[Sidenote:  B.C. 283 (a.u. 471)] 2. ¶The Tarentini, although they had themselves initiated the war, nevertheless were sheltered from fear.  For the Romans, who understood what they were doing, pretended not to know it on account of temporary embarrassments.  Hereupon the Tarentini, thinking that they either could mock [Footnote:  Verb adopted from Boissevain’s conjecture [Greek:  diasilloun] (cp. the same word in Book Fifty-nine, chapter 25). at Rome or were entirely unobserved because they were receiving no complaints behaved still more insolently and involved the Romans even contrary to their own wishes in a war.  This proved the saying that even good fortune, when a disproportionately large portion of it falls to the lot of any individuals, becomes the cause of disaster to them; it entices them on to a state of frenzy (since moderation refuses to cohabit with vanity) and ruins their greatest interests.  So these Tarentini, too, after rising to an unexampled height of prosperity in turn met with a misfortune that was an equivalent return for their wantonness. (Mai, p.168 and 536.)

[Sidenote:  B.C. 282 (a.u. 472)] 3.  Dio in Book 9:  “Lucius Valerius, [Footnote:  Appian (Samnite Wars, VII, 1) gives the second name as Cornelius.] who was admiral of the Romans and had been despatched on some errand by them.” (Bekker, Anecd. p.158, 25.  Zonaras, 8, 2.)

4. ¶Lucius was despatched by the Romans to Tarentum.  Now the Tarentini were celebrating the Dionysia, and sitting gorged with wine in the theatre of an afternoon suspected that he was sailing against them as an enemy.  Immediately in a passion and partly under the influence of their intoxication they set sail in turn:  so without any show of force on his part or the slightest expectation of any hostile act they attacked and sent to the bottom both him and many others.  When the Romans heard of this they naturally were angry, but did not choose to take the field against Tarentum at once.  However, they despatched envoys in order not to seem to have passed over the affair in silence and by that means render them more impudent.  But the Tarentini, so far from receiving them decently or even sending them back with an answer in any way suitable, at once, before so much as granting them an audience, made sport of their dress and general appearance.  It was the city garb, which we use in the Forum; and this the envoys had put on, either for the sake of stateliness or else through fear, thinking that this at least would cause the foreigners to respect their position.  Bands of revelers accordingly jeered at them,—­they were still celebrating the festival, which, although they were at no time noted for temperate behavior, rendered them still more wanton,—­and finally a man planted himself in the road of Postumius and, with a forward inclination, threw him down and soiled his clothing.  At this an uproar arose from all the rest, who praised the fellow as if he had performed some remarkable deed, and they sang many scurrilous anapaests upon the Romans, accompanied by applause and capering steps.  But Postumius cried:  “Laugh, laugh while you may!  For long will be the period of your weeping, when you shall wash this garment clean with your blood.” (Ursinus, p.375.  Mai, 168.  Zonaras, 8, 2.)