Selected quad for the lemma: order_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
order_n	file_n	front_n	rank_n	8,296	5	11.6461	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55202	The third volume of Plutarch's lives. Translated from the Greek, by several hands; Lives. English. Vol. III.	Plutarch.; Burghers, M., engraver.	1693 (1693)	Wing P2638BA; ESTC R219473	279,037	652

and Encamp where Horses could not easily come and keep to the Mountains Crassus out of Anger and Vanity writ him no Answer but told them At present he was not at leisure to mind the Armenians but he would call upon them another time and revenge himself upon Artuasdes his Treachery Here Cassius his Party began again to complain but when they perceived how much Crassus was displeased they gave him over but privately rail'd at the Barbarian What evil Genius O thou worst of Men brought thee to our Camp and with what charms and potions hast thou bewitched Crassus that he should march his Army through a vast and deep Desart through ways which are rather fit for a Captain of Arabian Robbers than the General of a Roman Army But the Barbarian being a very subtle fellow very submissively exhorted them and encouraged them to sustain it a little farther but ran about the Camp and under pretence of cheering up the Souldiers asked them in scoff What do you think you march through Campania expecting every where to find Springs and Shades and Baths and Inns of Entertainment consider you now travel the Confines of Arabia and Assyria Thus he managed them like Children and before the cheat was discovered he rode away not but that Crassus was privy to his going but he had perswaded him that he would go and contrive how to disorder the Affairs of the Enemy and it was observed that Crassus came not abroad that day in his Scarlet Robe which Roman Generals use to wear but in a black one which as soon as he perceived he changed And the Standard-Bearers had much ado to take up their Eagles which seemed to be fixed to the place Crassus laught at it and hastened their March and compelled his Infantry to keep pace with his Cavalry till some few of the Scouts returned and told them that their Fellows were slain and they hardly escaped that the Enemy was at hand resolved to give them Battel here all was in an uproar Crassus was struck into an amaze and for hast could not put his Army in good order First therefore as Cassius advised they opened their Ranks and Files that they might take up as much space as could be to prevent their being surrounded and distributed the Horse into the Wings but afterwards changing his Mind he drew up his Army in a square and made a Front every way each of which consisted of Twelve Companies to everyone of which he alotted a Troop of Horse that no part might be destitute of the Assistance that the Horse might give and that they might be ready to assist every where as need should require Crassus Commanded one of the Wings young Crassus t'other and himself was in the middle thus they marched on till they came to a little River named Bolissus a very inconsiderable one in it self but very grateful to the Soldiers who had suffered so much by Drought and Heat all along their march Most of the Commanders were of the opinion that they ought to remain there that night and to inform themselves as much as possible of the number of the Enemies and their Order and so march against them at break of Day but Crassus was so exalted at the eagerness of his Son and the Horsemen that were with him who desired and urged him to lead them on and engage that he Commanded those that had a mind to it to eat and drink as they stood in their Ranks and before they had all well done he led them on not leisurely and by stops as if he was going to Battel but kept on his pace as if he had been in haste till they saw the Enemy contrary to their expectation neither so many nor so magnificently Armed as the Romans expected for Surena had hid his main Force behind the first ranks and ordered them to hide the glittering of their Armour with Coats and Skins but when they approached and the General gave the Signal immediately all the field rung with a hidious noise and terrible clamour for the Parthians do not encourage themselves to War with Cornets and Trumpets but with a kind of Kettle Drum which makes a dead and solemn noise like the Bellowing of Beasts mixt with something like thunder for they well considered that the sense of hearing which receives the first impressions most easily disturbs the Mind and subverts the understanding When they had sufficiently terrified the Romans with their noise they threw of the covering of their Armour they shone like lightening in their Brest-plates and Helmets polished and furbished and made of Margianian Steel and their Horses were covered with Brass and Steel Trappings Surena was the tallest and comelyest Man himself And the Sweetness of his Looks and Effeminacy of his Habit could not promise so much Manhood as he really was Master of for his Face was Painted and his Hair parted after the fashion of the Medes whereas the other Parthians look'd more terrible with their hair shaggy after the Scythian Mode Their first design was with their Launces to beat down and force back the first Ranks of the Romans but when they perceived the depth of their Battel and that the Soldiers kept their ground they made a retreat and pretending to separate and break their Orders they encompassed the Romans round ere they were aware of it then Crassus Commanded his Light Armed Soldiers to charge in but they had not gone far before they were received with such a shower of Arrows that they were glad to retire amongst the heavy-Armed which was the first occasion of their disorder and terror when they perceived the strength and force of their Darts which pierced and broke their Arms Body and all Now the Parthians divided themselves and began to shoot from all sides not aiming at any particular for indeed the order of the Romans was so close that they could not miss if they would and Arrows being forced out of strong bent Bows the strokes were very violent Now was the state of the Romans desperate for if they kept their ranks they were wounded and if they charged though they hurt the Enemy ne'er the more they suffer'd ne'er the less For the Parthians threw their Darts when they fled an Art which none but the Scythians are better practis'd in and 't is cunningly contriv'd for while they thus fight to make their escape they avoid the dishonour of a Flight however the Romans had some comfort to think that when they had spent all their Arrows they would either give over or come to Handy-strokes but when they understood there were several Camels loaded with Arrows and when the first Ranks had discharged those they had they wheeled off and took more Crassus seeing no end of it was out of all heart but sent to his Son that he should endeavour to fall in upon them before he was quite surrounded for the Enemy charged mostly upon that Quarter and rode about that they might come behind him

