the city, and much less knew it was taken: he wondered when he
saw a soldier by him, that bade him go with him to Marcellus.
Notwithstanding, he spake to the soldier, and bade him tarry
until he had done his conclusion, and brought it to
demonstration: but the soldier being angry with his answer, drew
out his sword and killed him. Others say, that the Roman soldier
when he came, offered the sword's point to him, to kill him: and
that Archimedes when he saw him, prayed him to hold his hand a
little, that he might not leave the matter he looked for
imperfect, without demonstration. But the soldier making no
reckoning of his speculation, killed him presently. It is
reported a third way also, saying that certain soldiers met him
in the streets going to Marcellus, carrying certain mathematical
instruments in a little pretty coffer, as dials for the sun,
spheres, and angles, wherewith they measure the greatness of the
body of the sun by view: and they supposing he had carried some
gold or silver, or other precious jewels in that little coffer,
slew him for it. But it is most certain that Marcellus was
marvellously sorry for his death, and ever after hated the
villain that slew him, as a cursed and execrable person: and how
he had made also marvellous much afterwards of Archimedes'
kinsmen for his sake."

We are further indebted to Plutarch for a summary of the
character and influence of Archimedes, and for an interesting
suggestion as to the estimate which the great philosopher put
upon the relative importance of his own discoveries.
"Notwithstanding Archimedes had such a great mind, and was so
profoundly learned, having hidden in him the only treasure and
secrets of geometrical inventions: as be would never set forth
any book how to make all these warlike engines, which won him at
that time the fame and glory, not of man's knowledge, but rather
of divine wisdom. But he esteeming all kind of handicraft and
invention to make engines, and generally all manner of sciences
bringing common commodity by the use of them, to be but vile,
beggarly, and mercenary dross: employed his wit and study only to
write things, the beauty and subtlety whereof were not mingled
anything at all with necessity. For all that he hath written, are
geometrical propositions, which are without comparison of any
other writings whatsoever: because the subject where of they
treat, doth appear by demonstration, the maker gives them the
grace and the greatness, and the demonstration proving it so
exquisitely, with wonderful reason and facility, as it is not
repugnable. For in all geometry are not to be found more profound
and difficult matters written, in more plain and simple terms,
and by more easy principles, than those which he hath invented.
Now some do impute this, to the sharpness of his wit and
understanding, which was a natural gift in him: others do refer
it to the extreme pains he took, which made these things come so
easily from him, that they seemed as if they had been no trouble
to him at all. For no man living of himself can devise the
demonstration of his propositions, what pains soever he take to
seek it: and yet straight so soon as he cometh to declare and
open it, every man then imagineth with himself he could have
found it out well enough, he can then so plainly make
demonstration of the thing he meaneth to show. And therefore that
methinks is likely to be true, which they write of him: that he
was so ravished and drunk with the sweet enticements of this
siren, which as it were lay continually with him, as he forgot
his meat and drink, and was careless otherwise of himself, that
oftentimes his servants got him against his will to the baths to
wash and anoint him: and yet being there, he would ever be
drawing out of the geometrical figures, even in the very imbers
of the chimney. And while they were anointing of him with oils
and sweet savours, with his finger he did draw lines upon his
naked body: so far was he taken from himself, and brought into an
ecstasy or trance, with the delight he had in the study of
geometry, and truly ravished with the love of the Muses. But
amongst many notable things he devised, it appeareth, that he
most esteemed the demonstration of the proportion between the
cylinder (to wit, the round column) and the sphere or globe
contained in the same: for he prayed his kinsmen and friends,
that after his death they would put a cylinder upon his tomb,
containing a massy sphere, with an inscription of the proportion,
whereof the continent exceedeth the thing contained."[2]

It should be observed that neither Polybius nor Plutarch mentions
the use of burning-glasses in connection with the siege of
Syracuse, nor indeed are these referred to by any other ancient
writer of authority. Nevertheless, a story gained credence down
to a late day to the effect that Archimedes had set fire to the
fleet of the enemy with the aid of concave mirrors. An experiment
was made by Sir Isaac Newton to show the possibility of a
phenomenon so well in accord with the genius of Archimedes, but
the silence of all the early authorities makes it more than
doubtful whether any such expedient was really adopted.

It will be observed that the chief principle involved in all
these mechanisms was a capacity to transmit great power through
levers and pulleys, and this brings us to the most important
field of the Syracusan philosopher's activity. It was as a
student of the lever and the pulley that Archimedes was led to
some of his greatest mechanical discoveries. He is even credited
with being the discoverer of the compound pulley. More likely he
was its developer only, since the principle of the pulley was
known to the old Babylonians, as their sculptures testify. But
there is no reason to doubt the general outlines of the story
that Archimedes astounded King Hiero by proving that, with the
aid of multiple pulleys, the strength of one man could suffice to
drag the largest ship from its moorings.


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