for matter committed in the Proconsulship of Asia in which he augmented the displeasure the Prince bare him for iustice and industrie and because he had beene very carefull in opening the hauen of the Ephesians and had left vnpunished the violence of the citie Pergamena which hindring Acratus Caesars freed man to carry away their images and pictures But the fault indeede laid to his charge was his friendship with Plautus and ambition in alluring the prouince to new hopes The time chosen to condemne him was when Tiridates came to take the kingdome of Armenia that domesticall wickednes might be obscured and hidden with the rumors of the strangers arriuing or else that he might shew the greatnes of an Emperour by the death of worthie men as a royall act Whereupon all the citie being run out to receiue the Prince and behold the King Thrasea forbidden to go to meete him lost not courage therefore but wrote to Nero demaunding his accusations boldly affirming that he would purge himselfe if he might haue knowledge of the crimes and licence to cleere them These writings Nero receiued very greedily in hope that Thrasea being terrified and deiected would haue written somewhat sounding to the magnificencie and excellencie of the Prince and discredit of his owne reputation which falling out otherwise fearing the countenance and courage and libertie of the innocent commaunded the Lords of the Senate to be assembled Then Thrasea consulted with his friends whether he should aduenture his purgation or let it passe Those which thought it best he should enter into the Senat house said they were assured of his constancie and that he would say nothing but what should augment his glory Cowardly and timorous men did shut themselues in secret places at the time of their death The people should see a man offering himselfe to death the Senate should heare words more then humane as it were of some diuine power that Nero himselfe might also be moued with the miracle but if his crueltie should continue certes the memorie of an honorable death should be distinguished with posteritie from the cowardlines of such as perished with silence Contrarywise such as thought it conuenient to expect within dores what might happen said the same of Thrasea But yet that skoffes and iniuries were at hand he should therefore withdraw his eares from checks and reprochfull speeches not only Cossutianus and Eprius are prompt to naughtines some there are which peraduenture would let their hand walke and strike through the crueltie * of Augustus yea the good do the like for feare That he would rather deliuer the Senat whom he had alwaies honored of the infamie of so great a villanie and leaue it doubtfull what hauing seene Thrasea the Lordes of the Senate would determine That Nero should be ashamed of his wickednes was to trouble himselfe with a vaine hope and that it was much more to be feared least he should grow cruell against his wife his familie and the rest of his children Therefore that vndefiled and vncorrupted whose steps and studies he had imitated in his life theirs also he should follow in the honor of his death There was present at this consultation Rusticus Arulenus Tribune of the people a hot yongman who for desire of praise offered to oppose himselfe to the decree of Senate Thrasea coold his courage Least he should begin a vaine enterprise vnprofitable to the criminall and dangerous to the opposer As for himselfe he had ended his yeeres and that he ought not forsake the manner of his life so many yeeres continued but he entred now into offices and was in his choise to accept or refuse such as are behind That he should waigh well and ponder with himselfe what course of gouerning he should enter into of taking charge in the common wealth in such a time as this Whether it were fit for him to come into the Senate or not he would haue it rest in his owne consideration VI. Thraseas accusation and death THe next day two armed Pretorian cohorts beset the Temple of Venus the mother the waies to the Senate a companie of gownd-men had filled not hiding their weapons and a thicke aray of souldiers dispersed in the place of assemblies and Temples amidst whose lookes and threats the Senators went into the court where the Princes oration was heard by his Quaestors mouth None noted by name he blamed the Senators That they neglected publicke duties and that by their example the gentlemen of Rome were become lazie For what maruell was it if from Prouinces farre off they came not to Rome when as the most part hauing obtained the Consulship and priestly dignities gaue themselues rather to passe the time withall pleasures in their gardens Which the accusers tooke hold of as it were of a weapon And Cossutianus leading the daunce and Marcellus with greater vehemencie Cried that this touched the whole state that through the disobedience of the inferiours the lenitie of the commaunder was made lesser The Lords of the Senate