<w lemma="%2Aoi%28">Οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fappion">Ἄππιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="paraplhsi%2Fous">παραπλησίους</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeso%2Fntes">ἐμπεσόντες</w> <w lemma="dusxerei%2Fas">δυσχερείας</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsthsan">ἀπέστησαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%3Ds">ἐπιβολῆς</w>.
<w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntes">ὄντες</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29posth%2Fmati">ἀποστήματι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="petrobo%2Flois">πετροβόλοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="katape%2Fltais">καταπέλταις</w> <w lemma="tupto%2Fmenoi">τυπτόμενοι</w> <w lemma="diefqei%2Fronto">διεφθείροντο</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsion">θαυμάσιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="belw%3Dn">βελῶν</w> <w lemma="kataskeuh%5Cn">κατασκευὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29ne%2Frgeian">ἐνέργειαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28ie%2Frwnos">Ἱέρωνος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="xorhgou%3D">χορηγοῦ</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftos">γεγονότος</w>, <w lemma="a%29rxite%2Fktonos">ἀρχιτέκτονος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dhmiourgou%3D">δημιουργοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29pinohma%2Ftwn">ἐπινοημάτων</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arximh%2Fdous">Ἀρχιμήδους</w>.
<w lemma="suneggi%2Fzonte%2Fs">συνεγγίζοντές</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tei%2Fxous">τείχους</w> <w lemma="toco%2Ftisin">τοξότισιν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pa%2Fnw">ἐπάνω</w> <w lemma="proei%3Dpon">προεῖπον</w>, <w lemma="kakou%2Fmenoi">κακούμενοι</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Frgonto">εἴργοντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="proso%2Fdou:">προσόδου·</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ge%2Frrwn">γέρρων</w> <w lemma="biazo%2Fmenoi">βιαζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="korufh%5Cn">κορυφὴν</w> <w lemma="li%2Fqwn">λίθων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dokw%3Dn">δοκῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29mbolai%3Ds">ἐμβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="diefqei%2Fronto">διεφθείροντο</w>.
<w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="o%29li%2Fga">ὀλίγα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="xersi%5C">χερσὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="mhxanw%3Dn">μηχανῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kakopoi%2Foun">ἐκακοποίουν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fteron">πρότερον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dpa:">εἶπα·</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplois">ὅπλοις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fndras">ἄνδρας</w> <w lemma="e%29cairou%3Dntes">ἐξαιροῦντες</w> <w lemma="e%29rri%2Fptoun">ἐρρίπτουν</w>.
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pe%2Fras">πέρας</w>, <w lemma="a%29naxwrh%2Fsantes">ἀναχωρήσαντες</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parembolh%5Cn">παρεμβολὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunedreu%2Fsantes">συνεδρεύσαντες</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xilia%2Frxwn">χιλιάρχων</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fappion">Ἄππιον</w>, <w lemma="o%28moqumado%5Cn">ὁμοθυμαδὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29bouleu%2Fsanto">ἐβουλεύσαντο</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdos">ἐλπίδος</w> <w lemma="pei%3Dran">πεῖραν</w> <w lemma="lamba%2Fnein">λαμβάνειν</w> <w lemma="plh%5Cn">πλὴν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fas">πολιορκίας</w> <w lemma="e%28lei%3Dn">ἑλεῖν</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakou%2Fsas">Συρακούσας</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="e%29poi%2Fhsan:">ἐποίησαν·</w>
<w lemma="o%29ktw%5C">ὀκτὼ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dnas">μῆνας</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flei">πόλει</w> <w lemma="proskaqezo%2Fmenoi">προσκαθεζόμενοι</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> <w lemma="strathghma%2Ftwn">στρατηγημάτων</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="tolmhma%2Ftwn">τολμημάτων</w> <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fsthsan">ἀπέστησαν</w>, <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="poliorkei%3Dn">πολιορκεῖν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpote">οὐδέποτε</w> <w lemma="pei%3Dran">πεῖραν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="e%29qa%2Frrhsan">ἐθάρρησαν</w>.
<w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="ei%28%3Ds">εἷς</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%5Cr">ἀνὴρ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fa">μία</w> <w lemma="yuxh%5C">ψυχὴ</w> <w lemma="deo%2Fntws">δεόντως</w> <w lemma="h%28rmosme%2Fnh">ἡρμοσμένη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fnia">ἔνια</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="me%2Fga">μέγα</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="xrh%3Dma">χρῆμα</w> <w lemma="fai%2Fnetai">φαίνεται</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsion">θαυμάσιον</w>.
<w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnoi">ἐκεῖνοι</w> <w lemma="gou%3Dn">γοῦν</w> <w lemma="thlikau%2Ftas">τηλικαύτας</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmeis">δυνάμεις</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxontes">ἔχοντες</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29fe%2Floi">ἀφέλοι</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="presbu%2Fthn">πρεσβύτην</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fna">ἕνα</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakosi%2Fwn">Συρακοσίων</w>, <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w> <w lemma="kurieu%2Fsein">κυριεύσειν</w> <w lemma="h%29%2Flpizon">ἤλπιζον</w>,
<w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sumparo%2Fntos">συμπαρόντος</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29qa%2Frroun">ἐθάρρουν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pibale%2Fsqai">ἐπιβαλέσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon">τρόπον</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="a%29mu%2Fnasqai">ἀμύνασθαι</w> <w lemma="dunato%5Cs">δυνατὸς</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29arximh%2Fdhs">Ἀρχιμήδης</w>.
