§17.88.1γενομένης δὲ μάχης τὸ μὲν πρῶτον τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν ἅπαντα σχεδὸν τὰ ἅρματα τῶν Ἰνδῶν διεφθάρη·
When the battle began, at first almost all the chariots of the Indians were destroyed by the cavalry.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῶν ἐλεφάντων ταῖς τε τῶν σωμάτων ὑπεροχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἀλκαῖς δεόντως χρωμένων οἱ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν θηρίων συμπατούμενοι μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων θραυομένων τῶν ὀστῶν ἀπώλλυντο, οἱ δὲ ταῖς προνομαῖς περιλαμβανόμενοι καὶ πρὸς ὕψος ἐξαρθέντες πάλιν πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἐράττοντο καὶ δεινοῖς θανάτοις περιέπιπτον, πολλοὶ δὲ τοῖς ὀδοῦσι συγκεντούμενοι καὶ διʼ ὅλων τῶν σωμάτων τιτρωσκόμενοι παραχρῆμα τοῦ ζῆν ἐστερίσκοντο.
After this, as the elephants made full use of their superior size and strength, some, trampled by the beasts, perished with their bones shattered along with their armor, while others, caught up in their trunks and lifted on high, were dashed down again to the ground and met terrible deaths, and many, run through by the tusks and wounded through their whole bodies, were instantly deprived of life.
§17.88.2τῶν δὲ Μακεδόνων εὐρώστως ὑπομενόντων τὸ δεινὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν θηρίων ταῖς σαρίσαις ἀναιρούντων ἰσόρροπος ἦν ἡ μάχη.
Since the Macedonians vigorously withstood the terror and slew with their sarissas those stationed between the beasts, the battle was evenly balanced.
§17.88.3μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῶν θηρίων συνακοντιζομένων καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν τραυμάτων περιοδύνων γινομένων οἱ μὲν περιβεβηκότες αὐτοῖς Ἰνδοὶ κρατεῖν τῆς ὁρμῆς τῶν ζῴων οὐκ ἴσχυον· ἐκνεύοντα γὰρ εἰς τοὺς ἰδίους ταῖς ὁρμαῖς ἀκατασχέτως ἐφέρετο καὶ τοὺς φίλους συνεπάτει·
After this, as the beasts were pelted with javelins from all sides and became maddened with pain from the multitude of their wounds, the Indians riding them were unable to control the charge of the animals; for, swerving towards their own men, they rushed uncontrollably and trampled their friends.
§17.88.4ταραχῆς δὲ πολλῆς γινομένης ὁ Πῶρος συνιδὼν τὸ γινόμενον καὶ τεταγμένος ἐπὶ τοῦ κρατίστου τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἤθροισε περὶ αὑτὸν τεσσαράκοντα τῶν θηρίων τὰ μήπω τεταραγμένα καὶ τῶν βάρει τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιβαλὼν τοῖς πολεμίοις πολὺν ἐποίει φόνον, ἅτε καὶ τῇ ῥώμῃ τοῦ σώματος πολὺ προέχων τῶν συστρατευομένων· τὸ γὰρ μῆκος ἦν πηχῶν πέντε, τὸ δʼ εὖρος ὑπῆρχεν ὁ θώραξ αὐτοῦ διπλάσιος τῶν ἄλλων τῶν εὐρωστίᾳ διαφερόντων.
In the midst of great confusion, Porus, observing what was happening and stationed upon the strongest of the elephants, gathered around himself forty of the beasts that were not yet thrown into disorder, and falling upon the enemy with the weight of the elephants, made a great slaughter, since he himself also far surpassed his fellow soldiers in physical strength; for his height was five cubits, and the breadth of his breastplate was twice that of others who excelled in strength.
§17.88.5διόπερ τὰ βαλλόμενα σαυνία τοιαύτην εἶχε δύναμιν ὥστε μὴ πολὺ λείπεσθαι τῶν καταπελτικῶν βελῶν.
Therefore, the javelins thrown by him had such power that they were not far inferior to catapult bolts.
τῶν δʼ ἀντιτεταγμένων Μακεδόνων καταπεπληγμένων τὴν ἀνδραγαθίαν τοῦ Πώρου ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος μεταπεμψάμενος τοὺς τοξότας καὶ τὰ ψιλικὰ τῶν ταγμάτων προσέταξεν ἅπαντας βάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸν Πῶρον.
Since the opposing Macedonians were awe-struck by the valor of Porus, Alexander, summoning the archers and the light-armed units, ordered them all to shoot at Porus.
§17.88.6ταχὺ δὲ τῶν στρατιωτῶν πραξάντων τὸ παραγγελθὲν καὶ βελῶν ἅμα πολλῶν ἐνεχθέντων ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰνδὸν καὶ πάντων ἐπιτυγχανόντων διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ σκοποῦ ὁ μὲν Πῶρος ἡρωικῶς ἀγωνισάμενος καὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν τραυμάτων γενόμενος ἔξαιμος ἐλιποψύχησεν καὶ περικλασθεὶς περὶ τὸ θηρίον πρὸς τὴν γῆν κατηνέχθη.
The soldiers quickly executed the order, and as many missiles were directed at the Indian at once, all of them hitting the mark due to the size of the target, Porus, though he fought heroically, fainted from loss of blood owing to the multitude of his wounds, and collapsing over his beast, was carried down to the ground.
§17.88.7διαδοθείσης δὲ φήμης ὅτι τετελεύτηκεν ὁ βασιλεύς, τὸ λοιπὸν πλῆθος τῶν Ἰνδῶν πρὸς φυγὴν ὥρμησεν.
When the rumor spread that the king was dead, the rest of the multitude of the Indians turned to flight.