Complete Works of Frontinus

by Frontinus

  [4] L. Cornelius Rufinus consul complura Sardiniae cepit oppida, dum firmissimas partes copiarum noctu exponit, quibus praecipiebat, delitiscerent opperirenturque tempus, quo ipse naves appelleret. Occurrentibus deinde adventanti hostibus et ab ipso per simulationem fugae longius ad persequendum avocatis, illi in relictas ab his urbes impetum fecerunt.

  [4] The consul Lucius Cornelius Rufinus captured numerous towns in Sardinia by landing powerful detachments of troops at night, with instructions to remain in hiding and to wait till he himself drew near to land with his ships. Then as the enemy came to meet him at his approach, he led them a long chase by pretending to flee, while his other troops attacked the cities thus abandoned by their inhabitants.

  [5] Pericles, dux Atheniensium, cum oppugnaret quandam civitatem magno consensu defendentium tutam, nocte ab ea parte murorum, quae mari adiacebat, classicum cani clamoremque tolli iussit. Hostes penetratum illic in oppidum rati reliquerunt portas, per quas Pericles destitutas praesidio irrupit.

  [5] Pericles, the Athenian general, was once besieging a city which was protected by very determined defenders. At night he ordered the trumpet to be sounded and a loud outcry to be raised at a quarter of the walls adjacent to the sea. The enemy, thinking that the town had been entered at that point, abandoned the gates, whereupon, as soon as these were left without defence, Pericles burst into the town.

  [6] Alcibiades, dux Atheniensium, Cyzicum oppugnandae eius causa nocte improvisus accessit et ex diversa parte moenium cornicines canere iussit. Sufficere propugnatores murorum poterant. Ad id latus, a quo solo se temptari putabant, cum confluerent, qua non obsistebatur, muros transcendit.

  [6] Alcibiades, the Athenian general, planning to assault Cyzicus, approached the town unexpectedly at night, and commanded his trumpeters to sound their instruments at a different part of the fortifications. The defenders of the walls were ample, but since they all flocked to the side where alone they imagined themselves to be attacked, Alcibiades succeeded in scaling the walls at the point where there was no resistance.

  [7] Thrasybulus, dux Milesiorum, ut portum Sicyoniorum occuparet, a terra subinde oppidanos temptavit et illo, quo lacessebantur, conversis hostibus classe inexspectata portum cepit.

  [7] Thrasybulus, general of the Milesians, in his efforts to seize the harbour of the Sicyonians, made repeated attacks upon the inhabitants from the land side. Then, when the enemy directed their attention to the point where they were attacked, he suddenly seized the harbour with his fleet.

  [8] Philippus in obsidione cuiusdam maritimae urbis binas naves procul a conspectu contabulavit superstruxitque eis turres; aliis deinde turribus adortus a terra, dum urbis propugnatores distringit, turritas naves a mari applicuit et, qua non resistebatur, subiit muros.

  [8] Philip, while besieging a certain coast town, secretly lashed ships together in pairs, with a common deck over all, and erected towers on them. Then launching an attack with other towers by land, he distracted the attention of the defenders of the city, till he brought up by sea the ships provided with towers, and advanced against the walls at the point where no resistance was offered.

  [9] Pericles Peloponnesiorum castellum oppugnaturus, in quod duo omnino erant accessus, alterum fossa interclusit, alterum munire instituit. Castellani securiores ab altera parte facti eam solam, quam muniri videbant, custodire coeperunt. Pericles praeparatis pontibus iniectisque super fossam, qua non cavebatur, subiit castellum.

  [9] Pericles, when about to lay siege to a fortress of the Peloponnesians to which there were only two avenues of approach, cut off one of these by a trench and began to fortify the other. The defenders of the fortress, thrown off their guard at one point, began to watch only the other where they saw the building going on. But Pericles, having prepared bridges, laid them across the trench and entered the fortress at the point where no guard was kept.

  [10] Antiochus adversus Ephesios Rhodiis, quos in auxilio habebat, praecepit, ut nocte portum cum magno strepitu invaderent; ad quam partem omni multitudine cum tumultu decurrente, nudatis defensore reliquis munitionibus, ipse a diverso adgressus civitatem cepit.

