ers of the Roman empire;
which might soon advance to elieve, or to revenge, the successor of
Julian. The Surenas himself, accompanied by another satrap, appeared
in the camp of Jovian; [109] and declared, that the clemency of his
sovereign was not averse to signify the conditions on which he would
consent to spare and to dismiss the Caesar with the relics of his
captive army. [109a] The hopes of safety subdued the firmness of the
Romans; the emperor was compelled, by the advice of his council, and
the cries of his soldiers, to embrace the offer of peace; [109b] and the
praefect Sallust was immediately sent, with the general Arinthaeus, to
understand the pleasure of the Great King. The crafty Persian delayed,
under various pretenses, the conclusion of the agreement; started
difficulties, required explanations, suggested expedients, receded from
his concessions, increased his demands, and wasted four days in the arts
of negotiation, till he had consumed the stock of provisions which yet
remained in the camp of the Romans. Had Jovian been capable of executing
a bold and prudent measure, he would have continued his march, with
unremitting diligence; the progress of the treaty would have suspended
the attacks of the Barbarians; and, before the expiration of the fourth
day, he might have safely reached the fruitful province of Corduene, at
the distance only of one hundred miles. [110] The irresolute emperor,
instead of breaking through the toils of the enemy, expected his fate
with patient resignation; and accepted the humiliating conditions of
peace, which it was no longer in his power to refuse. The five provinces
beyond the Tigris, which had been ceded by the grandfather of Sapor,
were restored to the Persian monarchy. He acquired, by a single
article, the impregnable city of Nisibis; which had sustained, in three
successive sieges, the effort of his arms. Singara, and the castle of
the Moors, one of the strongest places of Mesopotamia, were likewise
dismembered from the empire. It was considered as an indulgence, that
the inhabitants of those fortresses were permitted to retire with their
effects; but the conqueror rigorously insisted, that the Romans should
forever abandon the king and kingdom of Armenia. [110a] A peace, or
rather a long truce, of thirty years, was stipulated between the hostile
nations; the faith of the treaty was ratified by solemn oaths
and religious ceremonies; and hostages of distinguished rank were