she was accordingly worshiped, in some
sense, as the goddess of resuscitation and life, as well as of death
and the grave.

One of the principal temples which had been built in honor of
Proserpina was situated, as has already been said, at Locri, and
ceremonials and festivals were celebrated here, at stated intervals,
with great pomp and parade. This temple had become very wealthy, too,
immense treasures having been collected in it, consisting of gold and
silver vessels, precious stones, and rich and splendid paraphernalia
of every kind--the gifts and offerings which had been made, from time
to time, by princes and kings who had attended the festivals.

When Pyrrhus had reconquered Locri from the Romans, and this temple,
with all its treasures, fell into his power, some of his advisers
suggested that, since he was in such urgent need of money, and all his
other plans for supplying himself had hitherto failed, he should take
possession of these treasures. They might, it was argued, be
considered, in some sense, as public property; and, as the Locrians
had revolted from him in his absence, and had now been conquered anew,
he was entitled to regard these riches as the spoils of victory.
Pyrrhus determined to follow this advice. He took possession of the
richest and most valuable of the articles which the temple contained,
and, putting them on board ships which he sent to Locri for the
purpose, he undertook to transport them to Tarentum. He intended to
convert them there into money, in order to obtain funds to supply the
wants of his army.

The ships, however, on their passage along the coast, encountered a
terrible storm, and were nearly all wrecked and destroyed. The
mariners who had navigated the vessels were drowned, while yet the
sacred treasures were saved, and that, too, as it would seem, by some
supernatural agency, since the same surges which overwhelmed and
destroyed the sacrilegious ships and seamen, washed the cases in which
the holy treasures had been packed up upon the beach; and there the
messengers of Pyrrhus found them, scattered among the rocks and on the
sand at various points along the shore. Pyrrhus was greatly terrified
at this disaster. He conceived that it was a judgment of Heaven,
inflicted upon him through the influence and agency of Proserpina, as
a punishment for his impious presumption in despoiling her shrine. He
carefully collected all that the sea had saved, and sent every thing
back to L