What shall I say in condemnation of
the women? The words spoken by Isaiah are sufficient, there is
no need for my own composition. For he rebuked the women of Jerusalem
for their showy immodesty, as follows: [81] "The daughters
of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks"[Isaiah 3.16]. I
consider arrogance to be the root of all evil, the mother and
first cause of it. For it turns a human into a dew and
subjects [humans] to their torments. This disease is damaging
to all, but especially so to womankind. First and foremost [women]
should be charged with this [fault], and then one might recall
their heavy [trains] which they drag along the ground, the ear-rings,
finger-rings, bracelets, the ruffles, necklaces (mehewandsn),
and everything else. Listener, behold their recompense: "In
place of golden ornaments for the hair, there will be baldness"[Isaiah,
3.24]
for, stripped of headdresses, their hair shall be cut off to mock
them. "In place of a golden belt there will be one of rope,
and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth"[Isaiah 3.24], for
when they are led away into slavery, their captors shall give
them these things.
I did not treat all of this without
cause; rather to illustrate that our chastisement shall be equal
to [g76] or more severe than the [nature of] our transgressions.
[82] Now if they (=Jerusalemites) suffered such things, lacking
an example [of proper conduct], how much more worthy of punishment
are we, having them as an example and having the advice of Christ
Who cried out and said: "Unless your righteousness exceeds
that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom
of heaven"[Matthew 5.20]. We did not surpass them in righteousness, but
in sin; therefore what pardon or forgiveness shall we have?
See now the similarity of righteous
punishments. The Persians came against Jerusalem, and they also
came against us; they laid waste Jerusalem, and they also wasted
our cities; pagans entered the holy temple [of Jerusalem], took
its adornments as booty, and defiled the blessed temple; and they
also entered our churches, daring to go in to the inaccessible
(hamarjakec'an yanmtanelisn), and they sullied its holiness
with their filthy heels, and took its adornments as plunder. The
holy temple was consumed by fire, yet in our case, instead of
that one house [of God], they burned down many churches. Countless
numbers of their priests fell to the sword, but who can count
how many of our [priests] perished? It is now time for me follow
David and to create our lament [83] based on his: "Why dost
thou stand afar off, o Lord? Why doest thou hide thyself in our
times of trouble?"[Psalms 10.1] When the unjust behave impiously in Your
sanctuaries when those who despise You boast during Your feast
days? Behold, pagans have entered Your inheritance, have polluted
Your blessed temple, have burned Your holy things, and levelled
to the ground the glory of Your Church. They made the blood of
Your servants flow like water, not as it was in the past, around
the city of Jerusalem alone, but [here] the entire country was
filled with the blood of the slain· As for the number buried,
the mind cannot even immagine it [g77].
Who can put into writing the diverse
and unbelievable disasters that were visited upon our city? It
was [here] as was written about the Sodomites: "The sun had
risen on the earth, and the Lord rained on Sodom brimstrone and
fire, and burned it"[Genesis 19.23-24]. So it was here that when the sun
rose on the earth, an impious people, like famished dogs, arrived,
surrounded the city, entered, and like reapers [working] in a
field, they reaped with their swords until they had snuffed out
the city's life. Mercilessly setting fire to the homes and churches
wherein refugees [84] had fled, [the Saljuqs] burned them down,
considering this a benevolent act, just as the Savior had prophesied:
"Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think
he is offering service to God"[John 16.2]. He Himself made the reason
clear: "They shall so deal with you for My name's sake, since
you did not recognize Me"[John 15.21].
The weather also was an aid on this
destructive day. An extremely severe wind howled, stirring up
the fire so much so that smoke rose to the sky in thick billows.
The flaming columns of fire vanquished the rays of the sun. One
could see there a pitiful and terrifying spectacle in the extreme,
for the entire city, the bazars (vachahroy p'oghoc'k'),
the lanes, and the great chambers, was full of the corpses of
the slain. Who can ennumerate those burned to death? Those who
had escaped from the glittering sword, and taken refuge in houses,
were immolated, one and all. As regards the priests, those whom
they caught in the churches, they burned to death; those they
found outside they killed and, to insult and disgrace us, put
huge hogs [g78] in their arms. The number of priests who died
by fire and sword, lords of diocese and church, we found to be
more than 150. But as for those who had come from all other lands,
and happened to be there, who can count them?
