from the nature of platinum, which at a red heat becomes soft and ductile, so that the lever would be liable to bend, and thereby frustrate the experiment; and this is supposed to have been the reason why the inventor never extended his experiments to temperatures higher than that of the melting point of antimony. rately measuring their length. This apparatus consisted of a netallic plate, upon which were fixed two brass rules slightly inclined to each other. The rules used by Wedgwood were 24 inches long, and divided into 240 equal parts. The distance between the rules at one extremity was three tenths and at the other five-tenths of an inch; consequently the difference between their distances at any two consecutive As early as 1821, the last-named gentleman, Mr. Daniell, divisions was the 1200th part of an inch. But it is obvious the present Professor of Chemistry at King's College, Lonthat these numbers are quite arbitrary; and that by in- don, had invented an instrument which, he states, 'afforded creasing the length of the rules and diminishing their incli- correct determinations connected in an unexceptionable nation, the difference between their distances at any two manner with the scale of the mercurial thermometer;' but consecutive divisions may be made as small as we please. it was only suited to the experimental furnace of the chemist, The clay cylinders were first baked at a red heat, estimated so that, he continues, the great desideratum still remained at 947° Fahr., and then reduced to exactly five-tenths of an of a pyrometer which might be universally applied to the inch in length, so as to fit the first division of the scale. higher degrees of heat, as the thermometer had long been When afterwards exposed to a greater heat, they underwent to the lower, and which, in addition to its use in delicate contraction, and the amount of this contraction was de- researches, might effect for the potter, the smelter, the enatermined by observing the division of the scale correspond- meller, and others, in the routine of their business, what ing to their diminished length. If we then assume, with the latter daily performs for the brewer, the distiller, the Wedgwood, that the contraction is proportional to the tem- sugar-refiner, and the chemist.' The annexed diagram reperature at which it took place, the latter will likewise presents the second pyrometer invented by Mr. Daniell, for be determined; but independently of the difficulty of pro- which the Rumford medal was awarded to him by the curing pieces of clay of uniform composition, from which Royal Society. A description of it is given in the Philo it resuited that two cylinders of equal length when ex-sophical Transactions' for 1830, and an account of the expeposed to the same heat seldom underwent the same de- riments made with it is inserted in the Transactions" of gree of contraction, it has been found that the duration of that and the following years. the experiment has considerable influence upon the contraction, the longer continuance of a low temperature producing the same contraction as a higher degree of heat continued for a shorter time. As a measure of temperature therefore this method cannot be relied on, though as a direct measure of expansion we doubt if it has been surpassed either in the simplicity of its principle or in the minuteness of the indications of which it is susceptible. A description of the instrument and of the experiments made with it will be found in the Philosophical Transactions of 1782, 1784, and 1786. A pyrometer was constructed by Achard, similar in form and principle to the common thermometer, but intended to indicate much higher degrees of heat. It consisted of a bulb and graduated tube of semi-transparent porcelain highly baked, and containing a very fusible alloy, composed of bismuth, lead, and tin, which became liquid at about 212°, and indicated higher temperatures by its expansion, which was visible through the semi-transparent tube. Dulong and Petit employed a very direct mode of measuring the absolute, not linear, expansions of various substances. By observing the difference of altitude at which mercury of different temperatures stood in the two arms of an inverted glass siphon, they determined the absolute expansion of the mercury, and by comparing this with the apparent expansion of mercury in a glass tube, they deduced the absolute expansion of the glass. A cylinder of the metal whose expansion was sought was then placed within a glass