Pyrrhic VictoryA formidable and courageous general, Pyrrus was enlisted by the Greek cities of southern Italy to counter the increasingly powerful Romans. In 279 BC, his invading Greek forces met and defeated the Romans at the battle of Asculum in Apulia.
The engagement was costly, however: Pyrrhus lost many men, several close associates, and all of his baggage. When one of his soldiers congratulated the king on his victory, he famously replied: "Another such victory and we are ruined!"
[Hence the phrase "Pyrrhic victory" to denote an excessively expensive triumph.]
Pyrrus, (319-272 BC) Greek monarch, king of Epirus (in northwestern Greece, 306-272 BC)
[Sources: Plutarch, Lives]More Pyrrus anecdotesRelated Anecdote Keywords:
Ancient Greece Irony Victory Phrase Origins Defeat Wars Military Ambiguity Ambivalence Oxymorons Ancient History Ancient Wisdom Sacrifices
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