  [10] Antiochus, when fighting against the Ephesians, directed the Rhodians, whom he had as allies, to make an attack on the harbour at night with a great uproar. When the entire population rushed headlong to this quarter, leaving the rest of the fortress without defenders, Antiochus attacked at a different quarter and captured the town.

  X. De Disponendis Insidiis, in quas Eliciantur Obsessi

  X. On Setting Traps to Draw out the Besieged

  [1] Cato in conspectu Lacetanorum, quos obsidebat, reliquis suorum summotis, Suessetanos quosdam ex auxiliaribus maxime imbelles adgredi moenia iussit; hos cum facta eruptione Lacetani facile avertissent et fugientes avide insecuti essent, illis quos occultaverat coortis oppidum cepit.

  [1] When Cato was besieging the Lacetani, he sent away in full view of the enemy all his other troops, while ordering certain Suessetani, who were the least martial of his allies, to attack the walls of the town. When the Lacetani, making a sortie, easily repulsed these forces and pursued them eagerly as they fled, the soldiers whom Cato had placed in hiding rose up and by their help he captured the town.

  [2] L. Scipio in Sardinia, cuiusdam civitatis parte militum relicta oppugnatione quam instruxerat, speciem fugientis praestitit; insecutisque temere oppidanis per eos, quos in proximo occultaverat, oppidum invasit.

  [2] When campaigning in Sardinia, Lucius Scipio, in order to draw out the defenders of a certain city, abandoned the siege which he had begun, and pretended to flee with a detachment of his troops. Then, when the inhabitants followed him pell-mell, he attacked the town with the help of those whom he had placed in hiding near at hand.

  [3] Hannibal, cum obsideret civitatem Himeram, castra sua capi de industria passus est, iussis recedere Poenis, tamquam praevaleret hostis; quo eventu Himeraeis ita deceptis, ut gaudio impulsi relicta urbe procurrerent ad Punicum vallum, Hannibal vacuam urbem per eos, quos in insidiis ad hanc ipsam occasionem posuerat, cepit.

  [3] When Hannibal was besieging the city of Himera, he purposely allowed his camp to be captured, ordering the Carthaginians to retire, on the ground that the enemy were superior. The inhabitants were so deceived by this turn of affairs that in their joy they came out of the city and advanced against the Carthaginian breast-works, whereupon Hannibal, finding the town vacant, captured it by means of the troops whom he had placed in ambush for this very contingency.

  [4] Idem, ut Saguntinos eliceret, rara acie ad muros accedens ad primam eruptionem oppidanorum simulata fuga cessit interpositoque exercitu ab oppido interclusos a suis hostes in medio trucidavit.

  [4] In order to draw out the Saguntines, Hannibal on a certain occasion advanced against their walls with a thin line of troops. Then, at the first sally of the inhabitants, feigning flight, he withdrew, and interposing troops between the pursuing foe and the city, he slaughtered the enemy thus cut off from their fellows between the two forces.

  [5] Himilco Carthaginiensis apud Agrigentum iuxta oppidum partem copiarum in insidiis posuit praecepitque his, ut, cum processissent oppidani, ligna umida incenderent. Deinde cum reliqua parte exercitus luce ad eliciendos hostes progressus simulata fuga persequentis oppidanos longius cedendo protraxit. Insidiatores prope moenia imperatum ignem acervis subiecerunt; unde obortum contemplati fumum Agrigentini incensam civitatem suam existimaverunt, defendendaeque eius gratia dum trepide recurrunt, obviis eis qui insidiati iuxta muros erant et a tergo instantibus quos persecuti fuerant, in medio trucidati sunt.

  [5] Himilco, the Carthaginian, when campaigning near Agrigentum, placed part of his forces in ambush near the town, and directed them to set fire to some damp wood as soon as the soldiers from the town should come forth. Then, advancing at daybreak with the rest of his army for the purpose of luring forth the enemy, he feigned flight and drew the inhabitants after him for a considerable distance by his retirement. The men in ambush near the walls applied the torch to the wood-piles
as directed. The Agrigentines, beholding the smoke ascend, thought their city on fire and ran back in alarm to protect it. Being encountered by those lying in wait for them near the walls, and beset in the rear by those whom they had just been pursuing, they were caught between two forces and so cut to pieces.

