[141] Then the entire Armenian troops moved forward and beseeched their king Arshak not to restrain them until the Iranian king Shapuh arrived. Rather, he should let them accomplish that which they had come to do, and let them attack [the Byzantines]. For they were impatient waiting in a foreign land and considered it better to die than to wait there. [g139] So king Arshak allowed it, and went against [the Byzantines] in war. Vasak the general and sparapet of Greater Armenia arranged, organized and prepared all the Armenian troops. He armed and at the appointed time, together with all the military forces of the Ayraratean gund went against the army. They put all of them to the sword, so much so that not a single [Byzantine] survived, Then [the Armenians] took the loot and booty of the Byzantine troops, and there was no estimating how much they loaded up with treasures or countless great articles of loot [Ew arhnuin zkaput zawar yunakan zoruc'n, zi och' goyr ch'ap' kam t'iw orch'ap' lc'an ganjok', ew anhamar karaseaw mecaw awarac'n yghp'ac'an].

After this the king of Armenia remained there with his troops until Shapuh, king of Iran, arrived with countless, numberless Iranian troops. When he saw the bravery of the deed of the Armenian troops, how they fought, won and resolved the battle, he was greatly astonished. And [Shapuh] greatly honored king Arshak of Armenia and [142] all the Armenian grandees, as well as Vasak, the sparapet of Armenia.

King Shapuh of Iran then began asking his troops regarding what good gifts or what reward he could give Arshak, king of Armenia, for having accomplished such a deed, displaying such bravery, attacked such an enemy, waged such a battle and won it as well as receiving such a good name. "For", he said, "we, the entire Aryan forces would have been able to do this with their help, but now the king of Armenia instead of us accomplished such bravery that none other could accomplish. Now what fitting reward can [g140] we give him"? Thus he pondered what they should give him. The Iranian king Shapuh's naxarars told him: "Give him anything you think will please him, much of your gold, silver, silk, and pearls" [oski k'o shat ew arcat', kerpas ew margarit]. The Iranian king Shapuh replied to his princes: "What you suggest does not display [sufficient] affection. Rather, come, let us establish unshakable affection between ourselves and king Arshak of Armenia, such that he will be unseparable from us for eternity. I will give king Arshak of Armenia my daughter in marriage and a great tun, such a tun so that when he comes to us from Armenia as far as Ctesiphon, he will lodge within his own tun [ew tac' nma tun mec. zi yorzham gnasc'e i Hayoc' gal arh mez, aynpes tac'uk' nma tun, zi i Hayoc' minch'ew i Tizbon minch'ew arh mez hamak yiwrum tan agc'i, minch'ew arh mez ekesc'e]. Let us [143] give this to the king. As for general Vasak and the other grandees and generals, let us give them the gold, silver, silk, and pearls". The Iranian king's grandees and counselors [xorhrdakic'k'] approved of this plan and confirmed that it was fitting to do it.

Then king Shapuh of Iran greatly pressured king Arshak of Armenia to go with him to Asorestan so that he might exalt him there with very glorious honor and by making him his son-in-law. But king Arshak and all of his troops were annoyed [at the prospects] of going on such a long journey, for each of them, after the custom of Arnenians, longed for his own tun and his own customary place [Isk Arshak ew amenayn zork' iwr taghtapein ert'al zherhi chanaparhn. zi amenayn ok' yanjniwr tun yiwrak'anch'iwr teghi zoren baruc' hayastan mardkan anjkac'eal ein]. Now when Andovk the nahapet of Siwnik' district learned that king Shapuh of Iran wanted to marry his daughter to king Arshak of Armenia, he was very frightened and his mind was wracked with suspicions that when the Iranian king gave Arshak his daughter, his own daughter [P'arhanjem] would be dishonored afterwards. For at that time Andovk's daughter P'arhanjem (who had been Gnel's wife) was the wife of king Arshak of Armenia, and [Andovk] suspected that as soon as [Arshak] took another [wife], his [daughter] would be dishonored. [g141]

