Fourth Book

When there was agreement and great peace between the king of Byzantium and the king of Iran, Nerseh, with the two of them affectionately implementing the desires of the other, the emperor of Byzantium returned the captives of the king of Iran. And Nerseh, king of Iran, enthroned Tiran's son, Arshak, and sent him, his father, their women, all the captives, their treasures and belongings [back to Armenia] with great glory. Arshak, king of Greater Armenia, having become king in the country of Asorestan, came and reached the country of Armenia together with his father and entire family. He assembled the dispersed folk of the country and reigned over them.

There was great peace in that time. All the concealed, the [g75] fugitives and the missing of the country of Armenia assembled, and dwelled in great peace without suspicion under the protection of king Arshak. Then [the people of] the land of Armenia were ordered, organized and at peace between the two kings, and [78] thereafter each person dwelled in peace enjoying his own creations.

At that time king Arshak [350-367] raised the question of the tohm of the generals, the azg of the Mamikonean braves, especially since they had been his dayeaks and nourishers. He went and found them in the strongholds of their land of Tayk' and brought them back into confidence (for during the period of Tiran's madness, they had split and broken with communication and from all Armenian affairs). The king established the senior brother Vardan in the nahapetut'iwn of his azg; the middle brother, Vasak, his dayeak, in the sparapetut'iwn, the generalship in charge of military affairs; and the youngest was appointed [to look after] the needs of the troops. Similarly, all the azgs of the troops of the grandee nahapets were returned as had been the case under former kings, each to his proper station. He also placated [79] the grandees, dividing the troops of each one on all sides, and appointing border-guards for the borders of Armenia.

Thus was the lordship of the kingdom of Armenia renewed and clarified, as it had been previously: each of the grandees on his gah, and each official according to his station. The first office of the hazarapetut'iwn, [the office] concerned with looking after the land and keeping it cultivated, [went to] the Gnunik' azg [in charge of] making the shinakans flourish; [the offical was] [g76] hazarapet of the entire country. Similarly [the function] of sparapetut'iwn-stratelate, the generalship [in charge] of warfare of military fronts [went to] the Mamikonean azg, the aghanazgik', aghanadroshk' [banners], with the symbol of an eagle, emblazoned with a bird, the fearless, brave-hearted renowned champions, well-formed, well-reputed doers of good deeds, successful in military matters. [They were placed] in the natural orders of their ancestors, over the entire principality, over all the troops of the generalship, [over] the multitude of Greater Armenia, this victorious azg, which was always successful, favored by heaven, [the Mamikoneans] [80] well-named and brave [designated] in the great nahapetut'iwn of war. Aside from these azgs, [Arshak appointed] officials from lower [azgs] who sat before the king on cushions, their patiws on their heads. Not counting the grandee nahapets and tanuters, those who were only officials [comprised] nine hundred cushions, [individuals] who entered the tachar at the time of merry banquets; to say nothing of the attendants, officials who stood.

There assembled before king Arshak the grandees, the nahapets of many azgs, of many tohms, the lords of brigades and banners, all the satrapal naxarars, azats, pets, princes, generals, border-guards, in one united assembly. [They had assembled] to ponder and take counsel as to who should be their leader, who was worthy [81] of sitting on the patriarchal throne and shepherding the rational flock of Christ. This thought found general acceptance among all the attendees, that they select a leader from the tun of Gregory's survivors. All of them said to the king: "Just as God [g77] renewed your kingdom, so it is necessary to renew the spiritual nahapetut'iwn through [Gregory's] descendants. For when that throne is restored, then the moral splendor of the land of Armenia will be restored.

Then the ashxarhazhoghov zork' of that multitude expressly requested Nerses (At'anagenes' son, the chief-priest Yusik's grandson, who was V'rt'anes' son, who was the son of Gregory the great, the first chief-priest). [Nerses'] mother was Bambish, the sister of king Tiran. During his youth, leading a lay life, he had married. From childhood he had been nourished and educated in the city of Cappadocia, Caesarea by faithful vardapets and was beloved by his classmates. At that time he was a military official, the beloved chamberlain of king Arshak, responsible for all the internal and external arrangements in the life of the realm.

