Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/302

 which Vasak obeyed his orders ; he forthwith placed himself at the head of the combined armies, and marched agaiast the Huns. Two years were spent in rarious contests with this people, but nothing decisive was effected. Hazkert, perceiv^ ing that there was no sign of a speedy peace, became uneasy, lest the Armenians should be disheartened by the protraction of the war. To obviate this, he caused a great part of them to return home, and others to be sent in their room. During this time he built a large castle near the gate of Chorah, and there established his court. The king now began to prosecute his de- a. d. 449. signs for converting the christians. He often exhorted the chiefs to renounce their faith, and embrace the doctrine of the Magi, but all was ineffectual. He put Daregin the Surwantztian in prison, for the boldness of his reply to one of the king's exhortations on conversion. On the two chiefs. Atom the Gnunian, and Manachihr the Rushtunian, leaving his court, he caused tbem to be arrested and martyred, toge^ther with their followers.

He then alternately tried mildness and se- verity, to induce the Armenians and other christians to a public denial of their religion. To intimidate them, he seized four of the Armenian nobles, and after cruelly torturing them, put them m dungeons. This not producing the effect he

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