§17.45.1ἀνυπερβλήτου δὲ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως οὔσης καὶ τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι δεινότητος ἀνυποστάτου γινομένης οὐδʼ ὣς ἔληγον τῆς τόλμης οἱ Μακεδόνες, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀεὶ πίπτοντας ὑπερβαίνοντες οὐκ ἐνουθετοῦντο ταῖς τῶν ἄλλων συμφοραῖς.
Although the terror was insurmountable and the dreadfulness in the struggles was becoming unbearable, not even so did the Macedonians desist from their daring, but stepping over those who fell one after another, they were not admonished by the misfortunes of others.
§17.45.2ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος ἐπιστήσας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁρμόζοντας τόπους τοὺς πετροβόλους καταπέλτας καὶ λίθους μεγάλους ἀφιεὶς ἐσάλευε τὰ τείχη, τοῖς δʼ ὀξυβελέσιν ἀπὸ τῶν πύργων τῶν ξυλίνων ἐκβάλλων βελῶν παντοδαπῶν πλῆθος δεινῶς κατετίτρωσκε τοὺς ἐφεστῶτας τοῖς τείχεσιν.
Alexander, having stationed the stone-throwing catapults in the appropriate places and discharging great stones, shook the walls; and with the arrow-shooting catapults from the wooden towers, discharging a multitude of all kinds of missiles, he severely wounded those stationed on the walls.
§17.45.3ἀντιμηχανώμενοι δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα οἱ Τύριοι πρὸ μὲν τῶν τειχῶν μαρμαρίνους τροχοὺς ἵστανον καὶ διά τινων ὀργάνων τούτους δινεύοντες τὰ φερόμενα βέλη καταπελτικὰ συνέτριβον καὶ εἰς τὰ πλάγια μέρη παράγοντες ἀπράκτους ἐποίουν τὰς τῶν ἀφιεμένων πληγάς.
Devices were contrived against this by the Tyrians, who set up marble wheels in front of the walls and, spinning these by means of certain engines, shattered the incoming catapult missiles, and diverting them to the sides, rendered the impacts of the discharged missiles ineffective.
§17.45.4πρὸσδὲ τούτοις βύρσας καὶ διπλᾶς διφθέρας πεφυκωμένας καταράπτοντες εἰς ταύτας ἀπεδέχοντο τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν πετροβόλων πληγάς· καὶ μαλακῆς τῆς ἐνδόσεως γινομένης ἐξελύετο τῶν φερομένων πετρῶν ἡ βία.
In addition to these, sewing together hides and double leather skins stuffed with seaweed, they received upon them the blows from the stone-throwers; and since the yielding was soft, the force of the incoming stones was neutralized.
§17.45.5καθόλου δὲ οἱ Τύριοι πάντα τρόπον εὐρώστως ἀμυνόμενοι καὶ κατευποροῦντες τοῖς βοηθήμασι κατεθάρρησαν τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τὸ τεῖχος καὶ τὰς ἐντὸς τῶν πύργων στάσεις ἀπολιπόντες ἐπʼ αὐτὰς ὠθοῦντο τὰς ἐπιβάθρας καὶ ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων ἀνδραγαθίαις ἀντέταττον τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀρετάς.
On the whole, the Tyrians, defending themselves vigorously in every way and being well supplied with resources, grew bold against the enemy, and leaving the wall and their positions inside the towers, rushed onto the boarding-bridges themselves and opposed their own valor to the brave deeds of the enemy.
§17.45.6διὸ καὶ συμπλεκόμενοι τοῖς πολεμίοις καὶ τὴν μάχην ἐκ χειρὸς συνιστάμενοι μέγαν ἀγῶνα τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος συνίσταντο καί τινες πελέκεσι τῶν ἀπαντώντων τὸ προσπεσὸν μέρος τοῦ σώματος ἀπέκοπτον·
Therefore, grappling with the enemy and engaging in hand-to-hand combat, they waged a great struggle for their fatherland, and some with battle-axes cut off whatever part of the body of those who met them was exposed.
ἔνθα δὴ τῶν παρὰ τοῖς Μακεδόσιν ἡγεμόνων τις, ὄνομα μὲν Ἄδμητος, διαφέρων δὲ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ σώματος ῥώμῃ, τεθαρρηκὼς τὴν βίαν τῶν Τυρίων ὑπέστη καὶ πληγεὶς πελέκει μέσην τὴν κεφαλὴν παραχρῆμα κατέστρεψε τὸν βίον ἡρωικῶς.
It was then that one of the commanders among the Macedonians, named Admetus, outstanding in courage and physical strength, boldly withstood the violence of the Tyrians, but being struck with a battle-axe right in the middle of his head, he immediately ended his life heroically.
§17.45.7ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος ὁρῶν τῇ μάχῃ κατισχυομένους τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἀνεκαλέσατο τῇ σάλπιγγι τοὺς στρατιώτας νυκτὸς ἤδη γενομένης.
Alexander, seeing that the Macedonians were being overpowered in the battle, recalled the soldiers with the trumpet, since it was already night.
καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἔκρινε λῦσαι τὴν πολιορκίαν καὶ τὴν στρατείαν ἐπὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον ποιεῖσθαι· μετανοήσας δὲ πάλιν καὶ νομίσας αἰσχρὸν εἶναι παραχωρῆσαι Τυρίοις τῆς κατὰ τὴν πολιορκίαν δόξης καὶ τῶν φίλων ἕνα μόνον ὁμογνωμονοῦντα λαβὼν Ἀμύνταν τὸν Ἀνδρομένους πάλιν πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν ἐτρέπετο.
At first, he decided to raise the siege and make his campaign toward Egypt; but changing his mind again and thinking it shameful to yield the glory of the siege to the Tyrians, and having taken as his only like-minded supporter among his friends Amyntas, the son of Andromenes, he turned back to the siege.