [aromatic] oils,2 the laurels, the palms [of victory] and the generous gifts offered to you by the royal court. You are the masters of your provinces and have many powers. You know well the bravery of die Armenians as well as the valor and the courage of each of them. Should you be defeated, even though you may remain alive, you will lose the great life which you now possess. Remember your wives and your children; remember your dear friends. You may, perhaps, be trampled down by your foreign enemy and join your loved ones in grief. ”

73 He reminded them also of many of their comrades who had deserted, and had thus escaped the battle but were, nevertheless, condemned to die by the sword; their sons and daughters and their entire families were made outcasts, and their native provinces were confiscated. He said this and stressed the royal command still more. Then he deployed his whole army, and spread his front through the entire length of the great plain. He assigned three thousand fully-equipped warriors to the right and to the left of each beast, and gathered around himself a large body of gallant and select fighters. Thus he strengthened his Madyan Corps3 like a strong tower or like an impregnable fortress. He distributed emblems and raised banners and commanded everyone to be ready at the sound of the great trumpet. He also assembled in one place the troops of the Abar- hayigs, the Gadshans, the Huns, and the Keghians, 4 and many other highly chosen men of war; and he instructed and ordered the troops of his right 6 wing to be ready to confront the Armenian general. Meanwhile the brave Vartan approached and consulted his staff leaders and with their advice appointed his division commanders. He entrusted his first division to the Ardzrounian prince and designated the great Mogian prince 6 as his adjutant with many other nakharars as their assistants, and strengthened the wings of the division on all sides. He placed the second division under the command of Khoren Khorkhoruni and designated Undzayin 7 and Nerseh Kachperuni as his adjutants. He gave the third division to Tatoul Vanantetzi with Dajad Kuntuni as his adjutant and assigned to that division a great many brave warriors. He himself assumed the command of the fourth division and appointed the gallant Arshavir and his own brother Hamazasbian as his adjutants. He organized and formed his front and deployed his troops over the length and breadth of the plain face to face with the Aryan army on the banks of the River Dughmood. Both sides, being thus prepared and seized with a mighty rage and burnt with fury, attacked each other with bestial ferocity. The loud cry of the mobs on both sides sounded like the clash of the clouds above, and the thundering sound of the noises rocked the caverns of the mountains. The countless helmets and the shining armor of the warriors glowed like the rays of the sun. The flashing of countless swords and the swaying of innumerable spears seemed like an awful fire being poured down from heaven. But who can describe fully the tremendous tumult caused by these

74 frightful noises — the clashing of the warriors and the snapping of the bow strings — which deafened everyone alikel One should have seen the turmoil of the great crisis and the immeasur ­ able calamity of confusion on both sides as they clashed with each other in reckless fury. The dull-minded became frenzied; the cowards deserted the field; the brave fought courageously, and the valiant roared. In a solid mass the great multitude held the river; and the Persian troops, noticing the difficulty of passage, became restless in their places: but the Armenian troops crossed the river on horseback and fell upon them with a mighty force. They attacked each other fiercely and many on both sides fell wounded on the field, rolling in agony. Amid that great confusion, the brave Vartan looked around to observe that a group of courageous and select Persian warriors had forced the left wing of the Armenian division to retreat. Immediately he attacked with great vehemence, battered the right wing of the Persian army, and pushed the enemy troops back towards their beasts. Then he surrounded and slaughtered them. Thus he created such a great disorder that the troops of the Madyan Corps were dislodged from their prepared position and were put to flight without actually being defeated. Then Mushgan Nusalavourd raised his eyes and noticed that some of the Armenians were separated from their corps and had fallen behind in the mountain vales. Thereupon he shouted encouragement to the soldiers of the Aryan army around him, who were holding a position against Vartan ’s troops. There on the battlefield, consciousness of defeat came to both sides, because the piles of the fallen bodies were so thick that they looked like craggy masses of stone. When Mushgan Nusalavourd realized this, he waited for the beasts of Ardashir.8 Seated on the wild beasts as if atop a lofty watch-tower or in a fortified citadel, he incited his troops with the loud sound of huge trumpets and surrounded him [Vartan] with his vanguard. But the valiant Vartan with his brave warriors played no lesser havoc in that place, where he himself made the supreme sacrifice of holy martyrdom.9 And as the battle continued, the day drew to its close and the night approached; many were in death ’s agony; and the bodies of the slain were so thickly heaped together that they looked like fallen trees in the forest. Broken spears and shattered bows were strewn all over and because of that the sacred bodies of the blessed could not be fully identified; and there

75 was a terrible panic and confusion over those who had fallen on both sides. The survivors were routed and scattered over the hilltops and in more protected valleys, and whenever foe met foe they slew each other. The work of destruction continued without pause until sunset. As it was springtime, the flowery fields were inundated with the blood of countless warriors. Man ’s heart would be crushed and his intestines con ­ vulsed at the sight of huge heaps of fallen corpses and at the sound of the wailing of the stabbed, the moaning of the smitten, the convulsive creep- ings of the wounded, the flight of the cowards, the hiding of the deserters, the despair of the timid, the screams of women, the lamentation of dear ones, the weeping of relatives, and the bewailing and regrets of friends. There was no victor and no vanquished, but braves clashed with braves and both sides met defeat. And because the great Sbarabed of the Armenians had fallen in the great battle, there was no other leader for the remainder of the troops to rely upon and to rally around. Although the survivors were more numerous than the dead, they became scattered and dispersed; they withdrew to more secure parts of the country and occupied by force many regions and fortresses which no one could capture. Here are the names of the valiant heroes who made the supreme sac­ rifice on the battlefield: of the house of Mamigonian, the B rave V artan , with one hundred and thirty-three persons of the house of Khorkhoruni, the V aliant Khoren , with nineteen persons of the house of Baluni, the Courageous Ardag, with fifty-seven persons of the house of Kuntuni, the Amazing Dajad , with nineteen persons

of the house of Timaksian, the Wise Humayag , with twenty-two persons

of the house of Kachperuni, the Magnificent Nerseh , with seven persons of the house of Knuni, the Y outhful V ahan , with three persons of the house of Undzayetzis, the Just Arsen , with seven persons

of the house of Servantzdian, the Progressive Karekin , with two of his closest kin and eighteen other persons.

76 These two hundred and eighty-seven heroes and the nine distinguished nakharars perished there. Besides these two hundred and eighty-seven warriors, seven hundred and forty others of the royal house, the house of Ardzruni and other nakharars inscribed their names in the Book of Life on the day of that great battle. They numbered one thousand and thirty- six altogether. But on the side of the apostates and the heathens three thousand five hundred and forty-four men lost their lives. Nine of those were of the highest nobility over whose loss Mushgan Nusalavourd was very much grieved. When he realized, moreover, that the casualties suffered by his forces were seven times greater than those of the Armenians, his strength failed and he could not concentrate on his thoughts, for the battle had not ended the way he had anticipated. He was greatly distressed especially to see that a great multitude of his own men had fallen; and a count proved that the men killed on his side were many times more than those on the side of the Armenians, particularly the distinguished men whom the king knew personally. He was afraid to write and communicate the events truth­ fully to the king, and yet he was unable to withhold the facts, because such a great battle could not be kept concealed. And while he was meditating over these things and taxing his mind, the apostate Vasag, who had saved his own life by hiding among the beasts, tried to comfort his distressed mind and disclosed certain deceitful schemes whereby he might fight against the strongholds. He made sworn statements by the king ’s order, by his own affirmation and by the imposter priests who were with him; and he sent emissaries to the defenders of the strong ­ holds to the effect that the insurrection had been forgiven and that per ­ mission had been granted for the embellishment of churches and for the restoration of conditions as they had previously existed. Although the king ’s orders were truly given because his power had been shattered by blows on both sides, 10 yet the Armenian troops could not so readily trust them, because they had too often experienced Vasag ’s treachery and deceit.

77 78 Seventh Chapter

THE PROLONGATION OF DISTURBANCES

▼ ASAG again incited Mushgan Nusalavourd and all the elders of the Aryans to further action; and taking troops with him he arrived at the stronghold where a detachment of the Armenian forces and holy priests had taken refuge, and attacked the fortress on all sides. But when they failed to subdue the defenders, again they resorted to solemn vows, and feigning honesty, tried to have them come down of their own accord. So they sent the Gospel two or three times to the defenders. Although the priests were willing to accede to the request, many of the officers had no faith in Vasag ’s false oath nor in Mushgan Nusalavourd who was now acting upon Vasag ’s evil counsels. One of the brave Armenian warriors called Pag, who had fled and taken refuge in the fortress, climbed to the rampart, stood up against the apostate, and in the presence of the Persian commander reminded him of all the evils he had brought upon Armenia. Many of the Armenians and still more of the Persian troops, who heard him, justified his accusations. That very night he left the fortress with seven hundred men and the enemy was unable to lay hands on him. Although the men inside the fortress knew well that the solemn promises made by the enemy were false, they had no provisions to with­ stand a siege. And when they left their stronghold and presented themselves unwillingly, two hundred and thirteen of them were sentenced to death. They all exclaimed aloud and said: “We thank Thee, O Lord our God,

79 that Thou hast held us worthy of Thy heavenly call, while the churches are still full of the pious, the shrines of the confessors are still unharmed, and the holy covenant of the union of the church has remained pure. May our death be equal to the death of the valiant martyrs and our blood be mixed with the blood of the wounded, and may the Lord be pleased with His churches together with the many willing victims who rise upon the holy altar.” After saying this, the two hundred and thirteen men suffered death on the spot. But the holy priests who were in the fortress — the blessed Hovsep and Ghevont with their many companions — offered their necks to the sword of the executioner, repeating what the two hundred had said. They expected nothing for their earthly lives, but wisely sought to be the means for the salvation of the whole world. They filed complaints with the Porte, therefore, and placed the blame for everything on the iniquitous Vasag. When Mushgan Nusalavourd heard this, he did not dare to condemn them to death; he ordered Hovsep and Ghevont to be beaten for complaining to the Porte and to be kept under careful watch. The other priests were dismissed, each to his home, with instructions to rehabilitate and pacify the country. But the Armenians, who were well aware of the unreliable orders of the king and the malicious apostate Vasag, placed no credence whatever on the false amnesty; on the contrary, they encouraged each other and said: “What need is there for us to live in this transitory world? And why should we enjoy the light of the sun now that our dear ones have departed? Since our brave martyrs fell in the great battle, since many of our wounded rolled on the plain drenched in blood and their bodies became prey to vultures and food for the beasts, since our distinguished nakharars, suffering degradation and misery, abandoned their personal possessions and are now being persecuted and tortured, and since the entire Armenian womanhood has been subjected to distressing dangers and unbearable degradation, we shall neither heed your deceptive commands, [O King,] nor deliver our­ selves into the hands of your godless princes. ” Thereupon they abandoned their villages, their towns and their farms. Brides left their nuptial chambers and bridegrooms their rooms; the old dropped out of their chairs and infants from their mothers ’ breasts. Boys and girls and the entire multitude of men and women departed and settled in the fastnesses of the wilderness and in the defensible regions of many mountains. They preferred to live like beasts in caverns and worship God,

80 than to enjoy the comforts of home in apostasy. They endured their grassy foods without complaint and never thought of their customary dishes. They considered the caves as chambers of lofty dwellings and the earthen beds, as picturesque balconies. Psalms were their whispering songs and the reading of the Holy Scrip­ tures their absolute joy. Every man was a church in himself and a priest as well. Their bodies were holy altars, and their souls, worthy offerings; no one mourned despairingly for those who had fallen by the sword and no one moaned with grief for his close relatives. They submitted cheerfully to the plunder of their many possessions and never reminded themselves that they had once possessed goods. They endured all patiently and bore their afflic­ tions with great valor. Had they been unable to see the joyful hope with open eyes, they could not exhibit such great virtue. Many of them were from the families of great nakharars —brothers, sons, daughters, and many dear friends who had found shelter in various fortified places; some in the gloomy land of the Khaghdik; many others in the south­ ern provinces at the unapproachable fastness of Dmorik; half of them in the dense forests of Arzakh; still others in many midland 1 fortresses which they had occupied forcibly. All of them bore their countless sufferings with great patience, placing their hopes on God and beseeching Him with prayers, that He might not suffer them to witness the destruction of their holy churches. But by the iniquity we have proved many times, the impious Vasag exhorted and urged the Persian forces nearby to request that by royal com­ mand other troops come to their aid. As a result a large number of horsemen arrived to take the place of those who had been killed, and a large army was formed as in the beginning. They proceeded to the midlands and began to fight against the great fortresses of the Blue Mountain. 2 But the defenders fought with great bravery, slew a large portion of the Persian forces, and forced the rest to flee back to their camp. Then the enemy again resorted to appeasement and sought to overcome them by deceit. None of the defenders trusted them and none went to them, in order not to fall into the cruel hands of the enemy; but since the latter made solemn vows, they thought it best to send down a priest named Arshen. He spoke and pleaded with them amicably and tried to convince them that there had been no harm in the flight of the innocent. He attempted to move the apostate Vasag to compassion and pleadingly reminded him of his former connection with the Christian faith, hoping that he might some-

81 what mollify his unbearable severity. Without paying any attention to his words Vasag bound and carried away the blessed man and those who had come down with him. When he realized, moreover, that the commander was guided by his advice, he sent around marauders who captured all those outside of the fortifications. With torch in hand they set fire to many places. When the inhabitants of the stronghold of Dmorik heard of the miseries caused by the royal troops, they felt that it was useless to stay within the fortifications any longer. They sallied forth fearlessly, made their attack with the help of others, and arriving at the nearby Persian lands they spread death and bloody carnage; they carried the survivors into captivity, impri­ soned them in the forts, and with torches burned down the buildings of the country. Similarly, when those who lived in the mountains of the Khaghdik saw that the Persian troops boldly and fearlessly attacked the fortresses of Armenia, they attacked the valley of Daik3 with a great force. There they encountered a large detachment of royal troops who were trying to capture all the occupants of the fortresses of the country and, suspecting that the treasures of the nakharars had been hidden there, were making ruthless searches everywhere. When they saw that the churches of two villages had been burnt down, they became passionately infuriated. They rushed into attack, clashed with the enemy, and with a determined will triumphed over and crushed the strength of the Persian army; and after slaying many of them, routed the rest from the country. By his unsparing valor in this daring attack only the blessed Humayag, Sbarabed Vartan ’s brother, won the laurel of martyrdom for the sacred covenant of the union. All the others, being unscathed, pursued the fugitives. After this turn of events, the king ’s troops everywhere ceased to engage in indiscriminate battle, and refrained from interfering with the churches any further. So once again they sought instructions from the royal court. Those who had taken refuge in the forests of Arzakh did not remain inactive and peaceful but kept on sending word to the land of the Huns, stirred and urged the Hun troops, reminding them of their solemn treaty with the Armenians confirmed with an inviolable oath. Many of the Huns, severely criticized for not joining the battle with sufficient preparations, were happy to hear these pleasing words. Although at first an agreement could not be reached, later the Huns assembled a large army, attacked imme-

82 diately, and reached the boundaries of the Persian kingdom, where they laid waste many provinces and carried many prisoners to their homeland, thus proving definitely to the king that they were united with the Armenian forces. When the news of these occurrences reached the Persian commander, he was terribly irritated and in his uncontrollable rage heaped the entire blame for all the evils which had come to pass on the iniquitous Vasag. He left his post and went to Persia. Then he wrote to the court and presented the state of affairs truly, placing the entire blame upon the apostate. When the king heard that the country had been devastated and ascer ­ tained the facts about the great battle, he became heartbroken; his arrogance was subdued and he withdrew quietly from his continuous and treacherous designs. He inquired into the causes of failure of that ill-advised venture and asked: “Who can acquaint me with the facts truthfully?” Thereupon Hazarabed Mihrnerseh, who was well acquainted with the sinister venture and was in the royal court, stepped forward and said to the king: “I will tell you that, valiant King. If you wish to learn the whole truth, summon the chiefs of the Christians who are now in Armenia. They will come will­ ingly and will relate to you everything truthfully.” Then the king wrote to one of the grand nakharars named Adrormizt, whose province was bordering Armenia and who had assisted the Persian commander in the same battle, and appointed him marzban of Armenia. He sent Mushgan Nusalavourd with the remainder of the troops to the lands of the Aghouans, the Lipnians, the Jughpians, the Hajmadags, the Tavasbars, and the Khipiovans, 4 and also to all the fastnesses which had been laid waste by the Army of the Huns under the terms of their treaty with the Armenians. The king was thus exceedingly depressed not only for the devastation of the country and for the casualties suffered by his forces, but more spe ­ cially for the destruction of the fortified Watch, the construction of which had taken a very long time, but which had been captured so easily and demolished without any hope for its reconstruction. He ordered that Vasag and the Christian chiefs be summoned to the court. The Marzban Adrormizt came to Armenia with good will and peaceful intentions; and in compliance with the royal command he called before him Sahag, the holy bishop of the Rushdunis, to learn from him the details of the accusations against Vasag. Although the bishop himself had destroyed a fire altar and had caused much suffering to the magi, still he was not afraid to appear at the public tribunal. 8Ց There was also a devout priest from the house of the Ardzrunis, named Musheh, a prelate in the province of Ardzrunik, who had destroyed a fire altar and had persecuted the magi with chains and tortures; yet he did not have the slightest fear of coming voluntarily and appearing before the marzban. There were two other blessed priests, Samuel 5 and Abraham,® who had demolished the fire altar in Ardashad and who had previously been put into chains by the apostate Vasag; they also were brought to the side of their virtuous friends. Hovsep the Great, Ghevont, Katchatch7 and Arshen 8 were also brought to the same place. When the marzban learned all the facts, he wrote to the king and laid before him the whole truth, just as he had heard it from their lips. Although Vasag had previously reached the court and had related every­ thing as he had pleased, distorting the facts and uttering falsehoods, he had been unable to exonerate himself before the king, who answered him and said: “When the Christians also arrive, I will hear all of you at the tribunal/' But because the holy priests made the journey in their chains, two months and twenty days had elapsed before they arrived at the winter resi ­ dence 9 of the king. When the great hazarabed learned of their arrival in the city, he saw them personally. But even though he became acquainted with all the facts, yet he dared not lay hands on them and torture them, because many of the Armenian nakharars still retained possession of the strongholds of the country and the marzban had cause to fear. He ordered that the holy men be attended with care, therefore, and that the country be won over by benevolence. To achieve that purpose the marzban himself toured the country, attended gatherings, and promoted construction work in good faith. He issued orders for the bishops to resume authority over their respective sees, to worship openly as was customary, and to appear freely in public. He even called them before him and distinguished them by making them gifts and grants. As most of the provinces had been occupied and laid waste by the army, the marzban ordered a remission of their taxes and temporarily reduced the number of the royal mounted forces. He also ordered the monks, who had escaped and disappeared, to return and inhabit their former places. “All the services in the worship of God," he said, “which had been formerly performed by your forefathers, are now restored. I have been authorized by the royal court to permit the return of all persons —noblemen, peasants, or clergymen —who have fled to distant countries, leaving behind

