§19.97.1ἔσπευδε λαθεῖν τοὺς βαρβάρους, οἱ δὲ σκοποὶ κατανοήσαντες πολεμίαν δύναμιν εἰσβεβληκυῖαν ἐσήμηναν τοῖς Ναβαταίοις διὰ τῶν συγκειμένων πυρσῶν·
He hastened to elude the barbarians; but the lookouts, having perceived that a hostile force had invaded, signaled to the Nabataeans by means of prearranged fire-signals.
διόπερ οἱ βάρβαροι νομίσαντες συντόμως ἥκειν τοὺς Ἕλληνας, εἰς μὲν τὴν πέτραν ἀπέθεντο τὰς ἀποσκευὰς καὶ φυλακὴν τὴν ἱκανὴν ἐπέστησαν, οὔσης μιᾶς ἀναβάσεως χειροποιήτου, αὐτοὶ δὲ διελόμενοι τὴν λείαν ἄλλοι κατʼ ἄλλους τόπους ἀπήλαυνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον.
Therefore the barbarians, thinking that the Greeks would arrive shortly, deposited their baggage in the Rock and stationed an adequate guard, since there was only one man-made ascent; and they themselves, having divided the booty, rode off into the desert, some to one place and some to another.
§19.97.2Δημήτριος δὲ παραγενόμενος εἰς τὴν πέτραν καὶ τὴν λείαν καταλαβὼν ἀπηλλαγμένην προσβολὰς συνεχεῖς ἐποιεῖτο τῷ χωρίῳ.
When Demetrius arrived at the Rock and found that the booty had been removed, he made continuous assaults upon the place.
ἀμυνομένων δὲ τῶν ἔνδον εὐρώστως καὶ περιγιγνομένων ῥᾳδίως διὰ τὴν ὑπεροχὴν τῶν τόπων τότε μὲν μέχρι δείλης ἀγωνισάμενος ἀνεκαλέσατο τῇ σάλπιγγι τοὺς στρατιώτας·
But since those within defended themselves vigorously and easily prevailed because of the natural strength of the positions, after fighting on that occasion until evening, he recalled his soldiers with the trumpet.
§19.97.3τῇ δʼ ὑστεραίᾳ προσαγαγόντος αὐτοῦ τῇ πέτρᾳ τῶν βαρβάρων τις ἀνεβόησεν “βασιλεῦ Δημήτριε, τί βουλόμενος ἢ τίνος ἀναγκάζοντος πολεμεῖς ἡμᾶς, οἰκοῦντας ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καὶ τόποις οὔθʼ ὕδωρ ἔχουσιν οὔτε σῖτον οὔτε οἶνον οὔτʼ ἄλλο τι ἁπλῶς οὐδὲν τῶν παρʼ ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν χρείαν ἀνηκόντων;
On the next day, as he led his army against the Rock, one of the barbarians cried out: "King Demetrius, with what intent, or forced by whom, do you wage war against us, who dwell in a desert and in places that have neither water nor grain nor wine nor, in short, any of those things that belong to your needs?
§19.97.4ἡμεῖς γὰρ οὐδενὶ τρόπῳ προσιέμενοι δουλεύειν συμπεφεύγαμεν εἰς χώραν σπανίζουσαν πάντων τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις χρησίμων καὶ βίον εἱλόμεθα ζῆν ἔρημον καὶ θηριώδη παντελῶς, οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς βλάπτοντες.
For we, refusing in any way to accept slavery, have fled together to a land destitute of all things useful among others, and have chosen to live a life completely barren and wild, doing you no harm.
ἀξιοῦμεν οὖν καὶ σὲ καὶ τὸν πατέρα μὴ ἀδικεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ λαβόντας δωρεὰς παρʼ ἡμῶν ἀπαγαγεῖν τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ φίλους νομίζειν Ναβαταίους εἰς τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον.
We therefore request both you and your father not to wrong us, but, having accepted gifts from us, to lead away your army and to consider the Nabataeans as friends for the future.
§19.97.5οὔτε γὰρ βουλόμενος δύνασαι μένειν ἐνταῦθα πλείους ἡμέρας, ἀπορούμενος ὕδατος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδείων ἁπάντων, οὔθʼ ἡμᾶς δύνασαι συναναγκάσαι βίον ζῆν ἕτερον, ἀλλά τινας αἰχμαλώτους ἕξεις δούλους ἀθύμους καὶ ζῆν οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείναντας §19.97.6ἐν ἄλλοις νομίμοις. ” ῥηθέντων δὲ τοιούτων λόγων Δημήτριος μὲν ἀπαγαγὼν τὴν στρατιὰν ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς πρέσβεις ἀποστέλλειν περὶ τούτων· οἱ δὲ Ἄραβες ἐξέπεμψαν τοὺς πρεσβυτάτους, οἳ παραπλήσια τοῖς προειρημένοις διελθόντες ἔπεισαν δεξάμενον δῶρα τὰ πολυτελέστατα τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς διαλύσασθαι.
For even if you wish, you cannot remain here for more days, being in want of water and of all other necessities; nor can you compel us to live a different life, but you will have only a few captives as disheartened slaves who would not endure to live under other laws." After such words had been spoken, Demetrius led back his army and bade them send ambassadors concerning these matters; and the Arabs sent their eldest men, who, having gone through arguments similar to those mentioned before, persuaded him to receive the most costly of their gifts and to make a settlement.