Book 24
4.25
At last the city, stripped of its defenders, laid open with many breaches and on the point of falling, was entered, and the violence of the enraged soldiers destroyed whatever they found in their way, without distinction of age or sex; others, in fear of imminent death, being threatened on one side by fire, on the other by the sword, shedding their last tears voluntarily hurled themselves headlong from the walls, and with all their limbs shattered endured for a time a life more awful than death, until they were put out of their misery.
4.26
Nabdates, however, the commandant of the garrison, with eighty followers, was dragged out alive, and when he was brought before the emperor, who was happy and inclined to mercy, orders were given that he be spared unharmed with the others and kept in custody. Then when the booty was divided according to the estimate of merit and hard service, the emperor, being content with little, took only a dumb boy who was offered to him, who was acquainted with sign- language and explained many things in which he was skilled by most graceful gestures, and was valued at three pieces of gold;Text and meaning are uncertain. Perhaps he paid three aurei for the boy, or perhaps that was his estimated value. and this he considered a reward for the victory that he had won that was both agreeable and deserving of gratitude.