vntill that day had beene too milde in suffering Thrasea to forsake their side his sonne in law Heluidius Priscus in the same madnes Paconius Agrippinus heire of his fathers hatred against Princes and Curtius Montanus composing destable verses to scoffe and abuse men without punishment He found a lacke of a Consull in the Senate of a priest in vowes in an oath a citizen but against the ordinances and ceremonies of our auncestors Thrasea had openly put on the person of a traitour and an enemie Finally that he should come and play the Senator and as he was wont protect the backbiters of the Prince and giue his censure what he would haue amended or chaunged for they could more easilie endure one finding fault with all things then endure his silence now condemning all things Doth peace throughout the world displease him or victories without losse of the armies That they would not suffer him haue the desire of his ouerthwart ambition who grieued at the common prosperitie thought the place of assemblies the Theater and Temples solitarie places and threatned his owne banishment These things vnto him seemed not decrees not magistrates nor this the citie of Rome that he would abandon and separate his life from that citie whose loue in time past and now whose sight he had cast off When with these and the like speeches Marcellus had inueighed grim and threatning in voice countenance and eies kindled with rage not that knowen and by often vse of daungers vsuall heauines but a new and a deeper feare seased the Lords of the Senate beholding the hands and weapons of the souldiers Besides that the reuerent representation of Thrasea came to their imagination and some there were which had compassion that Heluidius should suffer punishment in regard of harmelesse affinitie What was obiected against Agrippinus but the lamentable fortune of his father When as he innocent also was ruined by Tiberius crueltie Montanus a vertuous yoong man was
haue alreadie said had inueighled Libo then betrayed him and brought him to destruction Which seruice Tiberius not forgetting though pretending other causes intreated that he might not be banished but that he should be deposed from the Senate he hindered not I am not ignorant that many of those things which I haue rehearsed and which I shall rehearse hereafter will seeme of small moment and not worthy the writing But I wish not that any should compare our annales with the writings of the auncient historiographers of the people of Rome for they reported with a free discourse of mightie great warres winning of townes of Kings taken and slaine or if they came to domesticall affaires they recorded the discords betwixt the Consuls and the Tribunes lawes concerning distribution of lands among the common people and iarres betweene the communaltie and nobilitie But the scope of our discourse is streight and our labour inglorious the times I write of being peaceable and quiet or no great warres the state of the citie dolefull and the Prince carelesse in dilating the Empire Yet it shall not bee lost labour to looke into those things which at the first seeme light oft yeelding instruction of greater matters For all Nations and Cities are gouerned by the people or Peers or one alone A forme of common-wealth constituted of one of these may better be praised then found or if it chaunce to be found it cannot long continue Therefore as in times past the people bearing swaie or the Lords of the Senate the humor of the communaltie was to be knowen and the meanes how with greatest discretion they were to be dealt withall and they iudged most wise and experienced who had deepliest entered into the disposition of the Senators nobilitie so the state being now changed and the regiment consisting in one alone it shall be conuenient to note those things which vnto that forme of gouernment doth best appertaine For there are but few which by wisedome distinguish honest things from dishonest and profitable from hurtfull but most men are taught by others euents And my writings bring more profit then delight for situation of countries varietie of battels the death of famous Captaines do feede and recreat the readers mindes But we heape vp bloodie commaundements continuall accusations deceitfull friendships the ouerthrow of innocent persons and causes bringing the like end matters tedious for want of varietie The old writers had also this aduantage that they had no detractors of their writing or fewe not being materiall to any whether he had praised the Affrican or Roman armies But many are yet aliue whose predecessors suffered punishment or infamie vnder Tiberius gouernment And although their familie be extinguished yet thou shalt find many which for conformitie of manners thinke that others misdeedes are obiected against themselues Glorie and vertue haue enimies likewise according to the disposition of euerie mans minde framing reasons contrarie to that which his own inclination