tube, closed at one extremity and terminating at the other in a capillary opening, and the rest of the tube occupied with mercury. Upon the whole being heated, a portion of the mercury was expelled equal to the excess of the absolute expansions of the mercury and metal above that of the glass; and as the expansions of the mercury and glass were previously known, the weight of the expelled mercury determined the expansion of the metal. Dr. Brewster has proposed to measure expansions by the number and intensity of the polarized tints produced by the inflexion of a plate of glass against which the expanding substance is made to press. The reader will find some account of this in Brewster's Cyclopædia' under the articles Pyrometer' and 'Optics.' n m A It consists of two distinct parts, the register and the scale. The register is a solid bar of black-lead earthenware, DDDD, eight inches long and seven-tenths of an inch wide and thick, cut out of a common black-lead crucible. In this a hole is drilled three-tenths of an inch in diameter, aud seven inches and a half in depth. At pp the upper end of this bar, and on one of its sides about six-tenths of an Guyton's pyrometer, which was exhibited before the Na-inch in length of its substance, are cut away to the depth of tional Institute in 1803, and described in the Annales de half the diameter of the bore. When a bar of any metal six Chimie,' xlvi., p. 276, and in Nicholson's Philosophical inches and a half long is dropped into this cavity, it rests Journal,' vi., p. 89, consisted of a bar of platinum nearly two againsts its solid end; and a cylindrical piece of porcelain, inches in length, placed in a groove of porcelain. One ex-q, about one inch and a half long, called the index, is tremity of the bar rested against the solid end of the groove, while the other pressed upon the short arm of a lever, the longer arm of which carried a vernier over a graduated circular arc. The whole was constructed of platinum, and a spring was made to press upon the vernier to prevent its displacement while in the act of withdrawing the instrument from the furnace. The indications of the vernier at the commencement and termination of the experiment were the data from which the expansion was subsequently computed. The defect of this instrument,' observes Mr. Daniell, arose placed on the top of it, which, projecting into and beyond the open part, is firmly confined to its place by a strap of platinum, r, which passing round the black lead bar and over the piece of porcelain, is made to press upon the latter with any required degree of tension by means of a small wedges of porcelain inserted between the bar and the strap. When the register is exposed to the heat of a furnace, it is evident that, the expansion of the metallic bar exceeding that of the black-lead, the porcelain index will be forced forward; and when the register is afterwards cooled, the tension of the strap will retain the index at the point of.. substituting and reducing by means of the formula greatest elongation. The object of the scale is the accurate measurement of the distance through which the index has advanced. It consists of a frame aaaa composed of two rectangular plates of brass joined at right angles by their edges, and fitting square upon two sides of the register. At one extremity of this frame is a small plate of brass a', which, when the two former plates are applied to the register, is brought down upon the shoulder formed by cutting away the blacklead at p, and the whole may be thus firmly adjusted, when required, to the black-lead bar by three planes of contact. To the outside of this frame is firmly attached, by means of the screws bb, a brass plate AA, the extremity of which d projects so that a point c near to it may be immediately opposite to the cavity in the black-lead bar when the latter is adjusted to the frame. About c as a centre, turns an arm dnB slightly bent at n, carrying at its extremity a graduated circular are ee. The radius of this arc is five inches, and its moveable centre n is distant from the fixed centre c exactly half an inch. About n turns a straight and lighter arm hg, five inches and a half in length, the distance from h to n being half an inch. The extremity g of this arm carries a vernier, by which the divisions of the graduated arc are subdivided into minutes, and also an eye-glass i to assist the reading. The other extremity terminates in a steel point h, or, as the instrument is now constructed, a