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south Italian coast. The Tarentines, being hard pressed by their
vigorous foes, sent an embassy to Greece, and asked Pyrrhus, then the
most famous warrior of the Grecian race, to come to their aid against
their enemy. This was in the year 281 B.C.

Pyrrhus had been for some years at peace, building himself a new capital
city, which he profusely adorned with pictures and statues. But peace
was not to his taste. Consumed by ambition, restless in temperament, and
anxious to make himself a rival in fame of Alexander the Great, he was
ready enough to accept this request, and measure his strength in battle
against the most warlike nation of the West.

His wise counsellor, Cineas, asked him what he would do next, if he
should overcome the Romans, who were said to be great warriors and
conquerors of many peoples.

"The Romans once overcome," he said, proudly, "no city, Greek or
barbarian, would dare to oppose me, and I should be master of all
Italy."

"Well," said Cineas, "if you conquer Italy, what next?"

"Greater victories would follow. There are Libya and Carthage to be
won."

"And then?" asked Cineas.

"Then I should be able to master all Greece."

"And then?" continued the counsellor.

"Then," said Pyrrhus, "I would live at ease, eat and drink all day, and
enjoy pleasant conversation."

"And what hinders you from taking your ease now, without all this peril
and bloodshed?"

Pyrrhus had no answer to this. But thirst for fame drove him on, and the
days of ease never came.

In the following year Pyrrhus crossed to Italy with an army of about
twenty-five thousand men, and with a number of elephants, animals which
the Romans had never seen, and with which he hoped to frighten them from
the battle-field. He had been promised the aid of all southern Italy,
and an army of three hundred and fifty thousand infantry and twenty
thousand cavalry. In this he was destined to disappointment. He found
the people of Tarentum given up to frivolous pleasure, enjoying their
theatres and festivals, and expecting that he would do their fighting
while they spent their time in amusement.

They found, however, that they had gained a master instead of a servant.
Frivolity was not the idea of war held by Pyrrhus. He at once shut up
the theatre, the gymnasia, and the public walks, stopped all feasting
and revelry throughout the city, closed the clubs or brotherhoods, and
kept the citizens under arms all day. Some of them, in disg