A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

366 The Early Republic
281-272
B.C.
Plutarch,
Pyrrhus, 13.
tines; and as they were not strong enough to carry on the
contest, and yet were not allowed by the audacious folly of
their mob orators to make peace, they proposed to choose
Pyrrhus leader and to invite him to be their ally in the war,
for he was then more at leisure than any of the other kings
and also was the best general of all. . . .
Thus they voted for war and sent ambassadors to Epirus,
He disciplines
the
Tarentines.
Plutarch,
Fyrrhus, 16.
not from Tarentum alone but from the other Greek cities
in Italy. These delegates carried presents to Pyrrhus and
were instructed to tell him that they required a leader of
skill and renown, and that they possessed a force of Lucanians,
Messapians, Samnites, and Tarentines which
amounted to twenty thousand cavalry and three hundred
and fifty thousand infantry. This information not only
excited Pyrrhus, but made all the Epirots eager to take
part in the campaign.
When Pyrrhus arrived at Tarentum, he did nothing to
displease the people till his fleet reached the coast and he
had gathered the greater part of his army. Then as he
saw that the populace, unless ruled by a strong hand, could
help neither him nor themselves, but intended to stay
idling about their baths and entertainments at home while
he fought their battles,
he closed the gymnasia and the
public walks, in which the people were wont to waste their
time in empty talk about the war. He forbade all drinking,
feasting, and unreasonable revels, and forced the
people to take arms.
In carrying out this order he showed
himself inexorable to every one who was on the musterroll
of able-bodied citizens.
This conduct made him greatly
disliked, and many of the Tarentines left the city in disgust;
for they were so unused to disciphne that inability
to pass their lives as they chose they considered to be no
better than slavery.