Messene and Rhegium
For misfortunes befell Messene and Rhegium, the cities
note
built on either side of the Strait, peculiar in
their nature and alike in their circumstances.
Not long before the period we are now
describing some Campanian mercenaries of
Agathocles, having for some time cast greedy
eyes upon Messene, owing to its beauty and wealth, no
sooner got an opportunity than they made a
treacherous attempt upon that city. note They
entered the town under guise of friendship, and, having once
got possession of it, they drove out some of the
citizens and put others to the sword. note This
done, they seized promiscuously the wives and
children of the dispossessed citizens, each keeping those which
fortune had assigned him at the very moment of the lawless
deed. All other property and the land they took possession
of by a subsequent division and retained.
The speed with which they became masters of a fair territory note
and city found ready imitators of their conduct.
The people of Rhegium, when Pyrrhus was crossing to Italy, felt a double anxiety. They were
dismayed at the thought of his approach, and at the same time
were afraid of the Carthaginians as being masters
of the sea. note They accordingly asked and obtained
a force from Rome to guard and support them.
The garrison, four thousand in number, under the command
of a Campanian named Decius Jubellius, entered the city,
and for a time preserved it, as well as their own faith. But at
last, conceiving the idea of imitating the Mamertines, and
having at the same time obtained their co-operation, they
broke faith with the people of Rhegium, enamoured of the
pleasant site of the town and the private wealth of the citizens,
and seized the city after having, in imitation of the Mamertines,
first driven out some of the people and put others to the sword.
Now, though the Romans were much annoyed at this transaction,
-- 8 -- they could take no active steps, because they were deeply
engaged in the wars I have mentioned above. But having
got free from them they invested and besieged the troops.
They presently took the place and killed the greater number
in the assault,—for the men resisted desperately,
knowing what must follow,—but took more
than three hundred alive. note These were sent to
Rome, and there the Consuls brought them into
the forum, where they were scourged and beheaded according to custom: for they wished as far as they
could to vindicate their good faith in the eyes of the allies.
The territory and town they at once handed over to the people
of Rhegium.
