+Carrhae.+ ‘The day of Carrhae takes its place side by side with the days of the Allia, and of Cannae.’ --M.
Temporis angusti mansit concordia discors, Paxque fuit non sponte ducum; nam sola futuri Crassus erat belli medius mora. Qualiter undas 100 Qui secat et geminum gracilis mare separat Isthmos Nec patitur conferre fretum: si terra recedat, Ionium Aegaeo frangat mare: sic, ubi saeva Arma ducum dirimens miserando funere Crassus Assyrias Latio maculavit sanguine Carrhas, 105 Parthica Romanos solverunt damna furores. Plus illa vobis acie quam creditis actum est, Arsacidae: bellum victis civile dedistis.
[Linenotes: 98. +Temporis ... discors+ = _the short-lived concord endured, but it was a jarring_ (+discors+) _concord_. --Haskins. 101. +Isthmos+, sc. _of Corinth_: Caesar planned to cut it, and thus to secure a direct route by sea, connecting Italy and the East. 102. +Nec patitur ... fretum+ = _and suffers it_ (+mare+, l. 101) _not to join its waters_, i.e. the Corinthian and Saronic gulfs.]
Milesne Crassi coniuge barbara Turpis maritus vixit, et hostium (Pro curia inversique mores!) Consenuit socerorum in armis 8 Sub rege Medo Marsus et Apulus, Anciliorum et nominis et togae Oblitus aeternaeque Vestae, Incolumi Iove et urbe Roma? 12
Nearly 10,000 Roman prisoners were settled by the victors in the oasis of Merv, as bondsmen compelled after the Parthian fashion to render military service (+in armis+, l. 8).
[Linenotes: 8. +Consenuit:+ Carrhae (53 B.C.) was fought 26 years before this Ode was written (27 B.C.). 10-11. +Anciliorum, aeternae Vestae+, pledges of the immortality of Rome. 10. +togae+, i.e. the Roman people, the _gens togata_. 12. +Iove+, Jove’s temple on the Capitol.]
Crassus ad Euphraten aquilas natumque suosque Perdidit, et leto est ultimus ipse datus. “Parthe, quid exsultas?” dixit dea, “signa remittes, Quique necem Crassi vindicet, ultor erit.” 468
OVID, _Fasti_, vi. 465-468. [[Hallam VI. 397-400]]
[Linenote: 3-4. During the last few months of his life, Caesar was occupied with the preparations for his expedition against the Parthians. In 36 B.C. Antonius carried on a disastrous campaign against Phraates, King of Parthia, but in 20 B.C. Augustus received from the King the Eagles (+signa+, l. 467) and prisoners captured at Carrhae.]