138-78 B.C. page 12
In the meanwhile, the Chaeroneans, who had Ericius for commander
by appointment of Sylla, covertly making their way around Thurium, and
then discovering themselves, occasioned a great confusion and rout
among the barbarians, and slaughter, for the most part, by their own
hands. For they kept not their place, but making down the steep
descent, ran themselves on their own spears, and violently sent each
other over the cliffs the enemy from above pressing on and wounding
them where they exposed their bodies; insomuch that there fell three
thousand about Thurium. Some of those who escaped, being met by Murena
as he stood in array, were cut off and destroyed. Others breaking
through to their friends and falling pell-mell into the ranks,
filled most part of the army with fear and tumult, and caused a
hesitation and delay among the generals, which was no small
disadvantage.
For immediately upon the discomposure, Sylla coming full
speed to the charge, and quickly crossing the interval between the
armies, lost them the service of their armed chariots, which require a
considerable space of ground to gather strength and impetuosity in
their career, a short course being weak and ineffectual, like that
of missiles without a full swing.
Thus it fared with the barbarians at
present, whose first chariots came feebly on and made but a faint
impression; the Romans, repulsing them with shouts and laughter,
called out, as they do at the races in the circus, for more to come.
By this time the mass of both armies met; the barbarians on one side
fixed their long pikes, and with their shields locked close
together, strove so far as in them lay to preserve their line of
battle entire. The Romans, on the other side, having discharged
their javelins, rushed on with their drawn swords, and struggled to
put by the pikes to get at them the sooner, in the fury that possessed
them at seeing in the front of the enemy fifteen thousand slaves, whom
the royal commanders had set free by proclamation, and ranged
amongst the men of arms.
And a Roman centurion is reported to have
said at this sight, that he never knew servants allowed to play the
masters, unless at the Saturnalia. These men, by their deep and
solid array, as well as by their daring courage, yielded but slowly to
the legions, till at last by slinging engines, and darts, which the
Romans poured in upon them behind, they were forced to give way and
scatter.
As Archelaus was extending the right wing to encompass the enemy,
Hortensius with his cohorts came down in force, with intention to
charge him in the flank. But Archelaus wheeling about suddenly with
two thousand horse, Hortensius, out-numbered and hard pressed, fell
back towards the higher grounds, and found himself gradually getting
separated from the main body and likely to be surrounded by the enemy.
When Sylla heard this, he came rapidly up to his succour from the
right wing, which as yet had not engaged. But Archelaus, guessing
the matter by the dust of his troops, turned to the right wing, from
whence Sylla came, in hopes to surprise it without a commander. At the
same instant, likewise, Taxiles, with his Brazen Shields, assailed
Murena, so that a cry coming from both places, and the hills repeating
it around, Sylla stood in suspense which way to move.
Deciding to
resume his own station he sent in aid to Murena four cohorts under
Hortensius, and commanding the fifth to follow him, returned hastily
to the right wing, which of itself held its ground on equal terms
against Archelaus; and, at his appearance, with one bold effort forced
them back, and, obtaining the mastery, followed them, flying in
disorder to the river and Mount Acontium.