ve already at hand all those things
which we propose to obtain with much blood-shed, and great toils and
perils, and after suffering much ourselves and causing much suffering
to others?" By talking in this manner Kineas vexed Pyrrhus, because he
made him reflect on the pleasant home which he was leaving, but his
reasoning had no effect in turning him from his purpose.

XV. He first despatched Kineas to Tarentum with three thousand men;
next he collected from Tarentum many horse-transports, decked vessels,
and boats of all sorts, and embarked upon them twenty elephants,
twenty-three thousand cavalry, twenty-two thousand infantry, and five
hundred slingers. When all was ready he put to sea; and when half way
across a storm burst upon him from the north, which was unusual at
that season of the year. He himself, though his ship was carried away
by the tempest, yet, by the great pains and skill of the sailors and
pilots, resisted it and reached the land, with great toil to the
rowers, and beyond everyone's expectation; for the rest of the fleet
was overpowered by the gale and scattered. Some ships were driven off
the Italian coast altogether, and forced into the Libyan and Sicilian
seas, and some which could not weather the Iapygian Cape were
overtaken by night, and being dashed by a violent and boisterous sea
against that harbourless coast were utterly lost, except only the
king's ship. She was so large and strongly built as to resist the
waves as long as they broke upon her from the seaward; but when the
wind changed and blew directly off the shore, the ship, which now met
the waves directly with her head, was in great danger of going to
pieces, while to let her drive out to sea again now that it was so
rough, and the wind changed so frequently, seemed more terrible than
to remain where they were. Pyrrhus rose and leapt into the water, and
at once was eagerly followed by his friends and his body-guard. The
darkness of night and the violent recoil of the roaring waves made it
hard for them to help him, and it was not until daybreak, when the
wind abated, that he reached the land, faint and helpless in body, but
with his spirit invincible in misfortune. The Messapians, upon whose
coast he had been thrown, now assembled from the neighbouring villages
and offered their help, while some of the ships which had outlived the
storm appeared, bringing a few horsemen, about two thousand foot, and
two elephants.

XVI. With these Pyr