1When, as the crowd gradually gathered round to hear this, an assembly of the people had become mingled with the senate, the leading men suddenly withdrew, and before any answer was given, carried all the silver and gold, public and private, into the forum, threw it into a fire hastily made for the purpose, and most of them flung themselves into the same fire. 1When panic and alarm from this had spread through the whole city, another uproar is heard besides from the citadel. 2A tower long battered had collapsed, and when a cohort of Carthaginians, charging through its ruins, had signalled to their commander that the city was stripped of its usual outposts and guards, Hannibal, thinking there should be no delay at such an opportunity, attacked the city with all his forces and took it in a moment, giving the order that all adult males should be killed.
3This order was cruel, but was recognised by the outcome itself as almost necessary: for who could have been spared of those who either shut themselves up with their wives and children and burnt their houses down over their own heads, or, arms in hand, made no end of fighting until they died?