Anyone who aspires to make his speech colorful epithets, metaphors, similes and unbanal turnovers, which serve not only to impart words of the brightness, but also indicate the level of education and erudition of his carrier.
Unfortunately, many of the "succulent" momentum, despite its popularity,
used in the sense often the opposite of their true meaning.Such use can play a cruel joke on those who love to shine a bright word.Any phrase requires a deep understanding and knowledge about what or to whom it owes its existence, and in what situation it would be appropriate to use.
One such expression is a "Pyrrhic victory".Who or what was this Pierre?Why history is preserved the memory of this victory?
little background
King Pyrrhus (some sources Pierre I) - the king of Epirus (one in Greece), who lived in the period 319 (320) - 270 (272) years.BC(before Christ).
Because sources containing mention of this ruler and commander, found quite a lot, we can assume that the figure he was, if not popular, it is enough visible.
As they say historical records, in 313 BC, his father Aeacides was dethroned and the young heir secretly taken out of the limits of Epirus in Illyria, where he was placed under the patronage of the governor of the territory, the king's commander in chief.Despite repeated offers to buy back the enemies of the young prince, the commander in chief refused to give his pupil.Moreover, in a year when Pyrrhus turned 12, the governor of Illyria, gave him back the throne of Epirus.
During his reign, Pierre led civil wars, familiar to those times.His troops have repeatedly invaded the Thessaly and Macedonia.He had to go as a hostage in Egypt, but returned there as husband adopted daughter of the Egyptian king.Some time even Pierre was king of Macedonia, but pretty soon was forced to abandon the throne.
Soon his help in defending against the attacks of the Romans called the Greek metropolis of Tarentum.Not without the help of the Egyptian and Macedonian rulers Pierre gathered quite an impressive army and arrived in Tarentum.In his possession it was more than 50 elephants, 25,000 troops (infantry and cavalry).Moreover, Egypt has funded transportation and subsistence of the army.
first battle with the army of the Romans took place in 280 BC, and it was won by the first Pyrrhic victory.Deservedly so, despite the fact that the governor has lost some of the most experienced and valuable soldiers.The second battle took place not far from the town Auskulum (some sources - Auskul) in 279 BCThe winner came Epirus king, but as they say in his memoirs eyewitnesses losses in the two-day battle was such that the captain noticed that one more such victory would leave him without an army (in some translations: "If we once again win a price, we will perish").It is the outcome of this military confrontation and was called "a Pyrrhic victory", which eventually became stable combinations.
Nowadays one can often hear the phrase "Pyrrhic victory".The meaning of these words is not changed.As before, so say about winning the losses of such magnitude that it would be more profitable to play.In other words, it is a victory, which is equal to defeat.
