[Sidenote:—­7—­] [Niger was not in general a well-balanced man and though he had very great abilities still fell into error.  But at this time he was more than usually elated, so that he showed how much he liked those who called him “the new Alexander”; and when one man asked, “Who gave you permission to do this?” he pointed to his sword and rejoined, “This did.”  When the war broke out Niger had gone to Byzantium and from that point conducted a campaign against Perinthus.  He was disturbed, however, by unfavorable omens that came to his notice.  An eagle perched upon a military shrine and remained there till captured, in spite of attempts to scare it away.  Bees made wax around the military standards and about his images most of all.  For these reasons he retired to Byzantium.]

[Sidenote:  A.D. 194 (a.u. 947)] Now Aemilianus while engaged in conflict with some of the generals of Severus near Cyzicus was defeated by them and slain.  After this, between the narrows of Nicaea and Cius, they had a great war of various forms.  Some battled in close formation on the plains; others occupied the hill-crests and hurled stones and javelins at their opponents from the higher ground; still others got into boats and discharged their bows at the enemy from the lake.  At first the adherents of Severus, under the direction of Candidus, were victorious; for they found their advantage in the higher ground from which they fought.  But the moment Niger himself appeared a pursuit in turn was instituted by Niger’s men and victory was on their side.  Then Candidus caught hold of the standard bearers and turned them to face the enemy, upbraiding the soldiers for their flight; at this his followers were ashamed, turned back, and once more conquered those opposed to them.  Indeed, they would have destroyed them utterly, had not the city been near and the night a dark one.

The next event was a tremendous battle at Issus, near the so-called Gates.  In this contest Valerianus and Anullinus [Footnote:  P.  Cornelius Anullinus.] commanded the army of Severus, whereas Niger was with his own ranks and marshaled them for war.  This pass, the Cilician “Gates”, [Footnote:  Compare Xenophon’s Anabasis, I, 4, 4-5.] is so named on account of its narrowness.  On the one side rise precipitous mountains, and on the other sheer cliffs descend to the sea.  So Niger had here made a camp on a strong hill, and he put in front heavy-armed soldiers, next the javelin slingers and stone throwers, and behind all the archers.  His purpose was that the foremost might thrust back such as assailed them in hand-to-hand conflict, while the others from a distance might be able to bring their force into play over the heads of the others.  The detachment on the left and that on the right were defended by the sea-crags and by the forest, which had no issue.  This is the way in which he arranged his army, and he stationed the beasts of burden close to it, in order that none of them should be able to