King Pyrr. Pyrr - Biographies of Great People

And so, he, languishing in anticipation of a happy occasion, has introduced a new opportunity to act.

The Romans attacked the Tarentians. Those did not have the strength to lead the war, but the dishonest audacity of the leaders of the people did not give them to fold the weapon, and then they thought to call and make the warlord in the war against the Romans of Pyrrhr, a great commander and at the time of the most celebrating from the kings. True, the oldest and most prudent citizens were against such a plan, however, those who performed openly, supporters of war with cries and direct violence were driven out of the assembly, others, seeing it, retired themselves. And here is one reasonable person, named Meton, a day, when they had to make a decision, put a fading wreath, picked up a torch, as usually drunk, and appeared in the national assembly, accompanied by flotist. As it happens everywhere where the power of the people does not know the proper limits, the crowd, seeing this procession, met his applause and laughter, and no one stopped the meter, on the contrary, he was asked together with the flutstic to come to the middle and sing. He pretended as if he was going to do, but when silence reigned, said: "Tarents! How well you are making that you are allowed to make a brave and joke, while you can. But if you are in the right mind, then hurry and use this liberty yourself: after all, when Pyrre appears in the city, things will go differently and the other life will begin for us. " These words have appeared convincing to many tarents, and the meeting raised a cry that the metric says correctly. However, those who were afraid, as if after the conclusion of the world they were not issued to the Romans, wrapped the people for the fact that he so good-naturedly allows a drunken shameless to make fun of him, and the meton was known for them. So, the opinion of the supporters of the war prevailed, and the ambassadors were sent to Epir, in order to take the Pierre of the gifts on behalf of not only the Tarentians, but everyone is generally Italiot, and say that they need a reasonable and famous commander and that at their disposal there are big forces of Lukantse, Messaps, Samutorov and Tarentians: riders about twenty thousand, and the infantry of three hundred fifty thousand. These speeches ignored not only Pyrrhr, but also an impatient desire to make an impatient desire to make a campaign.

Pyrr said that he took more cities with her speeches than he himself with a sword in his hands, and always provided this man with high respect and enjoyed his services. Seeing that Pierre is ready to make a trip to Italy, Kiney chose a moment when the king was not busy, and turned to him with such words: "They say that the Romans are valiant, and besides, they are subject to many militant tribes. If God will send us a victory over them, what will she give us? " Pierre responded: "You, Pins, ask about things that are understandable to themselves. If we defeat the Romans, then no barbaric or Greek city in Italy can resist us, and we will quickly master the whole country; And who, how not to you know, however, it is extensive, rich and strong! " Waving a little, Keeus continued: "What are we going to do, the king, when will we send ITALY?" Without rapidly, where he is clone, Pierre answered: "Sicily, a blooming and crowded island, is quite nearby, she extends to us hands, and it's worth it: after all, after the death of Agafokla, everything is covered by the uprising and in cities. And the rusty of crowd leaders. " "Well, this is true," continued Kineas. - So, taking Sicily, we will finish the campaign? " But Pierre objected: "If God is spending success and victory to us, it will be only an attachment towards great cases. How do we not go to Africa, to the Carthage, if before them from there handed the hand? After all, Agafokl, secretly ecliping from Syracuse and crushing with an insignificant fleet across the sea, almost seized them! And if we will master, no enemy, now insulting us, will be able to resist us, - isn't it? " . "So," answered Kineas. - It is clear that with such forces it will be possible and return Macedonia, and strengthen the power over Greece. But when all this comes true, what will we do then? " And Pierre said with a smile: "It will be with us, the most honored, full leisure, daily pears and pleasant conversations." Here Kineas interrupted him, asking: "What prevents us now, if we want, to sneak and appear to talk with each other? After all, we already have something that we strive to reach the price of many deprivations, dangers and abundant bloodshed and for which we will have to experience and cause different disasters to others. " With such words, Pierre rather disappeared with such words, which he persuaded: although he understood, with which well-being parted, but was no longer able to abandon his desires and hopes.

24. When Pierre sailed, the barbarians merged against him: Carthagean gave him a marine battle in the strait itself, in which he lost a lot of ships, and Mamerin residents, a number of at least ten thousand, crushing before Pierre, but not daring to meet him face to face, occupied impregnable Positions, and when Pyrre on the surviving vessels arrived in Italy, attacked him and scattered all his army. Two elephants died and many soldiers from the rear squad. Pierre himself reflected the onslaught of the enemy and fought without fear with an experienced and bold enemy. When he was injured by a sword in his head and briefly came out of the battle, the Mamerinians were perceived by the Spirit. One of them, huge growth, in sparkling armor, ran ahead and a terrible voice began to call Pierre, if he is still alive, get out and fight him. Pierre, irritated, turned and, breaking through the ranks of his Schlottsev, who tried to keep him, came out angry, with terrible, splashing by the body. The ahead of Barbara, Pierre hit him with a sword on the head, and, thanks to the power of his hands and an excellent hardening of steel, the blade cut the body from above to the bottom, so that in a moment two halves of the split body fell into different directions. It kept the barbarians from new attacks: they were amazed and were divided by Pyrrhr, as if, some kind of supernatural being.

The rest of Pyrrho passed unhindered and with twenty thousand infantrymen and three thousand riders arrived in Tartage. Having addressed there the army the most brave from Tarentians, he immediately opposed the Romans who stood in the camp in the self. 25. The affairs of the samnets at that time were very bad: they were broken by the Romans in many battles, they fell in spirit, and the sail of Pyrrhi in Sicily caused discontent, so only a few people joined him. Sharing his army, Pierre Halvina sent to Lucania, wanting to delay one of the consuls there, so that he did not come to the help of a comrades in office, and the other part itself led to the mania of Kuria, who was standing in a safe place near the city of Benenent and expecting reinforcements from Lucania ( However, he was inactive also because he was held by the predictions of the priests and the piping agents). Pierre hurried to attack the Romans before the second consul is suitable, and therefore, having gathered the strongest people and the most ferocious elephants, moved at night at the enemy camp. But the road was long, walked through a dense forest, the warriors got lost in the dark, and thus the time was lost. The morning came, at dawn, the enemies clearly saw Pierry, moving along the ridge of the hills. In the Romans camp, noise and turmoil rose, and since circumstances demanded decisive actions, and the victims foreshadowed good luck, the consul came out of the camp, attacked the front rows of the coming and turned them into flights than led to the confusion and the rest. A lot of Pyrri soldiers were interrupted, several elephants abandoned during retreat were captured, and this victory allowed mania to move the battle to the plain. In the eyes of the enemy, collected his legions, he drew the enemy in the enemy in some places, but in others, under the onslaught of elephants, he retreated to the camp itself and caused a guard from there, who stood a lot on the shaft in full service. With the fresh forces, coming out due to fortifications, they threw the elephants with spears and turned them to reversal, and the escape of the elephants caused a mess and confusion among the warriors under their cover, and this not only brought the Romans victory, but also decided a dispute about who would be believed to belong Supreme dominion over Italy. By proving their valor in these battles, they gained confidence in their power and, having become invincible, soon captured all Italy, and after some time and Sicily.

26. So they collapsed all the hopes of Pyrro in Italy and in Sicily; She spent six years on these wars and although he was defeated, but in defeats, he retained his courage was noteplied and still considered everywhere the most experienced, strong and brave kings. However, he was extremely extracted for the future for the future and, the striking and new and new, could not keep the achieved, if it was necessary to show perseverance. Therefore, the antigonus and compared Pierry with a player in the dice, who knows how to make a clever throw, but does not know how to use his luck.

Returning to Epirus with eight thousand infantrymen and fiftest riders, I cleaned the entire treasury, Pierre began to look for a new war to feed the army. Some of the Galatians joined him, and he attacked Macedonia, where the antigonus, the son of Demetrius reign. His goal was to capture production, but after he managed to take many cities and two thousand enemy warriors moved on his side, Pyrr, filled with hopes, went to the offensive on the antigone himself and, attacking him in a narrow gorge, relieved in confusion all his army. Only the numerous squad of the Galat in the rear at Antigone resistantly resisted, and in the tough-harsh battle, most of them were interrupted, and the leaders of the elephants surrounded with animals were captured. Increased its strength and more reliably on his luck than the soberly all the plot, Pyrrh has hit the Falang of Macedonian, who, after the defendants incurred by Galatians, were full of confusion and fear. Macedonian dug away from the battle, and then Pierre, stretching her hand, became the name of all the heads of all chiefs, and the elders, and the youngest, which prompted the antigone infantry to go to his side. Departing, the antigonus retained only a few coastal cities. Pyrr, for which everything happened so happily, he was sure that he turned the greatest fame to the victory over the Galatians, and therefore he folded the best and most brilliant part in the Temple of Athens ITonian, writing the following verses:

Immediately after the battle of Pyrro captured the egs and other cities, where not only he had oppressed the inhabitants in every way, but also posted the guard of the Galatov who served in his army. And the Galats, the people of the extremely greedy, began to break the graves of buried in the egach of the kings, and they crossed the treasures, and the bones, desecuting, scattered. Pyrrh, it seems, did not give them a lot of great importance and whether he was postponed for an undifferentially, whether he did not dare to turn the barbarians at all, because of what he had to hear from Macedonian a lot of reproaches.

Without waiting until his affairs and the situation will be able to strengthen, Pierre again carried away with new hopes. He mocked the antigonus, calling him shameless for the fact that he does not wear a raincoat and continues to wear the royal porphyra, and willingly succumb to the persuasion of Cleinima Spartan, who arrived to call him in Lacceeda.

Blindim belonged to the royal family, seemed strong and powerful, and therefore he did not use in Sparta or confidence, and rules instead of him. This was the reason for his long-standing offense at all fellow citizens. In addition, he already married Hillonide in old age, a leeothid daughter, a beautiful and royal woman. But she fell in love with the blooming young man of Acrostat, the son of Arey, so that her gloomy was brought this marriage only grief and disgrace, because, for anyone from Spartans left the mystery, as his wife despises. And so, when these home troubles joined the same insults, Cleonim, angry and depressed, led to Sparta Pyrro with twenty-five thousand infantrymen, two thousand riders and twenty-four elephants. Already, the numerous number of this troops clearly showed that Pyrrier wants to acquire not Sparta for Cleinima, and the whole peloponnence - for himself, but in words he stubbornly denied it before arriving at him in Megalopol Lactedamev. He said that he came to free the city's conquered by the antigonus, and the name Zeus swore, if nothing hurts him, send his younger sons in Sparta to the upbringing, so that they learn the Lacan Mravians and thanks to this one surpassed all the kings. By deceiving this lie to those who met to him on the way, Pyrr immediately, at the parish in Laconi engaged in robbery. The ambassadors began to blame him that he began hostilities, not declaring wars, but he replied: "We never heard that you, Spartans, discovered their intentions to someone." This is one of those present, by the name of Mandrchild, said in Lacon Naschai: "If you are God, then nothing happens to us - we did not get sick against you, if you are a person, then there will be someone more stronger than you."

27. After that, Pierre approached Sparta. Cleonim offered to immediately go to the attack, but, as reported, Pierre, feared, as if warriors, attacking the city at night, did not plunder him, postponed the assault, saying that he would take Sparta during the day. Spartans were not enough, and they were not prepared for a sudden attack, especially since Arena himself went to Crete to provide assistance in war to the mining. The self-confidence of the enemies, who desigrated the impersonal and powerless city, saved Sparta. Pierre, believing that he is not able to fight with whom, he stopped for the night, and Ilota and the approximate Cleinima began to clean and decorate his house as if the next day, Pyrrho was standing there. At night, the Spartans held advice and decided first of all to send women to Crete, but they were opposed, and one of them, the archid, appeared with a sword to the Council of Elders and on behalf of all Spartan began to reproach men who want women to survive the death of Sparta. It was decided to spend along the enemy camp of the ditch, and on the right and to the left of him to place the chariots, pumped into the ground before the hubs so that they stood firmly in place and they were not allowed to pass the elephants. When the men began to work, women approached them, alone - in rascoats and spiderman chitons, others - in some chitons to help old people, and those who had to fight, they asked for a care of their strength, and made the third part of the job, having learned before RVA. He was a width of six elbows, four in four, and eight Plephs had in length, according to Philharh; According to the story of Jerome, he was less. In the morning, when the enemy moved to the offensive, the women filed weapons and punished them to protect and protect the moat, saying that it was nice to defeat their eyes from compatriots, but honorably and die in their hands in mothers and wives, Valiant surfactant for Sparta. And Hillonida, away from the rest, prepared a loop for himself, so as not to get into the hands of Cleonim, if the city is taken.

