ABSTRACT
The elderly banker who was thus buckling on sword and armour to slake an old thirst for popularity was at least expeditious in his methods. He set off on the conquest of Parthia in the most relentless and peremptory haste, taking the straightest possible line towards his objective, regardless of the impediments in his path. On his arrival at Brindisi he insisted on immediately putting out to sea in the stormy season, and thus lost a number of ships and men in the crossing. Disembarking at Durazzo, he set out without delay in the depth of winter, taking the Egnatian Road across Albania, Macedonia and Thrace towards the Bosphorus, and ignoring the effect that this disastrous and hurried advance produced upon the spirits of his recruits.
