beyond the
reach of his protection, they were attacked and cut to pieces by the
enemy. He had lost his siege-train, and found it impossible to construct
another. Such works as he attempted suffered through the sallies of the
besieged: and in some of these his soldiers behaved so ill that he was
forced to punish their cowardice by decimation. His supplies failed,
and he had to feed his troops on barley instead of wheat. Meantime the
autumnal equinox was approaching, and the weather was becoming cold. The
Medes and Parthians, under their respective monarchs, hung about him,
impeded his movements, and cut off his stragglers, but carefully avoided
engaging him in a pitched battle. If he could have forced the city to a
surrender, he would have been in comparative safety, for he might have
gone into winter quarters there and have renewed the war in the ensuing
spring. But all his assaults, with whatever desperation they were made,
failed; and it became necessary to relinquish the siege and retire into
Armenia before the rigors of winter should set in. He could, however,
with difficulty bring himself to make a confession of failure, and
flattered himself for a while that the Parthians would consent to
purchase his retirement by the surrender of the Crassian captives and
standards. Having lost some valuable time in negotiations, at which the
Parthians laughed, at length, when the equinox was passed, he broke up
from before Praaspa, and commenced the work of retreat. There were two
roads by which he might reach the Araxes at the usual point of passage,
One lay towards the left, through a plain and open country, probably
that through which he had come; the other, which was shorter, but more
difficult, lay to the right, leading across a mountain-tract, but one
fairly supplied with water, and in which there were inhabited villages.
Antony was advised that the Parthians had occupied the easier route,
expecting that he would follow it, and intended to overwhelm him with
their cavalry in the plains. He therefore took the road to the
right through a rugged and inclement country--probably that between
Tahkt-i-Suleiman and Tabriz--and, guided by a Mardian who knew the
region well, proceeded to make his way back to the Araxes. His decision
took the Parthians by surprise, and for two days he was unmolested.
But by the third day they had thrown themselves across his path; and
thenceforward, for nineteen consecutive days, they disputed with A