[261] The Iranian king was greatly saddened
because of the destruction of his troops. He was furious that
of all his troops, only these two had survived. He got angry at
them, dishonored and chased them from his boundaries, dispatching
them to their own country. So they came to their country. Both
brothers were on foot, both were fantastically large, having the
aspects of offspring of a giant. As they were travelling it happened
that Manuel was unable to procede because his feet hurt. His brother
Koms picked him up and carried him one hundred xrasax distance
[apa Koms eghbayr iwr estanjneal arheal barhnayr, ew tasn tasn
xrasax berer est anjin], carrying such a fantastically enormous
man to the country of Armenia. When Manuel and his brother Koms
reached the country of Armenia and when Vach'e saw the one who
previously was the nahapet, even before he arrived [Vach'e]
gave him the patiw of the principality which he had received
from king Varazdat, since he was the senior of the azg.
Manuel had the patiw of the nahapetut'iwn of the
azg's tanuterut'iwn, while Vach'e was second [ibrew
etes zna Vach'en or yarhajn er leal nahapetn, minch' ch'ew ekeal
er na et c'na zpatiw ishxanut'eann, zor arheal er i t'agaworen
Varazdatay, k'anzi na er erec' yazgin. ew Manueln uner znahapetut'ean
azgin tanuterut'ean patuin, ew Vach'en liner erkrord].
Once Manuel had come into the glory
of his tanuterut'iwn, first he seized for himself the generalship-sparapetut'iwn
without the order of king Varazdat. Manuel took the authority
for himself [262] [in an office] which had been held naturally
by his ancestors from the start, which king Varazdat had bestowed
on his dayeak Bat. Then the sparapet of Armenia,
Manuel, sent a letter to king Varazdat, saying: "All of the
labors our azg had performed from the time of our ancestors
in ancient times onward were loyally done for you Arsacids. We
gave our lives, living and dying for you. All of our first ancestors
fell in battle for you. Mushegh's father, Vasak, died in battle
for king Arshak, and we have always labored and worked for the
kingdom of your azg. Instead of giving rewards in exchange
for the labor [ew p'oxanak keans arhneloy end vastakoc'n],
you Arsacids destroyed those [Mamikoneans] not killed by the enemies.
[g243] Now that brave man Mushegh, my brother, from his childhood
onward labored with his life for you. He defeated and destroyed
your enemies, and the enemies were unable to kill him. But you
seized him on his couch and strangled him. In fact, you are not
even an Arsacid, but a bastard, Therefore you do not recognize
those who labor for the Arsacids. We are not your servants but
your peers, and we are above you. For our ancestors were kings
of the land of Chenk'. Because of a quarrel among brothers, [to
avoid] bloodshed, we left that [land] and to find rest we stopped
here [in Armenia]. The first Arsacid kings knew who we were and
where we came from. But you, since you are not an Arsacid, begone
from this land and do not perish at my hands".
[263] King Varazdat sent a reply to
general Manuel, saying: "If I am not an Arsacid, how did
I put on the crown of my Arsacid ancestors, or take the land of
my forbears or seek vengeance for my uncle (father's brother)
Pap from your evil-doing brother Mushegh? Since as you yourself
said, you are not from this land, but from the country of the
Chenac' land (where you were kings naturally) and since you came
here as exiles, do not die as your brother did. Because of my
benevolence I am releasing you. Go to the Chenac' country, stay
there, and rule your country there as king. But if you do not
want to go, you will die by my hand as Mushegh died.
Now when messengers had gone and come
many times, with the messages becoming increasingly severe, the
two [antagonists] made a date to confront each other in battle.
When that time arrived, they came forth to fight. King Varazdat
took the troops of his banak and [g244] went to the place
designated for battle armed, arranged, and prepared, with Varazdat
himself more prepared than the others. The sparapet Manuel
went to the same place with his brigade. The place where the two
brigades clashed was in the plain of Karin.
King Varazdat and sparapet Manuel
took spears and went against each other as champions. When king
Varazeat raised his eyes, he saw sparapet Manuel coming
at him, so enormous, grand, securely armored [264] from head to
toe in impenetrable iron armor [ew yamrakurh yerkat'apat yotic'n
minch'ew c'gluxn arh hasarak yanvt'ar zinen], personally strong,
on a steady horse covered with horse armor. [Varazdat] regarded
him as a tall inaccessible mountain. Nonetheless, with death on
his mind, he attacked, not thinking about living. King Varazdat
was a young man and uninformed about fighting. When he saw [Manuel
so armored], he realized that the spear would not work because
of the armor. So he took the spear and forcefully thrust it into
general Manuel's mouth. Now Manuel grabbed the spear, removing
the tip from himself, from his cheek. He lost many teeth removing
the king's spear.
