History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

188 HISTORT OF ARMENIA.
who, with a secret design of killing Gnelus,
wrote to him to meet him on the mountain
above mentioned, in order that they might hunt
together. Immediately after the dispatch of
his letter, the king set out for the appointed
spot, in hopes of coming upon his nephew unprepared
; in which event he might easily gratify
his cruel disposition. On his arrival, his envy
was excited to the highest possible degree by
seeing the beauty of the fields, the abundance of
game, and the splendid preparations that Gnelus's
servants were making for the hunting
match. Arsaces, then privately directed the
envious and malignant Vardan to shoot Gnelus
as if undesignedly, with an arrow, during the
chase. Following;- the order he had received,
the miscreant shot the unfortunate leader of
the hunt in the back. He dropped from his
horse and immediately expired. On the completion
of their abominable project, Arsaces,
Tirithus, and the detestable instrument of their
crime, began to lament and express every
external mark of sorrow for the unfortunate
accident, as it was termed. They removed the
body to Zarishat, where it was interred with
solemn pomp. The real circumstances, however,
soon became known, and reaching the ears
A. D. 369. of Nierses, he pronounced an anathema upon
the whole three, and put on mourning for