Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/317

 fi74 HISTORY Of ABVBNIA.

eonfusion amongst the Armenians, the Persians tirould have incontestably lost the battle. Aa it was. however^ Vasak. seeing the little fruit he had reaped by his victory, once more had recourse to deceit. The defeated army having taken refuge in their fortresses^ he swore ta them to guarantee what he had formerly pro'^ mised in the name of the Persian monarch, and by this meand induced many to come out of their strong holds. Immediately on their falling into his hands, he perfidiously and cruelly put them to death. Vasak also succeeded in getting St. Joseph, and a few other priests, into hid power, whom he loaded with irons. He then marched against Himayak, the brother of Vardan, who was at the head of a few troops in the country of the Taics. Himayak was defeated^ taken prisoner, and barbarously martyred. The Persians then divided themselves into several detachments, and proceeded to ravage th^ country. The Armenians, driven almost ta despair by the daily outrages committed on them, at length flew to arms, in a body, and furiously attacking the spoilersy completely de« feated them, taking numbers of prisoners. Incited by resentment, they made incursions into Persia, where they burnt down many towns and villages. Mushcan Neusalavurt, the Per** iian general, alarmed at this unforeseen turn of

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