by Onasander
The Dual Text
Another great admirer of Onasander’s work, Maurice (1521-1553) was Duke (1541–47) and later Elector (1547–53) of Saxony. His intelligent manipulation of alliances and disputes gained the Albertine branch of the Wettin dynasty extensive lands and the electoral dignity.
Dual Greek and English Text
Translated by The Illinois Greek Club, 1923
In this section, readers can view a section by section text of Onasander’s work, alternating between the original Greek and the English translation.
CONTENTS
PROOEMIUM
I. Περὶ αἱρέσεως στρατηγοῦ
II. Περὶ ἀγαθοῦ στρατηγοῦ διαίρεσις
III. Περὶ τοῦ ἔχειν τὸν στρατηγὸν βουλευτάς
IV. Περὶ τοῦ ὅτι δεῖ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ πολέμου ἐξ εὐλόγου αἰτίας ἐπάγειν
V. Περὶ τοῦ ἐξιλεοῦσθαι πρῶτον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὸ θεῖον ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐξάγων εἰς πόλεμον
VI. Περὶ τοῦ ἄγειν ἐν τάξει τὸ στρατόπεδον
VII. Περὶ τοῦ ὅταν διὰ στενῶν μέλλῃ τὸ στρατόπεδον ἄγειν
VIII. Περὶ τοῦ ποιεῖν χάρακα
IX. Περὶ τοῦ συνεχῶς ὑπαλλάσσειν τὰ ἄπληκτα
X. α´. Περὶ τοῦ δεῖν γυμνάζειν τὸν στρατὸν ἀδείας οὔσης
XI. α´. Περὶ τοῦ ὅτι δεῖ τῶν πολεμίων σχηματιζομένων φεύγειν μὴ ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἔχεσθαι τῆς διώξεως
XΙ
I. Περὶ ἀριστοποιΐας
XIII. Περὶ τοῦ εἶναι τὸν στρατηγὸν εὔθυμον ἐν ταῖς δυσπραγίαις
XIV. α´. Πότε δεῖ φόβον ἐμβάλλειν τῷ στρατεύματι τῷ ἰδίῳ τὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων
XV. Ὅτι διαφοραὶ πολλαὶ τῶν τάξεων
XVI. Ὅτι πρὸς τὸ ἀντιπόλεμον καὶ τὸ ἴδιον συντάξει
XVII. Ὅτι τοὺς ψιλοὺς ἀκοντιστὰς καὶ τοξότας καὶ σφενδονιστὰς πρώτους στήσει τῆς φάλαγγος
XVIII. Περὶ τοῦ ἐν τοῖς τραχέσι τόποις τάττειν τοὺς ψιλούς
XIX. Περὶ τοῦ χωρία ἔχειν τὰς παρατάξεις δι’ ὧν ὀφείλουσιν οἱ ψιλοὶ ἐντὸς τῶν κοντῶν εἰσερχόμενοι ὑποστέλλεσθαι
XX. Ὅπως δεῖ, ἐὰν ἀπορῇ ψιλῆς συμμαχίας ὁ στρατηγός, οἱ δὲ πολέμιοι εὐπορῶσιν, ἐπιφέρεσθαι αὐτοῖς
XXI. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἰς πολὺ μῆκος ἐκτείνειν τὴν φάλαγγα τὰς κυκλώσεις τῶν ἐναντίων φοβουμένους
XXII. Περὶ τοῦ ἔχειν κεχωρισμένους ἐπιλέκτους εἰς βοήθειαν τῶν καταπονουμένων. περὶ τοῦ ἔχειν ἐγκρύμματα
XXIII. Περὶ τοῦ ἐν τῶν καιρῷ αὐτῷ τῆς μάχης ἐκφωνεῖν χαρμόσυνα τοῖς ὑπηκόοις· εἰ καὶ ψευδῆ, ὅμως συμφέρει
XXIV. Περὶ τοῦ οἰκείους πρὸς οἰκείους καὶ γνωρίμους πρὸς γνωρίμους τάττειν
XXV. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ δι’ ἑαυτοῦ διδόναι τὸν στρατηγὸν τὰ σημεῖα εἴτε τῆς συμβολῆς εἴτε ἄλλης τινὸς πράξεως, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν ἡγεμόνων
XXVI. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ μόνον συνθήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρασυνθήματα διδόναι
XXVII. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ λύειν τὰς τάξεις μήτε ἐν ταῖς διατάξεσι μήτε ἐν ταῖς ὑποχωρήσεσι
XXVIII. Περὶ τοῦ δι’ ἐπιμελείας ἔχειν τὸν στρατηγὸν λαμπρὸν ἐκτάττειν τὸ στράτευμα
XXIX. Περὶ τοῦ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς συμβολῆς ἀλαλάζειν
XXX. Ὅτι δεῖ τὸν στρατηγὸν πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου συλλογίζεσθαι, τίς ὀφείλει ὑπαντῆσαι κατὰ τὴν συμβολὴν τῷ δεῖνι καὶ τίς τῷ ἄλλῳ καὶ οὕτως καθεξῆς ἐξετάζειν τοὺς ἰδίους ἄρχοντας πρὸς τοὺς τῶν ἐναντίων
