Pyrrhus Attacks Rome – 4

When he reached the doors of the senate house his sons and sons-in-law supported him and guided him into the house, while all the assembly observed a respectful silence.

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Time: 280 BC
Place: Southern Italy

At this crisis Appius Claudius, an illustrious man but who had long since been prevented by old age and blindness from taking any active part in politics, when he heard of the proposals of Pyrrhus and that the question of peace or war was about to be voted upon by the senate, could no longer endure to remain at home but caused his slaves to carry him through the Forum to the senate house in a litter. When he reached the doors of the senate house his sons and sons-in-law supported him and guided him into the house, while all the assembly observed a respectful silence.

Speaking from where he stood, he addressed them as follows: “My countrymen, I used to grieve at the loss of my sight but now I am sorry not to be deaf also, when I hear the disgraceful propositions with which you are tarnishing the glory of Rome. What has become of that boast which we were so fond of making before all mankind, that if Alexander the Great had invaded Italy and had met us when we were young and our fathers when they were in the prime of life, he would not have been reputed invincible but would either have fled or perhaps even have fallen and added to the glory of Rome?

“You now prove that this was mere empty vaporing, by your terror of these Chaonians and Molossians, nations who have always been a prey and a spoil to the Macedonians and by your fear of this Pyrrhus, who used formerly to dance attendance on one of Alexander’s bodyguards,[1] and who has now wandered hither not so much in order to assist the Greeks in Italy as to escape from his enemies at home and promises to be our friend and protector, forsooth, when the army he commands did not suffice to keep for him the least portion of that Macedonia which he once acquired. Do not imagine that you will get rid of this man by making a treaty with him. Rather you will encourage other Greek princes to invade you, for they will despise you and think you an easy prey to all men if you let Pyrrhus go home again without paying the penalty of his outrages upon you, nay, with the power to boast that he has made Rome a laughing-stock for Tarentines and Samnites.”

[1: Demetrius.]

By these words Appius roused a warlike spirit in the Romans and they dismissed Cineas with the answer that if Pyrrhus would leave Italy they would, if he wished, discuss the question of an alliance with him but that while he remained in arms in their country the Romans would fight him to the death, however many Laevinuses he might defeat. It is related that Cineas, during his mission to Rome, took great interest in observing the national life of the Romans and fully appreciated the excellence of their political constitution, which he learned by conversing with many of the leading men of the State. On his return he told Pyrrhus that the senate seemed to him like an assembly of kings and that as to the populace he feared that the Greeks might find in them a new Lernæan hydra; for twice as many troops had been enrolled in the consul’s army as he had before and yet there remained many more Romans capable of bearing arms.

After this Caius Fabricius came to arrange terms for the exchange of prisoners; a man whom Cineas said the Romans especially valued for his virtue and bravery but who was excessively poor. Pyrrhus, in consequence of this, entertained Fabricius privately and made him an offer of money, not as a bribe for any act of baseness but speaking of it as a pledge of friendship and sincerity. As Fabricius refused this, Pyrrhus waited till the next day, when, desirous of making an impression on him, as he had never seen an elephant, he had his largest elephant placed behind Fabricius during their conference, concealed by a curtain. At a given signal, the curtain was withdrawn and the creature reached out his trunk over the head of Fabricius with a harsh and terrible cry. Fabricius, however, quietly turned round and then said to Pyrrhus with a smile, “You could not move me by your gold yesterday, nor can you with your beast to-day.”

At table that day they conversed upon all subjects but chiefly about Greece and Greek philosophy. Cineas repeated the opinion of Epicurus and his school, about the gods and the practice of political life and the objects at which we should aim, how they considered pleasure to be the highest good and held aloof from taking any active part in politics, because it spoiled and destroyed perfect happiness; and about how they thought that the gods lived far removed from hopes and fears and interest in human affairs, in a placid state of eternal fruition.[2] While he was speaking in this strain Fabricius burst out: “Hercules!” cried he, “may Pyrrhus and the Samnites continue to waste their time on these speculations as long as they remain at war with us!” Pyrrhus, at this, was struck by the spirit and noble disposition of Fabricius and longed more than ever to make Rome his friend instead of his enemy. He begged him to arrange terms of peace and after they were concluded to come and live with him as the first of his friends and officers.

[2: I have translated the above passages almost literally from the Greek. Yet I am inclined to think that Arnold has penetrated the true meaning and shows us the reason for Fabricius’ exclamation when he states the Epicurean philosophy, as expounded by Cineas, to be “that war and state affairs were but toil and trouble and that the wise man should imitate the blissful rest of the gods, who, dwelling in their own divinity, regarded not the vain turmoil of this lower world.”]

Continued.

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