PYRKHUS. 



! M 



willing to conclude peace, that they should return after the festival. 

 The senate would not hear of peace, and, after the festival was over, 

 they eut the captives back to Pyrrhus. 



ID B.C. 279, Pyrrbns began hi* new campaign, and in the neighbour- 

 hood of Aiculiirn in Apulia he met the Koman consuls 1*. Sulpioius 

 and P. Decius. The king compelled the Rowans to come forward 

 into the open field by sending his elephant* with a division of light- 

 aimed troops to attack thtir flank. The Romans endeavoured in vain 

 to break through the phalanx ; Pyrrhus was irresistible, snd the 

 elephants disported and routed the Roman horse. The Roman*, after 

 having lost 6000 mtn, took refuge in their camp ; Pyrrhus lost 3500 

 of his soldiers, and among them the flower of his army (Plut., 'Pyrrh.,' 

 21 ; comp. Nicbubr's < Hist, of Rome,' iii, p. 589, Ac.), and although 

 be had gained the day, he retreated to Tareutnm. lie is said to have 

 exclaimed, " One more such victory, and we are lost,'* Ho had disco- 

 vered bow little he could rely on the discipline of his Italian allies ; 

 to draw reinforcements from Epirua was impracticable, as an insurrec- 

 tion had broken out among the Molostians (Appian. iii. 11, 1), while 

 the northern part of Epirus was threatened with an invasion of the 

 Gaul*. The Romano, on the other hand, who seemed to gain new 

 strength after every defeat, had formed a close defensive alliance with 

 Carthage (PolyK, iii. 25), which immediately bent out a fleet to 

 co-operate with the Romans against P\ rrhus. Tlie Romans however 

 declined this aid, and Mago, the Carthaginian admiral, sailed to Pyrrbu?, 

 who had already directed his attention to Sicily, to bound his intent i >n -. 

 In the meantime however an occurrence is said to have taken place 

 which afforded to the Romans as well as to Pyrrhua a favourable 

 opportunity to put a stop to hostilities. In B.C. 278, when the consuls 

 I'. Fabrici UK and Q. Papus bad taken the field against I'yrrhns. a 

 traitor belonging to the retinue of the king proposed to the consuls 

 to <lcatn>y his master by poison. '1 he Romans are said to have 

 apprised the king of hU danger (Niebtibr, ' I list, of Rome,' iii., p. ."91, 

 Ac.), who, as a reward for their honesty, ordered Cim as to lead all the 

 Roman prisoners back, without ransom, and laden with rich presents. 

 Ciness was also authorised to make peace. 1 ho generosity of the king 

 rendered the Roman senate more flexible than before, and although 

 peace was refused unless the king would consent to quit Italy, yet the 

 Tarentine prisoners and other allies of Pyrrhus wore sent back, and u 

 truce was concluded (Appian, iii. 12, 1), which enabled the king to 

 cross over to Sicily with hia army. The garrison in Tarentum and 

 other places remained, and Alexander, son of 1'yrrhus by Lanassa, was 

 entrusted with the command at Locri. (Justin, xviii. 2.) Pyrrhus liad 

 been invited by the inhabitants of Agrigentum, Syracuse, and Leontini 

 to lend his aid against some Sicilian tyrants and the Carthaginians, 

 who bad already taken possession of many towns in the island and 

 were besieging Syracuse by land and by sea, Pyrrhus willingly 

 complied with their wish, hoping that it would not be difficult to 

 make himself master of the inland, and thus more effectually to support 

 hia Italian allies. 



