"In truth," rejoined Croesus, "you need not desire to give any further answer about promoting my happiness; for if you only do what you say, I tell you that I shall continue to enjoy in future what others counted the happiest life, and in which I concur with them." "Who then," said Cyrus, "hold this the happiest life?” "My wife," said he, "Cyrus; for she shared alike with me all my goods, luxuries, and delights, while she was freed from the cares of procuring them, and from war and battle. Thus, you are now disposed to treat me, as I treated her whom I loved best in the world. So that I consider myself as owing Apollo some further offerings, expressive of my gratitude.' When Cyrus heard this, he was surprised at his equanimity, and for the future took him along with himself wherever he went; either thinking that Croesus might be of some use to him, or judging this the safer procedure. Thus ended the career of Croesus. It reads to us a lesson of the vanity of riches, and the mutability of the grandeur of this world. In one hour, his immense wealth passed into the hands of another, and his grandeur was rudely plucked from his brow. Seek not, therefore, reader, after these bubbles; for if they should fall into thy possession, they will burst, if not before, at the touch of death. Rather let thy thoughts be carried backward in reflection upon thy past life, and forward to a better and a more enduring world than this in which we live, and the fashion of which passeth away, and that swiftly. ""Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours; And ask them what report they bore to heaven; If Wisdom's friend, her best; if not, worst foe. O reconcile them! kind experience cries, 'There's nothing here, but what as nothing weighs; Nor is it only thus, but must be so; Who knows not this, though grey, is still a child. Weigh anchor, and some happier clime explore."-YOUNG. CONTENTS AND CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 3 Carthage founded................ 3 The port called Cothon built...... PAGE. 201 202 211 215 Conquests of the Carthaginians in Africa (date uncertain)... Conquests of the Carthaginians in Spain (date uncertain)... 8 First treaty between the Carthaginians and Romans............ 216 3 Conquests of the Carthaginians in Sicily, commenced.......... 217 1 The Carthaginians make an alliance with Xerxes......... 78 The Carthaginians under Hamilcar attack the Greeks in 217 Sicily....... 217 They are defeated by Gelon........ 09 Himera destroyed by Hannibal......... 10 The Carthaginians send troops under Hannibal to aid the Segestans..... 217 219 220 221 222 06 Hannibal and Imilco sent to conquer Sicily.... Agrigentum destroyed by Hannibal........ This war terminated by a treaty of peace with the Syracusans 222 397 Dionysius declares war with the Carthaginians.................... Imilco returns to Sicily with a large army.... 223 .......... 224 341 Second treaty between the Romans and Carthaginians....................... 228 The Carthaginians attempt the reduction of all Sicily.... 228 340 They are defeated by Timoleon, and obliged to sue for peace. 228 Hanno, citizen of Carthage, forms the design of making him self master of his country..... 230 231 310 Beginning of the wars between the Carthaginians and Agathocles in Sicily and Africa........ 309 Agathocles conquered by Hamilcar, and shuts himself up in Syracuse... 233 280 The Carthaginians send the Romans aid against Pyrrhus...... 238 275 Hiero appointed in Sicily to carry on the war against the Carthaginians... 239 264 Beginning of the first Punic war......... 240 The Romans besiege the Carthaginians in Agrigentum, and take the city after a siege of seven months...... 260 Sea fight between the Romans and Carthaginians near the 241 coast of Mylae........ 242 B. C. PAGE 238 Its conclusion, after having continued three years and four The Carthaginians give up Sardinia to the Romans, and en- 251 The Romans besiege the Carthaginians in Lilybeum... 249 Adherbal attacked by the Romans in Drepanum... 259 Sea fight between the same powers near Ecnomus, in Sicily... 243 Regulus wars with the Carthaginians in Africa... 256 Xanthippus arrives to aid the Carthaginians. Regulus is conquered, and taken prisoner.. Sea fight on the coasts of Sicily..... 243 244 245 246 246 247 247 Hamilcar, father of Hannibal attacks the Romans in Eryx... 248 The Romans make a further attempt upon Lilybeum... 248 249 250 250 Hannibal is sent into Spain upon the demand of Asdrubal, his Battle of Thrasymenus.... 280 Hannibal deceives Fabius at the Straits of Casilinum... 282 284 216 Battle of Cannæ...... 286 Hannibal sends his brother Mago to Carthage for succour..... 207 Asdrubal enters Italy, where he is conquered by the consuls Livius and Nero........ 294 204 Scipio is made counsul, and goes to Africa..... |