[202] After all this, Mushegh, the son of Vasak, assembled the surviving azatagund people and went with them to the Byzantine emperor. [Mushegh] presented the entreaties of the land of Armenia and [an account of] all the calamitous events which had befallen [the Armenians], and he requested from the Byzantine emperor that Pap, Arshak's son, [be made] king of the land of Armenia. The great Byzantine emperor, as requested, enthroned Arshak's son, Pap, as king of the land of Armenia. The Byzantine emperor was very supportive, he dispatched the stratelate named Terent and a certain count Ade along with 6,000,000 [troops to take] king Pap [A.D. 367-374] to the country of Armenia.

They reached the borders of Armenia. And Mushegh was the general sparapet of Armenia in place of his father, Vasak. Then all the dispersed, fugitive, hiding [people] in the country of Armenia, all people in the land of Armenia, the king, grandees, holders of districts and lords of districts, assembled in one place and inquired about [g191] the blessed and great patriarch Nerses, [203] For they knew that he was able to pray and beseech God for the cultivation of the entire land of Armenia, to save it from enemies, and that God gave him whatever he requested of Him. Furthermore, with his wisdom he would be able to offer them useful advice. Consequently [the whereabouts] of this man were of no small concern. For he could grace them with his wise advice, and, as events would unfold, he could give his useful opinions about which road they should travel.

So king Pap himself with the nobility of Armenia went and found the archbishop Nerses. [Pap] beseeched [Nerses] that he become the father and leader in beneficial advice for the Armenians, and that he beseech [God] for them. With great effort, they were barely able to persuade him to go with them to the court banak. For from the time of the death of Gnel, until the time of Pap's reign, [Nerses] did not go to the court banak. But this time, with great entreaties, they took him along with them to the court banak. He was their supervisor, advice-giver, arranger, and leader. He was always beseeching God for them. He led with wisdom, always shared their cares, eliminating sorrows with his prayers. For everyone, he appeared to be the father, in everything.

[204] Then the sparapet Mushegh arranged and organized all the brigades of the Armenian troops, and held a review of all the troops of the brigade. He had 10,000 [men] available. In the presence of king Pap, the great chief-priest Nerses, before Terent and Ade the Byzantine military commanders, Mushegh, sparapet of Armenia, conducted a military review of the Armenian troops, organized, prepared and armed for warfare, with banners fluttering and emblems waving. Pap, king of Armenia, was very grateful, and bestowed very great [g192] gifts on general Mushegh. The Byzantine military commanders were also very grateful to him, and archbishop Nerses blessed general Mushegh saying: "May the Lord Christ bless you and your successors, and grant you the grace of victory all the days of your life. May He save the country of Armenia by your hand and the hand of your azg, for all eternity."

The general of Armenia, Mushegh, organized and prepared a brigade and then advanced with the Armenian brigade. They went as a vanguard before king Pap and the Byzantine troops of the imperial brigade. In the district of Daranaghik', Mushegh attacked like a wolf, [205] and as the advance-guard reached the interior of Armenia, Mushegh killed the Iranian military commanders Karen and Zik. He put everyone of the troops to the sword, sparing no one. To the natural borders of Ganjak in Atrpatakan, he seized the country and held it forcibly.

King Pap entered the country of Armenia and ruled over it. He took back all the very secure fortresses which the Iranians had seized, including the Daroynk' fortress in the Kog country where an extremely great amount of the Arsacids' treasures was kept. The fortress-keepers had remained loyal. For from the time that they took king Arshak of Armenia to Iran, the Iranians were fighting with that fortress, but could not take it. So it remained until king Pap came to the country of Armenia; the treasure had been preserved and went to king Pap in its entirety when he returned. The Byzantine troops [which were] at Erand and Baxish, divided among all of the districts in the country of Armenia. The malefactor Meruzhan was the only one to escape, fleeing on a horse.

[206] Mushegh, the general of the Armenians, circulated about the country, destroying the atrushans of the Mazdeans. Sparapet Mushegh ordered that all Mazdeans whom they seized should be roasted over the flames. They killed wickedly many fortress-keepers as [g193] well as many respected lords, who were honored in the presence of the king of Iran. Mushegh had them arrested and had them flayed, stuffed with hay, and hanged on the walls. He did this in many places to avenge his father, Vasak.

They [re]built all the places ruined by the enemy, and rennovated the churches. The kingdom gradually revived and affairs were gradually put in order. Blessed Nerses, the wise patriarch, directed, illuminated, advised, arranged, and built a resting-place for the poor, as he was naturally accustomed to. [Nerses] even set out the conduct of the kingdom with the most goodly religion, as it had been in the days of the ancient kings. He especially renewed the orders of church worship, of bishops, priests and deacons, he rennovated the martyriums of the Church renewing, teaching, and facillitating.