28. Pyrrho himself hit his gopliths on Spartans, who were defended, exposing the shields, and tried to overcome the ditch, impassable because the loose soil at the edge began to sleep under the legs of the warriors, not letting them firmly stand. The son of Pierri Ptolemy with two thousand Galatov and selected warriors from the Honon moved along the Rib, trying to break through the row of chariots, but they were lure so deeply and placed so often that they not only ran the road to the soldiers of Ptolemy, but the Lactedamevians themselves interfered with themselves. When the gowns snapped the wheels from the ground and raised chariots into the river, the young man acrotalat, noticing the danger, with three hundred warriors crossed the city, went around Ptolemy, hiding from him behind the slopes of the hills, and, attack from the rear, forced enemies to turn and share his strength . Ptolemy's soldiers pushed each other, fell in ditch and between the chariots and, finally, were discarded, leaving the big damage. A variety of old men and women looked at the feat of the acrotal, and when, filled with blood, proud victory and praised everyone, he returned through the city, he seemed even more beautifully to Spartans, and they envied the love of Hillonides. And some old men, following him, shouted: "Stay, acrotalat, go out on the bed of Hilonids to give Sparta worthy descendants!" Around the Pyrrho himself, a fierce battle was tied, in which many warriors were tightly fought, but he resisted all the enemies and most of all the enemies killed Filly, when he felt that he was weakening from many wounds, he gave way to the warrior standing with him So that the enemy does not get into the hands of the enemy.

29. The night interrupted the battle. In the dream, Pyrre saw that he was molded with lightning in Lacadeda. And the whole country is covered by fire, he is rejoicing it. From joy waking up, he ordered military leaders to keep the army at the ready, and the approximate spoke about his dream, believing that it marks the capture of the city. Everyone was surprised and agreed with Pyrrh, only Lisimahu did not like the king: he expressed the fear that it was impossible to fall to the places affected by the zipper, which means this city, as the deity foreshadows, will remain unavailable. But Pierre replied that all this is nonsense, worthy of idle mobile, and that they should, holding weapons in their hands, just repeat themselves:

With these words, he encouraged the troops and with the onset of the day he led them to battle. Spartans, defendeding themselves, surpassed themselves by valor and dedication, women helped them, feeding the arrows, bringing a hungry food and drink, picking up the wounded. Macedonian gathered a lot of his brother-in-law and tried to fill them out, falling asleep dead bodies and weapons. Laczedamia, who gathered to the rescue, saw Pierre, who drove a horse past the Rib and chariots, making his way into the city. The defended cries were defeated, the warriors were fled, women were cried. Pierre has already risen ahead and flew up on the enemies standing in front of him, when his horse, wounded in the belly of the Cretan boom, dropped the saddle of the sliding slide. The warriors who, together with Pierr, came to confusion, who ran the Spartans arrows forced them to move them away. Following Troy, Pyrrus stopped the battle everywhere in the hope that Laczedamias, almost all the wounded and many who lost killed, at least weakened slightly. But the happy fate of the city could have experienced her husbands, or he wanted to show how great her power even in a hopeless situation, and to help Lactedamevas, who had already lost all hope, appeared from Corinth to the commander of Antigone Fokeecon Amini with his mercenaries. The Spartans did not have time to accept him, as King Aray returned from Crete, leading a two thousandth army. Women immediately diverged home, for they no longer needed to take care of the root affairs, they were released and those who, despite the old age, was needed by the need for a weapon. Arrived warriors prepared to battle. 30. Pyrrier took possession of an ambitious desire to seize the city after the reinforcement came there, however, without achieving anything and having erupted, he retreated and began to empty the country, going to overreim in it.

But what is destined to happen, cannot be avoided. In Argos, they walked between Aristle and Aristipp. And since Aristipp was considered a friend of Antigone, then Arizius hurried to call in Argos Pyrrh. Pyrrh, always easily passed from one hope to another, every success considered only the beginning of the case, and every failure sought to refund new benefits; Therefore, neither victory nor the defeat brought peace and rest to him nor his opponents. He immediately moved to Argos. Arey, having arranged a lot of ambushes and taking difficulty places on his way, cut off from the troops of the shelters in the tail of Galatov and Moloss. One fortunetel, having considered the inside of sacrificial animals, found the signs unfavorable and predicted to Pierre that he was destined to lose one of the loved ones. But among the noise and bustle, Pierre completely forgot about the prediction and told his son Ptolemy, taking bodyguards, to help the tail of the tail, and he moved forward to bring the army from Tensin as soon as possible. Around the Ptolemy, a fierce battle was faced, the selected lackenedoy warriors headed by Evalcoma, the Macedonians standing in front of the royal son, and here the Christian from Aptere named Osses, the man who was militant and promoted, ran up to the brave-fighting young man, hit him with a spear and drove it. After his death, those who were next to him were escaping, Lactedamene, pursuing them, forgot about everything and broke out on the plain, leaving their goplites behind. And then they turned the Molesian Connection Pyrr, who had already heard his son and shocked by grief. He first broke into the ranks of Spartans, seeking the murder to saturate the thirst for revenge, and although in battle he always seemed terrible and invincible, but this time he was sick of his audio and force everything that happened in the former battles. When he sent his horse to Evalka, he who shown aside, the sword ruined the reins of Pierre and almost did not comply with the hand that kept them. Pyrre At the same moment, the strike of the spear struck the Evalka and jumping from the saddle, in walking the battle was laid next to Evalom all his selected squad. Such senseless losses led Sparta after the end of the war, the excessive ambition of her rulers.

31. As if the kidden son of the murdered son and in anger on enemies, the most part of his grief, Pyrro cassed the magnificent memorial games and went on to ARGOS. Having learned that the antigona had already taken height over the plain, he became a camp near Napplia. The next day, he sent to the antigonus of the messenger, calling the king of the trafficking and inviting to go to the plain to fight for power. He answered that in war for him is more important than a convenient moment than the power of the weapon, and that if the Pyrrho does not tolerate die, then a lot of ways to death are open for him. Meanwhile to the Pyrrhr, and to the antigonus came from Argos Ambassador with a request to move away from the city and provide the Argosts to the opportunity, without submitting to any of them, to maintain friendship with both. The Antagon agreed and gave the Argosts to the hostage of the Son, and Pierre, also agreed to retreat, did not confirm his promises and those who inspired the citizens great suspicions. At this time, Pierre was a terrible sign: bulls brought sacrifice, their heads, already separated from the bodies, in front of everyone they dried languages \u200b\u200band began to lick their own blood, and in Argos Apollonid, the prisoner of the Liquseysky God ran out, shouting that she was given the city Full of killed, and the eagle, which was in battle, and then disappeared.

32. In the deep darkness, Pierre approached the walls and found that the gate, called the passing, is already detached for him to Aristle. While the Glaks of Pyrrhoids entered the city and occupied the square, they managed to stay unnoticed. But the elephants could not go to the gate, had to be removed from their spin tower, and then in the dark again hoisting them; It delayed the attackers, and Argos, having heard noise, hurried to take aspud and other fortified places and sent the messengers to the antigon. He, approaching the city, stopped himself, but sent to the rescue of the Argostsians of his son and commander with a large detachment. It came across and array with thousand critical and easily armed spartans. Together, attacking the Galatov, they plunged them into confusion. At this time, Pierre with noise and shouts came to the city near Kilarakis, and the Galati in response was also shouted, but there were no vigor and confidence in their cry, it seemed to everyone that it was a cry of fear and despair. Then Pyrrus hastily threw the riders moving around the head at the head, but they could only drive them with great difficulty and risk to live among the canals that the whole city was ruled. In this night battle, it was impossible to understand the actions of the troops or the orders of chiefs. Disobeds wandered through the narrow streets, in the darkness, in the cramps, among the cries came from everywhere; There was no opportunity to lead the troops, all were slow and waited in the morning. When Raw, Pierre was frightened, seeing aspid employed by armed enemies, and noticing on the square among many decorations a copper statue of a wolf and bull, ready to grab each other, he remembered a long-time prediction that he was destined to die where he will see a wolf fighting with Bull. Argos residents say that this statue is in their memory of a very long-standing event: when Danai first joined this country, then on the way to Argos, near Pyramis in Fireatide, he saw a wolf fighting with a bull. Deciding that he himself, a stranger, attacked by local residents, is like this wolf, Danai began to observe a fight. When the wolf won, Danai ascended by Apollo Liquseysky and, defeated and driving with the help of rebellious Argostess reigning then in Argos Gelanor, captured power. 33. Noticing a statue and seeing to be the same that none of his hopes come true, Pierre fell in spirit and decided to retreat; Fearing a narrow gate, he sent his son to Helena, left with significant forces outside the city, order to destroy part of the wall and help leaving if the enemy would eat on them. However, in a hurry and turmoil, the messenger dismissed the order, an error occurred, and the young man, taking the rest of the elephants and the strongest soldiers, entered the goal to the city to help his father. Pyrr at that time was already leaving. Fighting on the square, where there was enough space and for retreat and for the battle, Pyrr, turning his face to the enemy, reflected his onslaught. But he was pushed into a narrow street, which led to the gate, and there he collided with the troops hurrying to help. Pierre shouted them to turn back, but most did not hear him, but by those who were ready to obey, blocking the path of the new detachments that joined the city through the gate. In addition, the biggest elephant, falling across the gate, lay, tube and interfering with retreating to pass, and another elephant, from those that entered the city earlier, named Nikon, looking for a wounded leader who fell from his back, to meet the retreat, chasing And tilting the moves of enemies and friends, until, finally, did not find the corpse and, raising him with a trunk and picked up with both fangs, did not turn back, as if having walked around, the Valya would last and kill all the oncomes. Drown into a bunch and tightly pressed to each other, warriors could not do anyoid one: Like a single body, the crowd was tossessed and drove from side to side. Few fought with the enemies, clamped between the warriors of Pierra or in the back, - mostly soldiers wounded each other, for the one who bared the sword or wrapped in a spear, could neither lower his hand nor put the blade into the sheath: the weapon decided who would have to And people gave birth to their own comrades.

34. Pyrrh, looked around the stormy waves, removed the diadem, adorned by the helmet, handed it out one of the bodyguards and, trusting his horse, attacked the enemies following him on the heels. Spear pierced him the shell, and he, having received a wound, not deadly and not even heavy, rushed on who struck. That was an argos, a non-innant man, the son of a poor old woman. She at this time, like the rest of the argyiybank, looked at the battle from the roof on the battle and, seeing her son entered into martial arts with Pyrrok, frightened by him threatening danger, ripped off the roof tile and her hands threw her in Pyrr. The tile hit him in the head below the helmet and interrupted the vertebra at the base of the neck; Pyrrhrooked in his eyes, her hands lowered the reins, and he fell near the Sanctuary of Litchee, almost nobody recognized. A certain zopyr who fought on the side of the antigone, and two or three people arrived at him and, having learned, dragged him on the eve of some kind of home. Meanwhile, Pierre began to come to his senses, Zopyr pulled out the Illyrian sword, to cut off his head, but Pyrrus looked so scary to him that he, frightened, full of confusion and trembling, did it slowly and hardly, then dropping her hands, then again Takeing to chop, not getting and caught by strikes near the mouth and chin. Meanwhile, many have heard about what happened, and Alkione, wanting to make sure, drove up and demanded their heads. He rushed to his father with her and threw her before the king, sitting in a circle of approximents. Looking and learning Pyrrhr, the son's antigonia was driven by a son, calling him a barbarian and wicked, and then, covering his eyes with a cloak, I was crying, remembering the grandfather of his antagona and about the demeter's father, who in his own family were an example of the changeability of fate. Decorating the head and body of Pierre, he betrayed them to burn, and when Alkione met Gelen, a pitiful, dressed in poor raincoat, and, friendly welcoming him, led to his father, Antigon said: "- It is meant to the I Punic War of Rome and Carthage for the possession of Sicily (264-241). Pans, I, 13, 8). In the place where Pyrre died, they erected the Temple of Demeter and buried the remains of Pyrrh.

