. When
the man found himself by the king's order in the Prison of Oblivion, he
greeted Arsaces, and both men, embracing each other, joined their voices
in a sweet lament, and, bewailing the hard fate that was upon them, were
able only with difficulty to release each other from the embrace. Then,
when they had sated themselves with weeping and ceased from tears, the
Armenian bathed Arsaces, and completely adorned his person, neglecting
nothing, and, putting on him the royal robe, caused him to recline on a
bed of rushes. Then Arsaces entertained those present with a royal
banquet just as was formerly his custom. During this feast many speeches
were made over the cups which greatly pleased Arsaces, and many
incidents occurred which delighted his heart. The drinking was prolonged
until nightfall, all feeling the keenest delight in their mutual
intercourse; at length they parted from each other with great
reluctance, and separated thoroughly imbued with happiness. Then they
tell how Arsaces said that after spending the sweetest day of his life,
and enjoying the company of the man he had missed most of all, he would
no longer willingly endure the miseries of life; and with these words,
they say, he dispatched himself with a knife which, as it happened, he
had purposely stolen at the banquet, and thus departed from among men.
Such then is the story concerning this Arsaces, related in the Armenian
History just as I have told it, and it was on that occasion that the law
regarding the Prison of Oblivion was set aside. But I must return to the
point from which I have strayed.

VI

While Cabades was in the prison he was cared for by his wife, who went
in to him constantly and carried him supplies of food. Now the keeper of
the prison began to make advances to her, for she was exceedingly
beautiful to look upon. And when Cabades learned this from his wife, he
bade her give herself over to the man to treat as he wished. In this way
the keeper of the prison came to be familiar with the woman, and he
conceived for her an extraordinary love, and as a result permitted her
to go in to her husband just as she wished, and to depart from there
again without interference from anyone. Now there was a Persian notable,
Seoses by name, a devoted friend of Cabades, who was constantly in the
neighbourhood of this prison, watching his opportunity, in the hope that
he might in some way be able to effect his deliverance. And he sent word
to Cabad