ctory in his favour. 26. The Romans, who
had never before encountered creatures of such magnitude, were
terrified not only at their intrepid fierceness, but at the castles
that were fastened on their backs, filled with armed men. 27. It was
then that Pyr'rhus saw the day was his own; and, sending his
Thessalian cavalry to charge the enemy in disorder, the route became
general. A dreadful slaughter of the Romans ensued, fifteen thousand
men being killed on the spot, and eighteen hundred taken prisoners.
28. Nor were the conquerors in a much better state than the
vanquished, Pyr'rhus himself being wounded, and thirteen thousand of
his forces slain. Night coming on, put an end to the slaughter on both
sides, and Pyr'rhus was heard to exclaim, that one such victory more
would ruin his whole army. 29. The next day, as he walked to view
the field of battle, he could not help regarding with admiration the
bodies of the Romans who were slain. Upon seeing them all with their
wounds in front, their countenances, even in death, marked with noble
resolution, and a sternness that awed him into respect, he was heard
to cry out, in the true spirit of a military adventurer, "Oh! with
what ease could I conquer the world, had I the Romans for soldiers, or
had they me for their king!"

30. Pyr'rhus, after this victory, was still unwilling to drive them to
an extremity, and considering that it was best to treat with an
humbled enemy, he resolved to send his friend Cin'eas,[8] the orator,
to negociate a peace; of whom he often asserted, that he had won more
towns by the eloquence of Cin'eas, than by his own arms. 31. But
Cin'eas, with all his art, found the Romans incapable of being
seduced, either by private bribery, or public persuasion; with a
haughtiness little expected from a vanquished enemy, they insisted
that Pyr'rhus should evacuate Italy, previous to a commencement of a
treaty of peace.

_Questions for Examination_.

1. Were the Romans uniformly successful?

2. Who resolved to use stratagem, and why?

3. By what means did he effect it?

4. What followed?

5. Was the Roman general deceived by this stratagem?

6. What advantage did the Samnite commander take of the situation of
the Romans?

7. Were these terms accepted?

8. How was this news received at Rome?

9. Did this event put an end to the war?

10. Who signalized themselves against the Samnites?

11. What measure did the Samnites adopt in this extremity?