Endless ambition for a glorious future sacrifices present happiness and the quiet joy already within our reach.
King Pyrrhus of Epirus was asked by his friend Cyneas, “If you conquer Rome, what will you do next, Sir?”
Pyrrhus replied, “Sicily is next door and will be easy to take.”
“And what shall we do after Sicily is taken?”
“Then we will move over to Africa and sack Carthage.”
“And after Carthage, Sir?”
“The turn of Greece will come.”
“And what, may I ask, will the fruit of all these conquests be?”
“Then,” said Pyrrhus, “we can sit down and enjoy ourselves.”
“Can we not,” said Cyneas, “enjoy ourselves now?”
Anthony de Mello
More in his book The Heart of the Enlightened‘
Anthony de Mello (1931-1987) was an Indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. A spiritual teacher, writer and public speaker, De Mello wrote several books on spirituality and hosted numerous spiritual retreats and conferences. He continues to be known for his storytelling, which drew from the various mystical traditions of both East and West.
The Historical Context: King Pyrrhus of Epirus (319–272 BCE) was one of the most formidable military commanders of the Hellenistic period, praised by Hannibal Barca as one of the greatest generals who ever lived. Ruling over the mountain kingdom of Epirus—a rugged, strategic realm in northwestern Greece bordering the Ionian Sea—Pyrrhus leveraged his regal power and fierce Molossian armies to project force across the Mediterranean. Cineas, a Thessalian diplomat and student of Demosthenes, served as Pyrrhus’s chief minister, renowned for his eloquence and philosophical composure. This famous exchange was immortalised by Plutarch in his Parallel Lives (Life of Pyrrhus).
The Origin of the “Pyrrhic Victory”: Launching ambitious campaigns directly from the coast of Epirus across the narrow sea into Italy, Pyrrhus waged war against the Roman Republic, winning battles at Heraclea (280 BCE) and Asculum (279 BCE). However, his forces suffered severe, irreplaceable losses among his officers and veteran troops. After Asculum, Pyrrhus famously remarked, “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined”—coining the term Pyrrhic victory to describe a triumph achieved at such devastating cost that it equals defeat.
Image: Issued in 1990 as part of the Figura të shquara ilire (Illyrian Heroes/Figures) series, this Albanian postage stamp honours King Pyrrhus of Epirus, highlighting the deep regional heritage that connects ancient Epirus and the vast historical territories of Illyria across modern-day Albania and Greece.