is neerest vnto But I will returne to my first purpose VIII An oration of Cremutius in defence of his Annales Tiberius would not suffer the Spaniards to build a Temple in his honour COrnelius Cossus Asinius Agrippa being Consuls Cremutius Cordus was accused of a new crime neuer before heard of that in certaine Annales by him published he had praised M. Brutus and said that C. Cassius was the last of the Romans His accusers were Satrius Secundus and Pinarius Natta Seianus clients which was his ouerthrow Caesar with a sterne looke hearing his purgation which Cremutius being assured to lose his life began in this manner I am accused for words Lords of the Senate bicause in deedes I am innocent But they were neither against the Prince nor his father whom the lawe of treason doth comprehend I am said to haue commended Brutus and Cassius whose acts manie haue written and all in honorable termes T. Liuius an excellent writer as well for eloquence as truth did so much extoll Gn. Pompeius that Augustus called him a Pompeian yet that no breach of friendship at all Scipio Afranius did neuer call this selfe same Cassius this Brutus theeues and parricides as now adaies they are termed but often worthie famous men Asinius Pollioes writings do deliuer an honorable memorie of them Messalla Coruinus extolleth Cassius as his Captaine and both flourished in wealth and honour When M. Cicero had in a booke extolled Cato to the heauens what did Caesar the Dictator but answere him in an oration as if he had beene before the iudges Antonies epistles Brutus orations haue I confesse many vntrue and bitter speeches against Augustus Men read Bibaculus and Catullus verses which are stuffed with reproches against the Caesars But yet Iulius and Augnstus of famous memorie winked thereat whether with greater moderation or wisedome I know not for things of that qualitie neglected vanish of themselues but repined and greeued at argue a guiltie conscience The Grecians whose not onely libertie but vnrestrained licence escaped vnpunished I speake not of or if any felt himselfe greeued he reuenged words with other words It hath bin alwaies a matter of free libertie and least subiect vnto detraction to speake of those whom death had exempted from hatred and fauor Do I incense the peope by orations to ciuill warre with Cassius and Brutus alreadie in armes and masters of the Philippian fields Do not they who ended their life aboue seauentie yeeres agone as they are knowen by their images which the Conqueror himselfe hath not pulled downe so retaine some remembrance of them by writings Posteritie doth render vnto euery man the commendation he hath deserued Neither will there want some if I be condemned which will make mention not onely of Cassius and Brutus but of me also Hauing thus saide he went out of the Senat ended his life by abstinence Order was giuen by the Senators that the Aediles should burne his bookes which notwithstanding were still extant some secretly some publickly which maketh me the willinglier to laugh at the witles vncircumpection of such as thinke with the power and authoritie they haue in their own time they can also extinguish the memory of future times But it falleth out contrary that when good wits are punished their credit groweth greater neither haue forraine Kings or such as haue vsed the like crueltie purchased any other thing then discredit to themselues and to such wits glorie This yeere accusations were so hotly pursued that euen on the festiuall daies of the Latines Calphurnius Saluianus went to accuse Marius before Drusus Prouest of the citie as he was entering into the Tribunall to begin his charge for which cause Saluianus being publikely blamed by Tiberius was sent into banishment Great negligence was openly layd to the Cyzicenians charge in not solemnising Augustus sacrifices and that they had vsed violence against the citizens of Rome For which cause they lost the freedome which they had gotten in the warre when they were besieged by
time the Embassadors of the Parthians sent as I haue said before to demand Meherdates for their King entered into the Senat and began to vtter their charge as followeth They came thither not ignorant of the league betweene them and the Romans nor disloyall to the familie of the Arsacides but to aske for Vonones sonne Phrahates nephew against Gotarzes tyrannie alike intollerable to the nobilitie and communaltie Now that his brothers are extinguished by murder his neerest kinsemen and such as were farthese off he would do the like to women with child and small children thinking it a meanes being vnfortunate in warres abroad to couer with that cowardlines his crueltie at home That their amitie with vs was auncient and publickly confirmed and therefore reason we should ayd our allies which might in strength compare with the Romans but in deede yeeld for reuerence Therefore the Kings children were giuen for hostages that if they grew weary