As the ships under Claudius were just preparing to attack, Archimedes took Elissa with him round the walls, showing her all the ingenious devices which his brain had imagined and contrived. The walls were crowded with trained men ready to obey his behest. And as the old man showed her all his inventions, she groaned aloud.
“Why dost thou groan thus, oh Lady Elissa?” inquired Archimedes, smiling. “Thinkest thou that I have not here got together sufficient engines of defence wherewith to smash up and repel all such engines of offence as the Romans can bring wherewith to batter down these walls? Forgive me if I differ from thee, for I think that should not treachery from within show them the way to the kernel, they will find Syracuse the hardest nut that ever they had to crack.”
And he smiled again, as he tried the working of a lever to one of his machines, and turning, casually ordered a workman to give it a little oil.
“Nay, my lord Archimedes! it was no such thought as that, but the contrary, that made me groan,” replied Elissa. “I groaned because I had thee not with me when Scipio attacked my city of New Carthage, for hadst thou but been there the town could never have fallen.”
“Maybe, maybe,” said the old man, looking pleased; “but come, let me show thee the working of the engines. These thou seest are a series of catapults constructed to suit every range. Let us try them to see if they go well.”
An infinite number of missiles of every size had been carefully constructed for years past, and these were all lying ready to hand.
The Roman fleet were anchored in the port at a distance from the walls which they thought perfectly safe, but the old man with his keen eye detected a ship that was a little closer than the others.
“Ha, ha!” he said, rubbing his hands, “they think themselves safe, but my No. 1 catapult here is suited to that range exactly.”
Causing a huge mass of metal to be placed on the propeller of the catapult, and personally adjusting the weapon, Archimedes caused the spring to be released. Instantly the ten talents of lead flew hurtling through the air, and alighting on the deck of the ship, not only crushed two men in its fall, but knocked a hole clean through its further side, through which the water commenced to rush in. In a few moments, hardly allowing time to permit the terror-stricken crew to take to the boats, the ship sunk.
“Excellent!” quoth the old man. “What dost think of that for accuracy, lady Elissa? Now let us try some of the smaller catapults. Those boats are rowing in nearer to us, thinking in error that my engines are only contrived for long distances. We will try, therefore, a No. 2 and a No. 3 catapult with smaller missiles made to suit the range.”