§15.1Ἀντίγονος δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἁλισκομένων ἀκούων τὸν Εὐμενῆ νοσεῖν καὶ κομίζεσθαι κακῶς διακείμενον, οὐ μέγα ἔργον ἡγεῖτο συντρῖψαι τοὺς ἄλλους ἐκείνου νοσοῦντος.
On the other hand, Antigonus, hearing from the prisoners that Eumenes was ill and was being carried in a bad condition, did not think it a great task to crush the others while he was sick.
διὸ καὶ σπεύδων ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην προσῆγεν.
Therefore, hastening for the battle, he advanced.
§15.2ὡς δὲ τῶν πολεμίων εἰς τάξιν καθισταμένων παρελάσας κατεῖδε τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν διακόσμησιν, ἐκπλαγεὶς ἐπέστη πλείω χρόνον εἶτα ὤφθη τὸ φορεῖον ἀπὸ θατέρου κέρως ἐπὶ θάτερον διαφερόμενον.
But when, while the enemy was drawing up in line of battle, he rode along and saw their formation and disposition, he stopped for a long time in amazement; then the litter was seen being carried from one wing to the other.
γελάσας οὖν ὁ Ἀντίγονος, ὥσπερ εἰώθει, μέγα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φίλους εἰπὼν,
τοῦτο ἦν τὸ φορεῖον, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἀντιπαραταττόμενον ἡμῖν,
εὐθὺς ἀπῆγε τὴν δύναμιν ὀπίσω καὶ κατεστρατοπέδευσεν.
Thereupon Antigonus laughed, as he was accustomed to do, aloud, and to his friends he said: "This litter, as it seems, was what was drawn up in battle array against us." And immediately he led his army back and encamped.
§15.3οἱ δὲ μικρὸν ἀναπνεύσαντες αὖθις ἐδημαγωγοῦντο, καὶ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἐντρυφῶντες σχεδὸν ὅλην εἰς τὰ χειμάδια κατενείμαντο τὴν Γαβηνῶν, ὥστε τοὺς ἐσχάτους τῶν πρώτων ἀποσκηνοῦν ὁμοῦ τι χιλίους σταδίους.
But the others, having taken a little breath, were again courted by demagogues, and treating their leaders with insolence, they distributed themselves for winter quarters over almost the whole of Gabiene, so that those in the rear encamped almost a thousand stades away from those in the front.
ταῦτα γνοὺς ὁ Ἀντίγονος ὥρμησεν ἐξαίφνης ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ὑποστρέψας χαλεπὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἄνυδρον, σύντομον δὲ καὶ βραχεῖαν, ἐλπίζων, εἰ διεσπαρμένοις ἐπιπέσοι περὶ τὰ χειμάδια, μηδʼ ἂν συνελθεῖν ἔτι τὸ πλῆθος ῥᾳδίως εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς.
Antigonus, knowing this, set out suddenly against them, turning back through a difficult and waterless, but direct and short road, hoping that if he should fall upon them while they were scattered in their winter quarters, the multitude would not easily gather again to the same place with their generals.
ἐμβαλόντι δὲ εἰς γῆν ἀοίκητον αὐτῷ πνεύματά τε δεινὰ καὶ κρύη μεγάλα διελυμαίνετο τὴν πορείαν ἐνοχλουμένου τοῦ στρατεύματος.
But when he invaded an uninhabited country, terrible winds and great cold ruined his march, and his army was sorely distressed.
§15.4ἦν οὖν ἀναγκαία βοήθεια πυρὰ πολλὰ καίειν ὅθεν οὐκ ἔλαθε τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀλλὰ τῶν βαρβάρων οἱ τὰ βλέποντα πρὸς τὴν ἀοίκητον ὄρη νεμόμενοι θαυμάσαντες τὸ τῶν πυρῶν πλῆθος ἔπεμψαν ἱππαστρίαις καμήλοις ἀγγέλους πρὸς Πευκέσταν.
