§17.11.1ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐν τρισὶ ταῖς πάσαις ἡμέραις ἑτοιμασάμενος τὰ πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν τὰς δυνάμεις διείλετο εἰς τρία μέρη καὶ τὸ μὲν τοῖς χαρακώμασι τοῖς πρὸ τῆς πόλεως κατεσκευασμένοις προσβάλλειν ἔταξε, τὸ δὲ τοῖς Θηβαίοις ἀντιτάττεσθαι, τὸ δὲ τρίτον ἐφεδρεύειν τῷ πονοῦντι μέρει τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ διαδέχεσθαι τὴν μάχην. §17.11.2οἱ δὲ Θηβαῖοι τοὺς μὲν ἱππεῖς ἐντὸς τοῦ χαρακώματος ἔταξαν, τοὺς δʼ ἐλευθερωθέντας οἰκέτας καὶ τοὺς φυγάδας καὶ τοὺς μετοίκους τοῖς πρὸς τὰ τείχη βιαζομένοις ἀντέταξαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ τοῖς μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Μακεδόσι πολλαπλασίοις οὖσι συνάπτειν μάχην πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἡτοιμάζοντο. §17.11.3τέκνα δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες συνέτρεχον εἰς τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς ἱκέτευον σῶσαι τὴν πόλιν ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων.
king, having prepared what was necessary for the siege in all three days, divided his forces into three parts; he ordered one part to attack the stockades constructed before the city, another to draw up against the Thebans, and the third to act as a reserve for the struggling part of the force and relieve them in the battle. Thebans, on their part, stationed their cavalry within the stockade, and opposed the freed slaves, exiles, and metics to those forcing their way toward the walls, while they themselves prepared to join battle before the city with the Macedonians under the king, who were many times their number. children and women ran together to the temples and implored the gods to save the city from the dangers.
ὡς δʼ ἤγγισαν οἱ Μακεδόνες καὶ τοῖς τεταγμένοις μέρεσιν ἕκαστοι προσέπεσον, αἱ μὲν σάλπιγγες ἐσήμαινον τὸ πολεμικόν, αἱ δὲ παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις δυνάμεις ὑφʼ ἕνα καιρὸν συνηλάλαξαν καὶ τὰ κοῦφα τῶν βελῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἔβαλον. §17.11.4ταχὺ δὲ τούτων ἐξαναλωθέντων καὶ πάντων εἰς τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξίφους μάχην συμπεσόντων μέγας ἀγὼν συνίστατο.
When the Macedonians drew near and each fell upon their assigned sectors, the trumpets sounded the battle charge, and the forces on both sides raised a battle cry at the same moment and discharged their light missiles at the enemy. being quickly exhausted and all clashing in hand-to-hand combat with swords, a great struggle arose.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ Μακεδόνες διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τὸ βάρος τῆς φάλαγγος δυσυπόστατον εἶχον τὴν βίαν, οἱ δὲ Θηβαῖοι ταῖς τῶν σωμάτων ῥώμαις ὑπερέχοντες καὶ τοῖς ἐν τοῖς γυμνασίοις συνεχέσιν ἀθλήμασιν, ἔτι δὲ τῷ παραστήματι τῆς ψυχῆς πλεονεκτοῦντες ἐνεκαρτέρουν τοῖς δεινοῖς. §17.11.5διὸ καὶ παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις πολλοὶ μὲν κατετιτρώσκοντο, οὐκ ὀλίγοι δʼ ἔπιπτον ἐναντίας λαμβάνοντες πληγάς.
For the Macedonians, owing to the multitude of their men and the weight of the phalanx, had an irresistible force in their onset, while the Thebans, excelling in bodily strength and in their constant exercises in the gymnasia, and furthermore, having the advantage in the resolution of their souls, held out against the terrors., on both sides many were wounded, and not a few fell receiving wounds in front.
ὁμοῦ δʼ ἦν κατὰ τὰς ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι συμπλοκὰς μυγμὸς καὶ βοὴ καὶ παρακελευσμός, παρὰ μὲν τοῖς Μακεδόσι μὴ καταισχῦναι τὰς προγεγενημένας ἀνδραγαθίας, παρὰ δὲ τοῖς Θηβαίοις μὴ περιιδεῖν τέκνα καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ γονεῖς ὑπὲρ ἀνδραποδισμοῦ κινδυνεύοντας καὶ τὴν πατρίδα πανοίκιον ὑπὸ τοὺς Μακεδόνων θυμοὺς ὑποπεσοῦσαν, μνησθῆναι δὲ τῆς ἐν Λεύκτροις καὶ ἐν Μαντινείᾳ μάχης καὶ τῶν παρὰ πᾶσι περιβοήτων ἀνδραγαθημάτων.
At the same time, in the clashes of the struggles, there was groaning and shouting and exhortation: among the Macedonians, not to disgrace their past deeds of valor; among the Thebans, not to overlook their children, wives, and parents in danger of enslavement, and their fatherland falling with all its households under the wrath of the Macedonians, and to remember the battle of Leuctra and of Mantinea, and their achievements of valor renowned among all men.
ἐπὶ πολὺν μὲν οὖν χρόνον ἰσόρροπος ἦν ἡ μάχη διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων ἀνδρείας.
For a long time, therefore, the battle hung in the balance because of the extreme courage of the combatants.