9. possint, subjv. of purpose. Three similar constructions follow.
10. vīneae. These vīneae were wooden sheds, open in front and rear, used to protect men who were working to take a fortification. They were about eight feet high, of like width, and double that length, covered with raw hides to protect them from being set on fire, and moved on wheels or rollers.
11. pluteī, large screens or shields with small wheels attached to them. These were used to protect besiegers while moving up to a city or while serving the engines of war.
12. tormenta. The engines of war were chiefly the catapult for shooting great arrows, and the ballista, for hurling large stones. They had a range of about two thousand feet and were very effective.
13. The agger, or mound, was of chief importance in a siege. It was begun just out of reach of the missiles of the enemy, and then gradually extended towards the point to be attacked. At the same time its height gradually increased until on a level with the top of the wall, or even higher. It was made of earth and timber, and had covered galleries running through it for the use of the besiegers. Over or beside the agger a tower was moved up to the wall, often with a battering-ram (aries) in the lowest story. (See picture, [p. 221].)
14. perfrēgērunt, from perfringō.
[LXXIV.] THE CITY IS TAKEN · THE CAPTIVES ARE QUESTIONED
BALLISTA
Omnibus rēbus necessāriīs ad oppugnandum ā Pūbliō comparātīs, dēlīberātur in conciliō quod cōnsilium 1oppidī expugnandī ineant.2 Tum ūnus3 ex centuriōnibus, vir reī mīlitāris perītissimus, “Ego suādeō,” inquit, “ut ab eā parte, ubi aditus sit4 facillimus, aggerem exstruāmus5 et turrim prōmoveāmus5 atque ariete admōtō simul mūrum discutere cōnēmur.5” 6Hoc cōnsilium cum omnibus placēret, Caesar concilium dīmīsit. Deinde mīlitēs hortātus ut priōrēs victōriās memoriā7 tenērent, iussit aggerem exstruī, turrim et arietem admovērī. Neque oppidānīs8 cōnsilium dēfuit. Aliī ignem et omne genus tēlōrum dē mūrō in turrim coniēcērunt, aliī ingentia saxa in vīneās et arietem dēvolvērunt. Diū utrimque ācerrimē pugnātum est. Nē vulnerātī quidem pedem rettulērunt. Tandem, 9dē tertiā vigiliā, Pūblius, quem Caesar illī operī10 praefēcerat, nūntiāvit partem11 mūrī ictibus arietis labefactam concidisse. Quā rē audītā Caesar signum dat; mīlitēs inruunt et magnā cum caede hostium oppidum capiunt.