to bring against this prince than his youth, and the softness
of his Roman breeding; but they were evidently in earnest, and had
committed themselves too deeply to make it possible for them to retract.
Artabanus, therefore, accepted their offers, and having obtained the
services of a body of Dahse and other Scyths, proceeded westward,
retaining the miserable garb and plight in which he had been found, in
order to draw men to his side by pity; and making all haste, in order
that his enemies might have less opportunity to prepare obstructions and
his friends less time to change their minds. He reached the neighborhood
of Ctesiphon while Tiridates was still doubting what he should do,
distracted between the counsels of some who recommended an immediate
engagement with the rebels before they recovered from the fatigues of
their long march or grew accustomed to act together, and of others who
advised a retreat into Mesopotamia, reliance upon the Armenians and
other tribes of the north, and a union with the Roman troops, which
Vitellius, on the first news of what had happened, had thrown across
the Euphrates. The more timid counsel had the support of Abdageses, whom
Tiridates had made his vizier, and therefore naturally prevailed,
the prince himself being moreover of an unwarlike temper. It had, in
appearance, much to recommend it; and if its execution had been in the
hands of Occidentals might have succeeded. But, in the East, the first
movement in retreat is taken as a confession of weakness and almost as
an act of despair: an order to "retire" is regarded as a direction to
fly. No sooner was the Tigris crossed and the march through Mesopotamia
began, than the host of Tiridates melted away like an iceberg in the
Gulf Stream. The tribes of the Desert set the example of flight; and in
a little time almost the whole army had dispersed, drawing off either to
the camp of the enemy or to their homes. Tiridates reached the Euphrates
with a mere handful of followers, and crossing into Syria found himself
once more safe under the protection of the Romans.

The flight of Tiridates gave Parthia back into the hands of its former
ruler. Artabanus reoccupied the throne, apparently without having to
fight a battle. He seems, however, not to have felt himself strong
enough either to resume his designs upon Armenia, or to retaliate in
any way upon the Romans for their support of Tiridates. Mithridates,
the Iberian, was left in quiet possess