Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/172

 the blood of the innocent. Fearing fAtune intrigues by the sons of Sanatruk, which might deprive him of the throne, he put the whole of them to deaths with the exception of the young- est, named Artaces, whose nurse effected his escape to the province of Persarmenia, in the country of Heir, and gave information of the circumstance to Sumbat a powerful chieftain, 3on of Beurat the Bagratian. Sumbat took charge of Artaces, and fled with him to Darius king of Persia. This monaroh> who had long known the valiant character which Sumbat bore, received the fugitives with kindness and respect, treating Sumbat as he would a Persian chief, and the young prince as one of his own sons, and the son of a king. When Erwand heard a. d. 6». of this, he applied to Darius and Sumbat, request* ing them to put the prince to death ; alleging that he was not the son of Sanatruk, but the offspring of a Mede and a shepherd. On their refusal to commit a crime of so horrible a nature, Erwand fell into great anxiety, fearing that yfhen Ar- taces arrived at maturity, he would assert his right, and by the assistance of the Persians dispossess him of his crown. At this juncture a. d. 79# Tirithus, king of Upper Armenia, died; and Erwand determined to try to annex that king* dom to his own, in order that by possessing the whole force of Armenia, with the friendship of

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