swords (for when commanders are entertained at a banquet
it is customary for their body-guards to stand behind
them), and after getting inside to make an attack suddenly,
at whatever moment should seem to them most suitable;
and Artasires was to strike the first blow. At
the same time he directed Gregorius to pick out a
large number of the most daring of the Armenians and
bring them to the palace, carrying only their swords
in their hands (for it is not lawful for the escort
of officers in a city to be armed with anything else),
and leaving these men in the vestibule, to come inside
with the body-guards; and he was to tell the plan
to no one of them, but to make only this explanation,
that he was suspicious of Gontharis, fearing that
he had called Artabanes to this banquet to do him harm,
and therefore wished that they should stand beside
the soldiers of Gontharis who had been stationed there
on guard, and giving the appearance of indulging in
some play, they were to take hold of the shields which
these guards carried, and waving them about and otherwise
moving them keep constantly turning them up and down;
and if any tumult or shouting took place within, they
were to take up these very shields and come to the
rescue on the run. Such were the orders which
Artabanes gave, and Gregorius proceeded to put them
into execution. And Artasires devised the following
plan: he cut some arrows into two parts and placed
them on the wrist of his left arm, the sections reaching
to his elbow. And after binding them very carefully
with straps, he laid over them the sleeve of his tunic.
And he did this in order that, if anyone should raise
his sword over him and attempt to strike him, he might
avoid the chance of suffering serious injury; for
he had only to thrust his left arm in front of him,
and the steel would break off as it crashed upon the
wood, and thus his body could not be reached at any
point.
With such purpose, then, Artasires did as I have said.
And to Artabanes he spoke as follows: “As
for me, I have hopes that I shall prove equal to the
undertaking and shall not hesitate, and also that I
shall touch the body of Gontharis with this sword;
but as for what will follow, I am unable to say whether
God in His anger against the tyrant will co-operate
with me in this daring deed, or whether, avenging some
sin of mine, He will stand against me there and be
an obstacle in my way. If, therefore, you see
that the tyrant is not wounded in a vital spot, do
you kill me with my sword without the least hesitation,
so that I may not be tortured by him into saying that
it was by your will that I rushed into the undertaking,
and thus not only perish myself most shamefully, but
also be compelled against my will to destroy you as
well.” And after Artasires had spoken such
words he too, together with Gregorius and one of the
body-guards, entered the room where the couches were
and took his stand behind Artabanes. And the rest,
remaining by the guards, did as they had been commanded.