| 32 καὶ ἀπῆρεν Ιουδας ἀπὸ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ παρενέβαλεν εἰς Βαιθζαχαρια ἀπέναντι τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως 33 καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἀπῆρεν τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἐν ὁρμήματι αὐτῆς κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν Βαιθζαχαρια καὶ διεσκευάσθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις εἰς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ ἐσάλπισαν ταῖς σάλπιγξιν 34 καὶ τοῖς ἐλέφασιν ἔδειξαν αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ μόρων τοῦ παραστῆσαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον 35 καὶ διεῖλον τὰ θηρία εἰς τὰς φάλαγγας καὶ παρέστησαν ἑκάστῳ ἐλέφαντι χιλίους ἄνδρας τεθωρακισμένους ἐν ἁλυσιδωτοῖς καὶ περικεφαλαῖαι χαλκαῖ ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτῶν καὶ πεντακοσία ἵππος διατεταγμένη ἑκάστῳ θηρίῳ ἐκλελεγμένη 36 οὗτοι πρὸ καιροῦ οὗ ἂν ᾖ τὸ θηρίον ἦσαν καὶ οὗ ἐὰν ἐπορεύετο ἐπορεύοντο ἅμα οὐκ ἀφίσταντο ἀ{P'} αὐτοῦ 37 καὶ πύργοι ξύλινοι ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς ὀχυροὶ σκεπαζόμενοι ἐ{F'} ἑκάστου θηρίου ἐζωσμένοι ἐ{P'} αὐτοῦ μηχαναῖς καὶ ἐ{F'} ἑκάστου ἄνδρες δυνάμεως τέσσαρες οἱ πολεμοῦντες ἐ{P'} αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁ Ἰνδὸς αὐτοῦ 38 καὶ τὴν ἐπίλοιπον ἵππον ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ἔστησεν ἐπὶ τὰ δύο μέρη τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατασείοντες καὶ καταφρασσόμενοι ἐν ταῖς φάλαγξιν 39 ὡς δὲ ἔστιλβεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ χαλκᾶς ἀσπίδας ἔστιλβεν τὰ ὄρη ἀ{P'} αὐτῶν καὶ κατηύγαζεν ὡς λαμπάδες πυρός 40 καὶ ἐξετάθη μέρος τι τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ὄρη καί τινες ἐπὶ τὰ ταπεινά καὶ ἤρχοντο ἀσφαλῶς καὶ τεταγμένως 41 καὶ ἐσαλεύοντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες φωνῆς πλήθους αὐτῶν καὶ ὁδοιπορίας τοῦ πλήθους καὶ συγκρουσμοῦ τῶν ὅπλων ἦν γὰρ ἡ παρεμβολὴ μεγάλη σφόδρα καὶ ἰσχυρά 42 καὶ ἤγγισεν Ιουδας καὶ ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς παράταξιν καὶ ἔπεσον ἀπὸ τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες |
32 Meanwhile, Judas drew away from the citadel, and encamped at Bethzacharam, close to the king’s army. 33 Ere dawn broke, the king was astir, and his men marching hot-foot towards Bethzacharam, where the armies made ready for battle, with a great blowing of trumpets. 34 As for the elephants, they were blooded to battle with juice of grape and mulberry, 35 and so divided here and there among the troops. A thousand foot-soldiers were assigned to each, in coat of mail and helmet of bronze; with each went five hundred picked horsemen; 36 these were waiting ready for every beast at its station, and must go wherever it went, never leaving its side. 37 On the back of every beast was a strong protecting tower of wood, cunningly fitted; and thirty-two valiant men were appointed to do battle from this height, over and above the Indian that was the beast’s driver.[1] 38 The remainder of the cavalry were stationed on either wing, to daunt the oncoming host with a clamour of trumpets,[2] and harass them as they stood tight packed in their ranks. 39 Brightly the sun shone down on shield of gold, shield of bronze, till all the mountain-side gave back the glancing rays of them, and dazzled like points of fire. 40 Part of the king’s army was drawn up on the heights, part on the level plain; warily they came on and in good order; 41 and ever, as they went, murmur of voices, tramp of feet, and clash of arms daunted the country-side around them, so great yonder army was, and so valiant. 42 But Judas and his men closed with them, and gave battle; and of the king’s soldiers, there were six hundred that fell. |
32 Et recessit Judas ab arce, et movit castra ad Bethzacharam contra castra regis. 33 Et surrexit rex ante lucem, et concitavit exercitus in impetum contra viam Bethzacharam: et comparaverunt se exercitus in prælium, et tubis cecinerunt: 34 et elephantis ostenderunt sanguinem uvæ et mori, ad acuendos eos in prælium: 35 et diviserunt bestias per legiones, et astiterunt singulis elephantis mille viri in loricis concatenatis, et galeæ æreæ in capitibus eorum: et quingenti equites ordinati unicuique bestiæ electi erant. 36 Hi ante tempus, ubicumque erat bestia, ibi erant: et quocumque ibat, ibant, et non discedebant ab ea. 37 Sed et turres ligneæ super eos firmæ protegentes super singulas bestias: et super eas machinæ: et super singulas viri virtutis triginta duo, qui pugnabant desuper: et Indus magister bestiæ. 38 Et residuum equitatum hinc et inde statuit in duas partes, tubis exercitum commovere, et perurgere constipatos in legionibus ejus. 39 Et ut refulsit sol in clypeos aureos et æreos, resplenduerunt montes ab eis, et resplenduerunt sicut lampades ignis. 40 Et distincta est pars exercitus regis per montes excelsos, et alia per loca humilia: et ibant caute et ordinate. 41 Et commovebantur omnes inhabitantes terram a voce multitudinis, et incessu turbæ, et collisione armorum: erat enim exercitus magnus valde, et fortis. 42 Et appropiavit Judas et exercitus ejus in prælium, et ceciderunt de exercitu regis sexcenti viri. |