knifeedge, which, when the register is adjusted to the frame, is inserted in a small cavity t, formed for its reception at the extremity of the porcelain index. A small steel spring let into the larger arm at m is made to press upon the lighter arm, whereby the latter has a constant tendency to move towards the commencement of the graduation. When the instrument is used, the metallic bar to be experimented on is placed in the cavity of the register, and the index pressed down upon it and firmly fixed in its place by the platinum strap and porcelain wedge. The scale is then applied by carefully adjusting the frame to the register and fixing it by pressing a upon the shoulder. Holding the whole together steadily in the left hand, the lighter arm is so placed that the steel point h may rest upon the edge of the index, against which it will be pressed by the spring: then by slightly turning the larger arm, the point will move along the surface of the index till it drops into the cavity t. The indications of the vernier being then read off, the register is detached from the scale, placed in the furnace, and after it is removed and cooled, it is again applied to the scale in the same manner as before, and the second indication of the vernier noted. From the two readings of the vernier may be deduced the excess of the expansion of the metallic bar above that of the black-lead, though a correct formula for this purpose has not, to the writer's knowledge, been hitherto given. The one employed by Mr. Daniell, though probably sufficiently correct for all practical purposes, gives the expansions one per cent. too great without exception, and in many cases much more, so that more than the first significant figure can seldom be depended upon in those published by him in the Philosophical Transactions' of 1830-31. The error thus introduced is perhaps within the limits of the error to which the instrument itself is liable; but should this not be the case, it might be desirable to employ the correct formula, for which reason we subjoin its investigation. Let cnB, hng, represent the positions of the two arms of the scale relative to the register, before the expansion has taken place, and cn'B', h'n'g', their positions after the expansion; h and h' the two positions of the steel point, the line joining which passes through the fixed centre c; e and e' the two positions of the zero of the graduated arc. Put the angle cnB = cn'B' = a; enB = e'n'B' = ß; eng (the first reading of the vernier); e'n'g' (the second reading); also cn=cn' = nh = n'h' = r; and hh' =, the excess of the expansion of the metal above that of the black lead: then If A+ B A B there results 2 ε = 2 sin (p' - p) sin {} (a — ß) − } (p' + p)} a = 180° and ẞ 15°, as is nearly the case, this reduces to where the unit of measurement is one inch. B B The formula used by Mr. Daniell is € = sin † ($' = $), or its equivalent, since ' is generally a smal angle, 2 sin (p'); from which it appears that all the expansions given by him should be diminished in the ratio of 1: cos {7° 30′ + i (p' +)}; but as he has recorded only the difference p' of the readings of the vernier, and not the readings themselves, this correction can only be made by a repetition of the whole of the experiments. The error is inconsiderable so long as and p' are both small, but it increases with the increase of either of those angles. The excess of the expansion of the metal above that of the black-lead being thus obtained, and increased by the expansion of the latter (the determination of which is less direct and conclusive), the expansion of the metal becomes known. In order that the instrument may then be employed as a measure of temperature as well as of expansion, the doubtful assumption is introduced that equal increments of length are the effects of equal increments of temperature, and thence, having determined the expansion between any two known points on the thermometric scale, say the temperatures of melting ice and boiling mercury, a mere proportion will of course give the temperature at which any other observed expansion took place. It remains to notice a paper communicated to the Royal Society by the late Mr. Prinsep, the assay-master of the Mint at Benares, 'On the Measurement of high Temperatures, and published in their 'Transactions' for 1828. The fusing-points of pure metals,' observes that gentleman, are determinate and unchangeable; they also comprehend nearly the whole range of temperature; the unoxidable or noble