The king of Epirus named Pierre is not very lucky in the memory of descendants. The victory, which is a little better defeat, and the busy philosophical dispute of the conquests - this is a simple set that will emerge in memory even at a well-educated modern person when mentioning this name. But this is one of the very curious characters of antiquity. Hannibal is one of the best commander of all times and peoples - he considered himself only the third in the hierarchy of modern military leaders. In second place, he put his winner of Scipiion, on the first - it was Pierra.

At the end of the IV century BC. The world around the Mediterranean sea looked amazing. Alexander Macedonsky created an extensive, but very fragile empire, which scattered into a lot of fragments.The wars thundered everywhere, the kingdoms were created, reached the heyday and destroyed.

However, the small kingdom of Epirus in the north-west of Greece, these storms touched a little. Epipotes lived in the most deulting corner of the Greek world. Some authors even denied them in belonging to the Greek world. Trading tracks went past, the main sources of life were agriculture and cattle.

However, Epirus was still involved in general policy through Macedonia. Philip Macedonsky married the daughter of the epirian king of the Olympiad. Son Alexander, the future conqueror was born from this marriage. Epirus and Macedonia got together, although epirots participated in the campaigns of Philip and Alexander only episodically. However, after the death of Alexander, something has changed.

Alexander created a fragile empire, but now we know about it. When he died, it was not about the division of inheritance, but about the conquest of power throughout the state. The Olympiad was still alive and active and was not going to stay away from the court intrigue. However, she had yet before the death of his son to go to Epirus because of disagreements with the Macedonian governor.

The outcome of the subcovery struggle was the attempt of the Olympiad to regain his influence in Macedonia with copies of epirots. She managed to convince King Epirus - his cousin Eaakida - to help her return to Macedonia. But in the end, the Olympiad lost. She was sharpened in prison and soon killed, and on the throne of Macedonia, Cassandr, son of one of Alexander Diaratov, was established.

It is easy to understand that this story has a little contributed to friendship between epim and Macedonia. Eaakid found that his adventures do not find an understanding of the house: an uprising began in epire, the king had to run. Because of the general confusion, during this Bunta, Eaakid was brief with his little son - Pyrrh.

It is impossible not to pay tribute to an unacceptable king. They had in the hands of the heir of the epirus throne, were surrounded by enemies. In the rear rebel, ahead of Cassandr with Macedonians. Nevertheless, no one tried to sell a little Tsarevich and those save his life or earn.

Androcklid and Angel, the leaders of the fugitive group, got to the town called Megara, and from there were fled to Iliria, the region in the west of the Balkans. There, they found shelter at the head, the leader of one of the tribes. Cassandra's proposal to issue Tsarevich that rejected, and by force to pick up Pyrro King Macedonia could not: he had too many problems on his own boundaries and within the country.

Pyrre was brought up with a modest yard chapter. Although Illyrians are not Greeks, the program was Greek. In addition to obvious basic knowledge, it included history, music, gymnastics and military business. Military art has become a favorite discipline of a young exile, and Pyrrron combined the hobby of war as the art of tactics and management of troops with the growing skill of the individualist fighter. Pyrr, in childhood, showed non-serunel dating and grew not a loud, but not a cabinet scientist.

At this time, his father tried to return the throne. Success he did not achieve: although Eaakid managed to return to Epir at a short moment, all the fact that Macedonian was forced to take a fight in bad conditions and killed. It would seem that Pyrrhr was destined to replenish a long number of applicants for the throne, which did not become anyone and finished life from poison or dagger. However, the fate and the commander ordered otherwise.

The masterpiece sheltered fugitives not only for human lithuania. His actions directed a clear and hard political calculation. The Illyrian Prince understood that Cassandr himself deprivably holds power and Pierre could become a trump card in the struggle for influence. The masterpiece was waiting for a favorable moment, while in the south was constantly fought and rebuilding.

Cassandr turned out to be the king of the current volcano and could not actively deal with Epirus. The rulers of the Empire of the Empire Alexander were continuously gnawing among themselves. Cassandr in the course of this struggle has already lost the attic, rebelled Etolia, the prospects were foggy. So the Glerk did not meet almost no resistance when he appeared to Epirus and proclaimed the king of Pierra, who was only 12 or 13 years old.

Cassandr did not pay much attention to these escapades, heavily reasoned that, removing Athens, not cry for Epirou. However, the easily taken power was as easily lost: in 302 BC. Pyrrh, already quite a capable young man, left for the wedding of one of the sons of the head, his friend of his childhood ... and lost the kingdom as a result of the next coup, this time supporters of another branch of the Pyrrhr. And then Pyrre takes the first independent great decision. He joins the Demetrius of the Polyorcouk, the son of the Diadeha Antigone one-eyed.

In 301 BC. Pyrrh took part in the grand, although not particularly famous for the battle at the IPS. According to the standards of the era in Okumen, a real world war was walking, the IPS became its climax. The number of parties is reported by traditionally difficult information, however, the fact is that the best and most numerous armies of the world agreed on the battlefield. One combat elephants were reportedly used by almost half thousands, people allegedly fought more than 150 thousand, which in relation to the era should be interpreted simply as "extremely many".

Pierre fought at the head of the equestrian squad. In the fighting of this scale, he participated for the first time and showed himself brilliantly. Demetriy and Pierre on their flank overturned and scattered the Connection of the Allies. However, as long as they won their part of the battle, the elephant phalange of the allies drove the elephants of the antigone, and the other wing of one-eyed diageh began to fall apart and run away. Attack, which Demetrius and Pyrrre and Pyrre with brilliance, lost all meaning.

Antagon was standing on the hill and did not move off, even when he began to throw with darts. "King, they kiss in you!" - Skilled someone. "To whom they are still aimed," the old king will be phlegmatically. Soon he was killed by a throwing spear.

Antigone's warriors fled or surrendered. The first big battle of Pierry was played by him. Paradoxically, that precisely with the defeat of the IPCA began the ascent of Pyrro to power and glory.

Winners at the IRS predictably crossed: the antigonance was not a fundamental opponent, but simply the strongest competitor. At this time, from the son of the deceased king, Demetrius, the allies left, and he desperately needed faithful people. One of these people is the Star Pyrr. He was unexpectedly a good commander and managed to defend a number of cities in mainland Greece for demetry, in particular vital East, the experiencies between the Peloponnese Peninsula and the rest of the allest.

Here Pierre revealed to a greater extent talent, but loyalty to the selected side: in a situation where many many did not betray from Demetrius, he did not betray. Interestingly, when Diagehi still managed to agree on the world, Pierre turned out to be a fairly weighty figure to go to Egypt as a political hostage. The position was ambiguous and reminded the golden cage. Yes, he is honored, he uses sympathy at the court of King Egypt Ptolemy, but no independence seem to be to show.

However, in Egypt, Pierre showed himself from an unexpected side. He did not live his life, but he acquired important acquaintances, in particular, made an impression on the Ptolemy himself and his wife Brenike. From the point of view of the powerful kings of the Hellenistic world, he looked like a parvenue, nevertheless the case was completed by the fact that Ptolemy's reception daughter was issued.

Egypt then was a powerful state. Delta Neil ensured the prosperity of the economy, and Ptolemy's talents are stability of the state. Egyptian Alexandria became the center of intellectual life. The main thing for Pierra was a practical result: he could return to Epirus under the auspices of one of the most powerful rulers. In addition, Cassandr, with whom it was associated with rather complicated relationships, just died.

In 296, Pierre returned to his own kingdom, which will no longer cease to manage until death. At first, he remained a co-conclusion of the neoplame III sitting on the throne, but two counterparts soon followed. Pierre turned out to be stronger: the neopolmem was killed by the dagger before he managed to eliminate Pierre poison.

For several years, Pierre worked as a strengthening of his position in their native country. In general opinion, he was the king is quite humane and innobiv. In the Greek world, they continued to ram wars, but this time Pyrrho defended his geography well: Epir was in Ceremni.

Pierre coached the army hardly, rebuilding it in modern samples, and soon experienced it in business. The enemy of the epirskoy king was the old fellow Demetrius, relations with whom Pierre were no longer the ones that before.

However, here the king of Epirus showed himself not just as a warlord, but as a leader: in the first battle, he dealt with one of the commander of Demetrius in a personal match. The young ruler quickly gained points: a series of victories in Macedonia created a real glory.

True, in battles in the East, he rather gained glory than achieving practical success. And then Pyrre decides to turn to the west.

He had a trained and tempered in war against the Macedonia army, but the secondary kingdom on the periphery of the world. The proud ruler did not suit such a role for a second. And then Pyrrus decides to play in Italy against the giving the power of Rome. It is that this campaign includes a well-known story about the dialogue of the Pierre and his companion of Kinea.

The classic version of this dialogue in the reduction looks like this:

"They say that Romans - the people of the valiant, besides, they are subject to a lot of militant tribes. If God fell to us victory over them, what will she give us?" Pyrrist answered: "You, pinea, ask about things that yourself are clear. If we defeat the Romans, then no barbaric or Greek city in Italy will be able to resist us and we will quickly master the whole country; and who, how not to you, Know how it is extensive, rich and strong! " Having won a little, Keeus continued: "What are we going to do, the king, when will we send ITALY?" Without unrolled else, where he is clone, Pierre answered: "Sicily, blooming and crowded is the island, it stretches to us, and it is worth noting it: now, now, after the death of Agafokla, everything is covered by the uprising, and in cities Cashlessity and rusty of crowd leaders. " - "What, this is true," continued Kineas. - So, taking Sicily, we will finish the campaign? " But Pyrrus objected: "If God goes to success and win, it will be only an attachment towards great cases. How do we not go to Africa, to Carthaghane, if before them to serve with your hand? And if we are we in place, no enemy, now insulting. We are not able to resist us, isn't it? " "So," Kiney answered. "It is clear that with such forces it will be possible and returning Macedonia, and to strengthen power over Greece. But when all this comes true, what will we do then?" And Pierre said with a smile: "We will have, the most marked, full leisure - daily pears and pleasant conversations." Here Kineas interrupted him, asking: "What prevents us now, if we want to sneak and appear on your leisure? After all, we already have something that we strive to reach the price of many deprivations, dangers and abundant bloodshed and for what We will have to experience and cause different disasters to others. "

However, it should be noted that this era of the state was divided into those who ate, and those who ate. Daily pears and pleasant conversations, so attractive looking from an abstract point of view, could easily break the conqueror. As we now know, the Roman Power absorbed all the listed Pyrrh of the Earth, the epirus itself and most of the shards of the Empire of Alexander.

So Pyrro with his almost utter desire for glory and the empires in reality was the wiser of the pacifist friend.

Athennins at that moment were densely donated by Greek cities. Hellenes settled extensive territories on the coast of Italy. At the same time, the policies are self-governing cities - turned out to be a very stable structure, almost everywhere the Greeks reproduced similar schemes of the social device.

Pyrrhus called for assistance to the target. This Greek Italian city was in the face of possible conquest Rome. The Romans arranged a provocation: the warships ships were introduced to the harbor of the target, and after the Tarentians started the battle, put forward unacceptable demands on the outcome of the incident. The war has become inevitable.

Pierre readily grabbed the opportunity to appear in Italy as a defender. At the time, the invitation of the famous commander - at least a king - did not surprise anyone as a mercenary. Moreover, Tartart was a rich city, but at the same time his citizens usually walked to serve the native city on the fleet. Ground troops Tarents preferred to hire.

The expedition was chased from the very beginning. The storm was shoved ships. Pierre managed to immediately collect around himself only a couple of thousand soldiers and two elephants. Nevertheless, Pyrrre quickly led his detachments in order and moved towards the Romans.

In the summer of 280, the Roman and Epirian Army faced in an open battle near the Tarentian colony of Heraclei. The Romans were superior to Pierre with a number, although he had secret weapons - elephants. Even before the battle, Pyrrh went to consider the Roman camp. He was struck by an excellent organization of service and a clear discipline. It became clear that they would not take such an enemy on the fear.

