They play also which he did battle with the fresh new dragons, and overcame her or him; and several point out that his valiant deeds was basically like unto Hercules
Its extremely old metropolises, Van, Armavir, was in fact fundamentals away from Vannic leaders, when you find yourself recently it's been expose your city of Hajk, the southern part of from Van, reveals a number of the common attributes of an effective Khaldean payment. However their best jesus for the pre-Christian day and age wasn't Khaldis, nevertheless the Persian Ormuzd, and this reveals that new Persians worked out a much better dictate.
Exactly how upcoming you can expect to Semiramis actually ever came so you can Van within the quest off an Armenian queen, since it seems that the fresh Scythians had currently beat Assyria prior to the nice influx out-of Armenian hordes? Nor does it hunt that the city of Van is founded from the Assyrian king, on inscriptions generate no regard to the lady name. King Memas whom, on look at Lynch, constructed the greatest tunnel, was at most of the chances the author of the garden area. The belief, based on Lynch, because the currently stated, is that so it legend 's the Armenian types of the outdated Hellenic misconception out of Aphrodite and you will Adonis, absorbed from inside the control of Seleucid dynasty and this accompanied the fresh conquest off Alexander about 325 B.C.fourteen
But this really is unreasonable. That a myth shall be absorbed by the a subject some body in addition to characters rechristened is easy to understand, but the identity of a single of them will be used to your old town is quite not very likely to put it mildly. Also, the latest legend are tasting instead firmly that have Persian voluptuousness, and that is not suggestive away from Greek delicacy and you can refinement. Nor is the fact that the horde took over the country just after the damage away from Assyria at all definitive, to have if the there have been any consumption whatsoever, because there must truly was, the fresh new Khaldean culture and you will record would be to one extent the genuine fingers of your Armenians. Even intermarriage create maybe feel way too many, for just what Irishman that has been in the united states a couple of weeks doesn't talk about Benjamin Franklin and you will George Washington since their forefathers? It is is indexed including you to to this day the new canal mentioned is named “Shamiram-Su” or river of Semiramis, by all of the Armenians.15 On the whole it seems if you ask me conclusive, thus, your legend out-of Semiramis and you may Ara has its sources when you look at the Armenian records, that will be definitely not a version of the brand new Hellenic myth.
Part cuatro. The newest Legend regarding Vahakn
The fresh legend from Vahakn, queen and you will god from Armenians, is really certainly owing to the new Greek months, which used the Persian conquest lower than Xerxes. Vahakn was deified because of his great valor making brand new fire-god of your Armenian someone.16 He had been called “Vishapakagh,” uprooter off dragons, once the he cleaned Armenia off beasts and you will saved they from worst impacts. Their exploits was indeed known regarding property of your own gods as better as in Armenia. The most popular of them is actually the fresh theft of corn regarding the new barns out of Queen Barsham from Assyria, of exactly who he went aside and you can made an effort to hide inside the paradise. From the ears the guy decrease in his rapid airline, around emerged the fresh new Milky Means which is sometimes called inside the Armenian the new “tabs on new corn stealer.”17
With the help of our own ears did i hear such conditions sung so you're able to the newest musical accompaniment of harp. Anybody else point out that he had been a goodness, hence an excellent picture of your endured regarding the residential property from Georgia, where it actually was worshipped, having sacrifices.19
The fresh new partner out-of Vahakn was Astghik, the newest deity regarding charm, an effective personification of your own moon, corresponding to new Phoenician and you Honolulu escort reviews may Sidonian Astarte. This is effective out of Greek determine, to have Venus, the new Greek goddess regarding charm, was also the new wife of a flames-god, Vulcan.20