1He clashed with Antigonus among the Paraetaci, not in drawn-up battle line but on the march, and having handled him roughly forced him to return to Media to winter. 1He himself distributed his forces for the winter in the neighbouring region of Persis, not as he wished but as the soldiers' will compelled. 2For that phalanx of Alexander the Great, which had traversed Asia and conquered the Persians, hardened in long-standing glory and also in licence, demanded not to obey its leaders but to command them, as our veterans do now. 2And so there is a danger that they may do what those men did, and through their lack of restraint and excessive licence ruin everything, those on whose side they have fought no less than those against whom they have stood.
3And if anyone reads the deeds of those veterans, he would recognise the deeds of ours as like them, and judge that nothing separates them but time. 3But I shall return to those men. 3They had taken up winter quarters not for the needs of war but for their own luxury, and had dispersed far apart from one another. 4When Antigonus had found this out, and understood that he was no match for his opponents if they were prepared, he decided that he must adopt some new plan. 4There were two roads by which one could get from Media, where he was wintering, to his opponents' winter quarters. 5The shorter of them went through desert country which no one inhabited for lack of water, but was only about ten days' journey; 5the other, however, which everyone used, involved a detour twice as long, but was well supplied and abounding in everything.
6If he went by this one, he understood that his opponents would learn of his approach before he had completed a third of the journey; 6but if he hurried through the empty country, he hoped that he would overwhelm the enemy off their guard. 7To accomplish this he ordered as many water-skins and also leather sacks as possible to be gathered, after these fodder, and in addition cooked rations for ten days, so that as little fire as possible should be made in the camp. 7He conceals from everyone which way he is going. 7Thus prepared, he sets out by the route he had decided on.