The above were the causes which led the Romans to send Fabius against them.  He routed the body of the foe that met him, destroyed many in their flight, shut up the remainder within the wall, and made an assault upon the city.  In that action he was wounded and killed, whereupon gaining confidence the enemy made a sortie.  They were again defeated, retired, and had to submit to siege.  When they began to feel the pangs of hunger, they surrendered.  The consul delivered to outrage and death the men who had appropriated the honors of the ruling class and he razed the city to the ground; the native inhabitants, however, and many servants who had rendered valuable service to their masters he settled on another site.

(BOOK 11, BOISSEVAIN.)

VIII, 8.—­From that time the Romans began struggles oversea:  they had previously had no experience at all in naval matters.  They now became seamen and crossed over to the islands and to other divisions of the mainland.  The first people they fought against were the Carthaginians.  These Carthaginians were no whit inferior to them in wealth or in the excellence of their land; they were trained in naval operations to a great degree of accuracy, were equipped with cavalry forces, with infantry and elephants, ruled the Libyans, and held possession of both Sardinia and the greater part of Sicily:  as a result they had cherished hopes of subjugating Italy.  Various factors contributed to increase their self-conceit.  They were especially delighted with their position of independence:  their king they elected under the title of a yearly office and not for permanent sovereignty.  Animated by these considerations they were at the point of most zealous eagerness.

[Sidenote:  FRAG. 43^1] THE REASONS ALLEGED FOR THE WAR WERE—­ON THE PART OF THE ROMANS THAT THE CARTHAGINIANS HAD ASSISTED THE TARENTINI, ON THE PART OF THE CARTHAGINIANS THAT THE ROMANS HAD MADE A TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP WITH HIERO.  THE FACT WAS, HOWEVER, THAT THEY VIEWED EACH OTHER WITH JEALOUSY AND THOUGHT THAT THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THEIR OWN POSSESSIONS LAY IN THE POSSIBILITY OF OBTAINING WHAT THE OTHER HELD.  AT A TIME WHEN THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARD EACH OTHER WAS OF THIS NATURE A SLIGHT ACCIDENT THAT BEFELL BROKE THE TRUCE AND PROVOKED A CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM.  This is what happened.

The Mamertines, who had once conducted a colony from Campania to Messana, were now being besieged by Hiero, and they called upon the Romans as a nation of kindred blood.  The latter readily voted to aid them, knowing that in case the Mamertines should not secure an alliance with them, they would have recourse to the Carthaginians; and then the Carthaginians would sweep all Sicily and from there cross over into Italy.  For this island is such a short distance away from the mainland that the story goes that it was itself once a part of the mainland. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 43^2] SO THE ISLAND THUS LYING OFF ITALY SEEMED TO INVITE THE CARTHAGINIANS, AND IT APPEARED AS IF THEY MIGHT LAY CLAIM TO THE LAND OVER OPPOSITE, COULD THEY BUT OCCUPY IT.  AND THE POSSESSION OF MESSANA GAVE TO ITS MASTERS THE RIGHT TO BE LORDS OF THE STRAIT ALSO.