The king sent for the two princes, and would have killed them both with his own hand, had not old king Armanos his father-in- law, who was present, held his hand: "Son," said he, "what are you going to do? Will you stain your hands and your palace with your own blood? There are other ways of punishing them, if they are really guilty." He endeavoured thus to appease him, and desired him to examine whether they did indeed commit the crime of which they were accused.