Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/127

 82 Hisi'Olllr OF AtlkK^lA.

the places he had lost daring his firtt ttiifd^rtuiiiite war t^ith the Romans.

393SI Lutullus was shortly after slipigr&eded lA th« command of the Roman atftiy in the east by Pompey the Great. Between him alid Mithri- dates many battles Were fought. The latter having collected an army of Scythians combated with great success, and succeeded in regain- ing the whole of Pontus. But what all the do for so many years, treachery at last efibeted : he was deserted by hh prittie tnlnistier, wh6 had permitted hlibself to be seduced by the Romans^ whom he joined with all his power and in- fluence. His chiefs followed the eitample of hig minister, and to crown the whole, his illegitimate son Pharnaces, forgetful of every principle of filial piety, raised an insurrection even in his camp, and marched with the insurgent soldier^ to the attack of the fortress in Pontus, in which Mithridates had taken up his residence. At

3941s this moment despair seized him. He caused ' his two daughters Mithridata and Neussa, one betrothed to the king of Egypt and the other to the king of Cyprus, to be called before him, and having pathetically bewailed the events which had necessitated him to the measure hft was about to take, he produced a cup of poison, which he declared it to be his intention to

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