he armies were quartered for the winter, the Romans sent an
embassy to Pyrrhus to negotiate the ransom or exchange of prisoners. The
embassadors were received by Pyrrhus in the most distinguished manner;
and his interviews with C. Fabricius, who was at the head of the
embassy, form one of the most famous stories in Roman history. Fabricius
was a fine specimen of the sturdy Roman character. He cultivated his
farm with his own hands, and, like his contemporary Curius, was
celebrated for his incorruptible integrity. The king attempted in vain
to work upon his cupidity and his fears. He steadily refused the large
sums of money offered by Pyrrhus; and when an elephant, concealed behind
him by a curtain, waved his trunk over his head, Fabricius remained
unmoved. Such respect did his conduct inspire, that Pyrrhus attempted to
persuade him to enter into his service and accompany him to Greece. The
object of the embassy failed. The king refused to exchange the
prisoners; but, to show them his trust in their honor, he allowed them
to go to Rome in order to celebrate the Saturnalia, stipulating that
they were to return to Tarentum if the Senate would not accept the terms
which he had previously offered through Cineas. The Senate remained firm
in their resolve, and all the prisoners returned to Pyrrhus, the
punishment of death having been denounced against those who should
remain in the city.

In the following year (B.C. 279) the war was renewed, and a battle was
fought near Asculum. The Romans fled to their camp, which was so near to
the field of battle that not more than 6000 fell, while Pyrrhus lost
more than half this number. The victory yielded Pyrrhus little or no
advantage, and he was obliged to retire to Tarentum for the winter
without effecting any thing more during the campaign. In the last
battle, as well as in the former, the brunt of the action had fallen
almost exclusively upon his Greek troops; and the state of Greece, which
this year was overrun by the Gauls, made it hopeless for him to expect
any re-enforcements from Epirus. He was therefore unwilling to hazard
his surviving Greeks by another campaign with the Romans, and
accordingly lent a ready ear to the invitations of the Greeks in Sicily,
who begged him to come to their assistance against the Carthaginians. It
was necessary, however, first to suspend hostilities with the Romans,
who were likewise anxious to get rid of so formidable an opponent, that
they might