Therefore, it became a necessary remedy to light many fires, from which they did not escape the notice of the enemy. But those of the barbarians who inhabited the mountains facing the uninhabited country, wondering at the multitude of fires, sent messengers on riding camels to Peucestas.
ὁ δὲ ὡς ἤκουσεν, αὐτός τε παντάπασιν ἔκφρων ὑπὸ δέους γενόμενος καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὁρῶν ὁμοίως ἔχοντας ὥρμητο φεύγειν, ἀναστήσας τοὺς καθʼ ὁδὸν ὄντας αὐτοῖς μάλιστα τῶν στρατιωτῶν·
And when he heard of it, becoming altogether out of his mind with fear, and seeing the others in a similar state, he was eager to flee, having first raised those of the soldiers who were especially on their way.
§15.5εὐμενὴς δὲ τὴν ταραχὴν ἀφῄρει καὶ τὸν φόβον, ὑπισχνούμενος ἐπιστήσειν τῶν πολεμίων τὸ τάχος, ὥστε τρισὶν ὕστερον ἡμέραις ἢ προσδοκῶνται παραγενέσθαι.
But Eumenes removed the confusion and fear, promising to check the speed of the enemy, so that they should arrive three days later than they were expected.
πεισθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἅμα μὲν ἀγγέλους περιέπεμπε τὰς δυνάμεις ἐκ τῶν χειμαδίων καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀθροίζεσθαι κατὰ τάχος κελεύων, ἅμα δὲ αὐτὸς ἐξιππασάμενος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἡγεμόνων, καὶ τόπον ἐξ ἀπόπτου καταφανῆ τοῖς ὁδεύουσι τὴν ἔρημον περιβαλόμενος καὶ διαμετρήσας, ἐκέλευε πυρὰ πολλὰ καίειν ἐν διαστήμασιν, ὥσπερ οἱ στρατοπεδεύοντες.
When they were persuaded, on the one hand, he sent messengers around, ordering the forces from their winter quarters and the others to assemble in haste, and on the other hand, he himself rode out with the other leaders, and encompassing and measuring out a place clearly visible from afar to those traveling through the desert, he ordered many fires to be lit at intervals, just like those who are encamped.
§15.6γενομένου δὲ τούτου καὶ τῶν πυρῶν τοῖς περὶ Ἀντίγονον ἐκ τῆς ὀρεινῆς καταφανέντων, ἄχθος ἔσχε καὶ δυσθυμία τὸν Ἀντίγονον, οἰόμενον ᾐσθημένους ἔκπαλαι τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπαντᾶν.
When this was done and the fires became visible from the hills to those with Antigonus, grief and dejection seized Antigonus, who thought that the enemy had long since perceived his approach and were coming to meet him.
ἵνʼ οὖν μὴ κατάκοπος καὶ τετρυμένος ἐκ πορείας ἀναγκάζηται μάχεσθαι πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἑτοίμους καὶ καλῶς κεχειμακότας, προέμενος τὴν σύντομον ἦγε διὰ κωμῶν καὶ πόλεων, καθʼ ἡσυχίαν ἀναλαμβάνων τὸ στράτευμα.
In order, therefore, that he might not be forced, exhausted and worn out from the march, to fight against men who were ready and had wintered well, he abandoned the shortcut and led his army through villages and cities, recovering his army at leisure.
§15.7μηδενὸς δὲ ἐμποδὼν ὄντος, ὥσπερ εἴωθεν ἀντικαθημένων πολεμίων, τῶν δὲ περιχώρων λεγόντων στράτευμα μηδὲν ὦφθαι, πυρῶν δὲ κεκαυμένων μεστὸν εἶναι τὸν τόπον, ᾔσθετο κατεστρατηγημένος ὑπὸ Εὐμένους, καὶ βαρέως φέρων προσῆγεν ὡς φανερᾷ μάχῃ κριθησόμενος.
Since no one was in his way, as usually happens when the enemy is encamped opposite, and the inhabitants of the neighborhood said that no army had been seen, but that the place was full of burnt fires, he perceived that he had been outgeneraled by Eumenes, and bearing it heavily, he advanced as one who would decide the issue in an open battle.