74. Although Armenia's general, Vahan
Mamikonean, was saddened by the false and vain words of the Iberian
king, [g133] and recognized the weakness of the Armenian brigade
(for he noticed that they were forlorn and indolent, in no way
resembling their earlier diligence and enthusiasm) nonetheless,
Vahan organized them into fronts. He entrusted the right wing
to Barshgh Vahewuni and Saton Gabeghean; the left wing to Vaxt'ang,
the king of Iberia; and he himself organized the center with the
two sons of the venerable Arshawir, and the venerable lord of
Gnunik'; he placed the venerable aspet Sahak and Babgen
Siwni between himself and Barshgh.
While the two sides, Iranian and Armenian,
were ranged opposite each other, but had not yet begun to fight,
the divine power revealed which of the men would receive the crown
of martyrdom that day. For the divine power transformed their
ordinary mortal vision of these faces into something radiant.
This was clear and evident. One especially saw the bravery of
Vasak Mamikonean, brother of Armenia's general, Vahan, for his
face was illuminated with the glory of God. [263] Many of [Vasak's]
comrades the comrades-in-arms of the blessed man, were unable
to restrain themselves when they saw his radiant face which was
illuminated like the face of the great prophet Moses. Even his
own brother, the great general of Armenia, Vahan, looked and was
awestruck and realized, then and there that on that day [Vasak]
would be taken from him and from this filthy life and be translated
to the army of the joyous, whose soldiers had that same appearance
and form.
The Armenians and Iranians attacked each other. Vahan, the general of Armenia, together with the two Kamsarakan brothers attacked the enemy opposite them and dispersed them causing them to flee, making many of the Iranian troops cross over to the other side of the Kura river, and bravely killing many prominent Iranian warriors. The brave Mamikonean sepuh, Vasak, forcefully hit a certain soldier of the Iranian brigade with his spear and sent him crashing to the ground. And, unexpectedly, his spear shattered. The brave Vasak Mamikonean looked for and found another spear, and quickly and happily turned back. He encountered Nerseh Kamsarakan, the lord of Shirak, who also had broken his spear and was searching for another. [264] The brave Vasak Mamikonean cried out: "Hurry and find a spear, Nerseh, and come back quickly.
For we shall never find such a wonderful
opportunity for transforming death into immortality, the present
into eternity, or the [g134] corruptible into incorruptible life.
Hurry, or we will not attain immortality. Perhaps, having missed
the opportunity for a renowned and glorious death, we will later
quit this life through a nameless and useless death". Many
times Nerseh Kamsarakan himself , the lord of Shirak, related
these words of the blessed Vasak Mamikonean to us, with a reliable
oath.
While Armenia's general, Vahan Mamikonean,
his venerable brother Vasak and the two sons of Arshawir Kamsarakan
were competing thusly, suddenly the entire brigades of Armenians
and Iberians quickly fled. Many of the traitors cried out to each
other in agitation: "The Armenians are fleeing, escape"!
And because the equitable divine right hand of the Omniscient
did not favor them then with martyrdom in accordance with their
diligent and eager request, in accordance with His secret and
inscrutable providence, the brave general of Armenia, Vahan Mamikonean
and the other oath-keeping [265] comrades who were with him (who
fervently desired the cup of martyrdom, but were found unworthy)
turned their horses around and went after the fleeing Armenians.
Armenia's general, Vahan Mamikonean, encountered Babgen Siwni
who had fallen, gravely wounded by the Iranian troops. Putting
him on his own steed, [Vahan] removed him from the battle and
saved him. But there were those who wanted to be chosen [for martyrdom]
and who were found worthy, along with the blessed aspet
Sahak and the blessed brave Vasak Mamikonean, and died that day.
Their names are as follows..[The editors note (p. 135 n. 23) that
not only are the names of the fallen missing, but also accounts
of the deaths of aspet Sahak and Vasak Mamikonean himself
are absent.]
