Dios Rome, Vol. 2 | Page 2

defeats and victories no
fewer, he had a firm belief that he had in consequence become more
versed in generalship. His foes accordingly busied themselves as if they
were then for the first time beginning war, sending an embassy to their
various neighbors, including among others Arsaces the Parthian,
although he was hostile to Tigranes on account of some disputed
territory. This they offered to vacate for him, and proceeded to malign
the Romans, saying that the latter, should they conquer them while
isolated, would immediately make a campaign against him. Every
victorious force was inherently insatiable of success and put no bound
to acquisition, and the Romans, who had won the mastery over many,
would not choose to leave him alone.
[-2-] While they were so engaged, Lucullus did not follow up Tigranes,
but allowed him to reach safety quite at leisure. Because of this he was
charged by the citizens, as well as others, with refusing to end the war,
in order that he might retain his command a longer time. Therefore they
then restored the province of Asia to the praetors, and later, when he
apparently acted in this way again, sent to him the consul of that year,
to relieve him. Tigranocerta he did seize when the foreigners that dwelt
with the natives revolted to the side of the Armenians. The most of
these were Cilicians who had once been deported, and they let in the
Romans during the night. Thereupon everything was laid waste except
what belonged to the Cilicians; and many wives of the principal chiefs
Lucullus held, when captured, free from outrage: by this action he won

over their husbands also. He received further Antiochus, king of
Commagene (the Syrian country near the Euphrates and the Taurus),
and Alchaudonius, an Arabian chieftain, and others who had made
proposals for peace.
[-3-] From them he learned of the embassy sent by Tigranes and
Mithridates to Arsaces, and despatched to him, on his part, some of the
allies with threats, in case he should aid the foe, and promises, if he
should espouse the Roman cause. Arsaces at that time (for he still
nourished anger against Tigranes and felt no suspicion toward the
Romans) sent a counter-embassy to Lucullus, and established
friendship and alliance. Later, at sight of Secilius,[3] who had come to
him, he began to suspect that the emissary was there to spy out the
country and his power. It was for this cause, he thought, and not for the
sake of the agreement which had already been made that a man
distinguished in warfare had been sent. Hence he no longer rendered
them any help. On the other hand, he made no opposition, but stood
aloof from both parties, naturally wishing neither to grow strong. He
decided that an evenly balanced contest between them would bring him
the greatest safety.
[B.C. 68 (_a.u._ 686)]
[-4-] Besides these transactions Lucullus this year subdued many parts
of Armenia. In the year of Quintus Marcius (Note by the author.--By
this I mean that although he was not the only consul appointed, he was
the only one that held office. Lucius Metellus, elected with him, died in
the early part of the year, and the man chosen in his stead resigned
before entering upon office, wherefore no one else was appointed.),--in
this year, then, when summer was half way through (in the spring it
was impossible to invade hostile territory by reason of the cold),
Lucullus entered upon a campaign and devastated some land purposing
to draw the barbarians, while defending it, imperceptibly into battle. As
he could not rouse them for all that, he attacked. [-5-]In this
engagement the opposing cavalry gave the Roman cavalry hard work,
but none of the foe approached the infantry; indeed, whenever the
foot-soldiers of Lucullus assisted the horse, the adversaries of the
Romans would turn to flight. Far from suffering harm, however, they
shot backward at those pursuing them, killing some instantly and
wounding great numbers. Such wounds were dangerous and hard to

heal. This was because they used double arrow-points and furthermore
poisoned them, so that the missiles, whether they stuck fast anywhere
in the body or were drawn out, would quickly destroy it, since the
second iron point, having no attachment, would be left within.
[-6-] Lucullus, since many were being wounded, some were dying, and
some were being maimed, and provisions at the same time were failing
them, retired from that place and marched against Nisibis. This city is
built in the region called Mesopotamia (Author's note.--Mesopotamia is
the name given to all the country between the Tigris and Euphrates.)
and now belongs to us, being considered a colony of ours. But at that
time Tigranes, who had seized it from the Parthians, had deposited in it
his