§4.1ἦσαν μὲν οὖν οἱ τὸν Τίτον ἄγειν κύκλῳ διὰ τῆς Δασσαρήτιδος κατὰ Λύκον εὔπορον ὁδὸν καὶ ῥᾳδίαν ἐπιχειροῦντες.
Now there were some who tried to lead Titus around through Dassaretis along the Lychus, an easy and simple road.
ὁ δὲ δεδοικώς μὴ πόρρω θαλάττης ἐμβαλὼν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τόπους γλίσχρους καὶ σπειρομένους πονηρῶς τοῦ Φιλίππου φυγομαχοῦντος ἀπορήσῃ σιτίων καὶ πάλιν ἄπρακτος, ὥσπερ ὁ πρὸ αὐτοῦ στρατηγὸς, ἀναχωρεῖν ἀναγκασθῇ πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν, ἔγνω προσβαλὼν ἀνὰ κράτος διὰ τῶν ἄκρων βιάσασθαι τὴν πάροδον.
But he, fearing lest, having thrown himself into places that were barren and poorly sown far from the sea, while Philip avoided battle, he might run out of provisions and again be forced to retreat to the sea without success, just like the general before him, resolved to force a passage by attacking with all his might through the heights.
§4.2ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ ὄρη τοῦ Φιλίππου τῇ φάλαγγι κατέχοντος, ἐκ τῶν πλαγίων πανταχόθεν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἀκοντίων καὶ τοξευμάτων φερομένων, πληγαὶ μὲν ἐγίνοντο καὶ ἀγῶνες ὀξεῖς καὶ νεκροὶ παρʼ ἀμφοτέρων ἔπιπτον, οὐδὲν δὲ τοῦ πολέμου πέρας ἐφαίνετο, προσῆλθον ἄνθρωποι τῶν αὐτόθι νεμόντων φράζοντές τινα κύκλωσιν ἀμελουμένην ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων, ᾗ τὸν στρατόν ἄξειν ὑπισχνοῦντο καὶ καταστήσειν μάλιστα τριταῖον ἐπὶ τῶν ἄκρων.
But since Philip held the mountains with his phalanx, and javelins and arrows were being showered upon the Romans from all sides from the flanks, so that wounds were inflicted and sharp struggles took place, and dead fell on both sides, and no end to the war was in sight, some of the local herdsmen came to him, telling of a certain detour that was neglected by the enemy, by which they promised to lead the army and bring them to the heights, mostly on the third day.
§4.3γνώστην δὲ τῆς πίστεως παρείχοντο καὶ βεβαιωτὴν Χάροπα τὸν Μαχάτα, πρωτεύοντα μὲν Ἠπειρωτῶν, εὔνουν δὲ Ῥωμαίοις ὄντα καὶ κρύφα φόβῳ τοῦ Φιλίππου συναγωνιζόμενον.
And as a witness and guarantor of their trustworthiness, they produced Charops the son of Machatas, a leading man of the Epirots, who was well-disposed toward the Romans and, though secretly out of fear of Philip, was cooperating with them.
ᾧ πιστεύσας ὁ Τίτος ἐκπέμπει χιλίαρχον ἕνα πεζοὺς ἔχοντα τετρακισχιλίους καὶ ἱππεῖς τριακοσίους, ἡγοῦντο δὲ οἱ νομεῖς ἐκεῖνοι δεδεμένοι· καὶ τὰς μὲν ἡμέρας ἀνεπαύοντο κοίλους προβαλλόμενοι καὶ ὑλώδεις τόπους, ὥδευον δὲ νύκτωρ πρὸς τὴν σελήνην καὶ γὰρ ἦν διχόμηνος.
Trusting him, Titus sent out one military tribune with four thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry, and those herdsmen led the way in bonds; and during the day they rested, putting forward hollow and wooded places as cover, but they marched by night by the light of the moon, for indeed it was full.
§4.4ὁ δὲ Τίτος τούτους ἀποστείλας τὰς μὲν ἄλλας ἡμέρας διανέπαυε τὸν στρατόν ὅσα μὴ περισπᾶν τοῖς ἀκροβολισμοῖς τοὺς πολεμίους, καθʼ ἣν δὲ ἔμελλον ὑπερφανήσεσθαι τῶν ἄκρων οἱ περιϊόντες, ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ πᾶν μὲν βαρὺ, πᾶν δὲ γυμνητικὸν ὅπλον ἐκίνει·
And Titus, having sent these men off, for the other days kept his army at rest, except in so far as to distract the enemy with skirmishes; but on the day when those who were going around were expected to appear above the heights, at daybreak, he put in motion all his heavy-armed and all his light-armed forces.
καὶ τριχῇ νείμας τὴν δύναμιν αὐτὸς μὲν εἰς τὸ στενώτατον παρὰ τὸ ῥεῖθρον ὀρθίας ἀνῆγε τὰς σπείρας βαλλόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν Μακεδόνων καὶ συμπλεκόμενος τοῖς ἀπαντῶσι περὶ τὰς δυσχωρίας,
And having divided his force into three parts, he himself led his cohorts in column up into the narrowest part along the stream, being pelted by the Macedonians and engaging hand-to-hand with those who opposed him around the difficult ground, while the others on both sides were at the same time trying to compete and eagerly clinging to the rough places.
§4.5τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ἑκατέρωθεν ἅμα πειρωμένων ἁμιλλᾶσθαι καὶ ταῖς τραχύτησιν ἐμφυομένων προθύμως, ὅ τε ἥλιος ἀνέσχε καὶ καπνὸς οὐ βέβαιος, ἀλλʼ οἷον ὄρειος ὁμίχλη πόρρωθεν ἀνατέλλων καὶ διαφαινόμενος τοὺς μὲν πολεμίους ἐλάνθανε, κατὰ νώτου γὰρ ἦν αὐτοῖς, ἤδη τῶν ἄκρων ἐχομένων, οἱ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι δόξαν ἔσχον ἀμφίβολον ἐν ἀγῶνι καὶ πόνῳ τὴν ἐλπίδα πρὸς τὸ βουλόμενον λαμβάνοντες.
And the sun rose, and a faint smoke, rising like a mountain mist from afar and showing through, escaped the notice of the enemy, for it was at their back, the heights being already held; but the Romans had a doubtful impression, taking their hope in the midst of struggle and toil toward what they wished.
§4.6ἐπεὶ δὲ μᾶλλον αὐξανόμενος καὶ διαμελαίνων τὸν ἀέρα καὶ πολὺς ἄνω χωρῶν ἐδηλοῦτο πυρσὸς εἶναι φίλιος, οἱ μὲν ἀλαλάξαντες ἐπέβαινον ἐρρωμένως καὶ συνέστελλον εἰς τὰ τραχύτατα τοὺς πολεμίους, οἱ δὲ ὄπισθεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄκρων ἀντηλάλαξαν.
But when, growing larger and darkening the air and rising high in abundance, it was clearly shown to be a friendly signal-fire, they raised a war-cry and pressed on vigorously, crowding the enemy into the roughest places, while the others answered the cry from behind from the heights.