History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita)

He allowed his soldiers, exhausted by battles and construction work, a rest of a few days, having stationed guards for the protection of the vineae moveable sheds used to protect soldiers approaching a wall and other works. Meanwhile, he inflamed their spirits, now by simulating anger against the enemy, now by the hope of rewards. Indeed, when he announced before the assembly that the spoils of the captured city would belong to the soldiers, they were so incensed that, if the signal had been given immediately, it seemed that no force could have resisted them. The Saguntines, just as they had taken a rest from fighting, neither provoking nor being provoked for several days, had nevertheless never ceased night or day from their work, in order to rebuild a new wall at that part where the town had been opened by ruins. Then, a siege somewhat more atrocious than before attacked them, nor could they know sufficiently in what part first or primarily to bring aid, while everything resounded with various shouts. Hannibal himself was present as an encourager where a mobile tower, exceeding all the fortifications of the city in height, was being moved. When this, having been brought up with catapults and ballistae arranged on every story, had stripped the walls of their defenders, then Hannibal, thinking it an opportunity, sent nearly five hundred Africans with axes to undermine the wall from the bottom. The work was not difficult, because the stones were not hardened with lime but were joined with mud, according to the ancient manner of construction. And so, it collapsed more widely than it was being cut, and through the parts open with ruins, columns of armed men marched into the city. They also captured an elevated place, and having gathered catapults and ballistae there, they surrounded it with a wall so that they might have a fortress, as if it were a citadel looming over the city itself. And the Saguntines drew an inner wall from the not-yet-captured part of the city. On both sides they were fortifying and fighting with the utmost force: but by defending the inner parts, the Saguntines made their city smaller day by day. At the same time, the scarcity of all things grew from the long siege, and the expectation of external aid diminished, since the Romans, their only hope, were so far away, and everything around them belonged to the enemy. For a little while, however, their affected spirits were recreated by the sudden departure of Hannibal into the territory of the Oretani and Carpetani, two peoples who, dismayed by the harshness of the levy and having detained the recruiters, had offered a fear of defection, but were suppressed by the speed of Hannibal and laid down their raised arms.

XII. Nor was the siege of Saguntum any slower under Maharbal, the son of Himilco—for Hannibal had placed him in command—as he conducted the matter so energetically that neither the citizens nor the enemies felt the leader was absent. He both fought several successful battles and battered down a considerable part of the wall with three battering rams, and showed all the area strewn with fresh ruins to the arriving Hannibal. Therefore, the army was immediately led to the citadel itself, and a fierce battle was joined with the slaughter of many on both sides, and part of the citadel was captured.

Then, a small hope of peace was attempted through two men, Alco the Saguntine and Alorcus the Spaniard. Alco, without the Saguntines' knowledge—thinking he would move [Hannibal] with prayers—had crossed to Hannibal at night; after tears moved nothing and the sad conditions were offered as if by an angry victor, he became a defector from an orator and remained with the enemy, asserting that anyone who negotiated for peace under such conditions would die. For it was demanded that they return property to the Turdetani and, having surrendered all gold and silver, leave the city with only two garments each and live where the Carthaginian ordered.