Sebeos' History

The Iranian troops then were able to gather a not insignificant part of the treasures and take them to their court. King Xosrov on that day grew more powerful as a result of this victory, more so than any of his enemies, and his kingdom was established.

[Xosrov] ordered that the multitude of arrested horsemen and elephant-riders be stripped, that their hands be tied upon their shoulders, and that they be trampled under the elephants' hooves. But they could find no trace of Vahram. [32] For he had fled and gone as a fugitive, and landed in Bahl Shahastan where, upon Xosrov's word, they themselves killed him.

Some days after this great battle, king Xosrov sat in his tent. Before the king were all of his grandee naxarars. The Byzantine army was encamped at a day's distance from [the Iranians], densely massed, brim full of their booty.

The king began speaking as follows: "In truth has there ever been any one of the world's kings who, being able to seize another king—his own enemy, the destroyer of his kingdom—did not have him killed, and did not exterminate all the males [with him] from his land? [What king, instead of doing these things] would adopt [such a royal fugitive], crown him, and exalt him by adorning him with purple, defeat his enemies, establish him on the throne of his kingdom, give him courtly treasure out of his own treasures, and benevolently free him to go his way? My father, emperor Maurice, bestowed such benefits on me which no man could bestow upon his own beloved son." Some of those [naxarars] responded to [Xosrov] as follows: "King, live forever! We do not know whether or not gratitude is fitting, for every kingdom is made stable by treasure, [33] [yet the Byzantines] have looted all the kingdom's treasures."

The king replied: "I shall directly retrieve the treasures of my kingdom from them, together with [other] treasures they have amassed, for all of that belongs to me. But the one thing that disconcerts me is the fact that that [Vahram], who hates his master, lived and departed. He is a brave man and will again assemble troops from among the braves of the peoples of the East."

[The naxarars] answered him: "They helped that ingrate to flee. With our own eyes we saw how that Mushegh Mamikonean took [Vahram], gave him horse and weapon and released him. They said this because they wished [Mushegh] ill, since, viewing his grandfather evilly, their hearts hardened against him. Yet the king never wondered about the matter, since he was a small boy, and inexperienced. Nor did he recollect the agitation of such [Armenian] soldiers. Rather, he fixed his mind on those falsehoods, saying: "Let that Mushegh be summoned here and be bound hand and foot, until I inform the emperor about him."

[The king] immediately ordered a note [yetkar] to be written [34] [to Mushegh]. He dispatched one of the envoys to Mushegh [with the message]: "Come quickly. An extremely important matter has come up." [Xosrov] gave this command to his p'ushtipans: "Be ready. When IMushegh] arrives, and when I signal you with my hand, pull his arms back and tie him up. But be prepared, for he is a brave man. And see to it that he neither dies, nor kills me. Should he die, I will be answerable for him to the emperor." He similarly commanded his ushers [barapanats'n], saying: "Take care that when Mushegh comes to the entrance of my tent you remove his belt and sword. Tell him, 'it is not legal to go before the king with a weapon.'"

Now while [Mushegh] conducted a review of his troops, ascertaining the number living and the number which had died in battle, [Xosrov's] messenger came before him. [The messenger] greeted him and gave him the letter. Taking the letter, Mushegh asked him: "Is this a greeting, and [does it mean] peace?" The messenger replied: "It is indeed a greeting and [signifies] peace. I do not know what else it says, only that I was commanded to summon you quickly." [Mushegh] immediately began preparing himself [35] as though he were going to war, for it had entered his [g41] mind that perhaps some military matter had come up, or that he would be rewarded with gifts for his labors. He took along 2,000 armed men, azats and non-azats, whom he found worthy of honor, and he felt confidence in his cavalry.

He wrote to Yovhan patrik to release him. [The latter] so commanded that [Mushegh] travel with such preparation [as he had planned], and he ordered all of [Mushegh's men] to see to their own armaments. They armed, and departed.

[Mushegh's forces] entered the [Iranian] army and were close to the court Mashkaperchan ("tent", "pavilion") when an order reached him not to approach with such a multitude, but rather to have them encamp at a distance, and to appear before the king with only a few men.

