Pyrrhus; "another such victory, and I shall be undone."

In fact, after trying their strength against each other in this
battle, neither party seemed to be in haste to bring on another
contest. They both drew away to places of security, and began to
send for re-enforcements, and to take measures to strengthen
themselves for future operations. They remained in this state of
inaction until at length the season passed away, and they then went
into winter-quarters, each watching the other, but postponing, by
common consent, all active hostilities until spring. In the spring
they took the field again, and the two armies approached each other
once more. The Roman army had now two new commanders, one of whom
was the celebrated Fabricius, whom Pyrrhus had negotiated with on
former occasions. The two commanders were thus well acquainted with
each other; and though, as public men, they were enemies, in private
and personally they were very good friends.

Pyrrhus had a physician in his service named Nicias. This man
conceived the design of offering to the Romans to poison his master
on condition of receiving a suitable reward. He accordingly wrote a
letter to Fabricius making the proposal. Fabricius immediately
communicated the letter to his colleague, and they both concurred in
the decision to inform Pyrrhus himself of the offer which had been
made them, and put him on his guard against the domestic traitor. They
accordingly sent him the letter which they had received, accompanied
by one from themselves, of the following tenor:

"Caius Fabricius and Quintus AEmilius to King Pyrrhus,
greeting:

"You seem to be as unfortunate in the choice of your friends
as you are in that of your enemies. The letter which we send
herewith will satisfy you that those around you, on whom you
rely, are wholly unworthy of your confidence. You are
betrayed; your very physician, the man who ought to be most
faithful to you, offers to poison you. We give you this
information, not out of any particular friendship for you,
but because we do not wish to be suspected of conniving at an
assassination--a crime which we detest and abhor. Besides, we
do not wish to be deprived of the opportunity of showing the
world that we are able to meet and conquer you in open war."

Pyrrhus was very much struck with what he considered the extraordinary
generosity of his enemies. He immediately collected together all