§25.30.1in tempore legati a Marcello redierunt falsa eos suspicione incitatos memorantes, nec causam expetendae poenae eorum ullam Romanis esse. §25.30.2erat e tribus Achradinae praefectis Hispanus, Moericus nomine.
\nIn good time, the envoys returned from Marcellus, reporting that they had been incited by a false suspicion, and that the Romans had no reason to exact punishment from them.\n\nAmong the three prefects of Achradina was a Spaniard named Moericus.
ad eum inter comites legatorum de industria unus ex Hispanorum auxiliaribus est missus, qui sine arbitris Moericum nanctus primum, quo in statu reliquisset Hispaniam — et nuper inde venerat —, exponit: omnia Romanis ibi obtineri armis. §25.30.3posse eum, si operae pretium faciat, principem popularium esse, seu militare cum Romanis seu in patriam reverti lubeat. contra, si malle obsideri pergat, quam spem esse terra marique clauso? §25.30.4motus his Moericus, cum legatos ad Marcellum mitti placuisset, fratrem inter eos mittit, qui per eundem illum Hispanum secretus; ab aliis ad Marcellum deductus cum fidem accepisset composuissetque agendae ordinem rei, Achradinam redit. §25.30.5tum Moericus, ut ab suspicione proditionis averteret omnium animos, negat sibi placere legatos commeare ultro citroque, neque recipiendum quemquam neque mittendum et, quo intentius custodiae serventur, opportuna dividenda praefectis esse, ut suae quisque partis tutandae reus sit.
To him, among the retinue of the envoys, one of the Spanish auxiliaries was purposely sent, who, having found Moericus without witnesses, first explained in what state he had left Spain—and he had recently come from there—stating that everything there was held by Roman arms.\n\nHe explained that, if he made it worth his while, he could be the leader of his countrymen, whether he wished to serve with the Romans or to return to his homeland; on the other hand, if he preferred to continue to be besieged, what hope was there for one shut in by land and sea?\n\nMoved by this, when it was decided that envoys should be sent to Marcellus, Moericus sent his brother among them, who, secret from the others through the agency of that same Spaniard, was conducted to Marcellus; having received pledges of safety and arranged the order of action, he returned to Achradina.\n\nThen Moericus, in order to divert the minds of all from suspicion of betrayal, declared that it did not please him for envoys to go back and forth, and that no one should be received or sent, and, so that guards might be kept more intently, that appropriate positions should be divided among the prefects so that each would be responsible for defending his own part.
omnes adsensi sunt. §25.30.6partibus dividendis ipsi regio evenit ab Arethusa fonte usque ad ostium magni portus.
All agreed.\n\nIn dividing the parts, the region from the fountain of Arethusa to the mouth of the Great Harbor fell to him.
id ut scirent Romani, fecit. §25.30.7itaque Marcellus nocte navem onerariam cum armatis remulco quadriremis trahi ad Achradinam assit exponique milites regione portae, quae prope fontem Arethusam est. §25.30.8hoc cum quarta vigilia factum esset expositosque milites porta, ut convenerat, recepisset Moericus, luce prima Marcellus omnibus copiis moenia Achradinae adgreditur ita, §25.30.9ut non eos solum, qui Achradinam tenebant, in se converteret, sed ab Naso etiam agmina armatorum concurrerent relictis stationibus suis ad vim et impetum Romanorum arcendum. §25.30.10in hoc tumultu actuariae naves instructae iam ante circumvectaeque ad Nasum armatos exponunt, qui inproviso adorti semiplenas stationes et adapertas fores portae, qua paulo ante excurrerant armati, haud magno certamine Nasum cepere desertam trepidatione et fuga custodum. §25.30.11neque in ullis minus praesidii aut pertinaciae ad manendum quam in transfugis fuit, quia ne suis quidem satis credentes e medio certamine effugerunt. §25.30.12Marcellus, ut captam esse Nasum comperit et Achradinae regionem unam teneri Moericumque cum praesidio suis adiunctum, receptui cecinit, ne regiae opes, quarum fama maior quam res erat, diriperentur.
He made sure that the Romans knew this.\n\nTherefore, by night, Marcellus ordered a transport ship with armed men to be towed by a quadrireme to Achradina and the soldiers to be landed in the region of the gate which is near the fountain of Arethusa.\n\nWhen this had been done at the fourth watch, and Moericus had received the landed soldiers through the gate as had been agreed, at first light Marcellus attacked the walls of Achradina with all his forces in such a way,\n\nthat he not only turned the attention of those who held Achradina upon himself, but also caused columns of armed men to rush from Nasos, leaving their stations to ward off the force and onset of the Romans.\n\nIn this confusion, the light vessels, already prepared beforehand and sailed around to Nasos, landed armed men, who, having unexpectedly attacked the half-manned stations and the open doors of the gate through which the armed men had rushed out a little before, captured Nasos, deserted by the panic and flight of the guards, without a great struggle.\n\nNor was there in any men less of protection or of determination to remain than in the deserters, because, not even trusting their own men enough, they fled from the midst of the battle.\n\nWhen Marcellus learned that Nasos was captured, one region of Achradina was held, and Moericus with his garrison had joined his own men, he sounded the retreat, lest the royal wealth, the fame of which was greater than the reality, should be plundered.