§17.53.1Δαρεῖος δὲ πυθόμενος αὐτοῦ τὴν παρουσίαν συνηθροίκει μὲν τὰς πανταχόθεν δυνάμεις καὶ πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὴν παράταξιν χρήσιμα κατεσκεύαστο.
Darius, having learned of his arrival, was collecting his forces from all quarters, and had prepared everything useful for the battle.
τὰ μὲν γὰρ ξίφη καὶ τὰ ξυστὰ πολὺ μείζω τῶν προγεγενημένων ἐποίησε διὰ τὸ δοκεῖν διὰ τούτων πολλὰ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἐν τῇ περὶ Κιλικίαν μάχῃ πεπλεονεκτηκέναι· κατεσκεύασε δὲ καὶ ἅρματα δρεπανηφόρα διακόσια πρὸς κατάπληξιν καὶ φόβον τῶν πολεμίων εὐθέτως ἐπινενοημένα.
For he made the swords and the lances much larger than those previously used, because it seemed that Alexander had gained a great advantage by means of these in the battle near Cilicia; and he also constructed two hundred scythed chariots, which were cleverly designed to cause panic and fear among the enemy.
§17.53.2τούτων γὰρ ἑκάστου παρʼ ἑκάτερον τῶν σειροφόρων ἵππων ἐξέκειτο προσηλωμένα τῷ ζυγῷ ξύστρα παραμήκη τρισπίθαμα, τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν τῆς ἀκμῆς ἔχοντα πρὸς τὴν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἐπιφάνειαν, πρὸς δὲ ταῖς κατακλείσεσι τῶν ἀξόνων ἐπʼ εὐθείας ἄλλα δύο, τὴν μὲν τομὴν ὁμοίαν ἔχοντα πρὸς τὴν κατὰ πρόσωπον ἐπιφάνειαν τοῖς προτέροις, τὸ δὲ μῆκος μείζω καὶ πλατύτερα· συνήρμοστο δὲ ταῖς τούτων ἀρχαῖς δρέπανα.
For on each of these, beside each of the trace-horses, there extended, fixed to the yoke, very long blades of three spans in length, having the turn of their points facing forward; and at the fastenings of the axles, pointing straight out, were two others, having their cutting edge similar to the former ones facing forward, but in length longer and broader; and to the ends of these, scythes were fitted.
§17.53.3πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν δύναμιν ἔν τε ὅπλοις ἐπισήμοις καὶ ἡγεμόνων ἀρεταῖς κοσμήσας ἀνέζευξεν ἐκ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος ἔχων πεζοὺς μὲν περὶ ὀγδοήκοντα μυριάδας, ἱππεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν εἴκοσι μυριάδων.
And having adorned his entire force both with conspicuous weapons and the virtues of their commanders, he set out from Babylon, having about eight hundred thousand infantry and no fewer than two hundred thousand cavalry.
κατὰ δὲ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν δεξιὸν μὲν ἔχων τὸν Τίγριν, ἀριστερὸν δὲ τὸν Εὐφράτην προῄει διὰ χώρας εὐδαίμονος καὶ δυναμένης τοῖς κτήνεσι δαψιλῆ χορτάσματα παρασχέσθαι, τῷ δὲ πλήθει τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἱκανὰς τροφὰς χορηγῆσαι.
During the march, keeping the Tigris on his right and the Euphrates on his left, he advanced through a fertile country capable of providing abundant fodder for the beasts and supplying sufficient food for the multitude of soldiers.
§17.53.4ἔσπευδε γὰρ περὶ τὴν Νίνον ποιήσασθαι τὴν παράταξιν, εὐθετωτάτων ὄντων τῶν περὶ αὐτὴν πεδίων καὶ πολλὴν εὐρυχωρίαν παρεχομένων τῷ μεγέθει τῶν ἠθροισμένων ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ δυνάμεων.
For he was eager to join battle near Ninus, since the plains around it were extremely level and provided plenty of room for the size of the forces assembled by him.
καταστρατοπεδεύσας δὲ περὶ κώμην τὴν ὀνομαζομένην Ἄρβηλα τὰς δυνάμεις ἐνταῦθα καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐξέταττε καὶ τῇ συνεχεῖ διατάξει καὶ μελέτῃ κατεσκεύασεν εὐπειθεῖς· σφόδρα γὰρ ἠγωνία μήποτε πολλῶν καὶ ἀσυμφώνων ἐθνῶν ἠθροισμένων ταῖς διαλέκτοις ταραχή τις γένηται κατὰ τὴν παράταξιν.
Having encamped near the village called Arbela, he marshaled his forces there daily and, by constant training and practice, made them obedient; for he was extremely anxious lest some confusion might occur during the battle because of the assembly of many nations of discordant languages.