It was generally believed that he had pitched headlong from his horse into an open well.

Carthalo, the praefect of the Carthaginian garrison, while coming to the consul unarmed, to put him in mind of a connexion of hospitality which subsisted between their fathers, was put to death by a soldier who met him.

The rest were put to the sword on all hands, armed and unarmed indiscriminately, Carthaginians and Tarentines without distinction.

Many of the Bruttians also were slain either by mistake or on account of an old grudge entertained against them, or else with a view to the report that the city was betrayed; in order that Tarentum might rather appear to have been captured by force of arms.

The troops then ran off in all directions from the slaughter, to plunder the city.