the name of friendship nor blushing before any of his sworn promises.  While, therefore, some hope of safety is still left thee, do not do us any further wrong nor suffer it thyself, but see in our misfortunes what will a little later befall the Persians; and consider that the Romans could never be well-disposed to thy kingdom, and that when they become more powerful, they will not hesitate at all to display their enmity toward the Persians.  Use, therefore, this good chance while the time fits, lest thou seek for it after it has ceased.  For when once the time of opportunity has passed, it is not its nature to return again.  And it is better by anticipating to be in security, than by delaying beyond the opportune time to suffer the most miserable fate possible at the hands of the enemy.”

When Chosroes heard this, it seemed to him that Vittigis advised well, and he was still more eager to break off the treaty.  For, moved as he was by envy toward the Emperor Justinian, he neglected completely to consider that the words were spoken to him by men who were bitter enemies of Justinian.  But because he wished the thing he willingly consented to be persuaded.  And he did the very same thing a little later in the case of the addresses of the Armenians and of the Lazi, which will be spoken of directly.  And yet they were bringing as charges against Justinian the very things which would naturally be encomiums for a worthy monarch, namely that he was exerting himself to make his realm larger and much more splendid.  For these accusations one might make also against Cyrus, the King of the Persians, and Alexander, the Macedonian.  But justice is never accustomed to dwell together with envy.  For these reasons, then, Chosroes was purposing to break off the treaty.

III

At this same time another event also occurred; it was as follows.  That Symeon who had given Pharangium into the hands of the Romans persuaded the Emperor Justinian, while the war was still at its height, to present him with certain villages of Armenia.  And becoming master of these places, he was plotted against and murdered by those who had formerly possessed them.  After this crime had been committed, the perpetrators of the murder fled into the land of Persia.  They were two brothers, sons of Perozes.  And when the Emperor heard this, he gave over the villages to Amazaspes, the nephew of Symeon, and appointed him ruler over the Armenians.  This Amazaspes, as time went on, was denounced to the Emperor Justinian by one of his friends, Acacius by name, on the ground that he was abusing the Armenians and wished to give over to the Persians Theodosiopolis and certain other fortresses.  After telling this, Acacius, by the emperor’s will, slew Amazaspes treacherously, and himself secured the command over the Armenians by the gift of the emperor.  And being base by nature, he gained the opportunity of displaying his inward character, and he proved to be the most cruel of all men toward his subjects.  For he plundered their property without excuse and ordained that they should pay an unheard-of tax of four centenaria[2].  But the Armenians, unable to bear him any longer, conspired together and slew Acacius and fled for refuge to Pharangium.