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war against Rome, had roused the other states of northern Etruria to make a joint attack upon Arretium, which, under the rule of the friendly Cilnii, remained faithful to Rome. They had summoned to their aid an army of Senonian Gauls from the coasts of Umbria, and these Celtic barbarians, though at peace with Rome, came eager for plunder, and burning to avenge their defeat at the battle of Sentinum. Q. Cæcilius Metellus, the Consul of the last year, and now Prætor, was ordered to march to the relief of Arretium, while the new Consuls, P. Cornelius Dolabella and Cn. Domitius, prepared to crush the Etruscan war. But what was the consternation at Rome when tidings came that Metellus had been utterly defeated, himself slain, and his whole army cut to pieces or made prisoners!

§ 12. The Senate, nothing daunted, ordered the Consul Dolabella to advance, while Domitius, with M' Curius the Prætor, remained in reserve. Meanwhile they sent the Fetials into Umbria to complain of the breach of faith committed by the Senonian Gauls. But it happened that in the battle with Metellus, Britomaris the Gallic chief had fallen, and the young chief, his son, burning with mad desire of vengeance, committed another and a worse breach of faith: he murdered the sacred envoys in cold blood. As soon as the news of this outrage reached the Consul Dolabella, he promptly changed his plan. Instead of marching towards Arretium he turned to the right, and crossing the Apennines descended into the Senonian country. This he found almost defenceless, for the warriors were absent in Etruria. He took a bloody revenge, ravaging the country, burning the dwellings, slaying the old men, enslaving the women and children. The Celtic warriors hastily returned to defend their homes, but in vain; they sustained a complete defeat, and "the race of the Senonians was annihilated." Such is the brief and terrible epitome of their fate.

§ 13. The work of death was not yet done. The Boian Gauls, who lived along the southern bank of the Po, from the Trebia to the Rubicon, seized their arms and marched southwards to assist or avenge their brethren. They overtook the Consul Dolabella on the Tiber at its junction with the Nar, but not till P Florus i. 13, Eutrop. ii. 10.

after he had been joined by his colleague Domitius.

The

battle was fought on the right bank of the Tiber, near the little lake Vadimo. It was a fierce conflict, the most terrible probably which the Romans had fought since the battle of Sentinum. But the legionaries had become used to the huge bodies, strange arms, and savage cries of the Celtic barbarians; and their victory was complete. Once more, however, the Boians made a desperate rally, and were again defeated.

These great successes kept the Celtic tribes of Northern Italy quiet for nearly sixty years. Meanwhile the Senate secured the frontier of Umbria and occupied the vacant lands of the Senonians by the Colony of Sena Gallica, which, under the name of Senigaglia, still preserves the memory of its Celtic possessors.

§ 14. Meanwhile the war had been going on feebly in Lucania. But these prompt and successful operations in the north enabled the Senate to prosecute it more energetically. In 282 B.C., one of the Consuls of the year, C. Fabricius Luscinus, a remarkable man, of whom we shall have more to say presently, defeated the confederates in several actions, and finally compelled them to raise the siege of Thurii. The Roman army was withdrawn, but a garrison was left to defend the city; and the grateful people dedicated a statue to their deliverers, the first honour paid by Greeks to their future masters.

§ 15. It was believed at Rome, and not without reason, that the Tarentines, though they had not themselves drawn the sword, had been the secret instigators of these wars, both in Lucania and Etruria. The Senate therefore determined to pay no attention to the treaty, by which Roman ships were forbidden to appear in the bay of Tarentum; and on the withdrawal of the army of Fabricius, L. Valerius, one of the duumviri navales, q sailed round the Lacinian headland, and with ten ships stood across the gulf towards Tarentum. It was a summer noon, and the people were assembled in their theatre, which (as was common in Greek cities) was used alike for purposes of business and

This office was abolished not long after. In the Punic and subsequent wars the same officers commanded both the armies and fleets indifferently, as was the custom in all modern European countries till the close of the 17th century, and as seems still to be partially the custom in Russia.

pleasure. This theatre was cut out of the side of the hill looking towards the sea, and commanded a view of the whole bay. The whole assembly therefore saw the treaty violated before their eyes, and lent a ready ear to a demagogue named Philocharis, who rose and exhorted them to take summary vengeance. The people, seamen by habit, rushed down to the harbour, manned a number of ships and gained an easy victory over the little Roman squadron. Four ships were sunk, one taken, and Valerius himself was killed. The die was now cast, and the demagogues pushed the people to further outrages. They marched forth to Thurii, and, accusing that people of seeking aid from the barbarians, required the instant dismissal of the Roman garrison. This was done, and no sooner was it done, than the Tarentine populace plundered the unfortunate city and drove its chief citizens into exile.