of their domesticall gouernment they might haue recourse to the Prince and Lords of the Senate vnder whose manner of liuing the King being brought vp should be presumed to be the better When they had vttered these and the like speeches Caesar began his oration with the greatnes of the Roman Empire and dutifulnes of the Parthians and maketh himselfe equall to Augustus declaring that a King had beene demaunded of him also not mentioning Tiberius at all notwithstanding he had sent ayd likewise He gaue certaine precepts to Meherdates who was there present aduertising him that he should not thinke himselfe a Lord and maister to commaund ouer his subiects as slaues but a guide and they citizens and that he should vse clemencie and iustice vertues so much the more gratefull vnto these barbarians by how much the lesse knowne among them Then turning himselfe to the Embassadors he highly commended the youth which had beene brought vp in the citie as one whose modestie had beene well tried that the dispositions of Kings were to be borne withal because often changes are not profitable That the Romane estate was growne vnto that height with fulnes of glory that it desired peace and quietnes euen to forren nations After he had thus sayd he commaunded C. Cassius gouernor of Syria to conduct the yong man to the riuer of Euphrates Cassius at that time did excell the rest in the knowledge of the lawes For militarie skill is vnknowne in time of rest and quietnes and peace esteemeth alike of the coward and couragious Neuertheles as much as those quiet times gaue him leaue he renewed the auncient discipline kept the legions in practise with care and foresight as if the enemie had beene at hand thinking it a thing worthy of his ancestors and Cassian familie renowned among those people Hauing therefore sent for them through whose consentment the King was demaunded and planted his camp at Zeugma where the riuer is most passable after that the noblemen of Parthia and the King of the Arabians called Abbarus was come he shewed vnto Meherdates that the first brunt of the barbarians was fierce and hote but by delay and lingering became cold or turned into treason and therefore he should couragiously go through his enterprise But his aduise was contemned through Abbarus fraude who detained him like an vnexperienced yong man in the towne of Edessa as though the highest degree of fortune and princely felicitie had consisted in riot and wantonnes And when Carrhenes called them in and assured them that all was in a good readines if they would make haste they did not march straight to Mesopotamia but turned to Armenia in an vnseasonable time because the winter was begun Then wearied with snowes and mountaines comming neere to the plaine they ioyned with Carrhenes forces And hauing passed the riuer of Tigris they entered into the countrey of the Adiabeni whose King Iuliates in open shew professed himselfe a confederate of Meherdates but vnderhand was more faithfully bent to Gotarzes IIII. Gotarzes ouercommeth Meherdates and cutteth off his eares Mithradates vsurpeth the kingdome of the Dandarides and goeth about to driue out Cotys NEuerthelesse in passing by Meherdates tooke the citie of Ninos the most ancient seat of Assyria and a famous Castle because that in the last battell betwixt Darius and Alexander there the Persian power was brought to vtter ruine In the meane time Gotarzes at a hill called Sambulos offered vowes to the gods of the place among which Hercules was chiefly honoured who at a certaine time admonisheth his Priestes in a dreame that neere vnto the Temple they should haue horses readie prepared for hunting the horses loaden with quiuers full of arrowes prawnsing vp and downe the woods returne at night breathing and panting with their quiuers emptie The god again declareth to them in a dreame what woods they haue coursed vp and downe in whither they goe and finde wild beasts killed in many places But Gotarzes not hauing sufficiently strengthened his armie vseth the riuer Corma for a defēce And although he were summoned by diuers messēgers hard speeches to battel yet he sought delayes changed place and sent some to corrupt the enimie and draw them to forsake their obedience Among which Ezates Adiabenus and anon after Abbarus King of the Arabians with their armie began to shrinke through a certaine lightnes incident to that nation and bicause it is tried by experience that the Barbarians had rather come to Rome to demaund a King then when they haue him keepe him Now Meherdates seeing himselfe stripped of his strongest succour and suspecting least the others would betraye him determined for his last refuge to commit the matter to chaunce and hazard it in a maine battell Gotarzes being verie fierce that his enimies forces were diminished refused not to fight They met with great slaughter and a doubtfull issue vntill Carrhenes making cleare way before him and driuing and pursuing the enimies