Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/304

 Vasak the prefect, with Vardan the general, and other great chiefs, accompanied by Vazgen, the governor of the Georgians, and son-in-law of Vardan, Ashusha, governor of the Gugars, and Vachey, governor of the Aluans, then pro- ceeded to Persia.

On their arrival at court, Hazkert ordered them all to be confined in prison, determining to exile them in chains* to a distant country, if they did not worship the sun on its rise the following morning. In the meantime, one of the eunuchs of the king, who was a chris- tian, although obliged to conceal his faiths came to the chiefs, and thus advised them : '' Should you," said he, ** be driven into exile, Chris- tianity will perish in Armenia ; for Hazkert will send troops and Magi thither, and forcibly com- pel the inhabitants to embrace the Persian reli- gion. But if you, at this juncture, outwardly profess to yield to the king's wishes, you may again return to your country, and preserve it from the horrors which will otherwise devastate it.** — ^The chiefs reluctantly consented to the advice of the eunuch, and in the morning worshipped the sun in presence of Hazkert. The king, overjoyed at the result of his project, loaded them with honours, and sent them back to Armenia, accompanied by a number of Magi. On their arrival in the province of Zalcote, tht

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