Now Smbat went to the edge of the battle
and pinioned an Iranian with his left hand and sword, sacrificing
him in that fashion, since warm blood was pouring down and loosening
the [stuck] handle. He changed his sword and mounted another horse.
As soon as he did so, he saw that 1,000 men had surrounded him
again, and that he was caught between [two groups of] 500 men.
When they knew that they had horses, [Smbat] struck an Iranian
and he fell. [Smbat] took the man's horse and offered it to prlnce
Varaz, saying: "Descend and mount, prince of Palunik'".
Now the prince turned on one foot and sat on the horse, [a feat]
which astonished the troops. Thus, in the midst of a frightful
war, did they change their horses. [g43] No matter how much the
[enemy] troops increased, they remained tranquil in their midst.
[The enemy] so massed against them that they could find no place
to exit [or ew teghi ch'gtanein'`
or ezr elanein].
[47] Some of Smbat's soldiers began
to waver. Through the providence of God, they spotted the other
Smbat (who was prince of Hashteank') coming,and with him Smbat's
son Vahan Kamsarakan with 6,000 men. When prince Varaz saw this,
he cried out "Son of a k'aj, Vahan, where were you
that you did not come to [our] aid sooner"? Vahan raised
his voice and exclaimed through [his] tears: "Does my poor
old father still live, or has he gone to the Lord to rest"?
Smbat heard this and said: "St. Karapet came to my aid as
I was about to die at the hands of the impious". Now [Vahan]
thanked God and struck forward, cutting a path [ktrec'in
p'oghoc'] and advancing in. He cleared one wing
while Smbat, prince of Hashteank', cleared the other, and, taking
on the [conduct of the] war themselves, they commenced cutting
down the leaders [sksan kotorel zpaterazmagluxsn].
Moving around, Vahan encircled the other wing, and having trapped
the Iranian troops in the middle, they destroyed them until evening.
When the sun set, 400 Iranians remained
alive and found some way to flee. Since their horses had remained
[elsewhere] [? k'anzi mnac'ealk' ein erivark'
noc'a], they went into a valley, hid themselves, and slept,
eluding [the Armenians] until noon of the following day. [The
Armenian] troops then came and found [48] them, threw water on
them and woke them up. Then they took [the Iranians] to Meghti.
And that place was named T'mbrajor [Valley of Sleep]. Smbat ordered
that the corpses be piled one atop the other on the hill, which,
because of the carnage committed by Varaz, was named Varazablur.
Then they went and spent the night in a village of the monastery
named Kenac' vayrk' [Place of Life]. As soon as they entered the
village, old women came before them and sang, praising their many
exploits. They said later when the corpses (which had not been
removed) started to decay and stink:
"Beasts devoured and grew fat on
the bodies Varaz made corpses of. The cat ate and swelled up like
a bear. The fox grew prouder than a lion. The wolf, since it ate
alot, burst. And the bear died of hunger since what it ate did
not stay with it. The vultures, since they were greedy, perched
and were unable to leave. The mice, since they carried off much
to their holes, wore their feet out".
They said all this, and it suited the
reality. The name of the village waa called Shirakanik'.
Now as for the men whom they had taken
to Meghti, they healed them of their wounds, gave them treasures,
horses, and weapons, and sent them to the Iranians. They themselves
went to the House of the Lord, gave many gifts to God at [the
church of] St. Karapet, and then [49] returned to their homes in joy.
In these very times the venerable Step'annoa
died. He is buried with the other abbots on Hayrablur [Hill of
the fathers]. Then Vahan took the bishops of the Mamikonean, Palunik'
and Hashteank' [Houses] and came to Glak monastery. They ordained
as abbot of the monastery Epip'an, who had come from the plain
of Duin to the retreat and dwelled on the lands of the church.
He became the 22nd [abbot] following Step'annos. He held the priorate
for 20 years and went to the council which Heraclius [610-641]
held in the 9th and 10th years [g45] of his reign [at which] they
anathematized all the heretics. The bishop of Hashteank' was driven
off to Byzantine lands [ew nzovec'in zamenayn
heretikosuns. ew episkoposn Hashtenic' halacakan liner
yerkirn Yunac'. Page 46 n. 2 remarks that the mss; are contradictory
and corrupt here.].
