τῶν ἀρχαίων ἀφίστασθαι

From LSJ

εἰ ἀποκρυπτόντων τῶν Μήδων τὸν ἥλιον ὑπὸ σκιῇ ἔσοιτο πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἡ μάχη καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἡλίῳ → if the Medes hid the sun, the battle would be to them in the shade and not in the sun

Source

Greek > English (Woodhouse)

lose one's principal