dingly, because it was not easy for him to contradict her commands.
Now while Phraataces was alone brought up in order to succeed in the
government, he thought it very tedious to expect that government by his
father's donation [as his successor]; he therefore formed a treacherous
design against his father, by his mother's assistance, with whom, as the
report went, he had criminal conversation also. So he was hated for
both these vices, while his subjects esteemed this [wicked] love of his
mother to be no way inferior to his parricide; and he was by them, in
a sedition, expelled out of the country before he grew too great, and
died. But as the best sort of Parthians agreed together that it was
impossible they should be governed without a king, while also it was
their constant practice to choose one of the family of Arsaces, [nor did
their law allow of any others; and they thought this kingdom had been
sufficiently injured already by the marriage with an Italian concubine,
and by her issue,] they sent ambassadors, and called Orodes [to take
the crown]; for the multitude would not otherwise have borne them; and
though he was accused of very great cruelty, and was of an untractable
temper, and prone to wrath, yet still he was one of the family of
Arsaces. However, they made a conspiracy against him, and slew him, and
that, as some say, at a festival, and among their sacrifices; [for it is
the universal custom there to carry their swords with them;] but, as
the more general report is, they slew him when they had drawn him out a
hunting. So they sent ambassadors to Rome, and desired they would send
one of those that were there as pledges to be their king. Accordingly,
Vonones was preferred before the rest, and sent to them [for he seemed
capable of such great fortune, which two of the greatest kingdoms
under the sun now offered him, his own and a foreign one]. However, the
barbarians soon changed their minds, they being naturally of a mutable
disposition, upon the supposal that this man was not worthy to be their
governor; for they could not think of obeying the commands of one that
had been a slave, [for so they called those that had been hostages,]
nor could they bear the ignominy of that name; and this was the more
intolerable, because then the Parthians must have such a king set over
them, not by right of war, but in time of peace. So they presently
invited Artabanus, king of Media, to be their king, he being also of the
ra