his
largest elephant placed behind Fabricius during their conference,
concealed by a curtain. At a given signal, the curtain was withdrawn,
and the creature reached out his trunk over the head of Fabricius with
a harsh and terrible cry. Fabricius, however, quietly turned round,
and then said to Pyrrhus with a smile, "You could not move me by your
gold yesterday, nor can you with your beast to-day." At table that day
they conversed upon all subjects, but chiefly about Greece and Greek
philosophy. Kineas repeated the opinion of Epikurus and his school,
about the gods, and the practice of political life, and the objects at
which we should aim, how they considered pleasure to be the highest
good, and held aloof from taking any active part in politics, because
it spoiled and destroyed perfect happiness; and about how they thought
that the gods lived far removed from hopes and fears, and interest in
human affairs, in a placid state of eternal fruition.[43] While he was
speaking in this strain Fabricius burst out: "Hercules!" cried he,
"May Pyrrhus and the Samnites continue to waste their time on these
speculations, as long as they remain at war with us!" Pyrrhus, at
this, was struck by the spirit and noble disposition of Fabricius,
and longed more than ever to make Rome his friend instead of his
enemy. He begged him to arrange terms of peace, and after they were
concluded to come and live with him as the first of his friends and
officers. Fabricius is said to have quietly answered, "That, O King,
will not be to your advantage; for those who now obey you, and look up
to you, if they had any experience of me, would prefer me to you for
their king." Pyrrhus was not angry at this speech, but spoke to all
his friends about the magnanimous conduct of Fabricius, and entrusted
the prisoners to him alone, on the condition that, if the Senate
refused to make peace, they should be allowed to embrace their
friends, and spend the festival of the Saturnalia with them, and then
be sent back to him. And they were sent back after the Saturnalia, for
the Senate decreed that any of them who remained behind should be put
to death.

XXI. After this, when C. Fabricius was consul, a man came into his
camp bringing a letter from King Pyrrhus's physician, in which he
offered to poison the king, if he could be assured of a suitable
reward for his services in thus bringing the war to an end without a
blow. Fabricius, disgusted at the man's treachery,