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since provisions for the army were failing, and there was already a clear shortage 1.464 in the camp and it was necessary either to fight it out with the enemies, or to retreat, so that he himself, seeing the shortage, permitted many to retreat to their homes, he received the embassy, and the treaties were made on these terms, that the Romans and Mysians should make a truce, and in no way wrong each other; but that the Romans should receive back Anchialus, and give back Diampolis, and for the future to keep the peace, each holding what they possessed. Such then were the treaties made for both rulers on the seventeenth of the month of July; and those who were to receive the cities and the oaths were present from each side to the other. 27. On the same night on which the oaths were to be completed on the next day, an army from the Scythians came to Alexander as allies. For he had summoned them against his uncle Belaour, who, having rebelled against him and seized a part of his domain, was troublesome and was harming the country. But thinking that he would use the opportunity to his advantage, if by deceiving these men he might lead them against the emperor, he told them his uncle was near, whom it was necessary to attack before he noticed. It was likely that he, knowing nothing of what had happened, would readily enter the war; and when this happened, he would be most easily destroyed, being overpowered by us who were many times more numerous, and we would be freed from the toil of completing a long 1.465 journey. And he persuaded the barbarians, who did not perceive the deceit; for they would not have attacked the emperor, if they had known, on account of the oaths and the truces which they had recently made with him. And arming themselves at dawn, they proceeded through the passes against the Romans. But the emperor's scouts, perceiving this, for they were stationed there, reported the attack with speed; and the emperor ordered the army to arm. And when they had armed, they went out drawn up in sixteen phalanxes. The protostrator commanded the right wing, and on the left Tzamblakon the megas papias, and the emperor himself held the center. Six phalanxes filled the entire front; and after them were the ten drawn up each with their generals. But the emperor was annoyed, having been deceived, as he had permitted a large part of the army because of the hope of the treaties to return home. Nevertheless, thinking the struggle would be against the Mysians alone, he advanced confidently against them. But as they were departing, a Scythian trumpet was heard sounding. For it does not sound like the others, but something savage and discordant, such as is able to stir the barbarians to wrath. For this reason it is also recognizable even when heard from afar. But the emperor, thinking that they were not Scythians, for they would not have broken the truces with him, but the Getae from beyond the Ister, who are for the most part similarly equipped to the Scythians as horse-archers, being present as allies, were using the Scythian 1.466 trumpet to cause panic, and that Alexander, trusting in them, was eagerly advancing to war, he himself also advanced confidently against them. And when they were near enough to each other to be seen, and the sun, having crossed the horizon, made the force more visible to the eyes, then it appeared clearly that the advancing army was Scythian; for they were not drawn up with the Mysians, but they held their own formation. And when they were near enough to attack, the Scythians avoided the emperor with the vanguard; but they proceeded against the rearguard and routed them after they had resisted for a little while, and made the pursuit as far as Rusokastro. And there the Romans, having rallied, defended themselves against the barbarians outside the walls. But the emperor with the six phalanxes drawn up in front, although those behind had turned to flight, did not retreat at all, but went straight for the Mysians, and the few engaged with the many times more numerous. And after a most fierce battle had gone on for a considerable time, and the Romans had displayed many deeds worthy of hand and courage, finally, being overwhelmed by the multitude of the Mysians and now being in danger, they retreated. The emperor

