king of Epirus, of whom we have already taken some notice. It was generally thought impossible for the Romans to contend successfully with this great commander. He had been formed in the art of war, upon the maxims and examples of Alexander and Epaminondas; and notwithstanding the degeneracy of the Greeks and Asiatics, from whom the military spirit had long since departed, had been able to inspire the armies he commanded, with his own heroic virtues. He had found no equal in Egypt, or Asia. Happy would it have been for him, had he pursued more closely the footsteps of Alexander, and especially had he kept at a distance from Italy; though even that might not have saved him from a collision with the growing power of the Romans.

Pyrrhus immediately prepared to comply with the request of the Samnites. He embarked from Epirus, with an army of twenty thousand foot, three thousand horse, and twenty elephants; but in crossing the Adriatic, his fleet was dispersed in a storm, and many of his vessels were lost. Although his armament was greatly diminished, he still thought the remnant more than a match for the rude and barbarous people of Italy. His judgment of the Romans was probably not dissimilar to that formed of the American people before the revolutionary war; at which time, some imagined, that a few thousand regular troops would strike an awe through the continent, and that the semi-barbarians of the colonies would never dare to face disciplined and veteran troops.

But Pyrrhus found the Romans not so rude and barbarous, as he expected. The first view he had of their military order and skill, struck him with surprise; and the first victory he gained, in all probability, utterly extinguished his hopes of subduing the Romans. It is worthy of remark, how differently the Romans received this invasion of Pyrrhus, from what the Persians did that of Alexander. Pyrrhus found the Romans ready to receive him; and when he offered to mediate between them and the Samnites, he was answered by Lævinus, the consul, that the Roman people neither respected him as a mediator, nor feared him as an enemy.

The first battle was fought on the banks of the river Lyris. Pyrrhus drew up his army with the utmost skill; nor was there a want of skill and discernment in the order and movements of the Romans. Here was first seen con

king of Epirus, of whom we have already taken some notice. It was generally thought impossible for the Romans to contend successfully with this great commander. He had been formed in the art of war, upon the maxims and examples of Alexander and Epaminondas; and notwithstanding the degeneracy of the Greeks and Asiatics, from whom the military spirit had long since departed, had been able to inspire the armies he commanded, with his own heroic virtues. He had found no equal in Egypt, or Asia. Happy would it have been for him, had he pursued more closely the footsteps of Alexander, and especially had he kept at a distance from Italy; though even that might not have saved him from a collision with the growing power of the Romans.

Pyrrhus immediately prepared to comply with the request of the Samnites. He embarked from Epirus, with an army of twenty thousand foot, three thousand horse, and twenty elephants; but in crossing the Adriatic, his fleet was dispersed in a storm, and many of his vessels were lost. Although his armament was greatly diminished, he still thought the remnant more than a match for the rude and barbarous people of Italy. His judgment of the Romans was probably not dissimilar to that formed of the American people before the revolutionary war; at which time, some imagined, that a few thousand regular troops would strike an awe through the continent, and that the semi-barbarians of the colonies would never dare to face disciplined and veteran troops.

But Pyrrhus found the Romans not so rude and barbarous, as he expected. The first view he had of their military order and skill, struck him with surprise; and the first victory he gained, in all probability, utterly extinguished his hopes of subduing the Romans. It is worthy of remark, how differently the Romans received this invasion of Pyrrhus, from what the Persians did that of Alexander. Pyrrhus found the Romans ready to receive him; and when he offered to mediate between them and the Samnites, he was answered by Lævinus, the consul, that the Roman people neither respected him as a mediator, nor feared him as an enemy.

The first battle was fought on the banks of the river Lyris. Pyrrhus drew up his army with the utmost skill; nor was there a want of skill and discernment in the order and movements of the Romans. Here was first seen con