Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/82

76 punishment. If you allow us our faith we will accept no other lord in place of you, but we will accept no God in place of Jesus Christ; there is no other God beside him. If after this solemn confession you ask anything more of us, lo, we are before you and our lives are in your power; from you torments, from us submission; your sword, our necks; we are not better than those who are gone before us, who gave up their possessions and their life for this testimony."

The haughty King of Persia, being enraged by the boldness of this reply, ordered an army of 200,000 men against this small country, which stood alone in front of a vast power. The battle, often called the Armenian Marathon, was fought on the plain of Avarair under Mt. Ararat. In this desperate struggle the much smaller army of the Armenians was defeated, and their leader Vartan, the Brave, was killed, but the surprising resistance offered by rich and poor, by men, women and children, convinced the King of Persia that he might crush the Armenians, but could never make fire-worshipers of them; and was obliged to admit the declaration of the High Priest of fire worship, that "These people have put on Christianity, not like a garment, but like their own flesh and blood. They are not afraid of fetters and torments, nor care for property, and choose death rather than life. Who can stand against them?"

2. The Bravery of the Armenian Women During This Persecution. The above mentioned historian Bishop, who was an eye-witness of this terrible