Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/31

 XXX PllEFACE.

mencing with St. Gregory the Illuminator and ending

at the period of his own succession. His works have never

been printed, though more than one manuscript copy

is preserved in the library of the Venetian Conventuals.

Mesrop the Priest flourished in the tenth century.

He was a native of the valley of Voyoz in the village

of Holozim. He wrote a narrative of the memoirs of St.

• Nierses the Great, taken from the history of Phostoa

Byzandensis, with an addition of some prayers and visions.

This work was published in Madras in the year 1775»

Haican era 1224. In the beginning of this edition is

annexed a short account of some events that occurred in

Georgia, of the rise and origin of the Orbelians, and

of the invasion of Armenia by the Tartars. The editor

of this work, however, appears to ascribe the additional

narrative to Mesrop; but from the date of the events

it can easily be perceived, that the author must have been

another individual ; for Mesrop lived in the tenth century»

and the narrative in question extends to the twelfth

century. It cannot, however^ be exactly ascertained by

whom the work was written, though some ascribe it

to Stephen the .Orbelian, who lived about the period of

which it treats.

Stephex of Taron flourished at the end of the tenth century. He is known by the surname of Asolik or Asolnik, and was contemporary with St. Gregorius Narekensis. He wrote a complete History of Armenia from the formation of the nation by Haic to the reign of the Bagratian king Gagik the First, and to the pon- tificate of Sarkies, at whose particular desire he com-

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