priest--approached Cabades as he was riding into the city, and said that
it was not a kingly act to slaughter captives. Then Cabades, still moved
with passion, replied: "But why did you decide to fight against me?" And
the old man answered quickly: "Because God willed to give Amida into thy
hand not so much because of our decision as of thy valour." Cabades was
pleased by this speech, and permitted no further slaughter, but he bade
the Persians plunder the property and make slaves of the survivors, and
he directed them to choose out for himself all the notables among them.

A short time after this he departed, leaving there to garrison the place
a thousand men under command of Glones, a Persian, and some few
unfortunates among the citizens of Amida who were destined to minister
as servants to the daily wants of the Persians; he himself with all the
remainder of the army and the captives marched away homeward. These
captives were treated by Cabades with a generosity befitting a king; for
after a short time he released all of them to return to their homes, but
he pretended that they had escaped from him by stealth[10]; and the
Roman Emperor, Anastasius, also shewed them honour worthy of their
bravery, for he remitted to the city all the annual taxes for the space
of seven years, and presented all of them as a body and each one of them
separately with many good things, so that they came fully to forget the
misfortunes which had befallen them. But this happened in later years.


VIII

At that time the Emperor Anastasius, upon learning that Amida was being
besieged, dispatched with all speed an army of sufficient strength. But
in this army there were general officers in command of every
symmory[11], while the supreme command was divided between the following