[144] Andovk then fell to thinking to find some ruse by which he could destroy that great affection which had blossomed between the two kings. First, Andovk presented much gold to Vasak the general of Armenia, and he similarly bribed all the grandees, to devise some way of destroying the great affection between the two kings. All the grandees accepted, blinded by the gold with which they had been bribed. Then Andovk approached a certain one of the seniors of the Iranian king, making him one of his inner and central counselors in this matter [Apa zmi omn yawagac' t'agaworin Parsic' i nerk'in i bun xorhrdakanac'n i bani iwrum arhner Andovkn] so that he would through any means, treachery, deceit, and caprice create tension between Shapuh, king of Iran, and Arshak. Andovk gave him a huge, inestimable amount of gold and told him to say, as an informer [zi ibrew kerparans gushaki arasc'e asel] to king Arshak: "Look out for your life, for truly the king of Iran has planned to seize and kill you". Andovk continued: "When you have said this, get [Arshak] to summon us to a council, and the nobility will confirm your words".

The counselor of the Iranian king then went to the king of Armenia and began to speak the words which the malefactor Andovk had put in his mouth, saying: "Arshak, king of Armenia, look out [145] for your life, for Shapuh, the king of Iran plans to seize and kill you". King Arshak was stunned by these words and said: "Is that the reward I am to receive from him for my great labors"? Then king Arshak ordered all of his grandees summoned into his presence and all of his counselors, and the sparapet Vasak and his father-in-law Andovk and, generally, all of the naxarars. Then he told them what he had just heard from that Iranian. They all replied together: "We heard that long ago, but did not dare to tell you. However those words are correct. Now, king, see what you can do to save yourself and us". King Arshak then gave the Iranian who had told him many gifts of gold and silver treasures [bazum pargews ganjuc' oskwoy ew arcat'oy]. [g142] [The Armenians] organized and prepared themselves, and king Arshak of Armenia thought. Everyone in the Armenian banak then arose at night, mounted, and fled. Leaving behind the xorans, tents, furniture, goods, equippage and banak , they went stealthily [Ew arh etegh t'oghin zxorans ew zvrans, zgah ew zkarasi ew zkazmac iwreanc' ew zbanakn iwreanc', ew gnac'in gaghtuk]. And no one in the Iranian banak knew about this until morning.

When it was the hour to bid good morning to the Iranian king, all the kings, and his grandee princes came to greet the Iranian king [Ew ibrew eghew zham aygoreli arh t'agaworn Parsic', ew amenayn t'agawork' ew ishxank' mecameck' iwr ayroeal gayin arkayin Parsic'] [146] but nowhere among them was the king of Armenia, Arshak, with his grandees. So Shapuh the king of Iran ordered his men to go and see what had occurred in the banak of Arshak, king of Armenia that he had so delayed in coming to bid good morning to the king of Iran, Shapuh. They went and saw that the banak was empty and without people, for [the Armenians] had left their xorans, tents, umbrellas, hangings, gahs, beds, furniture, baggage and equippage, and even their treasures. They had taken only their weapons, borne aloft, and departed [zi t'ap'ur kayr banakn aranc' mardoy. zi t'ogheal er iwreanc' zxorans ew zvrans ew zhovanoc's ew zsrahaks ew zgahoys ew zankoghins ew zgah ew zkasmacs ew zkarasi iwreanc', ew zganjs iwreanc' angam]. Those who had gone to the banak came and related everything to Shapuh, the king of Iran. When Shapuh heard this (since he was a wise man) he realized in his wisdom that the flight of the Armenian king was the result [of something done] by one of his own men. "For", he said, "that man Arshak was made to flee by people from among our court here". So he sent many of his senior grandees on a mission, galloping after the king of Armenia [bearing with them the promise] of a vow of affectionate alliance and a reproach that [the Armenians] return so that they examine the slander and rebuke it. But the Armenian king did not want to listen to the words of the messengers of Shapuh, the king of Iran, and they did not turn back to the land of Iran. From that day forth warfare and the agitation of battles [147] stirred between the king of Armenia, Arshak, and Shapuh, king of Iran. For more than thirty years. [g143]

21.