metals alone embrace a range from the low melting-point of silver to the high ignition of platina. There are it is true only three fixed points in this scale, but as many intermediate links may be made as are required, by alloying the three metals together in different proportions. When such a series has been once prepared, the heat of any furnace may be expressed by the alloy of least fusibility which it is capable of melting.' As the melting-points of silver and gold are comparatively near to each other, Mr. Prinsep assumed only ten intermediate gradations of heat, the lowest of which corresponded to the fusing-point of pure silver, and the others to the fus ing points of silver alloyed with 10, 20, 30, &c. per cent. of gold. From the melting-point of gold to that of platina, he assumed one hundred gradations of heat, which were the melting-points of pure gold and of gold alloyed with 1, 2, 3, &c. per cent. of platina. Among the advantages of this mode of identifying temperatures are:-the smallness of the requisite apparatus, nothing more being needed than a small cupel, containing in separate cells eight or ten pyrometric PYR 167 alloys, each of the size of a pin's head; the indestructi- | Augite, Baikalite, Coccolite, Diopside, Fassaite, Jeffersonite, bility of the specimens, since those melted in one experi- Malacolite, Mussite, Pyrgom, and Sahlite. Primary form an oblique rhombic prism. Cleavage pament need only to be flattened under a hammer, when they Hardness 50 to 6.0. Colourless, will be again ready for use; and the facility of notation, rallel to the lateral planes and both diagonals. Fracture since two letters and the decimal of alloy will express the uneven, conchoidal. maximum heat: thus S 3 G expresses the temperature of grey, black, brown, yellow, green of many shades. Streak the fusing-point of silver when alloyed with gold in the pro- paler. Lustre vitreous and vitreo-resinous. Transparent to portion of 7 to 3; and G ·23 P expresses the fusing-point of opaque. Specific gravity 3·23 to 3·35. Massive Varieties, amorphous. Structure granular, cogold when alloyed with platina in the proportion of 77 to 23. For a more particular account of this mode of deter- lumnar, parallel, and radiating, laminar. mining temperatures we refer the reader to the memoir cited. Several suggestions have been made for employing the pansion of air, on the principle of the differential thermoefer, as a measure of high temperatures. It is proposed that one-half of the instrument be composed of platinum, so as to fit it for exposure to a great heat, and the other part of glass. The suggestion, we believe, is originally due to Mr. Schmidt (Nicholson's Journal, xi., p. 141); but was brought forward under another form by Mr. Nicholas Mill, in the Monthly Medico Chirurgical Review and ChemicoPhilosophical Magazine,' vol. i., Lond., 1824; again by Dr. Ure, in his 'Dictionary of Chemistry;' and lastly by Mr. PrinThe instrument, we believe, has been constructed upon each of the plans proposed. That of Mr. Prinsep appears the most complete (see a drawing of the apparatus in full operation at page 87 of his Memoir above referred to), and was employed by him to connect the fusing-points of his alloys with the thermometric scale; but the principle upon which they all rest involves the assumption that the increase of temperature is proportional to the expansion of the sep. air. A valuable table of the expansions of different substances, collected from various sources by Mr. Francis Baily, is given in the first volume of the Transactions of the Astronomical Society, p. 416. (Biot's Physique Experimentale; Philosophical Transactions; Thomson's Chemistry; Brewster's Cyclopædia, Encyclopædia Britannica; and the works cited.) PYROMORPHITE. [LEAD-Ores.] Found in lava and basaltic rocks, and the older rocks in most parts of the earth. Analysis of the variety called Augite, from Etna, by Vauquelin :-Silica, 52; lime, 13-20; magnesia, 10; peroxide of iron, 14.66; alumina, 3·33; oxide of manganese, 2. The results of the analysis of the different varieties vary considerably, especially in the proportion of oxide of iron, lime, and magnesia. PYROXYLIC SPIRIT. This substance was discovered by Mr. Philip Taylor in 1812, but not described by him till 1822, when he gave an account of it in the Philosophical Magazine' for that year, under the name of pyroligneous aether: its present appellation was given to it by Macaire / and Marcet. When wood is distilled for the purpose of