§42.57.1sub idem deinde tempus consilium et consul et rex habuerunt, unde bellum ordirentur.
At about the same time thereafter, both the consul and the king held councils to decide from where they should begin the war.
§42.57.2regiis creverant animi vastatione concessa sibi ab hoste Pheraei agri; itaque eundum inde ad castra nec dandum ultra spatium cunctandi censebant.
The spirits of the king's men had risen because the devastation of the Pheraean territory had been allowed to them by the enemy; therefore, they thought they should advance from there to the enemy's camp and not give them any further time for delay.
§42.57.3et Romani sentiebant cunctationem suam infamem apud socios esse, maxume indigne ferentis non latam Pheraeis opem.
And the Romans also felt that their delay was bringing dishonor upon them among their allies, especially since the allies were highly indignant that no help had been brought to the Pheraeans.
§42.57.4consultantibus, quid agerent — aderant autem Eumenes et Attalus in consilio —, trepidus nuntius adfert hostem magno agmine adesse.
While they were consulting on what to do — and Eumenes and Attalus were present at the council — a panicked messenger brought word that the enemy was approaching in a large column.
consilio dimisso signum extemplo datur, ut arma capiant.
The council was dismissed, and the signal was immediately given to take up arms.
§42.57.5interim placet ex regiis auxiliis centum equites et parem numerum iaculatorum peditum exire.
Meanwhile, it was decided that one hundred cavalry and an equal number of infantry javelin-throwers from the king's auxiliaries should go out.
§42.57.6Perseus hora ferme diei quarta, cum paulo plus mille passus abesset a castris Romanis, consistere signa peditum iussit; praegressus ipse cum equitibus ac levi armatura; et Cotys cum eo ducesque aliorum auxiliorum praecesserunt.
Perseus, at about the fourth hour of the day, when he was a little more than a mile away from the Roman camp, ordered the standards of the infantry to halt; he himself went forward with the cavalry and light-armed troops, and Cotys together with him, and the commanders of the other auxiliaries, preceded them.
§42.57.7minus quingentos passus ab castris aberant, cum in conspectu fuere hostium equites; duae alae erant magna ex parte Gallorum — Cassignatus praeerat — et levis armaturea centum fere et quinquaginta Mysi et Cretenses.
They were less than five hundred paces from the camp when the enemy's cavalry came into view; there were two squadrons, largely made up of Gauls — Cassignatus was in command — and of light-armed troops, about one hundred and fifty Mysians and Cretans.
§42.57.8constitit rex, incertus, quantae hostium copiae essent.
The king halted, uncertain of how large the enemy's forces were.
duas inde ex agmine turmas Threcum, duas Macedonum cum binis Cretensium cohortibus et Threcum misit.
Then from his column he sent two squadrons of Thracian cavalry and two of Macedonian, together with two cohorts each of Cretans and Thracians.
§42.57.9proelium, cum pares numero essent neque ab hac aut illa parte nova auxilia subvenirent, incerta victoria finitum est.
The battle, since they were equal in number and no new reinforcements came to help from either side, ended with an undecided victory.
Eumenis ferme triginta interfecti, inter quos Cassignatus dux Gallorum cecidit.
About thirty of Eumenes' men were killed, among whom fell Cassignatus, the leader of the Gauls.
et tunc quidem Perseus ad Sycurium copias reduxit;
And for the time being, indeed, Perseus led his forces back to Sycurium.
§42.57.10postero die circa eandem horam in eumdem locum rex copias admovit plaustris cum aqua sequentibus; nam duodecim milium passuum via omnis sine aqua et plurimi pulveris erat; adfectosque siti, si primo in conspectu dimicassent, pugnaturos fuisse apparebat.
On the following day, at about the same hour, the king moved his forces to the same place, with wagons containing water following them; for the entire road of twelve miles was without water and full of dust; and it was clear that, if they had fought at the first sight of the enemy, they would have had to fight while suffering from thirst.
§42.57.11cum Romani quiessent, stationibus etiam intra vallum reductis, regii quoque in castra redeunt.
When the Romans remained quiet, having withdrawn even their outposts within the rampart, the king's men also returned to camp.
hoc per aliquot dies fecerunt, sperantes fore, ut Romani equites abeuntium novissimum agmen adgrederentur; §42.57.12inde certamine orto, cum longius a castris eos elicuissent, facile, ubiubi essent, se, qui equitatu et levi armatura plus possent, conversuros aciem.
They did this for several days, hoping that the Roman cavalry would attack the rear guard of those who were retreating; thinking that, once a fight had started from there, if they could entice them too far from their camp, they themselves, being superior in cavalry and light-armed troops, would easily turn the line of battle, wherever they might be.