258 MARCELLUS.

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. Com- ing often thither, and entertaining conferences about the release of Damipj^us, he had pretty well calculated the height of the tower, and got ladders prepared. The Sy- racusans 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 per- ceived it, not only possessed himself of the tower, but, before the break of day, filled the wall around with sol- diers, and made his way into the Hexapylum. The Syra- cusans 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 calam- ity that hung over it, when his thoughts represented to him, how dismal and foul the face of the city would in a few hours be, when plundered and sacked by the soldiers. For among the officers of his armv there was not one man that durst deny the plunder of the city to the sol- diers' demands ; nay, many were instant that it should be set on fire and laid level to the ground : but this Marcel- lus 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,