84 them all their possessions; let them all come back and repossess their prop­ erties. ” He confirmed this proclamation with a vow and caused it to be sent into all directions. Thereupon many people returned and assumed owner ­ ship of their properties. 10 And what was greater than all, he caused a proclamation to be issued from the royal court ordering the return to Christianity of any person who had been forced to embrace the doctrine of the Magi against his will. The king spoke personally to those who were at the court and said: “Those who have not accepted the Mazdean religion willingly invoke the wrath of the gods, and I am not pleased with them. I make the same pronouncement for all today: that everyone is free to worship whatever he likes according to his individual choice. They are all my subjects. ” This he declared and issued a written decree to be circulated throughout the country. Many people who were scattered in distant parts of the land returned and repossessed their respective properties when they learned of the procla­ mation. And the nakharars, who were either in their fortresses or far off in foreign lands, observing the rebuilding of their country and especially the restoration of the church, took courage and thought it safe to appear before the king. Thereupon, they sent a request to the marzban of the land to present their wishes to the court. Forthwith, by royal order, he had a con ­ ciliatory letter and a pledge of security sent to them from the court. Although they were well aware of the bitterness and falsity of those in power, yet they wished to share the tortures of the saints, since even if death itself had stood before them they would have been undismayed. When the king heard this, he ordered them to be brought before him, not in chains, but with free hands and unfettered feet. Immediately they brought their wives, their children and their goods and delivered them into the hands of the marzban and hastened to the winter quarters of the king. Since the king was still in his winter residence, he ordered a court of inquisition to be held for them. The hazarabed sat to hear both sides. The inquiry lasted many days and the apostates were found guilty. Documents given by Vasag and those with him were introduced in evidence, proving that they had united with him in a pact of sedition: a paper from the Georg ­ ians, another from the Aghouans, a similar paper from the Aghtznik, a petition to the king of the Greeks, and another paper to the great com­ mander Antiochus. 11 All these documents had been sealed and confirmed with Vasag ’s own ring. 12 It was also proved that he had taken part in the slaying of the magi in Zarehavan. 13 Papers and orders relative to the castles

85 wrested from the Persians were introduced against him, because he had been the marzban of the country at that time. Even the emissary whom he had sent to the Greeks, a nakharar named Adorn of the house of the Knunis, came forward and accused him in the public tribunal for the very petition which Vasag had sealed with his ring and given to him. Mushgan Nusalavourd himself, with his associates in the war, stood forth and accused Vasag, declaring that even after the battle the latter had caused much bloodshed; that by false oaths he had deceived many and had allured them from their strongholds; that he had slaughtered some of the servants and maids of the royal house and had led others into cap­ tivity. In addition to all these, he was also found to have embezzled taxes of the country, intended for the kingdom. Many of his errant associates brought to light the atrocities he had com­ mitted in Armenia. Also the magi and the orderlies, who had at first been in chains but had later been released, were brought to court and were ques ­ tioned concerning him: “What do you know about his wickedness? ” They answered and said: “That man is the cause and origin of all the evils: the misery and the tortures we suffered, the injuries inflicted upon the royal army, the devastation and slavery of Armenia, and the misappropriation of royal revenues. While all these charges were accumulating against him for many days, his relatives, 14 who had previously accused him before the king, came forward and began to disclose and explain in sequence, how, in alliance with the king of Paghasagan.is he had established friendly relations with Heran the Hun at a time when the latter was massacring the Persian troops in the land of the Aghouans, had attacked and marauded the land of the Greeks, and had carried away numerous prisoners and much booty from the Horoms, the Armenians, the Georgians, and the Aghouans. The king him­ self had become aware of his designs, and had slain the king of Paghasagan. And it was established that while Vasag had been the marzban of Armenia, he had been co-operating with the enemies of the king. His relatives further declared that they knew of his evil intentions. They disclosed everything before the king, includng many other fraudulent deeds. They stated that he had led a life of treachery and deceit not only towards his friends, but towards the king as well; that since childhood he had never acted decently. Thereupon the hazarabed ordered: “Bring here the shackled prisoners who have been confined. ” Sahag, the bishop of the Rushdunis, Saint Hovsep, and Priest Ghevont were released from among the blessed and brought

86 before him. When all that had been revealed in court were related to them. Bishop Sahagifl said: “Those who have ostensibly denied the true God do not know what they do or what they say, because their minds have been obscured. They woiship their masters under false pretenses and form a false covenant with their friends. They are traps in Satan ’s hands, because through them he carries out his evil will, as it has been clearly manifested in Vasag ’s case. For even when he was a Christian in name, he thought his demeanor could conceal his wickedness from your uninformed government, and he covered his cunning under the cloak of Christianity. “Believing in him, therefore, you exalted him much more than he deserved. You intrusted to him the land of the Georgians 17; inquire whether they are pleased with him. You gave him sovereignty over the province of Sunik; listen to what his own relatives are saying about him. You appointed him marzban over Armenia. Your forefathers acquired that country by enormous sacrifices, but he lost it in its entirety in one year. Is it not appar­ ent that when he lost God’s magnificent name, which he had falsely borne, his whole iniquity was exposed? Since he was found false before his God, who among these mortal men, then, can find him innocent? “Now, is it not true that you were already acquainted with all the charges that have been brought against this man, but you kept them cov­ ered for reasons best known to you? It seems to me that he has amused you by means of false hopes. 18 But neither you, nor he, nor any other person who may take your place, will ever see such falsehood in us: therefore, deal with him as you wish. Why are you interrogating us? ” The great hazarabed was inwardly amazed and pondered over all the words spoken before the tribunal. As he was convinced that the man justly deserved condemnation for his improper actions, he entered the royal resi ­ dence and explained everything that had transpired at the tribunal. When the king learned of that man ’s guilt from the hazarabed, he was deeply hurt and enraged; but he decided not to be hasty in punishing him with great contempt. He kept silent for twelve days, until the inquiry of the indict ­ ment finally came to an end. And on one notable day he ordered that all the distinguished and esteemed persons be invited to supper. Among those invited was the apos­ tate who, according to the custom of the royal court, had donned the exquisite robe given by the king. He wore his elegant turban, put on his golden tiara,19 a girdle of massive hammered gold embellished with pearls and other precious gems tied around his waist, earrings on his ears, a neck-

87 lace around his neck, a fur mantle over his shoulders, and arrayed with all the other marks of distinction, he repaired to the court. He appeared more pompous and more conspicuous than all the rest. But the nakharars who had come from Armenia voluntarily and had willingly submitted themselves to examination, and the saints who had arrived before, were all kept in chains in front of the royal gate. When they saw him coming to the royal court so bedecked and decorated and accom­ panied by a great retinue, they scoffed at him in their hearts and said: “O you stupid trader! You gave away the eternal and everlasting honor and in return purchased something transient, which you will also lose in a matter of days." He entered and seated himself in the interior hall reserved for the nobles. Then the chamberlain of the court entered and questioned him, saying: "I come from the king to ask you: from whom and for what worthy service did you receive all these distinguished honors? Answer me quickly. ” And he reminded him of all that had been said at the tribunal where he was condemned. He also revealed to him matters which had not been mentioned there: that he had not acquired ownership of the land of Sunik legally, but that by treachery and on false charges he had had his uncle Vaghinag assassinated and had taken possession of the province, as a reward for meritorious services 20 rendered to the court; that he was also condemned for many other acts as testified to by all the nobles. He became tongue-tied and not a true word came out of his lips. After the matter had been repeated two or three times to the king in the chambers, a sentence of death was pronounced upon him. Then the chief executioner came out, approached him, and before all the dignitaries stripped him of the marks of distinction which he had received from the king, and clothed him with a convict’ s outfit. His feet and hands were bound, and he was seated on a mare like a woman, led to prison, and cast in a dungeon where all those condemned to death were kept. Although the Armenian nakharars, the holy bishops and the priests were in dire straits, they never thought of the tortures they had suffered or were to endure, but they marvelled at the great revelation which came from God. They comforted each other and said: “We have fought bravely; let us now endure the tortures still more patiently. We have learned from our holy fathers that patience is the greatest of all virtues and absolute worship of God is heavenly wisdom. Neither of those can be attained with­ out suffering, and the longer the tortures last, the greater will be the reward.

88 Then, if that is so, let us beseech God only to help us endure all afflictions; and the Lord Himself will find means for our salvation. We have heard of the judgment passed on Christ’s forty warriors, who had suffered many blows and tortures. One of them rushed to the bath-house and lost the crown, but the thirty-nine suffered martyrdom patiently and reached the promised state to which they aspired. But there stands our associate who deserted us from the very first and became an accomplice of Satan, and while yet his soul is in his body, he has already received the warning of the torments of hell, a condition which is mournful not only to the saints, but to the most brutal men as well. ” So they spoke and shed many tears for the lost one, and then singing hymns, said: “It is better to trust in the Lord than in men ; it is better to trust in the Lord than in princes. All nations compassed me but in the name of the Lord I destroyed them .”21 They encouraged each other and said: “Knowing this, brothers, let us not fear the godless nation of the heathens who are more wicked in their rage than the bees, but whose fury shall cause their own destruction. Let us proclaim the name of the Lord and repulse them all.” The apostate Vasag watched the unanimity of the holy prisoners in chains, who endured their sufferings with great joy and looked very cheer ­ ful and pleasant, just as they had formerly appeared in court. He looked on and yearned, but was kept apart in his own chains without being allowed to join them. Day after day he was brought and thrown at the public square like a corpse; was scoffed at and ridiculed and exposed to the contempt of the entire army. He was robbed of everything he had had and was sub­ jected to such poverty that his own servants begged for bread for him. His household was taxed so heavily that he had to surrender for penalty all his own wealth, his parents ’, grandparents ’, and the ladies ’ ornaments; and yet he was not able to pay his indebtedness to the kingdom. He even asked whether any treasure were buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and if there were any, he was to dig it out and turn it over as a fine for himself and his family. Many of his people had been penalized by exile for failure to pay the fine. 22 Thus receiving hard blows from all sides, he became very weak in chains and was afflicted with terrible diseases. His abdomen began to boil; his chest was bruised and shattered; his fat wasted away; worms bubbled in his eyes and dropped down from his nostrils; his ears were clogged and his lips became fiercely riddled; the sinews of his arms melted away and

89 the heels of his feet were twisted backwards. An odor of death emanated from his body and his most faithful servants ran away from him. His tongue alone remained alive in his mouth, but no confession came out of his lips. He tasted the suffocating death 23 and descended into hell with unbearable misery. All his friends despised him and his enemies found no satisfaction in the terrible afflictions he suffered. And he who had desired sinfully to be king of Armenia did not even have a known grave, because he died like a dog and was dragged as a carcass. Neither his name was mentioned among the saints nor his memory recalled at the holy altar of the church. There was no evil which he did not commit during his life, and no evil too great for him to escape at his death. These memoirs are written about him to censure and to rebuke his sins, so that everyone who may hear and know this, shall curse his memory, and there shall be no person to aspire to his deeds.

90 Eighth Chapter

APPENDIX TO THE SEVEN CHAPTERS

Concerning the Tortures and Martyrdom of Holy Priests

^N the sixteenth year 1 of his reign the same king [Hazgerd], seized with

a violent rage, moved against the country of the Kushans to make war. Going through Vergan 3 he invaded the country of Abar and ordered that the nakharars and priests 3 be held in the tower of the city of Nushabuh,4 chained as before; he took with him only two of the blessed men in shackles. He spread terror all over the Christians of whatever country he passed through. A Hun named Belus, a descendant of the kings of the country of Khailantours, who had secretly leaned toward the Christians with an ardent desire to learn the truth from them but had voluntarily submitted to the authority of the king, was exceedingly distressed at heart as he witnessed the tortures of the saints. And since he was not able to help them, he escaped and went to the king of the Kushans and told him of all the suffer ­ ings inflicted by the Persian king upon the Armenians. He also informed him that the Watch of the Huns had been destroyed, that there was discord among the troops, that many nations had repudiated the king ’s affection, and that even the people of the country of the Aryans were complaining. When the king of the Kushans heard this, he did not doubt the man ’s veracity, nor did he consider him a spy, for only a short while before he had heard of all these occurrences; but when Belus confirmed the story that the Aryan king had arisen to invade the country of the Kushans, he began promptly to mobilize his troops and to organize an army in order

91 to encounter him with a great force. And though he was not able to engage in battle face to face with the enemy, he attacked the rear guard and struck many blows to the royal troops. With his small number of men he caused so much distress and confusion, that the enemy troops were forced to retreat; and while in their pursuit, he devastated many provinces of the kingdom and returned to his own country unharmed. When the Aryan king realized that he had returned from the war dis­ honored and debased, his pride dwindled somewhat and he attributed the cause of all the disasters to the disunity among his troops. In his distress he did not know upon whom to pour his bitter venom. The hazarabed, on the other hand, was in dreadful fear, because he had been responsible for all the mishaps. He advised the mogbed and the magi to appear before the King and say: “Valiant King, we know already through our religion that no human being can withstand your great power; but the gods are angered because you have suffered the Christians, who oppose our religion, to remain alive to this day.” They also told the king that the Christians had been cursing him in the prison, and spoke many other disparaging and scurrilous words against the saints in an attempt to discredit them. They irritated the king so much that he lost no time in shedding the blood of the innocent. He gave orders to slay secretly the two prisoners, Samuel and Abraham who were within his reach in the army. As to those who were imprisoned in the city tower and were away from the army at a distance of fifteen days’ journey, he gave orders to his quartermaster Tenshabuh to proceed to the city ahead of him, where the saintly priests of the Lord were then detained, and to prosecute, cathechize, and stab them to death with extreme tortures. But long before that the mogbed, in whose custody the holy men were placed, had tortured them more severely than the king ’s instructions had called for, for he was the religious overlord in the country of Abar and was more resolute in Mazdaism and more informed about the Zoroastrian reli ­ gion than many other sages. Besides, he had the title of hamagten ,5 a mark of great pride in their aberrant cult; he knew the Ampartkash * was well instructed in Bozbayid / and was also familiar with the Pahlavig s and Pars- gaden 9 religions, the five cults within which the entire religion of Mazdaism is contained; though there is also a sixth cult known as Bedmog.™ He assumed that he was omniscient and looked upon the blessed ones as if they had strayed “from our great religion because of ignorance. ” In his mind he nurtured a vain hope that if he tormented them incessantly,

92 they would not be able to endure corporeal tortures and would relent. To carry out his purpose he separated the priests from the nakharars and cast them into a damp and dark dungeon. And he instructed that only two loaves of barley bread and one and one-half jug of water be given to every six men at each mealtime, and allowed no one to approach the prison gates. After torturing them in that manner for forty days and hearing of no sign of weakness, he suspected that one of the servants might have been bribed by them to take them food secretly. He himself went and sealed the garret window and the door of the prison and had the specified ration taken to them by men loyal to him. He did this for fifteen days. In spite of all that the holy men never became disturbed nor distressed; on the contrary, they endured the tortures with great patience and per ­ formed their daily services by singing psalms incessantly. After they finished their prayers, they lay on the hard floor to rest in cheerful contentment. But the guards, keeping watch over the prisoners, were exceedingly amazed at their unfailing health, as they kept hearing the constant sound of their voices. So they whispered their story into the ears of the mogbed and said: “These men cannot be without a great power, because even if their bodies were made of copper the dampness of the dungeon would have destroyed them. The guarding of this prison has been intrusted to us for a long time, but we never recall any person in chains to have lived even one month in that house. This, therefore, is what we say to you: if you have been ordered to sentence them to death and will slay them, that is your affair; but if you have been instructed to hold and not to prosecute them, then these men are in great danger. We ourselves are awe-stricken and extremely terrified by witnessing their unbearable tortures. ” When the mogbed heard this, he arose in the middle of the night and went to the garret window of the prison. Through the darkness of the night he watched the holy men below while they were resting after their worship, and saw that each person in chains was radiating a glow like an ever-burning lamp. He was horrified and said to himself: “What is this great miracle? It can only be that our gods have descended into this prison and it is their glory that has ignited into flame. It is impossible for a mere human being to be illuminated with such a resplendent glow, unless the gods visit him. I have heard that men belonging to that cult do become abnormal because of a violent insanity and assume a false form in the eyes of the ignorant; perhaps what appeared to me was a phenomenon of that sort.”

98 But he was unable to comprehend the apparition. And while he was thus meditating, the saints arose from their earthen bed and began their usual religious services. It was then that the mogbed became truly aware that what had appeared to him was not a confused vision, but that the illu­ mination actually emanated from their bodies. He was again terribly fright ­ ened and said: "Upon what men in chains was ever seen such a manifesta ­ tion? I know of none, nor have I heard from our ancestors. ” And because he was profoundly stirred by this great miracle, his whole body was shaking and he remained on the roof till morning, stupefied and half-dead. At dawn he arose like a person who had been ill for a long time and went home; but he did not tell anyone about what he had seen. He summoned all the guards near him and said to them: "Go and transfer the men in chains to an upper and drier floor and guard them with care, as you yourselves suggested. ” Upon hearing the mogbed ’s instruc ­ tions, one of the executioners hastened to the prison to communicate the good tidings. “We have been ordered, ” he said, “to transfer you to an upper and drier floor; come, come quickly, do not linger; because even we pleaded with him to relieve you of your tortures. ” But Saint Hovsep began to talk mildly and said to the chief execu­ tioner: “Go and tell your stupid leader: ‘Have you not heard of the coming of the Lord, or of the magnificent edifices that have been prepared and kept for us from the beginning? We endure these extreme tortures because it is apparent to us that our hope for love will come true. You were kind to pity us for our corporeal suffering, but we are not at all wearied as godless men would be, because in their minds there is no hope other than what they can actually see. But we, in our love for Christ, are very content with this situation. We even consider this as a supreme grace, because as a reward for our temporary grief we may inherit eternal blessings. “ ‘Should we desire structures, there are many in heaven not built by human hands, compared to which your royal palaces seem naught. The same is true of garments, glory, and wholesome food. Should anyone wish to tell you about these, your feeble mind would be unable to comprehend them; because, due to your inveterate blindness you do not see, nor do you hear or understand; and because of that you are persecuting us vainly, unjustly, and ruthlessly without any fault on our part. But our King is generous and beneficent; and the door of His kingdom is open; should anyone wish to go there, he may enter freely. He never looks with evil eye upon any penitent person.

