At length they were reduced to such a degree of want, that they endeavoured to chew the thongs and skins which they tore from their shields, after softening them in warm water; nor did they abstain from mice or any other kind of animals.

They even dug up every kind of herb and root from the lowest mounds of their wall; and when the enemy had ploughed over all the ground producing herbage which was without the wall, they threw in turnip seed, so that Hannibal exclaimed, Must I sit here at Casilinum even till these spring up?
and he, who up to that time had not lent an ear to any terms, then at length allowed himself to be treated with respecting the ransom of the free persons.
Seven ounces of gold for each person were agreed upon as the price; and then, under a promise of protection, they surrendered themselves.
They were kept in chains till the whole of the gold was paid, after which they were sent back to Cumae, in fulfilment of the promise.

This account is more credible than that they were slain by a body of cavalry, which was sent to attack them as they were going away.

They were for the most part Praenestines.

Out of the five hundred and seventy who formed the garrison, almost one half were destroyed by sword or famine; the rest returned safe to Praeneste with their praetor Manicius, who had formerly been a scribe.