The Mamertines and Rome
Thus were the Mamertines first deprived of support
note
from Rhegium, and then subjected, from causes
which I have just stated, to a complete defeat
on their own account. Thereupon some of them
betook themselves to the protection of the Carthaginians, and were for putting themselves and
their citadel into their hands; while others set about sending
an embassy to Rome to offer a surrender of their city, and to
beg assistance on the ground of the ties of race which united
them. The Romans were long in doubt. The inconsistency
of sending such aid seemed manifest. A little while ago they
had put some of their own citizens to death, with the extreme
penalties of the law, for having broken faith with the people
of Rhegium: and now so soon afterwards
to assist the Mamertines, who had done precisely the same to Messene as well as Rhegium,
involved a breach of equity very hard to
justify. note
But while fully alive to these points,
they yet saw that Carthaginian aggrandisement
was not confined to Libya, but had embraced many districts in Iberia as well; and that Carthage was, besides,
mistress of all the islands in the Sardinian and Tyrrhenian seas:
they were beginning, therefore, to be exceedingly anxious lest,
if the Carthaginians became masters of Sicily also, they should
find them very dangerous and formidable neighbours, surrounding them as they would on every side, and occupying a
position which commanded all the coasts of Italy. Now it was
clear that, if the Mamertines did not obtain the assistance
they asked for, the Carthaginians would very soon reduce
Sicily. For should they avail themselves of the voluntary
offer of Messene and become masters of it, they were certain
before long to crush Syracuse also, since they were already
lords of nearly the whole of the rest of Sicily. The Romans
saw all this, and felt that it was absolutely necessary not to let
Messene slip, or allow the Carthaginians to secure what would
be like a bridge to enable them to cross into Italy.
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