[207] Mushegh, the general of Armenia, arranged his brigade and went to the borders to remain there guarding the borders of his country, protecting his land by the order of his king, Pap.

Mushegh, the son of Vasak, the stratelate of Greater Armenia, selected choice men from the azats and his relatives (some 40,000) men who were united and of one will. Organizing them with horses, stipends and weapons, he took them with him and went to the borders of Atrpatchank' to protect the land of Armenia. At that time Shapuh, the king of Iran, organized and prepared, and with the entire organization of his troops, came to the Atrpayakan country. Meruzhan was the guide of his banak's brigade. The king's main banak was encamped at T'awresh [g194].

The sparapet general of Armenia, Mushegh, fell upon the banak with 40,000 [troops], and put his sword to work. The king of Iran, Shapuh, barely escaped by a hairsbreadth and fled on a horse, though Mushegh and the Armenian troops put the entire caravan of the banak to the sword. They killed many [people], arrested many Iranian nobles, [208] took as loot the treasures of the Iranian king, and seized the queen-of-queens along with other women. Sparapet Mushegh captured the entire mashkawarzan [royal-pavilion] and he ordered that all the nobility, some six hundred men, be flayed and stuffed with hay. He had this brought to Pap, the king of Armenia. He did this to avenge his father, Vasak.

However Mushegh, the general of Armenia, did not allow anyone to dishonor the women of king Shapuh of Iran. Rather he had palanquins prepared for all of them and then sent them all after their man, king Shapuh. He also dispatched to Shapuh, king of Iran, some of the Iranians, so that they might go before the king well and unharmed. Now the king of Iran was surprised by Mushegh's benevolence, his bravery and freedom that he had not perpetrated any insults on his women. At that time Mushegh had a white horse. So when Shapuh, king of Iran, took in hand wine to drink, while feasting and making merry with his troops, he said: "May the white horseman drink wine." He had a picture of Mushegh on the white horse, [engraved] on a cup, and when rejoiclng he would put the cup before him and always recall in the same way: "May the white horseman drink wine."

[209] Mushegh and all the Armenian troops filled up with an unlimited amount of loot, treasures and goods from the Iranian banak. They kept a large share of the loot for their king, Pap, a share for [g195] those Armenian troops who had remained with king Pap, [a share] for the Byzantine generals who were with the king of Armenia, and similarly, and a share for all the troops, from that enormous amount of loot they had taken. Now when the Armenian troops returned to their own land, many of the Armenian soldiers accused the sparapet Mushegh before king Pap, saying: "Why did he release the women of the Iranian king, our enemy"? As a reult of this matter the king of Armenia, Pap, for a long time felt no small hostility toward Mushegh.

[People] told king Pap about the way Hayr mardpet had insulted king Pap's mother tikin P'arhanjem when she was besieged in the fortress. For [Hayr] had entered the fortress secretly and insulted the tikin as though she were a whore, then he slipped out and fled. They told this entire story to the king. Now when the mardpet Hayr was circulating about his principality in the Taron country, Mushegh, the sparapet of Armenia was in the same district, at his [210] fortress which was called Oghakan, and was located by the Euphrates river. An emissary came from king Pap to Mushegh, the general of Armenia, bearing with him a hrovartak which contained the order to wickedly kill the mardpet Hayr. As soon as [Mushegh] had this order in hand he treacherously sent to the mardpet Hayr for him to come to him at Oghakan, supposedly to be exalted. This occurred during the winter, and the Euphrates river was frozen over. So the mardpet [g196] Hayr, as if going to receive honors, went to the fortress of Oghakan. General Mushegh ordered the troops to seize, and totally strip him, and to tie his hands below his knees. [He ordered them] to lower him down to the river and to put him on the frozen ice. And thus did he perish. The next day when they went to look, they noticed that his brain had oozed out of his nose from the cold. In his place as "Father" in the mardpetut'iwn they put a certain man named Dgghak, who, had been involved in the work of the mardpetut'iwn during the days of king Arshak, or of his father, Tiran.

After this the king of Iran again held a muster of all his forces and troops. With all his troops he went to the land of [211] Atrpayakan. He himself remained there with a few people but he sent the entire multitude of the troops to war against king Pap. When the Iranian troops came, they raided the interior land of Armenia. Now Pap, the king of Armenia, ordered that a muster be held at Bagawan. The Byzantine troops which were at Erhand and Baxish assembled in one place by king Pap, digging a trench around their banak near mount Npat, close to the Euphrates river. They were organized and prepared for battle.

