se known to Gontharis, and Peter, a Thracian by birth,
who had previously been a body-guard of Solomon. And on both the other
couches were the first and noblest of the Vandals. John, however, who
commanded the mutineers of Stotzas; was entertained by Pasiphilus in his
own house, and each of the other leaders wherever it suited the several
friends of Gontharis to entertain them. Artabanes, accordingly, when he
was bidden to this banquet, thinking that this occasion furnished him a
suitable opportunity for the murder of the tyrant, was planning to carry
out his purpose. He therefore disclosed the matter to Gregorius and to
Artasires and three other body-guards, bidding the body-guards get
inside the hall with their 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