After having spent two^eara and four months in Italy (Diodor., 

 ' Fragm.,' lib. xxii. 11), Pyv^ua landed with bis army in Sicily. The 

 Carthaginians withdrew their forces from Syracuse. Almost all the 

 towns of Sicily threw open their gates to him ; Kryx was bt sieged and 

 soon reduced. The Mamertinee, who held several towns in subjugation 

 and exacted heavy tributes, were likewise subdued. The Carthaginians 

 were at hut driven from Sicily, with the exception of Lilybxum, where 

 they fortified themselves, and were besieged by I'yrrhus. They were 

 willing to give up the whole island, with the exception of this last 

 stronghold, and even offered money if Pyrrhus would conclude peace 

 on these terms. But Pyrrhus, urged by the chief Sicilians, whom 

 nothing short of an entire evacuation of their island by the Cartha- 

 ginians would satisfy, declare. 1 that he could enter into no negotiation 

 unless they would withdraw all their forces from Sicily. (Diodor., 

 ' Kragiu.,' lib. xxii., 14.) After a long and useless siege of Lilybccum, 

 the king determined to man his fleet and tuuko a landing on the coast 

 of Africa. But hi* severity in compelling the Sicilian Greeks to man 

 his vessels, and his mistrust of them, roused their discontent. The 

 two leading men among them, Thynion and Sosistratus, incurred bis 

 suspicions, and one of thorn was put to death. This act suddenly 

 called forth the hatred of the Sicilians, and imme of them threw them- 

 selves again under the protection of the Carthaginians, while ..tin 

 called the Mamertines to their assistance. Wi.ile this dangerous 

 spirit was spreading in Sicily, l'\ rrhun reci-ived information that the 

 larrntinea and Samnites were no longer able to hold out against the 

 Romans, and he gladly seized the opportunity of quitting the island, 

 and hastened to Italy. 



In his passage through the straits ho was at tucked by the Cartha- 

 ginian fleet, and lust seventy of his ships, and be reached the coast of 

 Italy with only twelve which were in sailing condition (<!.<. -7'i). On 

 arriving at Locri, he found himself in great difficulties, not being able 

 to paj bis soldiers. To satitfy their wants, he took the sacred 

 treasure! from the temple of Proserpine. When tho treasures were 

 embarked, a storm arouc, in which some of the ships were lost ; the 

 ctlien, laden with the treasures, were cast back on the coast of Locri. 

 Pyrrhus fancying that he had incurred the anger of the goddess, not 

 only restored all tho treasures to the temple, but endeavoured to atone 

 for bis crime by offering rich sacrifices : and as the signs appeared to 

 be inauspicious, he put to death all those who had advised or consented 



to the sacrilegious act (Appian, iii. 12.) On his march towards 

 Tarentum, his army waa attacked and harassed from the m.-.u,- 

 districts by numbers of Mamertines, who had come over from Sicily 

 before him. Pyrrhus here again evinced his usual courage. A huge 

 barbarian challenged the king to single combat, and Pyrrhus, though 

 already wounded, hurried forward, and cut the man in two with his 

 sword. This proof of his undaunted spirit put an end to the attacks 

 of the barbarians, and be reached Tarentum in safety. 



Having here reinforced himself, he set out against the Romans, and 

 pitched his camp in Samuium. The Romans sent oat two consular 

 armies under ilaniux Curiu*, who marched into Samnium to meet 

 Pyrrhus, and L. Cornelius Lentulus, who took up his position in 

 Lucania (B.C. 275). The Samnites tent a contingent to his army, but 

 it was small, as they bore some ill-will towards him. I'yrrhus sent a 

 part of his army to Lucania, to prevent Lentulus joining bis colleague. 

 Curius had taken his position, and fortified himself on the hills near 

 Ueneventum, wishing to avoid battle until the arrival of Lentulus. It 

 was the intention of Pyrrhus to attack the Roman camp by surprise 

 before daybreak, but in order to reach the summit of the hill above 

 the Roman camp, be had to lead his army a long and fatiguing way 

 through the forests, and when he descended upon the Roman camp it 

 was broad daylight. Curius turned round to attack the enemy, who 

 after some resistance took to flight. This success emboldened Curius 

 to direct his attack against the main army of the king in the plain. 

 The elephants, frightened :m.l infuriated by burning arrows, which the 

 Romans showered on them, put the king's army into disorder, and 

 were thus the cause of a complete defeat. The king's camp fell into 

 the bands of the Romans. Two elephants were killed and eight taken ; 

 Pyrrhus himself, with only a few horsemen, escaped to Tarentum. 

