The Histories

​He counted the courses of stone; for the tower was built of equal-sized stones, so that the distance from the ground to the battlements was very easy to calculate.

​A few days later, a deserter having reported that the people in the city had been celebrating a general festival to Artemis for three days, and that, though they used simple food owing to the scarcity, they had wine in abundance, since Epicydes had given much and the Syracusans much, Marcus then, reconsidering the wall at the part where it was lowest, and thinking it likely that the men would be drunk owing to the relaxation and the lack of dry food, undertook to make trial of his hope.

​Two ladders suited to the wall having been quickly constructed, he entered upon the next steps of the enterprise, and consulted with those who were fit for the ascent and the most conspicuous and first danger, holding out great hopes to them for the future.

​He selected those who were to assist them and carry the ladders, explaining nothing to them except that they must be ready for the order. When they had obeyed according to instructions, taking the appropriate time by night, he aroused the first party.

​Having sent on those with the ladders along with a company and a military tribune, and having reminded them of the rewards that would be given to those who distinguished themselves, and after this having aroused the whole force, he sent out the first men at intervals, company by company.

​When these amounted to about a thousand, after a short interval he himself followed with the rest of the army.

​When those carrying the ladders had succeeded in placing them against the wall without being detected, those who had been detailed for the ascent rushed forward without hesitation.

​When these also had climbed without being detected and stood firmly on the wall, no longer in their original order but as fast as they could, they all ran up the ladders.

​At first, as they advanced along the parapet, they found the sentry-path deserted; for those who had gathered in the towers for the festival were either still drinking or had long been asleep from intoxication.

​Therefore, coming upon the first and the subsequent towers suddenly and quietly, they succeeded in killing most of them without being detected.

​When they approached Hexapyla as they descended, they broke down the first postern gate which was built up, through which they admitted both the general and the rest of the army. Thus indeed the Romans took Syracuse.

​Since no one of the citizens was aware of what was happening because of the distance, inasmuch as the city was very large. But the Romans happened to be confident, ​since they were masters of the place around Epipolae.