94 “ ‘As to the facilities you have ordered to be given to us, [we wish to state that] we had sufficient power in our own country not to fall into the hands of your king, just like others who escaped such adversities. But, since we came of our own will, fully aware of these afflictions and dangers and without fear of hardships, we now desire to have you subject us to still heavier ordeals, until your malice toward us has been satiated. Our God, Who is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invis ­ ible, by reason of His beneficence and love, willingly humbled Himself and came to the human race; assumed a tormentable body; performed all kinds of virtuous deeds and completed all the work of Providence; allowed Himself to be betrayed into the hands of His crucifiers; suffered death and was placed in a tomb, and through His divine power rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples and to many others; ascended to heaven and sat at the right of His Father ’s throne; and He granted us heavenly power, so that by His immortality, we may also be able to suffer and be worthy of His immortal greatness; that He may no longer consider our death as a mortal death and may compensate us for our achievements as immortals. [In view of all that, therefore,] we consider these tortures very insignificant compared to the love He manifested for the human race. ’ ” When the mogbed heard these words from the chief executioner, he was mentally distressed and for many a night sleep escaped from his eyes. Then one day, during the evening watch,11 without taking any of his serv ­ ants with him, he arose and went to them, alone and quietly. When he approached the prison door, he looked in through an aperture and the same phenomenon appeared to him as before; but the holy men were in peaceful sleep. Meekly he called the bishop12 by name, because the latter knew the Persian language well. The bishop came out and inquired: “Who are you? ” “It is I,” he answered. “I wish to come in to see you.” And when he entered among the saints, the phenomenon no longer appeared to him; then he related to them how he had twice seen wonders. The Priest Ghevont answered him and said: “God said there shall be light in darkness and there was light which illuminated all invisible creatures with wisdom; that same Power has illuminated your obscured mind this day; the sightless eyes of your soul were opened and you saw the inextin ­ guishable light of God’s grace. Make haste, do not idle, lest you grope in darkness by becoming blind again. ” After he said that, they all rose to their feet and began to recite from Psalm XLIII: " ‘O Lord., send out Thy light and Thy truth that they may

95 lead us to the holy mountain and to Thy tabernacles. ’ Truly, O Lord, Thou hast led this wanderer and brought him to Thine eternal joy and undeniable comfort. Behold, this day is like the day of Thy holy tortures. As Thou didst save the convict thief from a second death and through him opened the locked gate of Eden, 13 so hast Thou found this lost person who has caused death to many, but has now been changed by Thee into a source of life for us and for himself. We thank Thee, O Lord, we thank Thee and join the holy prophet in saying: ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth, that it may never be said among the heathens: Where is their God?' 14 Even this day Thy great power revealed itself in this unbridled, darkness-loving nation. ” But the man who had freely found God-given grace, began to say all by himself: “ ‘The Lord is my light and life, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, whom shall I tremble? ’15 For I surely know that henceforth my enemies are numerous and will want to approach and devour my flesh; but thou, O Lord of all, came to grant life to all, that they may return and live within Thy kindness; do not segregate me from these holy lambs with whom I joined, so that as I emerge from the sheepfold the evil beast may not devour me again. O Lord, forgive my impieties of many years, that I may not stray from true life and begin again to teach the way of destruction to many, that I may be the cause of life for those whose death I caused. May Satan, who, through me, was boasting with arrogance amidst many who had been committed to death, bow his head in shame among his disciples, because of me. ” After he spoke thus he was allowed to say his prayers; and they all rested until the third watch and so remained in peaceful sleep till the morning hour. But the mogbed, remaining on his feet, did not sleep; he prayed with upraised hands. And as he was watching the sky, his eyes fixed upon the garret window, the prison was suddenly filled with light and he saw a luminous ladder stretched from earth to heaven and legions of soldiers climbing upwards; their appearance was unique and beautiful, awesome and magnificent, like the appearance of angels. He kept in mind the number and count of each group: one group contained one thousand; another, thirty-six; still another, two-hundred and thirteen. 16 They were so close to him that he even recognized three among them: Vartan, Ardag, and Khoren. They were holding nine laurels in their hands and were talking

96 among themselves and saying: “Behold, the time has come for these to join our legion; we have been waiting just for them and we have brought this gift as a pledge to them. But the one whom we did not expect appeared and joined the others and became one of the warriors of Christ.” This marvelous vision appeared to the blessed man three times. He waked the saints from their slumber and related to them the entire vision in detail. Then they rose to their feet, stood in prayer, and said: “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth; Thy glory arose above the heavens; out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained blessing, that the enemy and the avenger may be obliterated. Henceforth, it must no longer be said: ‘I see the heaven which is the work of Thy fingers, ’ but that: T see Thee as the Lord of heaven and earth, ’11 for Thou appeared this day, through Thy holy warriors, to this distant stranger who had abandoned all expectation of life. “Behold, O Lord, Thou hast glorified Thy beloved with Thy mercy and sought this lost one with Thy compassion and returned and joined him with the class of Thy chosen. He saw not only heaven, which is the work of Thy fingers, but he saw heaven and its inhabitants, and even though he is on this earth, he joined the hosts of myriads of Thy angels. He also saw the souls of innocent martyrs and the likeness of the glory of invisible preparations; he saw in their hands the indubitable pledge, kept ready in the hand of the Architect. Blessed be he for this holy vision, and blessed are we that he came to us, because through him we learned most assuredly that, since such wonders were revealed to him, he must have received a large portion of Thy abundant goodness. Thy gifts are inexhaustible, O Lord, and Thou givest Thy full and guileless abundance to whomever Thou desirest, without solicitation. And since Thou dost not deny even to those who do not solicit, open, O Lord, the door of Thy mercy to us, who from childhood have craved for the virtues of Thy saints. We make this newly found creation of Thy hand as an intercessor for us; let not the ship of our faith sink in the tempestuous sea of sins. ” And thus praying at length they shed copious tears for their souls. They begged for compassion from the Benefactor, that the voice of their supplications might be heard and they might continue firm in their painful endurance and not be deprived of the desirable laurels which the saints were holding in their hands —as they had been advised by the Holy Ghost that they were soon to be called —and that they might retire and rest with­ out further fear of the uncertainty which they had been enduring pain-

97 fully, and that with that small pledge of security they might reach heavenly greatness for which they had been yearning long since. And since the mogbed himself was the ruler of that country and the prisoners of the city had been intrusted to him, in the morning he removed them without fear and took them to his palace. He bathed and cleaned them of the prison filth and poured the waste water over his own body. He prepared a baptismal font in his home and was baptized by them, received communion with the vivifying body and the expiating blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He exclaimed in a loud voice and said: “Let this baptism be the lavation of my sins and my rebirth and my renewal by the Holy Ghost, and let the partaking of the immortal Sacrament make me worthy of heavenly adoption. ” He set before them a table with food for the body; offered them a glass for their consolation, and joined them in partaking the consecrated bread. Although he had acquired heavenly goodness and did not fear human blows, he was in great fear about his own blood relatives, lest they be betrayed as dangerous individuals in royal service. For that reason, during the night he secretly called the nakharars, who had been imprisoned and kept in the city, and prepared a sumptuous meal. They were all jubilant about the wonders they had seen and forgot all about the hardships they had suffered. When the saints were about to sit at the table, they remembered one priest 18 who had been in holy chains with them. Having lived among rustic people, he was less acquainted with the Holy Scripture as a source of con ­ solation. He was requested to sit at the head of the table. The holy man answered and said: “What are you trying to do? Why are you concealing your thoughts from me? I am more humble than the youngest among you and more ignorant than the littlest of your pupils; how can I submit to your request? Sharing your holy chains alone is a great privilege for me. If you consider me worthy of your feast, each of you take your place around the table and allow me to sit in my place. ” But the excellent Bishop Hovsep and all the other saints compelled him to sit at the head. And when they all sat around the table and joyfully ate their food, Saint Hovsep arose to his feet and began to offer a prayer of joy and said: “Rejoice with Christ, all of you, because tomorrow at this hour we shall have forgotten all the troubles and tortures we have suffered. And as a reward for our insignificant deeds we shall receive multiple comforts; and in place of this dark dungeon we shall enter the radiant city in heaven, the magistrate

98 of which is Christ, as well as the master of ceremonies in the arena wherein He himself first merited the medal of victory. It is the same Lord today who has made our efforts successful by accepting the same token for the salva­ tion of our souls and for the glorification of our majestic holy church. And this brother of ours whom you see at the head of our table will be the first tomorrow to receive his laurel by his martyrdom. For behold, the enemy of our lives and the perfecter of our holy tortures as servants of Christ is close upon us.” After he said that, he heard words of encouragement from the mogbed and they were all much consoled. The mogbed said: “Let Christ do the same unto me with your holy prayers and end my life on this earth in the manner you mentioned. As you were speaking, I felt the influence of your words on my soul and I recalled the benignity of Christ who came to this earth only for our sins. Let Him have mercy on me as He had on the thief at the time of crucifixion; and as He opened the locked doors of paradise through him and went forth at the head of those who were returning there for joy, let the Lord Jesus Christ make me the servant of your magnificent legion today. “Behold, the joy of the angels in heaven is infinite because of one repenting sinner, for they know the will of their Master. Because He came to search for one lost sheep, they in turn rejoice for one penitent. Perhaps the great sbarabed of the Armenians with a host of his holy companions came for me; he brought the laurels for you, but the good tidings of joy he gave to all in general. They were particularly surprised about me, because in life they did not know me, and yet in their holy death they wanted me to receive my share with the blessed. "I beseech you, my masters and fathers; pray for my unworthy soul, so that I may be worthy of the good tidings you uttered truthfully for me to hear. I am anxious to see the day and the hour in that day which is now close upon us. “When shall I abandon this massive and irksome body of mine? When shall I see Thee, O Lord Jesus? When will my ignorance reach absolute knowledge? Help me, O Lord, help me and extend Thy omni ­ potent hand to assist me so that as I promised by word of mouth, I may do the same in deeds; and through me, a sinner, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified. ” After the holy man finished, they arose from the table and gave thanks, saying: “Glory unto Thee, O Lord; glory unto Thee, O King, Who gave

99 us food of joy; replenish us with Thy holy Spirit, so that we may find favor with Thee and be not ashamed; because Thou dost compensate all according to their deeds. ” Then they deliberated seriously on how to save the mogbed and prevent the news from reaching the palace so that his kinsmen might not become victims of a violent rage. When they were unable to arrive at a solution, they prayed in unison and intrusted the life of that devout man to God. Thereafter the nakharars parted company with the saints; shedding tears profusely they fell to their feet with doleful joy, begging and beseeching them to commit their souls to the Holy Spirit; “So that”, they said “none of us may weaken and break away from the common bond and be devoured by the vicious beast. ” But the holy men joined in encouraging them and said: “Brothers, gather strength in the Master; be consoled by the benignity of God. Who will not forsake you nor take away His mercy from us because of our faith in Christ; and with many of our intercessors at His side, the light of your lamps will not be extinguished and the darkness-loving enemy of your life will not rejoice. It is the same Lord Who gave strength to the first martyrs, by joining them with the legions of His angels. Their holy spirits and the entire class of the righteous will help to keep you steadfast, so that, together with them, you may become worthy of their laurels. ” In this manner they conversed with the nakharars and recited psalms all night, and in the morning hour they all said: “O Lord, continue Thy loving kindness unto them that know Thee, and Thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of the arrogant come against us and let not the hands of sinners frighten us. There are the workers of inquity fallen; they are cast down and shall not be able to rise. ”19 At that moment the executioners reached the prison gate in haste and upon entering saw that the man who was once the mogbed and in whose custody the prisoners were left, was sitting among them and listening to them; he was even encouraging them not to fear death. When the execu ­ tioners observed this amazing event, they were bewildered; yet they did not dare to question him; so they went and related their story to Tenshabuh, who had been charged with the duty to torture the saints. And when Tenshabuh heard this from the royal executioners, he was very much alarmed for fear that he himself might be accused of com­ plicity, especially because he was well acquainted with the mogbed. He ordered all the prisoners to be removed from the prison and taken twelve

100 persian parsangs 20 away from the city and be kept in chains. Then he spoke to the mogbed secretly and tried to discover the cause of his hallu­ cinations. The mogbed answered and said: “Do not speak with me in secrecy nor hear luminous thoughts in darkness; my eyes are now open, because I have seen the heavenly light. If you wish to know of the mystery of life, ask me openly and I shall tell you, for I have witnessed the mar­ velous deeds of God.” When Tenshabuh became acquainted with all the facts and learned that the mogbed had joined the saints and would not leave their associ­ ation, he did not dare to raise his hands upon him, although he was in ­ vested with sufficient authority by the court. So he hastened and went to the king personally and secretly related to him everything he had heard from the mogbed. The king answered and said to Tenshabuh: “Do not talk to any person about this, especially about that great vision which appeared to him, lest ignorant people become suspicious and break away from our established religion. While we tried vainly to force obedience from others, hoping that they might find their souls, scholars of our own religion devi ­ ated and followed their false doctrine. “The worst calamity of all is that the man who has turned to their religion is not an insignificant person; he is omniscient, renowned in the entire Upper Country. 21 Were we to enter into a controversy with him, we should find him more learned than all the other sages in our country; he may perhaps destroy our religion by shaking it from its foundation. And should we prosecute him with the other workers of iniquity, his Christian fame will be proclaimed and our faith will suffer great dishonor. Even if he were stabbed to death, there are many Christians in our army who will scatter and spread his bones throughout the country. The contempt for us by men who revere and honor the bones of the Nazarenes was comparatively small; but if the bones of the magi and the mogbed are to receive the same veneration, our religion will be obliterated by our own hands. “But now I will make you swear in the name of the immortal gods; summon before you the wicked old man immediately. If he should willingly agree to repent and renounce their enchantments, treat him with affection and honor him as before, and let no one hear of his malevolence. Should he refuse to submit and be unwilling to heed my words, accuse him of many charges on behalf of that country to make him appear dangerous in the service of the kingdom; catechize him in public and banish him to a place further than Guran and Maguran, 22 there to be cast in a dungeon

101 to die in misery. Furthermore, without wasting time curtail the life of these other sects [Christians] that they may not dislocate the religion of our country. If they were able to make the wise mogbed their disciple, how could ignorant people resist their deceptive cunning? ” Thereupon Tenshabuh sat in judgment twelve parsangs away from the army,23 as we said before. He questioned the mogbed and said: “I have the power to catechize you not only in words, but with all kinds of tortures. While I have not as yet raised hand against you, accept honors and spurn insults and spare your venerable old age; abandon Christianity which you did not originally have and return to Mazdaism, which you formerly taught to many. ” The blessed man answered and said: "I beseech you, master, whom once I considered a true brother, but [whom I consider] an absolute enemy today; do not have pity on me because of your former affection, but carry out the will of your wicked king and prosecute me according to the authority vested in you concerning me. ” When Tenshabuh became convinced that the man gave no importance to the king ’s threats nor heeded his exhortations, and wished to have the matter discussed openly rather than secretly, he treated him in accordance with the king ’s instruction. He had him banished by stealth to a distant foreign land, acting according to what he had actually learned from his teacher. And [the king] ordered Tenshabuh to take with him as assistants two of his chief agents: Tchenigan, who was a royal marzbed, and Movan, master of the wardrobe and representative of the high priest of the kingdom. Thereupon assisted by their servants, these three removed the saints from that wilderness during the same night and transported them to a more dreadful place, a little further away. No one from the army was allowed to see them, neither the Armenians, nor other Christians, nor even heathens from outside. The sentinels who had been chosen to watch over the prisoners in the city were ordered to guard them carefully, so that no one, not even the prisoners themselves, would be able to discover the tracks leading to the place of their doom. But one of the royal soldiers named Khoujig, whose Christianity was unknown to the others and who happened to be with the group of the executioners and was serving the day guards by furnishing them with im­ plements of torture, came at midnight and mixed in with the groups of nakharars. The first group thought that he was from the middle group;

102 the middle group thought that he belonged to the third group; thus each group thought that he belonged to one of the other two, and neither the servants nor the masters asked him: "Who are you, with us? ” When they came to a place 24 deserted and entirely devoid of vegetation and so terribly craggy that they were unable to find a place to sit, the three ministers of state dismounted a little further away and ordered the executioners to tie the hands and feet of the prisoners. They bound their feet with long ropes, and in teams of two began to drag each prisoner. They dragged them over jutting rocks and rent them so horribly that no part of the flesh of the blessed remained unscathed. Then the prisoners were untied and brought together into one place. The persecutors thought, "We have mollified the rigor of the prisoners and have subdued their boisterous arrogance; and now they will heed our words, will do the king ’s bidding, and will escape unbearable tortures. ” But what they failed to comprehend was that they had actually incensed them to become hardened like brave warriors, had trained them in the rigors of discipline, and had educated them in the ways of blood-thirsty wild beasts. And if the holy men were not sure of themselves before, the sight of the severe wounds on their bodies made them forget their former apprehensions. Like inebriated and stupefied men they began to excel each other in their answers; and just as thirst runs to a fountain, so they showed impatience about who should be the first to shed his blood on earth. While the saints were thus preparing themselves, Tenshabuh began to talk to them and said: “The king has sent me to you. He says that you are responsible for the devastation of the country of the Armenians, the slaughter of the troops, and all the evils; and that the suffering in chains of many of the nakharars is due to your stubbornness. If you wish to listen to me now, however, I shall say this: As you have caused all the suffering and death, you may also cause your own death today. You hold the power to release the nakharars from bondage; you may repair the ravages of your country; and you may free many who have been led into servitude. “You saw with your own eyes what sort of nobleman was the mogbed, whom the king knew personally because of his extensive knowledge of our religion. He was an authority in our faith and was liked by all the nobles, and almost the entire country relied on his judgment. But, because he dishonored the Mazdean religion and was deceived by your stupid doctrine, the king did not spare him for his extraordinary distinctions, and I ban-

103 ished him as a homeless and helpless prisoner to a foreign land so far away that he may not even reach the place of his doom. “Now then, if [the king] would not give immunity to one of his own race, for the sake of our excellent religion, much less would he spare you as aliens, especially since you have been convicted of a capital offense against the kingdom. So, there is no way for you to survive but by worshipping the hot sun in compliance with the king ’s order, just as the excellent Zoroaster has taught us. If you do that, you will not only be released from your chains and escape death, but you will be returned to your country with valuable treasures. ” The Priest Ghevont stepped forward with Bishop Sahag as his in ­ terpreter: “How can we obey your ambiguous commands? ” asked he. “At first you stated that service of worship should be rendered to the sun, but then you attributed the actual performance of such service to the king ’s will. You paid your respects to the sun by mentioning its name first, but you exalted the king more than the sun and thus made it evident that the sun gives aid to the creatures without a will of its own, whereas the king can freely deify whomever he pleases or enslave whomever he wishes; and yet he himself does not comprehend the truth. Do not talk to us as to children, because we are full-grown men and are not uninformed in learn ­ ing. I shall answer you from the beginning: “You said that we caused the devastation of our country and the slaugh ­ ter of royal troops, did you not? Our religion does not teach us to behave in that manner; on the contrary, it commands us to respect our earthly kings and to love them unreservedly; not to look upon them as insignificant persons among men, but to serve them as we truly serve God. And should we suffer harm from them, our God has promised us the kingdom of heaven in place of that on earth. We are duty-bound not only to serve them as subjects, but to pledge our lives even unto death for our king ’s sake. And as we have no right to exchange him with another master on earth, so have we no right to change our true God in heaven for another; for there is no other God. “But, let me tell you something else about which you know a little: What brave commander stays in the rear in time of war? Should he do that, he would be branded a coward and not a brave man. Or what wise mer ­ chant will exchange a precious pearl with a worthless bead, unless he has become insane through ignorance, like your errant leaders?

104 From among many of our virtuous companions we alone are in your hands and you wish to destroy our resoluteness by trickery. We are not as lonely as you surmise. There is no empty space where Christ our King is not revealed. Only persons like you and your diabolical prince are deprived of and rejected by Him. The warriors of our country, who became disciples of Christ through us, trampled under their feet the horrible orders of your king and considered his many gifts worthless; they were robbed of their native sovereignty, but they did not spare their wives and children and the worldly treasures of physical life. Because of their love for Christ they were not even concerned with the shedding of their own blood; but mercilessly they slaughtered the sun worshippers who were your teachers and caused untold miseries to your troops. Many [of our warriors] lost their lives in bat­ tle. Some were subjected to various atrocities; a good half were exiled to dis­ tant foreign lands, and many others were taken into slavery. They all entered the kingdom of God ahead of us and have now joined the legions of angels above and are enjoying the happiness prepared for them; and the holy man, whom you say you banished, will join them. Blessed be he and blessed be the land through which he will pass and blessed be the place where he will die. He does excel in nobleness not only your royalty, but the celestial luminaries which you worship.” Movan, Master of the Wardrobe, answered and said to them: “The gods are beneficent and patiently provide for the human race, that men may understand and recognize their own pettiness and the greatness of the gods and may enjoy the bounties of this world, which have been intrusted to the authority of the king. But the ordinance of life and death emits from the mouths of the gods. You have no right to oppose them and refuse to worship the sun, whose rays illuminate the entire universe and whose warmth furnishes food to men and beasts. And because of its abundant and impartial distribution to everyone it was called Mihr God, as it has no deceitfulness nor lack of wisdom; therefore, we tolerate your ignorance, because we do not hate men as do ravenous and blood-thirsty beasts. Spare your lives and do not compel us to take part in the shedding of your blood against our will. Stop leading a life of guilt and rectify your course for the future, so that because of you others may become worthy of the great king ’s mercy. ” Bishop Sahag answered him and said: “As a learned and highly cultured man you have a splendid regard for the material things of this world and the glory of the king; but the manner of your teaching is unscholarly, since

105 you acknowledge many gods without asserting that they all have one and the same will. When supreme beings oppose each other, how can we, the more humble, be in accord with your assertions? Mix water and fire, that [from their harmony] we may learn of peace; bring home the sun as a substitute for fire, and if its coming will cast the world into darkness and is, therefore, impracticable, then send the fire to it so that it may learn to be without want. “Jf the nature of your gods is one, let them join and be equal to each other; let the fire like the sun no longer require food for its existence, and the servants of the kingdom be not impeded in their work to furnish it fuel. 25 One of the two devours greedily and dies continuously; the other does not eat, but the light of its rays diminishes in the absence of air; in the winter it grows cold and freezes all green growth; in the summer it becomes burning hot and sets fire to every living thing. That which is in continuous change cannot grant a stable life to anybody. I do not blame you, because he who has never set eyes on the excellent King worships the respectable; but should a cultured individual behave like that, his death warrant would be decreed immediately. “Coming back to the sun again, if you wish to learn, I shall tell you the truth: The sun is a part of the creatures of this world; a distinct fragment of many parts; some are above it; others, below. It has no holy and positive light of its own, but by God’s will it spreads its rays through the atmos­ phere, and with its element of heat gives warmth to all the creatures be ­ neath its post. Those above it do not share its rays, because the light is contained in its sphere, as in a receptacle, whose mouth is open on the underside and whose light pours downward for the enjoyment of us dwellers below. As a boat glides speedily over the immense waters of the ocean, for instance, unconsciously cutting its way under the guidance of a skillful captain, so the sun changes its course during the year guided by its governor. 26 “And as all the components of this world have been established for our benefit, go the sun as one of these components has been granted to us to give us light, like the moon and the stars and the ever-floating air and the rain ­ bearing clouds, and, as parts of the earth, the sea and the rivers, the springs and other useful waters, and all other terrestrial matters with their essential parts. None of these deserves to be called a god; and should any person dare to claim that, he will lose his soul because of ignorance, and the elements that are venerated by being called god will not derive any benefit therefrom.