The battle began with the attack of the epirian cavalry to Roman. Pierre participated in battle personally, while he had to even retreat and exchange armor with the warrior named Megakl. The fact is that the crowds of the Romans attracted richly decorated armor, and Pierre wanted to parantenate the battle, and not only to beat the enemies from all sides. For Megakla, this exchange became fatal: he was killed soon.

The Romans dragged the armor into their camp, but Pierre was a thunder with a thorough voice that was alive. The fight turned out to be extremely cruel, the scale of the scales hesitated. In the end, epirotes were released on the Romans of the elephants. At the time when Romans did not have reserves, it was a dead argument. Romans panicked and fled. Pierre showed an excellent feeling of moment: he engine the trump card for a decisive moment and coolly used exactly when the Romans could not oppose anything.

However, soon the Pyrrhr had to see something new. First, the prisoners of the Romans refused to move on its side - the usual for Greek civil workers turned out to be unacceptable for Kirimites. Secondly, failed and an attempt to negotiate with Rome peaceful after victory.

Realizing that he got into a dangerous enterprise, Pierre tried to put in line with Italians, including the inhabitants of the target. Not everyone approved his mobilization efforts, but there were no such leader from the Greeks and the tribes who joined them.

In the end, the opponents collided with auskul. From the battle in Heracle, this collision was distinguished by the fact that the management of the warriors quickly broke. The Romans and epirots attacked each other on the march on the fake river banks, the system broke, one interfered with another. However, the Romans have not yet invented the way to manage with the famous scene spears by Falanga, and they did not come up with elephants what to do. In addition, animals supported the cavalry, accompanied and defending these tanks an ancient era. Some brave Roman young man cut off one elephant trunk, but it was the only success. The case was the flight of Romans.

Pierre was not happy. In battle, many of his friends and associates died, he himself, fighting, as usual, in the forefront, was injured. It was there and then he said the famous phrase: "Another such victory - and we died."

If the first battle of Pierre won precisely and right solutions, then this time the epirotes were over the Romans. And the victory, won too expensive, was named Parrida.

Shortly after a gloomy triumph with auskula Pyrro ceases active actions. The Romans desperately formed new legions instead of broken, but epirotes had no opportunity to finish them.

The specific feature of Pyrrh was inconstant. Without completing the war against Rome, he drew attention to Sicily. Not only the tarents wanted to get such a commander. In Sicily, the troubles began, besides, the Greek part was under the threat of capturing by Carthage, and from Syracuse, the king of epirotov was offered power in exchange for help in the fight against the bangs. And again, Pyrro throws unfinished confrontation in favor of a new campaign.

Pierre has already fought with Macedonians, Romans, now he was to be measured by the forces with the third Great Military Power of his time. In Sicily, he was met with delight, and in a short term Pyrrhr shouted the order of the island engaged in the Greeks. During the storming of the Carthage Fortress, he himself first walked on the walls and for some time fought there completely alone, putting a few bunchers. Some of them he just threw off the wall. In a short period of Pyrrr, almost completely cleaned the island from the presence of Carthage.

In the military career of Pierre constantly meets the word "almost". Carthaginians have fallen in hardly the last of his Ollots in Sicily - the city of Lilibee. Attempts to take his storming failed, the city had too good fortifications. The right siege also did not succeed. Then Pyrrh decided to try to fall right in Africa and dictate the Carthage the conditions of the world, standing under his walls.

However, Siraciana did not make them all overwhelmed the continuation of the campaign: they were quite satisfied with the world at acceptable conditions. Pierre Vlez - or rather, he poured into local politics, did not see anywhere in support and eventually in 276, without completing the campaign and here, returned to Italy.

The Romans gradually close their opponents. With the care of Pierre, they got freedom of arms and not immediately, but confidently moved along the lands of their even unfamiliated enemies. Pyrre returned - and it seemed that now everything would change. However, the star of the greatest ruler of epirot has already begun to fill up.

Too many veterans of the former campaigns were killed, and now with pyrroma there were much less tested, seasoned in the battles of friends. He won another significant victory over the mercenaries, arranged an ambush against him. Pyrr, as usual, fought in the forefront, got a wound, but laid the enemy leader in the duel. He arrived in the target almost in the radiance of the former glory. However, he could no longer rely on his veterans, and the Romans knew what they would be faced with. Pierre's rapid jerk imposed a new field battle to Romans. It began as in the best times - an uncomplicable phalanx, rapid equestrian elephant attack ...

... and the Romans, who are ready for what they have to come with. The elephants were thrown by burning arrows and darts. Animals, dining from fire, smoke, pain and fear, turned around and began to trample their own infantry. The Pyrrhog Army, who was an erupted Roman army at Heraklee, would have coped with this crisis. The mercenaries scored with a pine-scored pine with Sicily and from different edge of the mainland Italy could not keep discipline and began to scatter. Pierre, desperately chopped in the forefront, could only watch his army falls apart before his eyes.

Pierre departed to the tartuent. The magic of his name still influenced even on the enemies: the Romans did not try to take the city. But the king of Epira did not have anything except the name. He sends the messengers to the Greek cities and kingdoms, he hits the bell, urges to unwind against the threat from the new barbaric power - and does not receive a response. His ambassadors were even reached by the Empire of Seleucidov, in Mezhdrachye, but they were all deaf to their views. There was no money nor the troops. In 275, Pierre, without having, who and what to fight, sails into Epir.

However, sitting on the spot Pyrr simply could not. Just appearing in Epir, he immediately scolds money on slaves and some strength and takes a hiking in Macedonia. The Macedonian army is intercepted in the tesnin, suddenly attacked from the rear and dispersed. A short spectacular Campania Pyrr conquers all Macedonia, and many cities themselves open the gate, and the soldiers go to his side - simply because of the magic of the name.

It seems that this time the Pyrrhr is accompanied by luck. His next goal is to unite old Greece. In Epira, he replenised the army, and going through Macedonia, the army of the restless king was not weaker, but only increased. Pierre told a cruel war in Greece against the Tsar Antigone Gonat, who held many cities. Again a series of brilliant victories. In one of the battles, the son of Pyrr Ptolemy dies - the burning thirst for revenge the king himself shall be worn on Spartans, turns to flight, chopped without pity, and meanwhile left to live very long.

The Army of Pyrrhus approached one of the large and famous policies - Argos. This city he decided to take the night attack. He managed to suddenly break inside, but the Argos residents did not fell into a panic and began to fight back on the streets. The night interfered to disassemble what is happening, the battle instantly broke into separate contractions. Even elephants were dragged into the streets. One wounded elephant poured the gate of his own car, the other rushing around the city, Topcha in a row. Chaos and madness reigned on the night streets.

In this turmoil fight, Pierre rushes on the Argos - and it turns out to be amazed in the most unexpected way. The old woman, who watched the battle from the roof of the house, threw or even encountered a piece of tiles on him. The massive tile fell below the helmet. Pyrrh fell out: he had a broken neck. One of the enemy warriors, trembling, with great works cut off the king of Epir's head. Dramatic biography crowned with ridiculous death. Soon his body was already lying on the funeral fire. The firewood, which was burned by the residents of Argos, giving tribute to their enemy. On the courtyard stood 272 to R.Kh.

In the same year, Romans conquered a target. Syracuses resist: they will fall in 212 under the onslaught of Romans.

Epirus experienced his fifteen minutes of fame and soon returned to the old state - became a fragmented peripheral region. A century later he will be conquered by Rome.

The name Pyrro means "fiery". All my life, this extraordinary person seemed to try to justify him. Pierre quickly light up and cooled quickly. He began campaigns, came across difficulties ... and simply left for further confrontation. As a result, he rarely tolerated defeat on the battlefield, but regularly lost campaigns. In this sense, he was very different from the Romans - the key opponents. In reality, invincible legions were broken by anyone regularly. However, Quiriti with stubbornness, which others would call the donkey, continued to bend their line in any situation - and defeated. Pyrrh was organically unable to behave in the same way. Brilliant talents and kipache energy allowed him to live a bright life. But the inability to send these talents and energy into the right channel did them useless.

In order not to crush on the part of the history of the war with Pyrrh, we put in the roman heroes of the Hero of Greek - it was the epirskoy king, a man who has the right to appear in this society, since he was a worthy opponent of the Romans on the battlefield. It is said that Hannibal recognized him by the second commander after Alexander the Macedonsky, meanwhile, how he himself took only the third place in this regard. There is no doubt that Pierre was a significant commander from Alexander Great School and that when he, equipped with all the inventions and tricks of Ellinsky art, joined the Italian land, the domination of Rome over Italy, already almost well-completed, again shakeped.

Pierre was called to Italy Tarentians, a tartuent, a rich trading port, the powerful Greek city in Italy, has long been hostaged with the Romans. He understood well, what a danger threatened him from constantly spread farther and farther the dominion of Rome; But, being under the domination of the unbridled democracy and unscrupful, frivolous demaggatives, this spoiled city was incapable of energetic and consistent politics and missed a convenient time for a successful fight against Rome. Only after the final depletion of Samnithan, the victory over Lukanami, the foundations of the Venu region and the conquest of Turguye Tartart grabbed the weapon to drive the Romans, who had already approached his goal. And now they started the war as light and unwise, as previously neglected the possibility of taking it in their favor. At the beginning of 281, ten Roman ships, along the way to the Adriatic Sea, went to the Tarentine Bay and, without suspecting no danger, threw anchor in an extensive Tartan harbor. True, that in 20 years before the Romans under the contract with the Tarent, they pledged not to twist for Lazinsky Cape; But since then, the circumstances have changed so that the former contractual decision, apparently, is outdated and was forgotten. At that moment as Roman warships threw anchor, the Tarentine people were in the theater; The demagogues opened the question of violation of the contract and led the crowd into such angling that she immediately rushed into his boats and attacked Roman ships in rabies. After the brutal battle, in which the Roman leader fell, five Roman ships were taken, and their crew partly executed, partly sold into slavery. Following this, the Tarentians approached the Roman city of Touria and won it. The Romans reacted to this reckless act rather condescendingly; They avoided the open hostility with the Tarentians, as they wanted to approve their domination on the other side. And here Rome sent the Embassy under the leadership of L. Region and demanded the release of prisoners, the return of tourists and issuing the perpetrators of hostile actions. Instead of satisfaction, Roman ambassadors met only ridicule and insults. Rough Mobile began to mock their suit, purple all, raised on a laughter in the People's Assembly, noticeing that he was not very running and wrongly spoke in Greek, and one jester, to enjoy the idle crowd, stretch his audacity to the fact that The dress is postponing the most shameless way. Then the post said: "This stain you wash your blood, your laughter will soon turn into a crying" - and left the city. Soon after that Roman army moved to the Tarent.

As far as the braivers and the brave were tarents in words, they were in battle in battle as unwell and cowardly. The first fights of their urban garrison with Roman soldiers clearly showed them that they would not cope with the enemy without someone else's help. Therefore, a proposal was made to seek assistance to the epirus king Pirrr, with whom the tartuent and until that time was in a relationship. Some of the oldest and more prudent citizens rebelled against this proposal and advised to adopt favorable conditions that were still offered by the Romans; They foremmed that the epirus king will bring the tarent not freedom, but slavery. But the party of war mastered their cries and curses and kicked them out of the National Assembly. Then a well-intended citizen, named Meton, made another one, the last attempt. Pretending drunk, he came to the people's assembly with a wreath of faded flowers on his head, with a torch in his hand, and the preceding girl playing on the flute. He was met with laughter and applause and demanded that he would come out for the middle and disappeared anything with the accompaniment of the flute. When everything is a smalconge, the meton said: "You are doing well, about the men Tartan, which do not interfere with anyone have fun and have fun anyhow. But hurry to enjoy your freedom, because as soon as Pyrre enters the city, a completely different way of life will begin for you. " These words made an impression, but the kingovoda of another party was driven by a metau from the meeting and insisted on sending the embassy to Pierre.

