You are close. It was Pyrrhus, King of Epirus who is said to have made a statement along these lines.
From About.com: In 281 B.C., King Pyrrhus of Epirus (c. 318 - 272) landed on the southern Italian shore with 20 elephants and 25,000-30,000 men to defend his fellow Greek speakers (in Tarentum of Magna Graecia) against Roman domination. While Pyrrhus won the first two battles, he lost a large number of his men (and ultimately, the war).
The term Pyrrhic Victory comes from these devastating battles.
A fellow history buff!
I’ve always believed history moves in a cycle and in a general way often repeats itself.
So I think my remark is right on the money - Obama has managed to ram home the Leftist dream agenda and won a great victory. However, he has set motion forces that are determined not only reverse his hard won triumphs, but also prepared to take the meat ax and cut federal programs going back to FDR.
American Free Republicans have always reminded me of Roman Republicans who were defeated in many a hard fought battle, but kept coming back again and again at their opponents until the enemy was defeated.