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

614 PYRRHUS. PYRRHUS.
short time before made a treaty with the Romans. camp. Still their arrival -,as quite unexpected;
Pyrrhus was foolish enough to reject this offer, but as a battle was now inevitable, Curius led out
which would have afforded him immense advan- his men. The troops of Pyrrhus, exhausted by
tages for the prosecution of the war with Rome; fatigue, were easily put to the rout; two elephants
and at the instigation of the Sicilian Greeks he were killed and eight more taken. Encouraged by
refused to come to any terms with the Cartha- this success, Curius no longer hesitated to meet
giniaIls unless they would evacuate Sicily alto- the king in the open plain. One wing of the
gether. Shortly after Pyrrhus received a severe Romans was victorious. The other was driven back
repulse in an attempt which he made upon the im- by the phalanx and the elephants to their camp,
pregnable town of Lilybaeum. The prestige of but their retreat was covered by a shower of missuccess was now gone. The Greeks, who had in- siles from the ramparts of the camp, which so anvited him to the island, were desirous to see him noyed the elephants that they turned round and
depart, and began to form cabals and plots against trod down all before them. The Romans now
him. This led to retaliation on the part of Pyrrhus, returned to the charge, and easily drove back the
and to acts which were deemed both cruel and enemy which had been thus thrown into disorder.
tyrannical by the Greeks. He was involved in The rout was complete, and Pyrrhus arrived at
plots and insurrections of all kinds, and soon Tarentum with only a few horsemen. It was now
became as anxious to abandon the island as he impossible to continue the war any longer without
had been before to leave Italy. Accordingly, when a fresh supply of troops, and he therefore applied
his Italian allies again begged him to come to their to the kings of Macedonia and Syria for assistance;
assistance, he readily complied with their request. but as they turned a deaf ear to his request, he had
Pyrrhus returned to Italy in the autumn of no alternative but to quit Italy. He crossed over
B. c. 276. He was attacked by a Carthaginian to Greece towards the end of the year, leaving Milo
fleet on his passage, and lost seventy of his ships with a garrison at Tarentum, as if he still clung to
of war, which he had obtained in Sicily; and the idea of returning to Italy at some future time.
when he landed, he had to fight his way through Pyrrhus arrived in Epeirus at the end of B. c.
the Mamertines, who had crossed over from Sicily 274, after an absence of six years. He brought
to dispute his passage. lie defeated them after a back with him only 8000 foot and 500 horse, and
sharp struggle, and eventually reached Tarentum had not money to maintain even these without
in safety. His troops were now almost the same undertaking new wars. Accordingly, at the bein number as when he first landed in Italy, but ginning of the following year, B. C. 273, he invaded
very different in quality. His faithful Epeirots had Macedonia, of which Antigonus Gonatas, the son of
for the most part fallen, and his present soldiers Demetrius, was at that time king. His army had
consisted chiefly of mercenaries, whom he had levied been reinforced by a body of Gallic mercenaries, and
in Italy, and on whose fidelity he could only rely his only object at first seems to have been plunder.
so long as he led them to victory, and supplied But his success far exceeded his expectations. He
them with pay and plunder. Pyrrhus did not obtained possession of several towns without reremain inactive at Tarentum, but forthwith com- sistance; and when at length Antigonus advanced
mnenced operations, although the season seems to to meet him, the Macedonian monarch was deserted
have been far advanced. He recovered Locri, by his own troops, who welcomed Pyrrhus as their
which had revolted to the Romans; and as he king. Pyrrhus thus became king of Macedonia a
here found himself in great difficulties for want of second time, but had scarcely obtained possession
money to pay his troops, and could obtain none of the kingdom before his restless spirit drove him
from his allies, he was induced at the advice of into new enterprises. Cleonymus had many years
some Epicureans to take possession of the treasures before been excluded from the Spartan throne; and he
of the temple of Proserpine in that town. The had recently received a new insult from the family
ships in which the money was to be embarked to which was reigning in his place. Acrotatus, the son
be carried to Tarentum, were driven back by a of the Spartan king Areus, had seduced Chelidonis,
storm to Locri. This circumstance deeply affected the young wife of Cleonymus, and the latter, now
the mind of Pyrrhus; he ordered the treasures to burning for revenge, repaired to the court of Pyrbe restored to the temple, and put to death the rhus, and persuaded him to make war upon Sparta.
unfortunate men who had advised him to commit This invitation was readily complied with: and
the sacrilegious act; and from this time he became Pyrrhus accordingly marched into Laconia in the
haunted by the idea, as he himself related in his following year, B. c. 272, with an army of 25,000
memoirs, that the wrath of Proserpine was pur- foot, 2000 horse, and 24 elephants. Such a force
suing him and dragging him down to ruin. seemed irresistible; no preparations had been made
(Dionys. xix. 9, 10; Appian, Samn. xii.) for defence, and king Areus himself was absent in
The following year, B. c. 274, closed the career Crete. As soon as Pyrrhus arrived, Cleonymus
of Pyrrhus in Italy. The consuls were Curius urged him to attack the city forthwith. But as
Dentatus and Servilius Merenda;'of whom the the day was far spent, Pyrrhus resolved to defer
former marched into Samnium and the latter into the attack till next day, fearing that his soldiers
Lucania. Pyrrhus advanced against Curius, who would pillage the city, if it were taken in the night.
was encamped in the neighbourhood of Beneven- But during the night the Spartans were not idle.
tum, and resolved to attack him before he was All the inhabitants, old and young, men and wojoined by his colleague. As Curius, however, did men, laboured incessantly in digging a deep ditch
not wish to risk a battle with his own army alone, opposite the enemy's camp, and at the end of each
Pyrrhus planned an attack upon his camp by ditch formed a strong barricade of waggons. The
night. But he miscalculated the time and the next day Pyrrhus advanced to the assault, but was
distance; the torches burnt out, the men missed repulsed by the Spartans, who fought under their
their way, and it was already broad day-light youthful leader Acrotatus in a manner worthy of
when he reached the heights above the Roman their ancient courage. The assault was again re