ay severally held banquets in the entrance to their
homes. Of what moved them to this I have no knowledge, for it has not
been recorded. Such was the progress of the events of those days.

[-23-] While Caesar was yet in his fourth consulship Statilius Taurus had
both constructed at his own expense and dedicated with armed combat a
hunting-theatre of stone on the Campus Martius. On this account he was
permitted by the people to choose one of the praetors year after year.
During this same period Marcus Crassus was sent into Macedonia and Greece
and carried on war with the Dacians and Bastarnae. It has already been
stated who the former were and how they had been made hostile. The
Bastarnae are properly classed as Scythians and at this time had crossed
the Ister and subdued the part of Moesia opposite them, then the Triballi
who live near it, and the Dardani who inhabit the Triballian country.
While they were so engaged they had no trouble with the Romans. But when
they crossed the Haemus and overran the portion of Thrace belonging to the
Dentheleti who had a compact with Rome, then Crassus, partly to defend
Sitas king of the Dentheleti, who was blind, but chiefly because of fear
for Macedonia, came out to meet them. By his mere approach, he threw them
into a panic and drove them from the land without a conflict. Next he
pursued them, as they were retiring homeward, gained possession of the
district called Segetica, and invading Moesia damaged that territory. He
made an assault upon a strong fortification, also, and though his advance
line met with a rebuff,--the Moesians making a sally against it, because
they thought these were all of the enemy,--still, when he came to the
rescue with his whole remaining army he both cut his opponents down in
open fight and annihilated them by an ambuscade.

[-24-] While he was thus engaged, the Bastarnae ceased their flight and
remained near the Cedrus[78] river to watch what would take place. When,
after conquering the Moesians, the Roman general started against them,
they sent envoys forbidding him to pursue them, since they had done the
Romans no harm. Crassus detained them, saying he would give them their
answer the following day, and besides treating them kindly he made them
drunk, so that he learned all their plans. The whole Scythian race is
insatiable in the use of wine and quickly succumbs to its influence.
Crassus meanwhile, during the night, advanced to a wood, and after
stat