[82] He was a tall man, of pleasing size and captivating beauty, so much so that his equal in good looks could not be found in the world. Everyone looking at him found him desirable, amazing and venerable, and he displayed enviable courage in military training. He had the fear of God in his heart and stringently upheld His commandments. He was humane, pure and modest, very intelligent, unbiased, just, humble, a lover of the poor, proper in married life, and perfect in the love of God. He dealt with his comrades in accordance with the commandment—to love one's comrade as oneself. Similarly in military matters he had a perfectly virtuous behavior. From his childhood onward he lived according to the Lord's commandments, with justice, purity, and serving his comrades. He never tired, with a zeal for God in his heart; he was accomplished in everything, burning with the holy Spirit. He loved the poor and afflicted and kept a watchful eye on them, to the point that he shared his clothing and food with them; he was a helper and superintendent to the oppressed and anguished, and he encouraged all the dispossessed [g78].

[83] Now while [Nerses] stood at the king's side in service, wearing his military dress adorned with the attractive ornaments on his robe, of tall height, with his attractive hairstyle, bearing aloft the royal sword of steel with its golden sheath, with his belt of costly gems decorated with pearls, those at the atean generally raised a shout, saying: "Let Nerses be our shepherd." When he heard this, he cried out in protest, regarding himself as unworthy, and not wanting to consent. But he saw that all of them insisted on the same thing in the king's presence: "We do not want anyone else as our shepherd but [Nerses]. No one but he will sit on that throne." But since, out of modesty, he did not consider himself worthy, he came forward and began speaking a little bit falsely about himself. He started to accuse himself of impieties and sins which he [in fact] had not committed.

But the multitude, upon hearing this and knowing that he was making up falsehoods, together with the king grew weak from laughter. The troops were all clamoring: "Let your sins be upon us and upon our sons, and your impieties as well. Do you restore for us your [great grand]father's deeds and leadership." But since [Nerses] had no other way of answering them, [said the following] to wound the [84] troops: "You are impious and obscene. I am unable to be your shepherd, or to take on your sins. I cannot respect or bear your wickedness. Today you like me crookedly; tomorrow you will be my enemies and haters, and make me your scourge. Leave me alone. Perhaps, without cares, I will pass my life of tribulations and sins in accordance with my unworthiness, awaiting the eternal judgement of the next life." The multitude of troops raised a cry [g79] saying: "It is just you, the sinner, who must be our shepherd." It was God's providence that the people were so insisting. king Arshak, in his animalic fury, seized and pulled toward himself the royal sword with the belt which Nerses bore in attendance on the king according to the rules of the chamberlain-ship (senekapetut'iwn), and removed it from him. Then he ordered that [Nerses] be bound in his presence, that his attractive, curly locks (which had no equal) be sheared, and that the comely robe be torn off. He also commanded that they garb him in clerical clothing. He gave the order, and they summoned an aged bishop, named P'awstos, and had him ordain [Nerses] into the deaconship. But while they were cutting his hair, because of its beauty, many who heard about this [85] or saw it wept at how his beauty had been altered. But when they saw him adorned with Christian beauty, many rejoiced that, thanks [to God] the benevolent, he had been called to be the trustee of the house of Christ.

It was the Lord Who had awakened the thought in all of them to request him as their shepherd, someone who could be their leader and show them the path of Life. While [Nerses] was still in military garb, the inner man was dressed in Christian clothing and he personified noble behavior. With the expectation he had, he had been crucified with Christ, buried with Him, with the love of faith he had died for sins, and awaited resurrection with the hope of justice. Thus truly was he deserving of the throne of the patriarchs, of the place of his fathers the leaders, of the throne of the Apostle Thaddeus, and the inheritance of his physical as well as spiritual father, Gregory. But it was the Lord Who summoned him to such a calling, and placed the thought in everyone's mind to demand him as worthy of it. But [Nerses] [g80] (out of great piety and humility) considered himself undeserving of this great dignity of God which they placed on him; but it was through force, unity [of the assembly] and the command of God. For regarding him, it had been said to his ancestors, to Yusik, in a vision from God, [86] that a man would be born to his son who would be the light of the world.

Then the grandee princes assembled to take the coveted Nerses to the place where they were accustomed to annoint the patriarchs. The multitude of Armenian bishops assembled near the king to think about this matter. All of them elected him unanimously and it pleased them all to seat him on the throne of leadership. With the unanimous consent of the bishops, the king and the ashxarhaxorh [participants], [the following delegates] were dispatched:

Hayr, the great prince of the mardpetut'iwn,
Bagarat, the great prince of the aspetut'iwn,
Daniel, the great prince of Cop'k',
Mehandak Rheshtuni,
Andovk, prince of Siwnik',
Arshawir, prince of Shirak and Arsharunik',
Noy, prince of the other Cop'k',
and Pargew, prince of the Amatunik' tun.

