[Sidenote:—­8—­] When Trajan, in the course of his campaign against the Dacians had come near Tapai, where the barbarians were encamping, a large mushroom was brought to him, on which it said in Latin characters that the Buri and other allies advised Trajan to turn back and make peace.  At Trajan’s first encounter with the foe he visited many of the wounded on his own side and killed many of the enemy.  And when the bandages gave out, he is said not to have spared even his own clothing, but to have cut it up into strips.  In honor of the soldiers that had died in battle he ordered an altar erected and the performance of funeral rites annually.

[Sidenote:—­9—­] [Decebalus had sent envoys also before the defeat, and no longer the long-haired men, as before, but the chief among the cap-wearers. [Footnote:  Latin, pileati.  The distinction drawn is that between the plebeians and the nobles, to whom reference is made respectively by the terms “unshorn” and “covered.”  Compare here the make up of the Marcomanian embassy in Book Seventy-two, chapter two.] These threw down their arms and casting themselves upon the earth begged Trajan that if possible Decebalus himself be allowed to meet and confer with him, promising that he would do everything that might be commanded; or, if not, that at least some one should be despatched to agree upon terms with him.  Those sent were Sura and Claudius Livianus, the prefect; but nothing was accomplished, for Decebalus did not dare even to come near them.  He sent representatives also on this occasion.

Trajan had now seized some fortified mountains and on them found the arms and the captured engines, as well as the standard which had been taken in the time Fuscus. [Sidenote:  A.D. 101 (a.u. 854)] Undertaking to ascend the heights themselves, he secured one crest after another amid dangers and approached the capital of the Dacians.  Lusius, attacking in another quarter, slaughtered numbers and captured still more alive.  Then Decebalus sent envoys.

Decebalus, for this reason, and particularly because Maximus at the same time had possession of his sister and a strong position, was ready to agree without exception to every demand made.  It was not that he intended to abide by his agreement, but he wanted to secure a respite from his temporary reverses.] So, though against his will, he made a compact to surrender his arms, engines, and manufacturers of engines, to give back the deserters, to demolish his forts, to withdraw from captured territory, and furthermore to consider the same persons enemies and friends as the Romans did [besides neither giving shelter to any of the deserters, [Footnote:  Reading [Greek:  automolon tina] (Boissevain).] nor employing any soldiers from the Roman empire, for he had acquired the largest and best part of his force by persuading them to come from that quarter].  When he came into Trajan’s presence, he fell upon the earth and did obeisance [and cast away his arms.  He also sent envoys to the senate to secure these terms, in order that he might have the further ratification of the peace by that body.  At the conclusion of this compact the emperor left a camp in Sarmizegethusa, and, having placed garrisons at intervals through the remainder of the territory, returned to Italy.]