marcellus-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


took　a　resolution　of　coming　up　under　the　walls；　if　it　were　possible；
in　the　night；　thinking　that　as　Archimedes　used　ropes　stretched　at
length　in　playing　his　engines；　the　soldiers　would　now　be　under　the
shot；　and　the　darts　would；　for　want　of　sufficient　distance　to　throw
them；　fly　over　their　heads　without　effect。　But　he；　it　appeared；　had
long　before　framed　for　such　occasions　engines　accommodated　to　any
distance；　and　shorter　weapons；　and　had　made　numerous　small　openings　in
the　walls；　through　which；　with　engines　of　a　shorter　range；
unexpected　blows　were　inflicted　on　the　assailants。　Thus；　when　they　who
thought　to　deceive　the　defenders　came　close　up　to　the　walls；　instantly
a　shower　of　darts　and　other　missile　weapons　was　again　cast　upon
them。　And　when　stones　came　tumbling　down　perpendicularly　upon　their
heads；　and；　as　it　were；　the　whole　wall　shot　out　arrows　at　them；　they
retired。　And　now；　again；　as　they　were　going　off；　arrows　and　darts　of　a
longer　range　inflicted　a　great　slaughter　among　them；　and　their　ships
were　driven　one　against　another；　while　they　themselves　were　not　able
to　retaliate　in　any　way。　For　Archimedes　had　provided　and　fixed　most　of
his　engines　immediately　under　the　wall；　whence　the　Romans；　seeing　that
indefinite　mischief　overwhelmed　them　from　no　visible　means；　began　to
think　they　were　fighting　with　the　gods。
　　Yet　Marcellus　escaped　unhurt；　and　deriding　his　own　artificers　and
engineers；　〃What；〃　said　he；　〃must　we　give　up　fighting　with　this
geometrical　Briareus；　who　plays　pitch…and…toss　with　our　ships；　and；
with　the　multitude　of　darts　which　he　showers　at　a　single　moment　upon
us；　really　outdoes　the　hundred…handed　giants　of　mythology？〃　And；
doubtless；　the　rest　of　the　Syracusans　were　but　the　body　of
Archimedes's　designs；　one　soul　moving　and　governing　all；　for；　laying
aside　all　other　arms；　with　this　alone　they　infested　the　Romans　and
protected　themselves。　In　fine；　when　such　terror　had　seized　upon　the
Romans；　that；　if　they　did　but　see　a　little　rope　or　a　piece　of　wood
from　the　wall；　instantly　crying　out；　that　there　it　was　again；
Archimedes　was　about　to　let　fly　some　engine　at　them；　they　turned　their
backs　and　fled；　Marcellus　desisted　from　conflicts　and　assaults；
putting　all　his　hope　in　a　long　siege。　Yet　Archimedes　possessed　so　high
a　spirit；　so　profound　a　soul；　and　such　treasures　of　scientific
knowledge；　that　though　these　inventions　had　now　obtained　him　the
renown　of　more　than　human　sagacity；　he　yet　would　not　deign　to　leave
behind　him　any　commentary　or　writing　on　such　subjects；　but；
repudiating　as　sordid　and　ignoble　the　whole　trade　of　engineering；
and　every　sort　of　art　that　lends　itself　to　mere　use　and　profit；　he
placed　his　whole　affection　and　ambition　in　those　purer　speculations
where　there　can　be　no　reference　to　the　vulgar　needs　of　life；
studies；　the　superiority　of　which　to　all　others　is　unquestioned；　and
in　which　the　only　doubt　can　be　whether　the　beauty　and　grandeur　of
the　subjects　examined；　of　the　precision　and　cogency　of　the　methods　and
means　of　proof；　most　deserve　our　admiration。　It　is　not　possible　to
find　in　all　geometry　more　difficult　and　intricate　questions；　or　more
simple　and　lucid　explanations。　Some　ascribe　this　to　his　natural
genius；　while　others　think　that　incredible　effort　and　toil　produced
these；　to　all　appearances；　easy　and　unlaboured　results。　No　amount　of
investigation　of　yours　would　succeed　in　attaining　the　proof；　and
yet；　once　seen；　you　immediately　believe　you　would　have　discovered
it；　by　so　smooth　and　so　rapid　a　path　he　leads　you　to　the　conclusion
required。　And　thus　it　ceases　to　be　incredible　that　（as　is　commonly
told　of　him）　the　charm　of　his　familiar　and　domestic　Siren　made　him
forget　his　food　and　neglect　his　person；　to　that　degree　that　when　he
was　occasionally　carried　by　absolute　violence　to　bathe　or　have　his
body　anointed；　he　used　to　trace　geometrical　figures　in　the　ashes　of
the　fire；　and　diagrams　in　the　oil　on　his　body；　being　in　a　state　of
entire　preoccupation；　and；　in　the　truest　sense；　divine　possession　with
his　love　and　delight　in　science。　His　discoveries　were　numerous　and
