PARTHH. 
652 
Artabazus, and then told his trooos, that they were not 
to expeft the delights of Campania in the moft remote 
parts of the world. 
Thus they continued their march for fome days acrofs 
a defert, the very fight of which was fufficient to throw 
them into the utmoft defpair ; for they could not per¬ 
ceive, either near them or at a diftance, the lead tree, 
plant, or brook ; nor fo much as a hill, or a tingle blade 
ofgrafs; nothing was to be feen all around them but 
huge heaps of burning fand. The Romans had fcarcely 
got through this defert, when word was brought them 
by their fcouts, that a numerous army of Parthians was 
advancing in full march to attack them; for Abgarus, 
under pretence of going out on parties, had often con¬ 
ferred with Surenas, and concerted meafures with him 
fordeftroyingthe Roman army. Upon this advice, which 
occafioned great confufion in the camp, the Romans be¬ 
ing quite exhaufted and tired out with their long and 
troublefome march, Craffus drew up his men in battalia, 
following at firft the advice of Caffius, who was for ex¬ 
tending the infantry as wide as poflible, that they might 
take up the more ground, and by that means prevent 
the enemy from furrounding them: but, Abgarus aflur- 
ing the proconful that the Parthian forces were not fo 
numerous as w'as reprefented, he changed this difpofition, 
and, believing only the man who betrayed him, drew up 
his troops in a fquare, which faced every way, and had 
on each fide twelve cohorts in front. Near each cohort 
he placed a troop of horfe to fupport them, that they 
might charge with the greater fecurity and boldnefs. 
Thus the whole army looked more like one phalanx 
than troops drawn up in manipuli, with fpaces between 
them, after the Roman manner. The general himfelf 
commanded in the centre, his fon in the left wing, and 
Caflius in the right. 
In this order they advanced to the banks of a fmall 
river called the Baliffus, the fight of which was very 
pleafing to the foldiers, who were much harraffed with 
drought and exceffive heat. Moft of the officers were 
for encamping on the banks of this river, or rather rivu¬ 
let, to give the troops time to refrefh themfelves after 
the fatigues of fo long and painful a march ; and, in the 
mean time, to procure certain intelligence of the num¬ 
ber and difpofition of the Parthian army ; but Craffus, 
fuffering himfelf to be hurried on by the inconfiderate 
ardour of his fon, and the horfe he commanded, only 
allowed the legions to take a meal Handing; and, before 
this could be done by all, he ordered them to advance, 
not flowly, and halting now and then, after the Roman 
manner, but as fait as they could move, till they came 
in fight of the Parthians, who, contrary' to their expecta¬ 
tion, did not appear either fo numerous or fo terrible 
as they had been reprefented; but this was a ftratagem 
of Surenas, who had concealed his men in convenient 
places, ordering them to cover their arms, left their 
brightnefs fhould betray them, and, ftarting up at the 
firft: fignal, to attack the enemy on all fides. The ftra¬ 
tagem had the defired effieft; for Surenas no fooner gave 
the fignal, than the Parthians, rifing as it were out of 
the ground, with dreadful cries, and a moft frightful 
noife, advanced againft the Romans, who were greatly 
furprifed and difmayed at the fight; and much more fo, 
when the Parthians, throwing off the covering of their 
arms, appeared in fhining cuirafles, and helmets of bur- 
nifhed fteel, finely mounted on horfes covered all over 
with armour of the fame metal. At their head appear¬ 
ed young Surenas, in a rich drefs, who was the firft to 
charge the enemy, endeavouring, with his pikemen, to 
break through the firft rank of the Roman army ; but, 
finding it too clofe and impenetrable, the cohorts fup- 
porting each other, he fell back, and retired in a feem- 
ing confufion: but the Romans were much furprifed 
when they favv themfelves fuddenly furrounded on all 
fides, and galled with continual fhowers of arrows. 
