It sing moreover that he did battle with the new dragons, and overcame them; and many declare that his valiant deeds was such as for example unto Hercules

Their very ancient metropolitan areas, Van, Armavir, was basically fundamentals out of Vannic leaders, whenever you are has just this has been disclosed the city of Hajk, the southern part of from Van, reveals a number of the familiar features of an effective Khaldean payment. However their finest god in the pre-Christian era wasn’t Khaldis, but the Persian Ormuzd, hence reveals that this new Persians resolved a much better determine.

How then you may Semiramis ever before have come to Van for the quest away from an Armenian king, whilst seems that this new Scythians had currently conquered Assyria before the good increase of Armenian millions? Nor will it seem that town of Van are established because of the Assyrian king, toward inscriptions build no mention of the the woman label. King Memas exactly who, regarding the view of Lynch, developed the fresh new well-known tunnel, was in all of the possibilities mcdougal of one’s yard town. The assumption, centered on Lynch, once the currently said, would be the fact which legend ‘s the Armenian types of the outdated Hellenic myth out of Aphrodite and you can Adonis, taken over in the domination of Seleucid dynasty hence followed the fresh new conquest away from Alexander regarding 325 B.C.14

But this is unreasonable. One to a myth might be taken over by the a topic some one plus the letters rechristened is simple to know, however, the identity of one of these should be applied to your ancient city is very not likely to say the least. Furthermore, new legend is actually tasting as an alternative strongly which have Persian voluptuousness, that is not at all suggestive away from Greek delicacy and you may subtlety. Nor is the fact that the horde took over the country shortly after the destruction out of Assyria in any way conclusive, to own in the event the there have been people intake anyway, because there need truly was, brand new Khaldean culture and you may history would be to that the quantity the true arms of Armenians. Actually intermarriage perform possibly end up being a lot of, for just what Irishman that has been in the united states a couple months does not speak of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington while the their forefathers? It is getting detailed plus that to this day brand new canal talked-about is known as “Shamiram-Su” otherwise river of Semiramis, because of the every Armenians.15 Overall it looks in my experience conclusive, hence, that legend out-of Semiramis and you can Ara has its origins inside the Armenian history, in fact it is not a type of brand new Hellenic misconception.

Section cuatro. This new Legend from Vahakn

The fresh legend off Vahakn, queen and you will goodness of Armenians, is very obviously owing to the latest Greek months, which accompanied the Persian conquest significantly less than Xerxes. Vahakn is deified on account of their higher valor making the newest fire-god of one’s Armenian someone.sixteen He was entitled “Vishapakagh,” uprooter out-of dragons, since the guy removed Armenia regarding creatures and you can conserved they from worst impacts. His exploits was in fact understood on residence of gods once the really as with Armenia. The preferred of those are the latest theft out of corn out-of the brand new barns away from Queen Barsham off Assyria, off exactly who he went away and you can attempted to cover-up in heaven. Because of the ears the guy dropped in his fast journey, indeed there emerged the new Milky Way called in the Armenian the brand new “monitoring of the latest corn stealer.”17

With these individual ears performed i tune in to these types of terms sung so you can new musical accompaniment of your harp. Someone else declare that he had been a jesus, and this a beneficial picture of him stood on the property away from Georgia, in which it had been worshipped, with sacrifices.19

The latest spouse out of Vahakn are Astghik, the latest deity from beauty, an excellent personification of the moonlight, corresponding to the fresh Phoenician and you will Sidonian Astarte. That is effective out-of Greek determine, for Venus, the newest Greek deity out-of beauty, has also been brand new girlfriend out-of a flame-goodness, Vulcan.20