[85] Such is your wicked history, oh
city, blessed and venerable, full [of good things], renowned in
the lands. Raise now your eyes and observe your children led into
slavery, your babies hurled mercilessly against rocks, your young
people burned by fire, the respect-worthy and glorious elderly
folk fallen in the squares, your fresh and prosperous virgins
and women fallen in disgrace, led away into slavery on foot. David's
lamenting songs were fulfilled regarding us: "Their might
was betrayed to slavery, their villages, into the enemies' hands"
[Psalms 77.61],
and so forth. But Christ was late in awakening, and it was not
[here] as it had been at that [Biblical] time.
Let the narration of Arcn's sad history
end at this point, for we were unable to record every evil event.
Let whoever wants to learn of our omission look in the ruins.
We have written the pitiful account of two places, of the mountain
and of the city. We have written only about what we saw with our
own eyes, and about the wicked things we ourselves experienced.
As for the disasters which befell the other districts and cities,
who is strong enough [to record them]? Much time and many words
would be [86] needed for that. We abbreviated our [account] as
much as possible. [g79]
The prophet Isaiah, when prophesying
the destruction of Egypt said: "The princes of Tayan [Zoan]
are utterly foolish; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give stupid
counsel"[Isaiah 19.11]. We encountered the same thing. For the Byzantine
cavalry, guarding the Eastern land were not few in number. They
say that the army had as many as 60, 000 men. Its heads were Kamenas,
which translates "fire", who held sway over Armenia,
and Aharon son of Bulghar, who held the Vaspurakan region, and
Grigor the mighty prince of Armenia, who held the dignity of magister.
Just as the Bible says, that the rule of many princes will be
confused, inappropriate and subject to dissolution, so it was
with these [men]. While they should have called for assistance
upon the granter of victory, lord God, with firm unity, as victors
in the past were wont to do, "For the mighty grows strong
not through his own strength, [87] but because the Lord weakens
his adversary's power"[I Kings 2.9-10], they did not think to do so. The
impious committed impious acts, and they thought that by human
cleverness they could quench the blaze of that frightful fire.
Consequently they fell into confusion, and no one approved of
the next one's counsel. For God had removed sense from their heads
since they had not sought [help] from Him. This is quite clear
from their actions, for they expected Liparit to come to [their]
aid. They resembled the diseased Saul who ran to a wizard (vhuk),
or the Jews who piled their [g80] treasures onto camels and took
them to a people from whom there was no hope of aid. They did
not remember what David did to that mountain of meat who had insulted
Israel with great boasting, that merely a jawbone was sufficient
to smash his brains. [They did not think of] Ezekiel who with
prayers alone, with the aid of the angel, with an invisible sword
laid low 180,000 Assyrians.
Then Liparit arrived, after [receiving]
much beseeching and generous gifts of treasure; but he was unable
to accomplish anything, for they themselves were disunited. Thus,
when the battle had commenced, Bulghar's son and his people took
to flight, encouraging [88] the enemy. [The latter] urged each
other on with loud cries, trapped in their midst Liparit and his
brave warriors, killing some of them, cutting his horse's sinews
by sword and taking [Liparit] himself captive. When the rest of
the troops saw this, they turned in flight. The enemy pursued,
killing a limitless number of them: some they killed with the
sword, but many, since it was evening, they threw [to their deaths]
from lofty places and caves (or "caused to fall over"
gahavezh arhnein). The remainder, naked and robbed, went
on foot wherever they could, and lived. Laden with an extremely
great quantity of booty, the enemy was delighted, while our [people]
were full of woes and laments. From that day forth resembling
carnivorous dogs or jackals (gaylk' arabac'ik') [the Saljuqs]
were never satiated on Christian blood, until they had completely
done away with [the people]. The entire country was like a field
ready for reaping; following the reapers came the sheave-binders,
and [g81] [the sheaves] were taken, and only the gleanings and
stubble were left as fodder for deer. After the victorious battle,
[the Saljuqs] took plunder and slaves and entered their own land,
and every country was filled up with an unlimited amount of loot.
