§37.42.1ceterum vana illa res verae mox cladis causa fuit.
However, that useless affair was soon the cause of a real disaster.
auxilia enim subsidiaria, quae proxima locata erant, pavore et consternatione quadrigarum territa et ipsa in fugam versa nudarunt omnia usque ad cataphractos equites.
For the reserve auxiliaries, which had been stationed nearest, terrified by the panic and consternation of the chariots, themselves also turned to flight and exposed everything right up to the cataphract cavalry.
§37.42.2ad quos cum dissipatis subsidiis pervenisset equitatus Romanus, ne primum quidem impetum sustinuerunt; §37.42.3pars eorum fusi sunt, alii propter gravitatem tegumentorum armorumque oppressi.
When the Roman cavalry had reached them, the reserves having been scattered, they did not withstand even the first charge; some of them were routed, others, weighed down by the heaviness of their armor and coverings, were overtaken.
totum deinde laevum cornu inclinavit, et turbatis auxiliaribus, qui inter equitem et quos appellant phalangitas erant, §37.42.4usque ad mediam aciem terror pervenit.
Then the whole left wing gave way, and, because the auxiliaries who were between the cavalry and those whom they call phalangites were thrown into confusion, the terror reached right to the center of the line.
ibi simul perturbati ordines et impeditus intercursu suorum usus praelongarum hastarum — sarisas Macedones vocant — intulere signa Romanae legiones et pila in perturbatos coniecere.
There, at the same time, because their ranks were thrown into confusion and the use of their extremely long spears—which the Macedonians call sarissas—was impeded by the running-in of their own men, the Roman legions advanced their standards and hurled their javelins at the confused men.
§37.42.5ne interpositi quidem elephanti militem Romanum deterrebant, adsuetum iam ab Africis bellis et vitare impetum beluae et ex transverso aut pilis incessere aut, si propius subire posset, gladio nervos incidere.
Not even the elephants placed between them deterred the Roman soldier, who was already accustomed from the African wars both to avoid the charge of the beast and to attack it from the side with javelins, or, if he could approach closer, to cut its hamstrings with the sword.
§37.42.6iam media acies fere omnis a fronte prostrata erat, et subsidia circumita ab tergo caedebantur, cum in parte alia fugam suorum et prope iam ad ipsa castra clamorem paventium accepere.
Now almost the whole center of the line had been overthrown from the front, and the reserves, surrounded, were being slaughtered from the rear, when in another part of the field they heard the flight of their own men and the shout of the panicked near the camp itself.
§37.42.7namque Antiochus a dextro cornu, cum ibi fiducia fluminis nulla subsidia cerneret praeter quattuor turmas equitum, et eas, dum applicant se suis, ripam nudantis, impetum in eam partem cum auxiliis et cataphracto equitatu fecit; §37.42.8nec a fronte tantum instabat, sed circumito a flumine cornu iam ab latere urgebat, donec fugati equites primum, dein proximi peditum effuso cursu ad castra compulsi sunt.
For Antiochus, on the right wing, when he saw there no reserves, because of confidence in the river, except four squadrons of cavalry, and even these, while they were joining their own men, leaving the bank exposed, made an attack on that part with his auxiliaries and cataphract cavalry; And he was not only pressing from the front, but having gone around the wing from the river, he was now urging them from the side, until first the cavalry was routed, then the nearest of the infantry were driven in headlong flight to the camp.