In Roman history, Cineas was a minister of Thessaly and friend of King Pyrrhus of Epirus. In the war with Rome, Pyrrhus sent Cineas to Rome to sue for peace. The Roman senate would not agree to cease hostilities. Cineas, however, told Pyrrhus that the Roman senate was an assemblage of venerable kings and that fighting with them was like fighting against the Hydra. Cineas was also a man of great memory. One day after arriving in Rome, he could greet each senator and knight by name.

Source: Lemprière's Dictionary.

See also: Pyrrhic victory