And Pyrrhus was used to say, that Cineas had taken more towns with his words than he with his arms, and always did him the honour to employ him in his most important occasions.
This person, seeing Pyrrhus eagerly preparing for [his attempted conquest of] Italy, led him one day when he was at leisure into the following reasonings: “The Romans, sir, are reported to be great warriors and conquerors of many warlike nations; if God permit us to overcome them, how should we use our victory?”
”You ask,” said Pyrrhus, “a thing evident of itself. The Romans once conquered, there is neither Greek nor barbarian city that will resist us, but we shall presently be masters of all Italy, the extent and resources and strength of which any one should rather profess to be ignorant of than yourself.”
Cineas after a little pause, “And having subdued Italy, what shall we do next?”
Pyrrhus not yet discovering his intention, “Sicily,” he replied, “next holds out her arms to receive us, a wealthy and populous island, and easy to be gained; for since Agathocles left it, only faction and anarchy, and the licentious violence of the demagogues prevail.”
”You speak,” said Cineas, “what is perfectly probable, but will the possession of Sicily put an end to the war?”
”God grant us,” answered Pyrrhus, “victory and success in that, and we will use these as forerunners of greater things; who could forbear from Libya and Carthage then within reach, which Agathocles, even when forced to fly from Syracuse, and passing the sea only with a few ships, had all but surprised? These conquests once perfected, will any assert that the enemies who now pretend to despise us, any one will dare to make further resistance?”
”None,” replied Cineas, “for then it is manifest we may with such mighty forces regain Macedon, and make an absolute conquest of Greece; and when all these are in our power what shall we do then?”
Said Pyrrhus, smiling, “We will live at our ease, my dear friend, and drink all day, and divert ourselves with pleasant conversation.”
When Cineas had led Pyrrhus with his argument to this point: “And what hinders us now, sir, if we have a mind to be merry, and entertain one another, since we have at hand without trouble all those necessary things, to which through much blood and great labour, and infinite hazards and mischief done to ourselves and to others, we design at last to arrive?”
Such reasonings rather troubled Pyrrhus with the thought of the happiness he was quitting, than any way altered his purpose, being unable to abandon the hopes of what he so much desired.
tl;dr:
Pyrrhus’ friend Cineas strikes up a conversation with the great king, and asks him what they’ll do after they conquer the Romans. Pyrrhus lists the next people to conquer, and this line of dialogue goes on for a bit, at which point Cineas again asks the question, and Pyrrhus finally says they will relax and take in the good life. Then Cineas asks why they don’t do that now, as they have everything they already need to do that, and asks why they need to conquer and cause great pain and suffering to arrive at the same conclusion. This blows Pyrrhus’ mind, but he knows he can’t stop pursuing his dreams of conquest and greatness.
Source:
Plutarch, John Dryden, and Arthur Hugh Clough. "Pyrrhus." Plutarch's Lives. New York: Modern Library, 2001. 529-30. Print.
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