preparing pyroligneous or impure acetic acid, pyroxylic spirit is also formed, and found in the liquid distilled: when this is subjected to rectification, the first tenth part of the product contains the spirit in question. It is purified by repeated rectifications, the last being made over lime, by which a quantity of ammonia is set free that had existed in the state of acetate. Dr. Kane purified it by rectification with chloride of calcium. The properties of this substance are, that when pure it is colourless, has a peculiar penetrating smell, partaking both of alcohol and æther, and its taste is pungent: its specific gravity at 68° is 0-798, and that of its vapour at 2120 is 1120, that of the vapour of water = 1. It boils at about 150° Fahr. It does not become coloured by exposure to light and air, mixes with water without being rendered turbid, has no action upon vegetable colours, and does not form a black precipitate with protonitrate of mercury. It is an extremely Lustre pearly, trans-inflammable liquid, and burns without residue; and being cheaper than spirit of wine, it is advantageously substituted for it in spirit-lamps, and for the purpose of dissolving resins in rendering certain manufactures water-proof; it is especially employed for this purpose in hat-making. Pyroxylic spirit is similar to alcohol in many of its properties: in density, volatility, inflammability, the solution of resins, and miscibility in all proportions with water: they differ however in one very remarkable circumstance, which is, that pyroxylic spirit yields no æther by the action of acids. This spirit has been analyzed by Kane, and by Dumas and Peligot, with results which very nearly agree: PYROPHYLLITE (Radiated Talc) occurs in fibrous radiating masses and small prisms of indeterminate form. Hardness 1.5. Colour light green. parent in thin lamina. Specific gravity 2-8. Before the blowpipe, exfoliates into white leaves, but does not fuse. With borax, gives a green glass, which becomes colourless when cold; with soda, gives a transparent yellow glass. Occurs near Beresof, in the Uralian Mountains, Siberia. Analysis by Hermann:-Silica, 59-79; alumina, 29.46; magnesia, 4:00; oxide of iron, 180; water, 5'62. PYRORTHITE occurs imbedded in granite or quartz, in Fracture single or aggregated slender columnar masses. conchoidal, uneven, earthy. Hardness 2.5. Colour blackish brown. Lustre resinous. Opaque. Specific gravity 2.19. When cautiously heated by the blowpipe it takes fire and burns without either flame or smoke; it afterwards becomes white, and eventually fuses into a black enamel. With borax it gives a transparent glass. Dissolves in acids when heated, except a black powder. It is found near Fahlun in Sweden. Analysis by Berzelius:-Silica, 10'43; oxide of cerium, 13.92; oxide of iron, 6'08; yttria, 4'87; alumina, 3:59; lime, 181; oxide of manganese, 1:39; water, 26 50; carbon and loss, 31:41. PYROSMALITE occurs crystallized in hexagonal prisms. Primary form a rhomboid. Cleavage distinct, perpendicular to the axis; indistinct, parallel to the planes of the prism. Fracture uneven, conchoidal. Hardness 40 to 45. Colour greyish yellow. Streak pale. Lustre vitreous, pearly on the cleavage faces. Translucent, opaque. Specific gravity 3.08. When heated in a tube, yields water. Heated with borax, dissolves readily, and exhibits the characteristic colours of iron. It is found at Nordmark in Sweden. Analysis by Hisinger:-Silica, 35-850; muriatic acid, 14.095; protoxide of iron, 21810; protoxide of manganese, 21.140; lime. 1.210; water, 5.985. PYROSOMA. [SALPACEA.] PYROXENE. This mineral has received various names, probably because it has been found in different countries, and under slightly varying circumstances and properties: the different names by which it has been known are Alalite: Hydrogen Kane. Dumas and Peligot. 