326 HISTORICAL TALES.

to accept this request, and measure his strength in
battle against the most warlike nation of the West.

His wise counsellor, Cineas, asked him what he
would do next, if he should overcome the Romans,
who were said to be great warriors and conquerors
of many peoples.

“The Romans once overcome,” he said, proudly,
“no city, Greek or barbarian, would dare to oppose
me, and I should be master of all Italy.”

“ Well,” said Cineas, “if you conquer Italy, what
next?”

“ Greater victories would follow. There are Libya
and Carthage to be won.”

“ And then?” asked Cineas,

“Then 1 should be able to master all Greece.”

“ And then?” continued the counsellor.

“Then,” said Pyrrhus, “I would live at ease, eat
and drink all day, and enjoy pleasant conversation.”

“And what hinders you from taking your ease
now, without all this peril and bloodshed ?”

Pyrrhus had no answer to this. But thirst for
fame drove him on, and the days of ease never came.

In the following year Pyrrhus crossed to Italy
with an army of about twenty-five thousand men,
and with a number of elephants, animals which the
Romans had never seen, and with which he hoped
to frighten them from the battle-field. He had been
promised the aid of all southern Italy, and an army
of three hundred and fifty thousand infantry and
twenty thousand cavalry. In this he was destined
to disappointment. He found the people of Taren-
tum given up to frivolous pleasure, enjoying their