marcellus-第4章

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themselves　at　his　feet；　upon　occasion　of　the　following　calamity。　Of
those　that　survived　the　battle　at　Cannae；　some　had　escaped　by
flight；　and　some　were　taken　alive　by　the　enemy；　so　great　a
multitude；　that　it　was　thought　there　were　not　remaining　Romans
enough　to　defend　the　wall　of　the　city。　And　yet　the　magnanimity　and
constancy　of　the　city　was　such；　that　it　would　not　redeem　the
captives　from　Hannibal；　though　it　might　have　done　so　for　a　small
ransom；　a　decree　of　the　senate　forbade　it；　and　chose　rather　to　leave
them　to　be　killed　by　the　enemy；　or　sold　out　of　Italy；　and　commanded
that　all　who　had　saved　themselves　by　flight　should　be　transported　into
Sicily；　and　not　permitted　to　return　into　Italy；　until　the　war　with
Hannibal　should　be　ended。　These；　therefore；　when　Marcellus　was　arrived
in　Sicily；　addressed　themselves　to　him　in　great　numbers；　and　casting
themselves　at　his　feet；　with　much　lamentation　and　tears　humbly
besought　him　to　admit　them　to　honourable　service；　and　promised　to　make
it　appear　by　their　future　fidelity　and　exertions　that　that　defeat
had　been　received　rather　by　misfortune　than　by　cowardice。　Marcellus；
pitying　them；　petitioned　the　senate　by　letters；　that　he　might　have
leave　at　all　times　to　recruit　his　legions　out　of　them。　After　much
debate　about　the　thing；　the　senate　decreed　they　were　of　opinion　that
the　commonwealth　did　not　require　the　service　of　cowardly　soldiers；
if　Marcellus　perhaps　thought　otherwise；　he　might　make　use　of　them；
provided　no　one　of　them　be　honoured　on　any　occasion　with　a　crown　or
military　gift；　as　a　reward　of　his　virtue　or　courage。　This　decree　stung
Marcellus；　and　on　his　return　to　Rome；　after　the　Sicilian　war　was
ended；　he　upbraided　the　senate　that　they　had　denied　to　him；　who　had　so
highly　deserved　of　the　republic；　liberty　to　relieve　so　great　a
number　of　citizens　in　great　calamity。
　　At　this　time　Marcellus；　first　incensed　by　injuries　done　him　by
Hippocrates；　commander　of　the　Syracusans　（who；　to　give　proof　of　his
good　affection　to　the　Carthaginians；　and　to　acquire　the　tyranny　to
himself；　had　killed　a　number　of　Romans　at　Leontini）；　besieged　and　took
by　force　the　city　of　Leontini；　yet　violated　none　of　the　townsmen；　only
deserters；　as　many　as　he　took；　he　subjected　to　the　punishment　of　the
rods　and　axe。　But　Hippocrates；　sending　a　report　to　Syracuse；　that
Marcellus　had　put　all　the　adult　population　to　the　sword；　and　then
coming　upon　the　Syracusans；　who　had　risen　in　tumult　upon　that　false
report；　made　himself　master　of　the　city。　Upon　this　Marcellus　moved
with　his　whole　army　to　Syracuse；　and　encamping　near　the　wall；　sent
ambassadors　into　the　city　to　relate　to　the　Syracusans　the　truth　of
what　had　been　done　in　Leontini。　When　these　could　not　prevail　by
treaty；　the　whole　power　being　now　in　the　hands　of　Hippocrates；　he
proceeded　to　attack　the　city　both　by　land　and　by　sea。　The　land
forces　were　conducted　by　Appius：　Marcellus；　with　sixty　galleys；　each
with　five　rows　of　oars；　furnished　with　all　sorts　of　arms　and　missiles；
and　a　huge　bridge　of　planks　laid　upon　eight　ships　chained　together；
upon　which　was　carried　the　engine　to　cast　stones　and　darts；
assaulted　the　walls；　relying　on　the　abundance　and　magnificence　of
his　preparations；　and　on　his　own　previous　glory；　all　which；　however；
were；　it　would　seem；　but　trifles　for　Archimedes　and　his　machines。
　　These　machines　he　had　designed　and　contrived；　not　as　matters　of
any　importance；　but　as　mere　amusements　in　geometry；　in　compliance　with
King　Hiero's　desire　and　request；　some　little　time　before；　that　he
should　reduce　to　practice　some　part　of　his　admirable　speculation　in
science；　and　by　accommodating　the　theoretic　truth　to　sensation　and
ordinary　use；　bring　it　more　within　the　appreciation　of　the　people　in
general。　Eudoxus　and　Archytas　had　been　the　first　originators　of　this
far…famed　and　highly…prized　art　of　mechanics；　which　they　employed　as
an　elegant　illustration　of　geometrical　truths；　and　as　means　of
sustaining　experimentally；　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　senses；
conclusions　too　intricate　for　proof　by　words　and　diagrams。　As；　for