The king of Pierre has already repeatedly showed himself an excellent warrior. He was the son of the epirian king Ayakid, who led his genus from Achilles and was relative to Alexander Great. Pyrre was born in seven years after the death of this great conqueror. He has not passed two more years when his father, due to the popular uprising, was overtaken from the throne, and he himself was taken away by faithful servants to Iliria to the king glauco. The servants caught this last in the palace sitting next to his wife and, putting a child to the floor, asked the glaucy to take him under their defense and patronage. The glasses made it difficult to fulfill this request, because he was afraid of the anger of the king of Macedonsky, Cassandra, who pursued the Ayakid family, while he was sitting in a thoughtful indecision, the child climbing him, grabbed his dress and, rising to his feet, leaned about his knees. Then the king was squeezed and handed over the boy to his wife, entrusted to her to raise him along with their own children. Cassandr offered him two hundred talents for issuing a child, other enemies, too, with threats demanded this; But the glasses did not give up, and when Pierre passed twelve years (in 307), he took him to his homeland.

During the same trip, Pierre in Illari Molos, one of the fourteen epirshian tribes, rebelled and built on the throne of one of the relatives of Pyrrhr, neopolme. Pyrr, who was then seventeen, fled to Dimitri Polyorcouk, married to his sister of dendamia. This brave and brave warrior, the son of Antigone, one of the best teammates Alexander the Great, fought together with his father against the rest of the successors of Alexander (Diarathov) for the broken monarchy of this latter and was at that time on the highest step of his fame and happiness. Young Pierre discovered in the community of Dimitria and Antigon such a military talent that when Antigone was asked who, in his opinion, the greatest commander, he answered: "Pyrr, when he comes to mature age." In the Battle of IPSA in Frigia (301), in which the antigonus lost his life, and Dimitri The throne, Pyrre showed miracles of courage; In the following years, he also did not leave the unfortunate Dimitria, who lost most of his possessions. When Dimitri concluded peace with Ptolomem, the king of Egypt, Pyrr, in the interests of his friend, went hostage to Egypt.

At the courtyard of Ptolemy, he acquired his confidence and pleasant of the king with his open and energetic character, his courageous beauty and knightness gained him the location of the queen of the rim, and her daughter Antigona, Ptolerey's stepdaughter. He married an antagona and, having received money from testing and army, returned to his homeland (296). The people met him with great joy, as neosocochem, because of their cruelty, enjoyed general hatred. He agreed with Pierre to manage the state together, but soon discovered the ideas to get rid of its co-program, as a result of which this last killed him during one solemn sacrifice.

Since then, Pierre remained inviolable and not limited to the master of his hereditary state. Rough, militant epirsters were delighted with their brave, the knightly king and nicknamed His "Eagle". But such an ardent and entrepreneurial man, as Pyrr, could not be satisfied with the mountains of a little Epirus; He did not cease to dream of battles and victories, about glory and extensive dominion. Some, very short, time he was a state truck of Macedonia. Macedonian voluntarily offered him a vacant throne, but he also voluntarily, seven months later, refused to dominate, which could not keep his own forces. And after a few years after that, the Tartate ambassadors appeared to him with a request to get rid of their homeland from a distressed position, on the protection of Ellin's culture in Italy from the encroachment on her Varvarov Romans. They offered him the supreme bosses over the trenitian troops and their allies - Lubansev, Samovyan, the Britisians, Italian Greeks, which amounted to the complexity of 350 thousand infantry and 20 thousand cavals. The city of Tartage promised to pay all military costs and put the garrison of the epirian king in his walls. This proposal opened a new brilliant perspective; He hoped, leaning on the strength of the Italian and Sicilian Greeks, conquer an extensive state in the West, just as his relative Alexander Great did it in the east. Therefore, the proposal of the Tarentians was taken by him very willingly.

At the court of Pyrrh, Fessenian Kineas lived, a very manner man and a skillful speaker, who was a student of Demosphen and whom contemporaries compared with this last. Pyrrh respected him deeply, as Kineas, regardless of his giving, had a lot of important services as a messenger, and usually said that this man won more cities for him with words than he was a weapon. It is said that after adopting Pierre Tarenttian proposal, Kineas walked with the king of the next conversation: "Romans," he said, "the people are very militant, and under their power there are many combat people; If the gods send us a victory over them, how do we use it? " Pierre answered: "If we overcome the Romans, then all Italy will soon belong to us." After some silence, Kineas continued: "Well, when Italy is done by our, what will we do after that?" The king replied: "In the closest neighborhood, Sicily is lying, the fertile and densely populated island, which is not very difficult to win, because from the death of Tiran of Syracuse, Agafokla, folk unrest ceases: cities do not have a ruler and abandoned on arbitrariness of unbridled demagogues" . "This is good," Kineas noticed, "- on the conquest of Sicily, will the limit of our domination?" Pyrrus objected: "Yes, the gods will send us the victory and the lucky fulfillment of our plans! All this will be for us only by the prologue to more extensive enterprises, because from Sicily easily reach Africa and Carthage and take possession of them. " "Of course," said Kineas, "and with such means we can easily win Macedonia, and Greece is in addition." But tell me when it all finds everything in our hands that we will do then? " - "Then, - answered Pyrre laughing, - then we will heal in peace and peace of mind; The circular bowl will walk with us every day, in the morning until the evening we will gather in a friendly company, and there will be no more fun. " "In that case," Cineas concluded this conversation, "what prevents us now to live fun and calmly, behind a circular bowl, when we are already doing easily by all what you want to buy so many dangers and bloodshed at the price?"

These wise words made a slight impression on the militant sovereign. Even in the same year (281), in the autumn, he sent forward his commander of Milon with 3 thousand people and took the tartuent fortress; He himself moved at the beginning of the next year on tartugenic ships from his entire army: 20 thousand heavy people, 2 thousand shooters, 500 prassos, 3 thousand riders and 20 elephants. During the move, a strong storm rose, scoring the entire fleet and destroyed part of the ships. The vessel on which the king was located safely approached the shore; But at that moment the wind has changed and again drove it in the opposite direction. Pyrr and his bodyguards jumped into the water and wounded, but as a result of night darkness and strong waves, the shore could only reach the dawn.

Upon arrival in Tartr, Pierre found a lot at all in this position, as expected. Of the promised 350 thousand allies, over whom he had to take the bosses, there was not a single person, and the Tarentians themselves did not think about the equipment of their own troops. The military service was not to taste them at all, and they just wanted Pierre to bring them victory for their money. Therefore, as soon as the scattered storms and the ships survived from the crash again in the Tarentine Harbor, Pyrre began to take a matter very seriously and allowed everything that the position of things required. He began to recruit foreign soldiers to Tarenttian money and from the citizens of the target took all of all those who are capable of military service in his army. It goes without saying that such an order really did not like the rampant tarents; It was much more pleasant to spend time on the pirushki, squares, in bathing, than to engage in boring and difficult military exercises. Now, many of them have already found that they would have been prudently if they came up with Rome on favorable terms instead of paying themselves to the despotic power of a foreign sovereign. Seeing this opposition and hearing that even negotiations with Rome, Pyrro, for which it was now about his own security, came with the Tarent as a conquered city. He closed the places of public games and walks, forbade the folk gatherings, feast, etc., put in the gate of the guard, so that no one could leave the city and want to get rid of military service. The recruit set continued with inexorable severity. "You only give me high and healthy guys," he said to the recruiter, "and I will do the brave to do."

Meanwhile, the Roman army under the leadership of the consul P. Valeria Levin took place in Lucania, devastating everything with fire and sword. Pyrrh, at the head of his Tarentine troops, met with him between Herakleia and Pandozia, at the Sirisa River. Romans with great art and courage crossed the river in front of the enemy and opened the battle of a strong cavalry attack. Pierre fought ahead of his riders with amazing courage; But in a hand-to-hand fight, he did not forget the common plan and, personally, appearing here, then there, he managed the battle so thoughtlessly and coolly, as if he looked at her. In the midst of the battle, he has undergone great danger. One brave farian, paid, chose him with his target and, suddenly rushing on Pierry, struck his horse to the spear; But one of the friends of the king, who has noticed this attack, at the same moment the horse is paid to the same minute, and he himself drove after courageous resistance. Pierre was surrounded and enclosed with its approximate. This incident forced the king to become careful. He changed with a cloak and weapons with his bodyguard Megakl, and since at that time his cavalry began to retreat, then the infantry behaved. Seven times the Greek Falang and Roman legions were stamped with each other, and everything without a final result. But suddenly Pal Meglak, on which there was a dress and armament of Pyrrh. The news that the king was killed, an enthusiastic animation was opened in the Romans and a strong panic in the Greeks. Levin, already quite confident in the victory, wriggled on his enemy all his Connection. But Pyrrus crushed in all rows with a naked head, stretched out his hands and shouted loudly, so as he heard and recognized his voice; against the Roman cavalry he moved his elephants. This maneuver decided the battle. Horses Romans were frightened by monstrous animals and rushed into flight. Pierre took advantage of the confusion and ordered his Fesseal riders to crash into the enemy cavalry. Soon after, the ranks of the infantry were broken and the Roman army rushed to escape. If B. C. Minus, who served as the first honorat in the fourth legion, did not injure one of the elephants, which led to the disorder of the enemy, who was driving behind the running, then almost not a single person would remain from the Roman troops. Seven thousand Romans lay dead or injured on the battlefield, two thousand were captured. But Pyrrr suffered big losses; Four thousand his brave soldiers and many of the best generals were killed. Roman brave caused a sense of deep surprise. Circling the battlefield and looking at the corpses lying entire ranks and on the faces of which, after death, the expression of angry courage was preserved, he exclaimed: "With such soldiers, I would have won the whole world! "

The consequences of the Battle of Heraklee were extremely important for Pyrrh. Lucania was submitted by his authorities, the Breech, Samovyan and the Italian city of Greeks joined the winner. Pyrr wished to ensure that everything purchased and sent to Rome Kineshas, \u200b\u200bentrusted to him, under the fresh impression of a terrible battle, to offer a world under the condition that the Romans refuse dominance over the Greek cities and over the Samutants, Downs, Lukanov and the Breechies. Thin, a skillful diplomat used all his ability to learn the Romans to accept the proposal of his sovereign, and most of the senators had already bent on his side, when the blind old man of Appia Claudius, with whom we had previously had the case to meet, again sent the mischievous minds to the proper way . As a result of old age and blindness, he has long ceased to engage in public affairs; But this decisive minute ordered himself to move itself on stretchers in the Senate, where the Pyrrus's proposal was discussed. At the Doors of the Senate Building, he was met with his sons and inwilders, and when they contributed him to the hall, the meeting was welcomed by his respectful silence. Angrily spoke old man: "So far, Romans, I grief about loss of vision; But now it hurts me that I also did not lose your hearing and therefore should hear your shameful speeches and decisions that fifth Roman glory. What happened to your former statements that if the great Alexander himself came to Italy and was fired with us, at that time with young people, and our fathers, who were still in full color, he would cease to be considered invincible, but, opposite , Even more would give Rome with his flight or death? They were, it means, some boastful words, if now you are afraid of the Halonians and Molossov, always former mining of Macedonian, tremble in front of some Pyrror, who constantly served as Alexander's companions and now hang in our country in order to Help Italian Greeks, but not to get into the hands of their enemies in the homeland. There can be no speech about the world with him, to join Rome to negotiations can only when he cleans Italy. " These words of the elderly Appia again awakened in senators an ancient Roman valor; They rejected the world offered by Pierre and announced that they would not come to the negotiations with him, while he would remain on Italian soil. Romans looked at Italy as their exceptional property.

When Kineas returned to his sovereign and this latter began to ask him about the seen and noticed in Rome, he among others said that the Senate seemed to him by the meeting of the kings. "As for the folk mass, he noticed, - then I am afraid that we will have to fight with the Lerneysian hydra, because the consul has already collected the army twice the same, and at the same time still remains in stock the same if not much more capable Wear Romans weapons. "

At the time of receipt of the response of the Roman Senate Pyrr was already in the campaign. The answer made him change the direction: he moved against Rome, intending at the same time to connect with Etrusca. Nowhere has he met resistance, but nowhere in Lazium did not find an open gate; According to his heels, he was his consul Levin with his again fully equipped with the army, in Rome there was a reserve army in Rome, and from Etruria was moving on the third army Consul T. Kerunkains, which concluded peace with Etrusca. With this state of affairs, Pierre found it necessary to retreat, although at that time he was already in Anagnia, at 16 o'clock from Rome. He retired for winter apartments in Tartunt.

