Zeuxis' advice was approved, and dividing the army into three parts they speedily crossed the river with their baggage at three different places,
and marching on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Dura&groupId=547&placeId=1026">Dura</a>, which city was then besieged by one of Molon\'s generals,
forced the enemy at their first assault to raise the siege. Advancing hence and marching continuously for eight days they crossed the mountain called Oreicum and arrived at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a>.
Meanwhile Molon had heard of the king\'s arrival, and mistrusting the population of Susiana and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Babylonia&groupId=388&placeId=728">Babylonia</a>, as his conquest of these provinces was so recent and sudden, fearing also that his return to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Media&groupId=742&placeId=1354">Media</a> might be cut off, he decided to bridge the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tigris&groupId=255&placeId=510">Tigris</a> and cross it with his army,
being anxious if possible to gain the hilly part of the territory of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a>, as he relied on the numbers of his force of slingers known as Cyrtii.
Having crossed the river he advanced marching rapidly and uninterruptedly.
He was approaching the district in question at the very time that king had left <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Apollonia&groupId=1066&placeId=1873">Apollonia</a> with the whole of his army, and the light infantry of both, which had been sent on in advance, came into contact in crossing a certain range of hills.
At first they engaged in a skirmish with each other, but on the main bodies coming up they separated. The armies now withdrew to their separate camps, which were distant from each other about forty stades,
but when evening set in Molon, reflecting that a direct attack by day on their king by the rebels would be hazardous and difficult, determined to attack Antiochus by night.
Choosing the most competent and vigorous men in his whole army, he took them round in a certain direction, with the design of falling on the enemy from higher ground.
But learning on his march that ten soldiers in a body had deserted to Antiochus,
he abandoned this plan and retiring hastily appeared about daybreak at his own camp, where his arrival threw the whole army into confusion and panic;
for the men there, started out of their sleep by the advancing force, were very nearly rushing out of the camp.
Molon, however, quieted the panic as far as he could,
Walbank Commentary