All [of these dignitaries] were organized and dispatched with many presents, very great gifts, and reliable hrovartaks to Eusebius, the kat'oghikos of kat'oghikoi, to the country of Cappadocia and its [87] capital city of Caesarea, so that they ordain the blessed Nerses into the kat'oghikosate of Greater Armenia there [g81.]

Cheerfully rejoicing they arrived and saw there the kat'oghikos of kat'oghikoi, the blessed, renowned, venerable, and marvellous Eusebius. They presented king Arshak's hrovartak to him and brought the gifts before him. He received them with affection and great exaltation, and in accordance with canonical custom, the great archbishop Eusebius assembled the multitude of blessed bishops, in accordance with Apostolic custom to ordain the blessed Nerses to be archbishop of Greater Armenia. Great miracles took place. For as he entered the church, a white dove descended over the altar, facing the priesthood and all the people. And when Eusebius the chief archbishop and the priests with him entered, including a chief presbyter named Barsighios, the dove flew from the altar and perched on him, remaining there for many hours. When the hour approached that they wished to ordain Nerses, the dove flew from the blessed Basil and perched on the head of Nerses.

When these miracles and signs from God occurred over this man, all of the people and the great archbishop Eusebius were astonished. They all cried out: "You have pleased God, and the Spirit [88] of God alighted upon you, for this resembled the time when the most Holy Spirit appeared over the Lord." Then they ordained and seated him upon the throne of the episcopate, revering him. And many said encomia to him (which means that the Holy Spirit rested on him). But [Nerses] more than ever, regarded himself as unworthy of this. With very great pomp they put [Nerses] and the grandee naxarars, the satraps of Armenia, on their way.

With remarkable spiritual glory they reached the country of Armenia. king Arshak went out to meet them, as far as the mountain called Arhewc. There they met with [g82] great happiness and filled with the blessing of greeting, they, returned to the land. The blessed Nerses sat upon the patriarchal throne; during his shepherdhood there was much peace in the land. For in his conduct and course he resembled his father, the great Gregory, possessing the most goodly paternal behavior. He restored the father's Apostolic graces, and similarly showed the same concern to preserve [his flock] unharmed from visible and invisible enemies.

[89] He especially resembled the first trees and during the course of his teaching he brought forth the same and similar ripe fruits for all, offering them generously, nourishing them with the spiritual field. He was so filled with graces that he worked very great miracles, cured the sick wherever it was necessary, and putting those in error upon the [correct] path. He accomplished these great miracles: when he saw someone extremely stubborn, he convinced that person by inspiring him with awe; as for the obedient (the ears of whose souls were open), he convinced them with preaching.

He rebuilt the ruined churches and erected the destroyed altars. Those of little faith he confirmed in full atonement so that, believing in God, they would be able to live. He consoled the believers with the hope of eternal good gifts. He again made the throne of Thaddeus flourish, and was a son like his fathers. Reprimanding the slanderers, he stopped their mouths, he obstructed impiety as well as the words and deeds of such people. And he battled even to the death for Truth. He encouraged and defended the side of justice, and with the rain of his doctrine he nourished and made luxuriant the profitable and just deeds, with blessing. [This was done] throughout all the boundaries of Greater Armenia; where his fathers before had sown the preaching of the Word of Life, he irrigated it with his rain. The reaping mshak, [90] he caused the plant to grow, becoming a co-worker of the seeders, [g83] and he stored the abundant results in the graineries of the kingdom. He was a substitute and co-worker of his preceding mshak fathers.

He held within himself unrelatable powers, and was extremely concerned with the orders of clemency, First, he himself did good deeds; then, he gave others the example of benevolence, with doctrinal words exhorting everyone, and opening the closed doors of their minds toward good. He taught the most goodly love, hope, faith, purity, sweetness, meekness and freedom from revenge, [He exhorted] having care for providing for the poor, and gave hope that [the merciful] would be recompensed at the time of Christ's promised [second] coming, when judgement would be forged by inextinguishable fire. He threatened eternal evils, also recalling the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He inspired such fear that all the believers dwelling in the boundaries of Armenia willingly offered up and shared their belongings with their poor, doing this happily and joyfully. [91] [Nerses] went to the district of Taron and assembled all the bishops of the land of Armenia. They gathered in the village of Ashtishat, where the first church had been built, for that was the mother of the churches, and the site of synodical assemblies of [their] ancestors. All of them came to this consentual assembly, and held a beneficial consultation to implement the lay orders of the Church and [arrange] the general [canons] of the faith. Then they arranged, organized, made canons and devised [others] and all the people of the country of Armenia [became] like a general community of monastics, except for the laws of marriage. The blessed archbishop Nerses extended over all the canons stipulated by the Apostles. He advised all, exhorting, and guiding toward benevolence. First he did it, then he taught all of them the same thing. He ordered that the same be implemented in all the lands, districts, areas, regions and corners in the boundaries of Armenia. [He] declared that they should designate [g84] appropriate places and build poor-houses, that the diseased, lepers, crippled and all the afflicted be gathered. They set up for them leprosaria and hospitals, and stipends and provisions for the poor. [92] For the great archbishop Nerses so ordered and everyone at the blessed assembly was in agreement, so that such people would remain in their own stations and not go forth in their tribulations to beg, and never go out of their own doors, but rather that everyone would be responsible for [caring for] them. He said it was necessary that the order of the land not be corrupted, but rather that it was fitting that everyone generally with mercy and piety take them provisions and that their needs be taken care of.

