Hic ne intrare posset, saltum in quo Ciliciae portae sunt sitae Datames praeoccupare studuit. Sed tam subito copias contrahere non potuit. A qua re depulsus cum ea manu, quam contraxerat, locum deligit talem, ut neque circumiretur ab hostibus neque praeteriret adversarius quin ancipitibus locis premeretur, et, si dimicare eo vellet, non multum obesse multitudo hostium suae paucitati posset.
To prevent him from entering the country, Datames wished to occupy the wooded gorge in which the Cilician Gates are situated; but he could not muster his forces with sufficient speed. Thwarted in that, with the band which he had assembled he chose a position where he could not be surrounded by the enemy, one which his opponent could not pass without being caught in an unfavourable situation; and if the latter decided to fight there, the enemys great numbers would not have much advantage over his own small force.
final_alignments\Cornelius_Nepos_Datames.json