Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/28

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fbrmaticm of the nation by Haic to the end of the royal line of the ArsacidaB, and to the termination of the pontifical power in the hoase of St. Gregory the Illumi- nator. His work is compiled from the best authorities, written in the purest style, and divided into there books* the whole extending to the year of our Lord 440. The first part of the History of Chorenensis is founded on Information derived from records of events which hap- pened before the reign of Alexander the Great, according to the testimony of Maribas the famous Syrian historian, who discovered these documents. A correct accoulit of the ancient Armenian kings till the time of Valarsaces is recorded in the history of the latter, of which Cho- renensis avails himself by abundant quotations. From this period to the third century the facts narrated in the history are collected from different sources, principally from historians who wrote accounts of their own times. Chorenensis makes ample quotations from Africanus, an eminent historian, on whom Eusebius bestows great praise in his Ecclesiastical History. The valuable work of Afhcanus is not, however, handed down to us. The latter part of the History of Chorenensis is composed from different records extant in our nation^ written in Greek and Persian characters under the various Arme- nian chiefs. The history of Chorenensis, together with his Geography, has been published in several places and in different times. These were translated into Latin by the two brothers, William and George Whiston, as I have before stated, and published with the text in London iu the year 1736. The work of translation,

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