§33.6.1Quinctius postero die vallum secum ferente milite, ut paratus omni loco castris ponendis esset, §33.6.2progressus modicum iter sex ferme milia a Pheris cum consedisset, speculatum, in qua parte Thessaliae hostis esset quidve pararet, misit.
Quinctius, on the following day, marched with his soldiers carrying palisade-stakes with them, so that he might be prepared for pitching camp in any place; and having advanced a moderate distance, when he had encamped about six miles from Pherae, he sent men to reconnoitre in what part of Thessaly the enemy was, and what he was preparing.
§33.6.3circa Larisam erat rex.
The king was near Larissa.
certior iam factus Romanum ab Thebis Pheras movisse, defungi quam primum et ipse certamine cupiens ducere ad hostem pergit et quattuor milia fere a Pheris posuit castra.
Having already been informed that the Roman had moved from Thebes to Pherae, and wishing himself also to decide the issue by a battle as soon as possible, he proceeded to march towards the enemy and pitched his camp about four miles from Pherae.
§33.6.4inde postero die cum expediti utrimque ad occupandos super urbem tumulos processissent, pari ferme intervallo ab iugo, quod capiendum erat, §33.6.5cum inter se conspecti essent, constiterunt, nuntios in castra remissos, qui, quid sibi, quoniam praeter spem hostis occurrisset, faciendum esset, consulerent, §33.6.6quieti opperientes.
Then, on the following day, when the light-armed troops on both sides had advanced to occupy the hills above the city, at nearly an equal distance from the ridge which was to be seized, having come into sight of one another, they halted, and, having sent messengers back to the camp to consult as to what they should do, since the enemy had met them contrary to expectation, they waited quietly.
et illo quidem die nullo inito certamine in castra revocati sunt; postero die circa eosdem tumulos equestre proelium fuit, in quo non minimum Aetolorum opera regii fugati atque in castra compulsi sunt.
And on that day indeed, without any battle being joined, they were recalled to the camp; on the following day there was a cavalry engagement around the same hills, in which, not least through the efforts of the Aetolians, the king's men were put to flight and driven into their camp.
§33.6.7magnum utrisque impedimentum ad rem gerendam fuit ager consitus crebris arboribus hortique, ut in suburbanis locis, et coartata itinera maceriis et quibusdam locis interclusa.
A great hindrance to both sides in carrying out operations was the land planted with frequent trees and gardens, as is usual in suburban places, and roads narrowed by stone walls and in some places blocked.
§33.6.8itaque pariter ducibus consilium fuit excedendi ea regione, et velut ex praedicto ambo Scotusam petierunt, Philippus spe frumentandi inde, Romanus, ut praegressus corrumperet hosti frumenta.
Therefore, both commanders had an equal plan of leaving that region, and as if by agreement both made for Scotusa—Philip with the hope of procuring grain from there, the Roman in order to go ahead and destroy the grain for the enemy.
§33.6.9per diem totum, quia colles perpetuoiugo intererant, nullo conspecta inter se loco agmina ierunt Romani ad Eretriam Phthiotici agri, §33.6.10Philippus super amnem Onchestum posuit castra.
During the whole day, because hills with a continuous ridge lay between them, the columns marched without seeing each other in any place; the Romans went to Eretria in the Phthiotic territory, Philip pitched his camp above the river Onchestus.
§33.6.11ne postero quidem die, cum Philippus ad Melambium quod vocant Scotusaei agri, Quinctius circa Thetideum Pharsaliae terrae posuisset castra, aut hi aut illi, ubi hostis esset, satis compertum habuerunt.
Not even on the following day, when Philip had encamped at what they call Melambium in the territory of Scotusa, and Quinctius near Thetideum in the land of Pharsalia, did either the one or the other have sufficiently certain knowledge of where the enemy was.
§33.6.12tertio die primo nimbus effusus, dein caligo nocti simillima Romanos metu insidiarum tenuit.
On the third day, first a pouring rain, and then a mist very like night, kept the Romans back through fear of ambuscades.