n vain that he
protested his innocence: the popular belief held him an accomplice in
his father's murder, and branded the young prince with the horrible name
of "parricide."

It was no doubt mainly in the hope of purging himself from this
imputation that, after putting to death the subordinate instruments by
whom his father's life had been actually taken, he went on to institute
proceedings against the chief contrivers of the outrage--the two uncles
who had ordered, and probably witnessed, the execution. So long as the
success of his arms was doubtful, he had been happy to avail himself of
their support, and to employ their talents in the struggle against
his enemies. At one moment in his flight he had owed his life to the
self-devotion of Bindoes; and both the brothers had merited well of him
by the efforts which they had made to bring Armenia over to his cause,
and to levy a powerful army for him in that region. But to clear his own
character it was necessary that he should forget the ties both of blood
and gratitude, that he should sink the kinsman in the sovereign, and the
debtor in the stern avenger of blood. Accordingly, he seized Bindoes,
who resided at the court, and had him drowned in the Tigris. To Bostam,
whom he had appointed governor of Rei and Khorassan, he sent an order
of recall, and would undoubtedly have executed him, had he obeyed;
but Bostam, suspecting his intentions, deemed it the wisest course to
revolt, and proclaim himself independent monarch of the north country.
Here he established himself in authority for some time, and is even
said to have enlarged his territory at the expense of some of the border
chieftains; but the vengeance of his nephew pursued him unrelentingly,
and ere long accomplished his destruction. According to the best
authority, the instrument employed was Bostam's wife, the sister of
Bahram, whom Chosroes induced to murder her husband by a promise to make
her the partner of his bed.

Intrigues not very dissimilar in their character had been previously
employed to remove Bahram, whom the Persian monarch had not ceased to
fear, notwithstanding that he was a fugitive and an exile. The Khan of
the Turks had received him with honor on the occasion of his flight,
and, according to some authors, had given him his daughter in marriage.
Chosroes lived in dread of the day when the great general might reappear
in Persia, at the head of the Turkish hordes, and challenge him to renew
the