At that time, there lived in Mtskheta one youth by the name of Parnavaz. This Parnavaz was a Kartlian by birth, a kinsman of Uplos, son of Mtskhetos, and on his mother's side - a Persian from 10 Isfahan. He was the son of Samar's brother, the same Samar, who at the time of Alexander's coming to Kartli was the mamasakhlisi of Mtskheta. Samar and his brother, Parnavaz's father, were killed by Alexander, and his mother took Parnavaz, then a three year old boy, with her and fled to the mountains of the Caucasus. He came back to his domain of Mtskheta when he grew up. Parnavaz was a clever man, an excellent horseman and a 15 skillful hunter. But he hid his virtues, being fearful of Azon. Once as a hunter, who often wandered over the hills and in the valleys, he made the acquaintance of Azon. Azon grew fond of him, because of his hunting skills. Meanwhile his mother implored him: "Oh, my son! Beware of Azon, do not show him any of your good qualities! Do not give him any cause to kill you." Fear and trembling possessed her, and she told Parnavaz: "My dear son, leave this country, 20 your father's domain, take me to my country - Isfahan, to my brothers. Save your life from Azon's hands." So the mother and the son went to Isfahan. For Parnavaz it was a great misfortune, but because of his fear of Azon he decided to go. After that Parnavaz had a dream: he was in an abandoned house, which he wanted to leave, 25 but could not. Then a sunbeam came through the window, embraced him by his waist and lifted him. Finding himself in the field he saw the Sun, hanging low; he reached out and wiping the dew from the Sun's face with his hand, he wetted his own face with it. Waking up, Parnavaz wondered: "This dream means that I shall go to Isfahan and will find some fortune there." 30 The same day he went to hunt and begun to circle a flock of deer in the field of Dighomi. The deer fled through the gorges of Tpilisi. Parnavaz followed them, loosed his arrow and hit a deer; the wounded deer ran a little and fell at the foot of a rock. Parnavaz approached it - the day was waning - and sat at its side. He intended to spend the night there and go back in the morning. There was a cave at the foot of this rock, the entrance was blocked with some masonry, erected 35 from time immemorial. The construction had begun to cave in. Then it started to rain. Parnavaz took an axe and with its butt he made a passage into the cave to protect himself from the rain and keep dry. He entered into the cave and found there a huge amount of priceless treasures: gold and silver, and invaluable golden and silver utensils. Parnavaz was astonished, joy filled his heart, and he recollected his dream. He covered the entrance to the cave and went home hurriedly. He told his mother and his two sisters of his finding. That same night all three of them went to the cave on donkeys taking all kinds of vessels with them. 5 Taking part of the treasure from the cave they buried it in a place that was more convenient for them to access. In the morning they again covered the entrance to the cave. In this manner they took all the treasures and buried them near their own place of residence. Then Parnavaz sent his slave to Kuji and informed him: "I am a descendant of Uplos, the son of Mtskhetos, I am the son of the mamasakhlisi Samar's brother; I am very rich. Show me your 10 willingness to receive me with all my possessions, so that we can become brothers and dispose of them together. We must rise openly against Azon. And let fortune grant us victory over him." Kuji rejoiced greatly. He answered: "Come to me, do not spare your possessions! With the help of your possessions I will enlarge your army, until we are able to rise openly against Azon. Then all the Georgians beaten and oppressed by Azon will rejoice. Many Romans will join us, because 15 thanks to Azon's endeavors they too are mercilessly oppressed without number." Then Parnavaz went secretly to Kuji in Egrisi, taking with him all the treasures he was able to muster, and he took his mother and sisters as well. He came to Kuji. Kuji said to him: "You are the son and descendant of the sovereign rulers of Kartli; you should be my master. Do not spare your possessions, so that we may multiply your army. If we win victory then you will be my master and I 20 will be your slave." After this, they joined together and began negotiations with the Ovses and Lek'is, and the latter rejoiced, because they did not want to pay tribute to Azon. The Ovses and Lek'is followed him and Kuji, and Parnavaz strengthened his army. Many people came from Egrisi, and all of them wanted to fight against Azon. Azon called his troops and gathered them around him. 25 One thousand selected Roman soldiers, to whom Azon had done some harm, broke with him and came to Parnavaz. All the Georgians broke with Azon. Azon could not trust any more the troops that remained with him, because he treated everybody like a villain. Azon left Mtskheta and went to Klarjeti where he ensconced himself there in the fortresses. Parnavaz came to Mtskheta and took possession of all the four fortresses. The same year he 30 seized the whole of Kartli, with the exception of K'larjeti. Then Parnavaz sent an envoy to King Antioch of Asurastan, with many gifts and the promise to serve him. In return he asked for Antioch's aid against the Greeks. Antioch accepted his gifts favorably, named Parnavaz his son and sent him a crown, and ordered the Armenian rulers to help Parnavaz.