hemselves and
breaking their ranks, they threw themselves around the square before
the Romans were aware of it. Crassus ordered the light-armed troops to
spring forward; but they had not advanced far before they were met by
a shower of arrows, which galled them, and they ran back for shelter
among the legionary soldiers, and caused the beginning of disorder and
alarm among the Romans, who saw the vigour with which the arrows were
discharged and their strength, for they tore the armour and made their
way through everything alike, whether hard or soft defence. The
Parthians, dispersing themselves at considerable distances from one
another, began to discharge their arrows from all points at once, not
taking any very exact aim (for the close and compact ranks of the
Romans did not give a man the opportunity of missing if he wished it),
but sending their arrows with vigorous and forcible effect from bows
which were strong and large, and, owing to their great degree of
bending, discharged the missiles with violence. Now the condition of
the Romans was pitiable from the beginning: for, if they kept their
position, they were exposed to be wounded, and if they attempted to
close with the enemy, they were just as far from doing the enemy any
harm, and they suffered just as much; for the Parthians while
retreating[74] still discharged their arrows, and they do this most
effectually next to the Scythians: and it is a most subtle device to
make their escape from danger while they are still fighting, and to
take away the disgrace of flight.

XXV.[75] The Romans endured so long as they had hopes that the
Parthians would withdraw from the contest when they had discharged
their arrows, or would come to close quarters; but when they perceived
that there were many camels standing there, loaded with arrows, and
that the Parthians who had first shot all their arrows, turned round
to the camels for a fresh supply, Crassus, seeing no end to this,
began to lose heart, and he sent messengers to his son with orders to
force the enemy to engage before he was surrounded, for the Parthians
were mainly attacking and surrounding with their cavalry the wing
commanded by young Crassus, with the view of getting in his rear.
Accordingly, the young man taking thirteen hundred horsemen,--a
thousand of whom he had brought from Caesar,--and five hundred
archers, and eight cohorts of the legionary soldiers, who were nearest
to him, wheeled about to attack th