XXXIII.
At ex regulis prior Mithridates Pharasmanem perpulit dolo et vi conatus suos iuvare, (at ex regulis prior Mithridates Pharasmanem perpulit dolo et vi conatus suos iuvare: ‘first among the [Iberian] chieftain, Mithridates induced Pharasmanes to second his attempt (conatus suos) [to conquer Armenia] by guile and force.’ at: here merely continuative in resuming the narrative of eastern affairs after the diversion about Lucius Vitellius. It has no suitable English equivalent and is best ignored.) repertique corruptores ministros Arsacis multo auro ad scelus cogunt; (reperti corruptores ministros Arsacis multo auro ad scelus cogunt: ‘bribers, found [for the purpose], suborned Arsaces’ attendants, in exchange for much gold, to commit murder.’ multo auro is abl. of means or of manner.) simul Hiberi magnis copiis Armeniam inrumpunt et urbe Artaxata potiuntur. (Hiberi … Armeniam inrumpunt et urbe Artaxata potiuntur: ‘the Iberi broke into Armenia and occupied the city of Artaxata.’ Ancient Artaxata is modern Artashat on the river Aras, near the boundary between Turkey and Armenia. For the Iberi or Iberians see previous chapter.) quae postquam Artabano cognita, filium Oroden ultorem parat; (quae postquam Artabano cognita, filium Oroden ultorem parat: lit. ‘these developments after they became known to Artabanus, he fitted out for battle his son Orodes, the avenger [of his cause].’ quae postquam Atabano cognita [sunt]: a rel. pronoun placed at the start of a clause and serving as connector with a preceding clause is often translated by an English demonstrative (quae = ‘these things’); see A.G. 308, f. Artabano: dat. of agent; cf. note for seque invasurum possessa Cyro et post Alexandro in ch. 31.) dat Parthorum copias, mittit qui auxilia mercede facerent: (mittit qui auxilia mercede facerent: rel. clause equivalent to a purpose clause: lit. ‘he sent out men who would procure auxiliary troops for pay.’) contra Pharasmanes adiungere Albanos, accire Sarmatas, quorum sceptuchi utrimque donis acceptis more gentico diversa induere. (contra Pharasmanes adiungere Albanos, accire Sarmatas, quorum sceptuchi utrimque donis acceptis more gentico diversa induere: ‘in the opposing camp Pharasmanes made the Albani his allies and summoned the Sarmatae, whose chiefs took opposite sides, bribes being accepted from either contender, in keeping with the custom of their race.’ Albanos … Sarmatas: the Albani, as mentioned in Bookk 2, ch, 68, were located east of the Iberi but on both sides of the Caucasus, towards the western shores of the Caspian sea. The Sarmatae are generally understood to be an assortment of different tribes living north of the Caucasus in southern Russia. adiunngere and accire are historical infinitives. sceptuchi: ‘satraps’, ‘warlords’, lit. ‘wand-bearers’, most presumed to be eunuchs) sed Hiberi locorum potentes Caspia via Sarmatam in Armenios raptim effundunt. (Hiberi locorum potentes Caspia via Sarmatam in Armenios raptim effundunt: ‘the Iberi, in control of strategic locations, rush [their] Sarmatae into Armenia by way of the Caspian Gates.’ Caspia via is the pass of Dariel in the center of the Caucasus chain of mountains. locorum potentes: genitive of specification, a construction seen in poetry and later writers replacing the abl. Cf. A.G. 349, d.; effundunt is historical present, like the previous cogunt, inrumpunt, potiuntur, and parat.) at qui Parthis adventabant, facile arcebantur, cum alios incessus hostis clausisset, (at qui Parthis adventabant, facile arcebantur, cum alios incessus hostis clausisset: ‘but [those Sarmatae] who joined the Parthians were easily repulsed, since the enemy had blocked all other approaches.’ cum … clausisset: causal cum + subjunctive) unum reliquum mare inter et extremos Albanorum montis aestas impediret, (unum’ reliquum mare inter et extremos Albanorum montis aestas impediret: ‘the only access, left [open] between the [Caspian] sea and the farthest reaches of the Caucasus in the country of the Albani, summer made impassable, … ) quia flatibus etesiarum implentur vada: (quia flatibus etesiarum implentur vada: ‘… because the shoals [at the water edge] are flooded by the etesian winds’: these strong northerly winds blow regularly over the summer months; they are also mentioned in the Historiae, Book 2, ch. 98.) hibernus auster revolvit fluctus pulsoque introrsus freto brevia litorum nudantur. (hibernus auster revolvit fluctus pulsoque introrsus freto brevia litorum nudantur: ‘the winter south wind (auster) rolls back the waves and the shallow places of the shores are exposed, the sea being pushed back within itself.’ pulso introrsus freto: abl. abs., ‘the deep waters of the sea being driven backwards into themselves’; brevia litorum: see note for destinata in previous chapter.)