Now they [89] took the Georgian prince [Liparit] and gave him
to the Caliph (xalip'a) as if [he were] a great treasure,
more pleasing to him than all the other captives. [The Caliph]
accepted him with thanks, and peaceably released him to return
to his own land with great gifts. Enough of this for now.
When the [Byzantine] king saw [Petros],
he received him with great respect and honor, and commanded that
[Petros] be honored with a generous stipend. However he kept him
there with him for three years, fearing that if he let him return
to Armenia, [Petros] would go and incite Ani to rebell. Now Senek'erim's
son Atom took [Petros] gratefully and brought him to his city,
Sebastupolis. [Atom] gave him as a dwelling-place the retreat
of the holy Cross (zhangist srboy nshanin), which he himself
had constructed with numerous well-appointed embellishments and
resplendent beauty. [Petros] remained there for two years, and
then passed to Christ. [90] They established in his position his
nephew (sister's son) Xach'ik, who had received the ordination
for the patriarchate long ago. As soon as the king heard about
this, he sent messengers, and had [Xach'ik] and all his treasures
found there and in Armenia brought to him. For Petros had been
a great lover of treasure, and on account of this many[people]
chided him. Now after three years, lord Xach'ik was released from
the royal city. He came to the borders of Third Armenia to the
district called Tarntay, and stayed there, for they had ordered
him to settle at that spot. [g82]
Now the reason that he had tarried in
Constantinople was this: they wanted to place him under taxation.
However [Xach'ik] refused [arguing that] "What was not [a
practise] before my own time, I shall not accept either".
Subsequently despite the fact that they subjected him to much
inquistion and added the threat that "You. shall not leave
here until you do as we command", nonetheless that venerable
man, the substitute for our great Illuminator [st. Gregory] was
in no way frightened by their words, rather he held fast. After
this two Byzantines came forward, one a prince, the other a monk.
I do not know whether they did [what they did] in order to make
him emulate them (vasn naxanj arkaneloy nma) [91] or in
good faith (et'e chshmartiw), but they requested superintendency
of the [Armenian] church, and [promised] to pay the tax. Both
were wickedly killed. Finally, repenting, [the Byzantine king]
released Xach'ik without the tax, giving him a written document
sealed with [the king's] gold ring indicating what sites in Armenia
were theirs. and [giving him] two monasteries in Tarntay.
For a long time this city [Kars] had
had no experience with evils (=warfare) and so [the people] dwelled
unconcernedly and without suspicions (yankaskaci) therein,
grown rich with much merchandise acquired by sea and by land.
Now during [the festival] of the Revelation of Our Lord, in the
evening, when the ranks (dask') of the priesthood together
with great crowds of the people (bazmambox zhoghovrdovk'n)
were celebrating the mass of the day, [singing] with joyous voices,
the troops of the infidels unexpectedly attacked. Because the
city was without a night-watch, they entered. Putting swords to
work, they mercilessly killed everybody, a history meriting much
lamentation. It was the custom of the city's men, women, elderly,
and youths [each] according [92] to strength and ability, on the
Lord's feastdays, to ornament himself or herself with many adornments,
such that they resembled spring gardens. When these [people] were
thus chanced upon, suddenly the city became filled with sighs
and lamentations. Priests were silenced at mass, as were the psalmists
[silenced] from singing psalms. The song of blessing stopped on
the lips of scribes and boys. There one could have seen a spectacle
most pitiable, capable of moving to sighs of lament even the stones
and inanimate objects, let alone the rational and living. Well-respected
and honorable merchants were wickedly slain, youths and athletes/wrestlers
(embshamartk') lay stabbed to death in the streets, and
the blood-spattered heads of the elderly lay fallen near them.
