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 hinder his entrance into the country, Datames aimed to take control of the wooded gorge where the Cilician Gates are situated; however, he was unable to gather his troops swiftly enough. Frustrated by this setback, he and the fighters he had procured positioned themselves where they could avoid being encircled by the enemy, selecting a spot where their adversaries could not proceed without facing unfavorable conditions. Even if his opponent chose to engage in a battle there, the vast size of their army would not provide them with much benefit over Datames' smaller group.