[Mushegh], however, did not consent to this. Instead, he went with his troops close to the entrance of the court tent. Iranian soldiers, well-armed, were standing around the tent. Dismounting from his horse, [Mushegh] went to the entrance of the tent with 50 men. The men remained as they [36] were, each one armed, and with a horse. The king was horrified as were all the soldiers with him, and began to conceal their treachery. As soon as [Mushegh] reached the entrance of the tent, ushers at the door approached him and said: "Remove the belt and sword from your waist, and remove your armor, because it is not lawful to go before the king [armed]." Doubt stirred in [Mushegh's] heart and he began to condition and prepare himself for attack. He responded to the ushers as follows: "From my childhood I have been the table-companion of kings [deriving from the time] of my ancestors and grandfather. And now I have reached the door of the court, the place of review. Am I to remove my armor, my girdle and belt now, when I never do so even in my own House, even when rejoicing? Or indeed, am I worthy of the wickedness of you Iranians?" Then he ordered someone to go to the soldiers to have the auxiliary army move forward. He himself turned to go.

[37] The king was informed that [Mushegh] refused to enter so [unarmed], and instead had turned and left. So the king started to conceal his wickedness, saying: "Let [g42] him overlook it, let him come as he pleases." For [Xosrov] himself was a lad, and his troops were few and far between. They called [Mushegh] back, saying: "[The king] ordered that you may enter as you wish." [Mushegh] turned and said: "Let me see what boon the king of kings plans to give me."

[Mushegh] entered the tent, [going] before the king accompanied by seven men. He prostrated himself in reverence to the king, and then stood up. But the king did not extend his hand as hitherto had been done [in a gesture of] receiving and greeting him. Rather, he remained there frozen, and they stubbornly faced each other that way.

The king grew frightened and dismayed, and was unable to give the order he had planned, or to say anything, great or small, because of his dread. Once again [Mushegh] quickly left the tent. They brought him his horse; he mounted and departed. As soon as the king saw that, he became extremely frightened. But wanting to conceal his injury, he arose from the throne and strode to the entrance of the [38] tent, went outside and dispatched a certain principal naxarar after [Mushegh]. He had salt sent, to swear an oath, and to call him back "so that you depart with honor and exaltation and do not consider that something else was intended."

[Mushegh], however, did not want it. Instead, he took to the road. Now he planned to deal with them as follows: [he planned] to attack his tent at the second hour, and to kill him. He so ordered the armed troops who stood around the tent of Xosrov. [But] because his troops were informed there was agitation, and they abandoned that plan and departed.

As they travelled, a certain one of the king's p'ushtipans strayed across their path. [The Mushegheans] seized him and took him to their own people. And Mushegh threatened him with an oath, saying that if he did not tell him what had transpired concerning [Mushegh] himself, he would die.

Then [the p'ushtipan] made [Mushegh] swear an oath that he would not turn him over to the Iranian king. He told everything. The next day at dawn [Mushegh] went to the door/court [g43] of Yovhannes patrik, saw him, and told him all the wicked tales. He had with him the ostikan p'ushtipan who also came and described all that had happened. The princes and [39] all the soldiers became agitated, but when reminded of the emperor's oath and his disturbed state, did nothing about it. They told [Mushegh] to write to the emperor, to familiarize him with all the wicked events. But Mushegh said in front of all of them: "If that man is not killed, every country under the lordship of the Byzantines will be taken by his hand."

Then [the Mushegheans] selected great gifts as their king's share of the booty: crowns and a diadem made of emeralds and pearls; a very great quantity of gold and silver, matchless precious gems, as well as the most outstanding garments which, in their ornamentation, were made for the kings of the Iranians; horses from the court, including the very court trappings for them.

They sent [the above gifts] and with them a written hrovartak announcing the good news, as well as an indictment of king Xosrov. [The Mushegheans] massed four hundred cavalrymen to accompany the gifts. Now Xosrov became informed that they were about to deliver to their emperor as a share of the loot some of his treasures, and he learned that they had written a complaint about himself. Filled with bitterness, Xosrov sent an army after them, to reach them on the road, to destroy Mushegh suddenly and [40] secretly, to take the treasure of the court and to bring it back to him at once. The Byzantine princes also knew about matters. They sent after them a very forceful army; when they had passed by, not a single one [of the enemy] lived, and no word rose about it. [The text seems corrupt.] The troops took [the treasures] and brought them to the palace with great rejoicing.

