t
Izates; and, in the beginning of the first onset, and before they came
to a close fight, those Handees, as if they had a panic terror upon
them, all deserted Izates, as they had agreed to do, and, turning their
backs upon their enemies, ran away. Yet was not Izates dismayed at
this; but when he understood that the grandees had betrayed him, he also
retired into his camp, and made inquiry into the matter; and as soon as
he knew who they were that made this conspiracy with the king of Arabia,
he cut off those that were found guilty; and renewing the fight on the
next day, he slew the greatest part of his enemies, and forced all the
rest to betake themselves to flight. He also pursued their king, and
drove him into a fortress called Arsamus, and following on the siege
vigorously, he took that fortress. And when he had plundered it of all
the prey that was in it, which was not small, he returned to Adiabene;
yet did not he take Abia alive, because, when he found himself
encompassed on every side, he slew himself.

2. But although the grandees of Adiabene had failed in their first
attempt, as being delivered up by God into their king's hands, yet would
they not even then be quiet, but wrote again to Vologases, who was then
king of Parthia, and desired that he would kill Izates, and set over
them some other potentate, who should be of a Parthian family; for they
said that they hated their own king for abrogating the laws of their
forefathers, and embracing foreign customs. When the king of Parthia
heard this, he boldly made war upon Izates; and as he had no just
pretense for this war, he sent to him, and demanded back those honorable
privileges which had been bestowed on him by his father, and threatened,
on his refusal, to make war upon him. Upon hearing of this, Izates was
under no small trouble of mind, as thinking it would be a reproach upon
him to appear to resign those privileges that had been bestowed upon him
out of cowardice; yet because he knew, that though the king of Parthia
should receive back those honors, yet would he not be quiet, he resolved
to commit himself to God, his Protector, in the present danger he was
in of his life; and as he esteemed him to be his principal assistant, he
intrusted his children and his wives to a very strong fortress, and laid
up his corn in his citadels, and set the hay and the grass on fire. And
when he had thus put things in order, as well as he could, he awaited
the coming of