Now eight years after king Arshak of Armenia had fled from king Shapuh of Iran, the Iranian king desisted from hostility. He spoke with true entreaty, affectionately beseeching king Arshak of Armenia to be reconciled and united with him through an oath of peace. For the Iranian king was then in great agitated danger from the frequent and incessant wars waged by the Byzantine emperors. However, king Arshak of Armenia in no way wanted to listen to or approach him, to send emissaries, give gifts [ew och' inch' tal patarags enjayic'], approach him, be associated with him, or even hear his name. On the other hand, the king of Iran was constantly sending [Arshak] gifts and emissaries while he himself fervently did battle with the Byzantine emperors.

Now it happened that peace came about between the emperors of Byzantium and king Shapuh of Iran. The Byzantine emperor wrote, sealed, and sent the following peace treaty [uxtic' namak] to the king of Iran: [148] "I give you the city of Nisibis (which is in Aruestan) as well as Syrian Mesopotamia. Furthermore I will vacate the interior of Armenia [Etu k'ez, ase, zMcbin k'aghak' or e yAruestani, ew zMijagets Asoroc'. ew mejashxarhen Hayoc' jerhnt'ap' em, ase]. Conquer them if you can and place them in your service. I will not come to their aid". For the emperor of Byzantium had become distressed, and in his sorrowful distress he sealed such a contract [zays jew orinaki banic'n knk'er murhak], gave it to the Iranian king, and thus got free of him.

Now when there was peace between the emperor of Byzantium and the king of Iran, king Shapuh organized his troops and went against king Arshak of Armenia in war. The border-guards of the Armenian king who were in Ganjak in Atrpatakan, [g144] informed [Arshak] of what was happening before [Shapuh] reached the borders of Atrpatakan. When king Arshak of Armenia learned about this, he commanded his sparapet Vasak to organize all of his troops and go against the Iranian king Shapuh. Sparapet Vasak quickly assembled and reviewed all of the Armenian troops. There were 60,000 cavalrymen, well-armed, with spears, being united--of one heart and one mind. With them sparapet Vasak advanced and struck the [149] [forces of] the Iranian king, putting all the troops to the sword.

Only Shapuh the Iranian king escaped on a horse and fled. [The Armenians] reached, enslaved, and burned the entire country of Iran. And they held the site of the battle, that is, they kept the borders of Iran.

22.


In that period Shapuh the king of Iran assembled his forces, countless and numberless as sand on the seashore, with an inestimable number of elephants. He then divided the troops into three parts. He designated Andikan and Hazarawuxt the military commanders of two brigades, while the king himself commanded one brigade. The king commanded the troops to go enter and invade the land of Armenia in three places. But this information was quickly learned by king Arshak of Armenia and by his general Vasak. They in turn assembled many troops from the land, a countless multitude. Although they greatly hurried [Ew t'e bewr achaparec'in], nonetheless the Iranian troops had already invaded the country of Armenia, raiding from three directions.

[150] So king Arshak divided his troops into three parts. He [g145] entrusted one brigade to sparapet Vasak. The second brigade was entrusted to his brother Bagas [Translator's note: In the text, the first reference to Arshak's brother is spelled Bagas, though subsequently the name appears as Bagos. Apparently this is not a misprint, since both names are listed separately in the index on page 290.] who was incredibly courageous but not very bright. King Arshak himself led the other brigade. He ordered that they should advance to meet up with the Iranian troops. Sparapet Vasak came and found Hazarawuxt and the first of the Iranian fronts which had come as far as the district of Vanand to the place known as Ereweal. He clashed with them in war, defeating the Iranian troops who turned to flight and dispersed. But general Vasak pursued and killed all the fugitive troops, and [the Armenians] got much loot and elephants.

On the same day of the same week of the same month, Bagos and the troops under him located the second Iranian front under Andikan the military commander, encamped near the fisheries of Arhest [zi haseal maceal banakein i veray jknatenic'n Arhesteay]. However, the Iranian troops were quickly informed of Bagos' arrival and prepared to wage war against the Armenian troops. Then Bagos with his entire brigade attacked the Iranian front, and killed all of the Iranian troops there, including Andikan. [151] Now Bagos chanced upon a brigade of elephants, and noticed that one of the elephants was greatly adorned and bore royal symbols. Thinking that the king was on that elephant, [Bagos] dismounted from his horse, took out his sword and attacked the elephant. He went under the elephant, raised the weapon and stuck it into the elephant's body [harkaner znerts p'ghin. Nert, nertic' = Neard, nerdic' "fiber, string; ligament; tendon, sinew]. But the elephant fell upon [Bagos], and both of them perished, since he was unable to get out from under the elephant in time. In that battle [of the Armenians], only Bagos, the military commander of the troops died; but as for the Iranians, not a single one of them survived.

