§17.67.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὴν μὲν Δαρείου μητέρα καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἀπέλιπεν ἐν Σούσοις καὶ παρακατέστησε τοὺς διδάξοντας τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν διάλεκτον, αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἀναζεύξας τεταρταῖος ἐπὶ τὸν Τίγριν ποταμὸν ἀφίκετο.
After this, Alexander left Darius's mother, daughters, and son in Susa, and appointed teachers to instruct them in the Greek language. He himself set out with his army and arrived at the Tigris River on the fourth day.
§17.67.2ὃς ῥέων ἀπὸ τῆς Οὐξίων ὀρεινῆς τὸ μὲν πρῶτον φέρεται διὰ χώρας τραχείας καὶ χαράδραις μεγάλαις διειλημμένης ἐπὶ σταδίους χιλίους, ἔπειτα διαρρεῖ χώραν πεδιάδα, πραϋνόμενος αἰεὶ μᾶλλον, καὶ διελθὼν σταδίους ἑξακοσίους ἐξίησιν εἰς τὴν κατὰ Πέρσας θάλασσαν.
This river, flowing from the mountain region of the Uxii, first runs for a thousand stades through a rugged country divided by great ravines, then flows through a level country, becoming gentler and gentler, and after traversing six hundred stades, empties into the Persian Sea.
§17.67.3διαβὰς δὲ τὸν Τίγριν προῆγεν ἐπὶ τὴν Οὐξίων χώραν,οὖσαν πάμφορον καὶ δαψιλέσιν ὕδασι διαρρεομένην καὶ πολλοὺς καὶ παντοδαποὺς ἐκφέρουσαν καρπούς· διὸ καὶ τῆς ὡρίμου ξηραινομένης ὀπώρας παντοδαπὰ πλάσματα χρήσιμα πρὸς ἀπόλαυσιν οἱ τὸν Τίγριν πλέοντες ἔμποροι κατάγουσιν εἰς τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν.
Crossing the Tigris, he advanced into the country of the Uxii, which was extremely fertile, watered by abundant streams, and producing many fruits of every kind; wherefore the merchants sailing on the Tigris bring down to Babylonia all kinds of preparations made from dried ripe fruits, useful for enjoyment.
§17.67.4καταλαβὼν δὲ τὰς παρόδους φυλαττομένας ὑπὸ Μαδέτου, συγγενοῦς μὲν ὄντος Δαρείου, δύναμιν δὲ ἔχοντος ἀξιόλογον, κατεσκέψατο τὴν ὀχυρότητα τῶν τόπων.
Finding the passes guarded by Madetes, who was a relative of Darius and held a considerable force, he reconnoitered the strength of the positions.
ἀπαροδεύτων δʼ ὄντων κρημνῶν τῶν ἐγχωρίων τις ἀνήρ, Οὔξιος μὲν τὸ γένος, ἔμπειρος δὲ τῶν τόπων, ἐπηγγείλατο τῷ βασιλεῖ διά τινος στενῆς ἀτραποῦ καὶ παραβόλου ἄξειν τοὺς στρατιώτας, ὥστε ὑπερδεξίους γενέσθαι τῶν πολεμίων.
Since the cliffs were impassable, a certain native man, an Uxian by birth and familiar with the country, promised the king that he would lead the soldiers through a narrow and hazardous path so that they would get above the enemy.
§17.67.5ὁ δʼ Ἀλέξανδρος προσδεξάμενος τοὺς λόγους τούτῳ μὲν συναπέστειλε τοὺς ἱκανοὺς στρατιώτας, αὐτὸς δὲ τὴν δίοδον κατασκευάσας ἐφʼ ὧν ἦν ἐνδεχόμενον ἐκ διαδοχῆς προσέβαλε τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν παρόδων ἐφεστηκόσιν.
Alexander, accepting his words, sent with him a sufficient number of soldiers, while he himself made preparations for the passage where it was possible and attacked those stationed at the passes in successive waves.
ἐνεργῶς δὲ τοῦ κινδύνου συνεστῶτος καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων περισπωμένων περὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα παραδόξως οἱ πεμφθέντες ἐφάνησαν ὑπερδέξιοι τοῖς τὴν πάροδον φυλάττουσι.
While the battle was hotly contested and the barbarians were distracted by the struggle, those who had been sent unexpectedly appeared above the defenders of the pass.
καταπλαγέντων δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων καὶ πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμησάντων ἐγκρατὴς ἐγένετο τῆς διεξόδου καὶ ταχέως πασῶν τῶν κατὰ τὴν Οὐξιανὴν πόλεων.
The barbarians, thrown into panic, turned to flight, and Alexander became master of the pass and quickly of all the cities in Uxiane.