army forward, and after advancing for what, to an unencumbered
traveller, is about a three-days' journey along the bank of the
Euphrates, he came upon the city of Zenobia; this place Zenobia had
built in former times, and, as was natural, she gave her name to the
city. Now Zenobia was the wife of Odonathus, the ruler of the Saracens
of that region, who had been on terms of peace with the Romans from of
old. This Odonathus rescued for the Romans the Eastern Empire when it
had come under the power of the Medes; but this took place in former
times. Chosroes then came near to Zenobia, but upon learning that the
place was not important and observing that the land was untenanted and
destitute of all good things, he feared lest any time spent by him there
would be wasted on an affair of no consequence and would be a hindrance
to great undertakings, and he attempted to force the place to surrender.
But meeting with no success, he hastened his march forward.

After again accomplishing a journey of equal extent, he reached the city
of Sura, which is on the River Euphrates, and stopped very close to it.
There it happened that the horse on which Chosroes was riding neighed
and stamped the ground with his foot. And the Magi considered the
meaning of this incident and announced that the place would be captured.
Chosroes then made camp and led his army against the fortifications to
assail the wall. Now it happened that a certain Arsaces, an Armenian by
birth, was commander of the soldiers in the town; and he made the
soldiers mount the parapets, and fighting from there most valiantly slew
many of the enemy, but was himself struck by an arrow and died. And
then, since it was late in the day, the Persians retired to their camp
in order to assail the wall again on the following day; but the Romans
were in despair since their leader was dead, and were purposing to make
themselves suppliants of Chosroes. On the following day, therefore, they
sent the bishop of the city to plead for them and to beg that the town