Once more Xosrov sent another army
against the rebellious Mamikonean tun, [under] the great
general [zorapet] Tigran, with 20,000 men. As soon as [Tigran]
reached Apahunik', he summoned Smbat. However, [Smbat] sent his
son Vahan Kamsarakan to see what [Tigran] wanted. When [Vahan]
went and found this out, he sent a reply to his father, saying:
"[Tigran] many times promised good things, and many tlmes
[50] evil things. But he demands the remains of prince Musegh
and of your father Vahan, as well as [the remains] of the wife
of Vaxtang and his son whom Varaz killed ln battle. 'Otherwise',
says he, 'I shall come to the place [hallowed to] your faith,
I shall uproot and ruin it and turn your church into a fire-temple
[ew krakatun arhnem zekeghec 'is
jer] and carry you off to the royal court'. Now this is
what he said. He wants to come upon [your] through Hashteank'.
I shall go along with him. You [meanwhile] assemble our forces,
go to[the church of] St. Karapet and beseech the clerics to pray
[for us]. Stay well in the Lord".
When Smbat heard this, he took [Vahan's]
letter and went before St. Karapet. He stretched forth his hands
before the altar and began to weep and say: "Arise Lord,
and awaken Your forces. [g46] Lord, see, be not silent, do not
delay, for the enemy scorns us greatly. Nay Your will be done.
Nonetheless we beg that you recall our efforts for You, for the
covenant of our sanctity, by which your blessed name is glorified".
Saying this, he had 12,000 swords brought and placed before the
bema while the mass was being offered. Then he took them
and said: "Lord we believe in You and that these swords will
be the leaven for other swords and that by Your command we shall
defeat [the Iranians]. Oh Lord, we have become [51] discomfited
and weary from cutting down the impious; those who wiped our swords
of rust and blood also are weary. We hope that You will do now
as You have in the past".
Then [Smbat] went and assembled the
troops--9,040 men. They went and encamped in Hashteank' at a village
called Gireh in a well watered place. Tigran came and encamped
at Honankec' and sent to Smbat, saying: "Come to me without
fear and accept from me treasures and greatness. I shall put a
crown on your head [edic' psak i glux
k'o] and make you the marzpan of Armenia. Only give
me the bones of Mushegh and Vahan". But [Smbat] seized the
emissaries and, heating a spit of iron to red-hot, he placed
it as a crown on the brow [of the chief emissary], saying: "Wait!
Let me see what gifts I shall receive for your sake since I crowned
you". Then he ordered all the men who had come with [the
chief emissary] seized, and [the Armenians] severed heads until
the 6th hour of the day. That place was named Moguc' [Mages']
Cemetary, or Mokkunk'.
Now Smbat went onto the mountain called
Sremavayr and encamped opposite Tigran. As soon as it was evening,
Vahan Kamsarakan, Smbat's son, arose and cut off the head of Tigran's
son and of the 3 princes [g47] [52] who were in the same xoran.
Taking their heads he came to his father. Then he returned to
the same place and secretly entered [under the flap of] Tigran's
tent [emut end storot xoranin arh
Tigran]. Now when [Tigran] saw the naked sword in [Vahan's]
hand, he did not dare call out to anyone, thinking that [Vahan]
wanted to steal the equippage [karceac' t'e zkarasin
kami goghanal]. But Vahan suddenly seized a pillow,
quickly threw it down over [Tigran's] mouth, and pounced on him.
Another servant of Vahan's entered [the tent] and severed [Tigran's]
head. Then he gathered up all the furnishings, precious stones
and choice swords, and departed. The Armenian troops were delighted
and offered great thanks to God. They regretted that they had
ruined the princes' graves [? ew apashawec'in, zi zgerezmans
ishxanac'n awerec'in. Lacking in 1 ms.].
Now Vahan, filled with wisdom, took
200 leather shields and attached them to 100 wild mules, placing
[a piece of] iron on each side of the shield. Then, with 8,000
men under his direction, he went near the camp of [the] Hon who
had been substituted for Tigran. He encamped close to the crag
which is opposite Taron mountain [3 mss. : Tawros mt.].
