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 　　After the time of Alexander the Great, however, small wars against small towns ceased to satisfy them and they set about conquering the entire peninsula.

　　在亚历山大大帝以后的时期，他们不再满足于对小城邦进行小规模战争，他们开始占领整个半岛。

　　Not, as Alexander had done, in one single great campaign, but in easy stages – town by town, region by region,

　　但是他们不是像亚历山大那样进行一场唯一的大规模的胜利进军，而是通过简单的步骤——一座城市一座城市地进军，一个地区一个地区地进军，

　　and with all their characteristic single-mindedness and determination.

　　怀着他们特有的忠贞和决心。

　　It usually went like this.

　　情况通常都是这样的。

　　Because Rome was a powerful city, other Italian cities wanted to be its allies.

　　由于罗马是一个强大的城邦，所以别的意大利城邦想和它结盟，

　　This suited the Romans very well, and all would go smoothly1 as long as the allies behaved themselves.

　　罗马人乐意接受这样的联盟，只要同盟者们都安安分分一切都进行得井然有序。

　　But if a disagreement arose that led to an ally's refusing to follow Rome's instructions,

　　但是一旦同盟者和他们意见相左并不听从他们，

　　it would mean war – a war which Rome's regiments2 or legions usually won.

　　就意味着战争——被人们称之为军团的罗马连队通常都获胜。

　　Now it so happened that one day a city in the south of Italy asked a Greek prince and commander called Pyrrhus to come to its aid against Rome.

　　碰巧有一回意大利南部的一个城邦让一个名叫皮洛士的希腊王公和统帅来帮助自己攻打罗马人。

　　He arrived with war elephants – whose use the Greeks had learnt from the Indians – and succeeded in defeating the Roman legions.

　　皮洛士带领战象进军——这是希腊人从印度人那儿学来的——他也凭借战象战胜了罗马军团。