e so many enemies in his rear,
nor to give up the siege. Lucullus replied, that singly they did not
advise well, but that taken both together the counsel was good; on
which he divided his army. He left Murena with six thousand foot to
maintain the siege; and himself taking twenty-four cohorts, among
which there were not above ten thousand hoplitae, with all his cavalry
and slingers and bowmen, to the number of about one thousand, advanced
against the enemy. Lucullus, encamping in a large plain by the bank of
the river, appeared contemptible to Tigranes, and furnished matter for
amusement to the king's flatterers. Some scoffed at him, and others,
by way of amusement, cast lots for the spoil, and all the generals and
kings severally applied to the king, and begged the matter might be
intrusted to each of them singly, and that Tigranes would sit as a
spectator. Tigranes also attempted to be witty, and, in a scoffing
manner, he uttered the well-known saying, "If they have come as
ambassadors, there are too many of them; if as soldiers, too few."
Thus they amused themselves with sarcastic sayings and jokes. At
daybreak Lucullus led out his troops under arms. Now the barbarian
army was on the east side of the river; but, as the river makes a bend
towards the west, at a part where it was easiest to ford, Lucullus led
his troops out, and hurried in that direction, which led Tigranes to
think that he was retreating; and calling Taxiles to him he said, with
a laugh, "Don't you see that these invincible Roman warriors are
flying?" Taxiles replied: "I should be pleased, O king, at any strange
thing happening which should be lucky to you; but the Roman soldiers
do not put on their splendid attire when they are on a march; nor have
they then their shields cleaned, and their helmets bare, as they now
have, by reason of having taken off the leathern coverings; but this
brightness of their armour is a sign they are going to fight, and are
now marching against their enemies." While Taxiles was still speaking
the first eagle came in sight; for Lucullus had now faced about, and
the cohorts were seen taking their position in manipuli for the
purpose of crossing the river: on which Tigranes, as if he were hardly
recovering from a drunken bout, called out two or three times, "What,
are they coming against us?" and so, with much confusion, the enemy's
soldiers set about getting into order, the king taking his position in
the centre, and giving