at the populace should go up into the hippodrome and that
the charioteers should hold their accustomed contests. And he himself
went up there also, eager to be a spectator of the performances. And
since he had heard long before that the Emperor Justinian was
extraordinarily fond of the Venetus[9] colour, which is blue, wishing to
go against him there also, he was desirous of bringing about victory for
the green. So the charioteers, starting from the barriers, began the
contest, and by some chance he who was clad in the blue happened to pass
his rival and take the lead. And he was followed in the same tracks by
the wearer of the green colour. And Chosroes, thinking that this had
been done purposely, was angry, and he cried out with a threat that the
Caesar had wrongfully surpassed the others, and he commanded that the
horses which were running in front should be held up, in order that from
then on they might contend in the rear; and when this had been done just
as he commanded, then Chosroes and the green faction were accounted
victorious. At that time one of the citizens of Apamea came before
Chosroes and accused a Persian of entering his house and violating his
maiden daughter. Upon hearing this, Chosroes, boiling with anger,
commanded that the man should be brought. And when he came before him,
he directed that he should be impaled in the camp. And when the people
learned this, they raised a mighty shout as loud as they could,
demanding that the man be saved from the king's anger. And Chosroes
promised that he would release the man to them, but he secretly impaled
him not long afterwards. So after these things had been thus
accomplished, he departed and marched back with the whole army.

XII

And when he came to the city of Chalcis, eighty-four stades distant from
the city of Beroea, he again seemed to forget the things which had been
agreed upon, and encamping not far from the fortifications he sent
Paulus to threaten the inhabitants of Chalcis, saying that he would take
the city by siege, unless they should purchase their safety by giving
ransom, and should give up to the Persians all the soldiers who were
there together with their leader. And the citizens of Chalcis were
seized with great fear of both sovereigns, and they swore that, as for
soldiers, there were absolutely none of them in the city, although they
had hidden Adonachus, the commander of the soldiers, and others as well
in some houses, in order that