§17.32.1ἡ δὲ μήτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως ἔγραψε πρὸς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον τά τε ἄλλα τῶν χρησίμων καὶ διότι φυλάξασθαι προσήκει τὸν Λυγκηστὴν Ἀλέξανδρον.
The king's mother wrote to Alexander on other useful matters, and in particular that he should be on his guard against Alexander the Lyncestrian.
οὗτος δʼ ὢν ἀνδρείᾳ διάφορος καὶ φρονήματος πλήρης καὶ συμπαρακολουθῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων φίλων ἐπιστεύετο.
The latter, being outstanding in courage and full of ambition, and accompanying the king along with the other friends, had been trusted.
§17.32.2πολλῶν δὲ καὶ ἄλλων εὐλόγων συνδραμόντων πρὸς ταύτην τὴν διαβολὴν συλληφθεὶς καὶ δεθεὶς εἰς φυλακὴν παρεδόθη, ὡς τευξόμενος δικαστηρίου.
But as many other plausible circumstances concurred to support this accusation, he was arrested, bound, and delivered into custody, as one who was to face trial.
ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος πυθόμενος τὸν Δαρεῖον ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν ἀπέχειν Παρμενίωνα μὲν μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἀπέστειλεν προκαταληψόμενον τὰς παρόδους καὶ τὰς ὀνομαζομένας Πύλας· οὗτος δʼ ἐπιβαλὼν τοῖς τόποις καὶ τοὺς προκατειληφότας τὰς δυσχωρίας βαρβάρους βιασάμενος κύριος ἐγένετο τῶν παρόδων.
Alexander, on his part, upon learning that Darius was only a few days' march away, dispatched Parmenion with his force to pre-occupy the passes and the place called the Gates; and the latter, having arrived at those places and forced back the barbarians who had already occupied the difficult passes, became master of the ways.
§17.32.3Δαρεῖος δὲ βουλόμενος εὔζωνον ποιῆσαι τὴν δύναμιν τὰ μὲν σκευοφόρα καὶ τὸν περιττὸν ὄχλον εἰς Δαμασκὸν τῆς Συρίας ἀπέθετο, τὸν δʼ Ἀλέξανδρον πυθόμενος τὰς δυσχωρίας προκατειληφέναι καὶ νομίσας αὐτὸν μὴ τολμᾶν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ διαγωνίζεσθαι προῆγεν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν σύντομον τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ποιούμενος.
Darius, wishing to make his army light for movement, deposited his baggage and the superfluous crowd in Damascus of Syria; and upon learning that Alexander had pre-occupied the difficult passes, and thinking that he would not dare to fight it out in the plain, he advanced against him, making a rapid march.
§17.32.4οἱ δʼ ἐγχώριοι τῆς μὲν τῶν Μακεδόνων ὀλιγότητος καταφρονήσαντες, τὸ δὲ πλῆθος τῆς τῶν Περσῶν στρατιᾶς καταπεπληγμένοι καταλιπόντες τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον προσέθεντο τῷ Δαρείῳ καὶ τάς τε τροφὰς καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρασκευὴν μετὰ πολλῆς προθυμίας ἐχορήγουν τοῖς Πέρσαις καὶ διὰ τῆς ἰδίας κρίσεως προεσήμαινον τοῖς βαρβάροις τὴν νίκην.
The local inhabitants, despising the small number of the Macedonians and being terrified by the multitude of the Persian army, abandoned Alexander and sided with Darius, supplying provisions and other equipment to the Persians with great eagerness, and by their own judgment pre-indicated victory for the barbarians.
ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος τὴν μὲν Ἰσσὸν πόλιν ἀξιόλογον καταπληξάμενος ἐχειρώσατο·
Meanwhile, Alexander, having intimidated the notable city of Issus, subdued it.