admirable；　but　he　is　said　to　have　requested　his　friends　and
relations　that；　when　he　was　dead；　they　would　place　over　his　tomb　a
sphere　containing　a　cylinder；　inscribing　it　with　the　ratio　which　the
containing　solid　bears　to　the　contained。
　　Such　was　Archimedes；　who　now　showed　himself；　and　so　far　as　lay　in
him　the　city　also；　invincible。　While　the　siege　continued；　Marcellus
took　Megara；　one　of　the　earliest　founded　of　the　Greek　cities　in
Sicily；　and　capturing　also　the　camp　of　Hippocrates　at　Acilae；　killed
above　eight　thousand　men；　having　attacked　them　whilst　they　were
engaged　in　forming　their　fortifications。　He　overran　a　great　part　of
Sicily；　gained　over　many　towns　from　the　Carthaginians；　and　overcame
all　that　dared　to　encounter　him。　As　the　siege　went　on；　one　Damippus；　a
Lacedaemonian；　putting　to　sea　in　a　ship　from　Syracuse；　was　taken。　When
the　Syracusans　much　desired　to　redeem　this　man；　and　there　were　many
meetings　and　treaties　about　the　matter　betwixt　them　and　Marcellus；
he　had　opportunity　to　notice　a　tower　into　which　a　body　of　men　might　be
secretly　introduced；　as　the　wall　near　to　it　was　not　difficult　to
surmount；　and　it　was　itself　carelessly　guarded。　Coming　often
thither；　and　entertaining　conferences　about　the　release　of　Damippus；
he　had　pretty　well　calculated　the　height　of　the　tower；　and　got　ladders
prepared。　The　Syracusans　celebrated　a　feast　to　Diana；　this　juncture　of
time；　when　they　were　given　up　entirely　to　wine　and　sport；　Marcellus
laid　hold　of；　and　before　the　citizens　perceived　it；　not　only　possessed
himself　of　the　tower；　but；　before　the　break　of　day；　filled　the　wall
around　with　soldiers；　and　made　his　way　into　the　Hexapylum。　The
Syracusans　now　beginning　to　stir；　and　to　be　alarmed　at　the　tumult；
he　ordered　the　trumpets　everywhere　to　sound；　and　thus　frightened
them　all　into　flight；　as　if　all　parts　of　the　city　were　already　won；
though　the　most　fortified；　and　the　fairest；　and　most　ample　quarter　was
still　ungained。　It　is　called　Acradina；　and　was　divided　by　a　wall
from　the　outer　city；　one　part　of　which　they　call　Neapolis；　the　other
Tycha。　Possessing　himself　of　these；　Marcellus；　about　break　of　day；
entered　through　the　Hexapylum；　all　his　officers　congratulating　him。
But　looking　down　from　the　higher　places　upon　the　beautiful　and
spacious　city　below；　he　is　said　to　have　wept　much；　commiserating　the
calamity　that　hung　over　it；　when　his　thoughts　represented　to　him　how
dismal　and　foul　the　face　of　the　city　would　be　in　a　few　hours；　when
plundered　and　sacked　by　the　soldiers。　For　among　the　officers　of　his
army　there　was　not　one　man　that　durst　deny　the　plunder　of　the　city
to　the　soldiers'　demands；　nay；　many　were　instant　that　it　should　be　set
on　fire　and　laid　level　to　the　ground：　but　this　Marcellus　would　not
listen　to。　Yet　he　granted；　but　with　great　unwillingness　and
reluctance；　that　the　money　and　slaves　should　be　made　prey；　giving
orders；　at　the　same　time；　that　none　should　violate　any　free　person；
nor　kill；　misuse；　or　make　a　slave　of　any　of　the　Syracusans。　Though
he　had　used　this　moderation；　he　still　esteemed　the　condition　of　that
city　to　be　pitiable；　and；　even　amidst　the　congratulations　and　joy；
showed　his　strong　feelings　of　sympathy　and　commiseration　at　seeing　all
the　riches　accumulated　during　a　long　felicity　now　dissipated　in　an
hour。　For　it　is　related　that　no　less　prey　and　plunder　was　taken　here
than　afterward　in　Carthage。　For　not　long　after　they　obtained　also
the　plunder　of　the　other　parts　of　the　city；　which　were　taken　by
treachery；　leaving　nothing　untouched　but　the　king's　money；　which　was
brought　into　the　public　treasury。　But　nothing　afflicted　Marcellus　so
much　as　the　death　of　Archimedes；　who　was　then；　as　fate　would　have
it；　intent　upon　working　out　some　problem　by　a　diagram；　and　having
fixed　his　mind　alike　and　his　eyes　upon　the　subject　of　his　speculation；
he　never　noticed　the　incursion　of　the　Romans；　nor　that　the　city　was
taken。　In　this　transport　of　study　and　contemplation；　a　soldier；
unexpectedly　coming　up　to　him；　commanded　him　to　follow　to　Marcellus；
which　he　declining　to　do　before　he　had　worked　out　his　problem　to　a
demonstration；