Passage 4.25.7
οἱ δὲ Μεσσήνιοι συνεστραμμένοι μετʼ ἀλλήλων, ὁπότε ἀθρόοι τοῖς Ἀκαρνᾶσιν ἐμπέσοιεν, ἐτάρασσον μὲν τοὺς κατὰ ταὐτὸ ἑστηκότας καὶ ἐφόνευόν τε αὐτῶν καὶ ἐτίτρωσκον πολλούς, τελέαν δὲ οὐκ ἐδύναντο ἐργάσασθαι φυγήν· ὅπου γὰρ τῆς τάξεως αἴσθοιντό τι οἱ Ἀκαρνᾶνες τῆς αὑτῶν ὑπὸ τῶν Μεσσηνίων διασπώμενον, κατὰ τοῦτο ἀμύνοντες τοῖς βιαζομένοις αὑτῶν ἀνεῖργον τοὺς Μεσσηνίους ἐπικρατοῦντες τῷ πλήθει.
But the Messenians, gathered close together, whenever they fell upon the Acarnanians in a massed charge, threw into confusion those standing opposite them, slaying and wounding many. Yet they could not bring about a complete rout; for whenever the Acarnanians perceived that their formation at some point had been broken by the Messenians, they immediately rallied and, coming to the aid of those under attack, checked the Messenians, prevailing by their superior numbers.