The next spring (279) Pyrrus invaded Apulia, where the Roman army was advocated to meet the Roman army under the leadership of both consuls. At Suplum there was a battle. About 70 thousand people fought on each side; Under the command of Pyrrh, besides his native troops, there were tartuent militias (so-called white shields), Luban, Britis and Samovyan; Under roman banners - except for 20 thousand Roman citizens, Latins, Campants, Volski; Sabinians, Umbra, Marrucins, Peligna, Fries and Arpans. Pierre broke his phalange on both wings on small detachments and, having received the Roman Cogort for a sample, in the advantages of which he was convinced of a matter, put these squads intermediate, so the soldiers of the Samutors and Tarentine, on which he did not particularly rely, stood between the detachments his epirots; Only in the center of the phalanx was one, tightly closed, line. The Romans also performed in this battle with the innovation: these were a special kind of fighting chariots, for defense from elephants equipped on the long poles of brass and logs with sharp iron tips, which could be omitted in case of need. On the first day, the battle is not lucky, due to adverse soil conditions; But on the second, he accepted all the measures to ensure that the phalanx could expose completely freely. The battle remained without a decisive outcome until the Roman chariots were not overturned by the elephants, which were crashed into cohorts. The Roman troops fled to the camp, and the battlefield remained behind the pyrrom. With the Roman side fell 6 thousand people, on the other hand, 3.5 thousand Romans subsequently subsequently argued that the battle was left unresolved; Some historians even proved that the victory was won by the Romans and that she was caused by self-priority to Death Death, the son of the fallen under Sentinium and the grandson of the deceased at Vesuvii. In any case, Pierre suffered such losses in this battle that, as they tell, said: "Another such victory - and we died."

In the aforementioned two battles, Pyrre lost the colors of his troops following him from their homeland; This gap was not so easy to fill, and at the same time, the Italian allies of the Epirian king significantly cooled in their militant zeal, whereas in the Roman army people grew exactly from the ground. Pierre realized that with such a persistent people of his combat facilities, it would be enough for a short time, and with greed took advantage of the case of obtaining new resources in Sicily. There, after the death of the Syracuse Tirana Agafokla, the Carthaginian acquired the championship over Greek cities to such an extent that the whole island had to move soon to their hands. As a result, residents of Syracuse, Agrigent and Leontin are the most significant cities of Sicily - sent ambassadors to Pyrrhr, the former son-in-law Agafokla, and asked him to come to Sicily and take her under their dominion. As soon as the Romans and Carthaginians heard about the Union of Pierre with the Sicilian Greeks, they concluded, in turn, among themselves the Union, whose goal was not to allow the king to Sicily and destroy him in Italy. But Pierre has been incredibly arrived and Sicily in 278, leaving the garrison in Tarent under the superior of Milon and in the lockers under the superior of his son Alexander, and kicked out Carthaginian from Syracuse and soon became the owner of the whole island, with the exception of Lilibeum, where Carthaginians were held, and Mesans, which was traded by Maertini robbers, formerly adultery soldiers of Agafokla. To ensure that new acquisitions, Pyrr, built the fleet. But as quickly as he won Sicily, he lost her, and moreover, according to his own fault. He began to treat the Greeks submitted by his authorities, as the people who were conquered, devoid of all rights by the people, forcibly gained sailors among them for his fleet and soldiers for his army, occupied the garrisons of the city, arbitrarily resorted to the most severe penalties, with violation of the native laws, and In this way, even with those who were his most active and courageous assistants in all enterprises. So it was possible to rule the Egyptian or Asian subjects, but not by the Greeks who had freedom above all. The frivolous people irritated by a temporary oppression, found the Carthage Igo more tolerable than the new soldiers' government, and the most important cities began to conclude alliances with this old national enemy, even with wild gangs of Mamerintess to get rid of their heavy liberator. The king saw himself surrounded by treason and insurgency; But instead of consistently go to his own way, instead of keeping the prolonged cities of force and take away from them to the exile of Carthaginian from Lilibeum, he had insistently to abandon Sicily and return to Italy, where, however, his presence was very necessary, Since its allies, Luxeans and Samnites, was dangerous to die from the roman's sword.

By the end of 276, Pierre crossed his fleet and Italy, but on the way it suffered rather significant losses in the battle with Carthaginians. Since then, Sicily has been irretrievably lost for him, because, if this defeat, the Sicilian cities denied the missing king in any way with money and troops. In the Italian coast of Sicily, the fortified city of Regum, who was in the hands of one rebellious Legion, who was in the hands of the Mermerin, who had lying on the opposite coast of Mesane, had long made a break and robbery on the sea long ago. Pierre made an attempt to master this city; But Campants, supported by 10 thousand Mamerintess, beat up this attack and knead the king in the ambush to the walls of the city. Blood bloody struggle; Pierre was injured by a sword in the head and forced for some time to remove from the battle. An encouraged by this circumstance, one Mamerth, distinguished by huge growth and brilliant weapons, proclaimed that he causes Pierra to a duel if he was still alive. The king was rushed with an angry blossomed face, the king was rushed on the bold barbarian and inflicted such a terrible blow to his head that a huge body dissected from top to bottom, collapsed on the ground with two half. The enemy fled in the confusion, and Pierre continued the path to the Tarent, where he arrived from 20 thousand infantry and 3 thousand cavals.

The army of Pyrrhus was no longer the old, reliable army, which he led from the Fatherland five years ago; Those soldiers lay dead on battlefields. His resources in Italy were also insignificant. During his absence of an allied, and especially Samovyan, severely suffered from Romans; Their forces are completely exhausted, confidence in the Pierre disappeared. In the spring of 275, Pierre, supported by all that was in the tarent capable of military service, invaded the Samney, where the Roman army overlooked. He headed his consul M. Kuriy Dentat; Taking a firm position at altitudes at Beneventte and strengthened there, he tried to avoid battle before the arrival of his comrade, Lentula, who was a connection with him from Lucania. But Pierre wished to fight before. He prepared to attack the Roman army before dawn and, when the night came, sent part of his troops in an area to occupying the top of the mountain over the Roman camp and attacks on the enemy from the flank. The movement on uncomplicated forests turned out to be longer than calculated; Torches went out when it was still completely dark, and the soldiers got off the road; When they descended from the mountain, the sun stood already high. The Kuriy moved to them towards and without difficulty again drove into the mountains tired by the night wandering. After that, he turned the weapon against the main army of Pierre and fought with her in an open field on the Aruzino Plain. One Roman wing won, the other was discarded by the phalange and elephants to the most camp fortifications. They decided the outcome of the battle again elephants, but this time not in favor of Pyrrh. Shipped with a whole hail of fiery fiery strucks from Roman fortifications and hooked arms, animals in rabies rushed to their own troops and turned them into a rapid flight. Pierre suffered a complete defeat; His camp was taken, two elephants were killed, four were captured, and he himself reached the target, accompanied by several riders.

Since the surviving troops of Pyrrhr, in the amount of 8 thousand infantry and 500 riders, it was not enough to continue the war in Italy, and since the antigonance, the king of Macedonia, and other Greek state trucks remained deaf to his requests for the sending of money and people, then at the beginning 274. He returned to Epirus, leaving, however, in the Tartan fortress garrison under the head of Milon, since hope would not leave him. The restless temper did not allow him to stay in idle for a long time. He took a war against the Macedonian Tsar Antigone and took possession of the most part of his state. But instead of approving his dominion in Macedonia, he again made a leap aside by turning the weapon against Peloponnese, Sparta, Argos, where the antigonus followed him, who again became the full owner of Macedonia. Pyrrh took part of the city of Argos, when the antigonus and the Spartan King Araya crowded him from there. In the fight, tied on this occasion on the streets of the city, he received a minor wound; But at that moment, as he rushed with a sword on the Argos Youth, who defeated him, the mother of a young man, looking at the battle from the roof of one house in the community of other women, so much put him in the head of the tile, that he fell without feelings. Antigone's soldiers learned him and dragged into the nearby colonnade. When he began to recover, one soldier, embarrassed and frightened his terrible look, drove his head with a trembling hand, making this operation slowly and with great difficulty. Alkione, one of the sons of Antigone, brought his head to his father and threw it to his legs. Perturbed by such wild cruelty, the antigonus stick kicked the son from the room and called him a robber; He himself closed his face with a cloak and cried, thinking about the vicissitudes of human destinies, which were so surprisingly manifested themselves in his own family, on his father Dimitri poliotore and Santa Antigonia. He ordered with the appropriate honors to burn his head and Pyrrh's corpse and let him go to Epir the captive son Gelena. The death of Pierre occurred in 272. The son of His Alexander II in Epiera was inherited, with the successor of which, Pyrrom III, this dynasty stopped (in 219). After that, the inhabitants of Epirus introduced a democratic board, which existed until this country, together with Macedonia, was attached to the Roman Empire.

Antagon, opponent Pyrrh, compared this last with a player who was often lucky, but who never knew how to take advantage of his happiness. And he really was. Not acquired to be charm, and the process of acquisition, struggle, labor, risk. Therefore, all his life had such a non-permanent, anxious nature was so similar to the life of an adventure crawler. Pierre was often compared with his relative, Alexander Great. True, his plan to establish a Western Council state, the focus of which would be Epir and Ellin's cities, was also braveled and dare as a plan of Alexander; But to achieve this goal of Pyrro lacking the correct calculation of funds, the solid sequence in the actions, those creative abilities of the state husband, which Alexander had in such a high degree. Pierre was only a warrior, however, the first warrior of his time; But for the founding of the state, something more than courage and commander talent is needed. Whether his opponent is even less warlike people than the Romans, his plans would also have to fail. If, however, we must recognize it rather as an adventure as a hero, then it still remains for us a venerable and a pretty person, as an open and honest nature, neglecting the Asian luxury and ceremonies that the remaining successors of Alexander surrounded their new thrones, And never stained with immorality and the viciousness of that spoiled century.

In that very year, when Pyrrr fell (272), the Romans fully submitted and his allies in Italy - Samnites, Lukan and Bretttinians, and Milon passed the city of Tartuent to the Roman army. The Carthaginian fleet, who stood in the Tartan harbor in order to master this important city, retreated under the pretext that he would only like to help his ally, Rome, according to the contract. The Tarent allowed to preserve free self-management, but he had to give all his weapons and ships and demolish the city walls. Two years later, the regum was conquered, and suffered a bloody punishment of the rebellious gang, which in ten years before it took possession of this city, killing his inhabitants, and founded a robbery state at this place. In 266, i.e., a hundred years after the equation of the rights of both classes, Salalentins were conquered in Calabria and Sarsinates in Umbria, and so now all Italy turned out to be in the hands of Romans.

The Romans hurried to ensure that these new conquests of military roads and colonies. The people connected to one state and the city were in a very unequal relationship to the dominant power. The small part of them enjoyed all the rights of Roman citizenship; The diverse types of citizenship of the rest disintegrated into three main categories: the passive right of citizenship, or citizenship without the right to vote, and the occupation of honorary posts, the Latin and Nastal Alliance.

"The lives of famous Greeks and Romans"

ANCIENT GREEKS

Pyrrhus

319-273. BC.

In the north-west of Greece, there was once a small mountainous country of epir. There were the rules of the kings who led their origin from the legendary Greek hero of Achilla. They said that once the country won the son of Achilla by neopopolis (as a child, he was called Pyrrome). Since then, it rules his descendants.

In 319 BC e. The son was born in the family of the epirian king, he was given a traditional name - Pyrr.

Times were stormy. Recently, Alexander Macedonian died in Babylon. His commander and heirs (Diagehi) entered the fierce struggle for power in the huge, created by Alexander Empire, which included Macedonia, Greek lands, Egypt, Syria, all small Asia, part of Central Asia, part of India ... None of the companions of the deceased conqueror did not want Create. The bloody struggle went to several decades, until the empire was finally broken down into individual kingdoms.

