Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Plutarch

Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).

Gaius Fabricius, upon learning of the defeat of

the Romans by Pyrrhus, said, Pyrrhus has defeated Laevinus, but the Epirotes have not defeated the Romans. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Pyrrhus, chap. xviii. (394 C). The defeat of Laevinus was in 280 B.C.)

When he carne to see Pyrrhus about ransoming the prisoners of war, Pyrrhus offered him much money, but he would not accept it. On the following day Pyrrhus made ready his biggest elephant,all unknown to Fabricius, to appear and trumpet suddenly behind his back; and when this plan had been carried out, Fabricius turned and said with a smile, Neither your money yesterday nor your beast to-day has astounded me. [*](Ibid. chap. xx. (395 E).)