§17.103.1τῆς δʼ ἐσχάτης τῶν Βραχμάνων πόλεως, ἣν ὀνομάζουσιν Ἁρματήλια, πεφρονηματισμένης ἐπʼ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ δυσχωρίαις ἀπέστειλεν ὀλίγους τῶν ψιλῶν, προστάξας ἐξάπτεσθαι τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἐὰν ἐπεξίωσιν ὑποφεύγειν. §17.103.2οὗτοι μὲν οὖν ὄντες πεντακόσιοι καὶ προσμαχόμενοι τοῖς τείχεσι κατεφρονήθησαν.
the last city of the Brahmans, which they call Harmatelia, had become proud because of their courage and the difficulty of the terrain, Alexander sent out a few of his light-armed troops, ordering them to skirmish with the enemy and to flee if they should sally out., then, being five hundred in number and attacking the walls, were held in contempt.
ἐπεξελθόντων δʼ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως στρατιωτῶν τρισχιλίων προσποιηθέντες καταπεπλῆχθαι πρὸς φυγὴν ὥρμησαν. §17.103.3ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς μετʼ ὀλίγον ὑποστὰς τοὺς διώκοντας τῶν βαρβάρων καὶ μάχην καρτερὰν συστησάμενος οὓς μὲν ἀπέκτεινε τῶν βαρβάρων, οὓς δʼ ἐζώγρησε.
When three thousand soldiers sallied out from the city, the light-armed troops, pretending to be terrified, turned to flight. the king, after a short while, stood his ground against the pursuing barbarians and, having joined in a fierce battle, killed some of the barbarians and took others alive.
τῶν δὲ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ ὀλίγοι τρωθέντες εἰς τοὺς ἐσχάτους ἦλθον κινδύνους· §17.103.4ὁ γὰρ τῶν βαρβάρων σίδηρος κεχρισμένος ἦν φαρμάκου θανασίμου δυνάμει, ᾗ πεποιθότες κατέβησαν εἰς τὴν διὰ τῆς μάχης κρίσιν.
However, not a few of those with the king were wounded and came into the ultimate dangers; the iron weapons of the barbarians had been smeared with the power of a deadly poison, relying on which they had gone down to the decision of battle.
κατεσκεύαστο δὲ ἡ τοῦ φαρμάκου δύναμις ἔκ τινων ὄφεων θηρευομένων καὶ τούτων εἰς τὸν ἥλιον νεκρῶν τιθεμένων. §17.103.5τῆς δʼ ἐκ τοῦ καύματος θερμασίας τηκούσης τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς φύσιν ἱδρῶτας ἐκπίπτειν συνέβαινε καὶ διὰ τῆς νοτίδος συνεκκρίνεσθαι τὸν τῶν θηρίων ἰόν.
The power of the poison had been prepared from certain hunted snakes, and these being placed dead in the sun. the heat from the burning sun melted the substance of the flesh, it happened that sweat dripped out, and through the moisture the venom of the beasts was secreted together with it.
διὸ καὶ τοῦ τρωθέντος εὐθὺς ἐνάρκα τὸ σῶμα καὶ μετʼ ὀλίγον ὀξεῖαι συνηκολούθουν ὀδύναι καὶ σπασμὸς καὶ τρόμος τὸν ὅλον ὄγκον κατεῖχεν, ὅ τε χρὼς ψυχρὸς καὶ πελιδνὸς ἐγίνετο καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐμέτων ἐξέπιπτεν χολή, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἀπὸ τοῦ τραύματος μέλας ἀφρὸς ἀπέρρει καὶ σηπεδὼν ἐγεννᾶτο.
Therefore, the body of the wounded person immediately grew numb, and after a short while sharp pains followed, and spasm and trembling seized the whole frame, and the skin became cold and livid, and bile was discharged through vomiting; furthermore, black foam flowed from the wound and putrefaction set in.
αὕτη δὲ νεμομένη ταχέως ἐπέτρεχε τοῖς καιρίοις τόποις τοῦ σώματος καὶ δεινοὺς θανάτους ἀπειργάζετο. §17.103.6διὸ συνέβαινε τὰ ἴσα τοῖς μεγάλα τραύματʼ εἰληφόσι καὶ τοῖς μικρὰν καὶ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἀμυχὴν ἀναδεξαμένοις.
This spreading rapidly ran over the vital parts of the body and brought about terrible deaths., the same fate happened to those who had received great wounds and to those who had sustained a small and trivial scratch.
τοιαύτῃ δʼ ἀπωλείᾳ τῶν τρωθέντων ἀπολλυμένων ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐχ οὕτως ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐλυπήθη, ἐπὶ δὲ Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ ὕστερον μὲν βασιλεύσαντι, τότε δὲ ἀγαπωμένῳ μεγάλως ἠχθέσθη. §17.103.7ἴδιον γάρ τι καὶ παράδοξον συνέβη γενέσθαι περὶ τὸν Πτολεμαῖον, ὅ τινες εἰς θεῶν πρόνοιαν ἀνέπεμπον.
As those who were wounded perished by such destruction, the king was not so much grieved for the others, but was greatly distressed for Ptolemy, who later became king, but was then greatly beloved. something unique and extraordinary happened to Ptolemy, which some attributed to the providence of the gods.
ἀγαπώμενος γὰρ ὑφʼ ἁπάντων διά τε τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ὑπερβολὴν τῆς εἰς πάντας εὐεργεσίας, οἰκείας τοῦ φιλανθρώπου βοηθείας ἔτυχεν.
Since he was beloved by all for his virtue and the abundance of his beneficence toward all, he obtained help appropriate to his kindness.
ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς εἶδεν ὄψιν κατὰ τὸν ὕπνον, καθʼ ἣν ἔδοξεν ὁρᾶν δράκοντα βοτάνην ἐν τῷ στόματι κρατεῖν καὶ δεῖξαι ταύτης τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὸν τόπον ἐν ᾧ φύεται. §17.103.8ἐγερθεὶς οὖν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ τὴν βοτάνην ἀναζητήσας καὶ τρίψας τό τε σῶμα τοῦ Πτολεμαίου κατέπλασε καὶ πιεῖν δοὺς ὑγιῆ κατέστησε.
For the king saw a vision in his sleep, in which he seemed to see a serpent holding a herb in its mouth, and showing its nature and power, and the place where it grows., therefore, having awakened and searched for the herb, and having crushed it, plastered the body of Ptolemy, and giving it to him to drink, restored him to health.
γνωσθείσης δὲ τῆς εὐχρηστίας καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τυχόντες τῆς ὁμοίας θεραπείας διεσώθησαν.
When its utility became known, the others also, receiving the same treatment, were saved.
τὴν δὲ πόλιν τῶν Ἁρματηλίων, οὖσαν ὀχυρὰν καὶ μεγάλην, ἐπεβάλετο μὲν πολιορκεῖν, τῶν δʼ ἐγχωρίων ἀπαντησάντων μεθʼ ἱκετηριῶν καὶ παραδόντων ἑαυτοὺς ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοὺς τῆς τιμωρίας.
As for the city of Harmatelia, which was strong and large, he set about to besiege it, but when the inhabitants met him with suppliant branches and surrendered themselves, he released them from punishment.