King Varazdat fled from the sight of
general Manuel. [As he chased him] Manuel took the tip of the
spear and beat the head of king Varazdat. He did this as he chased
him over a distance of four asparez. Then Manuel's sons,
Hmayeak and Artashes each with spear in hand, attacked the king.
But Manuel himself shouted after his sons: "Do not be killers
of [your] lord". They heeded their father's words and swiftly
turned from [Varazdat]. On that day the ark'unakan brigade
was defeated by the Manuelean brigade.
nuel's glory, and sought
some means of removing him from his favored position with the
Iranian king, in order to be himself the beloved one. But when
[Meruzhan] was unable to find any ruse except treachery toward
the Iranians [ew ibrew ayl hnars inch' och' karer gtanel durs
nengut'eanc'n arh Parsiks] he plotted some wicked treachery
and advanced his work with hypocrisy. He pretended to enter into
intimacy with general Manuel, [g249] [trying] first to win him
over through [acts of ] subordination, to please him with intimacy.
Then he gave himself out to appear as [Manuel's] trustee and guardian.
Then he came to deliver this false and capricious information:
"Know, oh Manuel, that an emissary has come from the king
of Iran to Suren with an order to seize and bind you and either
to kill you here, or to bind you with great care, foot, hand,
and neck, and to take you to the king of Iran. So be advised and
think what you will do". When Manuel heard this he was astonished
inwardly and said: "I have committed no transgressions against
the Iranians, so why are they doing this to us"? Meruzhan
said to Manuel: "I have verified and confirmed it, and it
is so". When Manuel believed what Meruzhan had told him as
accurate, the general of Armenia organized a brigade and assembled
many troops. Thus, while Suren was peacefully encamped with his
banak in unconcerned peace without a [271] suspicion of
duplicity (since in fact there was no treachery being planned
as the gossiping malefactor Meruzhan had said) suddenly the general
of Armenia, Manuel, fell upon Suren's banak unexpectedly,
killing the 10,000 Iranian soldiers. However, [Manuel] granted
the marzpan Suren his life as a pargew and let him
go on a horse. Suren was surprised at what had happened, and wanted
to know why. Manuel said to Suren: "Because of the affection
of friendship, I am releaing you to go on your way in health.
But I will not fall into the Iranian trap again". Then Manuel
organized the Armenian brigade and prepared the men. Thereafter
he knew that he had aroused great hostility and aggrevation of
the Iranian king. Then the general of Armenia, Manuel, [g250]
and the entire brigade taking king Pap's wife, Zarmanduxt, at
their head caused them to circulate around in the place of kings.
They themselves were waging war for the cultivation of the land
of Armenia on all sides against the enemies and neighbors around
them, and especially against the Iranian troops. [Manuel did this]
all the days of his life. But Meruzhan went to the king of Iran
and made accusation against Manuel.
Then the Iranian king dispatched Gumand
Shapuh with 48,000 [troops] to go to Armenia, take, and ruin the
country. They came to the border of Armenia which is on the Atrpayakan
side, As soon as [2'72] Armenia's general, Manuel, heard about
this, he assembled as many troops as he could lay hands on in
those troubled times [est brhshop zhamanakin], some 20,000
men, and hastened against that brigade. [IManuel] put the Iranian
troops to the sword, killed Gumand Saauh, and again emerged with
great triumph.
Then a certain Varaz, general of the
king of Iran, came to the country of Armenia with 180,000 [troops]
to war with sparapet Manuel and with the entire Armenian
brigade. Armenia's sparapet general Manuel organized and
prepared 10,000 armed cavalrymen and [g251] came to war against
Varaz. He struck and killed, exterminating, and killing the principal,
Varaz. He took a huge amount of loot, the ornaments and weapons
of the troops, and returned in great peace.
After all of this, the Iranian king
sent Mrhikan with 400,000 [troops] against the country of Armenia.
He arrived and took a part of the country of Armenia encamping
on the Artandan plain. ''Manuel fell upon the banak at
night, put all in the entrenchment to the sword, [273] killed
Mrhikan, and took much booty. He did not spare a single one of
them.
After this for seven years the Iranian
troops did not dare to enter the borders of Armenia. There was
peace in the country. All the dispersed [people] of the country
assembled near general Manuel, coming together and encamping without
a care. General Manuel directed them. Then three surviving lads
from the tun of Siwnik' who had survived the Iranian destruction
came to Armenia's general Manuel. They were named Babik, Sam,
and Vaghinak. Manuel, [g252] Armenia's general, received them.
He helped them, returning them to their country. He made Babik
the ter and the two [others], each according to his measure.
