Chapter I: Preface

The year 146 B.C. was an _annus mirabilis_ in the development of Roman dominion. Of course it had long been a foregone conclusion that Carthage and Corinth must fall before her, but the actual time of their overthrow was made all the more striking by the fact that both cities perished in the same year, and that both were visited by the same fate. I have attempted in this story to group some picturesque incidents round the person of a young Greek who struggles in vain to resist the destiny of the conquering race. The reader will also find some suggestion of the thought which the Roman historian had in his mind when he wrote: "Carthage, the rival of the Roman Empire, perished root and branch, sea and land everywhere lay open before us, when at last Fortune began to rage against us and throw everything into confusion". The day when Rome rid herself of her rivals seemed to some of her more thoughtful sons to be the first of her corruption and decline.

A. J. C.

ASHLEY,
_April 22, 1897_.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. Page

I. THE FATE OF THE _MELCART_, 11

II. CLEANOR, SON OF LYSIS, 20

III. THE LAST OF A VETERAN, 26

IV. SCIPIO, 41

V. A GREAT SCHEME, 48

VI. THE MISSION, 61

VII. THE LAST OF THE GREEKS, 70

VIII. THE CORINTHIAN ASSEMBLY, 82

IX. AT THERMOPYLÆ, 93

X. A PINCHBECK ALEXANDER, 109

XI. THE TWO HASDRUBALS, 125

XII. SCIPIO SETS TO WORK, 138

XIII. IN THE ROMAN CAMP, 149

XIV. THE MEGARA, 155

XV. THE PRISONERS, 165

XVI. BAAL HAMMON, 179

XVII. MOVE AND COUNTERMOVE, 198

XVIII. HELP FROM THE HILLS, 206

XIX. THE BATTLE ON THE ISTHMUS, 213

XX. TREACHERY, 222

XXI. POLYBIUS, 230

XXII. A PLEASURE TRIP, 241

XXIII. DIPLOMACY, 253

XXIV. IN SORE NEED, 266

XXV. A REFUGE IN THE STORM, 276

XXVI. THE STORMING OF THE UPPER CITY, 284

XXVII. A PRECIOUS BOOK, 297

XXVIII. THE END OF CARTHAGE, 309

XXIX. AT DELOS, 317

XXX. CORINTH, 326

XXXI. MUMMIUS, 336

XXXII. THE SLAVE-DEALER, 342

XXXIII. TO ITALY, 351

XXXIV. AT MISENUM, 355

XXXV. THE WORLD WELL LOST, 369

XXXVI. BEYOND THE SUNSET, 378

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page
"FASTEN HIS HANDS, AND FIRMLY TOO; THAT YOUTH MIGHT GIVE
US TROUBLE," _Frontispiece._ 26

"THE OLD KING, THOUGH HIS EYES WERE OPEN, DID NOT SEEM
TO SEE CLEANOR," 39

THE ROMAN ENVOYS TO CORINTH ARE COMPELLED TO LEAVE THE
AMPHITHEATRE, 92

THE MACEDONIAN PRETENDER PERFORMS THE PYRRHIC DANCE, 119

"DO YOU YIELD?" SAID CLEANOR WHEN THE ROMAN HAD
REACHED THE SHORE, 164

"THE HIGH PRIEST PLACED THE SACRIFICE ON THE OUTSTRETCHED
ARMS OF THE GOD," 196

"I SAW YOU STOOP AND LIFT YOUR COMPANION FROM THE
GROUND," 226

"CLEANOR PRODUCED FROM THE PACK WHICH HE CARRIED SOME
TWICE-BAKED BREAD," 271

THE LADY SALAMO DEFIES THE ROMANS FROM THE WALLS OF
CARTHAGE, 295

"SCIPIO, THROWING HIS TOGA OVER HIS FACE, BURST INTO A
PASSION OF TEARS," 317

A CORINTHIAN NOBLEMAN BEING SOLD AS A SLAVE IN THE
MARKET-PLACE, 333

"HALF AN HOUR AFTERWARDS CLEONÉ EMERGED AS A BRILLIANT
YOUNG BEAUTY," 367

LORDS OF THE WORLD.