latter pressed the war against Mithridates, to find occupation
for the Armenian monarch in his own land. This engagement he executed
with fidelity. It had happened that the eldest living son of Tigranes, a
prince bearing the same name as his father, having raised a rebellion
in Armenia and been defeated, had taken refuge in Parthia with Phraates.
Phraates determined to take advantage of this circumstance. The young
Tigranes was supported by a party among his countrymen who wished to see
a youthful monarch upon the throne; and Phraates therefore considered
that he would best discharge his obligations to the Romans by fomenting
this family quarrel, and lending a moderate support to the younger
Tigranes against his father. He marched an army into Armenia in the
interest of the young prince, overran the open country, and advanced
on Artaxata, the capital. Tigranes, the king, fled at his approach, and
betook himself to the neighboring mountains. Artaxata was invested;
but as the siege promised to be long, the Parthian monarch after a
time withdrew, leaving the pretender with as many troops as he thought
necessary to press the siege to a successful issue. The result, however,
disappointed his expectations. Scarcely was Phraates gone, when the old
king fell upon his son, defeated him, and drove him beyond his borders.
He was forced, however, soon afterwards, to submit to Pompey, who, while
the civil war was raging in Armenia, had defeated Mithridates and driven
him to take refuge in the Tauric Chersonese.

Phraates, now, naturally expected the due reward of his services,
according to the stipulations of his agreement with Pompey. But that
general was either dissatisfied with the mode in which the Parthian had
discharged his obligations, or disinclined to strengthen the power which
he saw to be the only one in these parts capable of disputing with Rome
the headship of Asia. He could scarcely prevent, and he does not seem
to have tried to prevent, the recovery of Adiabene by the Parthians;
but the nearer province of Gordyene to which they had an equal claim,
he would by no means consent to their occupying. At first he destined it
for the younger Tigranes. When the prince offended him, he made it over
to Ariobarzanes, the Cappadocian monarch. That arrangement not taking
effect, and the tract being disputed between Phraates and the elder
Tigranes, he sent his legate, Afranius, to drive the Parthians out of
the country, and delivere