any generals, had not saved Lucullus; for he happened to
be asleep, and Menedemus, one of his chamber-attendants, who was
standing by the door, said that Olthakus had not come at a fit time,
for Lucullus had just gone to rest himself after long wakefulness and
many toils. As Olthakus did not go away when he was told, but said
that he would go in, even should Menedemus attempt to prevent him,
because he wished to communicate with Lucullus about a matter of
emergency and importance, Menedemus began to get in a passion, and,
saying that nothing was more urgent than the health of Lucullus, he
shoved the man away with both his hands. Olthakus being alarmed stole
out of the camp, and, mounting his horse, rode off to the army of
Mithridates, without effecting his purpose. Thus, it appears, it is
with actions just as it is with medicines--time and circumstance give
to the scales that slight turn which saves alive, as well as that
which kills.

XVII. After this Sornatius, with ten cohorts, was sent to get supplies
of corn. Being pursued by Menander, one of the generals of
Mithridates, Sornatius faced about and engaged the enemy, of whom he
killed great numbers and put the rest to flight. Again, upon Adrianus
being sent with a force, for the purpose of getting an abundant supply
of corn for the army, Mithridates did not neglect the opportunity, but
sent Menemachus and Myron at the head of a large body of cavalry and
infantry. All this force, as it is said, was cut to pieces by the
Romans, with the exception of two men. Mithridates concealed the
loss, and pretended it was not so great as it really was, but a
trifling loss owing to the unskilfulness of the commanders. However,
Adrianus triumphantly passed by the camp of the enemy with many
waggons loaded with corn and booty, which dispirited Mithridates, and
caused irremediable confusion and alarm among his soldiers.
Accordingly it was resolved not to stay there any longer. But, while
the king's servants were quietly sending away their own property
first, and endeavouring to hinder the rest, the soldiers, growing
infuriated, pushed towards the passages that led out of the camp, and,
attacking the king's servants, began to seize the luggage and massacre
the men. In this confusion Dorylaus the general, who had nothing else
about him but his purple dress, lost his life by reason of it, and
Hermaeus, the sacrificing priest, was trampled to death at the gates.
The king himself,[372] wi