Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/311

 2(5$ BISTORT OF ARHEVrA.

Persian in the neighbourhood, and totally demo^ lished the edifice, which, as we have before ob- served, had been built there by Hazkert. They then dispatched ambassadors to the kings of the Aluans and the Huns, with whom they established a covenant of peace, confirmed by an oath. But while one portion of the Armenians was engaged in such gallant exploits, Vasak the Seunian hav- ing separated himself from the christian church* together with some others, again introduced into Armenia the worship of fire. They again commenced the same scene of blood and torture which had before disgraced the country: many churches were demolished, the priests of which were tortured, and more than one village was totally destroyed. The sons of the chiefs were seized and sent to Persia, and a new agreement was formed with Hazkert, M ihrnerseh, and the chief Magi, to bring the whole of the inha- bitants to the worship of fire. Vasak the Seunian, with his unworthy coadjutors, also wrote to the Greeks, and other nations, accusing Vardan of having rebelled from the king of Persia and from them.

The division of Armenia under the Greeks .was at that time ruled by one Vasak a Mamico- nian. To him also Vasak wrote privately, calumniating the Vardanians. upon which he, no less wicked than his adviser, wrote to the emperor^ and by his representations rendered

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