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.
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