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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.
在亞歷山大大帝以后的時期，他們不再滿足于對小城邦進行小規模戰爭，他們開始占領整個半島。
Not, as Alexander had done, in one single great campaign, but in easy stages – town by town, region by region,
但是他們不是像亞歷山大那樣進行一場唯一的大規模的勝利進軍，而是通過簡單的步驟——一座城市一座城市地進軍，一個地區一個地區地進軍，
and with all their characteristic single-mindedness and determination.
懷著他們特有的忠貞和決心。
It usually went like this.
情況通常都是這樣的。
Because Rome was a powerful city, other Italian cities wanted to be its allies.
由于羅馬是一個強大的城邦，所以別的意大利城邦想和它結盟，
This suited the Romans very well, and all would go smoothly as long as the allies behaved themselves.
羅馬人樂意接受這樣的聯盟，只要同盟者們都安安分分一切都進行得井然有序。
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們意見相左并不聽從他們，
it would mean war – a war which Rome's regiments or legions usually won.
就意味著戰爭——被人們稱之為軍團的羅馬連隊通常都獲勝。
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個城邦讓一個名叫皮洛士的希臘王公和統帥來幫助自己攻打羅馬人。
He arrived with war elephants – whose use the Greeks had learnt from the Indians – and succeeded in defeating the Roman legions.
皮洛士帶領戰象進軍——這是希臘人從印度人那兒學來的——他也憑借戰象戰勝了羅馬軍團。
