DESPATCHED AMBASSADORS TO
HIM IN TURN. THE LATTER RECEIVED MAGNIFICENT GIFTS FROM HIM, WHICH
THEY WANTED TO PUT INTO THE TREASURY; THE SENATE, HOWEVER, WOULD NOT
ACCEPT THEM, BUT ALLOWED THEM TO KEEP THEM.

[Sidenote: B.C. 272 (_a.u._ 482)] After this, by the activity of
Carvilius they subdued the Samnites, and overcame the Lucanians and
Bruttians by the hands of Papirius. The same Papirius quelled the
Tarentini. The latter, angry at Milo and subjected to abuse by their
own men, who, as has been told, made the attack on Milo, called in the
Carthaginians to their aid when they learned that Pyrrhus was dead.
Milo, seeing that his chances had been contracted to narrow limits, as
the Romans beset him on the land side and the Carthaginians on the
water front, surrendered the citadel to Papirius on condition of being
permitted to depart unharmed with his immediate followers and his
money. Then the Carthaginians, as representatives of a nation friendly
to the Romans, sailed away, and the city made terms with Papirius.
They delivered to him their arms and their ships, demolished their
walls, and agreed to pay tribute.

The Romans, having thus secured control of the Tarentini, turned their
attention to Rhegium, whose inhabitants after taking Croton by
treachery had razed the city to the ground and had slain the Romans
there. They averted the danger that was threatening them from the
Mamertines holding Messana (whom the people of Rhegium wanted to get
as allies), by coming to an agreement with them; but in the siege of
Rhegium they suffered hardships through a scarcity of food and some
other causes until Hiero by sending from Sicily grain and soldiers to
the Romans strengthened their hands and materially aided them in
capturing the city. [Sidenote: B.C. 270 (_a.u._ 484)] The place was
restored to the survivors among the original inhabitants: those who
had plotted against it were punished.

Hiero, who was not of distinguished family on his father's side and on
his mother's was akin to the slave class, ruled almost the whole of
Sicily and was deemed a friend and ally of the Romans. After the
flight of Pyrrhus he became master of Syracuse, and having a cautious
eye upon the Carthaginians who were encroaching upon Sicily he was
inclined to favor the Romans; and the first mark of favor that he
showed them was the alliance and the forwarding of grain already
narrated.

After this came a winter so severe that the Tiber was frozen