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became　the　most　faithful　assistant　and　ally　of　Marcellus；　and　a　most
keen　discoverer　of　those　that　attempted　innovation　and　sedition。
　　These　were　many；　and　had　entered　into　a　conspiracy　to　plunder　the
baggage　of　the　Romans；　when　they　should　make　an　irruption　against
the　enemy。　Marcellus；　therefore；　having　marshalled　his　army　within　the
city；　placed　the　baggage　near　to　the　gates；　and；　by　an　edict；
forbade　the　Nolans　to　go　to　the　walls。　Thus；　outside　the　city；　no　arms
could　be　seen；　by　which　prudent　device　he　allured　Hannibal　to　move
with　his　army　in　some　disorder　to　the　city；　thinking　that　things
were　in　a　tumult　there。　Then　Marcellus；　the　nearest　gate　being；　as
he　had　commanded；　thrown　open；　issuing　forth　with　the　flower　of　his
horse　in　front；　charged　the　enemy。　By　and　by　the　foot；　sallying　out　of
another　gate；　with　a　loud　shout　joined　in　the　battle。　And　while
Hannibal　opposes　part　of　his　forces　to　these；　the　third　gate　also　is
opened；　out　of　which　the　rest　break　forth；　and　on　all　quarters　fall
upon　the　enemies；　who　were　dismayed　at　this　unexpected　encounter；
and　did　but　feebly　resist　those　with　whom　they　had　been　first　engaged；
because　of　their　attack　by　these　others　who　sallied　out　later。　Here
Hannibal's　soldiers；　with　much　bloodshed　and　many　wounds；　were
beaten　back　to　their　camp；　and　for　the　first　time　turned　their　backs
to　the　Romans。　There　fell　in　this　action；　as　it　is　related；　more
than　five　thousand　of　them；　of　the　Romans；　not　above　five　hundred。
Livy　does　not　affirm　that　either　the　victory　or　the　slaughter　of　the
enemy　was　so　great；　but　certain　it　is　that　the　adventure　brought　great
glory　to　Marcellus；　and　to　the　Romans；　after　their　calamities；　a　great
revival　of　confidence；　as　they　began　now　to　entertain　a　hope　that
the　enemy　with　whom　they　contended　was　not　invincible；　but　liable　like
themselves　to　defeats。
　　Therefore；　the　other　consul　being　deceased；　the　people　recalled
Marcellus；　that　they　might　put　him　into　his　place；　and；　in　spite　of
the　magistrates；　succeeded　in　postponing　the　election　till　his
arrival；　when　he　was　by　all　the　suffrages　created　consul。　But
because　it　happened　to　thunder；　the　augurs　accounting　that　he　was
not　legitimately　created；　and　yet　not　daring；　for　fear　of　the
people；　to　declare　their　sentence　openly；　Marcellus　voluntarily
resigned　the　consulate；　retaining　however　his　command。　Being　created
proconsul；　and　returning　to　the　camp　at　Nola；　he　proceeded　to　harass
those　that　followed　the　party　of　the　Carthaginians；　on　whose　coming
with　speed　to　succour　them；　Marcellus　declined　a　challenge　to　a　set
battle；　but　when　Hannibal　had　sent　out　a　party　to　plunder；　and　now
expected　no　fight；　he　broke　out　upon　him　with　his　army。　He　had
distributed　to　the　foot　long　lances；　such　as　are　commonly　used　in
naval　fights；　and　instructed　them　to　throw　them　with　great　force　at
convenient　distances　against　the　enemies；　who　were　inexperienced　in
that　way　of　darting；　and　used　to　fight　with　short　darts　hand　to
hand。　This　seems　to　have　been　the　cause　of　the　total　rout　and　open
flight　of　all　the　Carthaginians　who　were　then　engaged；　there　fell　of
them　five　thousand；　four　elephants　were　killed；　and　two　taken；　but
what　was　of　the　greatest　moment；　on　the　third　day　after；　more　than
three　hundred　horse；　Spaniards　and　Numidians　mixed；　deserted　to　him；　a
disaster　that　had　never　to　that　day　happened　to　Hannibal；　who　had　kept
together　in　harmony　an　army　of　barbarians；　collected　out　of　many
various　and　discordant　nations。　Marcellus　and　his　successors　in　all
this　war　made　good　use　of　the　faithful　service　of　these　horsemen。
　　He　now　was　a　third　time　created　consul；　and　sailed　over　into　Sicily。
For　the　success　of　Hannibal　had　excited　the　Carthaginians　to　lay　claim
to　that　whole　island；　chiefly　because；　after　the　murder　of　the
tyrant　Hieronymus；　all　things　had　been　in　tumult　and　confusion　at
Syracuse。　For　which　reason　the　Romans　also　had　sent　before　to　that
city　a　force　under　the　conduct　of　Appius；　as　praetor。　While
Marcellus　was　receiving　that　army；　a　number　of　Roman　soldiers　cast
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