see that Surena himself and those about him were
advancing without armour and without their weapons. Crassus replied,
that if he had the least concern about his life, he should not have
put himself into their hands; however, he sent two Roscii, brothers,
to inquire upon what terms they should meet, and how many of them.
Surena immediately seized and detained the two brothers, and he
himself advanced on horseback with the chief officers, and said, "What
is this? the Roman Imperator on foot while we are riding!" and he
ordered them to bring a horse to Crassus. Crassus observed that
neither himself nor Surena was acting wrong in coming to the
conference according to the fashion of their respective countries; on
which Surena said that from that moment there was a truce and peace
between king Hyrodes and the Romans; but that it was requisite to
advance to the river,[85] and there have the agreement put in writing;
"for you Romans," he said, "have not a very good memory about
contracts;" and he held out his right hand to Crassus. When Crassus
was going to send for a horse, Surena said there was no occasion; "for
the king gives you this." At the same time a horse with golden bits
stood close by Crassus, and the grooms raised him up and mounted him,
and then followed, quickening the horse's pace with blows. Octavius
first laid hold of the bridle of the horse, and, after him, Petronius,
one of the tribunes, and then the rest got round the horse of Crassus,
endeavouring to stop it, and dragging away those who pressed close
upon Crassus on each side. This led to a struggle and tumult, and
finally to blows; Octavius drew his sword and killed the groom of one
of the barbarians, and another struck Octavius from behind and killed
him. Petronius had no weapon, and, being struck on the breastplate, he
leapt down from the horse unwounded; and a Parthian, named
Pomaxathres, killed Crassus.[86] Some say that it was not Pomaxathres,
but another, who killed Crassus, and that Pomaxathres cut off the head
and right hand when Crassus was lying on the ground. But these are
rather matters of conjecture than of certain knowledge; for of those
who were present some fell there fighting about Crassus, and the rest
immediately fled back to the hill. Upon this the Parthians came and
said, that Crassus had been punished as he deserved, but Surena
invited the rest to come down and fear nothing: whereupon, some of the
Romans came down and surrendered, and