[53] It was separated from the other camps [? er sa
zatakac' yayloc' banakac'n]. Vahan took the
100 wild mules and led them to the edge of the banak with
one man going along with every 10 mules. With their swords they
goaded the mules into the camp while they themselves followed,
sounding war trumpets. They started to cut down those nearby,
shouting and terrifying [the Iranlans] and making a great racket.
The mules invaded the camp from all dlrections, frlghtened by
the noises of the shields, the [g48] shouting of the soldiers
and the clamor of the trumpets. The [Iranian] troops thought [the
attackers] were mounted and that the clanging of the swords was
the result of a slaughter. Each [man] could only shriek "Vay"'
not knowing the real state of affairs [? och' gitelov
zhets anjanc'], for the Lord did battle with them.
Now the other [Iranian] troops were
unable to advance since it was dark and our army plagued them
with nothing but death. They were entirely unable to recall the
crag, for the Lord made them dumb. So they left their equippage
and fled straight toward the crag. They started to fall down from
the heights of gigantic rocks and no one knew what was going on
until the noise of the shrieks [54] diminished. Then the Armenian
troops saw that the Iranians had been buried. They themselves
returned to [the Iranians'] camp and gathered up the equippage,
treasure, the horses and camels, and sent them to the Palunik'
district. Among the horses, mules, camels and asses they found
[a total of] 18,000 [animals] which covered the face of the district.
Now as soon as it was morning, they started to inquire after Tigran
and his son, but they did not find them. So they went after the
fugitives to find out [where the two were] and saw that they had
fallen off the cliff. But then [the Iranians] unitedly made Mihrxosrov
their prince, and filled with anger they got into battle formation
[rhazm kargec'in].
Now Smbat had left Vahan as lieutenant
[koghmnapah] during the night, with 4,000 men. There were
2,000 men placed in ambush in two places [deh]. [Smbat]
himself arrayed other troops in battle formation, giving command
of the right wing to the prince of Palunik', Varaz, who was so
mighty that no man could equal him. [Smbat] entrusted the left
wing to the prince of Hashteank' and left as his body-guard
Varaz' son, Vahan. [55] [The two enemies] massed opposite one
another. Mihrxosrov and Smbat approached each other, and they
began to strike at each other's head. The Iranian army attacked
Smbat like [a swarm of] bees. Smbat began to grow weak since he
was an old man. He raised his voice and cried: "Where are
you Vahan, my son? Come to me". And he cried out to St. Karapet:
"Oh Yovhannes Karapet, baptizer of Christ, the hour has come.
Where are the prayers of my holy clerics"? Entering battle
[Vahan] scattered the people gathered about his father. Then Smbat
took heart, raised his sword and struck at the shoulder of their
senior [commander] whose head and part of the shoulder fell to
the ground. Putting their swords to work, they caused [the Iranians]
to flee as far as the ambuscade. Then those lying in wait sprang
out and trapped [the Iranians] in their midst. There was great
destruction on that day. They tossed a total of 4,000 heads down
from the rock named Honenkec'. It was now evening and some 8,000
men of the Iranian troops fled, encamping in Hashteank'. They
held a military review there whence the place name Handiseank'.
They wanted to go on to Apahunik' by trickery.
Now when Smbat learned that they had
gone, he arose and went after them, reaching them the next day.
As soon as [the two groups] encamped opposite each other [the
Armenians] planned to go against the Iranians and they organized
at night. But while they were still at this, some 3,000 soldiers
from Apahunik' arrived. When the Armenian [56] troops saw that
the forces from Apahunik' had mingled with the Iranians, they
abandoned [their position] and fell to the ground [lk'an
ew yerkir korcanec'an]. Finding a way out,
they descended to the bank of the Aracani [river] through the
Markuc' pass, and there they pitched camp. Now the Iranians arose,
pursued and harassed them, forcing them against the river [tueal
getoyn]. Smbat, placing all his hope on God, said: "Oh
Lord, I have long since known the kindness you have shown us.
