The word you commanded me to compose, I have completed, O most glorious one! You ordered [me] to recount the Armenian War, where many—not solitary!—distinguished themselves with valor.
Here [is what] I have laid out in these seven sections:
- The Time.
- Events from the actions of the ruler of the East.
- On the unity of the church community.
- The discord among those who split from this community.
- The invasion of the eastern people.
- The resistance of the Armenians by war.
- The continuation of hostilities.
In these seven chapters, I have thoroughly and sequentially laid out the beginning, middle, and end, so that you may read daily, learning of the valor of the good and the disgrace of the deserters—not to quench your thirst for abundant earthly knowledge, but so that you may be touched by the divine providence, which in its foresight prepares retribution for both sides, foreseeing the unseen by the visible.
But you, O great in the knowledge of God, why do you give [me] a commission, when you yourself could accept [someone’s] command regarding [the creation of] more perfect [works]? As it seems to me, and to you, and to those who dwell in wisdom, this is a sign of heavenly love, not earthly ambition. As some of the glorious historians have expressed: “Agreement is the mother of good, disagreement is the parent of evil.”
And we ourselves, looking at the holy love [that conditioned] your command, did not delay or fear, seeing our own insignificance. For righteousness is already something significant, it is meant to be a helper in weakness, like prayer—in knowledge and holy love in matters of common benefit.
And we, having received this love together with your command, willingly set about this composition, which is a consolation for the beloved, a hope for the hopeful, an encouragement for the brave, who voluntarily rushed to death, seeing ahead the victorious commander [Christ], who will not trample anyone in enmity with his feet, but shows everyone his invincible power.
And so, whoever wishes, [will be] accepted as a voluntary martyr. And since the concept of this martyrdom is multifaceted, He distributes various blessings to all. But what we place above all is the holy love that comes from sincere thoughts.
This sincerity is akin to the highest. And we, seeing this in you, forgot our nature. And so, soaring, we ascend with you. And when in high soaring we pass through harmful stormy winds, then, inhaling a little pure mountain air, we will draw knowledge for the salvation of ourselves and for the glory of the all-conquering Church. And let the multitude of holy ministers joyfully perform their due service to the glory of the universal Father, and there with them the Holy Trinity, rejoicing, will rejoice in its carefree essence!
So, having received the command from you, by nature not knowing evil, we will begin, from where it is worthy to start, to lament the misfortunes of our people, although this is contrary to our desire. And so, against our will, in tears, we will tell of the many blows that also touched us and of which we were witnesses.
Section One: That Time
So, after the fall of the Arshakuni dynasty, the Persian Sasanian dynasty came to dominate our Armenian land, ruling by the laws of the Magi and often fighting those who did not follow these laws. Starting from the time of King Arshak, son of Tiran, he fought until the sixth year of Artashes, King of Armenia, son of Vramshapuh.
And when he too was deposed from the kingdom, royal power passed into the hands of the Armenian nakharars, for although taxes were paid to the Persian court, the Armenian cavalry was led in battle entirely by the nakharars. Therefore, freely and with uplifted heads, the worship of God flourished in the Armenian land—from the beginning of the reign of Shapur, King of Kings, to the second year of Yazdegerd, King of Kings, son of Vram.
In him, the devil found an accomplice and poured [into him] accumulated poison, filling him like a quiver with poisoned arrows. And he began to rage in his impiety, filled with arrogance, and, in his fury, sent storms to all four corners of the world. He presented us, believers in Christ, as his enemies and adversaries, and, oppressing us, frightened us with his rebellious nature.
For he greatly loved enmity and bloodshed, and thus found no peace in his soul: “On whom shall I pour the bitterness of my poison?” or: “Where shall I send this multitude of arrows?” And from extreme recklessness, attacking like a raging beast, he devastated everything up to the city of Nisibis and ravaged many regions of the Romans with raids, burning all the churches. He gathered much loot and captives and struck terror into the entire army of the land.
But the blessed Caesar Theodosius, for he was peace-loving in Christ, did not wish to meet him in war, but sent to him with many treasures a man named Anatolius, who was his sparapet of the East. And the Persians, who had fled due to their Christian faith and were in the city of the Caesar, he seized and handed over to his [Yazdegerd’s] hands. And everything that he once spoke of, [Theodosius] fulfilled according to his will and restrained him from great wrath. And he returned to his city of Ctesiphon.
And when this impious ruler saw that his evil deed had succeeded, he began to add another plan, like a man generously throwing wood into a blazing fire. For where he had some fears, he established himself without fear. As a result, he shook many from the holy Christian community, some with threatening words, some with chains and tortures, and some he destroyed with a painful death.
He plundered goods and property and with great reproach tortured everyone. And when he saw that they had scattered and dispersed in different directions, burning and blazing like a furnace, he called a council of left-hand servants, who were bound to idolatry with indissoluble ties, to burn the community of the holy church.
For such people in life dwell as if in thick darkness, and their souls are locked in the body, like the living in a grave, and never does a ray of pure light of Christ penetrate them. Thus, mortally wounded bears fight especially fiercely before their last breath, which is why the wise, yielding, flee from them. Such an end came for this state.
Receiving a blow, [such rulers] do not feel it, and if they strike themselves, they do not realize it. And when there is no enemy outside, they begin to fight and struggle among themselves. The words of the prophet apply to them: “A man, tormented in his hunger, will turn and eat half of his own body.”
Similarly, the Lord himself says: “Every house and kingdom divided against itself cannot stand firm.”