 He nevertheless did cot despair, but sent letters to several 

 requesting them to supply him with men and money. (Paus., i. IS.) 

 Antiochus promised to comply with his wish, but Antigonus refused. 

 A report of advancing auxiliaries for the king kept the Romans at a 

 distance, and enabled Pyrrhus to set Bail for Epirus with the greater 

 part of his troops. Milo however was left behind, with the command 

 of the garrison at Tuivntum, and his son Helenus. 



On arriving in hia kingdom, Pyrrhus found himself unable to provide 

 for the wants of his small band, and after some Clalatians had joined 

 him he invaded Macedonia in order to gain by plunder tho means of 

 maintaining his troops. Fortune once more favoured him, and he soon 

 made himself master of nearly tho whole of Macedonia. Thinking 

 that a more glorious field was now opening to him, he gave up all 

 intention of returning to Italy, and recalled Milo and hia son I Menus. 

 Antigonua, who had assembled an army of Galatian mercenaries, wan 

 defeated by a son of Pyrrhus, and fled from his kingdom. 



Before I'yrrhus had firmly established himself in Macedonia, ho was 

 invited by Cleouymus, a worthless Spartan, to assist him against the 

 king Areus. Pyrrhus advanced to Sparta with a numerous army, 

 ravaging and plundering the neighbourhood. He succeeded in forcing 

 his way into the city, but the united exertions of the Spartan in- 

 women drove him from it. At the same time King Areus arrived from 

 Crete, and auxiliaries from Corinth were on their march to Span 

 Pyrrhus therefore gave up the content, and contented himself with 

 ravaging the country. Another opportunity for action now offered 

 itself. Argos was distracted by two fictions; one was head, .i l>y 

 Aristeas, who called Pyrrhus to his assistance, while Aristippus. his 

 adversary, sought the protection of Antigonus. The king imm. diately 

 marched towards Argos. On his road he was attacked by Areus, who 

 lay in amhu,h snd cut off the rear of his army. Pyrrhus left 1'tolc- 

 mceus behind to oppose Arcu", and proceeded on his road. His son 

 fell in fierce battle, and Pyrrhus, turning back to avenge his death, 

 slew with his own hand Kualcns, who had killed his son. 



In the meantime Aatigonus had occupied the hills near Nauplia, 

 and Pyrrhus pitched his camp in tho plain. The Argivos, dreading 

 the issue of a battle, promised that their city should not be hostile to 

 either party if they would not attack it. Antigonus contented, and 

 gave his son as a hostage. Pyrrhua likewise promised to keep : 

 but gave no pledge of his intentions. In the ensuing night Aristeas 

 opened one of the gates to him, through which Pyrrhus with his 

 Galatians entered, and took possession of the market-place. Th.- 

 Argives, roused from their sleep by the noise, aent to Antigonua, who 

 immediately advanced with l>is forces. Areus at the same time arrived 

 with a select body of Cretans and Spartans. Tho darkness of the 

 night and the narrowness of the streets produced the greatest confu- 

 sion among the combatants. At daybreak, Pyrrhus, discovering that 

 all tho fortified parts of the city wore occupied by armed troops, wished 

 to got out of Argos. While he was making this attempt, assisted by 

 one of his sons, he was killed by an old woman, who, seeing her son 

 fighting with the king, threw a tile Uf.on his bead from the roof of her 

 house. 



lyrrhus died in the year .<:. 273. (Nicbuhr, ' Hist of Rome,' iii., 

 note 928.) All the ancients agree that he was one of the greatest 

 generals; and Hannibal himself declared him to be the first. Hut 

 great as he was in battle, he did not know how to make the best use 

 of a victory. His ambition was rather to acquire than to preserve, 

 and he generally soon lost the advantages which he had gained. He 

 was grateful towards his subjects, and owned that he was indebted to 

 them for all that he possessed. As a man he stands pre-eminent 



