in great need of a king. Pyrrhus upbraided Fortune for placing so many
opportunities within his reach at the same time, and, reflecting that
he could only manage one with success, for some time remained plunged
in thought. At last, thinking that the Sicilian offer was likely to
lead to greater things, as Africa was close to that island, he decided
to accept it, and at once sent Kineas to prepare the cities for his
arrival, as was his wont in such cases. He himself, meanwhile, placed
a strong garrison in the city of Tarentum, much to the disgust of its
citizens, who asked him either to perform what he had come thither to
do, namely, to assist them in fighting against the Romans, or else to
evacuate their territory, and leave their city as he found it. In
answer to this demand he harshly bade them keep quiet, and wait till
he was at leisure to attend to their affairs, and at once set sail for
Sicily. On his arrival there he found all his hopes realised, as the
cities gladly delivered themselves into his hands. At first he
willingly acceded to their request, that he should wage war on their
behalf, and with an army of thirty thousand foot, two thousand horse,
and two hundred ships, he attacked the Carthaginians, totally defeated
them, and overran the part of Sicily which was subject to them. Eryx
was the strongest of their fortresses, and was strongly garrisoned.
Pyrrhus, learning this, determined to assault it. When his army was
ready, he came forward, in complete armour, and vowed that he would
hold public games and sacrifices in honour of Herakles, if he should
prove himself that day, before all the Sikeliot Greeks, to be a worthy
descendant of Achilles, and to deserve to command so great a force.
The trumpet then sounded the charge, the barbarians were driven from
the walls by a shower of missiles, and the scaling ladders planted
against them. Pyrrhus was the first man to mount the wall, and there
fought singly against a host, dashing some of them over the inner, and
some over the outer edge of the wall, and wielding his sword with such
terrible power that he soon stood on a pile of corpses. He himself was
quite unhurt, and terrified the enemy by his mere appearance, proving
how truly Homer has told us that of all virtues courage alone is wont
to display itself in divine transports and frenzies. After the city
was taken he made a magnificent sacrifice to the gods, and held
gymnastic contests of all kinds.

XXIII. He