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

272 HISTORV OF ARMLNIA.
their devoted countrymen.
Vardan heard that
the Persians had pitched their camp in the province
of Heir, from which they sallied at times*
laying waste the country; he immediately sent
a detachment under the command of Zaranzar*
the Amatunian, to disperse the plunderers.
Zaranzar drove in all the depredating foraging
parties
of the enemy, and having reconnoitred
their camp, returned to the united army.
Vasak, however, had not been idle. He
assembled his adherents, and joined the Persians,
where they lay encamped, and more and more
inflamed them against his devoted countrymen.
By the means also of villainous priests, he very
much cooled the ardour of many attached to the
united party,
and who, although they did not
quite separate themselves from Vardan, were
better inclined toward Vasak.
The two armies at length met near the
village of Avarayr. The Persians encamped on
the plain, the patriotic Armenians near a river
>vhich is called Mory\ The day being far
advanced when the adverse armies came in
sight of each other,
the contest was deferred,
apparently by mutual consent, until the following
morning. Vardan passed among the ranks of
his men, accompanied by the priest Levond,
both exhorting them to resist manfully the
power of the invaders in the approaching fight.