The
Parthians, ascending the hill, transfixed with their spears the
survivors; and it is said that not more than five hundred were taken
prisoners. The Parthians, cutting off the head of Publius, immediately
rode off to attack Crassus.
XXVI. With Crassus matters were thus. After ordering his son to make
an attack on the Parthians, and receiving intelligence that they were
routed to a great distance, and were hotly pursued; seeing also that
the enemy in front were no longer pressing on him so much as before,
for most of them had crowded to the place where young Crassus was, he
recovered his courage a little, and drawing his forces together,
posted them on a sloping ground, being in immediate expectation that
his son would return from the pursuit. Of those who were sent by
Publius to his father, when he began to be in danger, the first fell
into the hands of the enemy and were killed; and the next, after
escaping with great difficulty, reported that Publius was lost, if he
did not receive speedy and sufficient aid from his father. Now,
Crassus was affected by many contending feelings at once, and he no
longer viewed anything with sober judgment. Distracted by alarm for
the whole army, and love of his son at the same time, he was urged by
one motive to go to his aid, and by the other not to go: but finally
he began to move in advance. In the mean time the enemy came up,
making themselves more formidable by their shouts and paeans, and many
of the drums again bellowed around the Romans, who were in expectation
of a second attack.
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