Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/110

 HISTORY OF ARMENIA. Page 65

not consent to the worship of idols. The same kind of persecution was exercised on them during the reign of Tigranes, the grand-son of this monarch. About this time, in consequence of dissensions amongst the inhabitants of the parts about Mount Caucasus, a prince called Vund, followed by a considerable body of people, emigrated from thence into Armenia, and settled in a place which was afterwards called Vanand, from his name.

Arsaces, after a reign of 13 years, died, and was succeeded by his eldest son Artaces. During the infancy of this prince many were the delightful hopes he excited in the bosoms of his grandfather Valarsaces and his father Arsaces, by his sprightly manners and bold robust figure. Nor were these hopes doomed to be blighted by his maturity. The brightest visions of paternal love and pride in the childhood of the prince, were realized in the manhood of the king. He was great, glorious and good. His actions greatly eclipsed those of his predecessors, and he consequently became infinitely more powerful. At this period of Armenian history, when Artaces ascended the throne left vacant by the death of Arsaces, the king of Persia was reckoned, amongst his eastern contemporaries, to have the precedence of the king of Armenia: but in the splendour of his