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And the prince that lacks this skill lacks the essential which it

is desirable that a captain should possess, for it teaches him to

surprise his enemy, to select quarters, to lead armies, to array

the battle, to besiege towns to advantage.

Philopoemen,[1] Prince of the Achaeans, among other praises which

writers have bestowed on him, is commended because in time of

peace he never had anything in his mind but the rules of war; and

when he was in the country with friends, he often stopped and

reasoned with them: "If the enemy should be upon that hill, and

we should find ourselves here with our army, with whom would be

the advantage? How should one best advance to meet him, keeping

the ranks? If we should wish to retreat, how ought we to pursue?"

And he would set forth to them, as he went, all the chances that

could befall an army; he would listen to their opinion and state

his, confirming it with reasons, so that by these continual

discussions there could never arise, in time of war, any

unexpected circumstances that he could not deal with.