Craffus ordered his light-armed foot and archers to ad¬ 
vance ; but they were foon repulfed, and forced to cover 
themfelves behind the heavy-armed foot. Then the Par¬ 
thian horfe, advancing near the Romans, difcharged 
fhowers of arrows upon them, every one of which did 
execution, the legionaries being drawn up in fuch clofe 
order, that it was impoffible to mifs their aim. As their 
arrows were of an extraordinary weight, and difcharged 
with incredible force and impetuofity, nothing was proof 
againft them. The two wings advanced in good order, 
but to no effeft; for the-Parthians drew their bows with 
as great dexterity when their backs were turned as 
when they faced the enemy; fo that the Romans, whe¬ 
ther they kept their ground, or purfued the flying ene¬ 
my, were equally annoyed with thefe fatal arrows. 
The Romans, as long as they had any hopes that the 
Parthians, after having fpent their arrows, would either 
betake themfelves to flight or engage them hand to hand, 
flood their ground with great refolution and intrepidity; 
but, when they obferved that there were a great many 
camels in their rear loaded with arrows, and that thofe 
who emptied their quivers wheeled about to fill them 
anew, they began to lofe courage, and loudly to com¬ 
plain of their general for fuffering them thus to Hand 
ftill, and ferve only as a butt to the enemy’s arrows, 
which, they well faw, would not be exhaufted till they 
were all killed to a man. Hereupon Craffus ordered his 
fon to advance, at all adventures, with 1300 horfe, 500 
archers; and 8 cohorts. But the Parthians no fooner 
faw this choice body (for it was the flower of the army) 
marching up againft them, than they wheeled about, and 
betook themfelves, according to their cuftom, to flight. 
Hereupon young Craffus, crying out as loud as he 
could, “They fly before us!’’ pufhed on full fpeed after 
them, not doubting but he fhould gain a complete vic¬ 
tory ; but, when he was at a great diftance from the main 
body of the Roman army, he perceived his miftake; for 
thofe who before had fled, facing about, charged him 
with incredible fury. Young Craffus ordered his troops 
to halt, hoping that the enemy, upon feeing their fmall 
number, would not be afraid to come to a clofe fight: 
but herein he was likewife greatly difappointed ; for the 
Parthians,contenting themfelves to oppofe his front with 
their heavy-armed horfe, furrounded him on all fides ; 
and, keeping at a diftance, difcharged inceflant (bowers 
of arrows upon the unfortunate Romans, thus fur¬ 
rounded and pent up. The Parthian army, in wheeling 
about, raifed fo thick a duft, that the Romans could 
fcarcely fee one another, much lefs the enemy : never- 
thelefs, they found themfelves wounded with arrows, 
though they could not perceive whence they came. In 
a fhort time the place where they flood was all ftrown 
with dead bodies. 
Some of the unhappy Romans, finding their entrails 
torn, and many overcome by the exquifite torments 
they fuffered, rolled themfelves in the fand with the ar¬ 
rows in their bodies, and expired in that manner. 
Others, endeavouring to tear out by force the bearded 
points of the arrows, only' made the wounds the larger, 
and increafed their pain. Moft of them died in this 
manner; and thofe who outlived their companions were 
no more in a condition to aft ; for, when young Craffus 
exhorted them to march up to the enemy, fome fhowed 
him their wounded bodies, others their hands nailed to 
their bucklers, and fome their feet pierced through and 
pinned to the ground ; fo that it was equally impoffible 
for them either to attack the enemy or defend themfelves. 
The young commander, therefore, leaving his infantry 
to the mercy of the enemy, advanced at the head of the 
cavalry againft their heavy-armed horfe. The thoufand 
Gauls, whom he had brought with him from the weft, 
charged the enemy with incredible boldnefs and vigour; 
but their lances did little execution on men armed with 
cuirafles, and horfes covered with tried armour: how¬ 
ever, they behaved with great refolution ; for fome of 
them, taking hold of the enemy’s fpears, and clofing 
