wife to his son Pacorus: and there were
banquets and drinking-parties between them, and representations of
many Greek plays; for Hyrodes was not a stranger either to the Greek
language or the literature of the Greeks: and Artavasdes used to write
tragedies, and speeches, and histories, some of which are preserved.
When the head of Crassus was brought to the door, the tables were
taken away, and a tragedy actor Jason,[94] by name, a native of
Tralles, chanted that part of the Bacchae[95] of Euripides which
relates to Agave. While he was receiving applause. Sillakes, standing
by the door of the apartment, and making a reverence, threw the head
of Crassus before the company. The Parthians clapped their hands with
shouts of joy and the attendants, at the command of the king, seated
Sillakes, while Jason handed over to one of the members of the chorus
the dress of Pentheus, and, laying hold of the head of Crassus, and,
putting on the air of a bacchant, he sung these verses with great
enthusiasm:--

We bring from a mountain
A young one new killed to the house,
A fortunate prey.

This delighted all the company; and, while the following verses were
being chanted, which are a dialogue with the chorus,

_A_. Who killed him?
_B_. Mine is the honour,

Pomaxathres, springing up (for he happened to be at the banquet), laid
hold of the head, as if it was more appropriate for him to say this
than for Jason. The king was pleased, and made Pomaxathres a present,
according to the fashion of the country, and he gave Jason a talent.
In such a farce[96] as this, it is said, that the expedition of
Crassus terminated just like a tragedy. However, just punishment
overtook Hyrodes for his cruelty, and Surena for his treachery. Not
long after, Hyrodes put Surena to death, being jealous of his
reputation. Hyrodes also lost his son Pacorus,[97] who was defeated
by the Romans in a battle; and having fallen into an illness which
turned out to be dropsy, his son, Phraates,[98] who had a design on
his life, gave him aconite.[99] But the poison only operated on the
disease, which was thrown off together with it, and Hyrodes thereby
relieved; whereupon Phraates took the shortest course and strangled
his father.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 5: Crassus belonged to the Licinia Gens. His name was M.
Licinius Crassus Dives. He was the son of P. Licinius Crassus Dives,
who was consul B.C. 97, and afterwards governor of the nearer Spain