Another machine made by Archimedes was an "iron hand" or grappling-hook swung on a chain and carried by a crane. The hook was dropped on the prow of a ship, and when it had taken hold the ship was lifted until it stood on its stern, then quickly dropped, causing it either to sink or ship a great quantity of water.
With such machines, unknown before, Archimedes drove back the enemy. On the landward side similar machines were used. The Romans were reduced to such a state of terror that "if they saw but a rope or a stick put over the walls they cried out that Archimedes was levelling some machine at them and turned their backs and fled."
After a long siege, however, hunger forced the Syracusans to surrender. Marcellus so admired the genius of Archimedes that he gave orders that he should not be injured. Yet, in the sack of the city which followed, Archimedes was slain by a Roman soldier.
The Roman historian Livy records that "Archimedes, while intent on some figures which he had made in the dust, although the confusion was as great as could possibly be, was put to death by a soldier who did not know who he was; that Marcellus was greatly grieved at this, and that pains were taken about his funeral, while his relations also were carefully sought and received honor and protection on account of his name and memory."
Archimedes' Principle
Hiero, when he became King of Syracuse, decreed that a crown of gold, of great value, should be placed in a certain temple as an offering to the gods, and sent to a manufacturer the correct weight of gold. In due time the crown was brought to the King, and a beautiful piece of work it was. The weight of the crown was the same as that of the gold, but a report was circulated that some of the gold had been taken out and silver supplied in its place. Hiero was angry, but knew no method by which the theft might be detected. He therefore requested Archimedes to give the matter his attention.
While trying to solve this problem Archimedes went one day to a bath. As he got into the bath-tub he saw that as his body became immersed the water ran out of the tub. He quickly saw how he could solve the problem, leaped out of the bath in joy, and, running home naked, cried out with a loud voice "Eureka! eureka!" (I have found it! I have found it!)
Using a piece of gold and a piece of silver, each equal in weight to the crown, and a large vase full of water, he proved that the crown was not pure gold, and found how much silver had been mixed with the gold.
The incident of the golden crown may have been the starting-point of Archimedes' study of solid bodies when immersed in fluids. Every one knows that a boy can lift a heavy stone under water that he could not lift out of water. The stone seems lighter when in the water. A diver with his lead-soled shoes could scarcely walk on land, but walks easily under water. When the diver comes up, the place where he was immediately becomes filled with water. Now, whatever that water weighs which fills the diver's place, just that much weight will the diver lose when he goes down. What is true of the diver is true of the stone or of any object under water. The stone when in the water loses just as much weight as the weight of the water that would fill its place. This is the fact which was discovered by Archimedes and which is called "Archimedes' Principle."
It is said by an ancient author that Archimedes invented more than forty machines. Of these the best known are the block and tackle, the endless screw (worm gear), and the water snail, or Archimedean screw. Yet his delight was not in his machines, but in his mathematics. Though he had invented machines to please his king, he regarded such work as trifling, and took little interest in the common needs of life.