Pyrrhus, the great Greek general, is off to conquer the world — Italy, Sicily, Libya, Carthage, and beyond. Cineas, his eloquent adviser and ambassador, asks him: What will you do after you conquer the world? Pyrrhus answers that he will take his ease. Cineas replies, Then why not take your ease now?
Source: Paraphrasing from Plutarch, Life of Pyrrhus, pp. 337-ff.
Related: The Ancient philosophers, in the Philosophers, Explained series:
“Some of you may feel that the cormorant does not play an important part in the life of the school, but I would remind you that it was presented to us by the corporation of the Town of Sudbury to commemorate Empire Day, when we try to remember the names of all those from the Sudbury area who so gallantly gave their lives to keep China British.”
– from Monty Python’s, ‘The Meaning of Life’
Nice catch, Edward. Humor underscoring an absurd reality.
Thank you. I think the best people motivate more by example than by meddling and trying to impose.