told the story of this famous
defence, that we cannot do better than quote from his work. He remarks,
after describing at length the Roman preparations,--

"In this manner, then, when all things were ready, the Romans designed
to attack the towers. But Archimedes had prepared machines that were
fitted to every distance. While the vessels were yet far removed from
the walls, he, employing catapults and balistae that were of the largest
size and worked by the strongest springs, wounded the enemy with his
darts and stones, and threw them into great disorder. When the darts
passed beyond them he then used other machines, of a smaller size, and
proportioned to the distance. By these means the Romans were so
effectually repulsed that it was not possible for them to approach.

"Marcellus, therefore, perplexed with this resistance, was forced to
advance silently with his vessels in the night. But when they came so
near to the land as to be within the reach of darts, they were exposed
to a new danger, which Archimedes had contrived. He had caused openings
to be made in many parts of the wall, equal in height to the stature of
a man, and to the palm of the hand in breadth. Then, having planted on
the inside archers and little scorpions, he discharged a multitude of
arrows through the openings, and disabled the soldiers that were on
board. In this manner, whether the Romans were at a great distance or
whether they were near, he not only rendered useless all their efforts,
but destroyed also many of their men.

"When they attempted also to raise the sackbuts, certain machines which
he had erected along the whole wall inside, and which were before
concealed from view, suddenly appeared above the wall and stretched
their long beaks far beyond the battlements. Some of these machines
carried masses of lead and stone not less than ten talents [about eight
hundred pounds] in weight. Accordingly, when the vessels with the
sackbuts came near, the beaks, being first turned by ropes and pulleys
to the proper point, let fall their stones, which broke not only the
sackbuts but the vessels likewise, and threw all those who were on board
into the greatest danger.

"In the same manner also the rest of the machines, as often as the enemy
approached under cover of their blinds, and had secured themselves by
that protection against the darts that were discharged through the
openings in the wall, let fall upon them stones of so large a size that