1But the king, believing that nothing was now beyond Metellus' power, since by his energy he had overcome everything — arms, weapons, places, seasons, and finally nature herself, which rules over all else — fled from the town by night with his children and a great part of his money. 1And thereafter, staying in no place for more than one day or one night, he pretended he was hurrying on business, but in fact he feared treachery, which he thought he could avoid by speed: for such plans are formed at leisure and when opportunity offers. 2But Metellus, when he saw that the townspeople were intent on battle and at the same time that the town was protected both by works and by its position, surrounded the walls with a rampart and a ditch.
3Then at two of the most suitable places available he pushed forward sheds, threw up a mound, and on the mound set towers to protect the works and the workers; 3against these the townspeople made haste and made preparations; 4in short, nothing was left undone by either side. 5At last the Romans, worn out by much toil and fighting beforehand, forty days after they had arrived there, gained possession of the town, but of the town only; 5all the plunder had been destroyed by the deserters. 6When they saw the wall being struck by battering rams and their own situation ruined, they carried the gold and silver and the other things counted most valuable to the royal palace.
6There, heavy with wine and feasting, they destroyed these things, the palace and themselves by fire, and the punishment they had feared from the enemy if defeated, they paid of their own free will.