As for the entire Armenian forces as
well as the useless Iberian troops together with their king Vaxt'ang,
they were dispersed and scattered. The Iranian brigades pursued
them and killed many of them, though many others escaped to various
places and saved themselves.
But Hrahat Kamsarakan, after violently
racing his horse fell to the ground, and the Iranians reached
him while he was on foot, seized him, and took him to Mihran.
When Mihran saw him, he was greatly delighted. He threatened him
with severe words and then had him bound and kept carefully. Wherever
[266] [Mihran] went in the land of Armenia, he took [Hrahat] along
with him. [The Iranians] also seized a Siwni sepuh named
Yazd, and some others from the land of Iberia.
75. Now Vahan Mamikonean, the general
of Armenia, temporarily went to a more secure place in [the district
of] Tayk', where the dregs of the Armenian fugitives and other
the senior naxarars of Armenia gathered around him. The
two Kamsarakans were always with him,inseparable, and [g135] united.
Mihran came after them with a brigade and tried to either kill
them in battle or to take them by strategem, or to subdue and
subject them.
There was an enormous camp of Aryan
troops at the village named Du, at the border of Iran and Byzantium.
Vahan Mamikonean was about two hrasax distant from it
at a village named Mkarhinch' with 100 men, more or less reat was placed as our
guardian, and, that same hour, one by one he lifted us up and
took us about one Iranian hrasax away. He still did not
know who we were or from what district. But in accordance with
his virtue, he [279] treated us as men wounded for the sake of
God, and he wanted to save us or, in the event that we died, to
gather our bones for the sake of his own soul. This man, after
removing us from the [battle]site to a secure place, became confident.
He then went to his monastery, brought us a small amount of food
and water, brought yet another cleric with him offered us the
food and bade us eat. After eating the food as we could from the
saint's hands, we were revived a bit. [g141] When he saw that
we had been revived somewhat and opened our eyes, he gradually
began to interrogate us as to where we had come from, and from
what district, since, he said, our manner and demeanor were such
that he was led to believe we were azats. When we saw the
man's virtue, we accurately informed him about ourselves. When
he heard this, he glorified God. Leaving the cleric with us, he
left us and went to his monastery. The next evening he returned
with pack animal(s) and yet another cleric, they placed the three
of us on the animal(s) and took us to the retreat where they dwelled.
They concealed us there with them for many days, and with the
power of God we were healed and made well. As is the custom of
the adversary satan, [news of our escape] was breathed into the
ears of some God-hating men. They started to hunt for us tirelessly
and wanted to kill us, to achieve glory and honors from the Iranians.
[280] Now the blessed monk secretly took us about, to many deserted
places and many rugged caves. But [the priest] was afraid to send
to you from there, thinking that if someone pursued and examined
[the messenger] we would be discovered and killed. But now, hurry
and send here a strong brigade with a dependable military commander
and bring us to you, so that when we reach there together we shall
avenge the truth of our faith'".
When they heard these satanic words
from the stupid men, they immediately believed them and said:
"Now we must move even more quickly, for when they safely
come to Armenia and the Iranians find out that they are indeed
alive, their entire power will disintegrate and abandon them".
This was even more so when word reached the women that their men
were alive (since that night the diabolical men spoke to the men
and women with proof and were believed). For the women (in accordance
with the fickle and infirm nature of women) did not cease urging
their dear ones, relatives, dayeaks and servants day and
night, to quickly go [to Iberia] and to immediately bring them
back.
When the brilliant and perceptive general
of Armenia, Vahan Mamikonean, heard all of the words of the diabolical
men from Iberia, the wishes and consent of many Armenians, the
[281] ceaseless, impatient urgings of the wives--which resembled
a fire blazing in their minds which none had the strength to put
out, [Vahan] said: "Those are the words and plans of men
of poor judgement with feeble minds. For, as the Iranian [g142]
corps knows of the arrival of spring in the country of Armenia,
they have plotted to pull apart and render asunder the assemblage
of Armenian troops at the ostan, and to disperse them here
and there. For even if the brigade from Iran is very small, nonetheless
they will arrest and destroy them. And so that my words do not
seem contradictory to some, I [state that] I will not permit [these]
world-destroying men to leave the land of Armenia in health. Because
on the day of my venerable brother's martyrdom, I [for]saw the
martyrdom and I saw him receive his crown before he received it.
