§37.41.1rex ipse in dextro cornu erat; Seleucum filium et Antipatrum fratris filium in laevo praeposuit; media acies tribus permissa, Minnioni et Zeuxidi et Philippo, magistro elephantorum.
The king himself was on the right wing; he placed his son Seleucus and his brother's son Antipater in command of the left; the center of the line was entrusted to three men, Minnio, Zeuxis, and Philippus, the commander of the elephants.
§37.41.2nebula matutina, crescente die levata in nubes, caliginem dedit; umor inde ab austro velut * perfudit omnia; §37.41.3quae nihil admodum Romanis, eadem perincommoda regiis erant; nam et obscuritas lucis in acie modica Romanis non adimebat in omnis partes conspectum, et umor toto fere gravi armatu nihil gladios aut pila hebetabat; §37.41.4regii tam lata acie ne ex medio quidem cornua sua conspicere poterant, nedum extremi inter se conspicerentur, et umor arcus fundasque et iaculorum amenta emollierat.
The morning mist, rising into clouds as the day advanced, created a darkness; then a dampness from the south, as if * drenching everything; which was not at all inconvenient to the Romans, but the very same thing was extremely disadvantageous to the king's forces; for the dimness of the light did not deprive the Romans, whose line was of moderate size, of a view in all directions, and the dampness did not at all dull their swords or javelins, since almost all of them were heavily armed; whereas the king's troops, with so wide a front, could not even see their own wings from the center, much less could those at the extremities see one another, and the dampness had softened their bows, slings, and the thongs of their javelins.
§37.41.5falcatae quoque quadrigae, quibus se perturbaturum hostium aciem Antiochus crediderat, in suos terrorem verterunt.
The scythed chariots also, with which Antiochus had believed he would throw the enemy's line into confusion, turned their terror against their own men.
§37.41.6armatae autem in hunc maxime modum erant: cuspides circa temonem ab iugo decem cubita exstantis velut cornua habebant, §37.41.7quibus, quidquid obvium daretur, transfigerent, et in extremis iugis binae circa eminebant falces, altera aequata iugo, altera inferior in terram devexa, illa ut, quidquid ab latere obiceretur, abscideret, haec ut prolapsos subeuntisque contingeret; item ab axibus rotarum utrimque binae eodem modo diversae deligabantur falces.
Now they were armed chiefly in this manner: they had points projecting about ten cubits from the yoke near the pole like horns, with which they might transfix whatever came in their way, and at the extremities of the yokes two scythes projected on each side, one level with the yoke, the other lower and pointing toward the ground, the former to cut off whatever was thrown in its way from the side, the latter to reach those who had fallen or were coming under them; likewise from the axles of the wheels on both sides, two scythes pointing in different directions in the same manner were fastened.
§37.41.8sic armatas quadrigas, quia, si in extremo aut in medio locatae forent, per suos agendae erant, in prima acie, ut ante dictum est, §37.41.9locaverat rex. quod ubi Eumenes vidit, haud ignarus, quam anceps esset pugnae et auxilii genus, si quis pavorem magis equis iniceret, quam iusta adoriretur pugna, Cretenses sagittarios funditoresque et iaculatores cum aliquot turmis equitum non confertos, sed quam maxime possent dispersos excurrere iubet et ex omnibus simul partibus tela ingerere.
Chariots thus armed, because, if they had been placed at the extremity or in the center, they would have had to be driven through their own men, the king had stationed in the front line, as was said before, When Eumenes saw this, being well aware how precarious a kind of combat and auxiliary it was if anyone should inspire terror in the horses rather than engage in a regular battle, he ordered the Cretan archers, slingers, and javelin-throwers, with some squadrons of cavalry, not to run forward in a mass, but dispersed as widely as possible, and to shower weapons upon them from all sides at once.
§37.41.10haec velut procella partim vulneribus missilium undique coniectorum partim clamoribus dissonis ita consternavit equos, ut repente velut effrenati passim incerto cursu ferrentur; §37.41.11quorum impetus et levis armatura et expediti funditores et velox Cretensis momento declinabant; et eques insequendo tumultum ac pavorem equis camelisque, et ipsis simul consternatis, augebat clamore et ab alia circumstantium turba multiplici adiecto.
This storm, partly by the wounds of the missiles thrown from all directions, partly by the discordant shouts, so terrified the horses that they were suddenly carried away in all directions with an uncertain course, as if they had cast off their bridles; whose charge the light infantry, the unencumbered slingers, and the swift Cretan avoided in a moment; and the cavalry, by pursuing, increased the confusion and terror of the horses and camels, which were themselves likewise terrified, by their shouting, which was multiplied by another shout added from the surrounding crowd.
§37.41.12ita medio inter duas acies campo exiguntur quadrigae; amotoque inani ludibrio, tum demum ad iustum proelium signo utrimque dato concursum est.
Thus the chariots were driven out of the field between the two lines; and when this empty mockery was removed, then at last, the signal being given on both sides, they rushed together for a regular battle.