"Just stop fighting, IDIOT"

Explanation: In the Second Punic War, despite horrific losses in the first few years against the Carthaginian (’Punic’) military genius Hannibal Barca, the Roman Republic would endure and continue fighting for another decade-and-a-half.

One contributing factor to this endurance was the Roman politician and military commander Quintus Fabius Maximus ‘Verrucosus’ (’Warty’, for a wart on his upper lip). He was appointed dictator after several such defeats by Hannibal, most notably the Battle of Cannae, and implemented a radical new strategy - don’t fucking fight Hannibal.

By denying Hannibal the opportunity to choose the time and place of conflict, and offering battle only on favorable terms, horrific Roman losses were stemmed, and what battles were fought from that point on were generally manageable losses, draws, or victories. The Roman people, however, craved a stunning victory to REDEEM ROMAN HONOR from their prior defeats, and would denigrate Fabius, calling him ‘Cunctator’ (’Delayer’) instead of ‘Dictator’ (’Speaker’).

… after a few more humiliating defeats from countermanding Fabius’s orders to not chase after Hannibal and fight him in uncertain conditions, the Roman people reconciled themselves to Fabius’s wisdom, and by the end of the war, reversing the disdain in the once-mocking epithet of ‘Cunctator’, it was said that “One man, by delaying, has saved the Republic.” Rome, in no small part due to Fabius’s strategic thinking, would win the Second Punic War.

Explanation: In the Second Punic War, despite horrific losses in the first few years against the Carthaginian (’Punic’) military genius Hannibal Barca, the Roman Republic would endure and continue fighting for another decade-and-a-half.

One contributing factor to this endurance was the Roman politician and military commander Quintus Fabius Maximus ‘Verrucosus’ (’Warty’, for a wart on his upper lip). He was appointed dictator after several such defeats by Hannibal, most notably the Battle of Cannae, and implemented a radical new strategy - don’t fucking fight Hannibal.

By denying Hannibal the opportunity to choose the time and place of conflict, and offering battle only on favorable terms, horrific Roman losses were stemmed, and what battles were fought from that point on were generally manageable losses, draws, or victories. The Roman people, however, craved a stunning victory to REDEEM ROMAN HONOR from their prior defeats, and would denigrate Fabius, calling him ‘Cunctator’ (’Delayer’) instead of ‘Dictator’ (’Speaker’).

… after a few more humiliating defeats from countermanding Fabius’s orders to not chase after Hannibal and fight him in uncertain conditions, the Roman people reconciled themselves to Fabius’s wisdom, and by the end of the war, reversing the disdain in the once-mocking epithet of ‘Cunctator’, it was said that “One man, by delaying, has saved the Republic.” Rome, in no small part due to Fabius’s strategic thinking, would win the Second Punic War.