[-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 treasuries and most of his other possessions, and had stationed