106 One kingdom does not have two kings; and if men do not assume such responsibility, how far less compatible with God’s nature such a confused state of things would be! “If you wish to learn the truth, therefore, sweeten the bitterness of your heart; open the eyes of your mind; watch and walk not blindly through darkness. You have fallen in a pit and you wish to draw all others to your side. And if your own people follow your aberrant teachings which they do not see and comprehend, we are not like them as you may think, because the eyes of our mind are open and we have clear vision. With our bodily eyes we see all the creatures and we recognize the fact that some one else has created them and that they are all corruptible. But the Creator of all is not visible to physical eyes and His power can be comprehended by the mind only. “And when He observed our utter ignorance and pitied our lack of knowledge — because of which we also presumed 27 the visible to be the creator and committed all kinds of foul deeds like you — He came with His love, assumed human flesh, and revealed to us His invisible divinity. He had Himself crucified on the scaffold because men had gone astray by worshiping these luminaries. He deprived the sun of the light of its rays that darkness might render service to His human nature, and those who were unworthy like you would not see their lives in inglorious degradation. The same is true today: darkness has encompassed the body and soul of a person who does not acknowledge the crucified God. You are in a similar darkness and yet you continue to torture us. We are prepared to die as did our Master; carry out your evil will in whatever ways or means you wish.” Then, when the wicked Tenshabuh looked upon them and saw them in great exultation and cheerfulness, he realized that words of threat or exhortation could have no effect upon them. He sent for one of the youngest among them, a priest named Arshen. It was the same priest the saints had talked about earlier. They bound his hands and feet very firmly and kept tightening the ropes until the crackling of all the sinews stopped. The victim remained in that unbearable tension for a long time. The saint opened his mouth and said: “Behold, many dogs have com­ passed me and the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me; they pierced my feet and hands and my bones screamed instead of my mouth.28 Hear me, O Lord; listen to my voice and receive my soul in the assembly of Thy holy captains who appeared to Thy newly-made handiwork. 22 Though I am youngest of all. Thy mercy gave me precedence. ”

107 And after he said that, he could no longer open his mouth because of the unbearable tightness of the ropes. The executioners received orders from the three ministers to cut the saint ’s throat with the sword; then they cast his body in a dry well. And immediately afterwards Tenshabuh began to speak with the bishop and said: “When I came to the land of the Armenians, it was incumb ­ ent upon me to travel there for a year and six months. I do not at all remem ­ ber any complaint against you and none especially against Hovsep, who was the head of all Christians and was loyal in the service of the kingdom. Also the man who was the marzban of that country before my going there was well contented with this man. Peisonally I observed that he was con ­ sidered a staunch father to the country and loved the great and the small impartially. “Now then, instead of your begging me I am begging you: spare your worthy lives and do not submit yourselves to a torturous death, similar to what you just witnessed; because, if you persist in your stubbornness, I will end your lives with innumerable tortures. I know that you have been ensnared by the enchantment of that man30 who is in ill health, and whom die doctors have been unable to cure. So he is tired of his ailing life and prefers death to life. ” Saint Hovsep answered him and said: “Your compliments, first to this bishop and then to me, were given justly and in proper order, because of his venerable age. That was decent of you. But true servants of God have no right to oppose their earthly princes and no person should complain because he cannot satisfy his greed. He is expected, on the contrary, to expound God’s mandates in meekness and humility; to be peaceable towards everyone else, to be without cunning, and to lead all towards the only master of all the creatures by an impartial teaching. “And what you said about the charms of this man was true; you did not lie; for he does not attract us as a strange man, nor as a misguiding trickster, but he loves us intensely. Since our mother church which con ­ ceived us is one and our spiritual holy father which gave us birth is one, why should the offsprings of the same father and mother be in discord and not in complete harmony? What appears to you as enchantment, we have considered a reality in our minds day and night, in order to keep the unity of our lives indestructible. If this man is wearied and wishes to discard his ailing flesh, we all wish the same and more so, because no one born of woman can have flesh without pains and suffering. ”

108 Tenshabuh answered and said: “You do not know how patient I am with you; that I speak and debate with you at such length is not by the king ’s order, but because of my own good will, as I am not cruel like you who are hateful to yourselves and hostile to others. I have tasted salt and bread in your land; therefore, I have compassion and love for your country.” The Priest Ghevont answered and said: “He who has compassion and love for strangers executes the mandates of God, but he is also obligated to save his own soul; for we are not the masters of our soul, but are account ­ able to One for [our relations with] both strangers and friends. You say that you listen to our words of your own volition and not by the king ’s command; it is commendable that you can disregard your king ’s command, because he is a world wrecker and a murderer of the innocent; he is Satan ’s friend and God’s enemy. But we have no right to disregard our King ’s command, nor can we exchange our infinite life with corruptible illusions of this world. “Your assertion that I rather die than live, because the doctors have failed to cure me, is not a credit to those who are aware of the troubles of this world. Calm your furious indignation, therefore, heed my truthful words, and note the realities of this world one by one. Who amongst us mortals does live without complaints? Are not all men full of diseases, some internally, others externally —cold and heat, hunger and thirst and all sorts of poverty and need? Externally there is unrighteousness and pil­ lage, impurity and prodigality; internally there is impiety, apostasy, ignor ­ ance, hopeless digression from voluntary freedom. “You discredited and vilified the doctors, claiming that they were unable to cure me. That is not surprising, because they, too, are human beings. There are afflictions which can be cured by them and there are others which do not respond to their treatment, because we are all mortals, doctor and patient. Would that you could take an example from the medical profes ­ sion, because the truth of their ability to heal is not insignificant. When the doctors see that a person has become ill, they do not procrastinate; they hasten to him and try to discover means to cure him. Especially when some ­ one close to the king becomes ill at the palace the doctor does not stop to admire the marvelous sight of a large group of distinguished persons and handsome and healthy young men he notices upon his arrival at the great public square, or the beautiful and charming demeanor of the servants he observes upon entering the royal interior apartments. Nor does he pay any

109 attention to the bed on which the sick lies, even if it be of precious stones and pure gold, but he orders that the gold-embroidered cover be removed, and with his hands he examines the whole body to determine the nature of the illness: whether it is a fever or the heart rests comfortably or the liver is tender or the blood vessels are functioning properly; thereupon he pre ­ scribes treatment according to his findings, and cures the patient. “Now then, if medicine can thus scorn everything to further the art of healing, how much more proper it is for you who have taken this whole country under your authority with everyone already in your service to concern yourselves first with relieving your souls of all sorts of unsound aberrations of this world. Now that you have lost your senses and have caused your immortal souls to become mortal and to be devoured by the inextinguishable fires of hell, whether you admit it or not, you have been afflicted with incurable diseases; and yet you scorn us for our afflictions which have come upon us against our own will, as they come to everyone according to the nature of one ’s body. “But Christ, the living and life-giving true God, by His beneficent will became the healer of souls and bodies and Himself first suffered tor­ tures and pains to cure the entire human race. Through His tenderness and mercy, moreover. He granted us a second birth in health without pains and afflictions; He healed the old sores secretly inflicted upon us by the dragon and made us scarless and pure in body and soul, so that we may join the hosts of angels and become warriors of our heavenly King. But you, not aware of this and not having enjoyed God’s heavenly gifts, are unwilling to learn from us; on the contrary, you wish to misguide us; but that is impossible; it will not happen and you will not succeed. “As to my feeble body, I shall tell you about it briefly: it makes me very happy to see that my body is being tortured, as I know that the health of my soul is being strengthened. I have for my pledge, furthermore, that great teacher of the heathens 31 who consoled himself because of his bodily pains and boasted of the diabolical tortures and said: ‘For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death } how much more we shall be in the likeness of His resurrection ’ Հ* But since you have authority over us, prosecute us according to your wicked will. We are not at all afraid of your frightful and horrible threats, nor of the cruel death which you are to bring upon us.”

110 Thereupon [Tenshabuh] separated the holy men from each other and directing his words only to the holy bishop [Sahag] said: “I praised you greatly at first, but you did not appreciate the honors bestowed upon you. I shall now remind you of the evil deeds you have committed so that you may condemn yourself to death. Truly, was it you who destroyed the fire altars in the land of the Rushdunis? Or was it you who slew the fire? I have also heard —and confirmed the fact—that you tortured the magi and carried away the ceremonial utensils; now then, if you have embezzled those, tell me about it.” The saint answered and said: “Is it that you desire to learn from me now, or you already know it? ” Tenshabuh: "Rumor is one thing; truth is something else. ” The bishop: “Tell me what you yourself think. ” Tenshabuh: I have learned that it was you who committed all the evils in the land of the Rushdunis.” The bishop: “If you have such definite information, why are you asking me again? ” Tenshabuh: “I want to learn the truth from you.” The bishop: “You do not wish to learn the truth to be benefited there ­ from, but only because you covet my blood.” Tenshabuh: “I am not a blood-thirsty beast, but I am vindictive because of your vilification of our gods. ” The bishop: “You characterize inarticulate elements as gods and desire to kill men of your likeness; you and your king will be answerable to God before a tribunal that you cannot bribe. So I will tell you whatever you wish to hear from me to satisfy your evil will. It is true that I destroyed the fire altar and tortured the magi by beating them; that I cast into the sea 33 the utensils of impurity in the temple. Since the all-wise Creator of all beings, taking due care from the beginning, has made the nature of the four elements immortal, who can slay the fire? Now then, kill the air if you can; or pollute the soil that it may not grow grass; strangle the river that it may die. If you are able to do these three things, you can slay the fire also. “But since our Architect has indissolubly united these four elements, so that the nature of the fire is to be found in stone and iron and in all other tangible matters, then why are you falsely accusing me of killing the fire? Kill the heat of the sun that has the element of fire; or command that the iron may no longer emit fire. That alone which breathes and moves, walks, eats and drinks can die; when have you seen fire walk, speak, ac-

111 cumulate knowledge? How then do you accept as dead anything you have not seen alive? Oh, how much more unpardonable is your impiety com­ pared to that of all the heathens who are wiser than you, and who, though deviated from the true God, do not accept mute elements as gods. If because of your ignorance you assert that the nature of fire is perishable, the other creatures refuse to accept your assertion, because the nature of fire is intrinsic in all of them/ ’ Tenshabuh : “I do not at all wish to enter into a controversy with you about the nature of the creatures, but I want you to confess to me: Did you or did you not extinguish the fire? ” The holy man answered and said: “Because you have refused to become a disciple of truth, I shall tell you what your father, the Satan, wants: I entered your fire altar personally and saw the impious functionaries of your worthless doctrine, with the brazier full of fire blazing and burning before them. I asked them with words and not with blows: ‘What do you think is this fire which you worship?* They answered and said: ‘We know nothing about it; all we have heard is that it is an ancestral custom and the king's strict command to worship it.* “Again I said to them: ‘How do you understand the nature of that fire? Do you take it to be creator or created?* They said unanimously: ‘We do not consider it a creator, nor anything that affords comfort to working ­ men. Our hands have become coarse by the use of the axe and our backs have been bruised from carrying wood; our eyes are wet with tears from the acridity of its smoke and our faces are smudged by the moist of its dense smoke. Were we to give too much food, it becomes intensely fam­ ished; but if we give no food at all, it becomes extinguished entirely; when we approach and kneel face down before it, it burns us; but if we do not go near it at all, it burns itself to ashes. That is how we understand its nature.* “Again I asked them: ‘Have you heard who is the author of these erroneous teachings?* They answered and said: ‘Why do you ask us about what we have heard? Look before you and you will see all there is to it; our legislators are blind only in the eyes of their souls; our king, further ­ more, is blind in one physical eye, 34 and has no eyes to his soul at all.* “And when I heard all that from the magi I took pity on them, because they told the truth unwittingly. I tortured them a little by beating them and ordered them to cast the fire into water and said to them: ‘Let the gods who have not created heaven and earth perish from beneath the heaven.* And thereafter I set the magi free.**

112 When Tenshabuh heard all this from the mouth of the holy bishop, he was alarmed by the fact that the king had been insulted and the religion debased. He was even afraid to subject the holy man to tortures, lest he might force him to speak of the king with greater contempt before the tribunal, and suspicion might be cast upon himself for causing these insults by entering into a controversy with them with such forbearance And because he was sitting at the tribunals® with his sword belted to his side, intending to terrorize the saints, he roared like an enraged lion and drawing his sword ferociously attacked the holy men and amputated the bishop’s right arm from the shoulder and dropped it to the ground. The bishop fell on his left side, regained his strength, picked up his right arm and raising it high shouted with a loud voice and said: “O Lord, accept this voluntary sacrifice as a proof that I offer myself to Thee completely, and join me with the legion of Thy holy warriors.” Thereafter he encouraged his companions and said: “Behold, virtuous ones; the hour of our martyrdom has arrived; close your eyes for a moment and you will immediately see our hope, Christ.” And rolling in his blood he continued: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. ”3* And reciting this psalm he came to the verse: ‘‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all and keepeth all their bones. ” And while there was a little strength still left in his body, he looked and saw that many legions of angels were descending from heaven and there were six laurels in the hands of the archangel. He heard voices from above saying: “Have courage, my dear ones, for you have already lost the memory of your sorrowful life and have earned these blessed laurels formed by your own skill. Take one, each of you, and place it on your head. Since you furnished the material necessary for their preparation and the reality of your achievement was established by the most sacred hand of Christ, accept them from the hands of His servants and you will share the honor of the crown with Stephen. ”®* The man whose sword was still glittering over the necks of the holy men also witnessed all this. When Saint Ghevont observed that [their prosecutors] no longer wished to interrogate and judge them one by one, but pronounced a death sentence immediately, he said to Saint Hovsep: “Come close; move forward to meet the sword, because by rank you are higher than all of us.” After he said that, they stood in line and upon their urgent plea the executioners

113 severed the heads of the blessed and dropped them before the holy bishop, and as their souls were departing, the bishop exclaimed and said: “Lord Jesus, receive our souls and join us with the legions of Thy beloved. ” And at the same time they all met their death. If you wish to include with them the mogbed also who believed in Christ, they were seven in number, not counting the two who were slain at Vatkes 38 and another bishop, named Tatig, 39 who was killed in Assyria. Here are the names of the six who were assassinated in this place:

S ahag , the bishop of the Rushdunis, S aint Hovsep , from the Valley of Vayotz and the Village of Hoghotzimk, Ghevont , a priest from Vanant and the village of Itchavan, Musheh , a priest from Aghpag, Arshen , a priest from Pakrevant and the village of Yeghekeg, Katchatch , a deacon from the same locality as the bishop of the Rushdunis. In addition there were these: The holy mogbed, from the city of Nushabuh, S amuel , a priest from Airarad and the village of Aradzo. Abraham , a deacon from the same village .40 41 Then Tenshabuh, the Mogbed, and the Maybed Tchenigan each selec ­ ted guards from his own servants and gave orders that the bodies of the six saints be kept for ten or more days in the same wilderness where they had been executed, until the royal army42 had departed, to prevent the followers of Christianity from removing their bones and spreading them throughout the country in consequence of which the people might be more encouraged to digress and follow the cult of the Nazarenes. But Khoujig, of whom we spoke previously, armed as usual, was waiting there with the guards as one of their number. He was an excellent man, full of wisdom and divine knowledge. He waited and watched eagerly, seeking means to steal the bones of the saints. Three days later a great consternation fell upon the guards, and for three days thereafter they remained prostrate on the ground, stupefied and half­ dead. On the fourth day two of the guards became violently possessed with the devil. Close to midnight horrible noises were heard again and thundering sounds came from below like the rumbling of an earthquake. The earth was shakin g beneath their feet, and from the glittering of the swords lightning

114 fell all around them. And it appeared to them that all the corpses stood up and shouted in their ears the same things they had said at the tribunal. The guards became so panic-stricken that they began to assault each other. They were so terrified and crazed that each was running away from the other without knowing where to go. Later they came and described with con ­ siderable bewilderment all the tortures they had been through. The three ministers sat in a conference and said to each other in amazement:. “What shall we do? How shall we treat this unfathomable cult of the Christians? When they were alive their life was astonishing; they despised material things like people without need; they were saintly like spirits; they were impartial like the righteous, unafraid like immortals. Were we to ascribe all these to their ignorance and audacity, then how are we to explain the fact that all the afflicted in the army were healed by them? Or, what is more serious than all else, the corpse of what dead person has ever appeared standing? And who has ever heard a word from the dead? “Our servants are not telling a falsehood, as we ourselves have verified their story. If they had wished to mix greed for wealth with their deeds and made a casual remark to the Christians in the army, they would have received gold equal to their Weight. Furthermore, the men who were tormented by the devil had not been ill at the time; that we know. It is apparent, therefore that a miracle had occurred that day. If we remain silent, we shall cast suspicion upon ourselves; but if we take the guards to the king, he will learn of all these extraordinary wonders and perhaps our religion will be destroyed. ” The mogbed answered and said to them: “Is it not true that I was given charge over you? Why are you so perturbed and alarmed? You per ­ formed your duty and carried out the royal command. Were the ttews to become known and an inquest were to be held before the king, therefore, it is our job as magi to appear and explain. Be carefree and do not be worried about anything. And if your mind is perturbed, come to Taridir43 early in the morning, because tomorrow His Lordship, the Movbed of Movbedan will make sacrificial offerings; he will pacify your minds. ” And when Khoujig heard this and was convinced that they no longer cared about the holy martyrs, he took with him ten men of whose Christian faith he was certain, and hastened to the place where the remains of the saints were left. Everything was found in proper order. But because he was still suspicious of the executioners, he had the saints removed two parsangs further away. And when they felt secure, they cleaned and ar-

115 ranged the bones of the blessed, carried them to the camp and kept them secretly. Little by little they revealed their secret, first to the Armenian commanders and then to many other Christians in the army. The nakharars in chains enjoyed the first fruits of this boon; they were immediately released from their chains; 44 the threat of death was removed from them and proclamations of amnesty were sent to the country of the Armenians. So, this blessed Khoujig, who had deserved the honor of becoming the secret servant of the saints, repeated to us in proper sequence everything we have thus far described, including the execution of the death sentence: the torturous dragging of the bodies; the interrogation by the judges; the individual answers of the saints and their martyrdom; the frightful .terrors suffered by the guards; the wailing of the three interrogating ministers; and the gathering of the holy bones, not in a confused heap, but in six separate coffers with the inscription of the saint ’s name on the coffer con­ taining his remains. The chains of each, cast aside by the executioners, were also placed with his bones. The garments of each saint had been marked. And these six blessed men became martyrs by a holy and enviable death, on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Hroditz, in the great wilder ­ ness of the land of Abar, within the limits of the city of Nushabuh.

