them all cross into Armenia, but only the ones whom Nero had given him.
That caused Tiridates to admire him all the more and to despise his chief.

[Sidenote:--7--] The return was made not by the same route as he followed
in coming,--through Illyricum and north of the Ionian Gulf,--but instead
he sailed from Brundusium to Dyrrachium. He viewed also the cities of
Asia, which helped to increase his amazement at the strength and beauty of
the Roman empire.

Tiridates one day viewed an exhibition of pancratium. One of the
contestants fell to the ground and was being pummeled by his opponent.
When the prince saw it, he exclaimed: "That's an unfair contest. It isn't
fair that a man who has fallen should be beaten."

On rebuilding Artaxata Tiridates named it Neronia. But Vologaesus though
often summoned refused to come to Nero, and finally, when the latter's
invitations became burdensome to him, sent back a despatch to this effect:
"It is far easier for you than for me to traverse so great a body of
water. Therefore, if you will come to Asia, we can then arrange [where we
shall be able] to meet each other." [Such was the message which the
Parthian wrote at last.]

[Sidenote:--8--] Nero though angry at him did not sail against him, nor
yet against the Ethiopians or the Caspian Pylae, as he had intended. [He
saw that the subjugation of these regions demanded time and labor and
hoped that they would submit to him of their own accord:] and he sent
spies to both places. But he did cross over into Greece, not at all as
Flamininus or Mummius or as Agrippa and Augustus his ancestors had done,
but for the purpose of chariot racing, of playing and singing, of making
proclamations, and of acting in tragedies. Rome was not enough for him,