PartIII。
ThefieldsofAssyriaweredevotedbyJuliantothecalamitiesofwar；andthephilosopherretaliatedonaguiltlesspeopletheactsofrapineandcrueltywhichhadbeencommittedbytheirhaughtymasterintheRomanprovinces。ThetremblingAssyrianssummonedtheriverstotheirassistance；andcompleted，withtheirownhands，theruinoftheircountry。Theroadswererenderedimpracticable；afloodofwaterswaspouredintothecamp；and，duringseveraldays，thetroopsofJulianwereobligedtocontendwiththemostdiscouraginghardships。Buteveryobstaclewassurmountedbytheperseveranceofthelegionaries，whowereinuredtotoilaswellastodanger，andwhofeltthemselvesanimatedbythespiritoftheirleader。Thedamagewasgraduallyrepaired；thewaterswererestoredtotheirproperchannels；wholegrovesofpalm—treeswerecutdown，andplacedalongthebrokenpartsoftheroad；andthearmypassedoverthebroadanddeepercanals，onbridgesoffloatingrafts，whichweresupportedbythehelpofbladders。TwocitiesofAssyriapresumedtoresistthearmsofaRomanemperor:andtheybothpaidtheseverepenaltyoftheirrashness。AtthedistanceoffiftymilesfromtheroyalresidenceofCtesiphon，Perisabor，
orAnbar，heldthesecondrankintheprovince；acity，large，populous，andwellfortified，surroundedwithadoublewall，almostencompassedbyabranchoftheEuphrates，anddefendedbythevalorofanumerousgarrison。TheexhortationsofHormisdaswererepulsedwithcontempt；andtheearsofthePersianprincewerewoundedbyajustreproach，that，unmindfulofhisroyalbirth，heconductedanarmyofstrangersagainsthiskingandcountry。TheAssyriansmaintainedtheirloyaltybyaskilful，aswellasvigorous，defence；tilltheluckystrokeofabattering—ram，havingopenedalargebreach，byshatteringoneoftheanglesofthewall，theyhastilyretiredintothefortificationsoftheinteriorcitadel。ThesoldiersofJulianrushedimpetuouslyintothetown，andafterthefullgratificationofeverymilitaryappetite，Perisaborwasreducedtoashes；andtheengineswhichassaultedthecitadelwereplantedontheruinsofthesmokinghouses。Thecontestwascontinuedbyanincessantandmutualdischargeofmissileweapons；andthesuperioritywhichtheRomansmightderivefromthemechanicalpowersoftheirbalistaeandcatapultaewascounterbalancedbytheadvantageofthegroundonthesideofthebesieged。ButassoonasanHelepolishadbeenconstructed，whichcouldengageonequaltermswiththeloftiestramparts，thetremendousaspectofamovingturret，thatwouldleavenohopeofresistanceormercy，terrifiedthedefendersofthecitadelintoanhumblesubmission；andtheplacewassurrenderedonlytwodaysafterJulianfirstappearedunderthewallsofPerisabor。Twothousandfivehundredpersons，ofbothsexes，thefeebleremnantofaflourishingpeople，werepermittedtoretire；theplentifulmagazinesofcorn，ofarms，andofsplendidfurniture，werepartlydistributedamongthetroops，andpartlyreservedforthepublicservice；theuselessstoresweredestroyedbyfireorthrownintothestreamoftheEuphrates；andthefateofAmidawasrevengedbythetotalruinofPerisabor。
[Footnote*:LibaniussaysthatitwasagreatcityofAssyria，calledafterthenameofthereigningking。TheoratorofAntiochisnotmistaken。ThePersiansandSyrianscalleditFyrouzSchapourorFyrouzSchahbour；inPersian，thevictoryofSchahpour。ItowedthatnametoSaportheFirst。ItwasbeforecalledAnbarSt。Martin，iii。85。—M。]
