"  It  is  not,"  he  said,  "  the  towns  and  villages  of  Armenia  that
now  demand  our  swords  :  a  Roman  camp  invokes  our  aid,
and  two  legions  look  to  us  for  relief.  Their  delivery  from
the  barbarians  will  be  the  reward  of  victory.  If  to  a
private  soldier  the  civic  crown,1  delivered  by  the  hand  of
his  general,  is  the  brightest  recompense  for  the  life  of  a  citizen
saved ;  how  much  greater  will  be  the  glory  of  the  present
enterprise,  in  which  the  number  of  the  distressed  is  equal
to  those  who  bring  relief,  and,  by  consequence,  every  soldier
in  this  army  may  save  his  man!"  By  this  discourse  one
general  spirit  was  diffused  through  the  ranks.  The  men  had
private  motives  to  inflame  their  courage ;  they  felt  for  their
brothers  ;  they  wished  to  succour  their  relations,  and,  without
halting  night  or  day,  pursued  their  march  with  alacrity  and
vigour.
XIII.  Meanwhile  Vologeses  pressed  on  the  siege.  He
assaulted  the  intrenchments:  he  endeavoured  to  storm  a
castle,  where  the  weaker  sex,  the  aged  and  infirm,  were
lodged  for  security.  In  these  several  attacks,  he  came  to
a  closer  engagement  than  usually  consists  with  the  military
genius  of  his  country.  By  a  show  of  temerity  he  hoped
to  bring  on  a  decisive  action.  The  Romans  remained
close  in  their  tents,  content  with  a  safe  post  within  their
intrenchments ;  some  in  deference  to  the  orders  of  their
general ;  others,  through  want  of  spirit,  tamely  waiting  to
be  relieved  by  Corbulo.  If,  in  the  meantime,  the  enemy
overpowered  them,  they  called  to  mind,  by  way  of  conso-
lation, the  example  of  two  Roman  armies  that  passed
under  the  yoke ;  one  at  Caud:um,  and  the  other  at  Numantia.
