PYRRHUS AND THE ROMANS. 333

swords of the Romans gave them a great advantage
over the long spears of the enemy. Cut down in
numbers, the Greeks were thrown into confusion,
and were soon flying in panic, hotly pursued by
their foes. How many were slain is not known, but
the defeat was decisive. Retreating to Tarentum,
Pyrrhus resolved to leave Italy, disgusted with his
failure and with the supineness of his allies, and dis-
appointed in his ambitious hopes. He reached Epirus
again with little more than eight thousand troops,
and without money enough to maintain even these.
Thus ended the first meeting of Greeks and Romans
in war.

The remainder of the story of Pyrrhus may be
soon told. He had counted on living in ease after
his wars, but ease was not for him. His remaining
life was spent in war. He invaded and conquered
Macedonia. He engaged in war against the Spar-
tans, and was repulsed from their capital city. At
last, in his attack on Argos, while forcing his way
through its streets, he fell by a woman’s hand. A
tile was cast from a house on his head, which hurled
him stunned from his horse, and he was killed in the
street. Thus ignobly perished the greatest. general
of his age.