§ 16. The Senate, unwilling to undertake a new war, in which their coasts might be ravaged by the superior navy of the Tarentines, sent an embassy, headed by L. Postumius, to require some explanation of this outrageous conduct. They knew that the wealthier citizens of Tarentum were as averse from war as themselves, and hoped that by this time the people might be inclined to hear the voice of reason. But unfortunately the ambassadors arrived at the season of the Dionysia, when the whole people, given up to wine and revelry, were again collected in the theatre. The Roman envoys were led straight into the orchestra, and ordered to state the purpose of their mission. When Postumius endeavoured to do so, his bad Greek produced peals of laughter from the thoughtless populace. He bore all patiently till a drunken buffoon ran up and defiled his white toga with ordure. This produced fresh laughter and loud applause, which was again renewed, when Postumius held up the sullied robe in the sight of all. "Aye," said he, "laugh on now: but this robe of mine shall remain uncleansed till it is washed in your best blood!"

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§ 17. Yet even after these gross insults the Roman People was so weary of war that the Senate debated long before they ordered L. Æmilius Barbula, the Consul of the year 281 B.C., to march

T

Compare the assembly in the theatre at Ephesus to hear the complaint of the silver workers against the Christians.-Acts xix. 29.

southward, while his colleague covered the Etruscan frontier. Æmilius was instructed to ravage the lands of the democratic party, and to spare the property of those citizens who wished to maintain peace; and so successful was this policy, that the demagogues lost their power, and Agis or Apis, the chief of the moderate party, was chosen captain-general of the army. And now there was good hope that some satisfaction would be offered for the outrages committed against the Romans and their allies, and that peace might be maintained: but this hope was soon frustrated. Early in the year the chiefs of the democratic party had sent to invite Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, to bring over an army and undertake the defence of Tarentum. These Tarentine envoys were accompanied by ambassadors from the Lucanians and Samnites, with large promises of soldiers to recruit his army and provisions to feed them. Pyrrhus needed no great persuasion to undertake a romantic enterprise, and he forthwith despatched Milo, one of his best officers, with 3000 men, to garrison the citadel of Tarentum. The arrival of Milo restored the democratic party to power. Agis was deprived of his office the Roman Consul retired into Apulia, and fixed his head-quarters at the colony of Venusia.

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Pyrrhus was now expected every day, and the Tarentine populace gave themselves up to immoderate joy. Aye, dance and sing, while ye may," said one of their graver citizens; "there will be something else to do when Pyrrhus comes."

He did not arrive till winter, and before we speak of his operations, it will be necessary to give some account of his life and character.

CHAPTER XXVI.

PYRRHUS IN ITALY. (280-275 B.C.)

§ 1. Adventurous youth of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus: lust of conquest. § 2. Arrives at Tarentum: stern discipline. § 3. Preparations of Romans: comparison of forces. § 4. Pyrrhus meets Romans on Siris: battle of Heraclea. § 5. Remarks of Pyrrhus after victory. § 6. Locri joins Pyrrhus: Rhegium seized by Campanian captain, Decius Jubellius: disappointment of Pyrrhus. § 7. Mission of Cineas to Rome: patriotic speech of App. Claudius. § 8. Report of Cineas: Pyrrhus marches into Latium, but Rome remains firm. § 9. Embassy of Fabricius during winter. § 10. Second campaign: Battle of Asculum in Apulia: Pyrrhus inclined to peace. § 11. Consuls of the next year warn him of his physician's treachery: Pyrrhus restores prisoners and departs for Sicily. § 12. His fortunes in Sicily. §13. Returns to Italy in third year. § 14. M' Curius, the Consul, compels Romans to enlist. § 15. Battle of Beneventum: defeat of Pyrrhus. § 16. After fate of Pyrrhus.

§ 1. PYRRHUS, King of Epirus, when he landed in Italy, was in his thirty-eighth year. His whole early life had been a series of adventure and peril. His father's name was Æacidas, a kinsman of that Alexander of Molossus who, some fifty years before, had been invited by the Tarentines to defend them against the Lucanians." When Alexander fell at Pandosia, Eacidas seized the throne of the Molossians. But he did not long retain it. For soon after followed the death of Alexander the Great at Babylon (323 B.C.), and the whole of his vast empire was broken up into separate kingdoms, which became the appanages of his generals. Cassander obtained Macedon, first as Regent, afterwards as King. But Olympias, the mother of the great Alexander, raised a faction against him, and Æacidas took her part. After some years of conflict, Æacidas fell in battle (313 B.C.), and by order of the ruthless Cassander all his family were massacred except Pyrrhus, who was then a child of about five years old. The boy was carried off secretly, and found safe harbourage with Glaucias, an Illyrian chief. Chapt. xxi. § 3.

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