12:46 or 2 eqs. 12.5 37.5 50 Dumas and Peligot consider pyroxylic spirit as containing a peculiar carbureited hydrogen, which they call methylen, and which is in fact a dicarburet of hydrogen, similar in composition to light carburetted hydrogen gas. It is capable of combining with chlorine, iodine, and other elementary bodies; it unites also with acids to form various compounds, and pyroxylic spirit is an oxide of this carburetted hydrogen. PYRRHO, a Greek philosopher, and founder of the Pyrrhonian or first Sceptie school, was the son of Pleistarchus, or Pleistocrates, and a native of Elis, a town of Peloponnesus. He lived about the time of Philip and Alexander of Macedonia, and was originally a poor painter; but after having learned the elements of science from Dryson, he followed Alexander the Great in his eastern expedition, and thus became acquainted with the doctrines of the Indian gymnosophists and the Persian magi. (Diog. Laert., ix. 11, 2.) He was also an ardent admirer of Democritus. During the greater part of his life he lived in quiet retirement, abstaining from pronouncing any decided opinion upon anything, and endeavouring to preserve the greatest calmness and composure in whatever circumstances he was placed, so that neither 1 pain nor pleasure affected him. Notwithstanding this apparently inactive and indolent mode of life, he was highly honoured by his countrymen, who not only made him their high-priest, but, for his sake, decreed that all philosophers should be exempt from the payment of taxes. (Diog. Laert., ix. 11, 5.) Pausanias (vi. 24, 4) saw his statue in a portico at Elis, and a monument erected in honour of him at a little distance from the town. The Athenians honoured him with the franchise of their city, though the motive which Diogenes Laertius gives for it is a mere fable. He died at the advanced age of ninety. An undisturbed peace of mind (arabia) appeared to him the highest object of philosophy; and thinking that this peace of mind was disturbed by the dogmatic systems and the disputes of all other philosophic schools, he was led to scepticism, which he carried to such a degree, that he considered a real knowledge of things to be altogether impossible, and virtue to be the only thing worth striving after. (Cic., De Fin., iv. 16.) On all occasions therefore he answered his opponents, What you say may be true, but Iversary of Cassander, was obliged to withdraw his forces cannot decide.' This and other similar expressions drew upon him the ridicule of his adversaries; and most of the absurd anecdotes respecting his conduct in the common occurrences of life, which Diogenes repeats with all the credulity of a gossip, are probably the fabrications of his opponents, made for the purpose of ridiculing Pyrrho. He had many distinguished followers and disciples, who are called Pyrrhonii, or simply Sceptics: some of them are mentioned and characterised by Diogenes Laertius (ix., c. 7, &c., and c. 12; comp. Gellius, xi. 5: and Cic., De Orat., iii. 17). Their doctrines and mode of reasoning are seen clearest in the works of Sextus Empiricus: their object was rather to overthrow all other systems than to establish a new one; hence we can scarcely speak of a school of Pyrrhonists, inasmuch as they opposed every school. The whole philosophy of Pyrrho and his followers is called Pyrrhonism, a name which, in subsequent times, has been applied to any kind of scepticism, though the Pyrrhonian philosophy in reality is only one particular and an elementary form of scepticism. Cicero, in several passages, speaks of the philosophy of Pyrrho as long exploded and extinct. Pyrrho himself is said by some antient authors to have left no works behind him; the tropes, or epochs, or fundamental principles of his philosophy, being justly ascribed to one or more of his followers. But Sextus Empiricus (Adv. Math., i. 282) says that he wrote a poem addressed to Alexander the Great, for which he was richly rewarded: and Athenæus (x., p. 419) quotes a passage from a work of Pyrrho, the character of which is entirely unknown. The first writer on the scepticism of Pyrrho is said to have been Timon, his friend and disciple, whose life is written by Diogenes Laertius. name of Aspetus. Aeacides, who had come to the throne De Pyrrhus now invaded Macedonia, where he penetrated as far as Edessa, and was joyfully received by many Macedonians, who joined his army. Lysimachus at the same time made an attack on Macedonia from Thrace. The mild conduct of Pyrrhus during this expedition induced nearly the whole of the Macedonian army to desert Demetrius, and to salute Pyrrhus as king of Macedonia (287 B.C.). Demetrius fled into Asia, where he was defeated by the son of Lysimachus, and surrendered himself prisoner to Seleucus Lysimachus now claimed to share the conquest; and Pyrrhus, who did not think it safe to enter into a new contest with the aged general of Alexander, consented to divide Macedonia between himself and Lysimachus. But this division only gave rise to fresh disputes. Lysimachus soon began to feel that Pyrrhus was an obstacle to his ambition. (Plut., Pyrrh., 12.) The consequence was, that a few