330 HISTORICAL TALES.

weather was unfavorable for an advance; alliance
with these brave foes might be wiser than war.
Many of the Romans, too, thought the same; but
while they were debating in the Forum there was
borne into this building the famous censor Appius
Claudius, once a leader in Rome, now totally blind
and in extreme old age. His advent was like that
of blind Timoleon to the Syracusan senate. The
senators listened in deepest silence when the old
man rose to speak. What he said we do not know,
but his voice was for war, aud the senate, moved by
his impassioned appeal, voted that there should be
no peace with Pyrrhus while he remained in Italy,
and ordered Cineas to leave Rome, with this ulti-
matum, that very day.

Peace refused, Pyrrhus advanced against Rome.
He marched through a territory which for years
had been free from the ravages of war, and was in a
state of flourishing prosperity. It was plundered by
his soldiers without mercy. On he came until Rome
itself lay visible to his eyes from an elevation but
eighteen miles away. Another day’s march would
have brought him to its walls. But a strong Roman
army was in his front; another army hung upon his
rear; his own army was weakened by dissensions
between the Greeks and Italians; he deemed it
prudent to retreat with the plunder ho had gained.

Another winter passed. Pyrrhus had many pris-
oners, whom he would not exchange or ransom un-
less the Romans would accept peace. But he treated
them well, and even allowed them to return to Rome
to enjoy the winter holiday of the Saturnalia, on