Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/53

FOUNDATION OF ARMENIA. Haicus, observing their intentions, formed his order of battle, stationing Armenac and his two brothers on the right of his small force, and giving Cadmus with his two sons the charge of the left. He himself took his position in the front, his followers forming a triangle in the rear. The fight then commenced by a charge on the force of Haicus by the invaders. After a short, but bloody conflict, Belus was repulsed; and in endeavouring to effect a retreat to the main body of his army, he fell by an arrow discharged at him by Haicus, which hitting him on his brazen breastplate went through his body. Thus perished Belus at the age of 300 years; the whole of his army, panic-struck at the repulse they had suffered, and the death of their Prince, dispersed and fled. Haicus gathered much spoil from the property which had been left by the invaders in their flight. To commemorate this first success of his descendants in war, he built a village on the spot of his victory, to which he gave the name of "The victory of the Haics". He caused the body of Belus to be embalmed and conveyed to Harc, where it was interred, and a large monument erected over it as a token of respect to his valour and greatness. The place where he fell was thenceforward called the Tombs.

The spoil being distributed amongst the vic-