doing brought about victory for the Romans.  For when Pyrrhus sent some of his warriors against them, all the rest were thrown into disorder and suspecting that their tents had been captured and their companions were in flight they gave way.  Numbers of them fell, Pyrrhus and many commanding officers besides were wounded, and later on account of the lack of food and of medical supplies they incurred great loss.  Hence he retreated to Tarentum before the Romans were aware.  As for the consuls, they crossed the river to fight, but when they ascertained that all had scattered, they withdrew to their own cities.  They were unable to pursue after their foes on account of wounds among their own following.  Then the Romans went into winter quarters in Apulia, whereas Pyrrhus sent for soldiers and money from home and went on with other preparations.  But learning that Fabricius and Pappus had been chosen consuls and had arrived in camp, he was not constant in the same intention.

[Sidenote:  B.C. 278 (a.u. 476)] The aforesaid consuls were now in the midst of their army, when a certain Nicias, one of those believed to be loyal to Pyrrhus, came to Fabricius and offered to murder him treacherously.  Fabricius, indignant at this (for he wanted to overcome the enemy by valor and main force, like Camillus), informed Pyrrhus of the plot.  This action of his moved the king so strongly that he again released the Roman captives without price and sent envoys once more in regard to peace.  But when the Romans made no reply about peace, but as before bade him depart from Italy and only in that event make propositions to them, and since they kept overrunning and capturing the cities in alliance with him, [Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^29] HE FELL INTO PERPLEXITY; till at length some Syracusans called on him for aid—­they had been quarreling, as it chanced, ever since the death of Agathocles—­and surrendered to him both themselves and their city.  Hereupon he again breathed freely, hoping to subjugate all of Sicily.  Leaving Milo behind in Italy to keep guard over Tarentum and the other positions, he himself sailed away after letting it be understood that he would soon return.  The Syracusans welcomed him and laid everything at his feet, so that in brief time he had again become great and the Carthaginians in fright secured additional mercenaries from Italy.  But presently his prospects fell to the other extreme of fortune [Sidenote:  FRAG. 40^30] BY REASON OF THE FACT THAT HE EITHER EXPELLED OR SLEW MANY WHO HELD OFFICE AND HAD INCURRED HIS SUSPICIONS.  Then the Carthaginians, seeing that he was not strong in private forces and did not possess the devotion of the natives, took up the war vigorously.  They harbored any Syracusans who were exiled and rendered his position so uncomfortable that he abandoned not only Syracuse, but Sicily as well.