§14.23.1ὡς δὲ τρεῖς σχεδὸν σταδίους ἀπεῖχον ἀλλήλων αἱ δυνάμεις, οἱ μὲν Ἕλληνες παιανίσαντες τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἡσυχῇ προῆγον· ὡς δʼ ἐντὸς βέλους ἦσαν, ἔθεον κατὰ πολλὴν σπουδήν.
When the forces were nearly three stades apart, the Greeks, after singing the paean, at first advanced slowly; but when they were within range of missiles, they ran forward with great speed.
παρηγγελκὼς δʼ αὐτοῖς Κλέαρχος ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος ἦν τοῦτο πράττειν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ διαστήματος πολλοῦ μὴ τρέχειν ἤμελλεν ἀκεραίους τοῖς σώμασι τοὺς ἀγωνιζομένους τηρήσειν εἰς τὴν μάχην, τὸ δʼ ἐγγὺς ὄντας δρόμῳ προσιέναι τὰς τῶν τόξων βολὰς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων βελῶν ὑπερπετεῖς ἐδόκει ποιήσειν.
Clearchus the Lacedaemonian had ordered them to do this; for not running from a long distance was likely to keep the fighters fresh in body for the battle, while advancing at a run when close at hand seemed likely to make the flights of arrows and other missiles fly over their heads.
§14.23.2ἐπεὶ δʼ ἤγγισαν οἱ μετὰ Κύρου τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως στρατοπέδῳ, τοσοῦτʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐρρίφη βελῶν πλῆθος, ὅσον εἰκός ἐστιν ἐκ δυνάμεως ἐνεχθῆναι συνεστώσης ἐκ μυριάδων τετταράκοντα.
And when those with Cyrus drew near to the King's army, such a multitude of missiles was hurled at them as was to be expected from a force composed of forty myriads.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ βραχὺν χρόνον παντελῶς τοῖς παλτοῖς διαγωνισάμενοι, τὸ λοιπὸν ἐκ χειρὸς ἤδη τὴν μάχην συνίσταντο.
Nevertheless, after fighting with javelins for only a very short time, they thereafter engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
§14.23.3Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων μισθοφόρων εὐθὺς ἐκ τῆς πρώτης συστάσεως ἐξέπληξαν τοὺς ἀντιτεταγμένους βαρβάρους τῇ τε τῶν ὅπλων λαμπρότητι καὶ ταῖς εὐχειρίαις.
The Lacedaemonians with the other mercenaries, right from the first clash, terrified the barbarians drawn up against them by the brilliance of their arms and their dexterity.
§14.23.4ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἦσαν ὅπλοις τε μικροῖς ἐσκεπασμένοι καὶ τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ταγμάτων ἔχοντες ψιλικά, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἄπειροι τῶν κατὰ πόλεμον κινδύνων· οἱ δʼ Ἕλληνες διὰ τὸ μῆκος τοῦ Πελοποννησιακοῦ πολέμου κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐν μάχαις γεγενημένοι πολὺ ταῖς ἐμπειρίαις διέφερον.
For the former were protected only by small weapons and had most of their units composed of light-armed troops, and besides this they were inexperienced in the dangers of war; whereas the Greeks, having been continuously involved in battles owing to the length of the Peloponnesian War, were far superior in experience.
διόπερ εὐθὺ τρεψάμενοι τοὺς καθʼ αὑτοὺς ἐδίωκον, καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν βαρβάρων ἀνῄρουν.
Consequently, they immediately routed the enemy facing them and pursued them, slaying many of the barbarians.
§14.23.5κατὰ δὲ μέσην τὴν τάξιν ἔτυχε μὲν ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς βασιλείας ἀγωνιζομένους ταχθῆναι· διὸ καὶ κατανοήσαντες τὸ γεγενημένον ὥρμησαν ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους, φιλοτιμούμενοι διʼ ἑαυτῶν κρῖναι τὴν μάχην·
In the center of the line, it so happened that both of those who were contending for the kingship were posted; and therefore, when they realized what had occurred, they rushed at each other, eager to decide the battle by themselves.
συνήγαγε γάρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ τύχη τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡγεμονίας τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἔριν εἰς μονομαχίαν καθάπερ εἰς ἀπομίμημα τῆς παλαιᾶς ἐκείνης καὶ τραγῳδουμένης τῆς περὶ τὸν Ἐτεοκλέα καὶ Πολυνείκην τόλμης.
For fortune, it seems, brought the brothers' rivalry for the empire to a single combat, just as if to imitate that ancient and tragic daring of Eteocles and Polynices.
§14.23.6Κῦρος μὲν οὖν φθάσας ἐκ διαστήματος ἠκόντισε, καὶ τυχὼν τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσφηλεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν· ὃν ταχέως οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ἁρπάσαντες ἀπήνεγκαν ἐκ τῆς μάχης.
So Cyrus, anticipating him, hurled his javelin from a distance and, striking the King, brought him to the ground; but those around him quickly snatched him up and carried him out of the battle.
καὶ τὴν μὲν τοῦ βασιλέως ἡγεμονίαν διαδεξάμενος Τισσαφέρνης ἀνὴρ Πέρσης παρεκάλει τε τὰ πλήθη καὶ αὐτὸς λαμπρῶς ἠγωνίζετο· ἀναμαχόμενος δὲ τὸ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα γεγονὸς ἐλάττωμα καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἐπιλέκτων ἐπὶ πάντα τόπον ἐπιφαινόμενος πολλοὺς ἀνῄρει τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων, ὥστε τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ πόρρωθεν ὑπάρχειν ἐπίσημον.
Then Tissaphernes, a Persian, succeeding to the command of the King's forces, encouraged the multitudes and himself fought brilliantly; and trying to retrieve the setback that had occurred to the King, and appearing everywhere with the select troops, he slew many of the opposing force, so that his appearance was conspicuous from afar.
§14.23.7ὁ δὲ Κῦρος ἐπαρθεὶς τῷ προτερήματι τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν εἰς μέσους ἐβιάσατο τοὺς πολεμίους, καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀφειδῶς τῇ τόλμῃ χρώμενος πολλοὺς ἀνῄρει, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα προχειρότερον κινδυνεύων ὑπό τινος τῶν τυχόντων Περσῶν πληγεὶς ἐπικαίρως ἔπεσεν.
Cyrus, on his part, elated by the success of his side, forced his way into the midst of the enemy, and at first, showing reckless daring, slew many; but later, risking his life too rashly, he was struck in a vital spot by an ordinary Persian who happened to be there, and fell.
τούτου δʼ ἀναιρεθέντος οἱ τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς τὴν μάχην ἐπερρώσθησαν, καὶ τέλος τῷ τε πλήθει καὶ τῇ τόλμῃ κατεπόνησαν τοὺς ἀνθεστηκότας.
Upon his death, the King's soldiers were heartened for the battle, and finally, by their numbers and daring, they wore down those who opposed them.