  [6] Viriathus disposito per occulta milite paucos misit, qui abigerent pecora Segobrigensium; ad quae illi vindicanda cum frequentes procurrissent simulantesque fugam praedatores persequerentur, deducti in insidias caesique sunt.

  [6] Viriathus, on one occasion, having placed men in ambush, sent a few others to drive off the flocks of the Segobrigenses. When the latter rushed out in great numbers to defend their flocks and followed up the marauders, who pretended to flee, they were drawn into an ambush and cut to pieces.

  [7] Scordisci equites, cum Heracleae diversarum partium praesidio praepositus esset Lucullus, pecora abigere simulantes provocaverunt eruptionem; fugam deinde mentiti sequentem Lucullum in insidias deduxerunt et octingentos cum eo milites occiderunt.

  [7] When Lucullus was put in charge of a garrison of two cohorts at Heraclea, the cavalry of the Scordisci, by pretending to drive off the flocks of the inhabitants, provoked a sortie. Then, when Lucullus followed, they drew him into an ambush, feigning flight, and killed him together with eight hundred of his followers.

  [8] Chares, dux Atheniensium, civitatem adgressurus litori appositam, post quaedam promunturia occulte habita classe, e navibus velocissimam praeter hostilia praesidia ire iussit; qua visa cum omnia navigia, quae pro custodia portus agebant, ad persequendam evolassent, Chares indefensum portum cum reliqua classe invectus etiam civitatem occupavit.

  [8] The Athenian general, Chares, when about to attack a city on the coast, hid his fleet behind certain promontories and then ordered his swiftest ship to sail past the forces of the enemy. At sight of this ship, all the forces guarding the harbour darted out in pursuit, whereat Chares sailed in with the rest of his fleet and took possession of the undefended harbour and likewise of the city itself.

  [9] Barca, dux Poenorum, in Sicilia Lilybaeum nostris terra marique obsidentibus partem classis suae procul armatam iussit ostendi; ad eius conspectum cum evolassent nostri, ipse reliquis quas in occulto tenuerat navibus Lilybaei portum occupavit.

  [9] On one occasion when Roman troops were blockading Lilybaeum by land and sea, Barca, general of the Carthaginians in Sicily, ordered a part of his fleet to appear in the offing ready for action. When our men darted out at the sight of this, Barca seized the harbour of Lilybaeum with the ships which he had held in hiding.

  XI. De Simulatione Regressus

  XI. On Pretended Retirements

  [1] Phormion, dux Atheniensium, cum depopulatus esset agros Chalcidensium, legatis eorum de ea re querentibus benigne respondit et nocte, qua dimissurus illos erat, finxit litteras sibi supervenisse civium suorum, propter quas redeundum haberet. Ac paulum regressus dimisit legatos. His omnia tuta et abisse Phormionem renuntiantibus, Chalcidenses spe et oblatae humanitatis et abducti exercitus remissa urbis custodia, cum confestim Phormion revertisset, prohibere inexspectatam vim non potuerunt.

  [1] When the Athenian general Phormio had ravaged the lands of the Chalcidians, and their envoys complained of this action, he answered them graciously, and at evening, when he was about to dismiss them, pretended that a letter had come from his fellow-citizens requiring his return. Accordingly he retired a short distance and dismissed the envoys. When these reported that all was safe and that Phormio had withdrawn, the Chalcidians in view of the promised consideration and of the withdrawal of the troops, relaxed the guard of their town. Than Phormio suddenly returned and the Chalcidians were unable to withstand his unexpected attack.

  [2] Agesilaus, dux Lacedaemoniorum, cum Phocaeenses obsideret et intellexisset eos, qui tunc praesidio illis erant, iam gravari belli incommoda, paulum regressus tamquam ad alios actus liberam recendendi occasionem his dedit; non multo post milite reducto destitutos Phocaeenses superavit.