And before the end I was shown the color and aspect of that army
and force, which was prescribed to die. Because long before we
had attacked and reached each other, [Vasak's] face was illuminated
by a light the like of which I cannot describe. Astonished at
the appearance of his face, I wanted to [282] look at him again,
but was unable because the increasingly bright light from his
face struck me with awe. It appears that others saw the same vision
of his miraculous color then. I realized right away that he would
be taken from me and mingle with other hosts, whose troops had
that same aspect and radiance. And I tell you, do not seek [Vasak]
and do not labor [looking ] for the aspet. You are like
the sons of the prophets who were occupied with idle affairs,
and who, confounded, sought Elisha. But they did not heed his
protest about not working and returned, full of shame. For you
too will return ashamed and regretting it. But, so that I do not
appear [overly]jealous to anyone, the men are before you, troops
and naxarars of Armenia. I will not prevent anyone who
wants to go. Only know and remember how much damage your departure
will bring to the land of Armenia".
But imprudent and light-minded men,
and especially the martyrs' wives, families, and dayeaks
then convinced the sepuh of the Mamikoneans, Musegh, and
they dispatched [him] with a brigade of many select men to go
with those false and fraudulent men on a road they did not know
for futile matters. Those who led them to the borders of Iberia
after Satan, were in fact Satan's satellites and they invented
many pretexts, telling [the Mushegheans]: "Those who have
escaped their killers are in hiding, moving about hither and thither
in deep caves [283] and the densely forested peaks of tall
mountains". Thus for many days they goaded the sepuh
of the Mamikoneans, Mushegh, and the brigade with him to insanity,
leading them around until the end of the bitterly cold winds of
winter's frost.
78. When it was the blooming time of
spring and the breezes brought welcome warmth to the naked paupers,
suddenly [g143] Zarmihr Hazarawuxt with a multitudinous, enormous
force of select men, reached the country of Armenia. Urgently
crossing over the bridge on the Arax river, he encamped that day
in the town called Artashat. For he had been well informed by
the oath-breakers about the departure of half of the Armenian
brigade to Iberia, and that Vahan Mamikonean, the sparapet
of Armenia, was at the ostan with but few naxarars
and only a few select cavalrymen: "When you go against them
with such a select multitude, even though they are prepared to
die, they will be unable to arrest such a mass of cavalry. No,
you will outnumber them by three or four times,and can put them
all to the sword. Then you will complete the assignment and will
be enveloped in the king's glory and we shall rest from this very
protracted affair". When Hazarawuxt and the other awag's
with him heard these words, they were more [284] delighted, and
the next morning they speedily went against Armenia's general
Vahan Mamikonean and the troops with him at the time. Having approached
the city of Duin, Hazarawuxt organized the front(s) in war formation,
and arrayed them in the midst of the forest called Xosrovakert,
then he passed against the dastakert as far as the side
of the mountain called Jrvezh.
When Armenia's sparapet, Vahan
Mamikonean, and the other Armenian naxarars with him and
the rhamik cavalrymen of Armenia saw such a multitude of
Iranian troops which filled the entire plain with the Iranian
brigade billowing like an ocean--even though they knew that they
could not resist them--nonetheless though astonished, they did
not turn in flight. Rather, in accordance with the competency
of their force, the naxarars divided into groups of two
or one and attacked. Valiantly taking a part of the Iranian brigade,
they sent many select men hurtling dead to the ground, got hold
of their swift horses, and bravely departed. For the brave departure
of the powerful man foretold great dread in the brigade regarding
its future hostile operations. What had happened was made known
to many and they sampled the taste of this, and were amazed, more
so than others. This was very well known by the boastful prince
of Siwnik', Gdihon.