years after the division of Macedonia, when Demetrius was defeated in Syria, Lysimachus, having now no other enemy to fear, attacked Pyrrhus in his portion of Macedonia. The Macedonians, perhaps bearing a grudge against Pyrrhus for having consented to the division of their country, were easily persuaded to abandon the king of Epirus, who, without offering any resistance, withdrew his forces from the kingdom of Macedonia about 283 B.C. (Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, iii., note, 813.) own soldiers, and proposed to the Roman captives to serve in his army. They all refused; and Pyrrhus honoured their fidelity by sending 200 of them back to Rome (Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, iii., p. 559; Justin., xviii. 1.) Pyrrhus purchased this success with the flower of his own army, and he said that another such victory would compel him to return to Epirus. The field of battle on the river Siris has latterly become a subject of great interest. In the year 1820 two bronzes of the most exquisite workmanship were found not far from the river, and near the site of the old town of Grumentum (now Saponara in the province of Basilicata), and within the enclosure of a ruin which has perhaps been a small temple. These bronzes, called the Bronzes of Siris, which were originally gilt, are each a little more than seven English inches in length. On each of them is represented in very high relief a hero fighting with an Amazon. They are now in the British Museum, and may at first sight be recognised as fragments of a magnificent cuirass. The character and the beautiful style of the work render it certain that they belonged to the school, or at least to the period, of Lysippus. They were in all probability brought over to the spot where they were found, by some one in the army of Pyrrhus, and may perhaps have formed part of the armour of the king himself or of one of his generals, though there is no evidence to prove this supposition. (Bröndsted, The Bronzes of Siris, an archæological essay, London, 1836.) Pyrrhus now enjoyed a few years of peace and happiness; but in 281 B.C. he was requested by the Tarentines to give them his assistance against the Romans. The Tarentines declared that they merely wanted a skilful general, that a sufficient number of soldiers would be raised in Italian Greece, as the Lucanians, Messapians, the Samnites, and they themselves, would furnish an army of 20,000 horse and 350,000 foot. These promises, and the hope of adding Italy and Sicily to his dominions, excited among the Epirotæ, no less than in Pyrrhus himself, so great a desire to enter this new field of action, that neither the wise remarks of the eloquent Cineas, nor the unfavourable season of the year, After the battle on the Siris, Pyrrhus advanced to within could prevent him from immediately setting out. Cineas 300 stadia of Rome, and was joined by the Lucanians and was sent first with 3000 soldiers, and the king followed in Samnites. The Romans, undaunted by their defeat, and Tarentine vessels of transport with an army of 3000 horse, deserted by many of their allies, raised new troops and de2000 foot, 2000 bowmen, 500 slingers, and 20 elephants. termined to try their strength again. It was not the inten(Plut., Pyrrh., 15.) His son Ptolemæus, by Antigone, then tion of Pyrrhus to conquer or destroy Rome, but to confifteen years of age, was left behind as guardian of the clude an honourable peace, and accordingly he sent his kingdom. (Justin., xviii. 1.) When the transports had friend Cineas to Rome to negotiate while he assembled his reached the open sea, a tremendous storm arose. The Italian allies. The conditions which he proposed were, king himself reached the Italian coast; but many of the according to the most probable account of Appian (iii. 10, ships were wrecked, and others effected their landing 1), that peace should be concluded with himself and the with great difficulty. Only a few horsemen escaped, Tarentines, that all Italian Greeks should be free, and that and 2000 foot and two elephants were lost. With the all conquests which the Romans had made in Lucania, Samremnant of his army Pyrrhus entered Tarentum. He nium, Daunia, and Bruttium, should be given up. At the soon discovered that the objects of these frivolous Greeks same time he offered to deliver all the Roman captives withcould not be attained, unless he assumed dictatorial power. out ransom. The senate of Rome hesitated, until Appius He therefore shut up all their