the king did not wish the war with the Romans to be carried to
extremities, but desired to have their friendship again, by doing them
the favour of treating Crassus kindly. Accordingly the barbarians
stopped fighting; and Surena, with his chief officers, riding gently
up to the hill, unstrung his bow, and holding out his right hand,
invited Crassus to come to terms, saying, that Crassus had put the
king's courage and power to the test, though the king did not wish it,
and yet the king of his own free will made the Romans an offer of
mercy and friendship by being ready to make a truce with them if they
would retire, and by giving them the opportunity of a safe retreat.
Upon Surena saying this the Romans eagerly accepted his proposal, and
were overjoyed; though Crassus, having been always over-reached by
their fraud, and considering the suddenness of the change to be
inexplicable, would not listen to them and hesitated. But the soldiers
began to call out and urge him to accept the terms, and they fell to
abusing and reproaching him, for wishing to expose them to the risk of
fighting with those whom he did not venture to go to a conference
with, even when they laid aside their arms. Crassus at first attempted
to prevail on them by entreaty, and he said that, if they would hold
out for the rest of the day, they would be able to march by night
through the rough and mountain country, and he pointed out to them the
route, and entreated them not to throw away their hopes when safety
was so near; but, as the soldiers began to be exasperated and to
clatter their arms and threaten him, he was alarmed, and advanced
towards Surena, after first turning round and merely saying, "Octavius
and Petronius, and you Roman officers who are here, you see that I go
under compulsion, and you are witnesses that I am treated in a
shameful way and am under constraint; but, if you get safe home, tell
all the world, that Crassus lost his life through the treachery of the
enemy, and was not surrendered by his fellow-citizens."

XXXI. Yet Octavius and those about him did not stay behind, but
descended the hill with Crassus. However, Crassus made the lictors who
were following him turn back. The first who met them, on the part of
the barbarians, were two Greeks of half-breed, who, leaping down from
their horses, made their obeisance to Crassus, and, addressing him in
the Greek language, urged him to send forward some persons, who, as
they said, would