XXXI. Περὶ τοῦ, ἐὰν οἱ ἐναντίοι προτερεύωσι τῷ ἱππικῷ, ἐκλέγεσθαι στενοὺς τόπους
XXXII. Περὶ τοῦ μηδὲν παρακεκινδυνευμένον ποιεῖν τὸν στρατηγὸν
XXXIII. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ τὸν στρατηγὸν αὐτοχειρὶ πολεμεῖν
XXXIV. Περὶ τοῦ εὐεργετεῖν κατὰ τὸ μέτρον ἕνα ἕκαστον τῶν ἀνδραγαθούντων
XXXV. α´. Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ πάντοτε ἐπιτρέπειν τὰς ἁρπαγάς, καὶ ὅτι τὰ σώματα οὐ χρὴ ἁρπάζειν, ἀλλὰ τὸν στρατηγὸν πιπράσκειν
XXXVI. α´. Περὶ τοῦ θάπτειν τοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ ἀναιρουμένους
XXXVII. Περὶ τοῦ ἐν καιρῷ εἰρήνης μὴ ἀφυλάκτως εἶναι
XXXVIII. α´. Περὶ τοῦ τὰς προσαγόμενος πόλεις ἐν ἀδείᾳ ἔχειν καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ
XXXIX. α´. Περὶ τοῦ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἐν γνώσει εἶναι τῆς τῶν ἄστρων κινήσεως
XL. Περὶ πολιορκίας
XLI. Περὶ τοῦ ἔχειν ἐνέδρας τὸν πολιορκοῦντα πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν
XLII. α´. Περὶ τοῦ ὅτι ὁ φόβος ψευδὴς μάντις ἐστίν
PROOEMIUM
[1] Ἱππικῶν μὲν λόγων ἢ κυνηγετικῶν ἢ ἁλιευτικῶν τε αὖ καὶ γεωργικῶν συνταγμάτων προσφώνησιν ἡγοῦμαι πρέπειν ἀνθρώποις, οἷς πόθος ἔχεσθαι τοιῶνδε ἔργων, στρατηγικῆς δὲ περὶ θεωρίας, ὦ Κόϊντε Οὐηράνιε, Ῥωμαίοις καὶ μάλιστα Ῥωμαίων τοῖς τὴν συγκλητικὴν ἀριστοκρατίαν λελογχόσι καὶ κατὰ τὴν Σεβαστοῦ Καίσαρος ἐπιφροσύνην ταῖς τε ὑπάτοις καὶ στρατηγικαῖς ἐξουσίαις κοσμουμένοις διά τε παιδείαν, ἧς οὐκ ἐπ’ ὀλίγον ἔχουσιν ἐμπειρίαν, καὶ προγόνων ἀξίωσιν.
[1] It is fitting, I believe, to dedicate monographs on horsemanship, or hunting, or fishing, or farming, to men who are devoted to such pursuits, but a treatise on military science, Quintus Veranius, should be dedicated to Romans, and especially to those of the Romans who have attained senatorial dignity, and who through the wisdom of Augustus Caesar have been raised to the power of consul or general, both by reason of their military training (in which they have had no brief experience) and because of the distinction of their ancestors.
[2] ἀνέθηκα δὲ πρώτοις σφίσι τόνδε τὸν λόγον οὐχ ὡς ἀπείροις στρατηγίας, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα τῇδε θαρρήσας, ᾗ τὸ μὲν ἀμαθὲς τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὸ παρ’ ἄλλῳ κατορθούμενον ἠγνόησεν, τὸ δὲ ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ τῷ καλῶς �
�χοντι προσεμαρτύρησεν.
[2] I have dedicated this treatise primarily to them, not as to men unskilled in generalship, but with especial confidence in this fact, that the ignorant soul is unaware even of that in which another is successful, but knowledge bears additional witness to that which is well done.
[3] ὅθεν, εἰ καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς φανείη νενοημένα τὰ παρ’ ἐμοῦ συντεταγμένα, καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἂν ἡσθείην, ὅτι μὴ μόνον στρατηγικὰς συνεταξάμην ὑφηγήσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατηγικῆς ἐστοχασάμην καὶ τῆς ἐν αὐτοῖς φρονήσεως, εὐτυχοίην τ’ ἄν, εἰ, ἃ δὴ Ῥωμαίοις δυνάμει καὶ δι’ ἔργων πέπρακται, ταῦτ’ ἐγὼ λόγῳ περιλαβεῖν ἱκανὸς εἶναι παρὰ τοιούτοις ἀνδράσι δοκιμασθείην.