Babik was the comrade-in-arms [of Manuel] all the days of his
life. Similarly, Armenia's sparapet Manuel set up nahapets
and lords in all the districts. He directed everyone in peace.
All the days of his life the entire country of Armenia was at
peace under Manuel's protection. All the people in the country
enjoyed their days eating and drinking and making merry those
seven years of Manuel's lordship-until the division of the country
of Armenia and the destruction of the kingdom.
Already in the days of king Arshak,
Meruzhan Arcruni had rebelled from the king of Armenia, had voluntarily
extended his hand to the king of Iran, accepted the Mazdaist faith
and apostasied Christianity. Many times he guided the Iranian
troops, inflicting very great evils upon the country of Armenia.
[Meruzhan] was still with the king of Iran. But this Meruzhan
greatly provoked the king of Iran taking many troops from him,
and coming to the country of Armenia. He had greatly boasted before
the Iranian king that he would either seize, bind and bring Manuel
to the Iranian king, or else he would behead him and bring his
head to the king.
[Meruzhan] with the entire multitude
of the Iranian troops reached the country of Armenia. He left
a banak in the Korcheic' district, then with his own personal
brigade of assembled bandits [hrosiwn zhoghovelov] he separated
from the Aryan brigade. He wanted to come and spring [g253] upon
Manuel unawares and he wanted to do this himself so that he could
boast that he personally had concluded the war. To accomplish
this he spoke to the generals of the Aryan brigade as follows:
"I will go first and spy and then will take you upon them.
In this fashion it will be easy to grab [Manuel]". [Meruzhan],
taking his brigade, came [275] to the country of Kog district.
He stopped somewhere and spied on Manuel's banak.
The spies went and observed Manuel['s
army] which was in Bagrewand district, in Bagwan awan,
close to the ruins of the city of Zarehawand. The observers came
and examined Manuel's banak and the herd of horses of the
banak which were at liberty. They went back and gave this
information. [Meruzhan] thought to get hold of the banak
herd because it would bring attention to himself. He delightedly
boasted to his troops that: "Tomorrow I will seize Manuel
and his wife Vardanoysh will be disgraced in his presence".
He went off to accomplish the deed, anxious to attain his end.
In the place through which the brigade had travelled were some
mountains called Eghjerk' by the inhabitants. While Meruzhan was
on the road with his brigade, he encountered travellers whom he
asked: "Which way does the road to Bagrewand pass"?
The travellers responded: "The road is through Eghjerk'".
Meruzhan took augury by this greatly inwardly, and was saddened
by these words [Ew mecapes xtreac' Meruzhann end mits iwr.
trtmec'aw end bansn]. He ordered that the travellers be wickedly
dragged and beaten. Then he went along the route, descending to
the Chaldean astrologers to consult the lots. But the magicians
he consulted did not give him a favorable reading [Ew ink'n
anc'eal est ughin ijaner i hmays k'aghdeut'ean, zk'ues harc'aner.
ew och' goyr nma yajoghak yurhut' kaxardanac'n yor yusayrn].
[276] So in great anger [Meruzhan] sent
his spies ahead to find some way of seizing the herd. But when
he reached the place where the horses [had bcen kept], he did
not find the herd. For God so had it that according to the preparedness
of the Armenian brigade, the sparapet Manuel had designated
a time [g254] for the entire brigade to go hunting. Consequently
it happened that the whole herd had been driven to the shen
and were ready to be mounted for the hunt. Then a news-bearer
came to Armenia's general Manuel, saying: "Be advised that
Meruzhan Arcruni is coming against you with a large brigade".
All the troops of the Armenian brigade
organized and prepared, as did sparapet Manuel. They went
before the blessed bones of John [the Baptist, whose chapel] was
in that village, to make a covenant and beseech God, to call upon
the aid of the righteous judge, to assist them with a visitation.
Then they went outside. They accompanied the Arsacid tikin,
with the youths Arshak and Vagharsak and their women to a stronghold
on the great mountain called Varaz. Manuel ordered Vache's son,
the youth Artawazd to go along with the women. But [Artawazd]
refused. He was a small boy [Ew er nay i tioc' tghay].
In the fashion of children, in accordance with the religion and
rule of Armenia, the youth Artawazd's head was shaven with a long
braid left free[ew est mankut'ean orini, est kronic' Hayoc'
orpes oren er zglux manktoyn, soynpes i zhamanakin gerceal er
zglux mankann Artawazday, ew c'c'uns er t'ogheal ew ges arjakeal].