By such deeds was the city stripped of its population. Only the
one who managed to enter the stronghold located above the city
(or i veray k'aghak'in kay) saved his life. The entire
remainder of the day, [the Saljuqs] rummaged through the houses,
then set the city on fire. Taking their captives and the city's
plunder, they went to their own land.
The year after this [devastation] transpired
was [the year] 503 of our [Armenian] era (=A.D. 1053/4). Now the
[93] same month, and the same date of the month as [the previous
year] when [the Saljuqs] took the land captive, and burned Arcn
and other cities and awans, that death-breathing, bloodthirsty
and murderous beast the Sultan advanced [toward us] with countless
troops, elephants, carts, horses, women children and much preparation.
Skipping over Archesh and Berkri, they came and camped near the
city called Manazkert in the Apahunik' district, seizing all the
extensive places in the fields.(i.e., the pasturelands). [The
Sultan] des- patched marauding parties across the face of the
land: north as far as the stronghold of the Abxaz and to the [g84]
mountain called Parxar to the base of the Caucasus; west as far
as the forests of Chanet 'ia; and south as far as the place called
Sim mountain. And they seized the entire land as [easily as] reapers
working a field.
The evils which [the Saljuqs] then visited
upon the land, who can record? Whose mind is able to enumerate
them? The entire land was full of corpses--cultivated and uncultivated
places, roads and desolate places, caves, craggy spots, pine groves
and steep places--and [the Saljuqs] set on fire and polluted all
the cultivated (shinanist) places, homes and churches.
And the flame of that fire rose higher than [the flame of] the
furnace of Babylon, In this way [94] they ruined the entire land,
not once but three times, one after the other, until the country
was totally devoid of inhabitants and the bellowing of animals
ceased.
Bearing such misfortunes, the country
donned mourning garb. It was ruined because its inhabitants were
destroyed. The entire country ceased rejoicing. Everyplace lamentations
and sighs were heard, everywhere there was weeping and sobbing.
Nowhere were the priests' songs heard, nor the glorification of
God. Nowhere were books [read] to advise and comfort listeners,
for the readers lay stabbed to death in the squares, while the
books themselves had been burned and turned to ashes. The sounds
of weddings and the glad tidings of newly-born children nowhere
were heard. The elderly did not sit in chairs in the squares,
nor did the children play before them. Herds did not flock together
at pasturage, nor did lambs frolic about in the meadows. No more
did the reaper fill his embrace with sheaves, no more was the
praise of passersby heard, no longer were the threshing-floors
filled with grain, nor the cisterns full of wine. [g85] Sounds
of joy were not heard when the vineyards were harvested, nor were
the pantries overladen with vessels. All of this vanished and
is no more. What Jeremiah will mourn our destruction, prolonging
the lament on the roads and the [95] mountains? What Isaiah would
disobey the comforters, to saturate [them] with lamentations?
Woe is me that I [must] relate such things. I am as the Himen
youth, a bringer of bad news, but not to one village or to one
city, but to the entire world, from generation to generation until
the end of time. For there is neither time nor deed which can
mitigate our [suffering?], except for the Evil of the desert (=the
Antichrist) which the Bible prophesies. Now what shall I do? Shall
I leave off narrating the incredible evils which befell the Christians,
sparing you, or shall I stir up the laments and sighs of all who
are participants (handisakic') in this hellish history:
Yet I know that you want to hear it. Therefore I shall stop wavering
and shall write one after the next about those unbelievable disasters
visited upon the major places.
When I recall Xorjean and Hanjet' [districts],
and what transpired in them, my breathing becomes choked off by
tears, my heart is moved to pity, my mind is dazed, trembling
seizes my hands, and I am unable to continue writing. Because
of the security of those places, many people, a countless number,
had assembled there from the upper districts. But the infidels
speedily swooped down upon them like birds, as mercilessly as
wild beasts, glowering with rage like avengers, [96] and, searching
through caves and the thick pine forests, they insatiably killed
whomever they found. Just as in springtime, from the warmth of
the air, the water starts to flow and rise, causing streams to
form in the snow, innundating the land behind it, so it was [when
the Saljuqs attacked]; streams of blood from the corpses of the
fallen flowed down, [g86] and from its coursing, the ground was
innundated.