too farre was compassed behind with a fresh companie and slaine Then all hope being lost Meherdates trusting the promises of one Parrhacis a follower of his father by his falshood was taken prisoner and deliuered to the Conquerour Who intreated him not like a kinsman or one of the Arsacis stocke but reuiled him like a stranger and a Roman and hauing cut off his eares gaue him his life as a shew of his clemencie and dishonour and reproch vnto vs. Not long after Gotarzes died of a disease and Vonones then gouernour of the Medes was called to be King There happened nothing in his raigne either prosperous or vnprosperous worthie the telling he liued but a short and an inglorious time and the kingdome of the Parthians was translated to his sonne Vologeses But Mithradates the Bosphoran wandering vp and downe after he had lost his forces vnderstanding that Didius the Roman Captaine with the strength of his armie was departed and that onely Cotys a raw and rude youth was left in the new kingdome with some few bandes vnder the conduct of
thousand choise men on the top of the hill Taurus hard by to hinder the King to passe He placed also certaine cornets of Pannonians which were the strength and sinewes of his horsemen in one part of the plaine His wife and sonne were shut vp in a castle called Arsamosata and a cohort appointed to guarde them and thus dispersed the souldiers which vnited in one would much better haue made head against the stragled and rouing enimie It is reported that he was hardly brought to confesse vnto Corbulo that the King was at hand neither did Corbulo make any great haste to the end that the dangers growing great his own praise in succouring might be the greater Neuerthelesse he commaunded three thousand to be set forwarde out of the three legions eight hundred horse and the like number out of the auxiliarie cohorts But Vologeses although he had vnderstood that the passages were shut vp by Paetus on the one side with footmen and on the other with horsmen nothing altering his determination what with violence what with threatnings hauing put the horsemen to flight broke the legionaries one onely Centurion Tarquitius Crescens hauing courage to defend himselfe in a towre wherein he had a garrison making often sallies and slaying such Barbarians as came neere vntill he was forced by fire to yeeld Of the footemen if any was vnhurt he fled to bye-places a farre off the wounded returned to the campe extolling the valour of the King the crueltie and number of his souldiers and all else for feare such easily beleeuing them as were in the like perplexitie The Captaine himselfe not once endeuoruing to remedie the calamitie neglected all duties of seruice and sent againe to intreat Corbulo that he would come away in all poste haste to defend the ensignes and standarts and the onely name left of the vnfortunate armie he for his owne part would whilest life lasted remaine faithfull III. Corbulo goeth to Syria to aide Paetus who in the meane space maketh a dishonorable peace with Vologeses COrbulo daunted nothing at all leauing part of his forces in Syria to defende the fortresses built vpon the shore of Euphrates tooke his iourney as the neerest way and plentifullest of victuals by the Comagenians then by Cappadocia and from thence to Armenia There followed the armie besides the vsuall furniture and prouision of warre a multitude of camels loaden with corne to driue away both the enimie and hunger The first he met of those which were throughly affrighted was Pactius the Centurion of the first ensigne then many other soldiers who pretending diuers and sundry causes of their flying away he admonished to returne to their ensignes and trust to Paetus clemencie As for himselfe he was rigorous to none but to the conquerers Withall he went to his legions encouraged them put them in minde of their old valour and what occasion they had to win new glory That they sought not now villages and townes of Armenia for a reward of their trauels but Roman camps and amongst them two legions If vnto euery common souldier the crowne was giuen by the Emperors hands as a speciall honor to him who had saued one citizen only how great and worthie an honor shall it be when the like number shall be seene of the succourers succoured And with these and the like incouragements generally cheered and some there were whom their brothers perils and neere kindred inflamed of their owne proper motions they hastned their iourney day and night Vologeses so much the more eagerly pursueth the besieged now assailing the trench of the legions now the fort where the fearefull or aged had fled for defence approching neerer then the Parthians custome is to allure by temeritie his enemie to battell But the Romans hardly haled out of their cabins did but defend their rampires part at the commaundement of the captaine and others by their owne cowardlines looking for Corbulo and if they should be put to any