Then the general sparapet of Armenia, Mushegh, assembled all the Armenian troops and organized them in readiness, [g197] more than 90,000 men. Now while king Shapuh of Iran was deploying his forces against the land of Armenia and against the Byzantine troops, the king of Aghuania, Urhnayr, happened to be with the Iranian king. Urhnayr came forward and requested a favor from king Shapuh of Iran, saying: "If you would, oh bravest of men, order as a favor to me that I go with my brigade as a champion against the brigade of Pap, king of the Armenians. It is appropriate for the Aryan brigade to go against the Byzantine forces, so let me go against the Armenian [212] princes with my brigade." King Shapuh consented, thanked him, and so ordered. But Meruzhan Arcruni replied to Urhnayr, saying: "You have promised a lot, but there will be great amazement if you can do it". Meruzhan secretly sent this intelligence to Mushegh, the general of Armenia, by means of a messenger, and he said: "Be aware and be ready, Mushegh, for the king of Aghuania, Urhnayr, with great boasting has requested [fighting] you as a favor. So look to what you are doing."

While the Iranian troops were coming against the Armenians, having Urhnayr, king of Aghuania, along with them, the Aghuanian king spoke to the men in his brigade: "I am telling you something now to remember later on. When you have arrested the Byzantine troops, allow many of them to live. For we will bind them and take them to Aghuania and put them to work making bricks, as stone-cutters, and masons [creating] what is useful for our cities, mansions, and whatever else." When the two brigades, of the Byzantines and the Iranians approached each other and were preparing to clash, [213] king Pap of Armenia himself armed, organized, prepared, and wanted to go into battle. But Terent, the Byzantine general, did not permit him to fight. Rather, he said: "The Byzantine emperor sent us to come and protect you. Now, should [g198] something happen to you, how could we face our king, or what answer could we give him? If we remain alive here, without you, and if we reach our emperor, we would be criminally responsible before our emperor. But king, you do as we tell you. Take the archbishop of Armenia, Nerses, and both of you go up onto Npat mountain to a secure and safe place. Let the blessed chief-archbishop Nerses pray and beseech the Lord that He give us the victory. From the height you will look and see the detemined labors of the battle, the bravery and cowardice, all of which will be accomplished before you."

King Pap was persuaded. He took with him the great chief-priest Nerses and went up onto mount Npat. All the Byzantine and Armenian troops were descending to the place of battle. Then the general sparapet of Armenia, Mushegh, came up bringing his emblems and weapon to the archbishop Nerses so that [Nerses] would bless him, and he would descend to the battle. At that moment king Pap recalled the old stories and said: "I remember that Mushegh is a friend of king Shapuh of Iran. Is this not the same Mushegh who released the women of king Shapuh of Iran, with palanquins and camp soldiers? And I have [214] also heard that [Mushegh] speaks to the Iranians. Let him not enter the battle!"

The great archbishop Nerses intercedsd with king Pap on behalf of the general of Armenia, Mushegh. But king Pap said to the archbishop Nerses: "Do not be a mediator. For as soon as [Mushegh] descends, he will join the Iranian troops." But [Nerses] redoubled his intercession. Since at that time the king did not stray from what [Nerses] said, he responded: "Let your will be done. But first administer an oath to him by your right hand, that he will not deceive us, and then release him to the battle." So they called Mushegh before the king, and he came and prostrated himself for the king. Then, holding the right hand of archbishop Nerses, he swore [g199]. He also held king Pap's hand and swore: "I shall live and die for you as my ancestors did for your ancestors, as my father did for your father, Arshak, so I will do for you. Only do not give ear to slanderers."

Then Nerses, the chief-priest of Armenia, blessed him with many blessings. Pap, king of Armenia, ordered that his own steed and spear be offered to that brave man, general Mushegh. However, he did [215] not accept them. "I will use my own, king," he said, "whatever you give, I am on your side." Then [Mushegh] offered his emblem and weapon to Nerses for him to bless. He mounted his horse with his brigade taking the Armenian front to the right of the Byzantine troops, and he moved the right wing forward.

Now king Pap and archbishop Nerses were up on Npat mountain. Blessed Nerses, raising his arms to Heaven asked the Lord to protect His covenant and His holy Church, which He had received through His venerable blood, and that He not give over the people to the hands of godless pagans, so that the pagans never ask: "Where is their God?" While he was praying to God, the entire Armenian force went against the Iranian troops like a fire. The Musheghean brigade was out in advance of the other brigades and was moving swiftly. The king was watching but the emblems of Mushegh were not discernible by him. When he did not see those emblems, king Pap began to shout to Nerses, saying: "You deceived and burned me. For I told you not to send that man into battle. Now, lo, he had joined the Iranian troops and is doing very great harm." Archbishop Nerses replied: "No, king, do not think that. For that man will not betray us. You yourself will see the bravery which your servant works before you."

[216] Now king Pap greatly pressured the archbishop Nerses, saying: "Keep praying [g200] and beseech the Lord since they are still fighting." When archbishop Nerses was very fatigued, he said to king Pap [Translator's note: Nerses, in a lengthy passage which we omit, urges Pap to pray and mend his ways] [g201].

