but those on the sea had grown to the greatest proportions.  While the Romans were busy with antagonists they flourished.  They sailed about to many quarters, adding to their band all of like condition, and some of these, after the fashion of allies, assisted many others.[-21-] How much they accomplished with the help of the outsiders has been told.  When those nations were overthrown, instead of ceasing they did much serious damage alone by themselves to the Romans and Roman allies.  They were no longer in small force, but were accustomed to sail in great expeditions; and they had generals, so that they had acquired a great reputation.  They robbed and harried first and foremost sailors:  for such not even the winter season was any longer safe; the pirates through daring and through practice and through success were now showing absolute fearlessness in their seamanship.  Second, they pillaged even craft lying in harbors.  If any one ventured to put out against them, usually he was defeated and perished; but even if he conquered he would be unable to capture any of the enemy by reason of the speed of their ships.  Accordingly, they would return after a little, as if victors, to ravage and set in flames not only farms and country districts, but also whole cities.  But other places they conciliated, so as to gain apparently friendly naval stations and winter quarters.

[-22-] As they progressed by these means it became customary for them to go into the interior, and they did much mischief even among those who had no sea-traffic.  This is the way they treated not only those outside of their body of allies, but the land of Italy itself.  Believing that they would obtain greater gains from that quarter and that they would terrify all others still more, if they refused to hold their hands even from that country, they sailed into the very harbor of Ostia, and also of other cities in the vicinity, burned the ships and ravaged everything.  Finally, as no setback occurred, they took up their abode on the land, disposing of whatever men they did not kill, and of the spoils they took quite fearlessly, as if in their own territory.  And though some plundered in one region and others elsewhere,—­it not being possible for the same persons to do harm the whole length of the sea,—­they nevertheless showed such friendship one for another that they sent money and assistance even to those entirely unknown, as if to nearest kin.  One of the largest elements in their strength was that those who helped any of them all would honor, and those who came into collision with any of them all would despoil.