ey's
approach, because it was destitute of water. Pompey encamped in the same
place; and conjecturing, from the nature of the plants and the crevices
in the mountain, that springs might be found, he ordered a number of
wells to be dug, and the camp was in a short time plentifully supplied
with water. He was not a little surprised that this did not occur to
Mithridates during the whole time of his encampment there.

After this, Pompey followed him to his new camp, and drew a line of
circumvallation round him. Mithridates stood a siege of forty-five days,
after which he found means to steal off with his best troops, having
first killed all the sick, and such as could be of no service. Pompey
overtook him near the Euphrates, and encamped over against him; but
fearing he might pass the river unperceived, he drew out his troops
at midnight. At that time Mithridates is said to have had a dream
prefigurative of what was to befall him. He thought he was upon
the Pontic Sea, sailing with a favorable wind, and in sight of the
Bosphorus; so that he felicitated his friends in the ship, like a man
perfectly safe, and already in harbor. But suddenly he beheld himself in
the most destitute condition, swimming upon a piece of wreck. While he
was in all the agitation which this dream produced, his friends awaked
him, and told him that Pompey was at hand. He was now under a necessity
of fighting for his camp, and his generals drew up the forces with all
possible expedition.

Pompey, seeing them prepared, was loth to risk a battle in the dark. He
thought it sufficient to surround them, so as to prevent their
flight; and what inclined him still more to wait for daylight, was
the consideration that his troops were much better than the enemy's.
However, the oldest of his officers entreated him to proceed immediately
to the attack, and at last prevailed. It was not indeed very dark; for
the moon, though near her setting, gave light enough to distinguish
objects. But it was a great disadvantage to the king's troops, that the
moon was so low, and on the backs of the Romans; because she projected
their shadows so far before them, that the enemy could form no just
estimate of the distances, but thinking them at hand, threw their
javelins before they could do the least execution.

The Romans, perceiving their mistake, advanced to the charge with all
the alarm of voices. The enemy were in such a consternation, that they
made not the least stand,