distresse purposed to shift for themselues by the example of the ouerthrowe at Caudina and Numantina Neither had the Samnites people of Italie nor the people of Carthage which contended for greatnes with the Romans so great power as the Parthians Their auncestors also both valiant and commended of all when fortune crossed them prouided for their safetie By which desperation Paetus the generall of the armie vtterly cast downe yet sent not his first letters to Vologeses in humble sort but in manner of a complaint That he vsed hostilitie against the Armenians subiect alwaies to the Romans or to a King chosen by the Emperour That peace was alike profitable to both That he should not regard things present only That he was come against two legions with all the power of his kingdome but the Romains had the whole world besides at commandement to aide the warre Vologeses answered nothing touching the matter but that he was to expect his brothers Pacorus and Tiridates and that that place and time was appointed to consult of Armenia * And that the gods had fauored them so much being a matter worthy of the Arsacides greatnes that withall they could determine of the Roman legions After that Paetus sent messengers to intreate a parly with the King who commanded Vasaces captaine of the horse to go Then Paetus beginneth with the Luculli Pompei and such other Captaines as had conquered and giuen away Armenia Vasaces answered that the Romaines had but a shadow of holding and giuing away of Armenia and that the right and power was with the Parthians And hauing sufficiently debated the matter on both sides Monobazus Adiabenus the next day was called a witnes of their agreement which was that the legions should no longer be besieged and all the souldiers depart out of the bounds of Armenia and all forts and prouisions to be deliuered to the Parthians which done that Vologeses should haue licence to send Embassadors to Nero. In the meane space Paetus built a bridge ouer the riuer Arsamites which ran by the camp vnder colour of passing that way but the Parthians had commanded it to be done as a token of the victorie for it serued their turne and our men went another way And the rumor went that the legions were sent sub iugum with other disgraces which the Armenians were wont to vse against the vanquished For they entered the trench before the Romaine camp was departed and beset the way challenging and leading away their horses and such as had beene their slaues Their apparell also and weapons were taken from them and the souldiers yeelded them for feare least any occasion of quarrell should be giuen Vologeses hauing gathered together our weapons and dead bodies to witnes the ouerthrow of our people forbare from seeing the running away of the legions A fame of moderation was sought for after he had satisfied and filled his pride He passed the riuer Arsamites on an Elephant and euery man neere the King on horseback because a rumor was
Prouinces would be gouerned more iustly and constantly For as couetuousnes is brideled through feare of being accused of briberie and extortion so thankes giuing being forbidden ambition would be restrained This opinion was appooued with great consent of all yet a decree of Senate could not be established the Consuls denying the matter to haue beene propounded Anon after by authoritie of the Prince they ordayned that none should propound it in the councell of the allies that thankes should be giuen before the Senate the Propretors or Proconsuls and that no man should do that message Vnder the same Consuls the place of exercise called Gymnasium was burnt with a flash of lightning and Neroes image melted to a shapelesse lumpe of brasse And by an earth-quake the famous towne of Pompey in Campania was ruined in a great part And Laelia a virgin Vestall died in whose place was chosen Cornelia of the Cossian familie VI. The birth of Nero and Poppaeas childe The death of the same daughter The Parthian Ambassadors receiue no answere and Corbulo made Lieutenant generall of the war MEmmius Regulus and Verginius Rufus being Consuls Nero had a daughter by Poppaea which he tooke as a matter aboue all mortall ioy and called her Augusta and gaue the same surname to Poppaea The place where she was brought to bed was Antium a colonie where he himselfe was borne The Senate had alreadie commended Poppaeas wombe to the gods and had made publick vowes which were multiplied and performed And there were added processions and a Temple to the goddesses Fecunditati combate ordained to the imitation of the Athenians And that the golden images of Fortunes should be placed in the throne of Iupiter Capitoline that as the Circensian play should be exhibited in the honor of the Iulian familie at Bouillas so at Antium of the Claudian and Domitian all which were vaine and fleeting things the girle dying within fower moneths Which gaue occasion of new flatterings some being of aduise that she