Now in the same year, the same week, the same day [g146]--since these three battles took place on the same day-king Arshak and the troops under him found king Shapuh himself who had come and encamped in the district of Basen, in the place called Osxa [Translator's note: two mss. have Oxsa]. King Arshak fell upon the Iranian banak at night and put them all to the sword. Shapuh the king was the only one who escaped, barely, fleeing to the land of Iran on a horse. Then messengers bearing the glad tidings of the victories of the three brigades, met each other. Aside f'rom Bagos, who had died in one of the battles, not a single one [of the Armenians] had been killed. Great assistance in the victory had come from God. [The Armenian troops] then raided the Iranian areas, striking [152] as far as the area called Xartizan. They loaded up with many treasures, weapons, ornaments, much loot, limitless greatness, and were enriched beyond measure [Ew lc'an ganjiwk' bazmok' ew zinu ew zardu ew bazum awaraw ew anch'ap' mecut'eamb, ew harstac'an anc'in est ch'ap'].

23.


In that period, one of the grandee naxarars named Meruzhan Arcruni rebelled from the king of Armenia, went before Shapuh, king of Iran, and swore an oath that he would be his servant forever. First [Meruzhan] apostasized his own life, for he had been a believer in God, but he abandoned the Christian faith and confessed that he was not Christian. And he accepted the faith of Mazdeizm, that is, of the mages, worshipping the sun and the fire and confessing that whatever the king of Iran worshipped were the gods [ew kalaw zorens mazdezanc'n, aysink'n zmoguc'n. epag erkir aregakan ew kraki, ew xostovan eghew t'e astuack' ayn en zor t'agaworn Parsic' pashte]. Then he [g147] made a vow with Shapuh, king of Iran that : "If Shapuh can and does conquer and hold the land of Armenia, and if I return to my land and my tun, I will first build an atrushan (that is, a temple for worshipping the fire) in my sephakan tun" [T'e ic'e ew karasc'e yaght'el Shapuh Hayoc', ew unel zashxarhn, ew inj darj lic'i yim ashxarhn ew yim tunn, nax es ase shinec'ic' atrushan yimum tann sephakanin, ays ink'n tun drakin pashteloy]. [153] And he put his life and death along with theirs, in word and deed. They prepared even more Iranian troops than before to raid Armenia, and the malefactor Meruzhan was their leader. Under the leadership of Meruzhan, the country of Armenia was burned and pillaged: men were trampelled by elephants, women were put under wagons' stakes [? ew zkanays end c'ic' saylic' hanein], and they took and killed all the inhabitants of the upper districts of Armenia [zamenayn bnakich'sn vernagawarhac'n Hayoc'].

While king Arshak was still in the area of the lower districts in Angeghtun [seeing about] provisions, the Iranian troops were demolishing and digging up the central parts of the land [Minch' derh t'agaworn Arshak i koghmansn storin gawarhac'n yAngegh tann er yutest, zmijnashxarhn k'andeal breal zork'n Parsic' apakanein]. So the general of Armenia, Vasak, called up the troops [zorazhoghov liner Vasak zoravarn Hayoc']. He then had 10,000 select, brave cavalrymen which he organized and prepared. With them he went, hurrying to meet the Iranian troops. Now when the generals of the Iranian king's troops learned that the general of Armenia, Vasak, had massed troops [and was coming] against them, they plundered and enslaved those remaining in the land and fled to their [154] own land at great speed. But Vasak Mamikonean went swiftly after them, catching up as they were going over the Atrpatakan border. Now the troops of the king of Iran left the captives and fled with Meruzhan. After freeing a countless numberless host, all who had been taken in captivity, [Vasak and the troops] returned in peace to king Arshak. [g148]

24.


