Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/202

 194 ANTONY. the prospect of its continuance yet more fearful to An- tony, in respect that he was threatened with famine ; for he could no longer forage without wounds and slaughter. And Phraates, on the other side, was full of apprehension that, if the Romans were to persist in can-ying on the siege, the autunmal equinox being past and the air already closing in for cold, he should be deserted by his soldiers, who would suffer any thing rather than wintering in open field. To prevent which, he had recourse to the following deceit : he gave order to those of his men who had made most acquaintance among the Eoman soldiers, not to pursue too close when they met them foraging, but to suffer them to carry off some provision ; moreover, that they should praise their valor, and declare that it was not without just reason that their king looked upon the Romans as the bravest men in the world. This done, upon further opportunity they rode nearer in, and, draw- ing vip their horses by the men, began to revile Antony for his obstinacy ; that whei'eas Phraates desired nothing more than peace, and an occasion to show how ready he was to save the lives of so many brave soldiers, he, on the contrary, gave no opening to any friendly offers, but sat awaiting the arrival of the two fiercest and worst ene- mies, winter and famine, from whom it would be hard for them to make their escape, even with all the good-will of the Parthians to helji them. Antony, having these reports from many hands, began to indulge the hope ; neverthe- less, he would not send any message to the Parthian till he had put the question to these friendly talkers, whether what they said was said by order of their king. Receiv- ing answer that it was, together with new encouragement to believe them, he sent some of his friends to demand once more the standards and prisoners, lest, if he should ask nothing, he might be supposed to be too thankful to have leave to retreat in quiet. The Parthian king made