I thereupon informed Deiotarus,who was hurrying to join me with a large and strong body of horse and foot,and with all the forces he could muster,that I saw no reason for his leaving his own do-minions,and that in case of any new event,I would immediately write and send to him.And as my intention in coming had been to relieve both provinces,should occasion arise,so now Iproceeded to do what I had all along made up my mind was greatly to the interest of both provinces,namely,to reduce Amanus,and to remove from that mountain an eternal enemy.So I made a feint of retiring from the mountain and making for other parts of Cilicia:and having gone a day's march from Amanus and pitched a camp,on the 12th of October,towards evening,at Epiphanea,with my army in light marching order I effected such a night march,that by dawn on the 13th I was already ascending Amanus.Having formed the cohorts and auxiliaries into several columns of attack--I and my legate Quintus (my brother)commanding one,my legate C.
Pomptinus another,and my legates M.Anneius and L.Tullius the rest--we surprised most of the inhabitants,who,being cut off from all retreat,were killed or taken prisoners.But Erana,which was more like a town than a village,and was the capital of Amanus,as also Sepyra and Commons,which offered a determined and protracted resistance from before daybreak till four in the afternoon--Pomptinus being in command in that part of Amanus--we took,after killing a great number of the enemy,and stormed and set fire to several fortresses.After these operations we lay encamped for four days on the spurs of Amanus,near the Arce Alezandri,and all that time we devoted to the destruction of the remaining inhabitants of Amanus,and devastating their lands on that side of the mountain which belongs to my province.
Having accomplished this,I led the army away to Pindenissus,a town of the Eleutherocilices.And since this town was situated on a very lofty and strongly fortified spot,and was inhabited by men who have never submitted even to the kings,and since they were offering harbourage to deserters,and were eagerly expecting the arrival of the Parthians,I thought it of importance to the prestige of the empire to suppress their audacity,in order that there might be less difficulty in breaking the spirits of all such as were anywhere disaffected to our rule.I encircled them with a stockade and trench:I beleaguered them with six forts and huge camps:Iassaulted them by the aid of earth-works,pent-houses,and towers:and having employed numerous catapults and bowmen,with great personal labour,and without troubling the allies or costing them anything,I reduced them to such extremities that,after every region of their town had been battered down or fired,they surrendered to me on the fifty-seventh day.Their next neighbours were the people of Tebra,no less predatory and audacious:from them after the capture of Pindenissus I received hostages.I then dismissed the army to winter quarters;and I put my brother in command,with orders to station the men in villages that had either been captured or were disaffected.
Well now,I would have you feel convinced that,should a motion be brought before the senate on these matters,I shall consider that the highest possible compliment has been paid me,if you give your vote in favour of a mark of honour being bestowed upon me.