CONCERNING THE ARMENIAN CONFESSORS KHOREN AND ABRAHAM The disciples of the holy men remained in chains within the same city,45 whence a royal executioner came and led them. He also removed from the city five Assyrians who had been chained because of their Christian faith. He ordered them to worship the sun, but they refused; thereupon he tortured them by beating them, but they became more firm in their conviction. He cut off their noses and ears and dispatched them to Assyria to work in the royal settlements. They went along with great delight, as if they had received valuable gifts from the king. Then the chief executioner returned to the disciples of the saints who had been executed; he selected two of the most humble among them, separated them from the others and asked them: “What are your names? ”

116 One of them answered and said: “My parents have named me Khoren; his name is Abraham; but according to our divine order, we are the servants of Christ and the disciples of the holy men you have killed. ” The chief executioner answered and asked: “But what is your work now? And who has brought you here? ” To this question Abraham answered and said: “You should have learned that from our teachers. They were not insignificant men; on the contrary, they owned a considerable homestead property and servants, some as good as we are, others better than we are. We came with those who nour ­ ished and educated us, and our God-given laws command us to love them as our holy parents and to serve them as our spiritual masters/* The chief executioner became furious and said: “You talk like an insolent and fearless rebel. While you were living peacefully in your own country, your actions might have been justified; but after your masters committed a capital offense in their royal service and were convicted ac­ cording to their deeds, it was not at all proper for you to go to them. Do you not observe that in this great army even a distinguished person, when thrown in royal prison, wears a mourning cloak, sets himself apart and sits alone, and no one dares to approach him? But you talk boastfully, as if you were the disciple of an innocent person.** Khoren answered him and said: “Your course is not unjust; nor ours false. The guilty prince should have obeyed his benefactor in such a manner that, aside from his own splendor, he would have received other valuable gifts from him. Since he did not do that, then he met with an unfavorable and adverse fate. Had our teachers committed an offense against God or transgressed against the king in any way, we should have dealt with them in the same manner; we should neither have gone near them in our country nor have followed them to this foreign land. But since they were righteous in their attitude toward God and the king and you murdered them vainly and without guilt on their part, we now tend to their holy bones the more.** The chief executioner said to him: “I said at the very beginning that you were an insolent person. It is now obvious that you have had a part in all the offenses committed by them.** Abraham asked: “What offense?** The chief executioner said: “First, in the slaughter of the magi; and then, in all the other offenses. ”

117 Abraham said: “We have acted not only according to the rules pre ­ vailing among us, but in conformity with your laws as well. The kings give their orders to you, but you carry them out through your servants. ” The chief executioner said: “I swear by the Mihr God that you talk more harshly than your teachers. That is an indication that you are even more dangerous. There is, therefore, no way for you to escape death, but by worshipping the sun and complying with the ordinances of our religion. ” Khoren said: “To this point you have been calumniating like a man, but now you are barking like a worthless dog. You would have insulted the sun if it had ears; but by nature it is insensible; and in malevolence you are more insensible than the sun. In what respect did you find us more lacking than our fathers? Do not try to test us by words; reveal your wicked ­ ness and our goodness, and your father, the Satan, will be put to shame not by us who are more impeccable, but even by one who seems insignificant to you, for even such as he can inflict severe wounds upon your soul and body. The chief executioner was enraged by these words. He had them tied and dragged over the rocks more cruelly than the first victims. They were dragged so violently that many thought they were dead. But three hours later these two began to speak again and said: “This indignity seems small to us and the pains of our body seem naught compared to the great love of God, for which our spiritual fathers suffered death. Do not stop, therefore, nor hesitate; treat us in the manner you treated them. If their deeds appeared evil to you, consider ours twice as bad; because they gave their instructions in words but we carried them out in deeds. ” Then the chief executioner became more infuriated and ordered them to be beaten to death. Six torturers, one after another, worked on each of them; and while the victims lay on the ground half-dead, he ordered that their ears be cut off from the root. Their ears were cut so deeply that it appeared as if they had never been there. Awaked from the terrible blows as from sleep, they began to plead and said: “We beseech you, brave soldier of the king, either kill us as you did our fathers, or make our punishment similar to our last ones. You can see that our hearing organs are cured by heavenly healing, but our smelling organs still remain in pain and agony; do not make us half-recipient of heavenly goodness. You glorified our bodies by dragging us and our ears, by cutting them off; glorify our noses as well by severing them, for as you

118 make us ugly by earthly standards, you will beautify us to a greater extent by heavenly standards. ” The chief executioner answered mildly and said: “Were I to stay longer with you, you might force me to surrender to your stubbornness. I have to tell you that the king ’s order for punishing you has been fully carried out; you are now to go to Assyria as laborers in the kingdom, so that anyone observing you may refrain from stubborn resistance to the king ’s commands. ” The holy men said to him: “You left the work for our country half- done. We shall be unable to labor in the royal kingdom with mutilated bodies. ” Thereupon the chief executioner begged the guards who were to ac­ company them and said: “You shall go with them only as far as Assyria; after their arrival there, you are to let them go where they please. ” These were the Armenian confessors, who accepted joyfully their deformity and torture; but, became they were saved from holy death, they proceeded on the long journey with grief and sadness. It was not the chains binding their hands and feet that weighed them down, but the thought: “Why did we not merit equality with the valiant martyrs? ” When they arrived at a region called Shahougli 46 in the land of the Babylonians, even though they were under royal restraints, the inhabitants of that country gave them an excellent reception, both openly and secretly. The blessed men were much grieved, nevertheless, because they felt that they had worked very little and were now resting too much. They were in much mental distress at all times. They were anxious to see the holy chains of the nakharars and to provide for their needs; so they appealed to the nobles of that country who professed the same Christian faith. And all the nobles and those of lesser rank agreed to appeal to the whole country, so that everybody might share in furnishing necessaries for the men in bondage in a distant foreign land. And so from year to year the nobles made collections, according to the ability of each contributor: more from some, less from others; in money or rations, whatever each possessed, and gave them to the confessors to be delivered to those in bondage. The confessors performed this work through the entire ten-year period 47 of their servitude. Because of the intense heat of the country and their continuous travel ­ ling in Shahough, Mesene, 48 and Kashgar 49 countries, and in all Assyria and Khoujastan, their life was very bitter; so Saint Khoren was stricken

119 with a terrible fever and died, and his remains were interred by the inhabi ­ tants of that country with [the remains of] other holy confessors. But Saint Abraham kept on performing similar virtuous deeds. He went around and collected dues from the faithful; went to the great country afar and personally distributed his collections among the men in bondage, according to their individual needs. This work continued until the twelfth year of the incarceration of the nakharars and until the latter unanimously beseeched him to repair to Armenia, so that upon his arrival the people might see in him the valiant martyrs who had perished by the sword, and through him they might visualize the holy chains of torture as well. And when the martyrs, confessors and those in chains are seen through his person, [they thought,] the whole world will be blessed because of him; their children will be blessed and will multiply; the young will become prudent and will have recourse to holiness because of him; the old will become virtuous and wise. Through his grace princes will learn kindness and the king ’s heart will be filled with God’s mercy to edify the whole country and to grant it peace. The churches will boast of him as an im­ peccable and valiant warrior; through him the chapels will be adorned and the martyrs will rejoice and be merry. Through him also the field of Avarair will become resplendent and filled with flowers, not by the rain-bearing clouds, but by the holy blood of the martyrs and by the pure whiteness of their scattered holy bones. When the confessor places his toilsome feet on the wide expanses of the battleground, when the living martyr walks threon, his communion with the living will bring the whole country to life again. “We know. ” they said, “that when the monks see him, they will re ­ member the spiritual legions of the warriors and will say: ‘They died in our stead and shed their blood as a sacrifice of conciliation to God.’ Because of him the holy priests, who met death by the sword in foreign lands and subdued the king ’s violent anger, will be remembered. Through him, per ­ chance, our chains may also be remembered and prayers may be offered to God for our return to our fatherland, free from bondage. “We make this earnest request, not only to fulfill our personal needs, but more especially to see once again our holy churches and our benevolent ministers whom we appointed and installed there. And if, God willing, we return home and satisfy the needs of the rest, we know that God will open the door of His mercy for us, to travel over the road through which this saint will lead us.”

120 With this in mind and after much pleading the God-graced nakharars secured the consent of the confessor. And because as a rule he did not oppose a good thing, he hastened to Armenia to carry out the unanimous request of the followers of godly virtue. He arrived at the land of the Armenians. A great multitude of men and women, aged and young, noblemen and peasants, hurried out to meet him. They fell prostrate before him; clung to his hands and feet and said: “Blessed be God on high, Who sent us an angel from heaven to bring us good tidings of resurrection, that we may inherit the kingdom of heaven. We see in you the incarnation of those resigned to God’s will in the hope of resurrection, as well as the features of those in bondage expecting to be released. In you we also see the edi ­ fication of our country in peace. With you our churches will rejoice and be jubilant; and through you our holy martyrs will incessantly intercede for us before God. Bless us, our holy father; you are the spokesman of the dead; speak to us with obvious blessing that we may hear within our souls the unseen blessings of the saints. “You have opened the way for all who yearn to return home; pray to God, that they may soon follow you, their holy forerunner. And as you opened the forbidden road on earth, open the gate of our prayers to heaven also, so that our supplications, as sinners, may reach God as an intercession for the men in bondage. And while we are in mortal flesh, although broken and beleaguered in body and soul for a long time, we wish to see our loved ones as we saw your blessed holiness. As our belief in the reality of hope was made evident by you and your holy love, we firmly believe that we shall soon see the true witnesses of Christ, whose heavenly grace we have always desired to see. ” Even though the holy confessor was treated with admiration by the entire country, he never approached anyone for the purpose of satisfying his material needs, but chose to live in a secluded place away from the multitude, and with three righteous brothers completed the span of his life in hermitage. It would be very difficult for anyone desiring to describe his virtuous habits to be able to do so: because his diligence burned like an inextinguish ­ able lamp through many a night; in his abstinence from food he was like the foodless angels; in his humility and modesty he was unmatched among

121 the living; and in his contempt for possessions he was truly like a lifeless body unbeguiled by riches. He performed religious services incessantly and prayed to God inde- fatigably. He became the salt for all who had lost their sense of taste, and a provocative scourge for all the idle. Because of him avarice was scorned and lustful gluttony was put to great shame. He preserved the health of the people of Armenia and secretly healed many of the afflicted. He became an excellent teacher to his own teachers and a counseling holy father to his own [spiritual] fathers. The ignorant became wise through hearing of his fame, and the unchaste became modest when he approached them. In flesh he lived in a narrow hovel, but the awe of his holiness encompassed those far and near. The devils were terrified and ran away from him, the angels descended and surrounded him. The Greeks envied the country of the Armenians because of him, and many barbarians hastened to see him in the flesh. He was endeared to those dear to God, and he led many enemies of truth to holy love. He was marked by virtue from infancy and with the same virtue he reached the end of his life. He did not join the rank of holy matrimony, nor did he submit to the physical urgency of corruptible things of this world. And if it need be said more clearly: as he replaced the ngedsof the body with spiritual useful things, in the same manner he departed from earth to heaven.

THE NAMES OF THE NAKHARARS WHO VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED TO ROYAL CHAINS FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST

S uni Branch Papken and Pagour brothers

Ardzruni B ranch Nershabuh, Shavasb, Shunkin, Mehrujan, Barkev, and Dajad

Mamigonian B ranch Hamazasbian, Hamazasb, Ardavazt, and Mushegh

Gamsaragan B ranch Arshavir, Tat, Vartz, Nerseh, and Ashod

122 Amaduni B ranch Vahan, Arantzar, and Arnag

Knuni B ranch Adorn

Timaksian B ranch Tatoul, Sado, and two companions

Antzevatzi B ranch Shemavon, Zuaren, and Aravan

Araveghian B ranch Pabag, Varazden, and Tad (Tagh)

Ardzruni Family Abrsam

Mantaguni Family Sahag and Parsman

Dashratzi B ranch Vren

Rapsonian House Babig and Houkhnan (Hohan)

Some of these thirty-five were grand nakharars and others of lesser rank; in flesh they all belonged to nobility and in spiritual virtues all were citizens of heaven. There were other freemen: some from the royal house, others from the houses of the same nakharars, all comrades-in-arms and joint- combatants with the valiant martyrs. They all subjected themselves will­ ingly to the tortures of holy chains. But we are not only amazed that they departed voluntarily and fell into adversities. We marvel at the fact that delicately bred men like them, who formerly lived in the vastness of snow-covered mountains, became in ­ habitants of sun-blazed plains; men who treaded floriferous peaks like fawns were cast in a scorching country 51 of the East with their hands and feet in fetters. For nine years and six months, 52 in dire need of bread and water, they lived like wild beasts sprawled on the ground without cover and bed, their days in eclipse and their nights in darkness. They endured tortures with such great joy that no complaints or curses were heard from their mouths, but only lavish contentment, as has been manifested by men of means in the worship of God. And while they were in such adversity, the king thought that because of their intolerable afflictions, they might be weary of their doleful life. He sent word to them with the great hazarabed and said: “Come to your senses and do not persist in your obduracy; prostrate yourselves before the sun and you will be released from your tormenting chains and each of you will regain your paternal possessions. ”

123 The holy men answered and said: “Have you come to put us to a test by interrogation or has the king really sent you? ” The hazarabed swore solemnly and said: “I repeated every word the king uttered, no more and no less. ” Then they said to him: “People who have once become disciples of truth will never change, but will ever remain the same. Do you think our tenacity was due to ignorance before and now adversity has made us wise? That is not so. We resent only the fact that we did not come to eternal rest like those before us. We beseech you, therefore, and through you your king: do not interrogate us any more about such things; do whatever you have decided to do with us.” When the great hazarabed heard this, inwardly he praised their steadfastness greatly and thereafter he treated them with affection as men loved by God. He pleaded with the king to grant them pardon and. release them from their bonds. And although he was removed from office as the hazarabed of the kingdom after being accused of many harmful acts and was sent home, with much dishonor, he considered himself responsible for the devastation of Armenia and to the end of his life never spoke ill of those in bondage. Many among the blessed who were young in age studied the writings of their fatherland. The knowledge so acquired became spiritual food for them, and encouragement and comfort for their companions. They were all so elated in mind and soul that even the oldest became delicate, tender, and youthful. Although they were too old to learn, but because they knew many psalms by heart, they joined the host of children of tender age in singing hymns. They made holy worship so resplendent that even some of the cruel executioners were very much impressed and gave them all the facilities they could, over and above what was authorized by the king, showed kindness and benevolence to them and often provided for their physical needs. The holy men were endowed by God with a power to heal, more ­ over, so many persons possessed with the devil were cured in the city where those in fetters were imprisoned. Since there were no priests, the sick and the afflicted of the city came to them and each recovered from his illness. The excellent prince of that country, 53 named Harevshghom Shabuh, who had the custody of the prisoners, also manifested great mercy and affection for them. He treated the aged like his father and caressed the

124 young like his own beloved sons. Many a time he wrote to the court and reported the pains and suffering of the men in chains and made favorable remarks about the noble character and behavior of each. He appealed to the nobles and employed all manner of means, until through many inter- ceders, he secured the king ’s consent to release their bonds, to remove the mourning cloak of punishment from them and to clothe them with vest ­ ments worthy of their princely rank. He appropriated pensions for them and instructed that all their armaments be furnished from the court. He wrote to the grand marshal and recommended that they be allowed to join the ranks of royal troops in warfare. And after everything was settled in that manner and the new order of the king was carried out, they manifested such unexcelled bravery wherever they went that words of their praise were written to the court. The king was so pleased at heart that he requested their appearance before him. They came and presented themselves to Hazgerd, King of Kings. He received them joyfully, spoke with them in encouraging words, and promised to grant them such prerogatives as they were entitled to according to the rank of their ancestral honors, and to return them to their country to practice the Christian religion because of which they had suffered terrible persecutions. And as they were joyfully walking around in the camp before the king, sudden death came to the latter in the nineteenth year of his reign. His two sons, hostile to each other, fought for the crown. This relentless hostility continued unabated for two years. While they were in this conflict, the king of the Aghouans 54 rebelled. He was their sister ’s son and formerly a Christian, according to the faith of his country, but had forcibly been converted to the religion of the magi by Hazgerd, King of Kings. Considering the moment very opportune, he assumed the risk of death and preferred to die in battle rather than remain a king in apostasy. Because of these occurences, the return [of the nakharars] to Armenia had been delayed. Observing that the Aryan troops were divided into two, Raham of the family of Mihran,® 5 foster mother of Hazgerd ’s younger son, boldly attacked the king ’s older son with one-half of the army. She massacred his soldiers and tore the army asunder, arrested the king ’s son, and ordered him killed on the spot. She forced the remainder of the troops into submission, es ­ tablished unity in the army of the Aryans, and enthroned her foster son Peroz 66 as king.

125 Although complete peace was established in the Aryan country, the king of the Aghouans did not want to submit to servitude; on the contrary he destroyed the Watch of Djora and persuaded the troops of the Maskoots to join him. He united the eleven highlander kings; 67 made war against the Aryan army and inflicted great harm upon the royal troops. Although two or three times letters of appeasement were sent to him, he refused to accept their terms. He reprimanded them in writing and by a delegation for having unjustly devastated the country of the Armenians. He reminded them of the death of the nakharars and the tortures of the men in chains. He said to them: “Instead of granting them the right to live, in return for their loyalty and services, you deprived them of their lives. I should rather assume their tortures than abandon Christianity. ” And when they realized that they could persuade him neither by force nor by affection, they sent enormous treasures to the country of the Khail- anturs, opened the Gate of the Alans, 58 raised many troops from the Huns, and continued the fight against the king of the Aghouans for a whole year. Although some of his soldiers withdrew and abandoned him, his enemies were unable to subdue him; on the contrary they suffered many casualties, some in warfare and some by afflictive diseases. And because the siege lasted a long time, more than half of the country was ruined, yet no one doubted him and none abandoned him. Again the king of the Persians sent a messenger to him and said: "Send my sister 68 and my nephew to me, because they were Mazdaists from birth and you converted them to Christianity; and then you may keep your country. ” But this excellent man was not fighting for the kingdom, but for the right to worship God. So he sent his mother and his wife away and renounced his entire kingdom; then he took the Gospel and prepared to leave the country. When the Aryan king heard this, regret and compassion seized his mind and he blamed his father for all the adversities. He sealed an in ­ violable oath and sent it to him, saying: “Do not go away from your country; I will do whatever you wish.” The king of the Aghouans asked for what had been his own since childhood and what his father had granted him when he was an infant — one thousand houses. He received those from the king and occupied them together with the monks. And he became so engrossed in the constant worship of God that he completely forgot that he had once been a king.

