§11.1Tali cohortatione militum facta classis ab utrisque in proelium deducitur.
Having delivered such an encouragement to the soldiers, the fleet is led out into battle by both sides.
quarum acie constituta, priusquam signum pugnae daretur, Hannibal, ut palam faceret suis, quo loco Eumenes esset, tabellarium in scapha cum caduceo mittit.
When their line of battle was formed, before the signal for battle was given, Hannibal, in order to make clear to his men where Eumenes was, sends a messenger in a skiff with a herald's staff.
§11.2qui ubi ad naves adversariorum pervenit epistulamque ostendens se regem professus est quaerere, statim ad Eumenem deductus est, quod nemo dubitabat quin aliquid de pace esset scriptum.
When he reached the ships of the enemy, and showing a letter, declared that he was looking for the king, he was immediately conducted to Eumenes, because no one doubted that something about peace had been written.
tabellarius ducis nave declarata suis eodem, unde erat egressus, se recepit.
The messenger, having made the commander's ship clear to his men, retreated to the same place from which he had started.
§11.3at Eumenes soluta epistula nihil in ea repperit nisi quae ad irridendum eum pertinerent.
But Eumenes, having opened the letter, found nothing in it except what tended to ridicule him.
cuius rei etsi causam mirabatur neque reperiebat, tamen proelium statim committere non dubitavit.
Although he wondered at the reason for this and could not find it, he nevertheless did not hesitate to engage in battle immediately.
§11.4horum in concursu Bithyni Hannibalis praecepto universi navem Eumenis adoriuntur.
In the shock of these fleets, the Bithynians, by the order of Hannibal, all together attack the ship of Eumenes.
quorum vim rex cum sustinere non posset, fuga salutem petiit, quam consecutus non esset, nisi intra sua praesidia se recepisset, quae in proximo litore erant collocata.
Since the king could not withstand their force, he sought safety in flight, which he would not have attained if he had not retreated within his own fortifications, which were situated on the nearest shore.
§11.5reliquae Pergamenae naves cum adversarios premerent acrius, repente in eas vasa fictilia, de quibus supra mentionem fecimus, conici coepta sunt.
While the remaining Pergamene ships were pressing their adversaries more fiercely, suddenly the earthen vessels, of which we made mention above, began to be thrown into them.
quae iacta initio risum pugnantibus concitarunt, neque quare id fieret poterat intellegi.
These being thrown excited laughter at first among the fighters, nor could it be understood why this was done.
§11.6postquam autem naves suas oppletas conspexerunt serpentibus, nova re perterriti, cum, quid potissimum vitarent, non viderent, puppes verterunt seque ad sua castra nautica rettulerunt.
But after they saw their ships filled with snakes, terrified by the strange sight, since they did not see what they should avoid above all, they turned their sterns and retreated to their naval camp.
§11.7sic Hannibal consilio arma Pergamenorum superavit, neque tum solum, sed saepe alias pedestribus copiis pari prudentia pepulit adversarios.
Thus Hannibal by strategy overcame the arms of the Pergamenians; nor did he defeat his adversaries with equal prudence only then, but often at other times with his land forces.