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What are you thinking of! Twenty thousand? Well nigh a third of our fighting strength. Where would be the force with which I must strike the great blow? Divided, dispersed, frittered away. Not one man will I detach for such a purpose.

No, no, Nevita; but there may be a middle course

[Recoiling.] My great Emperor—!

The fleet must neither fall into the hands of the Persians, nor yet cost us men. There is a middle course, I tell you! Why do you falter? Why not speak it out?

[To the .] Do you know whether the citizens of Ctesiphon have stores of corn and oil?

Ctesiphon overflows with supplies of all sorts.

And when we have once taken the city, the whole rich country lies open to us.

The citizens will open their gates to you, sire*̣ I am not the only one who hates King Sapor. They will rise against him and straightway submit to you, if you come upon them, unprepared and panic-stricken, with your whole united force.