[285] But as for those men who enthusiastically
and willingly chose to remain there and were martyred, [among
them were] two of the Armenian naxarars who fought well
and displayed bravery: the venerable Ordi from the Dimak'sean
tohm and the venerable K'ajaj from the Saharhunik' tohm
gave their lives for the blessed covenant and were crowned. The
Iranian troops wickedly stabbed and routed [the Vahaneans), The
blessed patriarch of Armenia, lord Yohan, having been thrown from
his [g144] horse was left there half-dead. For the provoker of
impiety, Hazarawuxt, had come against the Armenians so rapidly
that not even the kat'oghikos Yohan himself had a day to
quit the city. However the allmighty compassion of the Savior
Christ pitied and spared his oath-loving flock and took the holy
father healthy and peacefully displayed him to his people and
made them happy.
The same day, after the fighting was
over, Mushegh, the sepuh of the Mamikoneans, and the cavalrymen
with him arrived. Because they had not arrived in time to be of
aid in the battle they turned and fled with the other fugitives.
[286] 79. Thus were the forces of Armenia
scattered, each one going here or there. Armenia's general, Vahan
Mamikonean, and the naxarars of Armenia who were with him
,together with each [person's] dayeaks and beloved servants
tried to go to a secure place on the borders of Xaghteac', to
stay awhile and rest and recuperate a little, to remain hoping
for and awaiting the Lord's salvation. The restless Hazarawuxt
speedily went after them to fight, talking along all the forces.
As he went he took many of the fortified places of Armenia, demolishing
and ruining them, and moving on. He killed many people and caused
torrents of blood to flow. Seeking strategems, he boasted very
greatly that he would either arrest the brave Vahan Mamikonean
or kill him in battle. Then he would rest.
[Hazarawuxt] went to Ok'agh and camped
close to the village called [by two names], one [of which] was
Giwghik, and the other, Vardashen. He encamped there that day,
and on the next day he heard that Vahan Mamikonean was close to
him at Varayr Varoy, Horhom tun, in the district called
Shaghagom. Informed about the place through guides and thinking
that the brilliant Mamikonean was there unconcerned, he reached
the place at daybreak and fell upon Horhom tun unexpectedly.
He encountered there a multitude of different people, including
the wives of the two [287] Kamsarakans, of Nerseh lord of Shirak,
and of Hrahat (whom the Iranians fell upon unawares); and they
killed many of the rhamik people of Armenia. They seized
and took the wives of the two Kamsarakan brothers, Nerseh and
Hrahat, and took them to the Iranian camp.
However [Hazarawuxt], not encountering
Armenia's general, Vahan Mamikonean, and some of the other naxarars
who were with him turned back unhappily because he had not fulfilled
what he was seeking to achieve, missing the mark. When [Hazarawuxt]
had confirmed that the women were indeed their wives, he was inwardly
delighted. For he reasoned that by means of them he [g145] certainly could hunt and capture Vahan. "For they are [Vahan's] heart and trusty, committed
allies. Should I be able to pry them from him, if he remains alone,
without them, either [Vahan] will be subdued and will obey us
(as we wish), or, he (and he alone) will flee to a foreign country,
and be lost". As for the wives of the two Kamsarakans, [Hazarawuxt]
ordered that they be kept in sanctity and with every caution,
in accordance with the faith/laws of the Christians which he had
certainly heard about. Then he himself went to Ok'agh, descended
to the district of Basean, and encamped close to the village named
Du, in the plain of the fountains, called Arcat'aghbersn. Remaining
there for one day, an emissary reached [Hazarawuxt] from court,
bearing a hrovartak which king Peroz [288] had written
to inform him that [Peroz] and the entire Aryan force had gone
against the Hepthalites. [Peroz] ordered [Hazarawuxt] to go to
Iberia and either to seize and kill the Iberian king, Vaxt'ang,
or to chase him from the land; and to leave Shapuh of the Mihran
tohm with a brigade there in the land of Armenia, as marzpan.