in the Channel near the City of Mellaria he routed Phidius chief Commander of Hispania Baetica and slew two thousand Romans near the Banks of the River Baetis Domitius and Lucius Manlius Proconsul of another Province of Spain were overthrown in a set Battle by one of his Lieutenants he slew Toranius a Commander sent against him by Metellus with a great Force and destroyed his whole Army and Metellus the greatest General in those Times and a Person of the most approved Experience of any Roman then living was often supplanted and circumvented by him and reduced to such extremities that he was forced to call Lucius Lollius to his assistance out of Gallia Narbonensis and Rome it self being alarmed and terrified parted with her beloved Pompey the Great and sent him into Spain in all haste with the most considerable Forces of the Roman Empire Nor did Metellus know which way to turn himself having to do with a man of undaunted Boldness and Sagacity who was continually molesting him and yet could not be brought to a set battle but by the swiftness and dexterity of his Spanish Soldiery he was able to change his Station and to cast his Army into all Forms and Figures to lead them on and bring them off again and wind himself out of all Streights and Difficulties and although Metellus had great Experience in conducting entire well appointed Legions and was an excellent Commander of Soldiers armed with heavy Armour and drawn up in due order into a standing Phalanx able to encounter the Enemy hand to hand and overpower them by clear Force yet he was no way able to climb up steep Hills and be continually upon the pursuit of a swift Enemy or attend the speedy Marches of Men that were accustomed to range about the Mountains to endure Hunger and Thirst and to live expos'd to the Wind and Weather without Fire or Covering Besides that Metellus being now in years and having been formerly engaged in many Fights and dangerous Conflicts he was now inclinable to lead a more remiss easie and voluptuous Life and was the less able to contend with Sertorius who was in the Flower and Strength of his Youth full of Spirit and Life and had a Body wonderfully fitted for War being strong active and temperate continually accustomed to endure hard Labour to take long tedious Journeys to pass many Nights together without Sleep to eat little and to be satisfied with very coarse Fare and was never stained with the least Excess in Wine even when he was most at leisure but what time he had to spare he spent in hunting and riding into all Parts whereby he understood the Course of the Country the Situation of all places and where there were passages and where not with this advantage to himself that when he could not maintain the Fight he knew which way to fly and escape and where certainly to ensnare and encompass his Enemy when Victory accompanied his Arms insomuch that those with Metellus suffered all inconveniences like Men that were conquered although he earnestly desired to fight and Sertorius though he refused the Field reap'd all the advantages of a Conqueror for he hindered them from Foraging and cut off all Provision if they proceeded forward he stopped their March if they stayed in any place and encamped he continually molested and alarmed them if they besieged any Town he presently appeared and besieged them again and reduced them to great Extremities for want of necessaries whereby he wearied out the Roman Army and reduced them to so low and despairing a condition that when Sertorius challenged Metellus to fight singly with him they commended him and cryed out it was a Fair Offer for a Roman to fight against a Roman and a General against a General and when Metellus refused the Challenge they reproached him but Metellus derided and contemned them in doing which he did well for as Theophrastus observes a General should die like a General and not like a Gladiator Metellus perceiving that the City of the Lagobrites which gave great assistance to Sertorius might easily be taken for want of water there being but one Well within the Walls and that whosoever besieg'd the Place would make himself Master of the Springs and Fountains in the Suburbs he hoped to force the Town in two days time there being no more water and gave command to his Soldiers to take five days Provisions only but Sertorius resolving to send speedy relief ordered two thousand Vessels to be filled with water and a good Reward for the carriage of every Vessel and many Spaniards and Moors undertaking the work he chose out those who were the strongest and swiftest of Foot and sent them through the Mountains with order that when they had delivered the water they should remove and convey away privately all those who would be least serviceable in the Siege that there might be water sufficient for the Defendants As soon as Metellus understood this he was highly disturbed and when he had spent most part of the necessary Provisions for his Army he sent out Aquinus with six thousand Soldiers to fetch in fresh Supplies but Sertorius having notice of it laid an Ambush for him and having sent out beforehand three thousand men which he placed within a shady Vally in a Channel which had been made hollow by the rapid fall of Water from the Hills they set upon the Rear of Aquinus in his Return while Sertorius charging him in the Front destroyed part of his Army and took the rest Prisoners Aquinus only escaping after he had been thrown from his Horse and lost his Armour and Metellus being forced shamefully to raise the Siege became the Laughter and Contempt of the Spaniards and Sertorius the Object of their Esteem Love and Admiration He was also highly honoured for his instituting a right Discipline and good Order amongst them for he altered their furious savage manner of Fighting and brought them to make use of the Roman Armour taught them to keep their Ranks and follow their Ensigns and out of a confus'd Number of Thieves and Robbers he constituted a regular well disciplin'd Army he afterwards bestowed Silver and Gold upon them liberally to gild and adorn their Helmets he caused their Shields to be wrought and engraved with various Figures and Designs he brought them into the Mode of wearing flowered and richly embroidered Cloaths and by courting them by paying their Expences by conversing familiarly with them he won the Hearts of all and led them whither he pleased but that which delighted them most was the Care that he took of their Children when he sent for all the Noblemen's Sons in those Parts and placed them in the great City of Osca where he appointed Masters to instruct them in the Grecian and Roman Learning that when they came to be men they might be fitted to share with him in Authority and in the Government of the Commonwealth although under this pretence