§6.25.1παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἱππεῖς εἰς ἴλας δέκα διεῖλον, ἐξ ἑκάστης δὲ τρεῖς προκρίνουσιν ἰλάρχας, οὗτοι δʼ αὐτοὶ τρεῖς προσέλαβον οὐραγούς.
In like manner, they also divided the cavalry into ten squadrons, and from each they elected three commanders, and these commanders selected for themselves three rear-leaders.
§6.25.2ὁ μὲν οὖν πρῶτος αἱρεθεὶς ἰλάρχης ἡγεῖται τῆς ἴλης, οἱ δὲ δύο δεκαδάρχων ἔχουσι τάξιν, καλοῦνται δὲ πάντες δεκουρίωνες.
Thus, the first elected commander leads the squadron, and the other two have the rank of decurions, and all are called decurions.
μὴ παρόντος δὲ τοῦ πρώτου πάλιν ὁ δεύτερος ἰλάρχου λαμβάνει τάξιν.
But if the first is absent, the second in turn takes the position of the commander.
§6.25.3ὁ δὲ καθοπλισμὸς τῶν ἱππέων νῦν μέν ἐστι παραπλήσιος τῷ τῶν Ἑλλήνων· τὸ δὲ παλαιὸν πρῶτον θώρακας οὐκ εἶχον, §6.25.4ἀλλʼ ἐν περιζώμασιν ἐκινδύνευον, ἐξ οὗ πρὸς μὲν τὸ καταβαίνειν καὶ ταχέως ἀναπηδᾶν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἑτοίμως διέκειντο καὶ πρακτικῶς, πρὸς δὲ τὰς συμπλοκὰς ἐπισφαλῶς εἶχον διὰ τὸ γυμνοὶ κινδυνεύειν.
The equipment of the cavalry is now very similar to that of the Greeks; but in ancient times, first of all, they had no breastplates, but they fought in loincloths, as a result of which they were well-disposed and agile for dismounting and quickly leaping back onto their horses, but for close combat they were in a precarious state because they fought almost naked.
§6.25.5τὰ δὲ δόρατα κατὰ δύο τρόπους ἄπρακτʼ ἦν αὐτοῖς, καθʼ ἃ μὲν ᾗ λεπτὰ καὶ κλαδαρὰ ποιοῦντες οὔτε τοῦ προτεθέντος ἠδύναντο σκοποῦ στοχάζεσθαι, πρὸ τοῦ τε τὴν ἐπιδορατίδα πρός τι προσερεῖσαι, κραδαινόμενα διʼ αὐτῆς τῆς τῶν ἵππων κινήσεως τὰ πλεῖστα συνετρίβετο· §6.25.6πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἄνευ σαυρωτήρων κατασκευάζοντες μιᾷ τῇ πρώτῃ διὰ τῆς ἐπιδορατίδος ἐχρῶντο πληγῇ, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα κλασθέντων λοιπὸν ἦν ἄπρακτʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ μάταια.
Their spears, moreover, were useless in two ways: first, because they made them thin and fragile, they could not aim at the target set before them, and before the spear-point could strike anything, most of them were shattered by the mere movement of the horses shaking them; and in addition to this, since they made them without butt-spikes, they could only use the first strike with the spear-point, and after this was broken, they were useless and of no value.
τόν γε μὴν θυρεὸν εἶχον ἐκ βοείου δέρματος, §6.25.7τοῖς ὀμφαλωτοῖς ποπάνοις παραπλήσιον τοῖς ἐπὶ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτιθεμένοις· οἷς οὔτε πρὸς τὰς ἐπιβολὰς ἦν χρῆσθαι διὰ τὸ μὴ στάσιν ἔχειν, ὑπό τε τῶν ὄμβρων ἀποδερματούμενοι καὶ μυδῶντες δύσχρηστοι καὶ πρότερον ἦσαν καὶ νῦν ἔτι γίνονται παντελῶς. διόπερ ἀδοκίμου τῆς χρείας οὔσης,
Furthermore, they had a shield made of ox-hide, similar to the round bossed cakes offered at sacrifices; which, having no stability, could not be used for defense, and when the leather peeled off and rotted from the rain, they were difficult to use before and now become completely useless.
§6.25.8ταχέως μετέλαβον τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν κατασκευὴν τῶν ὅπλων, §6.25.9ἐν ᾗ τῶν μὲν δοράτων τὴν πρώτην εὐθέως τῆς ἐπιδορατίδος πληγὴν εὔστοχον ἅμα καὶ πρακτικὴν γίνεσθαι συμβαίνει, διὰ τὴν κατασκευὴν ἀτρεμοῦς καὶ στασίμου τοῦ δόρατος ὑπάρχοντος, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκ μεταλήψεως τοῦ σαυρωτῆρος χρείαν μόνιμον καὶ βίαιον.
Therefore, since its use was disapproved, they quickly adopted the Greek fashion of armor, in which it happens that the first strike of the spear-point is straightway both accurate and effective because the spear is made steady and firm, and likewise the use of the butt-spike when turned around is reliable and powerful.
§6.25.10ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς λόγος καὶ περὶ τῶν θυρεῶν· καὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὰς ἐπιβολὰς καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἐπιθέσεις ἑστηκυῖαν καὶ τεταγμένην ἔχουσι τὴν χρείαν.
The same argument applies also to the shields; for they have a stable and orderly use both for defense and for attack.
§6.25.11ἃ συνιδόντες ἐμιμήσαντο ταχέως· ἀγαθοὶ γάρ, εἰ καί τινες ἕτεροι, μεταλαβεῖν ἔθη καὶ ζηλῶσαι τὸ βέλτιον καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι.
Having perceived this, they quickly imitated it; for the Romans, if any other people, are excellent at adopting new customs and emulating what is better.