§19.109.1ὁ δʼ Ἀμίλκας ὁρῶν κατισχυομένους τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀεὶ πλείους παρεισπίπτοντας εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐπέστησε τοὺς σφενδονήτας τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Βαλιαρίδων νήσων, ὄντας οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν χιλίων.
Hamilcar, seeing his own men being overpowered and ever more of the Greeks forcing their way into the camp, stationed the slingers from the Balearic Islands, who were not fewer than one thousand.
§19.109.2οὗτοι δὲ συνεχεῖς καὶ μεγάλους λίθους ἀφιέντες πολλοὺς μὲν ἐτραυμάτιζον, οὐκ ὀλίγους δὲ καὶ τῶν βιαζομένων ἀπέκτεινον, τῶν δὲ πλείστων τὰ σκεπάζοντα τῶν ὅπλων συνέτριβον· οἱ γὰρ ἄνδρες οὗτοι μναιαίους λίθους βάλλειν εἰωθότες μεγάλα συμβάλλονται πρὸς νίκην ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις, ὡς ἂν ἐκ παίδων παρʼ αὐτοῖς τῆς ἐν ταῖς σφενδόναις γυμνασίας διαπονουμένης.
These, letting fly a constant shower of large stones, wounded many, killed not a few of those who were forcing their way in, and shattered the protective parts of the armor of most of them; for these men, being accustomed to hurl stones weighing a mina, contribute greatly toward victory in dangers, since training in the use of slings is diligently practiced among them from childhood.
§19.109.3τούτῳ δὲ τῷ τρόπῳ τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐκβαλόντες ἐκράτησαν.
In this manner, by casting the Greeks out of the camp, they prevailed.
πάλιν δὲ οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀγαθοκλέα κατʼ ἄλλους τόπους προσβολὰς ἐποιοῦντο καὶ δὴ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἤδη κατὰ κράτος ἁλισκομένης κατέπλευσε τοῖς Καρχηδονίοις δύναμις ἐκ Λιβύης ἀνέλπιστος.
But those around Agathocles again made assaults at other points, and indeed, when the camp was already being captured by storm, an unexpected force from Libya sailed in to the Carthaginians.
§19.109.4διὸ καὶ ταῖς ψυχαῖς πάλιν θαρρήσαντες οἱ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατὰ στόμα ἐκινδύνευον, οἱ δὲ παρόντες ἐπὶ τὴν βοήθειαν κύκλῳ περιίσταντο τοὺς Ἕλληνας.
Therefore, taking courage again in their hearts, those from the camp risked their lives face to face, while those who had arrived for assistance surrounded the Greeks.
ὧν τιτρωσκομένων παραδόξως ἡ μὲν μάχη ταχὺ παλίντροπος ἐγένετο, ἔφευγον δʼ οἱ μὲν εἰς τὸν Ἱμέραν ποταμόν, οἱ δʼ εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν.
As these were being wounded unexpectedly, the battle quickly turned, and some fled to the river Himera, and others to their camp.
τεσσαράκοντα σταδίους δʼ ἐχούσης τῆς ἀποχωρήσεως καὶ ταῦτα σχεδὸν πάσης πεδινῆς οὔσης ἐπεδίωκον οἱ τῶν βαρβάρων ἱππεῖς, οὐκ ἔλασσον ὄντες πεντακισχιλίων.
Since the retreat was forty stades, and that too being almost entirely level, the cavalry of the barbarians, being not fewer than five thousand, pursued them.
διὸ καὶ συνέβη τὸν μεταξὺ τόπον νεκρῶν πληρωθῆναι, πολλὰ συμβαλλομένου καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀπώλειαν· §19.109.5ὑπὸ κύνα γὰρ οὔσης τῆς ὥρας καὶ τοῦ διωγμοῦ περὶ μέσον ἡμέρας γινομένου οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν φευγόντων διά τε τὸ καῦμα καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς φυγῆς κακοπάθειαν ἔκδιψοι γιγνόμενοι λάβρως ἔπινον, καὶ ταῦθʼ ἁλυκοῦ τοῦ ῥεύματος ὄντος.
Thus it happened that the intervening space was filled with corpses, the river also contributing much to the destruction of the Greeks; for since the season was under the Dog-star and the pursuit took place around midday, many of those who fled, becoming parched with thirst because of the heat and the hardship of the flight, drank greedily, even though the stream was salty.
διόπερ οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν ἐν τῷ διωγμῷ σφαγέντων εὑρέθησαν παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν τετελευτηκότες ἄτρωτοι.
Wherefore no fewer than those slain in the pursuit were found dead by the river without wounds.
ἔπεσον δʼ ἐν τῇ μάχῃ ταύτῃ τῶν μὲν βαρβάρων περὶ πεντακοσίους, τῶν δʼ Ἑλλήνων οὐκ ἐλάττους ἑπτακισχιλίων.
In this battle there fell about five hundred of the barbarians, and of the Greeks not fewer than seven thousand.