Now look at us, for the enemy is on this side and the river is
on the other side. [g50] Behold how the enemy has put us into
straits". Making the sign of the Cross over themselves, they
turned upon the Iranians. During the battle there appeared to
them a man awesome and luminous whose hair shed light. When k'aj
Vahan saw him and knew that the man was Karapet, he joyously attacked
killing 3,000 troops. Driving the rest before him through Asteghunk'/Asteghonk',
he forced them to descend until they were opposite the church.
[The enemy] had wanted to ascend to the same place and kill the
clerics. But the power of the Lord prevented them, and they were
unable to cross the valley. The place that they fell back at was
called usually Yetsank [zor sovorec'an Yetsank
koch'el teghoyn. [1 ms.: Yetang; another, Aycsan;
another, Ayctan].
Now the [Iranian] troops reached the
forest which is opposite the monastery, and they hid there. Vahan
hurriedly went there, and [57] putting them to the sword, cut
them down leaving not even a memory [of the event]. That place
was called Mahu Arhit' [Cause of Death]. Smbat was extremely fatigued
that day, but to his aid came Varaz, prince of Palunik'. They
drove [Iranian] troops before them, throwing them into the river
until they came to the place presently known as Kuray [2 mss.:
Kuran]. They seized the horses of those who had fled. The prince
of Palunik' followed [those fugitives] with many troops and destroyed
them. When they arrived there, Varaz said to the Iranians: "Since
you are worn out, flee, so that we may kill you". And they
replied: "We are lost and shall die", whence the place
name Kuray. In that very place [Varaz] began to take them on one
by one and to cut off their foreskins--1680 of them. Some 2,000
other [Iranians] who fled into the river drowned. As for the brigade
[of the Iranian army] [g 51] which Smbat destroyed, he found them
crossed over to the other side [of the river] through Hoveank'
over the fugitives on the mountain [Isk zor Smbat kotoreac',
gundn ayn anc'eal yaynkoys end Hoveans i veray p'axstakanac'n
end learhn]. But men from the stronghold came from behind
and with arrows and sling-stones and rocks killed 2800 men.
Those who survived, numbering 1040, went to Xosrov among the Iranians.
But he sent yet another army to Taron.
In the same year Smbat died. He had
his remains taken to his [58] fathers' mausoleum [i tapanatun
harc'n iwroc'] at Glak monastery where he is buried
by the door of [the church of] St. Step'annos, built by that Step'annos
whose mother was torn asunder. And he placed in St. Step'annos
the left toe of the blessed proto-martyr [? ew et
i nshxarac' srboyn Step'annosi anyayts
zjax boyt' otin srboy naxavkayin].
In the same year that Smbat passed, abbot Epip'an also was translated
to God after [a directorship of] 20 years. Then Dawit' sat on
his [episcopal] throne for 3 years, being the 23rd [abbot in succession]
from St. Gregory. In these days, Tiran, Vahan's son, was baptized
in the monastery of Glak in [the church of] St. Karapet, in the
abbotship of Dawit'.
After 18 years once more discord
arose between the Iranians and Vahan. Xosrov sent 50,600 soldiers
to Taron who arrived there in a great rage, wishing to pass to
Glak monastery in order to take the bones of [their] enemies.
They came and encamped in Mush. Now Vahan summoned his son k'aj
Tiran and said: "My son, do not, for you are mature, be deceived
into sin, and do not by reason of your youth be tricked by beautiful
women. Instead, remember your [59] fathers and with what sanctity
and purity they served God. Do [g52] not forget service to St.
Karapet, for in battles it was he who aided us. If you want to
live long, do not be tempted into debauchery as you have not.
And should I die in war, have [my remains] taken to our monastery.
Serve God and His clerics with holiness as I have, for I have
neither been deceived by beauty nor have I dispossesed or harassed
the unfortunate [ew och' zrkec'i ew
och' neghec'i ztarhapeals]. For I looked
after everyone under by authority, men, women, and children, believers
in Christ, like brothers and families of my tun as my fathers
did, with concern. Son, if you do the same, the Lord will strengthen
you. Now let us go to battle".
And they went to battle. They sent to
abbot Grigor, the 25th [in succession from St. Gregory] who sat
on the patriarchal throne for 8 years, and they took along to
the battle 385 hooded clerics [kronawor knkghov].
