Latin to English Art/Literary History Death of Archimedes Silius Italicus

"who are you he was asked" perhaps?
Ma l’insana cupidigia di un soldato che violento irrompe nella casa dello scienziato mentre egli è intento a tracciare figure sul terreno fa sì che all’incalzante domanda sull’identità “quisnam esset interrogabat” egli non risponda se non esprimendo la volontà di proteggere il disegno, al che “in contrasto con l’ordine del vincitore”, viene ucciso.

However the crazed greed of a soldier who violently broke into the house of the scientist while he was intent on tracing figures on the ground meant that he did not reply to the summary demand to give his name “quisnam esset interrogabat”, except by expressing a desire to protect his drawing, at which point, “contrary to the orders of the victor” he was killed.