Meanwhile, the Greco-Phoenician fleet on the south side of the mole had
burst the boom and other obstacles by which the Egyptian harbour was
closed, and, attacking the ships within, had disabled some, and driven
the rest ashore, thus gaining possession of the southern port and a
ready access to the adjacent portion of the city.[14422] The Cyprians,
moreover, on the north, had forced their way into the Sidonian harbour,
which had no boom, and obtained an entrance into the town on that
quarter.[14423] The defences were broken through in three places, and
it might have been expected that resistance would have ceased. But the
gallant defenders still would not yield. A large body assembled at the
Agenorium, or temple of Agenor, and there made a determined stand, which
continued till Alexander himself attacked them with his bodyguard, and
slew almost the entire number. Others, mounting upon the roofs of the
houses, flung down stones and missiles of all kinds upon the Macedonians
in the street. A portion shut themselves up in their homes and perished
by their own hands. In the streets and squares there was a terrible
carnage. The Macedonians were infuriated by the length of the siege, the
stubbornness of the resistance, and the fact that the Tyrians had in the
course of the siege publicly executed, probably by way of sacrifice, a
number of their prisoners upon the walls. Those who died with arms in
their hands are reckoned at eight thousand;[14424] two thousand more,
who had been made prisoners, were barbarously crucified by command of
Alexander round the walls of the city.[14425] None of the adult free
males were spared, except the few who had taken refuge with Azemilcus
the king in the temple of Melkarth, which Alexander professed greatly
to revere, and a certain number whom the Sidonians, touched at last with
pity, concealed on board their triremes. The women, the children, and
the slaves, to the number of thirty thousand,[14426] were sold to the
highest bidder.
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