Recall what took place then [to] the
class of clerics and priests who happened to be there, or [to]
the elderly, or [to] the multitude of youths, whose newly-grown
beards adorned their cheeks like a beautiful picture, whose ringlets
of hair gleamed upon their brows resembling the glowing hues of
roses, making their faces shine, [recall] how suddenly they fell
to the ground and tumbled over, struck by the enemies' swords,
as if struck by hail. Add to this the number of children who were
taken from their mothers' embraces and hurled to the ground, who
sought their mothers with their baby sighs. But the parents, cudgled,
were quickly separated from them. What heart of stone would not
be straitened by tears, hearing these numerous and varied [recitations]
of evil: Virgins fell dishonored, newly-married women were separated
from their men and led into slavery. In one single moment the
country, which had been crowded with [97] people, like a densely
populated city, became an uninhabited wasteland. [As for the people],
they were either killed by the sword, or taken captive. Oh Christ,
for your forgiveness at that time; Oh the wickedness that befell
us! How bitter was the death we died!
Who is capable of describing the destruction
visited upon [the districts of] Derjan and Ekegheac', and upon
the area between them? Judge that one by my recitations. Now [those
Saljuqs] who had entered Tayk' took the country and reached as
far as the great river called Chorox. Following the course of
the river they descended into the Xaghteac' land. Taking the district's
booty and slaves they turned and came as far as the fortified
city (berdak'aghak'n) named Baberd. There they encountered
a brigade of Byzantine troops [g87] called Vrhangs (Vrangk') who
at all hazards battled with them. By God's mercy, the Byzantine
brigade grew stronger, vanquished the enemy, killed the head of
their troops and many with him, turned the rest to flight and
retrieved all the loot and slaves. However, they did not dare
to pursue the fugitives very far, since they were afraid of encountering
a heavy force. Thanking God, those whom they freed went off to
their own homes. As for those [Saljuqs] who had come against [98]
Armenia, whomever they chanced upon they killed or led into captivity,
and filled with plunder they turned back. When [the Saljuqs] reached
the borders of Vanand, the valliant princes of Abas' son Gagik
[1029-64] came against them and worked great slaughter in that
place. But then [additional] troops of the infidel came up and
caught [the Armenians] in their midst. Because of the prolongation
of the battle and the enormous destruction, [the Armenians] and
their horses were exhausted. Therefore they were unable to break
the enemies' blockade and come out. [The Saljuqs] putting swords
to work, killed 30 of the azats.
Now they had seized a certain one of
the azats, a mighty martial man named T'at'ul, whom they
took before the Sultan. Because [T'at'ul] had severely wounded
the son of the Persian emir Arsuban, when the Sultan saw him he
said; "If [Arsuban's son] lives, I shall free you. Otherwise,
should he die, I will order you made a sacrifice for him (zk'ez
dma matagh hramayem arhnel)". A few days later, he died,
Now [when first being questioned], T'at'ul had said: "If
I struck him, then he will not live, but if somebody else struck
him, I cannot answer for his health". When the Sultan heard
that [the son] had died, he ordered [T'at'ul] killed, and had
his severed right arm taken to Arsuban as consolation that [99]
"Your son was not slain by a weak arm". [g88]
What need is there that I record one
by one the unchecked destruction of Christians? It was as though
the sea had been churned up by a severe wind, with enormous surgings,
and foamy billows, crashing about on all sides of us. Suddenly
the entire land became full of agitation, nor could any place
of refuge be found. For due to the unbelievable evils [which had
befallen us] no one had any hope of life. The Savior had prophesied
this [disaster] long ago, comparing those criminal evils to an
agitated sea in which many people, swooning from dread and apprehension
are unable to remain conscious ( och' karein pahel zogian arh
ink'eans).
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