Crassus

The people of Seleucia, however, appreciated the wisdom of Aesop[*](In the fable of the two wallets, which everyone carries, one in front containing his neighbour’s faults, which are therefore always before his eyes; and one behind containing his own faults, which he therefore never sees.) when they saw Surena with a wallet of obscenities from the Milesiaca in front of him, but trailing behind him a Parthian Sybaris in so many waggon-loads of concubines.[*](Cf. chapter xxi. 6. ) After a fashion his train was a counter-part to the fabled echidnae and scytalae among serpents, by showing its conspicuous and forward portions fearful and savage, with spears, archery, and horse,

but trailing off in the rear of the line into dances, cymbals, lutes, and nocturnal revels with women. Roscius was certainly culpable, but it was shameless in the Parthians to find fault with the Milesiaca, when many of the royal line of their Arsacidae were sprung from Milesian and Ionian courtezans.

While this was going on, it happened that Hyrodes was at last reconciled with Artavasdes the Armenian, and agreed to receive the latter’s sister as wife for his son Pacorus, and there were reciprocal banquets and drinking bouts, at which many Greek compositions were introduced.

For Hyrodes was well acquainted both with the Greek language and literature, and Artavasdes actually composed tragedies, and wrote orations and histories, some of which are preserved. Now when the head of Crassus was brought to the king’s door, the tables had been removed, and a tragic actor, Jason by name, of Tralles, was singing that part of the Bacchae of Euripides where Agave is about to appear.[*](Pentheus, king of Thebes, the son of Agave, refused to recognize the divinity of Dionysus, whereupon the god infuriated the women, and Agave killed her own son. She appears in the Bacchae with his head in her hand, exulting over the death of the supposed wild beast.) While he was receiving his applause, Sillaces stood at the door of the banqueting-hall, and after a low obeisance, cast the head of Crassus into the centre of the company.

The Parthians lifted it up with clapping of hands and shouts of joy, and at the king’s bidding his servants gave Sillaces a seat at the banquet. Then Jason handed his costume of Pentheus to one of the chorus, seized the head of Crassus, and assuming the role of the frenzied Agave, sang these verses through as if inspired:

1. We bring from the mountain
2. A tendril fresh-cut to the palace,
3. A wonderful prey.