ilitary service by the wealth they had acquired and their
luxurious living, and they wanted rest; and, when they heard of the
bold words of the soldiers in Pontus, they said they were men, and
their example ought to be followed, for they had done enough to
entitle them to be released from military service, and to enjoy
repose.

XXXI. Lucullus, becoming acquainted with these and other still more
mutinous expressions, gave up the expedition against the Parthians,
and marched a second time against Tigranes. It was now the height of
summer; and Lucullus was dispirited after crossing the Taurus, to see
that the fields were still green,[408] so much later are the seasons,
owing to the coldness of the air. However, he descended from the
Taurus, and, after defeating the Armenians, who twice or thrice
ventured to attack him, he plundered the villages without any fear;
and, by seizing the corn which had been stored up by Tigranes, he
reduced the enemy to the straits which he was apprehending himself.
Lucullus challenged the Armenians to battle by surrounding their camp
with his lines and ravaging the country before their eyes; but, as
this did not make them move after their various defeats, he broke up
and advanced against Artaxata, the royal residence of Tigranes, where
his young children and wives were, thinking that Tigranes would not
give them up without a battle. It is said that Hannibal the
Carthaginian, after the defeat of Antiochus by the Romans, went to
Artaxas the Armenian, to whose notice he introduced many useful
things; and, observing a position which possessed great natural
advantages and was very pleasant, though at that time unoccupied and
neglected, he made the plan of a city on the ground, and, taking
Artaxas there, showed it to him, and urged him to build up the place.
The king, it is said, was pleased, and asked Hannibal to superintend
the work; and thereupon a large and beautiful city sprung up, and,
being named after the king, was declared to be the capital of Armenia.
Tigranes did not let Lucullus quietly march against Artaxata, but,
moving with his forces on the fourth day, he encamped opposite to the
Romans, placing the river Arsanias between him and the enemy, which
river the Romans must of necessity cross on their route to Artaxata.
After sacrificing to the gods, Lucullus, considering that he had the
victory in his hands, began to lead his army across the river, with
twelve cohorts in the van, and the