| Translation |
Along with them also in this northern region are five believing nations, who have 24 bishops, and a catholicos in Dvin, a large city in Persian Armenia. The name of their catholicos was Gregory, a righteous and renowned man. Gurzan is a country in Armenia, and its language is like Greek, and they have a Christian prince who is subject to the king of Persia. Arran is a country in the territory of Armenia, with its own language, a believing and baptised nation, and they have a prince who is subject to the king of Persia. Sisagan is a country with its own language and a believing people, and pagans dwell it. Balasagan is a country with its own language that extends and reaches the Caspian Gates and the sea, [that is] those [Gates and sea] of the territory of the Huns. They [are situated] next to them and extend as far as them [the Huns]. Beyond these same gates are the Burgar, a pagan and barbarian people with their own language, and they have cities. There are the Alans, who have five cities. There are the people of the region of Dadu, who live in the mountains and have fortresses. There are the Onogur, a tent-dwelling people; the Ogur [people], the Sabir, the Burgar, the Korthrigor, the Avar, the Khasir, the Dirmar, the Sarurgur, the Bagarsik, the Khulas, the Abdel, the Ephthalite: these thirteen nations are tent-dwellers, living on the meat of cattle, fish, and wild animals and by weapons. Beyond them are the Pygmies and the Dog-men, and to the west and north of them are the Amazons, women with one breast each who live entirely by themselves and fight with weapons and horses. There is no male among them. When they wish to copulate they go peacefully to a people near their country and have intercourse with them for a month of days, and they return to their country. When they give birth, if it is a male they kill him, but if it is a female they let her live, and thus they perpetuate their ranks. The nation surrounding them is the Harus, tall, big-limbed men, who have no weapons, and horses cannot carry them because of their stocky size. To the east, on the northern outskirts, are three black tribes. |
