§17.90.1ἴδιον δέ τι κατὰ τὴν ὀρεινὴν τὴν πλησίον ὑπῆρχε.
There was a certain unique feature in the neighboring mountainous region.
χωρὶς γὰρ τῆς πρὸς ναυπηγίαν ὕλης εἶχεν ἡ χώρα πολλοὺς καὶ παρηλλαγμένους τοῖς μεγέθεσιν ὄφεις, ὄντας ἑκκαιδεκαπήχεις, πιθήκων τε γένη πολλὰ καὶ τοῖς μεγέθεσι διαλλάττοντα, ὧν τὴν τέχνην τῆς θήρας αὐτὸ τὸ ζῷον ὑφηγεῖτο.
For in addition to the timber for shipbuilding, the country possessed many snakes of extraordinary size, being sixteen cubits long, and many kinds of monkeys, differing also in their size, the method of hunting which the animal itself suggested.
§17.90.2μιμητικὸν γὰρ ὑπάρχον πάσης πράξεως βίᾳ μὲν οὐ ῥᾳδίως χειροῦται διά τε τὴν ἰσχὺν τῶν σωμάτων καὶ διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀγχίνοιαν· τῶν δὲ κυνηγῶν οἱ μὲν μέλιτι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀλείφονται, οἱ δὲ βλεπόντων τῶν θηρίων ὑποδοῦνται, τινὲς δὲ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς κάτοπτρα περιτιθέασιν, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ὑποδήμασι παραθέντες δεσμοὺς ἀπολείπουσιν, ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ μέλιτος ἰξὸν ὑποβάλλουσι, τοῖς δὲ κατόπτροις ἐπίσπαστρα καθάπτουσι.
For since it is imitative of every action, it is not easily captured by force, both because of the strength of their bodies and because of the quickness of their minds; but of the hunters, some smear their eyes with honey while the beasts are watching, others put on shoes, and some place mirrors around their heads, and then beside the shoes they leave behind bindings, while instead of honey they smear birdlime, and to the mirrors they attach tightening snares.
§17.90.3διόπερ ὅταν βούλωνται τὰ ζῷα τὰς πράξεις τῶν ὁραθέντων ἐπιτελεῖν, ἀδυνατεῖ, τῶν μὲν βλεφάρων κεκολλημένων, τῶν δὲ ποδῶν δεδεμένων, τῶν δὲ σωμάτων κατεχομένων· ὅθεν εὐχείρωτα πρὸς τὴν θήραν γίνεται.
Therefore, when the animals wish to perform the actions of those they have seen, they are unable to do so, their eyelids being glued together, their feet bound, and their bodies held fast; hence they become easy to capture in the hunt.
§17.90.4ὁ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρος τὸν ὑστερηκότα τῆς τοῦ Πώρου συμμαχίας βασιλέα ὄνομα Σασιβισάρην καταπληξάμενος ἠνάγκασε ποιεῖν τὸ προσταττόμενον, αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως περάσας τὸν ποταμὸν προῆγε διὰ χώρας ἀρετῇ διαφερούσης·
Alexander, having intimidated the king named Sasibisares, who had been late in joining the alliance of Porus, forced him to do what was commanded, and he himself crossed the river with his army and advanced through a region of outstanding fertility.
§17.90.5δένδρων γὰρ εἶχε γένη διαλλάττοντα καὶ τὸ μὲν ὕψος ἔχοντα πηχῶν ἑβδομήκοντα, τὸ δὲ πάχος μόγις ὑπὸ τεσσάρων ἀνδρῶν περιλαμβανόμενα, τριῶν δὲ πλέθρων σκιὰν ποιοῦντα.
For it possessed diverse kinds of trees, reaching a height of seventy cubits, and in thickness scarcely to be embraced by four men, casting a shadow of three plethra.
εἶχε δὲ καὶ ἡ χώρα ὄφεων πλῆθος, μικρῶν μὲν τοῖς μεγέθεσι, ταῖς δὲ ποικιλίαις ἐξηλλαγμένων·
The region also had a multitude of snakes, small in size, but extraordinary in their variety of patterns.
§17.90.6οἱ μὲν γὰρ χαλκοειδεῖς ῥάβδους ἐπέφαινον, οἱ δὲ τὴν λόφην δασεῖαν εἶχον τριχώδη, διὰ δὲ τῶν δηγμάτων ὀξεῖς θανάτους ἀπειργάζοντο.
For some appeared like bronze rods, while others had a thick, hairy crest, and by their bites they inflicted swift death.
τὸν δὲ πληγέντα πόνοι δεινοὶ συνεῖχον καὶ ῥύσις ἱδρῶτος αἱματοειδοῦς κατεῖχε.
Severe pains racked the one who was bitten, and a flow of blood-colored sweat seized him.
§17.90.7διόπερ οἱ Μακεδόνες δεινῶς ὑπὸ τῶν δηγμάτων ἀπαλλάττοντες τὰς κλίνας ἀπὸ τῶν δένδρων ἐξήρτων καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς νυκτὸς διηγρύπνουν.
Therefore, the Macedonians, suffering terribly from the bites, suspended their beds from the trees and kept awake for most of the night.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παρὰ τῶν ἐγχωρίων μαθόντες τὴν ἀντιφάρμακον ῥίζαν ἀπελύθησαν τῶν δεινῶν.
But after this, having learned about the antidote root from the inhabitants, they were delivered from these terrors.