should be honored like a goddesse with a bed a Temple and a Priest And Nero himself as before he was without measure glad so now most sorrowfull It was noted that when all the Senate ranne to Antium at the new birth of the childe and Thraseas forbidden he tooke the contumelious repulse with a stout courage as a presage of his imminent ouerthrow It was reported that Caesar bragged to Seneca that he was reconciled to Thrasea and that Seneca was glad thereof From whence grew at once glorie and danger to woorthie men In the meane time in the beginning of the spring the Ambassadors of the Parthians brought King Vologeses message and letters to the same effect That he would now forgoe all the former challenges so oft debated for obtayning of Armenia bicause the gods although arbitraters of puissant nations had deliuered the possession to the Parthians not without the ignominie of the Romans that hauing of late besieged Tigranes then Paetus the legions when he could haue ruined them yet suffered them to depart in saftie His force was sufficiently tried a proofe giuen of his lenity Neither would Tiridates refuse to come to the city to receiue the Diademe if he were not hindered by a religion of priesthood he would go to the insignes images of the prince where in presence of the legions he would luckily begin his gouerment Vologeses letters being of this effect because Paetus had written the contrarie as though al had bin wel the Centurion which came with the Ambassadors was demanded in what state Armenia stood He answered that al the Romans were departed from thence Then the Barbarians scoffe beingvnderstood who demanded that which they had alreadie taken by force Nero consulted with the chiefest of the citie whether it were best to make a doubtfull war with the enemie or peace It was not doubted but warre And Corbulo so many yeeres practised in warres knowing the souldiers and the enimies had the generall charge giuen him least there should be a new errour committed by some others vnskilfulnes for of Paetus bad gouerment they were sorrie and repented Whereupon they were sent backe without any conclusion yet with gifts whereby it might be hoped that Tiridates should not aske in vaine if he came by way of intreatie The gouerment of Syria was committed to Cintius the strength of warre to Corbulo and the fifteenth legion vnder the conduct of Marius Celsus was brought out of Pannonia Letters were sent to the Tetrarches Kings Prefects and Procurators and Pretors which ruled Prouinces adioyning that they should obey Corbulo augmented almost like vnto that that the people of Rome gaue Pompey when he was to war against the Pirates When Paetus at his returne feared greater matters Caesar thought it inough to scoffe and iest at him almost with these words That he would pardon him presently least being so easily brought into a feare he should be sicke with longer pensiuenes But Corbulo sent the fourth and twelfth legion which seemed vnable for warre because they had lost the valiantest among them and the rest affrighted into Syria and conducteth the sixt and third from thence into Armenia all entire and whole and accustomed to often and prosperous successe and added the fift legion which was in Pontus not daunted with the ouerthrow of the others Withall the fifteenth newely arriued and some chosen in Illyricum and Aegypt and all horsmen and footemen with aides of Kings allies drawen togither to Melitenes where he purposed to passe the riuer Euphrates Then hauing taken a suruey of the armie making an oration vnto them beginneth with many stately magnificall discourses of the Emperours gouerment and his owne exploits auoiding the memorie of Paetus vnluckie vnskilfulnes which he vttered with great authoritie that it serued a warlike man in steed of eloquence Then taketh his iourney that way which Lucullus had once passed opening the passages which long continuance of time had shut vp And not disdayning Tiridates and Vologeses Ambassadors comming to intreat of peace sent Centurions to accompanie them with no rough charge For matters were not yet growne to that head that they should neede a maine battell That to the Romans many things had sorted luckily and some to the Parthians a lesson against pride Therefore it behooued Tiridates to accept as a gift the kingdome vnwasted and that Vologeses should better further the Parthians being confederate with the people of Rome than mutually endomaging the one the other He knew what discord they had within themselues and what a fierce and vnruly nation he had to rule contrariwise that his Emperour had euerie where a firme peace and no warre but that Besides his counsell he stroke them into a feare droue the Megistanas Armenians which first reuolted out of their houses battered downe their castles filled with like feare the plaines the hils the strong and weake Corbuloes name was not yet hatefull vnto the Barbarians much lesse did they pursue him like