80. When Hazarawuxt received the hrovartak
and heard the king's command, he left [in Armenia] Shapuh with
the Iranian cavalry, a brigade of choice men, as well as Gdihon,
the lord of Siwnik', with a brigade drawn from the entire district
of Siwnik' and quickly went to Iberia. There Hazarawuxt assembled
the class of oath-breakers who, having betrayed king Vaxt'ang
and broken the oath srworn on the Gospel, went to him. He also
assembled others who were united with the king of kings. He promised
the kingdom to one, and to another gah and patiw
and much pargew, and to many others whatever they needed.
Thus he formed a brigade from the many who allied with him in
the land of Iberia. When king Vaxt'ang saw that his own people
had deceived and left him for Hazarawuxt, and that the Armenians
themselves were unable to accomplish anything, and in danger,
he quit the land of Iberia and temporarily went to the land of
Egeria.
[289] Shapuh took the Kamsarakan women
to the secure fortress of Basen called Boghberd, and left them
there. Entrusting the Kamsarakan women to the fortress-keeper
Vazat-Vshnasp, [Shapuh] ordered him to keep them very carefully
and in sanctity in accordance with their Christian faith. The
Kamsarakan women themselves had boldly complained to them many
times that: "If indeed you want to subdue our men let them
know that we are at peace and they will hear and obey anything
you tell them. For all the Armenians will know about and testify
that you are holding Armenians, for they know no other women than
us. But should they hear anything else about us--insults, shamefull
things, not to mention sinful or loathesome matters-in accordance
with our faith they will be even more resolved to die, and will
be lost". Shapuh himself knew--and not just second hand--about
their determination regarding Christianity and also, as a learned
individual he was informed about all of their activities, Christian
determination and many other things, through training and thought.
As for keeping the women pure, Shapuh repeated this to the fortress-keeper
many times, and he ordered that the Kamsarakans hear about this
often. He sent [290] to them frequently, saying: "Do not
destroy yourselves; do not quit the king of king's service. Rather,
come and submit, take your women and through my intercession,
I will get the king of kings to pardon the damage you have done.
I will bestow upon you what is fitting. The Christianity which
you love and have firmly held until now you may hold even more
[firmly] from now on, without fear. Because I love you as a son
I am advising you in such a way that you will remain alive. Then,
should you wish to display some good deed to the king of kings,
and [be able to] devise Vahan's death, the king will give you
gifts and honors which none of your ancestors has received from
kings. And you and your descendants will enjoy this delightedly
in peace, for eternity".
When the two Kamsarakans heard such
a message from Shapuh the Iranian military commander, although
they gave various replies and fooled Shapuh for many days, nonetheless
they remained firmly convinced in the faith, despite Shapuh's
message. Nerseh, lord of Shirak, and Hrahat wrote the following
reply: "Our labor and work is not for any mundane pleasures,
or for wife and child which to you seem significant and important,
but such is the mystery of our great and revered faith. Next to
[291] the love for such an awesome mystery, all the pleasures
of life--land, wives, goods and greatness--seem small and inconsequential.
For if we could not see clearly that heaven and earth and everything
in them do not equal the honor which we long for, then we would
be too stupid to trick you and the other parasites around you,
taking an epah of ashes and giving it to one of our maid-servants
to pollute as she would. For a moment we might enjoy the futile
glory [received] from you and appear lustrous, but then we would
be eternally and wickedly lost. But as for our women, we will
give you a sign; test and examine it well. For if we bear these
sorrows for the faith which we love and firmly hold to, and for
the coveted hope of [heavenly] glory and if our works seem pleasing
and acceptable to the just God, He will save us from oppression,
will preserve our women in all sanctity, and give them to us.
Otherwise we will blame our lack of faith, but not your violence
and force". [g147]
Thus, having sent such a message to Hazarawuxt, the two Kamsarakan brothers were even more ready and eager than before to serve Armenia's general, Vahan Mamikonean, to do anything he ordered. They also encouraged others to do this.
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