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+--- Thread: Head-banger moment, and not in the fun way (/showthread.php?tid=8453)
Head-banger moment, and not in the fun way - classicdrogn - 06-18-2014
I as reading a Dresden fic just now, and as part of Harry's internal monologue mentions having won a Pyrrhic victory, then on the next line tries to focus on the good it brought even if it tastes of ashes in his mouth.
And then I realized that the two phrases are probably connected and I should have noticed the "pyr" root and associated flame with ashes, both in the context of victories that feel like defeat, decades ago.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
- The Wanderer - 06-18-2014
Actually, as far as I can tell at a bit of digging (mainly Wikipedia, which confirms what I think I remember having previously learned), the two have nothing to do with one another.
A "Pyrrhic victory" is apparently named after Pyrrhus of Epirus, who won a battle against the Romans, but with such heavy losses that he commented (paraphrasing) "Another win like that and we'll have lost.". His name doesn't seem to be derived from flame in any way - or if it is, the fact appears to be purely coincidental.
Which doesn't mean that the author necessarily didn't intend a parallelism between the references in this case, however.
- classicdrogn - 06-18-2014
His name means "Flame-like" or "fire (male suffix.)" Even if they're not directly related there's still an etymological link there.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
- kestrel404 - 06-18-2014
Jim Butcher also plays this game. He's just more subtle about it.
"Not this again!" Minerva said. "Albus, it was You-Know-Who, not you, who marked Harry as his equal. There is no possible way that the prophecy could be talking about you!" - Harry Potter and the Method of Rationality, Chapter 84