Dio's Rome, Volume 1 (of 6) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 326 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 1 (of 6).

Dio's Rome, Volume 1 (of 6) eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 326 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 1 (of 6).
the Romans gained vigor and their opponents began to give way. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^12] PYRRHUS, NOTING WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE, CAST OFF HIS CAP AND WENT ABOUT WITH HIS HEAD BARE; AND THE BATTLE TOOK AN OPPOSITE TURN.  Seeing this, Lavinius, who had horsemen in hiding somewhere, outside the battle, ordered them to attack the enemy in the rear.  In response to this Pyrrhus, as a device to meet it, raised the signal for the elephants.  Then, indeed, at the sight of the animals, which was out of all common experience, at their bloodcurdling trumpeting, and at the clatter of arms which their riders, seated in the towers, made, both the Romans themselves became panic stricken and their horses, in a frenzy, either shook off their riders or bolted, carrying them away.  Disheartened at this the Roman army was turned to flight and in their rout some soldiers were destroyed by the men in the towers on the elephants’ backs, and others by the beasts themselves, which with their trunks and horns (or teeth?) took the lives of many and crushed and trampled under foot no less.  The cavalry, following after, slew many; not one, indeed, would have been left, had not an elephant been wounded, and by its own struggles as a result of the wound as well as by its trumpeting thrown the rest into confusion.  Only this restrained Pyrrhus from pursuit and only in this way did the Romans manage to cross the river and make their escape into an Apulian city.  Many of Pyrrhus’s soldiers and officers alike fell, so that [Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^13] WHEN CERTAIN MEN CONGRATULATED HIM ON HIS VICTORY, HE SAID; “IF WE EVER CONQUER AGAIN IN LIKE FASHION, WE SHALL BE RUINED.”  THE ROMANS, HOWEVER, HE ADMIRED EVEN IN THEIR DEFEAT, DECLARING:  “I SHOULD ALREADY HAVE MASTERED THE WHOLE INHABITED WORLD, WERE I KING OF THE ROMANS.”

[Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^14] PYRRHUS, ACCORDINGLY, ACQUIRED A GREAT REPUTATION FOR HIS VICTORY AND MANY CAME OVER TO HIS SIDE:  THE ALLIES ALSO ESPOUSED HIS CAUSE.  THESE HE REBUKED SOMEWHAT ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR TARDINESS, BUT GAVE THEM A SHARE OF THE SPOIL.  VIII, 4.—­The men of Rome felt grief at the defeat, but they sent an army to Lavinius; and they summoned Tiberius from Etruria and put the city under guard when they learned that Pyrrhus was hastening against it.  Lavinius, however, as soon as he had cured his own followers of their wounds and had collected the scattered, the reinforcements from Rome now having arrived, followed on the track of Pyrrhus and harassed him.  Finding out that the king was ambitious to capture Capua he occupied it in advance and guarded it.  Disappointed there Pyrrhus set out for Neapolis.  Since he developed no power to accomplish anything at this place either and was in haste to occupy Rome, he passed on through Etruria with the object of winning that people also to his cause.  He learned that they had made a treaty with the Romans and that Tiberius was moving to meet him face to face. (Lavinius was dogging his footsteps.) [Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^19] A DREAD SEIZED HIM OF

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Dio's Rome, Volume 1 (of 6) from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.