the enemy. And when the king of Parthia was come, with
a great army of footmen and horsemen, which he did sooner than was
expected, [for he marched in great haste,] and had cast up a bank at the
river that parted Adiabene from Media,--Izates also pitched his camp
not far off, having with him six thousand horsemen. But there came a
messenger to Izates, sent by the king of Parthia, who told him how large
his dominions were, as reaching from the river Euphrates to Bactria, and
enumerated that king's subjects; he also threatened him that he should
be punished, as a person ungrateful to his lords; and said that the God
whom he worshipped could not deliver him out of the king's hands. When
the messenger had delivered this his message, Izates replied that he
knew the king of Parthia's power was much greater than his own; but that
he knew also that God was much more powerful than all men. And when he
had returned him this answer, he betook himself to make supplication to
God, and threw himself upon the ground, and put ashes upon his head,
in testimony of his confusion, and fasted, together with his wives and
children. [7] Then he called upon God, and said, "O Lord and Governor,
if I have not in vain committed myself to thy goodness, but have justly
determined that thou only art the Lord and principal of all beings, come
now to my assistance, and defend me from my enemies, not only on my own
account, but on account of their insolent behavior with regard to thy
power, while they have not feared to lift up their proud and arrogant
tongue against thee." Thus did he lament and bemoan himself, with tears
in his eyes; whereupon God heard his prayer. And immediately that very
night Vologases received letters, the contents of which were these, that
a great band of Dahe and Sacse, despising him, now he was gone so long
a journey from home, had made an expedition, and laid Parthis waste; so
that he [was forced to] retire back, without doing any thing. And thus
it was that Izates escaped the threatenings of the Parthians, by the
providence of God.

3. It was not long ere Izates died, when he had completed fifty-five
years of his life, and had ruled his kingdom twenty-four years. He left
behind him twenty-four sons and twenty-four daughters. However, he
gave order that his brother Monobazus should succeed in the government,
thereby requiting him, because, while he was himself absent after their
father's death, he had faithfully preserved the