Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/105

 HISTORY OF ARMENIA. Page 60

padocia, Pontus, Lazicia, Chaldaea and Egeria. They became his tributaries. Returning from these conquests he visited the country of the Taics, built a summer residence at the foot of Mount Paharian, and afterwards returned to his city Nisibis. Valarsaces at this period, being in profound peace, expressed a desire to know the origin of the Armenians, who had boasted of greater antiquity than his nation; also what events had taken place in their country, and the different races of their princes. He searched diligently for some time, but found nothing recorded on these subjects, except in some few old songs, where there were some things related of this nature, but so obscured by allegory, that nothing satisfactory could be gathered from them. He at length resolved to consult the old Chaldean manuscripts, and for this purpose obtained the assistance of a very learned man, a Syrian, named Maribas Catina, which signifies Ibas the witty, who was quite conversant in the language of both Chaldeans and Greeks. This man was sent by Valarsaces with a letter to his brother Arsaces at Nineveh, requesting the latter to permit the bearer to examine the ancient manuscripts lying there, for the purpose of extracting from them whatever might be found relating to the Armenians. Arsaces, on receipt of the letter complied with the request, and even