136 BISTORT OF ARMENIA.
shoe; to use at meals a golden spoon and fork; and to drink out of golden vessels. These privileges, ridiculous as they may now appear^ were the highest marks of favour conferred by the Armenian monarchs on their subjects and were eagerly sought for, by the ambi* tious in those times. Ue also created Nierses* the son of Ghisak, by whose valour he waa saved from destruction, and who perished in the act of rescuing him, a great chief, and ennobled him by the tiile of Dimaxian.* Artaces dis« tinguished with particular regard the fifteen sons of Tur, who, as we before related, had been put to death by Erwand for giving information of his motions to Sumbat and himself, when they were in Persia. The king, shortly after Ui)S» ordered Sumbat to seize Jirwaz the chief priest » and brother of the late king, and to put him to death. Sumbat proceeded to Bagaram, seized Erwaz, tied a mill-stone about his neck, and threw him into the river Akhurian. He then appointed a person named Mognashtey high priest, and taking all the treasures which the temples contained, brought them to Ariaces, who, adding considerably to them, dispatched him with the whole to Persia, with directions
- This word tignifiefl in Armenian half-fared, it was
vdopted by tbs kiag in order to perpetuate the recollectioo of the devoted loyalty of GhisHk, who perished in the defence of hie Matter, by a blow from a sabrorwhich clove bis sculL
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