§33.9.1Quinctius iis, qui in proelio fuerant, inter signa et ordines acceptis tuba dat signum.
Quinctius, having received those who had been in the battle between the standards and the ranks, gave the signal with the trumpet.
§33.9.2raro alias tantus clamor dicitur in principio pugnae exortus; nam forte utraque acies simul conclamavere nec solum qui pugnabant sed subsidia etiam quique tum maxime in proelium veniebant.
Seldom at any other time is so great a shout said to have arisen at the beginning of a battle; for by chance both lines shouted at the same time, and not only those who were fighting but also the reserves and those who were just then especially coming into the battle.
§33.9.3dextero cornu rex loci plurimum auxilio, ex iugis altioribus pugnans, vincebat; sinistro tum cum maxime adpropinquante phalangis parte, quae novissimi agminis fuerat, sine ullo ordine trepidabatur; §33.9.4media acies, quae propior dextrum cornu erat, stabat spectaculo velut nihil ad se pertinentis pugnae intenta.
On the right wing, the king, fighting from the higher ridges, was winning, largely with the help of the ground; on the left, just when a part of the phalanx which had been in the rear was approaching, there was panic without any order; the center of the line, which was nearer to the right wing, stood intent on the spectacle as if of a battle that had nothing to do with them.
§33.9.5phalanx, quae venerat agmen magis quam acies aptiorque itineri quam pugnae, vixdum in iugum evaserat.
The phalanx, which had come up as a column of march rather than a line of battle, and was more suited for a march than for a fight, had scarcely yet ascended the ridge.
§33.9.6in hos incompositos Quinctius, quamquam pedem referentes in dextro cornu suos cernebat, elephantis prius in hostem actis impetum facit, ratus partem profligatam cetera tracturam.
Against these disordered men Quinctius, although he saw his own men on the right wing giving way, made a charge, having first driven the elephants against the enemy, thinking that the routed part would drag the rest with them.
§33.9.7non dubia res fuit; extemplo terga vertere Macedones, terrore primo bestiarum aversi.
The matter was not in doubt; immediately the Macedonians turned their backs, turned away by their first terror of the beasts.
§33.9.8et ceteri quidem hos pulsos sequebantur; unus e tribunis militum ex tempore capto consilio, cum viginti signorum militibus, relicta ea parte suorum, quae haud dubie vincebat, brevi circuitu dextrum cornu hostium aversum invadit.
And while the rest indeed were pursuing these routed men, one of the military tribunes, taking a plan on the spur of the moment, with the soldiers of twenty standards, leaving that part of his own men which was undoubtedly winning, by a short detour attacked the turned right wing of the enemy from behind.
§33.9.9nullam aciem ab tergo adortus non turbasset; ceterum ad communem omnium in tali re trepidationem accessit, §33.9.10quod phalanx Macedonum gravis atque immobilis nec circumagere se poterat, nec hoc qui a fronte paulo ante pedem referentes tunc ultro territis instabant patiebantur.
There was no line of battle which, if attacked from behind, he would not have thrown into confusion; but to the common panic of all in such a situation, there was added, that the Macedonian phalanx, heavy and immobile, could not wheel around, nor did those who from the front, a little before giving way, were then pressing hard upon them now that they were terrified, allow this.
§33.9.11ad hoc loco etiam premebantur, quia iugum, ex quo pugnaverant, dum per proclive pulsos insecuntur, tradiderant hosti ad terga sua circumducto.
In addition to this, they were also hard pressed by the ground, because they had surrendered the ridge from which they had fought to the enemy who had been led around to their rear while they were pursuing the routed down the slope.
paulisper in medio caesi, deinde omissis plerique armis capessunt fugam.
Having been cut down for a short time in the midst, most of them then threw away their arms and took to flight.