saying
that, if he had reserved his attack upon the Romans until he had
first subdued other parts of the world, there is not one of his
projects which would have eluded his grasp. As it was, he began with
those whom he should have attacked last, and accordingly began and
ended his career with them.[88]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 86: From Book IX of the "Histories." Translated by Evelyn S.
Shuckburgh.]

[Footnote 87: Capua lies seventeen miles north of Naples.]

III

THE DEFENSE OF SYRACUSE BY ARCHIMEDES[89]

(214-212 B.C.)

When Epicydes and Hippocrates had occupied Syracuse, and had alienated
the rest of the citizens with themselves from the friendship of Rome,
the Romans who had already been informed of the murder of Hieronymus,
tyrant of Syracuse, appointed Appius Claudius as Pro-praetor to command
a land force, while Marcus Claudius Marcellus[90] commanded the fleet.
These officers took up a position not far from Syracuse, and
determined to assault the town from the land at Hexapylus, and by sea
at what was called Stoa Scytice in Achradina, where the wall has its
foundation close down to the sea. Having prepared their wicker
pent-houses, and darts, and other siege material, they felt confident
that, with so many hands employed, they would in five days get their
works in such an advanced state as to give them the advantage over the
enemy. But in this they did not take into account the abilities of
Archimedes;[91] nor calculate on the truth that, in certain
circumstances, the genius of one man is more effective that any
numbers whatever. However they now learned it by experience. The city
was strong from the fact of its encircling wall lying along a chain of
hills with overhanging brows, the ascent of which was no easy task,
even with no one to hinder it, except at certain definite points.
Taking advantage of this, Archimedes had constructed such defenses
both in the town, and at the places where an attack might be made by
sea, that the garrison would have everything at hand which they might
require at any moment, and be ready to meet without delay whatever the
enemy might attempt against them.

The attack was begun by Appius bringing his pent-houses, and scaling
ladders, and attempting to fix the latter against that part of the
wall which abuts on Hexapylus toward the east. At the same time Marcus
Claudius Marcellus with sixty quinqueremes was making a descent upon
Achradina. Each of these vessels we