he
time of Crassus, especially since both events had befallen on the same
day of the corresponding years. And it turned out that Ventidius alone
celebrated the triumph, even as the victory had been his alone, for
Antony met an untimely fate, and he acquired a greater reputation from
this fact and the irony of fortune alike. He himself had once marched in
procession with the other captives at the triumph of Pompeius Strabo,
and now he was the first of the Romans to celebrate a triumph over the
Parthians.

[-22-] This took place at a later period: at the time mentioned Antony
attacked Antiochus, shut him up in Samosata and proceeded to besiege
him. As he accomplished nothing and the time was spent in vain, and he
suspected that the soldiers felt coldly toward him on account of his
dishonoring Ventidius, he secretly opened negotiations with the foe,
and made fictitious agreements with him so that he might have a fair
appearing reason for withdrawal. In the end Antony got neither hostages
(except two and these of little importance) nor the money which he had
demanded, but he granted Antiochus the death of one Alexander, who had
earlier deserted from him to the Roman side. After doing this he set out
for Italy, and Gaius Sosius received from him the governorship of Syria
and Cilicia. This man subdued the Aradii, who had been besieged up to
this time and had been reduced to hard straits by famine and disease, and
conquered Antigonus in battle after killing the Roman guards that he kept
about him, and reduced him by siege when he took refuge in Jerusalem. The
Jews had committed many outrages upon the Romans,--for the race is very
bitter when aroused to anger,--but they suffered far more themselves. The
first of them were captured fighting for the precinct of their god, and
later the rest on the day even then called the day of Saturn. And so
great still were their religious scruples that the men who had been first
captured along with the temple obtained leave from Sosius when the day of
Saturn came around again, and went up with the remaining population into
the building, where they performed all the customary rites. These people
Antony entrusted to one Herod to govern, and Antigonus he bound to
a cross and flogged,--treatment accorded to no other king by the
Romans,--and subsequently slew him.

[B.C. 37 (_a. u_. 717)]

[-23-] This was the course of events in the days of Claudius and
Norbanus: the following year the Romans a