He built such [institutions] and arranged, organized and established many other charities, instructing the land. He established many other orders of patrimonial canons. He advised that [people] should always consider the hope of resurrection and not think that human death was final, without the hope of returning to life. Consequently they should not, in despair, carry out the crime of excessive mourning and unlimited lamentation for the departed. Rather, with the hope of the Lord's coming, [93] they should expect the renewal of resurrection and await the Lord's coming when everyone would receive eternal recompense in accordance with their deeds. [He also advised] that they be canonical in marriage, not to deceive or be treasonous toward their spouses, and especially to avoid marriage with relatives or admixture between tohm-members of the [same] azg, relations [g85] with sisters-in-law/daughters-in-law or anything resembling it. [He advised adherence to] the canon totally rejecting the eating of carrion and blood, or approaching menstruating [women]. Before the Lord, all of that is regarded as impure.

[He condemned] treachery, secret accusation, greed, the evil-eye, lust, dispossession, homosexuality, effeminacy, slander, immoderate drinking, gluttony, ravishment, prostitution, vengeance against enemies, falseness, hostility, cruelty, the swearing of false oaths, killing with bloodshed, the obscenity of bestiality, not having faith in the [second] coming and resurrection, hopelessly weeping for the dead—he regarded all of these as the same abyss of ruination. He commanded the entire [94] land, especially the king, all the grandees, and everyone who held authority over his fellow, to have mercy toward their servants, their juniors, and students, to love them like family and not to harrass them with unworthy and especially exorbitant taxes, more than the measure. They should remember that the Lord of heaven is for them too. Similarly he commanded the servants, to be faithful and obedient to their lords, for their reward will come from the Lord.

In his day there was peace and rennovation in all of the churches; the prestigious honor of all the bishops throughout all the places of Greater Armenia grew; the church orders blossomed and completely glistened, the orders of the cathedral churches were established in all comliness, the orders of holy worship grew, and the number of clerics increased. The orders of the Church increased in both the shens [cultivated] and the non-shen places, as did the number of clerics.

In various places in all the districts of Armenia, [Nerses] set up Greek and Syrian schools. He effected the salvation and return from captivity of many oppressed and tormented captives [g86]; [95] he freed half by preaching of the awe of Christ' s glory, while the others he freed by paying ransom. And thus he returned each to his place. He gave rest and provisions to widows, orphans, and the indigent, while the poor were always with him, joyfully. His tachar and table was always frequented by the poor, foreigners, and guests. He was so fond of the poor that although he had built all the poor-houses throughout all the districts, stipulating provisions for them (so that they would not have to labor beyond arising from their beds), nonetheless, without them he did not hold tachar. The lame, the blind, the crippled, the deaf, the disabled, the wanting and needy sat with him at table and were fed. With his own hands he washed them all, annointing, bandaging [the wounds], with his hands he divided the food, and spent all [his] belongings for their needs. All the foreigners remained and rested under his shade.

Whatever he did, he taught others to do. Pure, sentient and alert, he made everyone ready for the Word of God. Like the prophets and Apostles, he taught mercy, saying: "You must atone your sins with mercy, and your impieties with kindness and offerings to the poor." He recalled the Apostles, who, to care [96] for the poor, elected the great proto-martyr and proto-deacon Stephen with his comrades, for whom the heavens opened and for this work was made worthy of seeing the Son at the right side of God the Father.

[He recalled] Aycemik [Gazelle], her mercy, the lament of the widows and how Peter the great [Apostle] brought back to life [this woman] who had departed this life and died. He said: [g87] "[The Apostle] Paul told how when Jacob, Kephas and John, the true pillars saw how I was given the great grace, and that I was finding success in preaching the Gospel among the uncircumcised (as they were among the circumcised), they gave me yet more liberty, and agreed that I and Barnabas [should preach] among the pagans, as they did among the circumcised. But they commanded me to have concern for the poor, just as I have been laboring to do".

