But daybreak found Crassus
exposed to the treachery of Andromachus in the unfavourable ground and
the marshes. Crassus had with him four cohorts of the legionary
soldiers, and a very few horsemen, and five lictors, with whom he got
upon the road with great difficulty just as the enemy was falling upon
him; and now being about twelve stadia short of joining Octavius, he
fled to another hill not so difficult for cavalry nor yet so strong,
but one that lay below Sinnaca, and was connected with it by a long
ridge, which stretched through the middle of the plain. His danger was
apparent to Octavius, who ran before any one else with a few men, from
the higher ground to aid Crassus, upon which the rest of the men,
abusing themselves for cowards, rushed forward, and, falling on the
enemy, and repulsing them from the hill, put Crassus in the midst of
them, and threw their shields before him, proudly exclaiming that
there was no Parthian missile which should strike the Imperator until
all of them had fallen in defence of him.
XXX. Surena observing that the spirit of the Parthians was somewhat
dulled towards the contest, and, if the night should come on and the
Romans get among the mountains, they could not by any means be
overtaken, employed the following stratagem against Crassus. Some of
the captives were let loose, who, in the Parthian camp, had heard the
barbarians saying to one another, in pursuance of a concerted plan,
that the king did not wish the war with the Romans to be carried to
extremities, but desired to have their friendship again, by doing them
the favour of treating Crassus kindly.
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