A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

710' L'AEVINUS. LAEVINUS.
and while he could bring into the field' only his Crista, one of his lieutenants, raised the siege of
own troops and the Tarentines. Laevinus accord- Apollonia, took Philip's camp, and concluded a
ingly was despatched early in the spring into league between the Aetolians and Rome. The
Lucania, where, from a strong position he had terms of the league may be gathered from Polybius
seized, he watched the movements of the Epeirots. (ix. 28, &c.). Laevinus was four times re-apPyrrhus, to gain time, attempted negotiation, and pointed pro-praetor, B. C. 214, 213, 212, 21 1. In
wrote to Laevinus, offering'to arbitrate between the first of these years he winteied at Oricum; in
Rome, Tarentum, and the Italian allies. Laevinus, the second, and in 212, 211, he watched the
however, bluntly bade him leave the Romans to movements of Philip in Aetolia and Achaia. At
settle their own quarrels, and begone to Epeirus, if the comitia in B. c. 211, on account of his services
he wished them to listen to his overtures. Two of in Northern Greece, he was elected consul without
the letters which passed between Pyrrhus and solicitation, in his absence. In the latter part of
Laevinus are extant, in substance at least, among B. C. 211 he drove the Macedonians from the island
the fragments of Dionysius. They were probably of Zacynthus, and from Oeniadae and Nasus in
copied from the history of Hieronymus of Cardia, Acarnania. He wintered at Corcyra, and in the
who consulted Pyrrhus's own memoirs of his following spring took Anticyra, when the news of
Italian campaign. Laevinus and his opponent his election to the consulship reached him. Sickwere encamped on the opposite banks of the Siris; ness, however, prevented Laevinus from returning
and, while battle was impending, an Epeirot spy to Rome till the beginning of summer. On landwas taken in the Roman lines. Laevinus showed ing in Italy, he was met by envoys from Capua,
him the legions under arms, and bade him tell his charged with complaints against the pro-consul, Q.
master, if he was curious about the Roman men Fulvius Flaccus [FULvIus FLACCUS, No. 2]; and'
and tactics, to come and see them himself. Laevi- by Sicilians, charged with similar complaints
nus, whose numbers were superior to the enemy, against M. Claudius Marcellus, and he entered
was driven back over the Siris; his camp was Rome with a numerous attendance of these appeltaken, and night alone enabled the fugitives to lants, and of delegates from the Aetolian league.
reach al. Apulian town, probably Venusia. In the Having reported to the senate his three years' adsame year, however, he defended Capua, and hung ministration in Greece, Laevinus was allotted the
upon the rear of the Epeirot army both in its march province of Italy and the war with Hannibal,
to Rome and on its retreat; and he had so effectu- which, however, he presently exchanged, by
ally restored the courage and discipline of his le- mutual consent, with his colleague Marcellus for
gions, that Pyrrhus did not venture to attack him. Sicily, as the Syracusans deprecated the apThe army of Laevinus, as the penalty of its defeat, pointment of Marcellus to the government of that
remained in camp at the foot of the Samnite high- island. The debate on the petition of the Sylands throughout the following winter. His name racusans closed with the senate's recommending
does not again occur in the war with Pyrrhus. their interests to Laevinus. An edict, brought
(Liv. Epit. xiii.; Dionys. xvii. 15, 16, xviii. 1- forward by the consuls for raising supplies for the
4; Dion Cass. Fr. Peiresc. xl.; Appian. Samnit. fleet, having excited great alarm and indignation
Fr. x.; Plut. Pyrrh. 16, 17; Zonar. viii. 3; Justin. among the Roman commonalty and the Italian
xviii. 1; Oros. iv. 1; Front. Strat. ii. 4. ~ 9, iv. 7. allies, already overburdened with taxes for the war
~ 7; Vict. Vir. III. 35; Flor. i. 18; Eutrop. ii. in Italy, Laevinus proposed that all who had
11.)' borne curule magistracies, and all members of the
2. M. VALERIUS LAEVINUS, grandson probably senate, should bring voluntarily to the treasury all
of the preceding, was praetor peregrinus in B. C. their gold, silver, and brass, whether coined,
215. But at that crisis of the second Punic war- wrought, or bullion, except what was required for
the year following the defeat at Cannae-all the family sacrifices, or did not consist of the rings of
civil magistrates were employed in military com- the equites, the bullae of male children, or certain
mands; and Laevinus, with the -legions lately articles of female ornament. His proposal was
returned from Sicily, was stationed in Apulia, and cheerfully complied with, and quieted the public
a fleet of twenty-five gallies was attached to his discontent, and Laevinus departed for Sicily. By
land-forces, that he might watch the coast of Italy the end of autumn Laevinus reported to the senate
from Brundisium to Tarentum.' While he lay en- the complete expulsion of the Carthaginians from
camped near Luceria, his outposts brought in the the island. The gates of Agrigentum were opened
ambassadors of Philip IV. of Macedonia, whom they to him'by Mutines, a discontented Numidian
had intercepted on their way to Hannibal's quar- chief; and of sixty-six other towns, six were
ters. Laevinus, however, deceived as to the pur- stormed by him, twenty were betrayed, and forty
pose of their mission by Xenophanes, the chief -of voluntarily surrendered to him. Laevinus encouthe legation,'furnished them with guides and an raged or compelled the Sicilians to resume the purescort to Rome. [XENOPHANES.] During the suit of agriculture, that the island might again beiutumn of the same year he retook three towns of come one of the granaries of Rome; and finding at
the Hirpinians, which, after the defeat at Cannae, Agathyrna a mixed multitude of criminals, deserthad revolted to Hannibal.' Having placed garrisons ers, and fugitive slaves, whose presence was danin Tarentum and Rhegium, Laevinus' with one gerous to the public peace, he exported them to
legion wintered at Brundisium, from whence' he Rhegium, where they did the republic good service
watched the eastern coast of Italy, where a Ma- as a predatory force against Hannibal in Bruttium.
cedonian invasion was'expected.' Envoys from The senate then ordered Laevinus to return to
Oricum, in Epeirus, came to his winter-quarters, Rome, to hold'the consular comitia for B. c. 209.
announcing the capture of their own'city by'Philip, But presently after'his arrival he was remanded to
and' the imminent danger of Apollonia. Laevinus his province, which was threatened with a fresh
immediately crossed the Adriatic, recovered Ori- invasion from Africa. He was directed to nominate
cum, and by - a detachment -under Q. Naevims a dictator, to preside at the elections. But on this