places of amusement, com- Claudius, the blind, threw all his influence into the scale, and pelled all the men capable of bearing arms to serve as persuaded his fellow-citizens to send Cineas out of the city soldiers, and the younger to submit to regular military and to break off all negotiations. Pyrrhus, seeing that training in the gymnasia. The effeminate Greeks, who had there was no hope of peace with the Romans, advanced not expected this, left their city in great numbers. The with his army as far as Anagnia, and seems even to have troops which had been promised by their allies did not taken possession of Præneste. (Flor., i. 18, 24; Eutrop., arrive the Lucanians and Samnites however were prevented ii. 7.) He had ravaged all the country through which he from joining Pyrrhus by the Roman consuls. When the had passed, and his soldiers, laden with booty, began to show consul Lavinus entered Lucania with a numerous army, great want of discipline. The Romans had now concluded Pyrrhus provided for the security of Tarentum, and went out a peace with the Etruscans; and the season of the year was to meet the enemy. As he however wished to defer a de- too advanced to begin a new campaign: these circumstances cisive battle until the arrival of his Greek allies, he offered combined to induce Pyrrhus to lead his troops back to Camto act as mediator between the Greeks and Romans; but pania, where he found Lævinus with a numerous army. the haughty answer of Lævinus put a stop to all negotiation, But neither of the two parties was anxious for battle, and and Pyrrhus pitched his camp on the north bank of the Pyrrhus took up his winter-quarters at Tarentum. During small river Siris, in the plain between Pandosia and He- the winter the Romans sent an embassy headed by C. Faraclea. The Romans, who were encamped on the south bricius to negotiate for an exchange of prisoners. Pyrrhus bank, were anxious to offer battle. The consul sent his refused the proposal, unless peace was concluded on the horse across the river to attack the enemy's rear; but terms proposed by Cineas; but in order to show his esteem Pyrrhus discovered the movement, and, leading his own for the enemy, he allowed the prisoners to go to Rome for cavalry against them, the battle commenced. The king the purpose of celebrating the Saturnalia, on condition that displayed the greatest activity, and was always in the midst if their fellow-citizens should not be willing to conclude of danger. His brilliant armour rendering him too con- peace, they should return after the festival. The senate spicuous, he exchanged it for that of his friend Megacles, would not hear of peace, and, after the festival was over, who, being taken for the king, was slain by a Roman. His they sent the captives back to Pyrrhus. (Appian, iii. 10, 5; armour was carried to Lævinus, who thought that the comp. Niebuhr. Hist. of Rome, iii., p. 586, &c.) king himself had fallen. The battle lasted the whole day, and the Romans advanced and retreated seven times. The elephants were of great advantage to the Greeks; for as soon as the Roman cavalry perceived the huge animals advancing and opening the way for the Thessalian horse that formed part of the army of Pyrrhus, they fled back across the river. The infantry was involved in their flight, and the whole of the Roman army would perhaps have been destroyed, had not one elephant, growing faint from his wounds, stopped the pursuit. The remnants of the Roman army thus escaped in the darkness of the night, and the victors took possession of their camp. Pyrrhus, on the next day, visited the field of battle, buried the bodies of the slain enemies, amounting to 7000, as well as those of his P. C., No. 1182. The In 279 B.C., Pyrrhus began his new campaign, and in the neighbourhood of Asculum in Apulia he met the Roman consuls P. Sulpicius and P. Decius. The king compelled the Romans to come forward into the open field by sending his elephants with a division of light-armed troops to attack their flank. The Romans endeavoured in vain to break through the phalanx; Pyrrhus was irresistible, and the elephants dispersed and routed the Roman horse. Romans, after having lost 6000 men, took refuge in their camp; Pyrrhus lost 3500 of his soldiers, and among them the flower of his army (Plut., Pyrrh., 21; comp Niebuhr's Hist. of Rome, iii., p. 589, &c.), and although he had gained the day, he retreated to Tarentum. He is said to have exclaimed, 'One more such battle, and we are lost. VOL. XIX.-Z |