The power of the Romans had struggled during nearly five hundred years
against the peoples of Italy; and it was not till after many and severe
toils that they succeeded in laying the foundations of an empire which
was doomed to embrace nearly the known universe. Rome, mistress of
those vast countries which extend from the Rubicon to the southern
extremity of Italy, became anxious to carry her conquests abroad.
She ventured to attack the forces of Carthage, at that time the most
flourishing republic in existence. The union of the Carthaginians with
Hiero, king of Syracuse, for the destruction of the Messinians and the
siege of Messina, were the pretexts for the first war between these
two ambitious republics, whilst the conquest of Sicily was the real
object. Messina having placed itself under the protection of Rome,
Appius Claudius was ordered to march to the succour of that oppressed
city; but a strait of the sea had to be crossed, and the Romans,
without maritime experience, had nothing but boats, rudely constructed,
very much resembling Indian canoes. Was it possible for such a fleet
to resist that of the Carthaginians, well equipped and numerous,
besides being accustomed to the domination of the seas? Appius at once
perceived his weakness; and yet it was necessary that he should arrive
at Messina quickly, as the enemy was pressing it very closely. In this
embarrassment, the consul had recourse to an ingenious stratagem: he
pretended to endeavour to cross the strait, but seeming to be terrified
at the sight of the Carthaginians, he took to flight suddenly, and
feigned to abandon the enterprise. The Carthaginians, fully persuaded
that he would not return, but was gone back to Rome, retired, as if
there was nothing more to be feared. Appius, taking advantage of this
belief, crossed the strait in the night-time, and arrived safely in
Sicily. The place at which he landed was close to the camp of the
Syracusans; and the consul exhorted his troops to fall at once upon
the enemy, promising them an easy victory;--in fact, it proved so. The
army of Hiero could not sustain the impetuous shock of the Romans: it
fled, and abandoned the entrances of Messina to the conquerors. The
consul was received like a liberator from heaven; and the joy of the
citizens was the greater, from their having been in utter despair.
Appius, taking advantage of his victory, attacked the camp of the
Carthaginians; but he was repulsed with some loss, and forced to
retreat. He was pursued, which was what he desired and expected; he
faced about, and fortune seemed to change with the situation of the
place. The Carthaginians could not stand against the courage of the
Romans, but took to flight in their turn, after losing many men. And
thus Rome commenced the first Punic war.