Pagina 19 de 266

15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy.

One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of

one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is

equivalent to twenty from one's own store.

[Because twenty cartloads will be consumed in the process of

transporting one cartload to the front. A picul is a unit of

measure equal to 133.3 pounds (65.5 kilograms).]

16. Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to

anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they

must have their rewards.

[Tu Mu says: "Rewards are necessary in order to make the soldiers

see the advantage of beating the enemy; thus, when you capture

spoils from the enemy, they must be used as rewards, so that all

your men may have a keen desire to fight, each on his own

account."]