[1] Lit. “had they wound off thread by thread”; the metaphor is from
    unwinding a ball of wool.

These words were spoken as he rode past, and simultaneously he began leading on the troops in battle line; and, placing the peltasts on either flank of the main body, they moved against the enemy.  Along the line the order had sped “to keep their spears at rest on the right shoulder until the bugle signal; then lower them for the charge, slow march, and even pace, no one to quicken into a run.”  Lastly, the watchword was passed, “Zeus the Saviour, Heracles our Guide.”  The enemy waited their approach, confident in the excellence of his position; but as they drew closer the Hellene light troops, with a loud alala! without waiting for the order, dashed against the foe.  The latter, on their side, came forward eagerly to meet the charge, both the cavalry and the mass of the Bithynians; and these turned the peltasts.  But when with counter-wave the phalanx of the heavy infantry rapidly advancing, faced them, and at the same time the bugle sounded, and the battle hymn rose from all lips, and after this a loud cheer rose, and at the same instant they couched their spears;—­at this conjuncture the enemy no longer welcomed them, but fled.  Timasion with his cavalry followed close, and, considering their scant numbers, they did great execution.  It was the left wing of the enemy, in a line with which the Hellene cavalry were posted, that was so speedily scattered.  But the right, which was not so hotly pursued, collected upon a knoll; 28 and when the Hellenes saw them standing firm, it seemed the easiest and least dangerous course to go against them at once.  Raising the battle hymn, they straightway fell upon them, but the others did not await their coming.  Thereupon the peltasts gave chase until the right of the enemy was in its turn scattered, though with slight loss in killed; for the enemy’s cavalry was numerous and threatening.

But when the Hellenes saw the cavalry of Pharnabazus still standing in compact order, and the Bithynian horsemen massing together as if to join it, and like spectators gazing down from a knoll at the occurrences below; though weary, they determined to attack the enemy as best they could, and not suffer him to recover breath with reviving courage.  So they formed in compact line and advanced.  Thereupon the hostile cavalry turned and fled down the steep as swiftly as if they had been pursued by cavalry.  In fact they sought the shelter of a gully, the existence of which was unknown to the Hellenes.  The latter accordingly turned aside too soon and gave up the chase, for it was too late.  Returning to the point where the first encounter took place they erected a trophy, and went back to the sea about sunset.  It was something like seven miles to camp.

VI