example；　to　solve　the　problem；　so　often　required　in　constructing
geometrical　figures；　given　the　two　extremes；　to　find　the　two　mean
lines　of　a　proportion；　both　these　mathematicians　had　recourse　to　the
aid　of　instruments；　adapting　to　their　purpose　certain　curves　and
sections　of　lines。　But　what　with　Plato's　indignation　at　it；　and　his
invectives　against　it　as　the　mere　corruption　and　annihilation　of　the
one　good　of　geometry；　which　was　thus　shamefully　turning　its　back
upon　the　unembodied　objects　of　pure　intelligence　to　recur　to
sensation；　and　to　ask　help　（not　to　be　obtained　without　base
supervisions　and　depravation）　from　matter；　so　it　was　that　mechanics
came　to　be　separated　from　geometry；　and；　repudiated　and　neglected　by
philosophers；　took　its　place　as　a　military　art。　Archimedes；　however；
in　writing　to　King　Hiero；　whose　friend　and　near　relation　he　was；　had
stated　that　given　the　force；　any　given　weight　might　be　moved；　and　even
boasted；　we　are　told；　relying　on　the　strength　of　demonstration；　that
if　there　were　another　earth；　by　going　into　it　he　could　remove　this。
Hiero　being　struck　with　amazement　at　this；　and　entreating　him　to
make　good　this　problem　by　actual　experiment；　and　show　some　great
weight　moved　by　a　small　engine；　he　fixed　accordingly　upon　a　ship　of
burden　out　of　the　king's　arsenal；　which　could　not　be　drawn　out　of
the　dock　without　great　labour　and　many　men；　and；　loading　her　with　many
passengers　and　a　full　freight；　sitting　himself　the　while　far　off；　with
no　great　endeavour；　but　only　holding　the　head　of　the　pulley　in　his
hand　and　drawing　the　cords　by　degrees；　he　drew　the　ship　in　a
straight　line；　as　smoothly　and　evenly　as　if　she　had　been　in　the　sea。
The　king；　astonished　at　this；　and　convinced　of　the　power　of　the　art；
prevailed　upon　Archimedes　to　make　him　engines　accommodated　to　all
the　purposes；　offensive　and　defensive；　of　a　siege。　These　the　king
himself　never　made　use　of；　because　he　spent　almost　all　his　life　in　a
profound　quiet　and　the　highest　affluence。　But　the　apparatus　was；　in
most　opportune　time；　ready　at　hand　for　the　Syracusans；　and　with　it
also　the　engineer　himself。
　　When；　therefore；　the　Romans　assaulted　the　walls　in　two　places　at
once；　fear　and　consternation　stupefied　the　Syracusans；　believing
that　nothing　was　able　to　resist　that　violence　and　those　forces。　But
when　Archimedes　began　to　ply　his　engines；　he　at　once　shot　against
the　land　forces　all　sorts　of　missile　weapons；　and　immense　masses　of
stone　that　came　down　with　incredible　noise　and　violence；　against　which
no　man　could　stand；　for　they　knocked　down　those　upon　whom　they　fell　in
heaps；　breaking　all　their　ranks　and　files。　In　the　meantime　huge
poles　thrust　out　from　the　walls　over　the　ships　sunk　some　by　the
great　weights　which　they　let　down　from　on　high　upon　them；　others
they　lifted　up　into　the　air　by　an　iron　hand　or　beak　like　a　crane's
beak　and；　when　they　had　drawn　them　up　by　the　prow；　and　set　them　on　end
upon　the　poop；　they　plunged　them　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　or　else　the
ships；　drawn　by　engines　within；　and　whirled　about；　were　dashed　against
steep　rocks　that　stood　jutting　out　under　the　walls；　with　great
destruction　of　the　soldiers　that　were　aboard　them。　A　ship　was
frequently　lifted　up　to　a　great　height　in　the　air　（a　dreadful　thing　to
behold）；　and　was　rolled　to　and　fro；　and　kept　swinging；　until　the
mariners　were　all　thrown　out；　when　at　length　it　was　dashed　against　the
rocks；　or　let　fall。　At　the　engine　that　Marcellus　brought　upon　the
bridge　of　ships；　which　was　called　Sambuca；　from　some　resemblance　it
had　to　an　instrument　of　music；　while　it　was　as　yet　approaching　the
wall；　there　was　discharged　a　piece　of　rock　of　ten　talents　weight；　then
a　second　and　a　third；　which；　striking　upon　it　with　immense　force　and　a
noise　like　thunder；　broke　all　its　foundation　to　pieces；　shook　out
all　its　fastenings；　and　completely　dislodged　it　from　the　bridge。　So
Marcellus；　doubtful　what　counsel　to　pursue；　drew　off　his　ships　to　a
safer　distance；　and　sounded　a　retreat　to　his　forces　on　land。　They　then
took　a　resolution　of　coming　up　under　the　walls；　if　it　were　possible；
in　the　night；　thinking　that　as　Archimedes　used