aly would naturally lead to the
sovereignty of Sicily and Africa, and he would then be able to return to
Greece with the united forces of the West to overcome his rivals and
reign as master of the world. But as he would not trust the success of
his enterprise to the valor and fidelity of Italian troops, he began to
make preparations to carry over a powerful army. Meantime he sent Milo,
one of his generals, with a detachment of 3000 men, to garrison the
citadel of Tarentum. Pyrrhus himself crossed over from Epirus toward the
end of B.C. 281, taking with him 20,000 foot, 3000 horse, and 20
elephants.

Upon reaching Tarentum he began to make preparations to carry on the war
with activity. The Tarentines soon found they had obtained a master
rather than an ally. He shut up the theatre and all other public places,
and compelled their young men to serve in his ranks. Notwithstanding all
his activity, the Romans were first in the field. The Consul M. Valerius
Laevinus marched into Lucania; but as the army of Pyrrhus was inferior to
that of the Romans, he attempted to gain time by negotiation in order
that he might be joined by his Italian allies. He accordingly wrote to
the Consul, offering to arbitrate between Rome and the Italian states;
but Laevinus bluntly told him to mind his own business and retire to
Epirus. Fearing to remain inactive any longer, although he was not yet
joined by his allies, Pyrrhus marched out against the Romans with his
own troops and the Tarentines. He took up his position between the towns
of Pandosia and Heraclea, on the River Siris. The Romans, who were
encamped on the other side of the river, were the first to begin the
battle. They crossed the river, and were immediately attacked by the
cavalry of Pyrrhus, who led them to the charge in person, and
distinguished himself as usual by the most daring acts of valor. The
Romans, however, bravely sustained the attack; and Pyrrhus, finding that
his cavalry could not decide the day, ordered his infantry to advance.
The battle was still contested most furiously: seven times did both
armies advance and retreat; and it was not till Pyrrhus brought forward
his elephants, which bore down every thing before them, that the Romans
took to flight, leaving their camp to the conqueror (B.C. 280).

This battle taught Pyrrhus the difficulty of the enterprise he had
undertaken. Before the engagement, when he saw the Romans forming their
line as they crossed the river