him prisoner, unless he preferred the better course of
surrendering himself to the mercy of Arsaces. A short breathing-space
was thus allowed the Romans, who took advantage of it to retire towards
Carrhae, leaving behind them the greater part of their wounded, to the
number of 4,000. A small body of horse reached Carrhae about midnight,
and gave the commandant such information as led him to put his men under
arms and issue forth to the succor of the proconsul. The Parthians,
though the cries of the wounded made them well aware of the Roman
retreat, adhered to their system of avoiding night combats, and
attempted no pursuit till morning. Even then they allowed themselves to
be delayed by comparatively trivial matters--the capture of the Roman
camp, the massacre of the wounded, and the slaughter of the numerous
stragglers scattered along the line of march--and made no haste to
overtake the retreating army. The bulk of the troops were thus enabled
to effect their retreat in safety to Carrhae, where, having the
protection of walls, they were, at any rate for a time secure.

It might have been expected that the Romans would here have made a
stand. The siege of a fortified place by cavalry is ridiculous, if we
understand by siege anything more than a very incomplete blockade. And
the Parthians were notoriously inefficient against walls. There was a
chance, moreover, that Artavasdes might have been more successful than
his ally, and, having repulsed the Parthian monarch, might march his
troops to the relief of the Romans. But the soldiers were thoroughly
dispirited, and would not listen to these suggestions. Provisions no
doubt ran short, since, as there had been no expectation of a
disaster, no preparations had been made for standing a siege. The Greek
inhabitants of the place could not be trusted to exhibit fidelity to a
falling cause. Moreover, Armenia was near; and the Parthian system
of abstaining from action during the night seemed to render escape
tolerably easy. It was resolved, therefore, instead of clinging to the
protection of the walls, to issue forth once more, and to endeavor by a
rapid night march to reach the Armenian hills. The various officers seem
to have been allowed to arrange matters for themselves. Cassius took
his way towards the Euphrates, and succeeded in escaping with 500 horse.
Octavius, with a division which is estimated at 5,000 men, reached the
outskirts of the the hills at a place called Sinnaca