These events did not immediately responded in a remote epire, and the first two years of the life of Pierre passed calmly. Then his father intervened in the affairs of neighboring Macedonia. There was a struggle between the mother of Alexander the Macedonian Olympiad and Cassandra, the son of one of the Diarathes. The king of Epira supported the Olympics, but she was defeated. Cassandr took up, not in Macedonia. He also established himself in an epiprot, where the uprising broke out. Father Pierre was overthrown, many of his supporters died. The new ruler to get rid of the legitimate heir to the throne, ordered to kill a two-year-old Pyrrh. The killers were looking for a boy, but faithful servants managed to hide, having taken a child with them.

A small group moved to the West, seeking to quickly move the border of Epirus and be safe. The chase overtigid the fugitives. It seemed that death was inevitable. Then the three strongest and rapid men, taking a boy, running forward. The rest stopped to somehow delay the chase. They succeeded. Pursuers, making sure that the heir of the kingdom is not here, turned back.

But the danger did not pass. Fugitives were still within Epir, and anything could happen.

At the very border of the kingdom, the river blocked them. Usually, non-smoke and shallow, it has turned into a formid rustling flow. The sun came. The impending darkness made it more difficult for crossing the unfamiliar river.

On the opposite bank, the fugitives noticed people and began to shout loudly. To attract attention, they highly raised baby pyrrhea. Noise, roar of water, strong wind drowned shouts. Then one of the fugitives squeezed a piece of the bark from growing on the front of a young oak and scribbled a note on it. He told in her about their distinguished position and about Tsarevich, who, by all means to be saved. Then the Cora attached to the dart, and the most dexterous and strong from epirots threw it to the other side. There they read the note and realized that it was impossible to lose time. People quickly built the raft and smash the fugitives one by one. The first transported Pyrrh.

The fugitives went to the king of the Illyrian tribe of Tavmant, Glavkoy. Initially, the chief hesitated. He feared that, shelter the son of the overthrown king, he would excite the hostility to those who captured power in epira. But when he could not walk a little pyrrier yet - climbing his legs to the king and wrapped his legs with his hands, as if praying for protection, the chief stopped doubting. He took the baby in his arms and handed him his wife, ordered to bring up with his children as his own son.

A few years later, Pierre turned into a slim boy, decisive and bold. Most of all he loved to play the war. This passion has been preserved and then when he grew up, only the war ceased to be a toy.

Pierre has not yet been 13 years old (in 307 BC), when the situation in epira has changed. The chief decided to take advantage of this and try to return the throne to his receiving son. At the head of the strong troops, he invaded Epirus, schurl the usurper and planted Pyrrh to the kingdom.

Four years have passed. Everything was calm in epira. But the young king has been such a life. He dreamed of glory, about military exploits. In all sought to resemble Alexander Macedonian. He was already 17 years old, almost as much as Alexander Macedonsky, when he managed to become famous in battles.

Soon the life of Pierre changed. Continuous reconciliat of the heirs of Alexander covered all new lands, created a restless environment everywhere. Not left aside and epir. There were excitement, then the uprising rose, and Pyrre was overthrown from the throne. It happened when Pierre was in Illyria, where she was going to marry one of the daughters of Glavogiya.

Pierre could not return home. He again became an exile, but soon found the use of its energy and forces. Continuous wars have not fastened. Warriors were required everywhere. Pyrrho chose a demetry army that is called a polyorquet. It was the son of Antigone one-eyed - the oldest

colonom Alexander Macedonsky. In addition, Demetriy Poliorket was married to the sister of Pierre Deidamia.

For several years, Pyrre fought on the side of Demetrius. In constant battles, he showed not only courage, but also commander. At this time, the struggle of the Diarathes reached the highest voltage and was nearing completion. Collens of Alexander Macedonsky united against the antigone of one-eyed, demetry and their supporters. In the summer of 301 BC e. There was an interchange. Near the city of IPSA in Frigia (Small Asia), the largest battle occurred. Dozens of thousands of infantry, riders and an unprecedented number - over 500-bobbing elephants participated in it. The battle began attacks the chariots, then the cavalry was collided and, finally, entered into battle elephants and infantry. After a long fight, the warriors of Antigone could not stand and started "to move. Soon, the departure turned into a flight, which could not rest, not even such an experienced military leader, like an antihog . Young Pierre also participated in this battle and even turned against those who fought against him.

The battle of the IPSA completed the dispute of the Diarathes, which led "to the decay of the Great Empire of Alexander Macedonsky. There were several states on its ruins. Egypt, Syria, Pergam, Greco-Macedonian kingdom became independent.

After the defeat at the IPCA, Pierre did not leave demetry. From his behalf, he managed Peloponnesk cities. And when Diagehi entered into the next world, Pierre was forced to go as hostage to Egypt to his ruler Ptolemy, as a sign that the contract would be observed. For several years, Pyrre lived in Alexandria, the capital, Egypt. He showed himself a clever diplomat and not only won the sympathy and respect for Ptolemy, but also heed himself with him: he married his daughter. Related relations provided him with support for the powerful king of Egypt after he decided to return to Epirus. There is a nephew of Alexander Macedonian - neoplas.

Pierre received money from Ptolemy, the army and moved to Epir. In 296 BC e. He dismantled his kingdom, but not yet felt quite firmly, despite his victories on the battlefields. Pierre feared that neosophem could seek help to neighboring states, and therefore chose to negotiate with the opponent about the joint board. This situation was unstable and lasted less than two years. Having covered by the visibility of friendship, each of them - and Pierre, and nestopolis - sought to uniform. Everyone just waited for a convenient case to eliminate the opponent. They said that neosocochem and his supporters were going to poison Pyrrh. Having learned about this, Pierre did not give rise, but hurried to take the first step. At the festival, during a calm conversation behind the feast, Pierre unexpectedly snatched the sword and killed the neople-lem.

It is possible that the rumor about the alleged poisoning was invention, the desired Pierre as an excuse to justify its actions.

Pierre becomes the only king of Epirus. His reign was not calm. Epir's ambitious Pierre was cracked, he sought to seize other lands, primarily neighboring Macedonia. Taking advantage of the internecraft missing there, Pyrre intervened in the affairs of this country. Under the pretext of assistance to one of the applicants for the Macedon Tron, Pierry's troops invaded Macedonia and captured several cities. Other sovereigns, fearing strengthening the influence of Pyrrh, also dragged into the Macedonian distribution. Among them was the former ally of Pierre Demetrius Polyorcouk, who was now a dangerous opponent. After a short war, Demetrius managed to master a significant part of Macedonia, and for some time there were

two ruler. Pyrrhoids and de-metry relationships are increasingly complicated. Demetriy knew his former associate well, his greed, his desire for seizures, and eager to get rid of a dangerous neighbor. The relationship between them was especially aggravated after the death of the Demetrius's wife (sister Pyrrhr) broke their relatives.

Disagreements soon turned into an armed struggle. In this war, the colonical gift of Pierre unfolded. He broke the troops sent against him by Demetrius in 287 BC. E., And when the Demetriy army moved to the side of Pierre, he became the king of almost all of Macedonia. The pyrrhe value has increased. As the chosen king of Macedonia chosen by the tsar, he began to flush with other diases, although it was younger. Spread through the light of the glory of Pierry as a commander. His personal bravery admired. Military talent of Pierry admitted for a long time. Another antagon is one-eyed when he was asked who he considered the best commander, said: "Pyrrhi, if he lives to old age."

Increasingly, Pyrro - to his pleasure - compared with Alexander Macedonian.

Pierre knew how to attract people to him. After one battle of the warriors gave him a nickname "Eagle". "This is thanks to your valiant I have become an eagle," Pyrrus replied, - your weapon is the wings who raised me! " Pierre won the sympathy of his warriors, although it ruined them with thousands during wars.

Pierre was favorable to friends, he could, when it wanted, not to be angry, but to quietly make reasonable decisions. Somehow Pierre reported that one of his approximal scolds and pushes him and that the punishment of this person should be expelled from the country. "No," Pierre replied, "let him better stay in place and get me in front of a few than, wandering, disgrace me in front of all the light."

However, in everything that his authorities or military affairs concerned, Pyrrh was adamant and merciless.

In Macedonia, Pierre was still unable to establish. For several years there was a fierce struggle. Both Pyrr, and his rivals rampedly sought to power, their greed, as well as their mutual cunning, cruelty did not know the limits. To achieve their goals, they did not regret anything, did not spare anyone. The distribution did not stop, the collisions arose again and again. In this long-term struggle, in the end, Pyrrr suffered a defeat from his numerous opponents and was forced to remove from Macedonia to his native epir.

Pyrrh could peacefully rule his hereditary kingdom, but his calm life, and he wrote to the historian Plutarch, "I missed himself when I didn't give an evil to anyone and nobody delivered a hassle." He "still eager for new feats, new glory. And then he had a case to satisfy his ambition.

Ambassadors from the Yuzhitali city of Tarent came to Epir. They appealed to Pyrrhr with a request to help in the fight against the Romans.

At this time, Rome, subjugate the average Italy, began to threaten the south of the peninsula, where the rich Greek colony cities were located. Most of all feared for their independence the largest of these cities - Tartage. In this city there was an alarming position. The hostile crowd of Ta-Rentantsev attacked the Roman ships, which came to the harbor. Several ships were surpassed. Ambassadors of Rome, who arrived to find out the circumstances of the incident, did not achieve anything and were insulting. Rome received a reason for war.

In 281 BC e. The Roman army moved to the south and approached the borders of the Tartar possessions. The first battle showed the Military Excellence of the Romans - the Tarentians suffered defeat. The Government of the Tartuent did not have anything else, how to look for an ally. It was decided to appeal to the famous epirus king. The ambassadors of the target promised Pierre to give numerous troops - not only their own, but also their allies. "We need," the ambassadors talked, "only an experienced commander, and we don't know anyone better and more norcharger Pyrrh."

Pierre willingly accepted the offer of Ta Rentantsev. His grandiose plans were already sworn in his head: he will create the Great Western Empire, similar to that at one time Alexander Macedonsky created in the East.

Not everyone shared the views of Pyrrh. Not everyone agrees with his decision.

He lived at the courtyard of the epirian king Greek from Fessiona, a student of the famous speaker Demosphen, named Kineas. Contemporaries said that in oratory, he was not inferior to his teacher. In addition, Kineas was a cunning and clever man and successfully performed various diplomatic orders. Pierre appreciated him highly. "With her speeches, Kineas conquered me no less cities than I am the power of a sword," said somehow Pyrr.

Having learned that Pyrrh agreed to help the Tarent, Keena asked the Tsar: "Romans - the people are brave and militant. If the gods send us a victory, then how do we use it? " Pyrrier replied to this: "If we defeat the Romans, then all Italy will be in our power." After some silence, Kineas asked again: "Well, and when Italy turns out to be in our power, what will we do after that?" "Next to her," Pyrrus replied, "there is Sicily, a rich and fertile island. There, folk unrest and all sorts of unrest are stopped, and it is not difficult to conquer. " "Fine," said Kineas, "but the conquest of Sicily will the last our conquest?" "Not! - exclaimed Pyrrh.- this is only the beginning. After all, from Sicily, it is not difficult to achieve Africa and master the Carthage. " "And having such opportunities," continued Kineas, "we are then easily subordinate to Macedonia and at the same time Greece. But what is not clear to me: when we fulfill all these plans, what will we do next? " "Then," Pierre laughed, "we will live in peace and tranquility, we will spend time in pirants, fun and friendly conversations." "In this case," said Kineas, "what are these wars, dangers, bloodshed when you now have all the conditions to live in peace and tranquility and spending time in feasts and friendly conversations?"

Of course, such conversations could not cool the militant dust of the king.

First of all, Pyrrier sent to the Tartunt of Kinea himself with three thousand warriors, so that "he agreed with the rulers of the city and prepared everything for the reception of his troops. Then, by loading more than 20 thousand infantry officers, 3 thousand riders and 20 combat elephants, Pyrre sailed to Italy. . It was at the beginning of 280 BC. Er

Swimming turned out to be difficult. The cruel storm played on the sea. He scattered Pyrrh's ships, and many of them sank. The ship of the king himself took away far away, and, very shabby, he barely reached the Tartan Bay. Other ships gradually approached. In addition to his strength, the Epirian king expects the promised assistance to the Tarentinians and their allies, as well as to support from hostile Rome of Itali tribes. However, soon Pyrre realized that the tarents themselves were not inclined to fight; And hope only for him. Then Pyrr took tough measures: he ordered to close the gymnasium, all the fishesting establishments and called on the army of all capable weapons. It caused "discontent with the Tarentians, but they had to obey, as the Romans went to the city.

