The passage which follows is from the fourth oration of the Accusatio, the most famous of all, known as the De Signis because it treats chiefly of the works of art stolen by Verres. Cicero has been describing the plundering of many temples and public buildings, and in this passage he recounts in detail the case of one chief city, Syracuse, as a climax. Syracuse was by far the largest and richest of all the Greek cities of Italy and Sicily. It was a colony of Corinth, founded B.C. 734, and in course of time obtained the rule over the whole eastern part of Sicily. It remained independent, with a considerable territory, after the western part of the island (far the larger part) passed under the power of Rome in the First Punic War; but in the Second Punic War (B.C. 212) it was captured by Marcellus, and ever after was subject to Rome. It was at this time the capital of the province.