328 HISTORICAL TALES.

river Siris, where Rome fought its first great battle
with a foreign foe. The Romans were the stronger,
but the Greeks had the advantage in arms and dis-
cipline. The conflict that followed was very differ-
ent from the one fought by Alexander at Issus. So
courageous and unyielding were the contestants that
each army seven times drove back its foes.

“ Beware,” said an officer to Pyrrhus, as he charged
at the head of his cavalry, “of that barbarian on the
black horse with white feet. He has marked you
for his prey.”

“What is fated no man can avoid,” said the king,
heroically. “But neither this man nor the stoutest
soldier in Italy shall encounter me for nothing.”

At that instant the Italian rode at him with
levelled lance and killed his horse. But his own
was killed at the same instant, and while Pyrrhus
was remounting his daring foe was surrounded and
slain.

On this field, for the first time, the Greek spear
encountered the Roman sword. The Macedonian
phalanx with its long pikes was met by the Roman
legion with its heavy blades. The pike of the
phalanx had hitherto conquered the world. The
sword of the legion was hereafter to take its place.
But now neither seemed able to overcome the other.
In vain the Romans sought to hew a way with their
swords through the forest of pikes, and as a last
resort the Roman general brought up a chosen body
of cavalry, which he had held in reserve. These
came on in fierce charge, but Pyrrhus met them
with a more formidable reserve,—his elephants.