The gates and walls of Achradine were guarded mainly by defectors, who, in the event of a surrender, had no hope of forgiveness. They did not allow anyone to approach the ramparts or start a conference. So Marcellus, having failed in this attempt, turned the signs towards Euryalus. It was a fort placed on an eminence, at the extremity of the town furthest from the sea, dominating the road which leads into the countryside and into the interior of the island, and very favorably situated to receive convoys. . Epicydes had entrusted its defense to Philodemus of Argos. Marcellus deputed to him Sosis, one of the tyrant's murderers, who, after a long parley without result, returned to tell the general that this commander had asked for time to deliberate. He deferred from day to day, waiting for Hippocrates and Himilco to bring their camp and their legions near; he had no doubt that once introduced into the citadel, it would be easy for them to exterminate the Roman army, enclosed between walls.
Marcellus, seeing the impossibility of reducing the Euryalus by composition or by force, went and camped between Neapolis and Tycha (two districts of Syracuse as large as cities), fearing that if he entered more populated districts he would was impossible to hold back the loot-hungry soldier. There the deputies of Neapolis and Tysha went, carrying bandages and olive branches, to beg him to preserve them from carnage and fire. Marcellus having deliberated their request less than their prayer, caused to be published, according to the unanimous opinion of the council, the prohibition to exercise any violence on free persons; that everything else would be left to the soldier's discretion. He backed his camp against houses which served as ramparts; he posted posts and sentries at the gates which opened onto the public squares, lest the dispersion of the troops might cause some attack to be undertaken. Then, at a given signal, the soldiers spread here and there, broke down the doors of the houses, sowed terror and tumult everywhere, sparing however the lives of the inhabitants:the pillage did not cease until all the riches which a long prosperity had accumulated in Syracuse. However Philodemus, who no longer had any hope of help, obtained safe access to Epicydes, evacuated the fort and delivered it to the Romans.
While general attention was directed towards the part of the city whose capture had caused all this tumult, Bomilcar, taking advantage, at night, of a storm which did not allow the Roman fleet to remain at anchor in the roadstead, escaped from the port of Syracuse with thirty-five ships, left fifty-five with Epicydes and the Syracusans, sailed for Carthage, (13) which he informed of the extreme danger in which Syracuse was, and returned, a few days later, with a hundred ships, having received, said -on, of Epicydes considerable sums drawn by the latter from the treasury of Hieron.