Introduction
In 279 BC, forty-two years after his illustrious predecessor Alexander the Great died, Pyrrhus, King of Epirus and Macedonia, halted the advance of the Roman Republic at Asculum (Ascoli Satriano) in Apulia, southern Italy. The cost to his army was so great that he famously declared that another such victory would utterly ruin him - a ‘Pyrrhic victory’ indeed.
AFTER they had fought till sunset, both armies were unwillingly separated by the night, Pyrrhus being wounded by a javelin in the arm, and his baggage plundered by the Samnites; in all there died of Pyrrhus’s men and the Romans above fifteen thousand.
The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory, that one other such would utterly undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with him, and almost all his particular friends and principal commanders; there were no others there to make recruits, and he found the confederates in Italy backward.
On the other hand, as from a fountain continually flowing out of the city, the Roman camp was quickly and plentifully filled up with fresh men, not at all abating in courage for the losses they sustained, but even from their very anger gaining new force and resolution to go on with the war.*
By Plutarch (AD 46-120) Translated from the Greek by John Dryden (1631-1700)
The Pyrrhic War (280–275 BC) was a struggle for control of southern Italy and Sicily, historically a Greek-culture region named Magna Graeca, which the Roman Republic sought to control. After Asculum, the Romans allied with Carthage; and Pyrrhus, suffering from chronic recruitment problems still, was defeated at the Battle of Beneventum in 275 BC.
Précis
During a battle against the Romans in 279 BC, Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, but knew his tmporary advantage had come at the cost of many officers and men whom he could not replace, whereas the Romans were already regrouping. Today, the term ‘a Pyrrhic Victory’ is used for a success which comes at a cost that will eventually mean defeat. (66 / 60 words)
During a battle against the Romans in 279 BC, Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, but knew his tmporary advantage had come at the cost of many officers and men whom he could not replace, whereas the Romans were already regrouping. Today, the term ‘a Pyrrhic Victory’ is used for a success which comes at a cost that will eventually mean defeat.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 70 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, if, just, may, ought, unless, until, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 After. Army. Would.
2 Fountain. Great. War.
3 All. Even. Till.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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