The king received the gifts and sent a hrovartak expressing great thanks by means of his messenger. And he wrote [the Mushegheans] to abandon the plan in which they condemned the king. "If you do not restrain [Mushegh] I shall demand him from you" [the emperor wrote]. He also wrote to the king gratefully releasing everyone [g44].

Then king Xosrov gave presents to each according to importance, and dismissed them. He himself left Atrpatakan and went to Asorestan, to his native royal abode. And he was [41] established on the throne of his kingdom. He gave to the emperor the promised gifts: all Aruastan as far as Nisibis: the country of the Armenians which had been under his sway the Tanuterakan House as far as the Hurazdan river the district of Kote as far as the awan of Garhni and to the shore of the Sea of Bznunik' [Lake Van], Arhestawan and to the district of Gogovit as far as Hats'iwn and Maku. The area of the Vaspurakan brigade was in service to the Iranian king. Many of the naxarars of Armenia were in the Byzantine part, few were in the Iranian part. [Xosrov] also gave [to Maurice] a great part of the land of Iberia/Georgia, up to the city of Tiflis. The king summoned Mushegh to the palace, and he never again saw the country [of Armenia].

[Xosrov], in accordance with their Magian religion, had numerous wives. He also took Christian wives, and had an extremely beautiful Christian wife from the land of Xuzhastan named Shirin, the Bambish, queen of queens [tiknats' tikin]. She constructed a monastery and a church close to the royal [42] abode, and settled priests and deacons there allotting from the court stipends and money for clothing. She lavished gold and silver [on the monastery]. Bravely, with her head held high she preached the gospel of the Kingdom, at court, and none of the grandee mages dared open his mouth to say anything—large or small—about Christians [g45]. When, however, days passed and her end approached, many of the mages who had converted to Christianity, were martyred in various places.

[Xosrov] commanded: "Let no infidel dare convert to Christianity and let none of the Christians convert to impiety. Rather, let each individual remain true to his paternal religion [hayreni yawrens]. Whoever does not hold his paternal faith [zhayreni den] but rebels from the religion of his fathers, will be put to death." But on the great feast of Psalm Sunday, [Christians] from the monastery of Shirin, and other Christians went to the entrance of the king's chamber, and worshipfully read the Gospel. They received presents from [43] the king, and departed. And no one dared to say anything to them.

It happened in those days that the emperor of the Byzantines requested from the king of the Iranians the body of that deceased man which was in Shawsh, in a copper basin in the king's treasury. The Iranians called him Kaw Xosrov, while the Christians called him Daniel the prophet. King Xosrov ordered that [Maurice's] request be granted. But queen Shirin was extremely agitated over this affair. When she was unable to change the king's mind, she ordered all the Christians of the land to request of Christ with fasting and prayers that the blessing [of Kaw Xosrov's presence] not leave their land.

The entire country assembled in that spot and beseeched Christ to prevent [the move] with fervent pleas and with tears. Mules were brought, as was the court palankeen [g46]; they took [Daniel's remains] and departed. But as soon as they passed through the city gate, suddenly those streams which flowed through the city and outside, dried up. The entire country [44] followed after [Daniel's remains] with cries and alarm.

As soon as they were at a distance of three asparez from the city, suddenly those mules [bearing] the palankeen halted and no one could make them budge. Suddenly they violently wielded their swords causing the mob and the brigade to scatter and they rushed back to the city. And as soon as they entered the city gate the waters of the river flowed and water gushed forth in abundance, as had been the case before.

They quickly informed the emperor about this. He had a mass performed [for Daniel] and ordered [his troops] to do as [the relics] willed. They left [the relics of Daniel] and departed.

In that period the Byzantine emperor ordered a letter written to the Iranian king. [It was] a complaint about the [45] princes of all Armenia, and their troops [which read as follows]:

"There is a crooked and disobedient people which dwells between us and causes trouble. Come now, I shall assemble mine and send them to Thrace. Assemble yours and have them taken East. Should they die, [our] enemies will be the ones dying; should they kill others it will be our enemies who perish, and we shall live in peace. But should they remain in their own country, we shall have no rest" [g47].

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