288 HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
faithful to their religion, and headed by their chiefs. The camps of these two bodies were distinct, some distance lying between them.
Previously to their disbanding, some of the pious chiefs, who had been disgusted and grieved with the conduct of their apostate coun- trymen, secretly met, and said to each other, " Now is the time for a bold effort to deliver our country from the hand of the Persians and -apostates. Let us join with Valthank, the king of Georgia, or with the Huns, or Greeks, and attack them. The Almighty, seeing the purity of the motives that inspire us, will smile upon our exertions ; for we do not engage in this en- terprise for personal aggrandizement, but for the purpose of saving our holy church from falling under the power of the worshippers of fire/* All being unanimous in these sentiments, dis- closed their desires to Yaban. He, overjoyed at the opportunity that offered itself for publicly recanting his apostacy, replied, '* Your wishes exactly agree with mine, but I scarcely dare join with you, because I have observed how often enterprizes of this nature are baulked by treason. Let us not apply to strangers for aid, for they may betray us. Let us place all our trust in God, for he alone disposes of events." The chiefs, on hearing this, declared, •' We place no confidence in ourselves, nor in others; but in the
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