in these failing, we attached ourselves to
king Pyrrhus. Abandoned by him, we accepted of a peace, dictated by
necessity, which we continued to observe up to the period when you
arrived in Italy, through a period of almost fifty years. Your valour
and good fortune, not more than your unexampled humanity and kindness
displayed towards our countrymen, whom, when made prisoners, you
restored to us, so attached us to you, that while you our friend were
in health and safety, we not only feared not the Romans, but not even
the anger of the gods, if it were lawful so to express ourselves. And
yet, by Hercules, you not only being in safety and victorious, but on
the spot, (when you could almost hear the shrieks of our wives and
children, and see our buildings in flames,) we have suffered, during
this summer, such repeated devastations, that Marcellus, and not
Hannibal, would appear to have been the conqueror at Cannae; while the
Romans boast that you had strength only to inflict a single blow; and
having as it were left your sting, now lie torpid. For near a century
we waged war with the Romans, unaided by any foreign general or army;
except that for two years Pyrrhus rather augmented his own strength by
the addition of our troops, than defended us by his. I will not boast
of our successes, that two consuls and two consular armies were sent
under the yoke by us, nor of any other joyful and glorious events
which have happened to us. We can tell of the difficulties and
distresses we then experienced, with less indignation than those which
are now occurring. Dictators, those officers of high authority, with
their masters of horse, two consuls with two consular armies, entered
our borders, and, after having reconnoitred and posted reserves, led
on their troops in regular array to devastate our country. Now we are
the prey of a single propraetor, and of one little garrison, for the
defence of Nola. Now they do not even confine themselves to plundering
in companies, but, like marauders, range through our country from one
end to the other, more unconcernedly than if they were rambling
through the Roman territory. And the reason is this, you do not
protect us yourself, and the whole of our youth, which, if at home,
would keep us in safety, is serving under your banners. We know
nothing either of you or your army, but we know that it would be easy
for the man who has routed and dispersed so many Roman armies, to put
down these rambling