Similarly, and more so, [did Nerses recall] the Lord's words regarding the wealthy man [mecatun], who had fulfilled all the commandments, but then heard from the Lord that [he must] sell his goods and give to the poor, and find his treasure in heaven. And then, that it is easier for a thick rope to pass through the eye of [97] a needle than for a rich greedy man to enter the Kingdom of God. And: "You made your friends through unjust simony," which receive you under their eternal taxes. Or as Paul himself, so zealous to do good, urged all of the people, saying: "Follow affection, and pursue the spiritual." Or, with what enthusiasm the Achaeans served the saints in Macedonia, he inspired the listeners and encouraged them to do good virtuous deeds without hindrance, saying: " It is good to be zealous for good." And again he strived that all should follow Christ. "Look," he said, "to Christ the commander of the faith and the implementer." "Remember your leaders and overseers for the Lord, who preached the word of Life for you; see their course and resemble them in the faith." And at the same time he said: "Let every one of you who believes in Jesus Christ think this way." "Jesus started to work and to teach." Then recalling the Lord's goodly brother Jacob in his letter: "Brothers, take example from the prophets who suffered long torments for the name of the Lord. Hear the story of Job's patience, look to the Lord's death."

[Nerses] preached these and similar things, at all times [g88]. Day and night, he did not cease preaching and protesting. With the Holy Spirit which dwelled within him, wisely, throughout the course of his entire life Nerses, Armenia's venerable archbishop, [98] everyday was teaching and schooling everyone, like a very kind father, like a loving mother, inspiring everyone with spiritual love; the grandees, the clergy, the honorable and the dishonored, the rich, the poor, the azats and the shinakans. And [Nerses] fulfilled the superintendency of the land with all trusteeship without any laziness or any delay, to the end of his life. And he had no equal ever in the Hayastan country.

It became necessary to send [to the Byzantine empire a delegation] regarding the treaty of peace and unity between the land of Armenia and the emperor of Byzantium, organized greatly by the king of Armenia. The great kat'oghikos of Armenia, Nerses, and ten satraps of the grandees of Armenia went with him to renew the oath of agreement and peace between the emperor and themselves. They went and reached the imperial palace of the emperor of Byzantium.

[99] In that period, the great emperor of Byzantium, Vaghes, was in the error of the Arian heresy [Translator's note: The Byzantine emperors during the reign of Arshak (350-367) were: Constantius (337-361), Julian the Apostate (361-363), Jovian (363-364), and P'awstos' favorite, Valens (364-378)]. At first, when the king saw them he elaborately exalted them with very splendid glory. Now it happened that the emperor had an only child who had become severely ill, and the emperor pressured Armenia's blessed [g89] kat'oghikos Nerses to pray over the child. Nerses came forth and said: [Translator's note: Nerses' lengthy denunciation of Arianism is omitted here] [g90-95].

Blessed Nerses said all this and then added: "[The Lord] because of His mercy and benevolence will hear you [atone] for the next fifteen days. He will allow you that much time and be patient so that you will become correct in the faith. Let this be a sign for you: if by that time you are not confirmed in the faith, the child will die so that you believe that what is being spoken is the truth." [g96]

While he was speaking, the king was entirely silent sitting with legs crossed, chin in hand, hand on knee. When [Nerses] was speaking, the royal stenographers who were in the emperor's presence were writing [down his words]. The emperor became infuriated and commanded that the blessed archbishop of Armenia, [100] be firmly bound with iron shackles, thrown in prison and kept there while they noted whether the child would live or not, after which [the emperor] would decide what to do. [Translator's note: The child dies. We omit the translation of this section] [The emperor decides to exile Nerses] [g97].

As for those princes who had accompanied the blessed Nerses from the country of Armenia, [the emperor] dispatched them loading them with much treasure. He blinded them all with bribes and sent them with much treasure of gold and silver and precious gems to king [Arshak], hoping thereby to please the [g99] king. For there was no limit to the treasure he sent to the king of Armenia. He also wrote a letter of accusation to him about the blessed Nerses saying that he had killed his son. He also dispatched the Arshakuni hostages of the king of Armenia who had been kept at the imperial palace. They were the nephews (brother's sons) of king Arshak, one named Gnel, the other, Tirit'. They were entrusted to the satraps of Armenia, and thus were they sent on their way [g100].

6-10 [We omit the translation of chapters 6-10, which are an account of Nerses' exile and miraculous survival on a desert island] [g101-112].

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