§2.18.1ἐπεὶ δʼ αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον κατεσκεύαστο, πρὸς τὴν Σεμίραμιν καθʼ ὁδὸν οὖσαν ἀπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους, ἐγκαλῶν ὅτι προκατάρχεται τοῦ πολέμου μηδὲν ἀδικηθεῖσα· πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄρρητα κατʼ αὐτῆς ὡς ἑταίρας βλασφημήσας διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων καὶ θεοὺς ἐπιμαρτυράμενος, ἠπείλει καταπολεμήσας αὐτὴν σταυρῷ προσηλώσειν.
When all things for the war had been prepared by him, he dispatched messengers to Semiramis, who was on her way, accusing her of initiating the war though she had suffered no wrong; and having uttered many unspeakable slanders against her in his letter, calling her a courtesan, and having called the gods to witness, he threatened that, after defeating her in war, he would impale her on a cross.
§2.18.2ἡ δὲ Σεμίραμις ἀναγνοῦσα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν καὶ καταγελάσασα τῶν γεγραμμένων, διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἔφησε τὸν Ἰνδὸν πειράσεσθαι τῆς περὶ αὐτὴν ἀρετῆς.
But Semiramis, having read the letter and laughed at what was written, said that through deeds the Indian would test her valor.
ἐπεὶ δὲ προάγουσα μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰνδὸν ποταμὸν παρεγενήθη, κατέλαβε τὰ τῶν πολεμίων πλοῖα πρὸς μάχην ἕτοιμα.
And when, advancing with her force, she arrived at the Indus River, she found the ships of the enemy ready for battle.
§2.18.3διόπερ καὶ αὐτὴ καταρτίσασα ταχέως τὰς ναῦς καὶ πληρώσασα τῶν κρατίστων ἐπιβατῶν συνεστήσατο κατὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ναυμαχίαν, συμφιλοτιμουμένων καὶ τῶν παρεμβεβληκότων παρὰ τὸ ῥεῖθρον πεζῶν.
Therefore, she herself also quickly equipped her ships, and having filled them with the strongest fighters, engaged in a naval battle on the river, while the infantry encamped along the stream also joined in the rivalry of the fight.
§2.18.4ἐπὶ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον τοῦ κινδύνου παρατείνοντος καὶ προθύμως ἑκατέρων ἀγωνισαμένων, τὸ τελευταῖον ἡ Σεμίραμις ἐνίκησε καὶ διέφθειρε τῶν πλοίων περὶ χίλια, συνέλαβε δʼ αἰχμαλώτους μαλώτους οὐκ ὀλίγους.
And when the danger was prolonged for a long time and both sides fought eagerly, at last Semiramis conquered and destroyed about a thousand of their ships, and took not a few prisoners.
§2.18.5ἐπαρθεῖσα δὲ τῇ νίκῃ τὰς ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ νήσους καὶ πόλεις ἐξηνδραποδίσατο, καὶ συνήγαγεν αἰχμαλώτων σωμάτων ὑπὲρ τὰς δέκα μυριάδας.
Elated by the victory, she enslaved the islands and cities in the river, and gathered over one hundred thousand captive bodies.
μετὰ δὲ ταῦθʼ ὁ μὲν τῶν Ἰνδῶν βασιλεὺς ἀπήγαγε τὴν δύναμιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ, προσποιούμενος μὲν ἀναχωρεῖν διὰ φόβον, τῇ δʼ ἀληθείᾳ βουλόμενος τοὺς πολεμίους προτρέψασθαι διαβῆναι τὸν ποταμόν.
After these things, the king of the Indians withdrew his force from the river, pretending indeed to retreat out of fear, but in truth wishing to entice the enemy to cross the river.
§2.18.6ἡ δὲ Σεμίραμις, κατὰ νοῦν αὐτῇ τῶν πραγμάτων προχωρούντων, ἔζευξε τὸν ποταμὸν κατασκευάσασα πολυτελῆ καὶ μεγάλην γέφυραν, διʼ ἧς ἅπασαν διακομίσασα τὴν δύναμιν ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ζεύγματος φυλακὴν κατέλιπεν ἀνδρῶν ἑξακισμυρίων, τῇ δʼ ἄλλῃ στρατιᾷ προῆγεν ἐπιδιώκουσα τοὺς Ἰνδούς, προηγουμένων τῶν εἰδώλων, ὅπως οἱ τῷν πολεμίων κατάσκοποι τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀπαγγείλωσι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν παρʼ αὐτῇ θηρίων.
But Semiramis, since things were proceeding according to her mind, bridged the river, constructing a costly and great bridge, through which she conveyed her entire force, and left a guard of sixty thousand men at the bridge, while with the rest of the army she advanced in pursuit of the Indians, with the mock figures leading the way, so that the scouts of the enemy might report to the king the multitude of the beasts with her.
§2.18.7οὐ διεψεύσθη δὲ κατά γε τοῦτο τῆς ἐλπίδος, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐπὶ κατασκοπὴν ἐκπεμφθέντων τοῖς Ἰνδοῖς ἀπαγγελλόντων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐλεφάντων, ἅπαντες διηποροῦντο πόθεν αὐτῇ συνακολουθεῖ τοσοῦτο πλῆθος θηρίων.
And she was not deceived in this hope; rather, when those sent out for scouting reported to the Indians the multitude of the elephants among the enemy, all were utterly perplexed as to where so great a multitude of beasts was accompanying her.
§2.18.8οὐ μὴν ἔμεινέ γε τὸ ψεῦδος πλείω χρόνον κρυπτόμενον· τῶν γὰρ παρὰ τῇ Σεμιράμιδι στρατευομένων τινὲς κατελήφθησαν νυκτὸς ἐν τῇ στρατοπεδείᾳ ῥᾳθυμοῦντες τὰ περὶ τὰς φυλακάς· φοβηθέντες δὲ τὴν ἐπακολουθοῦσαν τιμωρίαν ηὐτομόλησαν πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους καὶ τὴν κατὰ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας πλάνην ἀπήγγειλαν.
However, the falsehood did not remain hidden for a longer time; for some of those serving in the army with Semiramis were caught at night in the camp neglecting their duties concerning the guard; and fearing the punishment that would follow, they deserted to the enemy and reported the deception concerning the elephants.
ἐφʼ οἷς θαρρήσας ὁ τῶν Ἰνδῶν βασιλεὺς καὶ τῇ δυνάμει διαγγείλας τὰ περὶ τῶν εἰδώλων, ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀσσυρίους διατάξας τὴν δύναμιν.
Encouraged by these things, the king of the Indians, after announcing to his force the truth about the mock figures, turned back against the Assyrians, having drawn up his army.