When the battle began on the banks of the Aracani [river] by the
forest called Kaghamaxeac' hill, the black-robed clerics
wearing hair-shirts and cowls [also were present] and for
every 10 men was a bell-ringer, and between every 2[men]
a gonfalon on a high holder [ew end erkusn
xach'adrosh barjrabun]. They massed there opposite
each other, on the other [60] side of the river in the plain.
When the enemy saw this they were astonished. [The Iranian commander]
Varduhri did not enter battle, but said: "I shall see what
they do". When the battle began and the Vahaneans wanted
to flee [Or: "the shield-bearers wanted to flee",
ew kamein paxch'el vahaneank'n],
then [the clerics] bowed their knee and in unison beseeched God
with tearful prayers: "Oh Lord, win our battle. Oh Karapet,
hearken to the voices of your servitors". Having said this
together, they rose to their feet, made the sign of the Cross,
and turned upon the enemy, with the bell-ringers boldly sounding.
[g53]
Vahan looked at the clerics' gund
and saw in their right wing a youth [eritasard mi]
of awesome appearance wearing on his head a purple crown and a
cross. From his rainment fire shone forth. Before him, [Vahan]
saw two other youths with wings. When the enemy saw this they
went berserk, and piled into the river. Those who reached the
other side headed for Meghti. Now Vahan called to his son Tiran
and to the other troops, saying: "Behold the Lord of Creation,
Christ, appears among his servants. For He is their king, and
the king of us all Who hearkened to the voices of His servitors
and descended to save them and us. Now go after the enemy!"
The impious [Iranians] reached Meghti, found 12 old clerics there
and killed them. [61] They are buried at the door of the church,
since that was their request.
Vahan entered the river, tied the horse
on his back together with his weapon, and crossed to the other
side, to the village named Parsic' dem [3 mss.:
Parsic' koghmn]. All of Vahan's soldiers assembled
there. And the clerics were praying in the game place until the
abbot reached them bearing the head of [the Iranians'] senior,
Varduhri. Vahan expelled the [enemy] soldiers and reached the
plain above Matravank', where he made a circle and ranged his
troops in battle [ew boloreal rhazm kangnec'in].
Varduhri and Vahan's son, Tiran, approached each other and Varduhri
said: "Sorcerer! You are exalted in sorcery, and by sorcery
you would vanquish the Iranian k'ajs". Tiran retorted
"If I am a sorcerer, then obey a moment, so I may show you
your horse's tail". And [Tiran] quickly struck off [Varduhri's]
right foot together with the greaves". [Varduhri] leaned
to the side and fell. Tiran said: "Varduhri, don't blame
me. Your head was bent over and made you fall. Let me straighten
your load". And he cut off his head and gave it to a servant,
saying: "Keep this for when we encamp at Matravank' [g54]
and play polo in front of [the church of] St. Karapet, for it
was [Varduhri] who insulted [Karapet's] clerics".
They got the Iranian soldiers between
them and began to close [62] in on them [p 'andanel,
"to surround"]. The prince of Palunik' separated off
two princes and chased them on to Hashteank'. As soon as he reached
a plain-like place [one of the] fugitive prince(s) became
terrified while the troops were far away, and he was unable to
flee or to fight, and so he remained [? pakeaw ishxann p'axstakan
minch' derh zork'n herhi ein, ew och' karac' xusel kam krhuel,
ayl aynpes kayr]. A certain one of the servants asked: "Why
are you frightened, oh prince"? He replied: "I see the
Palak prince but I cannot go [to him] [Paghak ishxan
tesanem, ew och' karem gnal. This
may be a reference to the prince of the Bala people of Balahovit.].
But they were unable to learn what [this statement meant]. The
man died on the spot. Then [the prince of Palunik'] cut off his
head and took the two princes' sons who had come along, and had
them held. Then he went after the fugitives. Reaching the other
[fugitive] prince, [Varaz] said: "Fall to the ground willlngly,
Iranian, or else you shall fall unwillingly". But [the man]
fled. Varaz went after him and struck him with his lance, which
went through the shoulder and on through the horse's spine, and
he sald: "Fall now". The name of that place was called
Nerk'inanknis [Fall Down].
Return to Historical Sources Menu