While [Nerses] was on the mountain, he spoke these words, and many others to the same effect to king Pap who was with him. Until evening, till sunset, till the battle ended [Nerses] offered many and diverse prayers.

During the battle, God's aid had come to the Byzantines, and the Hayastan brigade was victorious while the brigade of the Iranians turned and fled, dispersing over the plain, high mountains and deep valleys. But the Byzantine and Armenian troops pursued them and when they caught up, they killed great and small alike. However a few [Iranian] braves fled. They were pursued by the Armenian troops as far as Ganjak in Atrpayakan, as far as the borders of Armenia. Many of the fugitives were killed on the road. Mushegh, the sparapet of Armenia, struck the Iranian troops with incredible blows. Then he encountered the Aghuanian brigade and generally killed all of the troops. He caught up with Urhnayr, the king of Aghuania, who was fleeing [217] and with the shaft of his spear [Mushegh] struck [Urhnayr] on the head many times, saying: "Be grateful that you are a king and have a crown. I will not kill a king even if I am put into great straits." And [Mushegh] permitted him to flee to the land of Aghuania, with eight cavalrymen.

When all the Armenian troops returned, there was no limit to the [number of] heads of champions which the general of Armenia, Mushegh, brought before the king of Armenia, Pap. Similarly, in accordance with each one's level, all the naxarars and grandees and all the troops [brought heads]. There was great triumph in the country of Armenia and among the Byzantine troops. They filled up with much loot of treasures, of weapons and ornaments, with gold, silver, and much equippage, with the horses, mules and camels which they took. There was so much of it that there was no number or measure for describing it.

However [some people] went to the great king Pap with slanderous accusations about general Mushegh, saying: "Be aware, king, that [g203] [218] [Mushegh nurses] great treachery toward you and awaits your death. He is always releasing your enemies. He has laid hands on many of them, numerous times but is accustomed to releasing the enemies. He released king Urhnayr, an adversary of yours whom he had seized, and allowed him to live." Because of this incident, on many occasions there was ill-will between king Pap and general Mushegh, and [Pap] frequently reprimanded him. But general Mushegh answered king Pap as follows: "I killed all those who were my peers. Those who wear a crown are not my peers, but yours. Come, just as I killed my [peers] do you kill yours. I have never, do not, and will not lay my hands on a king. If you want to kill me, do so. But should a king fall into my clutches as has happened many times, I will not kill him, even if I am slain."

When king Pap heard these words, be began to cry, got up from his chair, embraced Mushegh, and wept upon Mushegh's neck, saying: "Worthy of death are those who dare to speak ill of Mushegh, a brave and honorable man. By azg he is as honorable as we, his ancestors as our aneestors. For his ancestors left the kingdom of the land of Chenk', and came to our ancestors here. They lived and [219] died for our ancestors; his father died for my father. He has loyally labored to the point of death. Often God has given us victory through the prayers and requests of our father, the miraculous Nerses, and we were favored with much peace through [Mushegh]. So why do they tell me 'Mushegh awaits your death?' Behold, he is a judicious man, who spared foreign kings out of friendship. So why would he harm his natural lords?" Then Pap favored general Mushegh with many gifts, honors, and villages [g204].

Urhnayr, the king of Aghuania, sent some information to Mushegh via messanger: "I have great thanks for you for not putting me to death. God put me in your hands, and you spared me. For the rest of my life I will not forget your affection. However, I am informing you that the king of Iran, Shapuh, with all of his troops is coming to fall upon you unawares." Then the stratelate of the Byzantines organized the troops which were with him, and headed toward the borders of Armenia, from the side of Ganjak in Atrpayakan tun. Similarly the sparapet Mushegh assembled all the Armenian troops. There were 90,000 well-armed, select men, spear in hand, to say nothing about the shield-bearers. According to the tip, they hastened [220] quickly to their border. Only the king remained in the land of Armenia. Archbishop Nerses also remained in the land and ordered everyone throughout the land to pray for the troops fighting in the war.

Now king Shapuh of Iran came with all his troops to the place of battle, and found the Byzantine troops and the Armenian brigade organized and prepared to fight. [The armies] clashed. The Iranian troops were defeated. The brigades of spearmen attacked especially ferociously, bravely hurling to the ground champions, seated upon their horses, and this in the presence of king Shapuh of Iran. And as [the Iranians] fell, all of the forces of the Armenian warriors would shout excitedly [g205], constantly: "Take him, brave Arshak." Indeed all the champions, when they killed someone in fighting would dedicate him to their brave king Arsak, saying, with regard to the slain person: "Be a sacrifice to our king Arshak." When the champions, the noble Armenian spearmen attacked and threw down the Iranian spearmen, they would say in encouragement: "Take him, brave Arshak!" And when they killed and beheaded the champion, they would say: "Be a sacrifice for Arsak."

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