Then, raising new levies, filling up their legions, and talking in a lofty and menacing tone about the war, they struck Pyrrhus with amazement. He thought proper, therefore, to send an embassy to them first, to try whether they were disposed to peace; being satisfied that to take the city, and make an absolute conquest, was an undertaking of too much difficulty to be effected by such an army as his was at that time; whereas, if he could bring them to terms of accommodation, and conclude a peace with them, it would be very glorious for him after such a victory.

Cineas, who was sent with this commission, applied to the great men, and sent them and their wives presents in his master's name. But they all refused them, the women as well as the men declaring, "That when Rome had publicly ratified a treaty with the King, they should then on their parts be ready to give him every mark of their friendship and respect." And though Cineas made a very engaging speech to the Senate, and used many arguments to induce them to close with him, yet they lent not a willing ear to his propositions, notwithstanding that Pyrrhus offered to restore without ransom the prisoners he had made in the battle, and promised to assist them in the conquest of Italy, desiring nothing in return but their friendship for himself and security for the Tarentines. Some, indeed, seemed inclined to peace, urging that they had already lost a great battle, and had a still greater to expect, since Pyrrhus was joined by several nations in Italy. There was then an illustrious Roman, Appius Claudius by name, who, on account of his great age and the loss of his sight, had declined all attendance to public business. But when he heard of the embassy from Pyrrhus, and the report prevailed that the Senate was going to vote for the peace, he could not contain himself, but ordered his servants to take him up, and carry him in his chair through the forum to the Senate-house. When he was brought to the door, his sons and son-in-law received him, and led him into the Senate. A respectful silence was observed by the whole body on his appearance; and he delivered his sentiments.

"Hitherto I have regarded my blindness as a misfortune; but now, Romans, I wish I had been as deaf as I am blind.

For then I should not have heard of your shameful counsels and decrees, so ruinous to the glory of Rome. Where now are your speeches so much echoed about the world, that if Alexander the Great had come into Italy when we were young, and your fathers in the vigor of their age, he would not now be celebrated as invincible, but either by his flight or his fall would have added to the glory of Rome? You now show the vanity and folly of that boast, while you dread the Chaonians and Molossians, who were ever a prey to the Macedonians, and tremble at the name of Pyrrhus, who has all his life been paying his court to one of the guards of that Alexander. At present he wanders about Italy, not so much to succor the Greeks here, as to avoid his enemies at home; and he promises to procure us the empire of this country with those forces which could not enable him to keep a small part of Macedonia. Do not expect, then, to get rid of him by entering into alliance with him. That step will only open a door to many invaders. For who is there that will not despise you, and think you an easy conquest, if Pyrrhus not only escapes unpunished for his insolence, but gains the Tarentines and Samnites as a reward for insulting the Romans?"

Appius had no sooner done speaking, than they voted unanimously for the war, and dismissed Cineas with this answer,— "That when Pyrrhus had quitted Italy, they would enter upon a treaty of friendship and alliance with him if he desired it; but while he continued there in a hostile manner, they would prosecute the war against him with all their force, though he should have defeated a thousand Lævinuses."

Cineas, while he was upon this embassy, took great pains to observe the manners of the Romans, and to examine into the nature of their government. And when he had learned what he desired by conversing with their great men, he made a faithful report of all to Pyrrhus; and told him, among the rest, "That the Senate appeared to him an assembly of kings; and as to the people, they were so numerous, that he was afraid that he had to do with a Lernæan hydra. For the Consul had already an army on foot twice as large as the former, and had left multitudes behind in Rome of a proper age for enlisting, and sufficient to form many such armies."