  [2] When the Spartan commander, Agesilaus, was blockading the Phocaeans and had learned that those who were then lending them support were weary with the burdens of war, he retired a short distance as though for other objects, thus leaving the allies free opportunity to withdraw. Not long after, bringing back his troops, he defeated the Phocaeans thus left without assistance.

  [3] Alcibiades adversus Byzantios, qui se moenibus continebant, insidias disposuit et simulato regressu incautos eos oppressit.

  [3] When fighting against the Byzantines, who kept within their walls, Alcibiades laid an ambush and, feigning a retirement, took them off their guard and crushed them.

  [4] Viriathus, cum tridui iter discedens confecisset, idem illud uno die remensus securos Segobrigenses et sacrificio cum maxime occupatos oppressit.

  [4] Viriathus, after retreating for three days, suddenly turned round and traversed the same distance in one day. He thus crushed the Segobrigenses, taking them off their guard at a moment when they were earnestly engaged in sacrifice.

  [5] Epaminondas Mantineae, cum Lacedaemonios in subsidium hosti venisse animadverteret, ratus posse Lacedaemonem occupari, si clam illo profectus esset, nocte crebros ignes fieri iussit, ut specie remanendi occultaret profectionem. Sed a transfuga proditus, assecuto exercitu Lacedaemoniorum, itinere quidem, quo Spartam petebat, destitit, idem tamen consilium convertit ad Mantinienses; aeque enim ignibus factis Lacedaemonios, quasi maneret, frustratus per quadraginta milia passuum revertit Mantiniam eamque auxilio destitutam occupavit. Ex Contrario circa Tutelam Obsessorum

  [5] In the operations around Mantinea, Epaminondas, having noticed that the Spartans had come to help his enemies, conceived the idea that Sparta might be captured, if he should set out against it secretly. Accordingly he ordered numerous watch-fires to be built at night, that, by appearing to remain, he might conceal his departure. But betrayed by a deserter and pursued by the Lacedaemonian troops, he abandoned his march to Sparta, and employed the same scheme against the Mantineans; for by building watch-fires as before, he deceived the Spartans into thinking that he would remain. Meanwhile, returning to Mantinea by a march of •forty miles, he found it without defences and captured it.

  On the other hand, Stratagems Connected with the Protection of the Besieged

  XII. De Excitanda Cura Suorum

  XII. On Stimulating the Vigilance of One’s Own Troops

  [1] Alcibiades, dux Atheniensium, civitate sua a Lacedaemoniis obsessa, veritus neglegentiam vigilum denuntiavit his qui in stationibus erant, observarent lumen, quod nocte ostenturus esset ex arce, et ad conspectum eius ipsi quoque lumina attollerent; in quo munere qui cessasset, poenam passurum. Dum sollicite exspectatur signum ducis, pervigilatum ab omnibus et suspectae noctis periculum evitatum est.

  [1] Alcibiades, the Athenian commander, when his own city was blockaded by the Spartans, fearing negligence on the part of the guards, ordered the men on picket-duty to watch for the light which he should exhibit from the citadel at night, and to raise their own lights at sight of it, threatening that whoever failed in this duty should suffer a penalty. While anxiously awaiting the signal of their general, all maintained constant watch, and so escaped the dangers of the perilous night.

  [2] Iphicrates, dux Atheniensium, cum praesidio Corinthum teneret et sub adventum hostium ipse vigilias circumiret, vigilem, quem dormientem invenerat, transfixit cuspide; quod factum quibusdam tamquam saevum increpantibus “qualem inveni”, inquit, “talem reliqui.”

  [2] When Iphicrates, the Athenian general, was holding Corinth with a garrison and on one occasion personally made the rounds of the sentries as the enemy were approaching, he found one of the guards asleep at his post and stabbed him with his spear. When certain ones rebuked this procedure as cruel, he answered: “I left him as I found him.”

  [3] Epaminondas Thebanus idem fecisse dicitur.

  [3] Epaminondas the Theban is said, on one occasion, to have done the same thing.

  XIII. De Emittendo et Recipiendo Nuntio

>   XIII. On Sending and Receiving Messages