126 All these long enduring disturbances, which lasted until the fifth year of the reign of Peroz, King of Kings, prevented the release of the Armenian nakharars; but the king gave them larger pensions and granted them more privileges in royal festivities, than was customary in previous years. During the same fifth year the king returned the properties of some of the nakharars and gave hope to others that in the year 60 following he would release all of them with their belongings and with honor. But I shall turn to that point again. I am unable to give the exact number of the wives and widows of the blessed men of virtue in bondage or fallen in battle for the entire land of the Armenians, because the ones I am not acquainted with are many more than those I know. I recognize about five hundred by name, some of highest nobility, but many of lesser rank. Collectively, all of them full of heavenly virtue rivalled those who had not tasted of this world. The oldest and the youngest were clothed with the same virtue of faith. They forgot completely the passion of maternal freedom, and undertook greater pains than did men inured to the drudgery of peasant life, and submitted with more patience to suffering. While their souls were comforted by the invisible power of eternal hope, their persons were heavily beset by physical hardships. Although all of them had maidservants, it was no longer clear who was the mistress and who the lady’s maid. The garments of all were alike, and they all slept on the ground. No one made the bed of another, because they could not distinguish one pallet from another. The straw-mats had the same brownish color and the pillows under their heads were of the same black. There were no chefs to prepare special delicacies for them, nor private bakeshops to provide them in the manner to which the nobility had been accustomed. Everything was common to all. They passed the Sabbath Eve like hermits inhabiting the wilderness. No one poured water into the hands of another, nor did the young offer towels to their elders. No soap ever came into the hands of the graceful ladies, and no [fragrant] oils were offered as in time of festive merriment. Spodess platters were not set before them, and cup-holders were not offered for their enjoyment. No courier ever stood at their doors, nor were any nobles invited to their banquet

127 table. They acted as if they had never had foster nurses or beloved kin. The dressing rooms and the nuptial chambers of the newlyweds became covered with dust and soot; and spider webs were woven in their sleeping quarters. The lofty seats of their salons were destroyed, and their table settings disarranged. Their mansions toppled and fell, and their fortified shelters were overturned and ravaged. Their fragrant flower gardens shriveled and dried, and the vines of their wine-producing vineyards were uprooted. They saw with their own eyes the spoilation of their household goods and heard with their own ears the pains and suffering of their loved ones. Their treasures were confiscated and made part of the royal treasury, and no ornaments were left on their faces. The delicately bred ladies of Armenia, who grew up on divans and in litters, caressed and indulged, went on foot, bare-footed to the houses of worship, making vows and offering prayers untiringly, that they might be able to endure their great suffering. Fed by the brains of calves and the tender meat of fawns since childhood, they now devoured grass like beasts with great joy and never thought of the delicate life they had once had. The skin of their bodies darkened, because in daytime they were burnt by the sun and all through the night they lay on the ground. Psalms were the constant murmurs on their lips, and the reading of the prophets their absolute comfort. They formed groups of two like equal and harmonious spouses, ploughing a straight line to heavenly kingdom, to reach the harbor of peace without erring. They forgot their feminine weaknesses and assumed masculine virtue in spiritual warfare. They waged open war and fought against extreme transgressions, the deadly roots of which they cut off and cast away. They conquered cunning with simplicity and cleansed the bluish stain of jealousy with holy love. They severed the roots of avarice so that the deadly fruits of its branches withered. They vanquished arrogance with humility and reached celestial eminence with the same humility. They opened the locked gates of heaven with prayers and brought the angels down by holy supplications, for their own redemption. They received good tidings from the country afar and glorified God on high. The widows among them became brides of virtue and removed from their persons the indignity of widowhood. The wives of those in fetters subdued their physical desires and shared in the tortures of the holy men in chains. All through life they resembled the valiant martyrs and, from afar,

128 became comforting counselors for the prisoners. They worked with their fingers to feed themselves and saved the allowances appropriated for them by the king, and from year to year sent the accumulated amounts to their husbands for consolation. They looked like bloodless cicadas which live by the sweetness of their song without being fed, and remain alive only by inhaling air, like angels without flesh. The ice of many winters melted; spring came and swallows arrived; pleasure-loving people saw and rejoiced; but they themselves were never able to see their loved ones. Spring flowers reminded them of their devoted husbands, and their eyes ever longed to see the elegance of their faces. The hunting hounds were no more, and hunters' expeditions had ceased com­ pletely. Their names were inscribed in memoirs, and not one of the annual festivals brought them home from distant foreign lands. Everyone looked upon their dining places and wept and their names were mentioned in all the tribunals. Many monuments were raised in their memory, and the name of each was inscribed thereon. And while their minds were thus stormed on every side, they never weakened in their heavenly virtue. To those looking upon them from out­ side they appeared to be mournful and tortured widows, but in their souls they were enriched and comforted by heavenly love. They no longer asked anyone coming from the distant country: "When shall we be able to see our beloved? ” They only wished and prayed God that they might be able to complete their mission with the same valor and heavenly love as they had begun. And may we and they, in common, inherit the kingdom of heaven and be worthy of all that has been promised to the beloved of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE END

129

NOTES

Notes

NOTES ON THE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

Note 1. The identity of Priest David Mamigon, at whose request YEGHISHEH VARTABED wrote the HISTORY OF VARTAN AND OF THE WAR OF THE ARMENIANS, has been subject to lengthy controversies and conjectures. Some believe him to be DAVID THE UNCONQUERABLE; others insist that he is the same Priest David mentioned by Lazar of Parbe as having taken part in the council of Ardashad. It has also been suggested that he belonged to the Mamigonian branch, although reli ­ able data is lacking concerning that contention. Note 2. After the fall of the Arshagunian (Arsacid) Dynasty the part of Armenia under the Persian dominion was called “the land towards the East ,” the other part within Roman rule was called “the land towards the West ” Note 3. The meaning of this sentence is obscure and has been given various interpretations. We have accepted the opinion of the majority as to its meaning. Note 4. The words “victorious Commander ” refer to Jesus Christ.

9

NOTES ON THE FIRST CHAPTER

Note 1. According to the Armenian historian Moses of Khoren, the Arshagunian (Arsacid) Dynasty reigned over 4 Armenia from about 132 B.C. to 442 A.D. The accuracy of this assertion has been challenged by recent historians. It is now contended that King Dertad (Tiridates) I, the first Arshaguni king, received his crown from the Roman emperor Nero in the year 66 A.D., and that the Arshagunian dynasty came to an end in 428 with Ardashes or Ardashir as its last king.

Note 2. The Sassanid or Sassanian Dynasty, the ruling dynasty of the neo-Persian empire, was founded by Ardashir I, the son of Papag. It was named after Sassan, the grandfather of Ardashir I. After the death of his father Ardashir murdered his own two brothers and his enemies and made himself a king. Then he waged war against the Parthian king, Ardavan, conquered him, occupied the capital city of Dizpon (Ctesiphon) in 225 A.D., and subjugated the whole country. Note 3. Magi is the plural of magus from the word mage of Persian origin, probably meaning to know, to sing . Quoting from the Encyclopedia Britannica: “The ministry of Zoroastrianism was vested in an exclusive priesthood —the Magians who played not merely the role of the ‘Fire-kindlers ’ (athravan) in the Avesta, but became an hereditary sacerdotal caste, acting an important part in the state —advisors and spir­ itual guides to the king, etc/ ’ The word magian connotes a magician-priest. The magi were distinct from the star-worshipping priests of Babylon. Note 4. Nakharars were Armenian noblemen or feudal lords, having their own domains and partly autonomous in internal affairs. Each nakharar had his own troops, enrolled from his own subjects, to protect and defend his own possessions and to take part in the expeditions of he king, whenever required. The nakharars paid tributes to the kingdom. (See the Kahnamag for the complete list of the nakharars, on page 304.) Note 5. Shabuh or Shapur III reigned in 383-388 A.D.

133 Note 6. Hazgerd II (Yazgerd, Yezdigerd) ascended the throne in 438 and reigned until 457. He persecuted Christians? and Jews alike.

Note 7. Vram V (Bahram), 420-438, was the father of Hazgerd II.

Note 8. Medzpin was the ancient Roman city* of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, about 65 miles west of the river Tigris. It played an important role in the relations between the Persians and the Romans. For a time it served as the seat of the Arshaguni kings.

Note 9. The provinces of the Romans [Horoms] were the regions in Asia Minor under the dominion of the Byzantine Empire.

Note 10. Theodosius II was the weakest and possibly the kindest of all the emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, and reigned from 408 to 450 A.D.

Note 11. Anatolius was the commander in chief of the Roman armies in the far eastern territories.

Note 12. The Armenian word sbarabed probably derives from the Greek word stratelat meaning general .

Note 13. Christianity made its appearance in Persia and Armenia almost simultaneously. It is claimed that even in the first century A.D. there were many Christians within the boundaries of Persia.

Note 14. Dizpon (Ctesiphon) was situated on the left bank of the river Tigris, about ten miles below the present Bagdad, opposite Seleucia, and was destroyed by Omar in 637 A.D. It served as the capital and the winter residence of the Parthian kings.

Note 15. The magi were called the officials of the left, according to the author.

Note 16. This is probably a variation of the text in Isaiah IX, 20, wherein it is said: "And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of հե own arm ”

Note 17. Compare this quotation with the words of Christ in St. Matthew XII, 25, and St. Luke XI, 17.

Note 18. The Kushans belonged to the Hun racial group inhabiting the countries adjacent to the northeastern boundaries of Persia and often invaded the Persian kingdom. They represented two chief divisions, one with dark complexion, the other, light. In the middle of the fifth century A.D. the dark-skinned Huns, led by Attila, invaded Europe and advanced as far as France. They were defeated in the Battle of Chalons (451) and were forced to retreat. It was during the same year that Vartan and many of his valiant warriors fell in the Battle of Avarair during their heroic struggle against Persian tyranny. These two battles — one over the fields of France, the other on the plains of Ardaz in Armenia —not only defended Christianity against barbarian invasions, but helped its spread and perpetuation. In 468 the Kushans left the eastern boundaries of Persia, travelled towards the east and established a new kingdom in Peshawar.

Note 19. The Gate of the Watch was a famous pass or gorge the exact location of which is not definitely known. In all probability it was on the northwestern side of Persia near the Caspian Sea.

134 Note 20. The land of A bar was called Abrshah by the Persians, meaning the upper country, located on the northeastern part of Persia and now known as Khorassan. The Armenian nakharars, after being released from their chains, were kept in the city of Herat in that country. The principal city of Abar was Newshabuh (Nishapur). It was in the village of Revan where the Ghevontians were martyred.

Note 21. The land of the Aghouans (Albania) was situated east of Georgia, and south of the Caucasian mountains, and embraced the north-western portion of the present Azerbaijan.

Note 22. The exact location of the land of the Lipnians is not known. The Lipnians were Caucasian highlanders who, according to Father Alishan of the Mekhitarists, inhabi ­ ted the region of Shirvan in Transcaucasia.

Note 23. The land of Dzotians was situated between Armenia and the land of the Aghouans (Albania) with its center on the Gour (Cyrus) River.

Note 24. The land of the Gortxnans (Corduenes) was situated near the boundaries of Mosul, between two tributaries of Tigris River.

Note 25. The land of the Aghtznik or Aghtznians constituted the third of the fifteen provinces of Armenia Major and was situated north of Tigris River. It was bounded by the Fourth Haik, the provinces of Duruperan and Mogk, and Assyria.

Note 26. Armenia Major represented the greatest part of Armenia proper and was under the Persian dominion. Note 27. The location of Dajgasdan is not definitely known. The Armenian historians have ascribed that name to various countries. In this particular text, however, it probably refers to Syria. Moses of Khoren has referred to it similarly.

Note 28. The land of the Romans means the territories belonging to the Eastern Roman Empire, occupied by the Persians.

Note 29. The Kutians may be identified with the Goths who had established colonies as far east as the Euphrates River. It is, however, contended by some that the name Kutian is a misnomer and should be Tasan. The land of the Tasans has been mentioned together with the lands of the Aghtznians, the Gortvians, and the Dzotians a9 their neighbor.

Note 30. The location of the land of the Arznarzun is not clearly known. Its boundaries probably touched the land of the Mogk and the Dzotians as well as the land of the Aghtznians and is probably one of the provinces of the latter known as Arzanene.

Note 31. The quotation is from the New Testament with minor variations. See: Colossians III, 22-24, and Ephesians VI, 5-8.

Note 32. The Greeks referred to all foreign races as barbarians, but the Persians called them non-Aryans . The author, however, refers to all non-Persians as barbarians.

Note S3. The Kushans referred to here are the White Huns or Ephthalites who were dis­ tinguished from the Huns of Attila not only by their color (See: Note 18, supra) but by their gentle and peaceful character. They were a cultured people with a language of their own and beautiful cities. Moses of Khoren mentions Varedzan as one of those cities. 135 Note 34. The royal legions of the Caucasian Huns were known as Khailanturs who first appeared on the scene during the reign of Hazgerd II. They entered Georgia and Albania through the Gate of the Alans which was also known as the Dariel Pass, and thence advanced to Media and Persia. Having failed in their venture they went to Daghistan and Derbend via Paidagaran and Baku.

Note 35. The Watch of Djora, also known as the Gorge of Djora and the Gate of the Aghouans, was located near the present day city of Derbend on the Caspian Sea. It had a great significance both for the Romans and the Persians as an obstruction against the barbarian races of the north. The Romans paid dues for its protection and maintenance. The historian Moses of Khoren asserts that during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) the Romans paid certain dues or remunera ­ tion to the Armenians for its proper maintenance.

A legend exists about the Watch of Djora. It is said that Alexander the Great, during his invasion of the Caucasus, reenforced the Watch of Djora with iron doors, so that Gog and Magog would not be able to destroy it before the final dispensation of the world. (See: the Bible: Ezekiel XXXVIII-XXXIX, and Revelation XX, about Gog and Magog.)

Note 36. The burnt offerings were sacrificial animals highly recognized in the Magian religion. White bulls, long-tailed animals and tailed female goats were considered holy. These victims were first fattened and then sacrificed on the fire altar.

Note 37. The word mogbed is the combined form of two words, mog meaning magus, priest, and bed meaning chief; hence chief priest. The mogbeds were the chief priests of the Zoroastrian religion and held the second highest rank in its hierarchy.

Note 38. The wise as used here, refers to the highest class of the priesthood.

Note 39. The furnace of Babylon relates to the “burning fiery furnace" wherein were cast Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego by the order of King Nebuchadnezzar. The inten ­ sity of the fire had been so increased that its flames rose “seven times higher" than usual and burned the guards instead of the victims. (See: The Old Testament, Daniel III, 19-28.)

9

NOTES ON THE SECOND CHAPTER

Note 1. Kavteanism was a form of religion prevailing in Babylon just prior to the Greek conquest of the Euphrates Valley. (331 B.C.) The doctrine of Kavteanism may be called astral theology.

Note 2. Idaghia or Hitalia was the country of the Idaghs or Hiptals and is closely identified with the land of the Kushans.

Note 3. The wilderness referred to here was the desert of Khorazm.

Note 4. The Kavteans were the pagan priests of Babylon. Ethnologists have found it difficult to establish a close relationship between the Kavteans and the Chaldeans, even though the Babylonians were also known as Chaldeans during the last period of their sovereignty. The word kavtea means astrologer, soothsayer, charmer.

136 Note 5. Zoroastrianism as a religions doctrine was founded and preached by Zoroaster whose place of origin and time have been subject to many conjectures. The Greek theory, “which relegates Zoroaster to the mists of antiquity, or even to the period of the fabulous Ninus and Semiramis, ” has no historical basis. The contention that he came from the northwest of Media is no more than a presumption. It has been established, however, that he preached in Bactria and its neighboring regions and that his doctrine predominated in Media as far back as in 714 B.C. It may be safe to say, therefore, that Zoroaster lived about 1000 years before Christ. The doctrine is known as the faith of Ahuramazda, or Mazdaism, the guardianship and ministry of which was vested in an exclusive priesthood — the Magians. It is based on the conception that “two groups of powers confront each other in a truceless war, the powers of Good, of Light, of creative Strength, of Life, and of Truth, and the powers of Evil, of Darkness, Destruction, Death and Deceit. In the van of the first stands the Holy Spirit or the ‘Great Wisdom* Mazdao. His helpers and vassals are the six powers of Good Thought, of Right Order, of Excellent Kingdom, of Holy Character, of Health, and of Immortality. The powers of evil are in all points the opposite of the good; at their head being the Evil Spirit (Ahriman).** (See: Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 21, page 205.) The Sun and its earthly representative the Fire form the basis of worship in the Zoroastrian religion.

Note 6. “... let the revelry of the banquet run high on wine ” expression refers to an ancient custom in the Persian religious ceremonies. The Persians believed that they would greatly honor their god Vormizt by excessive eating and by drinking wine in large quantities. The excesses of pleasure-loving individuals were even inscribed over their tombstones as eulogies.

Note 7. The sealing of the cords of nethergarments was a severe punishment in Persia. The purpose was to torture the wrongdoer in his own filth.

Note 8. The census and the head tax were innovations introduced in Armenia by Tenshabuh and applied to the Christians only. Prior to that land was taxed without dfccrimina- tion.

Note 9. “He encumbered the freedom of the church” expression means that he subjected the church to taxation contrary to the established custom.

Note 10. “Hazarabed ” is formed by the combination of two Armenian words, hazar meaning thousand and bed meaning head, chief. As used here, however, it refers to the prin ­ cipal civil officer and the supreme judge of the country. The author has in mind Vahan Amaduni who together with Humayag Mamigonian studied under Mesrob Mashdotz. Goryune, the historian, praises both students very highly.

Note 11. “Tahegan ” (daric) was a coin of ancient Persia of nearly pure gold bearing on one side the figure of an archer. Its intrinsic value is about $5.50. The word daric may easily be identified with the name of King Darius of Persia (B.C. 521-486?).

Note 12. It seems evident that individuals as well as their properties, real or personal, were taxed.

Note 13. Vizier is an executive officer of high rank in various Mohammedan countries. Grand Vizier means grand commander or councilor .

137 Note 14. Iran and Daniran refer to the Aryan and non-Aryan countries.

Note 15. Ahrmen (Ahriman, Hariman, Haraman) connotes the evil spirit or the evil god .

Note 16. Zruan (Zervan) was God the Father identified with the Zervan of Zoroastrianism. In the Persian language the word means old, senile .

Note 17. Vormizt (Ormuzd), also called Ahuramazda, was the God of Good.

Note 18. Reference is made to the Old Testament: Genesis II, 16, wherein it is stated that God forbade Adam to eat “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and to Genesis III, 19, where He prescribes punishment by death: "For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return ” Note 19. Bantourag (probably Panderos) means carpenter. Panderos was a Roman soldier who, according to the Hebrews, was the father of Christ through illicit relations.

Note 20. The Nazarenes were the followers of Jesus of Nazarene. That title was first used exclusively by the priests and their leaders.

Note 21. The Great Assembly denotes the supreme tribunal.

Note 22. Historical data on the bishops who signed the notable document in answer to Mihrnerseh ’s letter: HOVSEP was from the Valley of Vayotz (Vayotz Tzor) and the village of Hoghotzimk. He occupied the patriarchal throne as Catholicos in 441-452. MELED or MELIDEH became Catholicos of the Armenians in 452, after the martyr­ dom of Hovsep. EZNIG was an associate of St. SAHAG in the translation of the Holy Bible and other writings. He was then 60-64 years of age. SURMAG was made Catholicos by the Persian king while St. SAHAG was still alive, but was expelled by the nakharars a year later. TATIG, together with other clergymen, was appointed to render homage to the memory of St. Mesrob after the latter's death. HOVSEP, MUSHEH, EZNIG, TATIG, and YEREMIA composed the first group to receive instructions from St. SAHAG and St. MESROB. Authentic information about the other bishops is not available.