[3] For this reason, if what I have composed would seem to have been already devised by many others, even then I should be pleased, because I have not only compiled precepts of generalship, but have also endeavoured to get at the art of the general and the wisdom that inheres in the precepts. I should be fortunate if I should be considered capable, before such men, of making a summary sketch of what the Romans have already accomplished by their mighty deeds.
[4] Τὸ δὲ σύνταγμα θαρροῦντί μοι λοιπὸν εἰπεῖν ὡς στρατηγῶν τε ἀγαθῶν ἄσκησις ἔσται παλαιῶν τε ἡγεμόνων κατὰ τὴν σεβαστὴν εἰρήνην ἀνάθημα, εἰσόμεθά τε καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ἄλλο, παρ’ ἦν αἰτίαν οἵ τε πταίσαντες ἐσφάλησαν τῶν στρατηγησάντων, οἵ τε εὐπραγήσαντες ἐγέρθησαν εἰς δόξαν· μάλιστα δὲ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀρετὴν ἐννοήσομεν, ὡς οὔτε βασιλεὺς οὔτε πόλις οὔτε ἔθνος μεῖζον ἡγεμονίας ἐκρατύνατο μέγεθος, ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ εἰς ἴσον ἤλασεν, ὥστε τοσούτοις βεβαιώσασθαι χρόνοις ἀκίνητον δυναστείαν.
[4] It remains for me to say with good courage of my work, that it will be a school for good generals, and an object of delight for retired commanders in these times of holy peace; and we shall know, if nothing else, for what reason some generals have stumbled and fallen, but others have prospered and been raised to fame; and we shall consider above all the valour of the Romans, how that neither king, nor state, nor nation has held a greater position of leadership, nor even equalled them in the establishment of a dominion, unshaken through so many years.
[5] οὐ γὰρ τύχῃ μοι δοκοῦσιν ὑπεράραντες τοὺς τῆς Ἰταλίας ὄρους ἐπὶ πέρατα γῆς ἐκτεῖναι τὴν σφετέραν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ πράξεσι στρατηγικαῖς. συνεπιλαμβάνεσθαι μὲν γὰρ εὔχεσθαι δεῖ καὶ τὴν τύχην, οὐ μὴν τὸ παράπαν οἴεσθαι ταύτην κρατεῖν.
[5] For it is not by chance, as it seems to me, that they have overrun the boundaries of Italy and extended their sway to the limits of the earth, but by deeds of generalship. For it is necessary to pray to Fortune to do its share, but not to consider that Fortune has entire control.
[6] ἀλλ’ ἀνόητοι οἱ καὶ τὰ σφάλματα τῆς τύχης ἐγκλήματα μόνης ποιούμενοι, οὐ τῆς τῶν στρατηγούντων ἀμελείας, καὶ τὰ κατορθώματα ταύτης, οὐ τῆς ἐμπειρίας τῶν ἡγουμένων· οὔτε γὰρ ἐπιεικὲς ἀνεπιτίμητον οὕτως ἀπολιπεῖν τὸν πταίοντα τοῖς ὅλοις, ὡς πάντων αἰτιᾶσθαι τὴν τύχην, οὔτε δίκαιον ἀμάρτυρον ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐπαίνου τὸν κατορθοῦντα περιορᾶν, ἐφ’ ὅσον ἁπάντων ἀνατιθέναι τῇ τύχῃ τὴν χάριν.
[6] Stupid are those who make disasters chargeable to Fortune alone, rather than to the negligence of commanders, as well as those who attribute successes to her, and not to the skill of the generals. It is neither reasonable simply to dismiss without punishment a general who has met with complete disaster, on the ground that Fortune is responsible for all things, nor is it just to leave the successful general so far without recognition that gratitude for everything is offered to Fortune.
[7] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ φύσει πάντες ἄνθρωποι τοῖς μὲν δι’ ἐμπειρίας συντετάχθαι δοκοῦσι, κἂν ἀσθενῶς ἀπαγγέλληται, τὸ πιστὸν εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἀπονέμουσιν, τοῖς δὲ ἀπείροις, κἂν ᾖ δυνατὰ πραχθῆναι, διὰ τὸ ἀδοκίμαστον ἀπιστοῦσιν, ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ στρατηγημάτων ἠθροισμένων τοσοῦτο προειπεῖν, ὅτι πάντα διὰ πείρας ἔργων ἐλήλυθεν καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνδρῶν τοιούτων, ὧν ἀπόγονον ὑπάρχει Ῥωμαίων ἅπαν τὸ γένει καὶ ἀρετῇ μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο πρωτεῦον.