After this, Fabricius came ambassador to Pyrrhus to treat about the ransom and exchange of prisoners. Fabricius, as Cineas informed Pyrrhus, was highly valued by the Romans for his probity and martial abilities; but he was extremely poor. Pyrrhus received him with particular distinction, and privately offered him gold, not for any base purpose, but he begged him to accept of it as a pledge of friendship and hospitality. Fabricius refusing the present, Pyrrhus pressed him no further; but the next day, wanting to surprise him, and knowing that he had never seen an elephant, he ordered the biggest he had to be armed and placed behind a curtain in the room where they were to be in conference. Accordingly this was done, and, upon a sign given, the curtain drawn; and the elephant, raising his trunk over the head of Fabricius, made a horrid and frightful noise. Fabricius turned about without being in the least discomposed, and said to Pyrrhus smiling, "Neither your gold yesterday, nor your beast to-day, has made any impression upon me."

Pyrrhus, from admiration of the noble sentiments and principles of Fabricius, was more desirous than ever of establishing friendship with Rome, instead of continuing the war. And taking Fabricius aside, he pressed him to mediate a peace, and then go and settle at his court, where he should be his most intimate companion, and the chief of his generals. Fabricius answered in a low voice, "That, sir, would be no advantage to you; for those who now honor and admire you, should they once have experience of me, would rather choose to be governed by me than you."

Pyrrhus, far from being offended at this answer, or taking it like a tyrant, made his friends acquainted with the magnanimity of Fabricius, and entrusted the prisoners to him, only on condition that if the Senate did not agree to a peace, they should be sent back after they had embraced their relations and celebrated the Saturnalia.

After this, when Fabricius was Consul (B. C. 278), an unknown person came to his camp, with a letter from the King's physician, who offered to destroy Pyrrhus by poison, and so end the war without any further hazard to the Romans, provided that they gave him a proper compensation for his ser

vices. Fabricius detested the man's villainy; and, having brought his colleague into the same sentiments, sent dispatches to Pyrrhus without losing a moment's time, to caution him against the treason. The letter ran thus:

"Caius Fabricius and Quintus Emilius, Consuls, to King Pyrrhus, health.-It appears that you judge very ill both of your friends and enemies; for you will find by this letter which was sent to us, that you are at war with men of virtue and honor, and trust knaves and villains. Nor is it out of kindness that we give you this information; but we do it lest your death should bring a disgrace upon us, and we should seem to have put an end to the war by treachery when we could not do it by valor."

Pyrrhus having read the letter, and detected the treason, punished the physician; and to show his gratitude to Fabricius and the Romans, he delivered up the prisoners without ransom, and sent Cineas again to negotiate a peace. The Romans, unwilling to receive a favor from an enemy, or a reward for not consenting to an ill thing, did indeed receive the prisoners at his hands, but sent him an equal number of Tarentines and Samnites. As to peace and friendship, they would not hear any proposals about it till Pyrrhus should have laid down his arms, drawn his forces out of Italy, and returned to Epirus in the same ships in which he came. -PLUTARCH.

THE history of Republican Rome consisted internally of the struggles between the Patricians and the Plebeians. In spite of many triumphs of the latter, the Patricians long and tenaciously held all the important offices. The first requisite for a public career came to be powerful family connections. Wherever the eye turned, it encountered abuse of power and decay of constitutional rights. At such a time arose Caius Marius, the most determined opponent of the Patrician order, yet one who could more easily defeat hosts of barbarians than overcome the relentless persecution of the ruling class.

Caius Marius was born B.C. 157, at the village of Careatæ, near Arpinum, the birth-place of Cicero. He was of obscure and illiterate parents. At one time he worked as a hired peasant, but forsook agriculture to follow a military career. He first served in Spain, at the siege of Numantia, under Scipio, B.C. 134. Here he gained that general's approval as much by his ready submission to discipline as by his prowess in the field. When Scipio was asked where Rome should find another general when he was gone, he is said to have touched Marius on the shoulder and remarked, "Possibly here." Marius, though of humble descent, married Julia, who was of the family of the Cæsars. During the campaign of Zama he had saved his division from a sudden attack, and had successfully scattered the Numidian cavalry which enveloped it. The readiness with which he shared the toils of the common soldiers, working in the same trenches with them, endeared him to their hearts. His praises were in