186 BISTORT OF ARMENIA.
A. D. Z97. him in the village of Coash. Gnelus gratified bii grandfather's desire^ and shortly after married Pharanzem, the daughter of Andovk, the chief of the Seunies. The marriage was celebrated with the greatest splendour, and the bridegroom was prodigal of his gifts to all the chiefs and other guests assembled on the occasion, by which he became extremely popular in that part of the country. It was customary in Armenia, on the marriage of the king, or of any member of the royal family, for the nobles to place their sons as pages in the court of the palace. On the occasion of the marriage of Gnelus the custom was observed, and the children of the chiefs, who assisted in this manner to give pomp to the festival, were adorned by him with the richest vestments, so that they outshone even those in attendance on the king. By the splendour of his presents to the pages whe attended him, Gnelus rose still higher in the estimation and favour of the chiefs. Tirithus^ who, as we before stated, regarded Gnelus with no friendly eye, to gratify his malignity^ associated with himself a miscreant named Vardan Mameconian, and going to the king» acquainted him with the trifling circumstance we have related above, charging bis relation with having a design on the crown,, all which was teligiously sworn to by the wretch Vardan. TIm
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