Note 23. Chor-bishops were bishops officiating in rural places. They were known as such to distinguish them from the bishops in the cities. The locum-tenens of the prelate or primate was also known by that designation.

Note 24. The Armenian word yeretz means priest as well as elder. Lazar of Parbe mentions, in connection with the Armenian War against the Persians, Priest Ghevont (Ghevont Yeretz), Khoren of Mrena, David, and the divinely inspired Aghan who was his teacher and the great Vahan Mamigonian's unde.

Note 25. The dty of Ardashad (Artaxata) was peninsular in shape because it was built at the juncture of Medzamor (now Kami) and Arax rivers. According to tradition it was built during the reign of Ardashir II. Its ruins are found about 9-10 miles from Erivan. Note 26. The King Vormizt here mentioned is probably Vormizt Ա who reigned in 303-310.

138 Note 27. “All over the earth ” expression clearly denotes that Christianity covered a vast ground in the east before the advent of Mohammedanism.

Note 28. “The Perfect Ruler” refers to God.

Note 29. The quotation is presumably from the New Testament, but appreciably differs from the actual text. (See: St. Luke XII, 47-48.)

Note 30. Gehenna means the hell and derives from the Hebrew words Ge Hinnom, which means the valley or the gorge of the sons of Hinnom located south of Jerusalem. According to the Hebraic faith the final judgment and punishment will take place there.

Note 31. The Jordan River runs through Palestine from north to south dividing the country into two parts. The beginning of its course is formed by three springs originating in the Anti-Lebanus mountains, and it flows into the Dead Sea.

Note 32. John the Baptist was the son of a barren woman. (See: St. Luke I, 7: “And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years ”)

Note 33. Pontius Pilate was the Roman procurator of Judea, who gave Jesus up to the chief priests of the Hebrews to be crucified, although he believed Him to be innocent.

Note 34. The Mount of Olives, facing Jerusalem, rues to a height of 2500 feet and is famous for its Garden of Gethsemane where Judas betrayed Christ and whence Christ, after His resurrection, ascended to heaven. (See: St Mark XIV, 46; St Luke XXII, 47; and The Acts I, 12.)

Note 35. The great auditorium was the assembly hall of the palace.

Note 36. The great square was the spacious reception hall where the Persian nobles assembled.

Note 37. The embittered old man expression refers to Mihrnerseh, the Grand Vizier.

Note 38. “Friends nursed in their families ” expression refers to persons who were not blood relatives, but who during their infancy were nurtured in the family by nursing mothers. In ancient times the king placed his children under the care of one of his nobles who had a nursing wife, to be fed with her milk together with her own children. The infants so nursed became foster brothers or sisters, as the case may be, and remained devoted to each other all through life.

Note 39. They arrived at the royal Porte in the spring of 449.

Note 40. “If . . . you do not kneel before [the sun] ” expression denotes the method of praying introduced by Khurshid and performed three times a day regularly.

Note 41. Shabuh III, 383-388.

Note 42. “Murder the fire ” means extinguish the fire .

Note 43. “. . . refusing to do homage to the ordinances of our religion ” is a very liberal trans ­ lation of the author’s word Krdigar (some say it should be krbigar) which probably means “good deeds ” required by the Mazdean religion and worthy of excellent rewards.

139 Note 44. The Armenians were also reprimanded for “not approaching their women regularly ” because the Persian religion considered celibacy as one of the worst crimes. The Persians believed that if a girl remained unmarried because of her own fault, she would be kept in hell, after death, until the day of resurrection. Note 45. In the statement “the church is not a creation of man ” the church refers to the creed, the religion and not to the structure. Note 46. Sacastane (the land of the Sacae) was one of the eastern provinces of Persia adjacent to India, and is now known as Seistan. or Sistan (Sejistan). Note 47. Khoujasdan , now Khuzistan, formed that part of Persia, where the wives and children of convicted persons were exiled to work in royal settlements. It is located east of Babylon and north of the Persian Gulf. Note 48. Shrines were temples or altars built on sites where persons had been martyred or their remains had been interred. Note 49. “Recalled Abraham” means that they brought to mind the sacrifice made by Abraham. It refers to the biblical story of Abraham, wherein it is related that Abraham offered his only son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. (See: Genesis XXII, 1-13.) Note 50. The king rewarded the Armenian nakharars and restored to them their nobility and rank in recognition of the fact that they had renounced their Christian faith. Note 51. “Draiving stakes of wood” means choosing by lots, using pieces of wood. Note 52. Tasans were the inhabitants of Tasan or Tarsan, mentioned in association with the Aghtznians, the Gortvians, and the Dzotians. Note 53. Navasart was the first month of the year according to the Armenian calendar and its first day was celebrated as the New Year's Day. It corresponds to the month of August. Note 54. Pantam was a veil of white cloth with which the magi covered their face when approaching the fire altar, so as not to defile the holy fire by their breath. Note 55. “Dung and filth” refer to bird or animal dregs which could not be used for fuel. Note 56. “BulVs urine ” was generally used ceremoniously to clean filth and to wipe out impurity. Note 57. According to a custom established by the magi each family was compelled to furnish a specified amount of ashes as a sign of their piety. It is not certain, however, what the ashes were used for.

9

NOTES ON THE THIRD CHAPTER

Note 1. The Holy League of the Church was originally a clerical Order, but as used in the text the League imports a far greater meaning; it embraces the clergy as well as the lay population of the entire country, firmly bound together by a solemn oath. Note 2. The use of the pronoun us may indicate that, when the Armenian nakharars were compelled by Hazgerd II to renounce Christianity, Yeghisheh (the author) was with them. Note 3. The pronoun you refers to David Mamigon at whose request the book was written.

140 Note 4. Compare this quotation with St. Matthew X, 33: “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven .” And with St. Luke XII, 9: “But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”

Note 5. “Dance before the sun ” expression refers to an old custom whereby sacrificial offer ­ ings were made by ceremonies wherein music and dancing played an important part.

Note 6. Martyr was a title of honor among the early Christians. A person who voluntarily suffered death as the penalty of refusing to renounce his Christian faith became a martyr, and a shrine was erected over his grave.

Note 7. Compare this quotation with the following: “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ” Exodus XX,5; Deuteronomy V, 9.

Note 8. The emissary on horseback was an Assyrian priest.

Note 9. Ankgh was a town, with natural fortifications, in the district of Dzaghgodn and the province of Airarad.

Note 10. The reference is about Shabuh II (310-379) during whose reign Christianity spread and covered a vast ground in the West.

Note 11. The Sandiks were a religious cult following the teachings of Mani or Manes who attempted to weld the doctrine of the Gospel and the doctrine of Zoroaster into a uniform system. Mani, perhaps a Persian from Babylonia, is said to have made his first appearance as a teacher on the coronation of Shabuh I, and was executed by Shabuh’s son Vram I (Bahram) in about 276. The doctrine of Manichaeism, how­ ever, survived long thereafter.

Note 12. The marzban was Vasag Suni.

Note 13. The Chief Mogbed or Mevbedan Movbed was the spiritual head of all the mogbeds and the Chief Priest of the Zoroastrian religion.

Note 14. Terantertzabed (the minister of the Wardrobe?) was one of the principal officers of the Persian kingdom and usually played the role of a councilor and had great influence.

Note 15. The great hazarabed was the title given to Mihrnerseh; it means grand commander or grand vizier.

Note 16. The sbarabed of the troops was Vartan Mamigonian who returned from Persia with the nakharars who, together with him, had been compelled to renounce their faith.

Note 17. The Armenian text uses pshdiban, a word of Persian origin meaning assistant, adjutant, deputy.

Note 18. The text contains the words “faithful women ” which have been interpreted to mean sisters, nuns, etc.

Note 19. The multitudinous army referred to consisted of those Persian troops who accom­ panied the magi and the apostate Armenian nakharars into Armenia. Later Vasag strengthened that army by his own mountain troops and the division of Sunik.

Note 20. This refers to the massacre at Zarehavan.

141 Note 21. Several of the forts mentioned in the text are definitely known; the location of the others has not been ascertained. According to the author, however, they were all in the Persian Armenia. Those known are: ARDASHAD: a beautifully planned city of great dimensions with numerous districts. KARNI: a fortress city in Sunik, at a distance of eight hours' journey from Etchmiad- zin, still in being and known by the same name. ANI: a fortress in Lesser Armenia. It should not be confused, however, with the celebrated Pakradunian (Bagratid) capital of Armenia, the city of 1001 churches. ARDAKERS: a famous fort near Arax River, in the district of Arsharunik and the province of Airarad. VOGHAGAN: a fortress located on the eastern edge of the plains of Mush, now known as Gourgur where Aradzani River flows through a narrow pass between two rocky projections. At a distance of two hours' journey on the downward course of the river there is a rocky plateau where the ruins of Voghagan may be observed. VAN and VORODAN were located in the province of Sunik.

Note 22. This refers to the temple and the fire altar constructed in Ardashad (Artaxata ) by Shavarsh Ardzruni and a Persian mogbed named Ventoh, and dedicated to Vormizt.

Note 23. The Aderbadagan mentioned in the text embraced the southern part of the present Azerbaijan, northwest of Persia. Its boundaries cannot be traced accurately because of their frequent changes.

Note 24. “The Fire of Vram." There were two kinds of fire temples or altars: the great fire temple known as Atash-Bahram and a,smaller one called Adaran. The fire in the great temple was known as the Fire of Vram and required a whole year for its preparation. It consisted of sixteen varieties of fire, embodying the force and the nature of all the fires. As such it was sacrosanct and most estimable.

Note 25. The annals refer to the official documents, records, and inscriptions, all of which have been lost or destroyed.

Note 26. “From Serai to Gades ” means from the eastern parts of Asia to Gades in Europe.

Note 27. The word handiwork does not fully convey the meaning of the Armenian word tasdagerd. By its use an attempt is made, however, to convey the idea that the entire country of the Armenians was magnificent.

Note 28. “The holy bishop of Rome ” phrase does not appear in most versions of Yeghisheh and seems to indicate that the original text has been altered wrongfully.

Note 29. After the death of Emperor Theodosius II, Marcian was chosen as consort and suc­ cessor by the emperor ’s sister Pulcheria to govern the empire. Marcian was born in Thrace or Illyria (390) and spent his early life as an obscure soldier. He reigned as Emperor of the East in 450-457.

Note 30. “Alliance with the heathens ” refers to the treaty between Hazgerd II and Emperor Theodosius. This alliance became more secure during the reign of Emperor Marcian.

Note 31. Her and Zaravant were the two provinces in the Persian Armenia not too distant from the present Salmasd (Selmas) and Khoi.

142 Note 32. The city o£ Khaghkhagh or Khalkhal was located on the northeastern side of Lake Sevan (Sevanga) in the territory between the Murguz River and the Murguz Mountain. The Arshaguni (Arsacid) kings wintered in a little village known as Rhalkhana. During the period of the Armenian (Vartanantz) war against the Persians Khalkhal served as the winter residence of the Albani (Aghouan) kings.

Note 33. Compare this quotation with Psalms XXXV, 1-2. “Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me . Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help ”

Note 34. The Lopnas River is probably the same as the Sakkan River of today.

Note 35. The plains of Paghasagan were in Albania (Aghouan), probably on the northeast, near the land of the Huns.

Note 36. Arshavir Arsharuni Gamsaragan was the husband of Vartan Mamigonian ’s sister, Vartanoush. He was the commander of the right wing of Vartan ’s army.

Note 37. Gour (Kur, Cyrus) is the great river mentioned in the text.

Note 38. The commercial city of Albania was Bardou, the capital, located by the bank of Derdou River. The literal meaning of the Armenian word “shahasdan ” is “a place where profits are realized ” The title was given to all the recognized commercial cities.

Note 39. The name used in the Armenian text is Gabgo Mountains .

Note 40. The Watch of the Huns is the same as the Watch of Djora. (See: Note 35, First Chapter.)

Note 41. Moush Timaksian was the only person who lost his life in that battle. The author refers to him as “one blessed man ”

Note 42. The royal winter residences were encampments where the royal troops wintered. Among those mentioned Armavir was the oldest capital of the Armenians.

Note 43. The province of Airarad was considered the center of Armenia. So, its inhabitants have been called “inlanders. ”

Note 44. “They [the Armenian troops]" were those whom Vartan guided from Derbend to the boundaries of Armenia, a distance of 650 versts, (about 430 miles) in 30 days.

Note 45. Compare with Psalms CXVII, 1: “O praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us .. .” And with Psalms CXXXV, 10: “Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings. ”

Note 46. The winter of 450-451.

Note 47. The month of Kaghotz is the fifth month of the year in the Armenian calendar. Here is the consecutive order of the months: Navasart, Horri, Sahmi, Dreh, Kaghotz, Aratz, Mehegan, Arek, Ahegan, Mareri, Markatz, Hroditz, and Avelyatz. Each month had 30 days, except the last one which had only five days. At the end of the 12th month these five days were added to complete the 365 days of the year. Every Leap Year of the Julian calendar the Armenian calendar was moved back one day, to compensate the extra day of the Leap Year. In the year 450 the New Year ’s Day fell on August 6th; the month of Kaghotz began in December and ended in January. This makes

143 evident the accuracy of the author’s assertion, that “during the month of Kaghotz supplication be made to God by fasting and prayer, and that the festival of victory be joined with the festival of the Revelation of Christ ” Note 48. The festival of the Revelation of Christ fell on January 6th. Note 49. The imperial city was Constantinople. Note 50. The Persian prisoners were those who had been captured by Vartan when he first attacked the forts occupied by the Persians. Note 51. Dizpon (Ctesiphon) was the winter residence of the king. Note 52. The war in the east refers to the war against the Kushans. Note 53. Vram V was the father of Hazgerd II. Note 54. The Greeks and the Persians were the “two implacable foes ” Note 55. The men referred to here were the Christians among Hazgerd ’s troops. Note 56. The city of Paidagaran was situated on the shores of the Caspian Sea at the mouth of the river Arax and in the province of Paidagaran which extended from the borders of the land of the Urds in the west, along! the bank of Arax, to the Caspian Sea.

9

NOTES ON THE FOURTH CHAPTER

Note 1. “Renounced the font wherein he was conceived ” means “disavowed the baptizmal font which gave him a new life as a Christian. ” Note 2. “The receptive Holy Spirit” connotes the spirit which accepted him in the Christian community. Note 3. “He destroyed the firm impression of the ring-seal. ” This indicates that during that period a form of an adoption certificate was prepared and a seal engraved on a ring was affixed thereto. The use of the word "destroy ” may mean that the seal was impressed on wax. Note 4. The union between the Armenians and the Georgians had two principal reasons: First, both countries were of Christian faith and neighbors. Second, prince Ashusha of the Kugars was married to an Ardzruni girl, the sister of Vartan ’s brother ’s (Humayag) wife; also Vazken, Ashusha’s son, was the husband of Vartan ’s daughter Varteni who was later called Shushanig.

Note 5. The land of Dmorik has always been mentioned in association with the Gortvik (Gordyene, Corduene) and was close to Persia. Note 6. The Khaghdik or the Chaltis were the people inhabiting the territory on the north of Chorokh River and northwest of the province of Daik, near the southeastern shores of the Black Sea, south of the present Trebizonde. Note 7. The Tavasbarans and the other ten tribes mentioned in association with them in ­ habited the plains and the mountains on the eastern, northern and southern sides of the Caucasian mountain ranges and defended the Watch of Djora against the attacks of the Huns and the Maskoods. Note 8. The two priests were Zankag and Bedros previously mentioned.

144 Note 9. The number of the Armenian troops exceeded sixty thousand . Vartan's army alone consisted of sixty-six thousand soldiers. Note 10. Mushgan Nusalavurd was the royal Minister of the Interior.

9

NOTES ON THE FIFTH CHAPTER

Note 1. The Armenian troops assembled in Ardashad (Artaxata) in April, 451.

Note 2. Vartan Mamigonian held (ruled over) the entire country not as marzban but as sbarabed. According to Moses of Khoren, after the fall of the Arshagunian Dynasty Armenia was governed by the following marzbans: Vermershabuh, 428-442; Vasag Suni, 442-452; and then Adrormizt.

Note 3. The battlefield where the Armenian troops assembled in the latter part of April, 451, was in the plains of Ardaz. (See: Note 5, infra.)

Note 4. The principal associates of Vartan Mamigonian were: Ardag Baluni, the head of one of the Baluni branches in the province of Mog. (The other Baluni prince was associated with Vasag Suni.) Vahan Amaduni, the former hazarabed of the Armenians, who was removed from office because of Vasag ’s false accusations. He became the most ardent associate of Vartan and was one of the prime movers of the insurrection. Arshavir Arsharuni , the prince of the Arsharunis and the master of Shirag and Yeraskhatzor. Note 5. The plains of Ardaz, also known as the plains of Shavarshan, were on the southeast of the Masis (Ararat) Mountain. The valley where the battle was fought was between Ardaz and the provinces of Her and Zaravant. The Dughmood River flows through that valley. Lazar of Parbe calls it The Valley of Dughmood, and Yeghisheh, Avarair. In November, 1872, the periodical “Ararad” published an article by Kalousd Sherma- zanian, wherein the author describes the plains on the south of the Magu River. One of the plains is called Chors through which runs Aghsu River. It is presumed that Chors is what was once Avarair, atid Aghsu River, the Dughmood.

Note 6. Compare with Romans V, 20. “But where sin abounded grace did much more abound. ” Note 7. All of Arantzar ’s soldiers were cavaliers. Note 8. The "celestial abode ” was the Garden of Eden, whence Adam was expelled for his failure to obey God's command. Note 9. The sentence beginning with "He even ordered the oceans . . .” to the end of the paragraph relates to the story of the deluge. (See: Genesis VII, 11.) Note 10. This sentence refers to the miracles performed by the prophet Elijah. (See: 1 Kings XVIII, and 2 Kings I.) Note 11. “The great mountain of flesh ” refers to Goliath being slain by David with a sling shot. (See: 1 Samuel XVII, 49.)

Note 12. Compare with Isaiah XLII, 8: “I am the Lord, that is my name and my glory will 1 not give to another, neither my praise to graven images ” Also, with Isaiah XLIII, 13: “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand ”

145 Note 13. Compare the quotation with Philippians II, 8-11.

Note 14. “The comprehensible Sun" denotes Jesus Christ.

9

NOTES ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER

Note 1. “The commander of the Persian forcesf* was Mushgan Nusalavurd. Note 2. It was believed in the ancient times that the souls of righteous Mazdaists were nurtured in the spiritual world with oil because of the latter ’s precious qualities. Laurels were also used to reward princes, nobles and persons who performed meri ­ torious deeds. A palm was a symbol or a token of victory and was given as a prize or reward for bravery. Note 3. The Madyan Corps was composed of the most select Persian warriors, fully armored. According to Herotodus, the Greek historian, it consisted of ten thousand carefully chosen cavaliers, a vacancy among whom was immediately filled; and for that reason it was called the Immortal Corps. Note 4. The Abarhayigs, the Gadshans, and the Keghians were semi-barbarous mountainous people, who dwelt on the southern and southwestern shores of the Caspian Sea. Note 5. Lazar of Parbe writes in his "History of the Armenians" that Vartan Mamigonian was in charge of the left wing of the Armenian army. This is borne out by Yeghisheh in the assertion that the Persian Commander “ordered the troops of his right wing to be ready to confront the Armenian general ” Note 6. “The great Mogian prince ” was Ardag Baluni . (See: Note 4, Fifth Chapter.) Note 7. “Undzayin ” is the Arsen Undzayetzi who is listed among the martyrs on page 145 as "the just Arsen." Note 8. Ardashir was in charge of the elephants. Note 9. Historians do not agree on the exact date of the Battle of Avarair. May 26th and June 2nd have both been suggested as probable dates, but recent discoveries tend to prove that May 26th is the actual date. Note 10. “Blows on both sides ” refer to the reverses suffered by the royal troops in the Battle of Avarair and in the war against the Rushans.

