ey said, that they had destroyed the
soldiers who belonged to Niger's party. Indeed, they sent a few gifts to
him and promised to restore the captives and whatever spoils were left.
However, they were not willing either to abandon the walled towns they had
captured or to accept the imposition of tributes, but they desired those
in existence to be lifted from the country. It was this that led to the
war just mentioned.]

[Sidenote:--2--] When he had crossed the Euphrates and invaded hostile
territory, where the country was destitute of water and at this summer
season had become especially parched, he came dangerously near losing
great numbers of soldiers. Wearied as they were by their tramping and the
hot sun, clouds of dust that they encountered harrassed them greatly, so
that they could no longer walk nor yet speak, but only utter the word
"Water, water!" When [moisture] appeared, on account of [its] strangeness
it attracted no more attention than if it had not been found, till Severus
called for a cup, and having filled it with water drank it down in full
view of all. Upon this some others likewise drank and were invigorated.
Soon after Severus entered Nisibis and himself waited there, but
despatched Lateranus and Candidus and Laetus severally among the
aforementioned barbarians. These upon attaining their goals proceeded to
lay waste the land of the barbarians and to capture their cities. While
Severus was greatly priding himself upon this achievement and feeling that
he surpassed all mankind in both understanding and bravery, a most
unexpected event took place. One Claudius, a robber, who overran Judaea
and Syria and was sought for in consequence with great hue and cry, came
to him one day with horsemen, like some military tribune, and saluted and
kissed him. The visitor was not discovered at the time nor was he later
arrested. [And the Arabians, because none of their neighbors was willing
to aid them, sent an embassy a second time to Severus making quite
reasonable propositions. Still, they did not obtain what they wanted,
inasmuch as they had not come in person.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 196 (a.u. 949)] [Sidenote:--3--] The Scythians, too, were
in fighting humor, when at this juncture during a deliberation of theirs
thunder and lightning-flashes with rain suddenly broke over them, and
thunderbolts began to fall, killing their three foremost men. This caused
them to hesitate.

Severus again made three divisions of his ar