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σιτίων τῇ στρατιᾷ ἐπιλιπόντων, καὶ ἐνδείας οὔ 1.464 σης ἤδη λαμπρᾶς τῷ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ δεομένων ἢ διαγωνίζεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους, ἢ ἀναχωρεῖν, ὥστε καὶ αὐτὸν τὴν ἔνδειαν συνορῶντα πολλοῖς τὴν ἐς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἐπιτρέψαι ἀναχώρησιν, προσεδέξατό τε τὴν πρεσβείαν, καὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ συνθῆκαι ἐπὶ τούτοις, ὥστε Ῥωμαίους καὶ Μυσοὺς ποιήσασθαι σπονδὰς, καὶ μηδὲν ἀλλήλους ἀδικεῖν· ἀλλ' Ἀγχίαλον μὲν ἀπολαβεῖν Ῥωμαίους, ἀποδοῦναι δὲ ∆ιάμπολιν, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ εἰρήνην ἄγειν ἔχοντας ἃ ἔχουσιν ἑκατέρους. τοιαῦτα μὲν ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἐγεγένηντο αἱ σπονδαὶ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ δεκάτῃ μηνὸς Ἰουλίου ἱσταμένου· καὶ οἱ ἀποληψόμενοι τὰς πόλεις καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους παρῆσαν ἑκατέροις παρ' ἀλλήλων. κζʹ. Τῆς αὐτῆς δὲ νυκτὸς καθ' ἣν ἔμελλον εἰς τὴν ὑστεραίαν τελεσθήσεσθαι οἱ ὅρκοι, ἧκον πρὸς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον κατὰ συμμαχίαν στρατιὰ ἀπὸ Σκυθῶν. ἦν γὰρ δὴ αὐτοὺς προσκεκλημένος ἐπὶ Μπελαοῦρον τὸν θεῖον, ὃς διαστασιάσας πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ μέρος τῆς ἀρχῆς παρασπασάμενος, λυπηρὸς ἦν καὶ κακῶς ποιῶν τὴν χώραν. νομίσας δὲ εἰς δέον χρήσεσθαι τῷ καιρῷ, εἰ τούτους ἐξαπατήσας ἐπαγάγοι βασιλεῖ, τὸν θεῖον ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἐγγὺς παρεῖναι, ᾧ δέον πρὶν αἰσθέσθαι ἐπελθεῖν· ἐκεῖνον δὲ μηδὲν εἰδότα τῶν γεγενημένων προθύμως καταστῆναι εἰς τὸν πόλεμον εἰκός· τούτου δὲ γενομένου, ἐκεῖνον τε διαφθαρήσεσθαι ῥᾷστα κρατηθέντα ὑφ' ἡμῶν ὄντων πολλαπλασιόνων καὶ ἡμᾶς πόνων ἀπαλλάξεσθαι μακρὰν ἀ 1.465 νύειν μέλλοντας ὁδόν. καὶ ἔπεισέ γε τοὺς βαρβάρους μὴ συνιδόντας τὴν ἀπάτην· βασιλεῖ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἐπῆλθον, εἴπερ ἔγνωσαν, διὰ τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τὰς σπονδὰς, οὓς ἦσαν νεωστὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν πεποιημένοι. ἅμα δὲ ὄρθρῳ ὁπλισάμενοι, ἐχώρουν διὰ τῶν στενῶν ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους. αἰσθόμενοι δὲ οἱ βασιλέως σκοποὶ, αὐτόθι γὰρ ἦσαν τεταγμένοι, ἀπήγγελλον τὴν ἔφοδον κατὰ τάχος· καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκέλευεν ὁπλίζεσθαι τὴν στρατιάν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὡπλίσαντο, ἐξῄεσαν τεταγμένοι κατὰ φάλαγγας ἓξ οὔσας πρὸς ταῖς δέκα. ἦρχε δὲ τοῦ μὲν δεξιοῦ κέρως ὁ πρωτοστράτωρ, τοῦ δὲ ἀριστεροῦ Τζαμπλάκων ὁ μέγας παπίας, τὸ μέσον δὲ αὐτὸς ἐπεῖχεν ὁ βασιλεύς. ἓξ δὲ φάλαγγες τὸ μέτωπον ἐπλήρουν ἅπαν· καὶ μετ' αὐτοὺς ἦσαν αἱ δέκα τεταγμέναι ὡς ἕκαστοι μετὰ τῶν στρατηγῶν. βασιλεὺς δὲ ἠνιᾶτο μὲν ἠπατημένος ὡς πολὺ τῆς στρατιᾶς διὰ τὴν τῶν συνθηκῶν ἐλπίδα ἐπιτρέψας. οἴκαδε ἀναχωρεῖν. ὅμως δὲ πρὸς μόνους τοὺς Μυσοὺς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἔσεσθαι νομίζων, ἐπῄει θαῤῥῶν αὐτοῖς. ἀπιοῦσι δὲ ἠκούετο σάλπιγξ ἠχοῦσα Σκυθική. ἠχεῖ γὰρ οὐ κατὰ τὰς ἄλλας, ἀλλ' ἄγριόν τι καὶ ἀπηχὲς, ὁποῖον ἱκανὸν εἶναι τοὺς βαρβάρους ἐρεθίζειν πρὸς θυμόν. διὸ καὶ γνώριμός ἐστι καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ἀκουομένη. νομίσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐ Σκύθας εἶναι, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν ἠθετηκέναι τὰς σπονδὰς τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς πέραν Ἴστρου Γέτας, οἳ ὁμόσκευοι τοῖς Σκύθαις ὡς τὰ πολλά εἰσιν ἱπποτοξόται, κατὰ συμμαχίαν παρόντας πρὸς ἔκπληξιν τῇ Σκυθι 1.466 κῇ σάλπιγγι χρῆσθαι, οἷς θαῤῥοῦντα καὶ Ἀλέξανδρον προθύμως πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον χωρεῖν, ἀντεπῄει καὶ αὐτὸς θαῤῥῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγγὺς ἀλλήλων ἦσαν ὅσον ὁρᾶσθαι, ὅ,τε ἥλιος τὸν ὁρίζοντα ὑπερβὰς, ἐνεργεστέραν ταῖς ὄψεσι τὴν δύναμιν παρεῖχε, τότ' ἤδη καθαρῶς ἐφαίνετο Σκυθικὴ εἶναι ἡ ἐπιοῦσα στρατιά· οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν τεταγμένοι μετὰ τῶν Μυσῶν, ἀλλ' ἰδίαν αὐτοὶ ἐπεῖχον τάξιν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐγγὺς ἦσαν ὅσον ἐμβαλεῖν, οἱ Σκύθαι τὸν μὲν βασιλέα μετὰ τῶν προτάκτων παρεξέκλιναν· ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς ἐπιτάκτους ἐχώρουν καὶ ἐτρέψαντο ἀντισχόντας ἐπ' ὀλίγον καὶ τὴν δίωξιν ἐποιήσαντο ἄχρι Ῥωσοκάστρου. ἐκεῖ δὲ συστραφέντες οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, ἠμύνοντο τοὺς βαρβάρους ἔξω τῶν τειχῶν. βασιλεὺς δὲ ἅμα ταῖς προτεταγμέναις ἓξ φάλαγξι, καίτοι τῶν ὀπίσω τετραμμένων εἰς φυγὴν, οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ὑπεχώρησεν, ἀλλ' ἴη κατευθὺ Μυσῶν, καὶ συνέβαλον ὀλίγοι πρὸς πολλαπλασίους. μάχης δὲ καρτερωτάτης ἐφ' ἱκανὸν γεγενημένης, καὶ χειρὸς ἔργα καὶ τόλμης ἄξια πολλὰ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐπιδειξαμένων, τέλος ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν Μυσῶν ἐκβιαζόμενοι καὶ ἐν κινδύνῳ ἤδη καθεστῶτες, ὑπεχώρησαν ὀπίσω. βασιλεὺς