Now [277] when [Artawazd] refused to go with the women, Manuel
raised his whip and beat upon his bare head. He forced him not
to go into battle because of his youthful age. So [Artawazd] went
with [the women] while [Manuel] was looking, but afterwards he
armed, organized, and readied to go to fight.
Wheni they had accompanied the tikin
and all their baggage to the stronghold, [the soldiers] themselves
armed, arranged and prepared for battle. They gathered in one
place with emblems and banners fluttering free, coming out of
the western side of Gewgh awan. Meruzhan came before them
with his brigade. The sinful malefactor Meruzhan had placed his
own weapon, ornament and helmet emblem on many [men] in his brigade,
[g255] causing many to resemble him. But he himself did not use
his own emblem. As soon as Manuel saw their brigade, with his
own brigade he fell upon them, resembling a lion or a wild boar.
Observing those [men] who bore Meruzhan's emblems, he thought
to kill Meruzhan. They beheaded many champions who had Meruzhan's
emblem, but saw that they were not he.
Then sparapet Manuel began to
speak with his comrade-in-arms, Babik, saying: "Do you see
how that sorcerer Meruzhan has tricked us? I recognize a sign
of him from the many times during peace between us that we were
in one place together. For when he is mounted on a horse, his
thighs do not hug the horse but fly free of the horse [zi yorzham
i ji heceal er, eran barji nora och' yanjin ew i cunkn och' hasaner,
ayl i bac'eay kay i jeoy anti]. Come now, [278] and look at
these identical emblems. Perhaps we can discover the sorcerer
of the lots ". Both of them put their minds to it and looked
for Meruzhan. They recognized him disguised, not wearing his own
emblem. Then Manuel called Meruzhan forward, saying to him: "Hey,
sorcerer, how long are you going to deceive us and permit others
to be killed because of you? We have spotted you and today you
will not survive our hands. For today the Lord God has visited
your evil upon your own head. The Lord has betrayed you into our
hands". Now when Meruzhan heard that, he immediately took
his spear and went forward to be Manuel's axoyean. But
when they struck each other with the spears (since both of them
were huge men) both fell off their horses onto the ground. Then
Manuel's comrade-in-arms, Babik, lord of the district of Siwnik'
arrived and pinned [Meruzhan] to the ground with his spear by
thrusting it into his side, such that [Meruzhan] was unable to
arise. Sparapet Manuel was put on a horse by his grooms
[varawandaspask'], and they cut off Meruzhan's head. All
of the troops fled when they saw that Meruzhan had died.
Then the Manuelean brigade, urging each
other on, went in pursuit of the [g256] Meruzhanean brigade. They
struck and killed them, not allowing a single one to live. The
youth Artawazd unbeknownst to Manuel, had come to the battle.
He had armed, organized and entered [279] [the fight], separately
from the Manuelean brigade, and he [halted] by the banks of the
Euphrates river. He struck and killed a countless multitude of
armed men from the Meruzhanean brigade. When one of Meruzhan's
emblem-bearers saw Artawazd he ridiculed him. For he saw a handsome,
robust, beardless youth. With emblem on spear, he attacked him.
Entering the encounter, he struck the man with an arrow. The arrow
passed right through him and the corpse fell to the ground. Taking
the spear, [Artawazd] pursued the fugitives. Artawazd the youth,
son of Vach'e, put to the sword more of Meruzhan's troops than
all of them. And [Artawazd returned] with a great renown and much
loot, which they had taken from the enemy troops.
But on that day there was an unbelievably
great loss, for the horse of Manuel's second Vach'e fell and killed
[Vach'e]. Garjoyl Maghxaz was also killed as a result of his horse,
For both of them had mounted untrained horses.
Manuel then went to the tikin's banak. They took Meruzhan's head with them. Samuel, Vahan's son, did not happen to be with Manuel then, since he returned to the banak. When the women of Manuel's banak saw Meruzhan's head they started to shriek loudly, since they thought it was the head of Vahan's son Samuel (because Meruzhan and Samuel resembled each other). But after looking at Meruzhan's head, which was impaled on a long spike, they realized that it belonged not [280] to Samuel but to Meruzhan Arcruni. But they said: "He is, nonetheless, our brother". Then they brought to the banak the bodies of Vach'e [g257] (Artawazd's father) and of Garjoyl Maxaz Xorhxorhuni for whom they lamented greatly and wept. Then they brought [the body of] the man who had been Meruzhan's emblem-bearer, whom Artawazd had felled with an arrow. Everyone was amazed at this, since the arrow had passed right through him. When they saw him, he was saved from death. Now when the Iranian troops which Meruzhan had left in the Korcheic' district learned that Meruzhan had perished and that the brigade with him had been lost, they themselves fled to the country of Iran. There was much peace in the land of Armenia.
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