while they were divided and not in battle order, and so put them into
confusion. Lucullus himself set to work to superintend the encampment,
and he sent Sextilius, one of his legati, with sixteen hundred
horsemen, and hoplitae[397] and light-armed troops, a few more in
number, with orders to approach close to the enemy, and wait till he
should hear that the soldiers who were with him had made their
encampment. Sextilius wished to follow his orders; but he was
compelled to engage by Mithrobarzanes, who was confidently advancing
against him. A battle ensued, in which Mithrobarzanes fell fighting;
and the rest, taking to flight, were all cut to pieces with the
exception of a few. Upon this Tigranes left Tigranocerta,[398] a large
city which he had founded, and retreated to the Taurus, and there
began to get together his forces from all parts: but Lucullus,
allowing him no time for preparation, sent Murena to harass and cut
off those who were collecting to join Tigranes, and Sextilius on the
other side to check a large body of Arabs, who were approaching to
the king. It happened just at the same time that Sextilius fell on the
Arabs as they were encamping and killed most of them, and Murena,
following Tigranes, took the opportunity of attacking him as he was
passing through a rough and narrow defile with his army in a long
line. Tigranes fled, and left behind him all his baggage; and many of
the Armenians were killed and still more taken prisoners.

XXVI. After this success Lucullus broke up his camp and marched
against Tigranocerta, which he surrounded with his lines, and began to
besiege. There were in the city many Greeks, a part of those who had
been removed from Cilicia, and many barbarians who had fared the same
way with the Greeks, Adiabeni,[399] and Assyrians, and Gordyeni and
Cappadocians, whose native cities Tigranes had digged down, and had
removed the inhabitants and settled them there. The city was also
filled with wealth and sacred offerings, for every private individual
and prince, in order to please the king, contributed to the increase
and ornament of the city. For this reason Lucullus pressed the siege,
thinking that Tigranes would not endure this, but even contrary to his
judgment, would come down in passion and fight a battle; and he was
not mistaken. Now, Mithridates, both by messengers and letters,
strongly advised Tigranes not to fight a battle, but to cut off the
enemy's supplies by means of his ca