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

HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
291
army, the chiefs swearing to obey him in every
thing appertaining to war. In the meantime
the apostate chiefs, who had accompanied Atirwushnasp
in his flight, strongly advised him to
hasten to the attack of the Vahanians, before
they had time to finish their preparations.
The fugitive Prefect, acting upon their suggestions,
gathered an army from the country of
Atropatia, and elsewhere, amounting to 7,000
men, with which he immediately marched into
Armenia. The invaders crossed the river Arax>
and prepared to enter Nakhjuan. When the
Vahanians were informed of the advance of their
enemies, they held a council, and resolved to
leave Isaac the prefect, Vahan the general*
Vahan the Camsaracan, and a few other chiefs,
in Duin, to protect it in case of exigency*
while the remainder, amounting to no more than
400 men, proceeded to meet the invaders. Previous
to their setting out, these gallant and
faithful Armenians entered the church of the
citv, and there solemnly devoted themselves to
the service of their country and religion. They
then advanced to the village of Varazkert, where
they halted and sent forward Vasak, the brother
of Vahan the general, with a few men, to the
village of Curwak, to reconnoitre the enemy
and discover his force. On the dawn of the
next morning, Atirwushnasp arrived with his
PP 2