the separation of the Armenians from the Greeks, directed the former, on pain of his displeasure, to renounce all obedience to the Saracens and return to his authority. They replied in these terms, '^ How often have we been subject to the rule of the Greeks, yet how little as- sistance have they rendered us in time of our distress ? On the contrary, the reward of our obedience has been injury and insult. Should we at present submit ourselves to your power, our kingdom would be exposed to invasion, we should be delivered up to the sword, and our habitations to pillage. We beseech you then to let us remain under the dominion of our present masters, by which alone our safety and the safety of our nation can be secured/* The Ha^^*^' emperor enraged at this language, sent an im- ^ ^^* mense army to invade Armenia. Twenty-five provinces became almost depopulated by the fury of the invaders, who laid waste the whole face of the country by fire and sword. They took 8,000 families and sold them as slaves in a foreign land. The following year the emperor again sent an army composed of 40,000 men to ravage Armenia. The nation was almost driven to madness and despair by the devas- tations that were committed. The miseries of this unhappy people were not terminated here. ^ i>« ^89. The Saracens conceiying that the Armenians cnias.
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