Book 19
7.5
However, because the enemy’s ballistae, mounted as they were upon iron-clad towers, were effective from their higher place against those lower down, on account of their different position they had a different result and caused terrible carnage on our side; and when evening was already coming on and both sides rested, the greater part of the night was spent in trying to devise a remedy for this awful slaughter.
7.6
And at last, after turning over many plans, we resolved upon a plan which speedy action made the safer, namely, to oppose four scorpionsThe scorpion was an engine for hurling stones, also called onager, wild ass. It is described in xxiii. 4, 4 ff. to those same ballistae; but while they were being moved exactly opposite and cautiously put in place (an act calling for the greatest skill) the most sorrowful of days dawned upon us, showing as it did formidable bands of Persians along with troops of elephants, than whose noise and huge bodies the human mind can conceive nothing more terrible.
