Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/162

 Ihem. Hiramizd with much difficulty saved himself from the dreadful slaughter which was made amongst his followers. At the close of the engagement, perceiving all hope of victory was vain, he placed his wife behind him on his horse and fled. She, in a state of pregnancy, was so much fatigued with the exertions they were obliged to make to escape the enemy, that she at length fainted. Hiramizd, bewildered and stupified at this event, drew his sword and stabbed her, being determined not to let her fall alive into the hands of their pursuers. Imagining her dead he threw her into a river, and directed his flight to Georgia.

Some shepherds dwelling near the river into which Hiramizd had cast his wife, having ob- served her body floating on the water, and hear- ing her groan, drew her out, dressed her wounds, and afforded her every assistance their slender means allowed them. Having succeeded in restoring her to her senses they demanded her name and circumstances, which she revealed. Heretipon they immediately conveyed her to the city of Artashat, and presented her to king Tirithus, who ordered her to be treated in every respect as a queen. When report con- a. ass^ veyed to Rome the news of the ascendancy the Persians had obtained in Armenia, Nero ordered troops to be assembled from all quarters

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