,
and to the wise of want of judgment and of ambition, which made him
dissatisfied unless he was the first and greatest among so many
thousands, and think that he lacked everything because he was judged
to be inferior to two men only. However, Octavius the legate, and
Cassius, endeavoured to rouse and comfort him; but, finding that he
had entirely given himself up to despair, they called together the
centurions and tribunes, and, after deliberating, they resolved not to
stay on the ground, and they made an attempt at first to put the army
in motion without the sound of the trumpet, and in silence. But when
the soldiers who were disabled, perceived that they were going to be
deserted, terrible disorder and confusion, mingled with groans and
shouts, filled the camp; and this was followed by disorder and panic
as they began to advance, for they thought that the enemy was coming
upon them. After frequently turning from their route, and frequently
putting themselves in order of battle, and taking up the wounded who
followed, and then laying them down again, they lost much time on the
march, with the exception of three hundred horsemen, with Ignatius[82]
at their head, who reached Carrhae about midnight. Ignatius, calling
out in the Roman language to the watch upon the walls, and making them
hear, told them to tell Coponius, the commander, that there had been a
great battle between Crassus and the Parthians; and, without saying
more or who he was, he rode off to the Zeugma, and saved all his men;
but he got a bad name for deserting his general. However, the
information thus conveyed to Coponius was some advantage to Crassus;
for Coponius concluded that this hasty and confused message indicated
that he who brought it had no good news to report: and, accordingly,
he immediately ordered the soldiers to arm; and, as soon as he learned
that Crassus was on his march, he went out to meet him, and, taking
charge of him and his army, conducted them into the city.

XXVIII. Though the Parthians during the night discovered that the
Romans were making their escape, they did not pursue, but at daybreak
they came upon those who were left in the camp, to the number of four
thousand, and massacred them; and they rode about the plain and
overtook many who were there rambling about. Four complete cohorts,
while it was still dark, under the command of Varguntinus the legate,
got separated from the rest and lost their way, and, being surrounded