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

PYRRHUS. PYRRHUS. 613
Pyrrhus, and commanded Cineas to quit Rome on of battle, that not more than 6000 of the Romans
the same day. fell, while Pyrrhus, according to his own stateCineas returned to Pyrrhus, and told him he ment in his commentaries, lost 3505 men. This
must hope for nothing from negotiation. The king was the account of Hieronymus, which is preaccordingly resolved to prosecute the war with served by Plutarch, and is doubtless correct in the
vigour. He advanced by rapid marches towards main. The Roman annalists, on the contrary,
Rome, plundering the country of the Roman allies either represented it as a drawn battle, or claimed
as he went along. He was followed by the consul the victory for their own nation (Liv. Epoit. 13;
Laevinus, whose army had been reinforced by twQ Zonar. viii. 5; Eutrop. ii. 13; Oros. iv. I; Flor. i.
legions, which had been levied in the city while 18. ~ 9; comp. Mus, DECIus, No. 3.) The victhe senate was considering the king's proposals of tory however yielded Pyrrhus no advantage, and
peace. Laevinus, however, did not venture to he ivas obliged to retire to Tarentum for the winter
attack the superior forces of the enemy, but con- without effecting any thing more during the camtented himself with harassing their march and paign. In the last battle, as well as in the first,
delaying their advance by petty skirmishes. Pyr- the brunt of the action had fallen almost exrthus, therefore, continued to advance steadily clusively on the Greek troops of the king; and the
without meeting with any serious opposition, and state of Greece, which was overrun by the Gauls
at length arrived at Praeneste, which fell into his in this year, made it hopeless for him to obtain
hands. He was now only twenty-four miles from any reinforcements from Epeirus. He was therefore
Rome, and his outposts advanced six miles further. unwilling to hazard his surviving Greeks by another
Another march would have brought him under the campaign with the Romans, and accordingly lent
walls of the city; but here his progress was stop- a ready ear to the invitations of the Greeks in
ped. At this moment he was infornled that peace Sicily, who begged him to come to their assistance
was concluded with the Etruscans, and that the against the Carthaginians. This seemed an easier
other consul, Ti. Coruncanius, had returned with enterprise than the one he was already engaged in,
his army to Rome. All hope was now gone of and it had moreover the charm of novelty, which
compelling the Romans to accept the peace, and always had great attractions for Pyrrhus. It was
he therefore resolved to retreat. He retired slowly necessary, however, first to suspend hostilities with
illto Campania, and from thence withdrew into the Romans, who were likewise anxious to get rid
winter-quarters to Tarentum. No other battle was of so formidable an opponent that they might comfought this year. plete the subjugation of southern Italy without
As soon as the armies were quartered for the further interruption. When both parties had the
winter, the Romans sent an embassy to Pyrrhus, same wishes, it was not difficult to find a fair preto endeavour to obtain the ransom of the Roman text for bringing the war to a conclusion. This
prisoners or their exchange for an equal number of was afforded at the beginning of the following
the Tarentines or their allies. The ambassadors were year, B. c. 278, by one of the servants of Pyrrhus
received by Pyrrhus in the most distinguished deserting to the Romans and proposing to the
manner; and his interviews with C. Fabricius consuls to poison his master. The consuls FaLuscinus, who was at the head of the embassy, bricius and Aemilius sent back the deserter to the
form one of the most celebrated stories in Romaii king, stating that they abhorred a victory gained
history, and have been briefly related elsewhere. by treason. Thereupon Pyrrhus, to show his gra[Vol. II. p. 842, a.] He refused, however, to titude, sent Cineas to Rome with all the Roman
comply with the request of the Romans; but at prisoners without ransom and without conditions;
the same time to show them his trust in their and the Romans appear to have granted him a
honour, and his admiration of their character, he al- truce, though not a formal peace, as he had not
lowed them to go to Rome in order to celebrate the consented to evacuate Italy.
Saturnalia, stipulating that they were to return to Pyrrhus was now at liberty to cross over into
Tarentum if the senate would not accept the terms Sicily, which he did immediately afterwards,
which he had previously offered them through leaving Milo with part of his troops in possession
Cineas. The senate remaiIled firm in their resolve, of Tarentum, and his son Alexander with another
and all the prisoners returned to Pyrrhus, the garrison at Locri (Justin, xviii. 2; Zonar. viii. 5.)
punishment of death having been denounced against The Tarentines had demanded that his troops
those who should remain in the city. This is the should be withdrawn, if he would not assist them
account in Appian (Saunn. x. 4, 5), and Plutarch in the field; but Pyrrhus paid no heed to their
(I'yrrh. 20); but other writers state with less remonstrances, and retained possession of their
probability that the prisoners were set free by town, as well as of Locri, in hopes of being soon
Pyrrhus unconditionally and without ransom. (Liv. able to return to Italy at the head of the Greeks
Epit. 1 3; Zonar. viii. 4; Flor. i. 18; Eutrop. ii. of Sicily, of which island his warm imagination had
7; Aurel. Vict. de Vir. Ill. 35.) already pictured him as the sovereign.
Of the campaign of the following year, B. c. 279, Pyrrhus remained in Sicily upwards of two
we know but little. The consuls were P. Decius years, namely from the middle of B. c. 478, to the
Mus and P. Sulpicius Saverrio. Apulia was the latter end of B. c. 476. At first he met with brilfield of operations, and the great battle of the cam- liant success in Sicily. He drove the Carthapaign was fought near Asculum. The first en- ginians before him, and took the strongly fortified
counter took place near the banks of a river, where city of Eryx, in the assault of which he was the
the uneven nature of the ground was ill adapted first to mount the scaling ladders, and distinfor the movements of the phalanx, and the Romans guished himself as usual by his daring and imaccordingly gained the advantage. But Pyrrhus petuous valour. The Carthaginians became so
nlanoeuvred so as to bring the enemy into the alarmed at his success, that they offered him both
open plain, where the Romans were defeated, and ships and nioney on condition of his forming an
fled to their camp. This was so near to the field alliance with them, although they had only a
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