XVI.  Here then Nasica halted.  Perseus in the morning saw Aemilius’s army quiet in its place, and would have had no idea of what was going on had not a Cretan deserter come and told him of the flank march of the Romans.  Then he became alarmed, but still did not disturb his camp, but, placing ten thousand foreign mercenaries and two thousand Macedonians under the command of Milo, ordered him to march swiftly and occupy the passes.  Now Polybius says that the Romans fell upon these men when they were in their beds, but Nasica tells us that a sharp and dangerous conflict took place upon the heights.  He himself was assailed by a Thracian, but struck him through the breast with his spear.  However, the enemy were forced back; Milo most shamefully fled in his shirt, without his arms, and Scipio was able to follow, and at the same time lead his forces on to level ground.  Perseus, terrified and despairing when he saw them, at once broke up his camp and retreated.  But still he was obliged either to give battle before Pydna, or else to disperse his army among the various cities of the kingdom, and so to await the Romans, who, being once entered into his country, could not be driven out without much slaughter and bloodshed.  It was urged by his friends that he had a great numerical superiority, and that the troops would fight desperately in defence of their wives and families, especially if their king took the command and shared their danger.  He pitched his camp and prepared for battle, viewed the ground, and arranged the commands, intending to set upon the Romans as soon as they appeared.  Now the position both possessed a flat plain for the manoeuvres of the phalanx, which requires level ground, and also hills rising one above another offered refuges and means for outflanking the enemy to his light troops.  Also two rivers, the Aeson and Leukus, which ran across as it, though not very deep at that season (late autumn), were expected to give some trouble to the Romans.

XVII.  Aemilius, on effecting a junction with Nasica, marched in battle array against the enemy.  When, however, he saw their position and their numbers, he halted in surprise, considering within himself what he should do.  His young officers, eager for battle, rode up to him and begged him not to delay.  Conspicuous among these was Nasica, excited by his successful flank march round Olympus.  Aemilius smiled at them and answered, “I would do so if I were of your age, but many victories have shown me the mistakes of the vanquished, and prevent my attacking a body of men drawn up in a chosen position with troops on the march and undeployed.”  He gave orders that those troops who were in front should gather together and appear to be forming in battle array, while those who were behind pitched their palisades and fortified a camp.  Then by wheeling off men by degrees from the front line, he gradually broke up his line of battle, and quietly drew all his forces within the ramparts of his camp.  When night fell,