Thecityorratherfortress，ofMaogamalcha，whichwasdefendedbysixteenlargetowers，adeepditch，andtwostrongandsolidwallsofbrickandbitumen，appearstohavebeenconstructedatthedistanceofelevenmiles，asthesafeguardofthecapitalofPersia。Theemperor，apprehensiveofleavingsuchanimportantfortressinhisrear，immediatelyformedthesiegeofMaogamalcha；andtheRomanarmywasdistributed，forthatpurpose，intothreedivisions。Victor，attheheadofthecavalry，andofadetachmentofheavy—armedfoot，wasorderedtoclearthecountry，asfarasthebanksoftheTigris，andthesuburbsofCtesiphon。TheconductoftheattackwasassumedbyJulianhimself，whoseemedtoplacehiswholedependenceinthemilitaryengineswhichheerectedagainstthewalls；whilehesecretlycontrivedamoreefficaciousmethodofintroducinghistroopsintotheheartofthecityUnderthedirectionofNevittaandDagalaiphus，thetrencheswereopenedataconsiderabledistance，andgraduallyprolongedasfarastheedgeoftheditch。Theditchwasspeedilyfilledwithearth；and，bytheincessantlaborofthetroops，aminewascarriedunderthefoundationsofthewalls，andsustained，atsufficientintervals，bypropsoftimber。Threechosencohorts，advancinginasinglefile，silentlyexploredthedarkanddangerouspassage；tilltheirintrepidleaderwhisperedbacktheintelligence，thathewasreadytoissuefromhisconfinementintothestreetsofthehostilecity。Juliancheckedtheirardor，thathemightinsuretheirsuccess；andimmediatelydivertedtheattentionofthegarrison，bythetumultandclamorofageneralassault。ThePersians，who，fromtheirwalls，contemptuouslybeheldtheprogressofanimpotentattack，celebratedwithsongsoftriumphthegloryofSapor；andventuredtoassuretheemperor，thathemightascendthestarrymansionofOrmusd，beforehecouldhopetotaketheimpregnablecityofMaogamalcha。Thecitywasalreadytaken。Historyhasrecordedthenameofaprivatesoldierthefirstwhoascendedfromthemineintoadesertedtower。Thepassagewaswidenedbyhiscompanions，whopressedforwardswithimpatientvalor。Fifteenhundredenemieswerealreadyinthemidstofthecity。Theastonishedgarrisonabandonedthewalls，andtheironlyhopeofsafety；thegateswereinstantlyburstopen；andtherevengeofthesoldier，unlessitweresuspendedbylustoravarice，wassatiatedbyanundistinguishingmassacre。Thegovernor，whohadyieldedonapromiseofmercy，wasburntalive，afewdaysafterwards，onachargeofhavingutteredsomedisrespectfulwordsagainstthehonorofPrinceHormisdas。Thefortificationswererazedtotheground；andnotavestigewasleft，thatthecityofMaogamalchahadeverexisted。TheneighborhoodofthecapitalofPersiawasadornedwiththreestatelypalaces，laboriouslyenrichedwitheveryproductionthatcouldgratifytheluxuryandprideofanEasternmonarch。ThepleasantsituationofthegardensalongthebanksoftheTigris，wasimproved，accordingtothePersiantaste，bythesymmetryofflowers，fountains，andshadywalks:andspaciousparkswereenclosedforthereceptionofthebears，lions，andwildboars，whichweremaintainedataconsiderableexpenseforthepleasureoftheroyalchase。Theparkwallswerebrokendown，thesavagegamewasabandonedtothedartsofthesoldiers，andthepalacesofSaporwerereducedtoashes，bythecommandoftheRomanemperor。Julian，onthisoccasion，showedhimselfignorant，orcareless，ofthelawsofcivility，whichtheprudenceandrefinementofpolishedageshaveestablishedbetweenhostileprinces。Yetthesewantonravagesneednotexciteinourbreastsanyvehementemotionsofpityorresentment。Asimple，nakedstatue，finishedbythehandofaGrecianartist，isofmoregenuinevaluethanalltheserudeandcostlymonumentsofBarbariclabor；and，ifwearemoredeeplyaffectedbytheruinofapalacethanbytheconflagrationofacottage，ourhumanitymusthaveformedaveryerroneousestimateofthemiseriesofhumanlife。^57