9

NOTES ON THE SEVENTH CHAPTER

Note 1. The province of Airarad has been referred to as the “midland ” Note 2. The name “Blue Mountains " is the translation of “Gabuyd Mountains ” used by the author. Gabuyd is an Armenian word meaning blue. The Blue Mountains are probably the present day Bingeul Mountains. Note 3. Daik was the fourteenth province of Armenia, bound northwesterly by the land of the Egerians and southeasterly by the Koukark. It was famous for its strong forts and fortifications. In the fourth century it belonged to the Mamigonian family. The name is non-Armenian and its origin is obscure.

146 Note 4. The Khipiovans were a highlander tribe in the Caucasus.

Note 5. Samuel was a priest from the valley of Sharur, village of Aradzo, in the province of Airarad.

Note 6. Abraham was Samuel's foster or spiritual son. He was a deacon, although he has been referred to as a priest elsewhere in the book. He should not be confused with the Confessor Abraham who was from the village of Zenag in the province of Daik and who, after suffering incredible tortures at the hand of the Persians, returned to Armenia in a deformed condition.

Note 7. The deacon Katchatch belonged to the Rushduni family and was bishop Sahag ’s pupil.

Note 8. Arshen was a priest from the village of Yeghekeg in the province of Pakrevant.

Note 9. The holy priests arrived at the winter residence of the king in the year 452.

Note 10. The assertion that the people assumed ownership of their properties indicates that the properties of those in exile had been confiscated.

Note 11. Antiochus was the favorite councilor of Emperor Theodosius II and possessed great powers.

Note 12. It had been a long established custom to engrave a seal on a signet ring which was used to validate or certify official or important documents and papers. The seal took the place of the signature.

Note 18. Zarehavan was a famous city in the district of Dzaghgodn and the province of Airarad. It was destroyed by Shabuh II.

Note 14. The relatives [of Vasag] referred to were in all probability his son-in-law Varazvazan and the two sons —Papken and Pagour —of his uncle Vaghinag whom he had killed by false accusations, in order to acquire dominion over the land of Sunik.

Note 15. The king of Paghasagan was the ruler of the country northeast of the Armenian province of Oude. It has been asserted that the inhabitants of that country were the descendants of Haig, the legendary founder of the Armenian race.

Note 16. According to Lazar of Parbe Bishop Sahag alone was well-versed in the Persian language and because of that he spoke and answered questions for and in behalf of all the other Armenian witnesses during Vasag ’s trial.

Note 17. It seems apparent that Vasag had been appointed marzban over Georgia. The date of his appointment and the length of his service are uncertain. The years from 442 to 445 have been suggested as the probable period. The words spoken by Bishop Sahag seem to imply that the Georgians were not pleased with Vasag ’s rule.

Note 18. “He has amused you by means of false hopes " said Bishop Sahag during Vasag ’s trial. The clear implication of these words is, that, although Vasag well knew that it was impossible to convert the Armenians to the Persian religion, he deceived the Persians by pretending that he could achieve that purpose.

Note 19. The golden tiara was used by the deputies. Each civil or military officer had his own tiara, specially made to denote his office and rank.

147 Note 20. In the paragraph referred to here the author has again used the word krdigar which has been translated to mean meritorious service. It is obvious that the Persian monarch considered the assasination of Vaghinag by the latter's nephew Vasag a worthy deed beneficial to the kingdom and as a reward granted to Vasag the dominion over the land of Sunik. (See: Note 14, supra, and Note 43, Second Chapter.)

Note 21. Compare the quotation with Psalms CXVIII, 8-11: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man . It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes . All nations compassed me about; but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.**

Note 22. Because Vasag had been accused of and convicted partly on the charge of embezzling taxes collected by him for the kingdom, many members of his family were exiled in lieu of fine.

Note 23. Vasag Suni was probably born in 384. He acquired dominion over the Sunik in 412 at the age of 28. He ruled over Armenia as marzban for ten years, 442-452. He was 67 years of age when the Battle of Avarair was fought.

9

NOTES ON THE EIGHTH CHAPTER

Note 1. The sixteenth year of the reign of Hazgerd II corresponds to 453 or 454.

Note 2. Vergan (Hyrcania) was an ancient country or province of Asia, southeast of the Caspian Sea.

Note 3. The nakharars in chains numbered 36 according to Yeghisheh, but only 34, ac­ cording to Lazar of Parbe; the priests were 18 in number.

Note 4. Newshabuh (Nishapur) was the capital of Abar, now known as Khorassan. It means “handsome Shabuh."

Note 5. Hamagten means omniscient in religion, especially in the Zoroastrian religion.

Note 6. Controversy has existed about the word Ampartkash. Some assert that it should be partkash. Ampartkash means original religion, whereas partkash means enlightened. Some books of the Mazdean religion refer to the oldest religion of Persia as the ampartkash.

Note 7. Bozboyid is the name of a book about the Persian religion and means "expiation of sins.** There are those who believe that it also means “prayer**, “supplication **, “worship.**

Note 8. Pahlavig was the language used to decipher or translate inscriptions and cuneiform writings and to interpret the meaning of Avesta expressed in unknown languages.

Note 9. Parsgaden includes all the sayings and teachings not recorded in the Pahlavig book: the preexistence of Zervan, the slaying of Vormizt (Ormuzd), the mythical origin of the sun and the moon. These teachings began during the reign of Sassanids and spread through the southern and western provinces of the country and gradually assumed the force of a doctrine or creed.

148 Note 10. The origin and the meaning of Bedmog are obscure. The author calls it the “sixth cult” of the Mazdean religion. Probably it is the name of a theological book.

Note 11. The twelve hours of the night were divided into four periods; each period was called a watch.

Note 12. The bishop referred to was Bishop Sahag of the Rushdunis. Note 13. Eden is a Hebrew word meaning delight, pleasure, also a place of pleasure ; hence the Garden of Eden or Paradise where Adam and Eve first dwelt. It is also called the Garden of God the gate of which was locked before men after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. Note 14. Compare the quotation with Psalms CXV, 1-2; “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truths sake. Wherefore should the heathen say. Where is now their God? ”

Note 15. Compare the quotation with Psalms XXVII, 1; “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall 1 be afraid? ” Note 16. The apparition of the several groups may be explained as follows: The two groups consisting of 1000 and 36 warriors respectively, including Vartan, Ardag and Khoren, represented the warriors who lost their lives in the Battle of Avarair. The group containing 213 persons, represented those who subsequently took refuge In a fortress and later, upon their surrender, were executed by the order of the Persian commander.

Note 17. See Psalms VIII, 1-2: “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth ! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. ” Note 18. The priest referred to was priest Arshen of the Village of Yeghekeg in the province of Pakrevant. Note 19. See: Psalms XXXVI, 10-12: “O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee ; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me. There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise. ” Note 20. Par sang or parasang is a Persian measure of length which was equivalent to 2.76 miles in ancient Persia. Twelve parsangs would equal to about 33 miles. Note 21. Upper country refers to Abar. (See: Note 20, First Chapter.) Note 22. Guran and Maguran were two provinces of ancient Persia, located on the southeastern corner of the country, at the boundaries of Baluchistan and India. They have always been associated and mentioned together. Note 23. Tenshabuh sat in judgment in the village of Revan, near the city of Newshabuh. Note 24. The prisoners were taken to the desert of Khorazm to which the author refers as a deserted place. Note 25. In conformity with the Mazdean religion the government of Persia had established a rule whereby the fire in the fire altars was to be kept burning at all times. So, a certain amount of fuel was allotted for each day and a number of persons were assigned to the work.

149 Note 26. The statement about the sun changing its course makes evident the belief that the earth was stationary and the sun revolved around it. YEZNIG has expressed a similar opinion. Note 27. It appears from the statement “we also presumed ” that the Armenians previously worshipped the celestial luminaries as gods. Note 28. See: Psalms XXII, 16-17: “For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and feet. I may tell all my bones ; they look and stare upon me ” Note 29. The word handiwork refers to the mogbed. The author refers to the apparition. (See: Note 16, supra.) Note 30. The man referred to is Ghevont Yeretz. Note 31. The Apostle St. Paul was the “great teacher of the heathens, ” who preached the Christian faith among the heathens (non-Jews), whereas all the other apostles con ­ fined themselves to the propagation of Christianity among the Hebrews. Note 32. Compare with Romans VI, 5: “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in he likeness of his resurrection ” Note 33. The sea referred to in this paragraph is Lake Van. Note 34. It appears from the statement “blind in one physical eye ” that Hazgerd II's vision was confined to one eye only. Note 35. According to Lazar of Parbe the trial was held in a rocky and sandy desert which was uninhabited and inaccessible. Seats were transported to the place for the judges. Note 36. Compare the quotations in italics with Psalms XXXIV, 1-2 and 19-20: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. ” “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” Note 37. Reference to Stephen is made in the New Testament. See: The Acts VI, 8 and VII, 59. He was known as proto-martyr. Note 38. Vadkes was one of the provinces of ancient Bactria, situated east of the modem Khorassan and north of Herat, between the range of Hindu Kush (Paropamisus) and the Oxus (Amu Darya), with the capital Bactra (now Balkh). Note 39. Bishop Tatig was the same bishop who took part in the Council of Ardashad where the famous letter to Mihmerseh was prepared. (See: Page 33) He was at first exiled to Persia; later he went to Assyria where he was killed about the same time as the others. Note 40. According to Lazar of Parbe Samuel and Abraham were executed in the same place 18 days later. (See: Notes 5 and 6, Seventh chapter.) Note 41. The actual meaning of the name May bed is not known. The person called by that name must have been an important civil officer, since he was charged with the same official duty as Tenshabuh and the Mogbed. Note 42. The royal army returned to Newshabuh on its way to Vergan (Hyrcania) carrying many prisoners. Note 43. The derivation of the word “Taridir” is obscure. Various opinions have been ex ­ pressed about its meaning. Probably it is the name of a locality. It has also been

150 suggested that the word has been misspelt; that it should be Tarimi(h)r meaning the "Gate of Mihr ” and used as a title for important fire temples and other places where sacrificial offerings were made.

Note 44. After the Armenian nakharars were released from their chains they were dispatched to Herat (Aria) to serve with the Persian armies against the Kushans. Note 45. The city referred to is Newshabuh. Note 46. Lazar of Parbe uses the name Shapul instead of Shahough, a district near Shiraz and Gazerun. Note 47. The ten year period ended in 464. Note 48. Mesene (the modem Maisan) was a kingdom south of Babylon. It was also called Characene. Its capital city (modem Mohammerah) was built by Alexander on an artificial hill by the junction of Karun with the Tigris. As far back as 410 A.D. it was recognized as a metropolis.

Note 49. Kashgar was situated north of Mesene, in the marshlands of Vasid. In 410 A.D. it had a diocesan bishop under the jurisdiction of the Catholicos at Dizpon (Ctesiphon).

Note 50. The "secluded place ” refers to a valley in the province of Hayotz Tzor (The Valley of the Armenians) or Yervantounik, at a distance of an hour’s journey from the river Koshab, where the remains of Abraham and his companions were interred. Over their grave was erected a shrine which remained standing until recent times.

Note 51: The Armenian nakharars were first imprisoned in Dizpon (Ctesiphon), later in Vergan (Hyrcania) and finally for several years in Newshabuh.

Note 52. The Armenian nakharars remained in exile for twelve years, of which nine years and six months they were in chains; for the remaining two years and six months they served in the Persian mounted forces. They were released in the year 463 or 464.

Note 53. The country mentioned here was Herat (Aria) located within the boundaries of the present Afghanistan.

Note 54. The name of the king of the Aghouans was VatchA

Note 55. Mihran represented one of the three most celebrated families or houses in the history of the Sassanids; the other two were Souren and Asbarabed . All three belonged to the Arshaguni (Arsacid) branch and dwelt in Parthia. It is believed that Mihmerseh was a descendant of Mihran.

Note 56. King Peroz (Peroses) reigned in 458-484.

Note 57. The Highlander Kings were the kings of the tribes referred to in the Note 8, Fourth Chapter. Note 58. The Gate of the Alans was what is now known as the Dariel Pass in the Vladikavkaz region of the Caucasian mountains. When the Khailanturs failed to pass through the Watch of Djora the Persians led them through the Gate of the Alans. Note 59. The mother of the Aghouan king, Vatdfe, was the sister of Peroz and the daughter of Hazgerd II. Vatch£ had been converted to Mazdaism, but after his father's death he rebelled against the Persians and returned to Christianity with his mother and sister.

Note 60. The year referred to here was 462 or 463.

151 Kahnamag (A Royal Decree Establishing a Protocol for Precedency in Rank) I, SAHAG, made an inquiry at the royal Porte of King Ardashes (Artaxias) at Dizpon (Ctesiphon), and on the seventeenth day of Kaghotz (December) I saw the ramagan letter in the archives of Ardashir; and then I, SAHAG CATHOLICOS, wrote to VRAM, King of Kings and benefactor, for his majesty ’s permission to prepare the list of the Armenian Nobles and Householders from “your archives ”, just as it existed before among the Armenian people, so that from now on precedency in thrones of the Armenian Nobles and Householders may be known. Thereupon Nerseh by the order of the King of Kings and I, SAHAG CATHOLICOS, prepared the KAHNAMAG and affixed thereto the seal of the King of Kings and our own ring-seals. And that is the just and proper way. 1. The Master of Sunik 35. Pukha Timaksian 2. Asbed 36. Another Apeghenian 3. The Master of Ardzrunik 37. Another Timaksian 4. The Master of Khorkhorunik —Malkhazuni, 38. Baluni the first Malkhaz* of Armenia 39. Araveghian 5. The Master of Mamigonians 40. Ashahmarian 6. Shahab, Master of Dzopk (Sophene) 41. Hampouzhian 7. The Master of Mogk 42. Varasbagian 8. The Master of Rushdunik 43. Tzunagan 9. The Master of Vahunik 44. Akeatzi 10. The Master of Caspians 45. Zarehavanian 11. The Master of Antzevatzik 46. Undzayetzi 12. The Master of Abahunik 47. Mantaguni 13. Gamsaragan 48. Sughguni 14. Another Abahuni 49. Daykrian 15. Vanantatzi 50. Yermantuni 16. The Master of Amadunik 51. Sbantuni 17. The Master of Koghtans 52. Aravenian 18. The Master of Knunik 53. Druni 19. Another Antzevatzi 54. Mamperatzi 20. The Daik 55. Havnuni 21. The Judge of Pasen 56. Puzhnuni 22. The Master of Kuntunis 57. Kachperuni 23. Vartzavuni 58. Mehnuni 24. The Master of Kartman 59. Nakhjeri 25. Saharuni 60. The Royal Burgomaster 26. The Master of Capeghenians 61. The Royal Vorsabed (Chief of Hunting) 27. The Master of Apeghenians 62. Ardashesian 28. The Second Sunik 63. The Second Vanantatzi 29. The Second Ardzrunik 64. Tzoul 30. The Third Ardzrunik 65. Vizhanuni 31. The Second Mamigonians 66. Akadzou 32. Ropsian 67. Timaksian of Shirag 33. Ashotzian 68. Kazrigian 34. Timaksian 69. The Master of Maratzians 70. Vakrasbuni * Chief of the Royal Guards.

152 A PARTIAL LIST OF NAMES PHONETICALLY TRANSLITERATED AND THEIR VARIATIONS ABAR DIZPON MEDZPIN SUGHGUNI —Apar —Ctesiphon —Mdzpin —Sulguni ADERBADAGAN ELIJAH —Nisibis SUNI —Aderbadakan —Eghia MESENE —Siuni —Aderbaijan —Elias —Maisan TENSHABUH —Aderbijan GEORGIANS —Characene —Tenshapuh —Athropatakan —Virk MESROB —Denshapuh —Atropatene —Vratzis —Mesrop TIMAKSIAN —Azerbaijan GHEVONT MIHR —Dimaksian AGHOUANS —Levon t —Mithra URDS —Albanians GORTVIANS MIHRNERSEH —Ourds AIRARAD —Corduenes —Mihr Narseh VAGHARSHAG —Airarat —Gordyenes MOGBED —Vagharshak —Ararad GOUR —Magupat —Valarces —Ararat —Cyrus —Mobed —Valarsace ARDASHAD -Kur —Mogpet VARAZSHABUH —Artaxata —Kyrus —Movbed —Varazshapur ARD ASHES HAZARABED NAZARENES VARAZTAD —Artashes —Hazarapet —Nazareans —Varazdat —Artaxias —Chiliarch —Nadzarins VARAZTEN ARDAVAZT —Major NEWSHABUH —Varazden —Artavasd HAZGERD —Newshapur VARTAN —Artavasdes —Yazdigerd —Nishapur —Vardan AHRMEN —Yazgerd PAHLAVIG VASAG —Ahriman —Yezdigerd —Bahlavig —Vassak —Haraman HERAT PAKRADUNIAN VERGAN —Hariman —Aria —Bagratid —Varkana ARSHAG HOVSEP PAKREVANT —Hurgania —Arshak —Joseph —Bagrevand —Hyrcania —Arsaces IDAGHIA —Bakrevant VORMIZT ARSHAGUNIAN —Hitalia PARSANG —Ahurmazda —Ormuzd —Arshakunian KHAGHDIK —Parasang —Farsang VRAM —Arsacid —Chalti BANTOURAG PASEN —Bahram KHAGHKHAGH —Panderos —Basen VRAMSHABUH —Khalkhal BASIL p£roz —Bahram-Shapur -Vasil KHOSROV —Peroses —Vramshapuh BELUS —Chosroes —Beroz —Vrham-Shapuh -Pel KUTIANS SACASTANE YEGHISHEH BUZNUNIK —Gutaeans —Sakasdan —Eghishe —Elisee —Puznunik LIPNIANS SAHAG —Elysaeus DAIK —Liphnians —Sahak YEREMIA -Taik MAMIGONIAN —Isaac —Eremia —Taiq —Mamikonian SBARABED —Jeremiah DERTAD MANTAGUNI —Sbarapet YEVLAL —Terdat —Mandakuni —Stratelat —Yevghagh —Tiridates MARZBAN SHABUH YEZNIG DIRAN —Marzpan —Shapuh —Eznig —Tiran —Margrave —Shapur —Eznik

153 Acknowledgment

We wish to express our sincere thanks and deep appreciation: To Mr. Vahan M. Kurkjian and Mr. Mihrtad H. Tiryakian, both of New York City, for their gracious help in solving a number of difficult and obscure passages in the text: To Miss Zabelle D. Tahmizian, of Brookline, Massachusetts, who read the English translation and made many valuable suggestions in grammar, choice of words and phraseology; To Mr. Charles Martin, of Newton, Massachusetts, who made the beautiful design for the title page; To Mr. Jacob Jelal, of Belmont, Massachusetts, and to the Harvard Engrav ­ ing Company, of Boston, Massachusetts, who contributed the four-color engrav ­ ings used for the printing of the title page; To Mr. Artin K. Shalian, director of The Delphic Press, New York City, whose sincere and untiring efforts made this volume an outstanding work in the graphic arts; and. To the editors of “Pazmaveb, ” The Armenian monthly, published by the Mekhitarist Congregation of Venice, Italy, for the map of the Battle of Avarair.

The Publication Committee

The Avak Tivan and the YEGH1SHEH Committee acknowledge with deep appreciation the dedicated work of Sbarabed Haig H. Toumayan, for making Nakhgin Avak Sbarabed Dickran H. Boyajian’ s (author) corrections and super ­ vising the printing of the second edition of the Armenian and English versions in separate volumes.

154