def begin(self):
        """Begin a read-only transaction on the database.

        :rtype: bytes
        :returns: the ID for the newly-begun transaction.

        :raises ValueError:
            if the transaction is already begun, committed, or rolled back.
        """
        if not self._multi_use:
            raise ValueError("Cannot call 'begin' on single-use snapshots")

        if self._transaction_id is not None:
            raise ValueError("Read-only transaction already begun")

        if self._read_request_count > 0:
            raise ValueError("Read-only transaction already pending")

        database = self._session._database
        api = database.spanner_api
        metadata = _metadata_with_prefix(database.name)
        txn_selector = self._make_txn_selector()
        response = api.begin_transaction(
            self._session.name, txn_selector.begin, metadata=metadata
        )
        self._transaction_id = response.id
        return self._transaction_id
Begin a read-only transaction on the database.

        :rtype: bytes
        :returns: the ID for the newly-begun transaction.

        :raises ValueError:
            if the transaction is already begun, committed, or rolled back.