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

PYRRHUS.,PYRRHUS. 615
newed on the next day, but with no better success; f ordered the body to be interred with becoming
and the arrival of Areus with 2000 Cretans, as honours. His remains were deposited by the Arwell as of other auxiliary forces, at length cornm- gives in the temple of Demeter. (Pans. i. 13. ~ 8.)
lielled Pyrrhus to abandon all hopes of taking the Pyrrhus perished in B. C. 272, in the forty-sixth
city. He did not, however, relinquish his enter- year of his age, and in the twenty-third of his
prise altogether, but resolved to winter in Pelopon- reign. He was the greatest warrior and one of the
resus, that he might be ready to renew operations best princes of his time. If judged by a righteous
at the commencement of the spring. But while standard of public morality, he will appear as a momaking preparations for this object, he received an narch intent only upon his personal aggrandisement,
invitation from Aristeas, one of the leading citizens and ready to sacrifice the rights of other nations
at Argos, to assist him against his rival Aristippus, to the advancement of his glory and the gratifiwhose cause was espoused by Antigonus. Pyrrhus cation of his ambition. But if judged by the
forthwith commenced his march from the neighbour- morality of the profligate times in which he lived,
hlood of Sparta, but did not reach Argos without when every Greek prince thought he had a right
some sharp fighting, as the Spartans under Areus to whatever dominions his sword could win, we
both molested his march and occupied some of the shall see more to admire than to censure in his
passes through which his road lay. In one of conduct. His government of his native dominions
these encounters his eldest son Ptolemy fell, greatly seems to have been just and lenient, for his Epeito the grief of his father, who avenged his death by rots always remained faithful to him even during
killing with his own hand the leader of the Lacedae- his long absence in Italy.and Sicily. His foreign
monian detachment which had destroyed his son. On wars were carried on with no unnecessary cruelty
arriving in the neighbourhood of Argos, he found and oppression, and he is accused of fewer crimes
Antigonus encamped on one of the heights near the than any of his contemporaries. The greatest
city, but he could not induce him to risk a battle. testimony to the excellence of his private life is,
There was a party at Argos, which did not belong that in an age of treachery and corruption he
to either of the contending factions, and which was ever retained the affection of his personal attendanxious to get rid both of Pyrrhus and Antigonus. ants; and hence, with the solitary exception of
They accordingly sent an embassy to the two the physician who offered to poison him, we read
kings, begging them to withdraw from the city. of no instance in which he was deserted or betrayed
Antigonus promised compliance, and sent his son by any of his officers or friends. With his daring
as a hostage; but though Pyrrhus did not refuse, courage, his amilitary skill, his affable deportment,
he would not give any hostage. In the night-time and his kingly bearing, he might have become the
Aristeas admitted Pyrrhus into the city, who most powerful monarch of his day, if he had
marched into the market-place with part of his steadily and perseveringly pursued the immediate
troops, leaving his son Helenus with the main body object before him. But he never rested satisfied
of his army on the outside. But the alarm having with any acquisition, and was ever grasping at
been given, the citadel was seized by the Argives some fresh object: hence Antigonus compared him
of the opposite faction. Areus with his Spartans, to a gambler, who made many good throws with
who had followed close upon Pyrrhus, was ad- the dice, but was unable to make the proper use of
mitted within the walls, and Antigonus also sent the game. Pyrrhus was regarded in subsequent
a portion of his troops into the city, under the times as one of the greatest generals that had ever
command of his son Halcyoneus, while he himself lived. Procles, the Carthaginian, thought him
remained without with the bulk of his forces. On superior even to Alexander in the military art
the dawn of day Pyrrhus saw that all the strong (Paus. iv. 35. ~ 4); and Hannibal said that of all
places were in the possession of the enemy, and generals Pyrrhus was the first, Scipio the second,
that it would be necessary for him to retreat. He and himself the third (Plut. Pyrrh. 8), or, accordaccordingly sent orders to his son Helenus to break ing to another version of the story, Alexander was
down part of the walls, in order that his troops the first, Pyrrhus the second, and himself the third
might retire with more ease; but in consequence (Plut. Flamnin. 21). Pyrrhus wrote a work on
of some mistake in the delivery of the message, the art of war, which was read in the time of
Helenus attempted to enter the city by the same Cicero (ad Fanr. ix. 25, comp. Fabric. Bibl. Gr-aec
gateway through which Pyrrhus was retreating. vol. iv. p. 343); and his commentaries are quoted
The two tides encountered one another, and to add both by Dionysius and Plutarch.
to the confusion one of the elephants fell down in Pyrrhus married four wives. 1. Antigone, the
the narrow gateway, while another becoming wild daughter of Berenice. 2. A daughter of Audoleon,
and ungovernable, trod down every one before king of the Paeonians. 3. Bircenna, a daughter of
him. Pyrrhus was in the rear, in a more open Bardylis, king of the Illyrians. 4. Lanassa, a
part of the city, attempting to keep off the enemy. daughter of Agathocles of Syracuse. His children
While thus engaged, he was slightly wounded were:-1. Ptolemy, born B. C. 295; killed in
through the breast-plate with a javelin; and, as he battle, B. c. 272. [Vol. III. p. 566, No. 9.] 2.
turned to take vengeance on the Argive who had Alexander, who succeeded his father as king of
attacked him, the mother of the man, seeing the Epeirus. [Vol. I. p. 116.] 3. Helenus. [HELEdanger of her son, hurled down from the house- NUS, No. 1.] 4. Nereis, who married Gelon of
roof where she was standing a ponderous tile, Syracuse. [NEREIS.] 5. Olympias, who married
which struck Pyrrhus on the back of his neck. He her own brother Alexander. [OLYMPlAS, No. 2.]
fell from his horse stunned with the blow, and 6. Deidameia or Laodameia.
being recognised by some of the soldiers of Anti- (Plutarch's biography is the principal ancient
gonus, was quickly despatched. His head was cut authority for the Life of Pyrrhus; and the subject
off and given to Halcyoneus, who carried the bloody has been ably- treated by the following modern
trophy with exultation to his father Antigonus. writers:- Droysen, Geschichte des Hellenismus,
But the latter turned away from the sight, and vol. i. pp. 249, 496, 535, 554-626, vol. ii. pp.89,
Ra it 4