[7] Now since all men naturally give credit for truthfulness to those who appear to write with professional experience, even though their style be feeble, while for inexperienced writers, even though their teachings are practicable, they feel distrust on account of their lack of reputation, I consider it necessary to say in advance, about the military principles collected in this book, that they have all been derived from experience of actual deeds, and, in fact, of exploits performed by those men from whom has been derived the whole primacy of the Romans, in race and valour, down to the present time.
[8] οὐθὲν γὰρ ἐσχεδιασμένον ἀπολέμῳ καὶ νεωτέρᾳ γνώμῃ τόδε περιέχει τὸ σύνταγμα, ἀλλὰ πάντα διὰ πράξεων καὶ ἀληθινῶν ἀγώνων κεχωρηκότα μάλιστα μὲν Ῥωμαίοις· ἅ τε γὰρ ποιήσαντες ἐφυλάξαντο παθεῖν καὶ δι’ ὧν ἐμηχανήσαντο δρᾶσαι, πάντα μοι συνείλεκται.
[8] For this treatise presents no impromptu invention of an unwarlike and youthful mind, but all the principles are taken from authentic exploits and battles, especially of the Romans. For the expedients they used in order to avoid suffering harm, and the means by which they contrived to inflict it, all this I have collected.
[9] καίτοι οὐκ ἠγνόηκα, ὅτι μᾶλλον ἄν τις εἵλετο πάνθ’ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἀγχινοίας τὰ στρατηγήματα δοκεῖν εἶναι, πλείονα θηρώμενος ἔπαινον τῶν πιστευσάντων, ἢ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀλλοτρίας ἐπινοίας· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτ’ ἐλαττοῦσθαι δοκῶ.
[9] Nor have I failed to perceive that a writer, seeking greater praise from credulous readers, would prefer to have it appear that the source of all the military stratagems he described was himself and his own shrewdness rather than the sagacity of others. But I do not think that the latter diminishes one’s glory.
[10] καθάπερ γάρ, εἴ τις ἐν πολέμοις αὐτὸς στρατευσάμενος συνετάξατο τοιόνδε λόγον, οὐκ ἂν παρὰ τοῦτο ἥττονος ἠξιοῦντο μαρτυρίας, ὅτι μὴ μόνον φυσικῆς ἀγχινοίας ἰδίαν εὕρεσιν εἰσηνέγκατο στρατηγημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ δι’ ἄλλων εὖ πραχθέντα μνήμῃ παραθέμενος εἰς σύνταξιν ἤγαγεν, οὕτως οὐδ’ ἐμαυτὸν οἴομαι τοὔλαττον ἐπαινῶν οἴσεσθαι παρὰ τοῦθ’, ὅτι μὴ
πάντα τῆς ἐμῆς ὁμολογῶ συνέσεως εἶναι, τοὐναντίον δὲ προείληφα τόν τ’ ἔπαινον ἀνεπίφθονον ἕξειν καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀσυκοφάντητον.
[10] For if a general after experience in the field had composed such a work, it would not be considered of less value because he introduced and commemorated in his work, not only the personal discoveries of his native wit, but also the brilliant deeds of other generals; in the same way I do not consider that I myself shall win less praise, because I admit that not everything I write springs from my own intelligence. On the contrary, I have chosen the opposite course, that I may have praise without reproach and trust without slander.
I. Περὶ αἱρέσεως στρατηγοῦ
I. THE CHOICE OF A GENERAL
[1] Φημὶ τοίνυν αἱρεῖσθαι τὸν στρατηγὸν οὐ κατὰ γένη κρίνοντας, ὥσπερ τοὺς ἱερέας, οὐδὲ κατ’ οὐσίας, ὡς τοὺς γυμνασιάρχους, ἀλλὰ σώφρονα, ἐγκρατῆ, νήπτην, λιτόν, διάπονον, νοερόν, ἀφιλάργυρον, μήτε νέον μήτε πρεσβύτερον, ἂν τύχῃ καὶ πατέρα παίδων, ἱκανὸν λέγειν, ἔνδοξον.
[1] I believe, then, that we must choose a general, not because of noble birth as priests are chosen, nor because of wealth as the superintendents of the gymnasia, but because he is temperate, self-restrained, vigilant, frugal, hardened to labour, alert, free from avarice, neither too young nor too old, indeed a father of children if possible, a ready speaker, and a man with a good reputation.
[2] [α´] σώφρονα μέν, ἵνα μὴ ταῖς φυσικαῖς ἀνθελκόμενος ἡδοναῖς ἀπολείπῃ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγίστων φροντίδα.