Page 327 of Peace they were commendable for: The Fear was so great, that even Women were regardless of the Dangers.
Hannibal promis'd the Plunder of the Town to his Souldiers, applies his Engines to the Walls, and with the best of his Souldiers (whom he reliev'd from time to time with fresh Supplies) begins the Assault. At the first Word of Command, at one instant the Trumpets sounded to Battel, and the whole Army with a great Shout ran up to their several Posts; the Walls were batter'd by the Rams, and the Souldiers from the High Towers, gall'd the Selinuntines with their Darts: For the Selinuntines injoying a long Peace, their Hands were not inur'd to Action, and therefore were easily driven from thence, the Wooden Towers being far higher than they. In the mean time, part of the Wall being batter'd down, the Campanians willing to make themselves remarkable, on a sudden, rush'd into the City, and at the first greatly terrify'd those that were in that part of it; but presently many coming in to assist them, the Enemy was repuls'd with great Loss: For the Rubbish lying in the way where they enter'd, when they were driven back to the Breach, they were so cumber'd, that many were cut off. Night approaching, the Carthaginians drew off.
In the mean time the Selinuntines sent forth some Horsemen in the Night to Agrigentum, Gela and Syracuse, to desire aid with all speed; for that they were not able any longer to stand it out against so great an Army. The Geleans and Agrigentines thought it best to wait for the Aids from Syracuse, that with conjoin'd Forces they might set upon the Carthaginians. But the Syracusians having certain intelligence that Selinunte was Besieg'd, without delay struck a Peace with the Chalcideans (with whom they were then in War) and gather'd all their Forces together from every Place. But because they suppos'd that the City was only Besieg'd, and not in any danger to be suddenly taken, they protracted the time to make the greater Preparation. In the mean time, Hannibal as soon as it was light, renew'd the Assault on every side of the Town, and presently possess'd himself of that part of the Wall where the Breach was made, and of another Breach made in another part near adjoining; and when he had remov'd the Rubbish, with the choicest of his fresh Men he sets upon the Selinuntines, and forces them by degrees to give Ground, but was not able quite to break them, who now had all at stake. Many fell on both sides. The Carthaginians were still supply'd with fresh Men, but the Selinuntines had none to reinforce them. And thus the Assault was renew'd every Day, for the space of Nine Days, with great Resolution and Courage, and much loss on both sides. At length when the Iberians began to enter at the Breaches, the Women from the tops of the Houses, fill'd all Places with Cries and Lamentations. And the Selinuntines now judging the Town to be lost, endeavour'd to block up all the nar̄row Passages and Streets, and by that means the Contest continu'd a long time. But while the Carthaginians were making their way by force, the Women and Children from the Tops of the Houses mawl'd them with Tiles and Stones; so that the Carthaginians for a long time were sorely gall'd, not being able to come up together in those narrow Passages, the Walls on both sides being strongly man'd; and besides being so vex'd with those that cast down Stones upon the Tops of the Houses. This throwing down of Darts and other things from the Roofs of the Houses, continu'd till Evening: But the Carthaginians still renewing the Fight, by pouring fresh Men into the City, the other were tir'd out, their number decreasing, and their Enemies still increasing, so that the Selinuntines were at last forc'd to desert the Straits.
The City thus taken, nothing was to be seen but weeping and wailing among the Grecians; and on the other side among the Barbarians, exultation and shouts of Victory: Those were terrify'd with the greatness of their Misery every where before their Eyes; These now Victorious, commanded to kill and destroy where and whom they pleas'd: At length the Selinuntines got in a Body together in the Market-Place, and there fought it out to the last Man. The Barbarians raging in all Parts of the City, rifled all the Houses: The Persons they found there, they either burnt them and their Houses together, or dragging them into the Streets, without any respect to Age or Sex, whether they were Women or Children, Young or old, without the least pity or commiseration, they put them all to the Sword, and after the barbarous manner of their
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Bible Study The King James Bible (kjv), World English Bible (web) and Bible in Basic English (bbe) are all examples of public domain books. The King James Bible (kjv) online uses the content from these books and open source software to enhance Bible study capabilities. The site includes the verse of the day, search tools, christian literature and links to related content. It demonstrates the use of open source to create a valuable service.