So why do you cry out, struggle, and burn without extinguishing? Why do you call for counsel those who have torn out your souls, exposed your unblemished selves to defilement, and cast out your decayed bodies like loathsome carrion? You truly wish to conceal the design of your wickedness. But you will see: as it is revealed, so you will know its outcome!
The Magi say: “Brave king, the gods have given you your kingdom and victory, but they have no need for material goods, except that you turn all the peoples and tribes in your state to one law—then even the land of the Greeks, having submitted, will obey your laws.
So, O king, immediately follow our call: gather the troops and form an army, go to the land of the Kushans, and gather all the peoples together and force them to pass through the gates of Pakh inside, and there establish your residence. When you stop and lock everyone in a distant foreign land, the designs of your will shall be fulfilled, and as you appear in our prophecies, you will conquer the land of the Kushans, and even the Greeks will not oppose your power. But only eliminate the false teaching of the Christians!”
This advice seemed pleasing to the king and agreeable to his nobles. He wrote letters and sent messengers to all parts of his state. Here is a sample of this decree:
“To all the peoples of my state, Aryans and non-Aryans! May [your blessings] from our philanthropy multiply, live in prosperity, and we ourselves thrive with the help of the gods!
Without disturbing you at all, we went to the land of the Greeks and, without a battle, lovingly and philanthropically conquered the entire country into slavery. Fill yourselves with good thoughts and remain in unending joy, but the matter we speak of, fulfill immediately. We have firmly decided to head to the Eastern land—with the help of the gods to subjugate the state of the Kushans. As soon as you see this message, immediately send the cavalry ahead to meet me in the land of Apar!”
Such a message came to Armenia, and to Iberia, and to Albania, and to Lpink, and to Tsavdek, and to Korduk, and to Aldznik, and to many other distant places, [inhabitants] of which were not previously forced to follow this path. In Greater Armenia, [the king] formed an army from the azats, and the sons of the azats, and the ostaniks from the royal domain.
In the same manner, [he recruited] from Iberia and Albania and from the land of the Lpins, as well as from various southern regions near the border of Tachkastan, and the land of the Romans, and from Korduk, and from Dasn, and from Tsavde, and from Arznarzyun—all of them were believers in the one holy apostolic Church and baptized.
And not discerning, in their innocence, the king’s duplicitous thoughts, each set out from his country, cheerfully, with love for the Lord in their thoughts, to fulfill their military service with sincere faith. They took with them the books of the divine Holy Covenant, [departed] with many church servants and priests.
But they gave orders in [their] country, hoping not for life, but for a mortal end, entrusting their bodies and souls to each other. For although the king’s design was not revealed to them, everyone had suspicions in their minds. And when they especially saw that the power of the Greeks had broken before him [the king], they were completely shaken and struck in their thoughts.
But, as they were accustomed to observing the commandments of the holy covenants of God, they constantly remembered what Paul commanded: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do.”
With all this goodwill, they set out from their country and, relying on the Holy Spirit, came to [the king], fulfilling his command and doing everything according to his will. The king was very pleased that his desires and thoughts were fulfilled, and thus, he acted with them as his servants of impiety instructed.
And when the king saw all the equipment and the multitude of the barbarian army, who had readily come to royal service, he rejoiced even more before the nobles and the entire army. Outwardly, he concealed his own will and plans and was forced to give generously. Together with everyone, he marched against the kingdom of the Huns, whom they call the Kushans, but after fighting with them for two years, he could not affect them at all.
Then he sent warriors to their lands and summoned others, equipped in the same way. He established the same custom for the following years and built a city there for his own residence, starting in the fourth year of his reign and [ending in] the eleventh year of his rule.
And when he saw that the Romans remained faithful to their treaty, which they had established with him, and the Highlanders stopped coming out through the border fortress of Chora, and his country, surrounded on all sides by peace, began to thrive, and he even subdued the king of the Huns, for he devastated many of his provinces, and his power was established [everywhere]—he sent good messengers to all the atrushans of his country, increased the offering of sacrifices to the fire with white bulls and shaggy goats, and greatly intensified the constant service to his impurity; he honored many of the Magi with wreaths and bands and even more of the Magpats. He also gave orders to confiscate the property and possessions of Christians who lived in the very land of the Persians.
Thus, he became proud and arrogant in his thoughts, rising above human nature, becoming insolent not only in earthly military affairs but [even] imagining himself to be someone greater than [allowed by] the nature of the rank inherited from his fathers. Therefore, he hypocritically concealed his thoughts, but as the wise suspected, he seemed to place himself on par with the immortals. And he became enraged at the mere mention of Christ’s name when he heard that He was said to have been tormented, crucified, died, and buried.
And while he was constantly agitated by these mad thoughts, one of the young Armenian nakharars objected to him, saying: “Brave king, how do you know this to speak such words about the Lord?” The king replied: “In my presence, they read the book of your false teaching!” The young man said to him: “Why, O king, did you allow reading only up to this point?
Continue reading, and there you will hear about the resurrection, the appearance before many, the ascension to heaven, the sitting at the right hand of the Father, the promise of the second coming, with the miraculous resurrection of all, and the imminent retribution of righteous judgment!” When the king heard this, he was deeply hurt, but pretended to laugh and said: “All this is lies!” The warrior of Christ replied: “If you believe in His earthly sufferings, all the more believe in His second dreadful coming!”
And hearing this, the king burned like fire in the Babylonian furnace to the point that even his people were scorched like the Chaldeans. Then he poured out all the fury of his wrath on the blessed man named Garegin. He had shackles on his feet and shackles on his hands; the king tortured him for two years and, having taken away his princely power, sentenced him to death.
Excerpt from the book Yeghishe: The Word on the Armenian War, requested by Priest David Mamikonian
