§9.18.1καὶ μὴν Κλεομένης ὁ Σπαρτιάτης προθέμενος διὰ πράξεως ἑλεῖν τὴν τῶν Μεγαλοπολιτῶν πόλιν, συνετάξατο τοῖς τὸ τεῖχος φυλάττουσι τὸ κατὰ τὸν Φωλεὸν καλούμενον νυκτὸς ἥξειν μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως κατὰ τρίτην φυλακήν· τοῦτον γὰρ ἐφύλαττον τὸν καιρὸν τὸ τεῖχος οἱ συμπράττοντες αὐτῷ.
Indeed, Cleomenes the Spartan, proposing to capture the city of the Megalopolitans by intrigue, agreed with those guarding the wall at the place called Pholeos that he would arrive by night with his force during the third watch; for his accomplices were guarding the wall at this time.
§9.18.2οὐκέτι δὲ προνοηθεὶς ὅτι περὶ τὴν τῆς Πλειάδος ἐπιτολὴν τελέως ἤδη βραχείας εἶναι συμβαίνει τὰς νύκτας, ἐκίνησε τὴν δύναμιν ἐκ τῆς Λακεδαίμονος περὶ δυσμὰς ἡλίου.
But failing to consider that around the rising of the Pleiades the nights already happen to be completely short, he moved his force from Lacedaemon about sunset.
§9.18.3λοιπὸν οὐ δυνάμενος καταταχεῖν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἡμέρας καταλαμβανούσης εἰκῇ καὶ ἀλόγως βιαζόμενος, αἰσχρῶς ἐξέπεσε, πολλοὺς ἀποβαλὼν καὶ κινδυνεύσας τοῖς ὅλοις·
Consequently, being unable to arrive in time, but pushing on the attack blindly and unreasonably as day was breaking, he was shamefully repulsed, losing many of his men and endangering his entire enterprise.
§9.18.4ὃς εἰ κατὰ τὸ συνταχθὲν ηὐστόχησε τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ κρατούντων τῆς εἰσόδου τῶν συνεργούντων εἰσήγαγε τὴν δύναμιν, οὐκ ἂν διεψεύσθη τῆς ἐπιβολῆς.
If he had hit the right time according to the agreement and had introduced his force while his accomplices held the entrance, he would not have failed in his attempt.
πάλιν ὁμοίως Φίλιππος ὁ βασιλεύς, §9.18.5ὡς ἐπάνω προεῖπον, πρᾶξιν ἔχων ἐκ τῆς τῶν Μελιταιῶν πόλεως κατὰ δύο τρόπους ἥμαρτε· καὶ γὰρ τὰς κλίμακας ἐλάττους ἔχων ἦλθε τῆς χρείας καὶ τοῦ καιροῦ διέπεσε.
Similarly again, King Philip, as I said above, having an enterprise against the city of the Melitaeans, failed in two ways; for he both came with ladders too short for the purpose and missed the right time.
§9.18.6συνταξάμενος γὰρ ἥξειν περὶ μέσας νύκτας κατακεκοιμημένων ἤδη πάντων, πρὸ τοῦ δέοντος καιροῦ κινήσας ἐκ Λαρίσης καὶ προσπεσὼν πρὸς τὴν τῶν Μελιταιῶν χώραν, οὔτʼ ἐπιμένειν ἐδύνατο, δεδιὼς μὴ προσαγγελθείη τοῖς ἔνδον, οὔτʼ ἀνακάμψας ἔτι λαθεῖν.
For having agreed to arrive about midnight when everyone was already asleep, he set out from Larissa before the proper time, and having fallen upon the territory of the Melitaeans, he could neither wait, fearing lest he should be reported to those inside, nor return and still remain undetected.
§9.18.7διόπερ ἀναγκαζόμενος εἰς τοὔμπροσθεν προάγειν, ἧκε πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἀκμὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγρηγορότων.
Therefore, being forced to advance forward, he arrived at the city when the people were still wide awake.
§9.18.8ὅθεν οὔτε διὰ τῶν κλιμάκων ἠδύνατο βιάζεσθαι διὰ τὴν ἀσυμμετρίαν οὔτε διὰ τῆς πύλης εἰσελθεῖν τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι τοὺς ἔνδον αὐτῷ συνεργεῖν διὰ τὸν καιρόν.
Consequently, he could neither force his way by means of the ladders owing to their disproportion, nor enter through the gate because those inside were unable to cooperate with him on account of the timing.
§9.18.9τέλος διερεθίσας τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἰδίων ἀποβαλών, μετʼ αἰσχύνης ἄπρακτος ἐπανῆλθε, πᾶσι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις παρηγγελκὼς ἀπιστεῖν αὐτῷ καὶ φυλάττεσθαι.
At last, having aroused the people in the city and lost many of his own men, he returned without success in disgrace, having given warning to all others as well to distrust him and be on their guard.