<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fsantes">νομίσαντες</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flist%27">μάλιστ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fwn">ἀναγκαίων</w> <w lemma="e%29ndei%2Fas">ἐνδείας</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fndon">ἔνδον</w> <w lemma="u%28poxeiri%2Fous">ὑποχειρίους</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="a%29ntei%2Fxonto">ἀντείχοντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29lpi%2Fdos:">ἐλπίδος·</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="nausi%5C">ναυσὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Flattan">θάλατταν</w> <w lemma="e%29pikouri%2Fas">ἐπικουρίας</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kw%2Fluon">ἐκώλυον</w>, <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pezw%3D%7C">πεζῷ</w> <w lemma="strateu%2Fmati">στρατεύματι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="gh%3Dn">γῆν</w>. <w lemma="boulo%2Fmenoi">βουλόμενοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="poiei%3Dn">ποιεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fprakton">ἄπρακτον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w>,
<w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="prosedreu%2Fousi">προσεδρεύουσι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="%2Asurakou%2Fsais">Συρακούσαις</w>, <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29kto%5Cs">ἐκτὸς</w> <w lemma="xrhsi%2Fmwn">χρησίμων</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fzesqai">κατασκευάζεσθαι</w>, <w lemma="diei%3Dlon">διεῖλον</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="strathgoi%5C">στρατηγοὶ</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w>,
<w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29%2Fappion">Ἄππιον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fxonta">ἔχοντα</w> <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="proskaqh%3Dsqai">προσκαθῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flei">πόλει</w>, <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fton">τρίτον</w> <w lemma="a%29nalabo%2Fnta">ἀναλαβόντα</w> <w lemma="%2Ama%2Frkon">Μάρκον</w> <w lemma="e%29piporeu%2Fesqai">ἐπιπορεύεσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="ai%28roume%2Fnous">αἱρουμένους</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w>. [<foreign lang="la">3, 1 — 6, 4</foreign><w lemma="qala%2Ftths">θαλάττης</w> <w lemma="e%29gi%2Fneto">ἐγίνετο</w> <foreign lang="la">et 7, 6</foreign><w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllwn">ἄλλων</w> — <w lemma="e%29qa%2Frrhsan">ἐθάρρησαν</w> <foreign lang="la">cod. Wescheri Poliorcétique des Grecs. Paris. 1867 p. 321 et eiusdem fragments inédits de Polybe, Paris 1869 p. 9; 3, 2</foreign><w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Askutikh%5Cn">Σκυτικὴν</w> — <foreign lang="la">7, 9</foreign><w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29qa%2Frroun">ἐθάρρουν</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pibale%2Fsqai">ἐπιβαλέσθαι</w> <foreign lang="la">Hero de repell. obsid. p. 326 Thevenot; 4, 1 — 7, 12</foreign><w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Asikeli%2Fan">Σικελίαν</w> <foreign lang="la">cod. Urb. fol. 104 exc. ant. p. 197.</foreign>]
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<head>Archimedes</head>With such contrivances and preparations were the<pb n="532" />Romans intending to assault the towers.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note14">The engines invented by Archimedes. Cf.<bibl n="Plut. Marc. 15" default="NO" valid="yes">Plut.<title>Marcellus,</title>15</bibl>.</note>But Archimedes had constructed catapults to suit every range; and as the ships sailing up were still at a considerable distance, he so wounded the enemy with stones and darts, from the tighter wound and longer engines, as to harass and perplex them to the last degree; and when these began to carry over their heads, he used smaller engines graduated according to the range required from time to time, and by this means caused so much confusion among them as to altogether check their advance and attack; and finally Marcellus was reduced in despair to bringing up his ships under cover of night. But when they had come close to land, and so too near to be hit by the catapults, they found that Archimedes had prepared another contrivance against the soldiers who fought from the decks. He had pierced the wall as high as a man's stature with numerous loop-holes, which, on the outside, were about as big as the palm of the hand. Inside the wall he stationed archers and cross-bows, or scorpions,<note anchored="yes" place="unspecified" id="note15"><foreign lang="greek">σκορπίδια,</foreign>mentioned among a number of similar engines in 1 Macc. 6, 51. Plutarch calls them<foreign lang="greek">σκορπίοι,</foreign>and explains that they only carried a short distance, but, being concealed, gave wounds at close quarters; hence, doubtless, their name.</note>and by the volleys discharged through these he made the marines useless. By these means he not only baffled the enemy, whether at a distance or close at hand, but also killed the greater number of them. As often, too, as they tried to work their Sambucae, he had engines ready all along the walls, not visible at other times, but which suddenly reared themselves above the wall from inside, when the moment for their use had come, and stretched their beams far over the battlements, some of them carrying stones weighing as much as ten talents, and others great masses of lead. So whenever the Sambucae were approaching, these beams swung round on their pivot the required distance, and by means of a rope running through a pulley dropped the stone upon the Sambucae, with the result that it not only smashed the machine itself to pieces, but put the ship also and all on board into the most serious danger.<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note16">570 lbs. av.</note><pb n="533" />
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Walbank Commentary