After this the infamous Meruzhan [Meruzhan vatanshan] in great anger provoked the Iranian king, Shapuh, against king Arshak. The Iranian king, Shapuh, massed troops and dispatched spies to observe Arshak, king of Armenia. And while Arshak, king of Armenia, with his troops were located near the Atrpatakan borders, watching those parts-for he expected the Iranian troops to come from there--[the spies] with Meruzhan as their leader came through a different area and raided Arnenia. They came through Aghjnik', Greater Cop'k', Angeghtun, through the district of Anjit, through Shahunoc' Cop'k', through the district of Mzur, through Daranaghe and Ekegheac'. Shapuh, the king of Iran, with countless troops [entered these districts] and spread about with his multitudes like a flood.

[155] They subjected the country to fire and pillage, putting many men to their swords. Women and children were thrown under the shafts of wagons, some were ground under threshers, a multitude of men were tranpled by elephants and a countless number of tender children were led into captivity [zkanays ew zmankti hanein end c'ic' saylic', zkess zor i nerk'oy kamac'n arkeal kasuin: Ew zaranc' bazmut'iwns tayin i koxumn p'ghac'. ew zarhanc' t'uoy zmatagh manktoyn zayn i gerut'iwn varein]. They demolished many strongholds and secure fortresses. They took and destroyed the great city of Tigranakert, which was [located] in the district of Aghjnik' in the principality of the bdeshx [or er i gawarhin Aghjneac' yishxanut'ean bdeshxin]. [The Iranians] immediately led 40,000 households into slavery, and then invaded Greater Cop'k'. There they found fortress, some of which they took, others they were unable to take. They came and besieged the secure fortress of Angegh (which is in Angeghtun district), for at [that place] were the mausoleums of many of the Armenian Arsacid kings [zi and ein bazum Hayoc' t'agaworac'n gerezmank' shirmac'n aranc'n Arshakuneac'], and many treasures had been stored and kept there from [their] ancestors, [g149] from ancient times on [bazum ganjk' mt'ereal mnac'eal kayin i naxneac'n i hnoc' zhamanakac' hete]. So, [the Iranians] went and besieged that fortress. But when they were unable to take it because of the security of the place, they left off and departed. They passed by many fortresses because they were unable to fight with the strongholds. However, the secure fortress of Ani in Daranaghi district was betrayed [156] into their hands, because the malefactor Meruzhan devised a strategem against the secure fortress. [The Iranians] climbed up, destroyed the walls, and had countless treasures lowered down from the fortress. They opened the tombs of the first kings of the Armenians, of the Arsacid braves, and took the bones of the kings into captivity. However they were unable to open only the tomb of king Sanatruk because of its colossal, gigantic firm construction [bayc' miayn zgerezman shirmin Sanatrkoy ark'ayin och' karac'in banal vasn anheded skayagorc hastashinac chartaragorc araracoc'n]. So they left that place and went on elsewhere raiding, advancing through the Basen areas wanting to come up behind the troops of the king of Armenia.

While all of this was taking place, the bad news reached king Arshak. They said to him: "Behold, while you were sitting in Atrpatakan expecting the enemy to come forth, they passed through the side, destroyed the land, and now are coming against you". Now when king Arshak of Armenia and his general Vasak heard this, they reviewed their troops. At that time under general Vasak's disposition were some 60,000 select and martial men who were united in war with one mind and one heart to go and fight for their sons and wives, to give their lives for the land and for the districts of the land they inhabited, to fight for their Church, for the oath of worship of their blessed churches, for the oath of faith in the [157] name of their God, for their native Arsacid lords. For many people and even the bones of the dead kings had been seized from their own places and transferred to a foreign land [p'op'oxec'an yotarut'iwn].

