y their siege and as often as they tried conclusions
with him were repulsed by both the native troops and the Romans that were
in his army, and since Corbulo guarded Syria with extreme care, Vologaesus
recognized the hopelessness of his attempt and disbanded his forces. Then
he sent to Corbulo and obtained peace on condition that he send a new
embassy to Nero, raise the siege, and withdraw his soldiers from Armenia.
Nero made him no immediate nor speedy nor definite reply, but despatched
Lucius Caesennius Paetus to Cappadocia to see to it that there should be
no Armenian uprising.]

[Sidenote:--21--] [So Vologaesus attacked Tigranocerta and drove back
Paetus, who had come to its aid. When the latter fled he pursued him, beat
back the garrison left by Paetus at the Taurus, and shut him up in
Rhandea, near the river Arsanias. Then he was on the point of retiring
without accomplishing anything; for destitute as he was of heavy-armed
soldiers he could not approach close to the wall, and he had no large
stock of provender, particularly as he had come at the head of a vast host
without making arrangements for food supplies. Paetus, however, stood in
terror of his archery, which took effect in the very camp itself, as well
as of the cavalry, which kept appearing at all points. Hence he made peace
proposals to his antagonist, accepted his terms, and took an oath that he
would himself abandon all of Armenia and that Nero should give it to
Tiridates. The Parthian was satisfied enough with this agreement, seeing
that he was to obtain control of the country without a contest and would
be making the Romans his debtors for a very considerable kindness. And, as
he learned that Corbulo (whom Paetus several times sent for before he was
surrounded) was drawing near, he dismissed the beleaguered soldiers,
having first made them agree to build a bridge over the river Arsanias for
him. He was not really in need of a bridge, for he had crossed on foot,
but he wished to give them a practical example of the fact that he was
stronger than they. Indeed, he did not retire by way of the bridge even on
this occasion, but rode across on an elephant, while the rest got over as
before.

[Sidenote:--22--] The capitulation had scarcely been made when Corbulo
with inconceivable swiftness reached the Euphrates and there waited for
the retreating force. When the two armies approached each other you would
have been struck with the difference between them an