§14.72.1Διονύσιος δʼ ἐπειδὴ τὴν περὶ Καρχηδονίους συμφορὰν ἤκουσεν, ὀγδοήκοντα μὲν ναῦς πληρώσας Φαρακίδᾳ καὶ Λεπτίνῃ τοῖς ναυάρχοις ἐπέταξεν ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν ἐπίπλουν ταῖς πολεμίαις ναυσὶ ποιήσασθαι, αὐτὸς δʼ ἀσελήνου τῆς νυκτὸς οὔσης περιήγαγε τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ περιελθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς Κυάνης ἱερὸν ἔλαθε τοὺς πολεμίους ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ προσιὼν τῇ παρεμβολῇ.
When Dionysius heard of the disaster that had befallen the Carthaginians, he manned eighty ships and commanded the admirals Pharacidas and Leptines to make an attack upon the enemy's ships at break of day, while he himself, since it was a moonless night, led his army around, and having made a circuit to the temple of Cyané, approached the camp at dawn without being noticed by the enemy.
§14.72.2τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἱππεῖς καὶ μισθοφόρων πεζοὺς χιλίους προαπέστειλεν εἰς τὸ πρὸς τὴν μεσόγειον ἀνατεῖνον μέρος τῆς τῶν Καρχηδονίων στρατοπεδείας.
Now he sent ahead the cavalry and a thousand of the mercenary infantry to that part of the Carthaginian encampment which extended towards the interior.
οὗτοι δʼ ἦσαν οἱ μισθοφόροι τῷ Διονυσίῳ παρὰ πάντας ἀλλοτριώτατοι καὶ πλεονάκις στάσεις καὶ ταραχὰς ποιοῦντες.
These mercenaries were of all men the most hostile to Dionysius, and frequently engaged in mutinies and disturbances.
§14.72.3διόπερ ὁ μὲν Διονύσιος τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν ἦν παρηγγελκώς, ὅταν ἐξάπτωνται τῶν πολεμίων, φεύγειν καὶ τοὺς μισθοφόρους ἐγκαταλιπεῖν· ὧν ποιησάντων τὸ προσταχθὲν οὗτοι μὲν ἅπαντες κατεκόπησαν, ὁ δὲ Διονύσιος ἅμα τήν τε παρεμβολὴν καὶ τὰ φρούρια πολιορκεῖν ἐπεχείρησε·
For this reason, Dionysius had commanded the cavalry that as soon as they engaged the enemy, they should flee and leave the mercenaries behind; and when they had done what was commanded, all these mercenaries were cut to pieces.
καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων διὰ τὸ παράδοξον καταπεπληγμένων καὶ παραβοηθούντων τεταραγμένως, αὐτὸς μὲν φρούριον τὴν καλουμένην Πολίχναν εἷλε κατὰ κράτος, ἐκ δὲ θατέρου μέρους οἱ ἱππεῖς καί τινες τῶν τριήρων προσπλεύσασαι τὸ πρὸς τῷ Δάσκωνι χωρίον ἐξεπολιόρκησαν.
Meanwhile, Dionysius undertook to besiege both the camp and the forts at the same time; and as the barbarians, stunned by the suddenness of the event, were hurrying to help in confusion, he himself took by storm the fort called Polichna, while on the other side, the cavalry and some of the triremes, sailing up, captured the place near Dascon.
§14.72.4εὐθὺ δʼ αἵ τε ναῦς ἅπασαι τὸν ἐπίπλουν ἐποιήσαντο, καὶ κατὰ τὰς τῶν φρουρίων ἁλώσεις ἐπαλαλάξαντος τοῦ στρατοπέδου περιδεεῖς οἱ βάρβαροι καθειστήκεισαν.
Immediately all the ships made their attack, and when the army raised a war-cry at the capture of the forts, the barbarians were struck with terror.
ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ πεζὸν στράτευμα πάντες συνέδραμον, ἀμυνόμενοι τοὺς τὴν παρεμβολὴν πολιορκοῦντας· ὡς δὲ καὶ τὸν τῶν νεῶν ἐπίπλουν εἶδον, πάλιν ἐξεβοήθουν ἐπὶ τὸν ναύσταθμον·
For at first they had all run to the land army, defending themselves against those who were besieging the camp; but when they saw also the attack of the ships, they hurried back to help at the naval station.
καταταχούμενοι δʼ ὑπὸ τῆς ὀξύτητος τοῦ καιροῦ τὴν ἑαυτῶν σπουδὴν εἶχον ἄπρακτον.
Yet, being overtaken by the swiftness of the crisis, they found their efforts of no avail.
§14.72.5ἔτι γὰρ αὐτῶν ἀναβαινόντων ἐπὶ τὰ καταστρώματα καὶ πληρούντων τὰς τριήρεις, αἱ πολέμιαι ναῦς ταῖς εἰρεσίαις ἐλαυνόμεναι πλαγίαις ἐνέσειον πολλάκις.
For while they were still boarding the decks and filling the triremes, the enemy's ships, driven by the rowing, repeatedly struck them broadside.
ἐκ μὲν οὖν μιᾶς ἐπικαίρου πληγῆς κατέδυον τὰς τιτρωσκομένας ναῦς· αἱ δὲ πλείοσιν ἐμβολαῖς ἀναρρήττουσαι τὰς συγγεγομφωμένας σανίδας δεινὴν ἔκπληξιν τοῖς ἀντιταττομένοις παρείχοντο.
Thus, by one well-placed blow, they would sink the damaged ships, while others, breaking open the bolted planks by repeated rammings, caused terrible panic to those arrayed against them.
§14.72.6πάντῃ δὲ τῶν ἐξοχωτάτων νεῶν θραυομένων, αἱ μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἐμβολῶν ἀναρρηττόμεναι λακίδες ἐξαίσιον ἐποιοῦντο ψόφον, ὁ δὲ παρὰ τὴν μάχην παρήκων αἰγιαλὸς ἔγεμε νεκρῶν.
As the most outstanding ships were being shattered everywhere, the splinters ripped away by the rammings made a tremendous noise, and the shore that stretched along the battle was filled with corpses.