The sparapet Vasak with 60,000 troops advanced, turning about, [g150] leaving king Arshak in a secure spot somewhere in the Marac' country with attendants. Then [Vasak] himself came and reached the interior of Armenia, the district of Ayrayrat. He found the Iranian troops which had encamped en mass resembling the sand on the seashore, in the district of Ayrayat. Vasak and the brigade with him fell upon the banak of the Iranian king suddenly, at night. And they put all of the Iranian troops to the sword. Only the king [Shapuh] was able to escape by a hairsbreadth and flee. [The Armenians] pursued the survivors and chased them beyond their borders, and retrieved from them much, countless loot, an inestimable amount. They put all [of the Iranians] to the sword and retrieved from them the bones of their kings which the Iranians were taking into captivity to the land of Iran. For they, in accordance with their pagan faith said: "We are taking the bones of the Armenian kings to our land so that the glory, fortune and bravery of the kings of this land will come to our land with the kings' bones" [Zi asein est iwreanc' het'anosut'eann est orinac'n, t'e vasn aysorik barjeal tanimk' zoskers t'agaworac'n Hayoc' yashxarhn mer, zi p'arhk' t'agaworac'n ew baxtk'n ew k'ajut'iwn ashxarhis asti gnac'eal end oskers t'agaworac'n yashxarhn mer ekesc'en]. Vasak retrieved all [158] that had been captured from the land of Armenia. The bones of the Armenian kings which Vasak retrieved they buried at the stronghold in the village called Aghjk', in the Ayrarat district, which is located in one of the narrow crevices of the great Aragac mountain, [in a place] difficult of access. They then took care to pacify the land, to reform, to [re]build all the pillaged and burned [places] and to see to the captives [Ew ink'eank' p'oyt' arareal zashxarh nuachel, yardarel kargel yorinel shinel zamenayn zgerut'iwns yaweracoyn ew ayrec'acoyn]. But this time too the malefactor Meruzhan had survived, fleeing along with the Iranian king. Thereafter king Arshak and general Vasak protected their land, carefully watching the two gates of the borders, all the days of their lives [ark'ayn Arshak handerj zoravarawn Vasakaw yerkosin durs sahmanac'n zgushanayin minch'ew zamenayn awurs kendanut'ean iwreanc']. [g151]

25.


King Arshak of Armenia then mustered troops, surrounding himself with a host as numberless as the sand, and went against the land of Iran. Vasak took the Armenian brigade and summoned the Honk' and the Alans to come assist the Armenian kingdom against Iran. At the same time the king of Iran was coming with all of his troops to go against the country of Armenia. [The Armenians] quickly reached Atrpatakan and found the banak of the Iranian king encamped at Tawresh.

Sparapet Vasak went against the Iranian banak with 200,000 troops [handerj k'san biwruk'n "with twenty myriads"] and fell upon them, The king escaped by a hairsbreadth and fled on a horse, and [the Armenians] took the loot of the entire Iranian caravan. They killed all the troops of the Iranian multitude, taking so much loot from the banak that there was no counting it. They raided the entire Atrpayakan country, demolishing, and digging up the country, destroying to the foundations. And they took more captives from the country than there are stars. They put all the men of the country to the sword. Then they carefully watched over the borders of their country with great caution. [g152]

26.


King Shapuh of Iran sent Vin against king Arshak of Armenia, with 400,000 troops. Vin arrived and spread about raiding in all the boundaries of the country of Armenia. When Arshak, king of Arnenia, found out, [the Armenians] went against the Iranian troops, killing all of them and chasing the survivors as fugitives to the areas of the borders of Iran. They killed them and turned back, holding the place of battle.


160


27.


Then the king of Iran sent against the king of Armenia a brigade of organized, prepared men, his select warriors, and 200,000 troops to come, take, burn and destroy the country of Armenia. Andikan, who was their military commander, arrived and pillaged the country of Armenia. But then Vasak Mamikonean, the sparapet of Armenia, came before him with 120,000 troops. They struck and killed [Andikan] and his troops, taking their ornaments, and not sparing a single one of them. And [Vasak] himself, valliantly held the site of the battle. [g153]

28.


Hazarawuxt came with the Iranian troops to burn, pillage, and overturn the country of Armenia to its foundations. Approaching through the Aghjnik' country, he wanted to spread through the country of Armenia and all its boundaries. However Vasak came up before him with 11,000 [troops], struck at, killed, and chased the survivors to the Iranian country. He also killed Hazarawuxt.



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