Q. vero Metellus, Celtibericum in Hispania gerens bellum, cum urbem Centobrigam obsideret et iam admota machina partem muri quae sola convelli poterat disiecturus videretur, humanitatem propinquae victoriae praetulit: nam cum Rhoetogenis filios, qui ad eum transierat, Centobrigenses machinae ictibus obiecissent, ne pueri in conspectu patris crudeli genere mortis consumerentur, quamquam ipse Rhoetogenes negabat esse impedimento quominus etiam per exitum sanguinis sui expugnationem perageret, ab obsidione discessit.
Q. Metellus, while fighting the Celtiberian War in Spain, was besieging the city of Centobriga. He had already moved up an engine and seemed on the point of demolishing the only part of the wall that could be shattered; but he preferred humanity to the victory within his grasp. The Centobrigians had put the sons of Rhoetogenes, who had deserted to him, in the way of the batterings of the machine. Rather than let the boys die a cruel death before their fathers eyes, although Rhoetogenes himself assured him that he was not hindering the completion of the assault even if it meant the destruction of his own flesh and blood, Metellus raised the siege.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book5.json