(1) Circā eadem tempora annō urbis conditae sexcentēsimō nōnāgēsimō septimō M. Licinius Crassus, collēga Cn. Pompeīī Māgnī, in cōnsulātū secundō contrā Parthōs missus est et, cum circā Carrās contrā ōmen et auspicia dīmicāsset, ā Surēnā Orōdis rēgis duce victus ad postrēmum interfectus est cum fīliō clārissimō et praestantissimō iuvene.
(2) Reliquiae exercitūs per C. Cassium quaestōrem servātae sunt, quī singulārī animō perditās rēs tantā virtūte restituit, ut Persās rediēns trāns Euphrātēn crēbrīs proeliīs vinceret.
notes
Battle of Carrhae; M. Licinius Crassus slain, 53 BCE
Livy, Epitome 105–106. Plutarch, Crassus 15 ff.. Orosius, Histories Against the Pagans 6.13.
(1) annō urbis conditae sexcentēsimō nōnāgēsimō septimō: 53 BCE
M. Licinius Crassus: There was no cause for war against the Parthians, but Crassus was anxious to make himself popular by winning military renown (Hazzard).
collēga Cn. Pompeīī Māgnī: For Pompey's previous successes, see Brev. 5.3, 5.8, 6.1, 6.12–14.
cum circā Carrās contrā ōmen et auspicia dīmicāsset: cum here is causal (AG 549)
circā Carrās: The overthrow at Carrhae was one of the greatest disasters ever sustained by the Roman arms: 20,000 were slain and 10,000 were carried into captivity. The Romans who were made prisoners were treated with indulgence by the Parthians and were allowed to settle in the land of their conquerors (Hazzard).
ā Surēnā Orōdis rēgis duce: Surena was one of Orodes II's generals.
interfectus est: A famous anecdote regarding the ignominy of Crassus’ death was the desecration of his corpse, in which his severed head was used as a prop in a Greek tragedy:
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"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. 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 center 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:
"We bring from the mountain
A tendril fresh-cut to the palace,
A wonderful prey."
(Plutarch, Crassus 33.2–3; Trans. Bernadotte Perrin)
cum fīliō: see Publius Licinius Crassus
(2) per C. Cassium quaestōrem: see Caius Cassius Longinus
singulārī animō: "extraordinary courage" (LS animus II.B.2.a)
tantā virtūte: "with such great courage that..." (Bird); tantā anticipates the following result clause (AG 537)
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| M. |
M., abbreviation of the praenomen Marcus; M'., abbreviation of the praenomen Manius |
| Licinius, ī, m. the name of a Roman gens. |
(1) C. Fabius Licinius, consul 273 B.C.; (2) (P. Flavius) Licinius, Roman emperor 307–324 A.D. |
| Crassus, ī, m. |
a Roman family name. (1) Appius Claudius Crassus, decemvir; (2) M. Licinius Crassus, the triumvir, consul 70 B.C.; (3) P. Licinius Crassus, consul 171 B.C.; (4) P. Licinius Crassus, called Dives Mucianus, consul 131 B.C. |
| collega, ae, m. | colleague, fellow, associate |
| Cn. |
abbreviation of the praenomen Gnaeus |
| Pompēius, ī, m. |
(1) Cn. Pompēius, consul 89 B.C.; (2) Cn. Pompēius, surnamed Magnus, the triumvir, consul 70 B.C.; (3) Cn. Pompēius, son of the triumvir; (4) Q. Pompēius, consul 141 B.C.; (5) Sex. Pompēius, younger son of the triumvir |
| Magnus, ī, m. |
"The Great", esp. cognomen of Pompey the Great, Cn. Pompeius Magnus |
| cōnsulātus, ūs [cōnsul], m. | consulate, consulship |
| Parthī, ōrum, pl. m. |
a Scythian people southeast of the Caspian Sea |
| Carrae, ārum, pl. f. | a city in Mesopotamia |
| ōmen, inis, n. |
a foreboding, prognostication, omen |
| auspicium, ī [avis + speciō], n. |
divination by watching the flight, or noting the cries, of birds; an omen; auspices |
| dīmicō, āre, āvī, ātus | to fight |
| Surēna, ae, m. |
a general of the Parthians who defeated Crassus in 54 B.C. |
| Orōdēs, is, m. |
a king of the Parthians, conquered by Pompey |
| posterior, us, gen. ōris, comp. | later |
| praestans, ntis |
superior, excellent, distinguished, extraordinary (see praestō) |
| reliquiae, ārum [relinquō], pl. f. | remainder, remnant, residue |
| C. |
abbreviation of the praenomen Gaius |
| Cassius, ī, m. | the name of a Roman gens |
| quaestor, ōris [orig. quaesitor; cf. quaerō, quaesō], m. |
quaestor, quartermaster, a name given to certain magistrates who had the care of public moneys and military supplies, both at Rome and in the provinces |
| singulāris, e [singulī], adj. |
one by one, single, individual; remarkable, singular, unparalleled |
| restituō, ere, ī, ūtus |
to set up again, replace, restore, reinstate; repair, remedy, save |
| Persae, ārum, pl. m. | the Persians |
| Euphrātēs, is, dat. Euphrātae, m. | the Euphrates, a river in Syria |
| crēber, bra, brum, adj. | crowded, numerous, frequent |