Pyrr sent to the Romans of the Rams with a proposal to agree on a peaceful solution to the conflict. But the Commolius Commanded by the Roman Consul4 Publi Valery Levin replied to Gordem Refusal.

In the spring. 280 BC e. Military actions began. The pyrrier's hired army was well organized and armed. The Romans first had to face such a strong opponent. But the Pearr has not yet had to fight with infantry similar to Roman.

The main forces of the Romans, consisting of four legions, moved towards the Pierre. Crouching through the Siris River, the Romans came to the city of Heraclee, lying to the west of the target, and tied the fight with the advanced enemy squads. Soon the main forces of Pyrri entered the battle. Herculey's walls began a big battle. It was very fierce. Seven times the Roman legions faced the phalange of Pyrrh, but the outcome of the struggle did not decide. Then Pierre threw his elephants into battle. Huge, unprecedented Dotole in Italy, animals frightened Roman horsemen and turned them into flight. Following that the rows of Roman infantry were able to upset. Under the onslaught of elephants and repeated attacks of infantry, the Romans trembled and ran. Pursuing the runners, the warriors of Pierre were traded by the Roman camp. "7 thousand killed and wounded Romans remained lying on the battlefield. 2 thousand were captured. Pyrrh's losses were also great. The king himself was injured in battle.

After the victory in Geraklee, Many local tribes and almost all southern Greek cities passed on the side of the enemies of Rome. The remnants of the Roman army retreated north. The way to progress into the depths of the country was open. Without meeting serious resistance, Pierre moved to Rome. According to legend, he approached the city very closely.

However, the Romans did not fell in spirit. They showed exceptional energy. The troops of the same consul moved from the south, another consul with his army walked from the north to meet the Pierre. Rome was preparing for defense. Pierre did not dare to give the battle and moved away. He cleared the territory occupied in Medium Italy and took the troops for the winter to the target. Military actions calmed down to the future,

of the year.

At this time, negotiations were held with the Romans. A delegation from Rome arrived in Tartunt to agree on the exchange of prisoners. Pyrre sent to Rome with his ambassador Kinea, instructing him to lean the Romans to the world. Kineas, arriving in Rome, met with influential politicians. On behalf of the king, he brought their wives and children rich gifts. Speaking in the Senate, Kineas put forward the conditions of the world: the Romans should leave from the middle Italy and recognize the domination of Pierce over the south of the peninsula.

Kinea listened carefully. Under the influence of his speeches and gifts, and even more impressed by the sad "For the Romans of the experience of a two-year war, many senators were inclined to accept the suggestions of Pyrrh. Many were heard, not knowing what way to get up. Everything decided to spend the Senator of Appia Claudia. His stray, blind , introduced into the meeting room. He turned to Senate with a fiery speech.

"Romans!" He said. "So far I have rushed to fate, who has deprived me of vision, now, blind, regret that I am not deaf, because I would not hear the shameful councils and decisions that Spinning the glory of Rome!"

Appia Claudius urged to continue the struggle, and the Roman Senate rejected peaceful offers of Pyrrh.

In the spring of 279 BC, E. Pyrr began a new offensive north. There, the Romans concentrated the 70,000th army. Near the city of Auscula there was a major battle for this war. Both sides by this time managed to make some changes in their armies. Pierre introduced, taking into account the experience of Roman legions, separation of troops into individual detachments. The Romans adapted their chariots to combat elephants.

Stubborn battle at auscule lasted two days. The first day brought success to the Romans. But on the second day, Pierre managed to push the Roman army on the plain, where he could expand the infantry and put into the case of the Connection and elephants. The Romans were broken. But the victory went to Pierre dear price, his army suffered large losses. The battlefield fell more than 5 thousand selected soldiers of Pierra - almost the fourth part of his troops. Among those killed there were many of his commander, friends, old associates. It is said that when after the battle of Pyrro began to congratulate a success, he exclaimed: "Another such victory, and I will stay without troops!" Since then, "Pyrrhie Victory" began to call such a victory, which is actually close to defeat.

In Italy, Pierre was difficult to fill his losses. In addition, the tarent and other Greek cities grew displeasure to the wonders of Pierre and his interference in their internal affairs.

At this time, ambassadors from the city of Syracuse, which is the island of Sicily. They appealed for help, since the Carthaginian fleet was asked by Syracuse. The proposal seemed to Pierre tempting. Here, in Italy, his position was complicated: despite the victories, Rome was still not broken. There was a long and stubborn war. And in Sicily, it was possible to quickly master the rich and fertile island. Pierre decided to go to Sicily and wag a war against the Carthage - the Mighty Republic, located. Noah in the north of Africa (on the territory of the current Tunisia).

Soon Pyrrh left Italy, leaving his garrisons there in some cities there. Looking around in Sicily, Pierre moved to the Syracuse. He forced the rapid blow to Carthaginian to remove the siege and lead his ships: after that success, the army of the epirskoy commander was easily captured by the city outside the city, and soon he became the actual master of the island. Thus, Pierre managed to combine two kingdoms under his authority - Epir and Sicily. However, it continued not for long. The difficulties of management have affected the territories so distant from each other. In addition, dissatisfied with the entries and oppressions of the prosidants, Sicilian Greek cities stopped maintaining the king. Without themsupport Pyrrhr was not easy to resist. Bad news also came from Italy. There, the Romans continued to war and captured several cities. In addition, they entered the union with the Carthage- Which is alarmingly followed the success of Pyrrh in Sicily. This rich island of Carthagean themselves wanted to take possession. Therefore, they willingly offered Rome help against the general enemy.

In 276 BC e. Pierre left Sicily. Crossing through, the strait turned out to be difficult and dangerous. Carthage ships caused damage to Floth Pyrrh.

But Rome did not want to start hostilities. The unexpected outbreak of the plague weakened the Roman army, and the time was required to reimburse the losses. The next year (275 BC er) Pyrr again moved to Rome. Near the city of Benenent, in the center of Italy, a decisive battle occurred. The warriors of Pierre entered into the battle after a heavy night transition. In addition, some allies left Pyrrhus and no new replenishment arrived at it.

Attack Pyrrh was repulsed. The outcome of the battle of the battle again decided elephants, but this time is not in favor of Pyrrh. The ruined arms raised by the romans, which are allowed by the Romans due to the walls of the camp, the elephants in fright and rabies rushed back, hike their own warriors and turning them into flight. Pierre suffered a terrible defeat. Accompanied only a few riders, he fled to the target.

Pierre decided to return home as soon as possible. Although he left about 8 thousand infantry and 500 riders in the tarent, but the Italian campaign was played. Later, Pierre recalled from the tarrant and these troops. So we collapsed the hopes of Pyrrho to conquer Italy and Sicily. She spent six years to these wars, and although he was defeated, but also in defeat kept the courage. He still considered him everywhere, the most experienced and brave kings from modern him.

Returning to his homeland, Pierre began to fight with his main opponent. They were the son of a demetry polyorec. Antigonus Gonat, who dominated almost all Macedonia and in a number of Greek cities, including in Corinth and Argos. Success again accompanied Pyrrhr. After -fire battles, he managed to oust Antigone Gonat from Macedonia. Victory, however, was overshadowed by the decentities of Merryman's mercenaries, who plundered and desecrated the graves of the Macedonian kings. This caused displeasure of the population.

In an effort to approve your influence in Greece, Pierre got involved in the fight against Sparta. Without the announcement of the war, he invaded its territory. However, Pyrre underestimated the hardness and the courage of his new NPOT tivnikov. He is neglected to receive a "me from Spartans by Gordy Message.

"If you are God," the Spartans wrote, "it will not happen to us with us, for we didn't get across you against you, if you are a person, then there will be someone and riding you!"

Pierre besieged Sparta. Residents fought for their independence desperately, beat off all the attempts of the enemies to break into the city. In fierce fights, MNO died. Pyrrier Warriors and he himself underwent deadly danger.

A detachment sent to the aid of Spartans sent by antihog gonatat. Then. "Pierre, without finishing the bloody dispute with Sparta, took the fatal decision - to go to ARGOS. Emergencyly thirsty of new adventures, he decided to intervene in the distribution, which then went to Argos between different groups of the population.

Pierre quickly went to Argos. He did not slow down the march and then the Spartans attacked his arier - -gard and his son killed in the fight.

In the deep darkness of the troop, the pyrrhoids approached the walls of Argos. Slimming, trying not to noise, the warriors were part of the gate that supporters of Pyrrho in advance were opened. Suddenly, the movement slowed down. In the low gate could not pass the battle elephants. I had to shoot with their spin of the tower, in which the arrows were located, then, already outside the gate, again hoisting the towers on the back of the giants. This delay, and the noise attracted the attention of the Argostess, and they hurried to take the fortified places convenient to reflect the attack. At the same time, the Argos residents sent the messenger to the antigonus with a request to quickly send reinforcements.

The night battle has faced. Standed with narrow streets and numerous channels, cutting the city, infantry and horse warriors with difficulty advanced. Everything stirred. Disconnected groups of people in Tesne and Mraka fight each for themselves, not receiving orders of the commander.

When dawn, Pierre saw all this mess and fell in spirit. He decided not too late, to start a retreat. However, in this setting, not everyone understood the order of the commander and not until all he reached. Part of the warriors continued the battle. Pyrr successfully reflected the onslaught of enemies, but then he was pushed out to a narrow street. There were a lot of people who, pressed to each other, could hardly fight. In addition, in the middle of the street, complaints about the truma, lay the wounded elephant and interfered with advancement.

Pyrre riding a horse successfully defended and kept enemies at a distance.

Suddenly one of the Argostess, a simple and doubtful warrior, who lived on the same street, threw a spear. It pierced the Pyrress shell and easily wounded it. Pierre rushed to Argos. The mother of this warrior, the old woman, from the roof saw the pyrro rushed on her son. Fight for his life, wanting to help him, the old woman pulled a heavy tile from the roof, raised it with two hands and threw her in Pyrr. The tile fell into an unprotected bottom of the neck and interrupted the vertebra. Pyrr fell. Several Argostess jumped to him, and one of them cut off his head with a pyrrhr.

So the life of Pyrrhr, full of transformations, takeoffs and falls ended. Pierre built grandiose plans, for the implementation of which neither the means, nor people, but often he did not have enough prudency to bring them to the end. Contemporaries considered him an outstanding commander. A few decades later, Hannibal argued that the experience and talent of Pyrre as a commander was superior to everyone.

Pyrre pays a lot of attention to the military case and the same as Alexander, personally participates in the fights on the battlefields. We meet the most complete information about the Pyrrhog army and its great battles at Plutarch in "Comparative Bifoxies". Small comments of other authors are shown in brackets.

"He said a lot about him and believed that he reminds Alexander's appearance, and the speed of movement, and seeing his strength and onslaught in battle, everyone thought, in front of them - Alexander's shadow or her likeness, and if the rest of the kings argued their resemblance to Alexander only purple vestments, retinue, head tilt and arrogant tone, then Pierre proved him with a weapon in his hands. About his knowledge and abilities in military affairs can be judged by the compositions on this topic, which he left. They say that the question of whom he considers the best commander, the antigonus replied (speaking only about his contemporaries): "Pyrrhr, if he lives to old age." And Hannibal argued that the experience and talent of Pyrreus exceeds in general all the commander, the second place was given to Sducation, and the third one ... epirotes gave him a nickname eagle.

(Libya, 35.14 A little differently transfers the words of Hannibal: "Szpipion asked who Hannibal believes the greatest commander, and he answered that Alexander, Tsar Macedonian, for the small forces king the countless troops and reached the remote countries, which had never had a chalk. Asked then, who would put on the second place, Hannibal called Pyrrh, who first taught to break the camp, besides, no one skillfully, like Pyrro, did not use the terrain and did not put the guard; in addition, he had such a gift to place people to him, That the Italian tribes preferred the power of an ingenic king to the rule of the Roman people, so long in this country.)

Artist Johnny Shumate.