HISTOET or AKlCENIA. Ifil
Being arrived at this place, he wished to enter, to proyide provisions for bis army. The governor, Andovk, however, shut the gates against him. Shapuh then sent messengers to him, saying,
- Why do you close the gates of Tigranakert
against me ? I come not with hostile intent, for I am a friend to the Armenians !'* But Andovk treated the messengers with contempt, and drove them back with disgrace. He then pre- pared to defend the city against the Persians, who made some fruitless attempts to take it. Having no time to lose in laying a regular siege to it, Shapuh continued his march towards Greece, after sending a letter to the inhabitants of Tigranakert, wherein he said, ** By your resisting me you have given an example to other people to act in like manner ; but when I return I will give your city a severe lesson, the recollection of which shall operate as a terror on all others/' Shapuh having concluded his war with the Greeks, returned and laid siege to Tigranakert* after sending to Nisibis his Armenian auxiliaries. The people of this city^ instead of making overtures of peace to the Persian king, mounted the walls, and scofied «t his army. Have you not,'* said they» ^' had sufficient experience f Do you wish for a second failure ?" One of the inhabitants, more bold and daring than ^he rest, cried out.
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