THE ELEPHANTS AT THE BATTLE OF HERACLEA
While Pyrrhus was training the lazy Tarentines, the new Consul,
Valerius, was advancing with his army toward the city, burning and
plundering the country through which he passed. So Pyrrhus resolved
to leave Tarentum and go to meet the enemy. Assembling his troops he
marched away toward the town of Heraclea, which stood on the bank of
the river Siris, where he determined to pitch his camp.
Across the river lay the Roman army, and the king rode along the bank
on his side of the Siris, admiring the order and discipline of the
enemy.
‘We shall see presently what they can do,’ he said to a friend who rode
by his side.
Wishing to keep the Romans from crossing the river until his
reinforcements arrived, Pyrrhus ordered soldiers to guard the passage.
But Valerius did not mean to wait for the king to strengthen his force,
and he at once sent his cavalry higher up the Siris to cross at a ford,
while he, with his infantry, tried to cross the river in spite of the
guard set by Pyrrhus.
The king immediately advanced with three thousand horse, hoping to
scatter the Romans ere they succeeded in reaching the opposite bank.
But protecting themselves with their shields, the Roman soldiers were
soon scrambling out of the river.
Pyrrhus, ordering his men to form in closer ranks, then led them
against the enemy. His armour, richer and more beautiful than that of
his soldiers, at once attracted the attention of the Romans and drew on
him the most determined attacks.
His friends, seeing the danger to which the king was exposed, begged
him to beware.
One of them, pointing to a barbarian who rode upon a black horse with
white feet, said, ‘Sire, yonder fellow fixes his whole attention on you
alone, taking no notice of others. Be on your guard against him.’
The king answered, ‘It is impossible for any man to avoid his fate,
but neither he nor any other Italian shall have much satisfaction in
engaging with me.’
At that moment the Roman, spurring on his horse and lowering his spear,
dashed upon the king.
Pyrrhus fell to the ground, for his steed was pierced by the enemy’s
spear.
Quick as lightning, Leonnatus, who had warned Pyrrhus of this very
soldier, killed the Roman’s horse, and before he or any other of the
enemy could reach the king, his friends had dragged him to a place of
safety. He was then persuaded to change his armour with one of his
officers named Megacles.
The Romans now fiercely attacked Megacles, and at length they succeeded
in dragging him from his horse and in wounding him to death.
Then the victors seized his helmet and cloak and hastened with them to
their general, to show that they had indeed killed the king.
The royal trophies were placed on the point of a spear and carried
along the lines of the Roman army, that all might see that the king was
slain.
While the Romans shouted for joy, the Greeks looked on in dismay,
thinking that their Eagle king was no longer alive.
[Illustration: The armour of Pyrrhus was richer and more beautiful than
that of his soldiers.]
But Pyrrhus soon learned what had happened, and dashing to the
front, he rode bare-headed before his men, shouting to them to follow
him.
The Consul now determined to bring forward the force he had kept in
reserve, thinking that it would decide the day. But Pyrrhus too had a
reserve force, and a more terrible one than his enemy. This was his
twenty elephants, which, with towers on their backs filled with armed
men, he now let loose upon the foe.
The huge beasts, trumpeting loudly, were more than the Roman horses
could stand. Wild with fear at the sight of such strange monsters, they
galloped madly away, either throwing their riders or carrying them off
the battlefield.
Many of the fallen were trampled to death by the elephants, while the
victorious Greeks hastened in pursuit of the flying legions.
The whole Roman army would have been destroyed save for an accident.
As he fled, one of the Roman soldiers flung his spear at an elephant
and wounded it. The beast, wild with pain, turned back upon its own
army, making the other elephants also restive.
Before order was restored and the animals pacified, the main body of
the Romans had escaped across the Siris.
Pyrrhus had gained a victory indeed, but he had lost a large number
of his men. As he looked sadly upon the hosts of the dead lying upon
the battlefield, he cried, ‘Another such victory and I must return to
Epirus alone.’
The sight of the Roman soldiers slain in battle roused his admiration,
for he noticed that their wounds were all in front. ‘Had I such
soldiers,’ said the king, ‘I should soon be master of the world.’
Pyrrhus must have been thinking as he spoke of the lazy, undisciplined
Tarentines, for his own brave Epirots were surely the last to turn
their backs to an enemy.
When tidings of the king’s victory became known, many Greek towns sent
tardy recruits to the conqueror.
And Pyrrhus, who had a generous heart, gave to these a share of the
plunder, and rebuked them but lightly for joining him only after the
battle was won.