by Onasander
[2] First arming the soldiers, he should draw them up in military formation that they may become practised in maintaining their formation; that they may become familiar with the faces and names of one another; that each soldier may learn by whom he stands and where and after how many. In this way, by one sharp command, the whole army will immediately form ranks. Then he should instruct the army in open and close order; in turning to the left and right; the interchange, taking distance, and closing up of files; the division into files; the arrangement and extension of files to form the phalanx; withdrawing of files for greater depth of the phalanx; battle formation facing in two directions, when the rear guard turns to fight an encircling enemy; and he should instruct them thoroughly in the calls for retreat.
[3] Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν μουσικῶν ὀργάνων οἱ μὲν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντες τοῦ μανθάνειν ἐπιτιθέντες τοὺς δακτύλους ἐπί τε τὰ τρήματα τῶν αὐλῶν καὶ διαστήματα τῶν χορδῶν πολλάκις ἄλλον ἔθεσαν ἐπ’ ἄλλην καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἁρμονικὴν διάστασιν, εἶτα μόλις ἐπεκτείναντες βραδὺ μὲν αἴρουσι τοὺς δακτύλους, βραδὺ δὲ τιθέασιν, οἱ δ’ ἐν μελέτῃ τῆς μουσικῆς ἀνεπιτηδεύτως ἤδη ἐρρυθμισμένῃ τῇ χειρὶ δι’ ὀξύτητος μεταφέρουσιν, ὅπῃ τε βούλονται παραθλίψαι τῆς ἀναπνοῆς καὶ ἀνοῖξαι καὶ παραψῆλαι χορδῆς· τοῦτον δήπου τὸν τρόπον οἱ μὲν ἀσυνήθεις καὶ ἀνάσκητοι τῆς τάξεως διὰ ταράχου πολλοῦ μόλις ἀλλήλων διαμαρτάνοντες ἐγκατατάσσονται πολὺν ἀναλίσκοντες χρόνον, οἱ δὲ συγκεκροτημένοι διὰ τάχους, ὡς εἰπεῖν αὐτόματοι, φέρονται πρὸς τὴν τάξιν ἐναρμόνιόν τινα καὶ καλὴν ἐκπληροῦντες ὄψιν.
[3] For just as those who begin to learn to play a musical instrument, in placing their fingers on the stops of the pipe or on the strings of the lyre, often set one finger on one and then another on another, without observing the interval that produces harmony, and then, with great effort, extending their fingers, they lift them slowly and slowly place them again; whereas practised players, no longer giving any evidence of care, with disciplined hand swiftly change from one note to another, lightly checking or opening the flow of air at will or lightly plucking the strings; in just this manner men unpractised and inexperienced in military formations, with great confusion and failure to find one another, will only after loss of much time take their places; but those who are well trained in formations quickly — indeed automatically, so to speak — rush to their stations, presenting a harmonious, I may say, and beautiful sight.
[4] Εἶτα διελὼν τὰ στρατεύματα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀσιδήρῳ μάχῃ συναγέτω νάρθηκας ἢ στύρακας ἀκοντίων ἀναδιδούς, εἰ δέ τινα καὶ βεβωλασμένα πεδία εἴη, βώλους τε κελεύων αἴροντας βάλλειν· ὄντων δὲ καὶ ἱμάντων ταυρείων χρήσθων ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην· δείξας δ’ αὐτοῖς καὶ λόφους ἢ βουνοὺς ἢ ὀρθίους τόπους κελευέτω σὺν δρόμῳ καταλαμβάνεσθαι· ποτὲ δὲ καὶ ἐπιστήσας ἐπὶ αὐτῶν τινας τῶν στρατιωτῶν καὶ ἀναδοὺς ἃ μικρῷ πρόσθεν ἔφην ὅπλα, τούτους ἐκβαλοῦντας ἑτέρους ἐκπεμπέτω· καὶ ἤτοι τοὺς μείναντας ἐπαινείτω καὶ μὴ ἐκπεσόντας ἢ τοὺς ἐκβαλόντας.
[4] Next after dividing the army into two parts he should lead them against each other in a sham battle, armed with staves or the shafts of javelins; if there should be any fields covered with clods, he should command them to throw clods; if they have any leather straps, the soldiers should use them in the battle. Pointing out to the soldiers ridges or hills or steep ascents, he should command them to charge and seize these places; and sometimes arming the soldiers with the weapons I have just mentioned, he should place some on the hilltops and send the others to dislodge them. He should praise those who stand firm without retreating, and those who succeed in dislodging their opponents.
[5] ἐκ γὰρ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀσκήσεως καὶ γυμνασίας ὑγιαίνει μὲν τὸ στράτευμα, πᾶν δ’ ὅ τι οὖν ἥδιον ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, κἂν λιτὸν ᾖ, πολυτελέστερον οὐθὲν ἐπιζητοῦν· ὁ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν πόνων λιμὸς καὶ τὸ δίψος ἱκανὸν ὄψον ἐστὶν καὶ γλυκὺ κρᾶμα, καὶ στερρότερά τε τὰ σώματά σφισι γίγνεται καὶ ἀκμῆτα, καὶ συνεθίζεται τοῖς μέλλουσι δεινοῖς, ἱδρῶτι καὶ πνεύματι καὶ ἄσθματι καὶ θάλπεσιν ἀσκιάστοις καὶ κρυμοῖς ὑπαίθροις ἐγγυμναζόμενα.
[5] For from such exercise and training the army is kept in good health, eating and drinking everything with heartier appetite, even if the fare is plain, desiring nothing more luxurious. For the hunger and thirst derived from toil are a sufficient relish and a sweet draught, and muscles become harder and untiring; and trained by sweating, puffing, and panting, and exposed to summer heat and the bitter cold under the open sky, the soldiers become accustomed to future hardships.
[6] Παραπλησίως δὲ γυμναζέτω καὶ τὸ ἱππικὸν ἁμίλλας ποιούμενος καὶ διώγματα καὶ συμπλοκὰς καὶ ἀκροβολισμοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἐπιπέδοις καὶ περὶ αὐτὰς τὰς ῥίζας τῶν λόφων, ἐφ’ ὅσον δυνατόν ἐστι καὶ τῶν τραχέων ἐπιψαύειν· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε βιάζεσθαι πρὸς ἀνάντη καὶ κατὰ πρανοῦς ἱππάζεσθαι.
[6] In the same way the general should train his cavalry, arranging practice battles, both pursuits and hand-to-hand struggles and skirmishes in the plain and around the base of the hills, as far as it is possible to go in the broken country; for it is not possible to charge uphill nor to ride downhill.
(X.) β´. Περὶ προνομῶν
(2) FORAGING EXPEDITIONS
[7] Σωφρονείτω δὲ περὶ τὰς προνομὰς καὶ μὴ ἐφιέτω ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, ἐπειδὰν εἰς εὐδαίμονα πολεμίων εἰσβάλῃ χώραν, ἀτάκτως φέρεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ὠφελίας· αἱ γὰρ μέγισται συμφοραὶ κἂν τοιοῖσδε γίγνονται· πολλάκις γὰρ ἀτάκτοις καὶ σποράσι περὶ τὴν λείαν σεσοβημένοις ἐπιπεσόντες οἱ πολέμιοι καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀσύντακτον τοῦ πλήθους καὶ διὰ τὸ βαρεῖς εἶναι τοὺς ἀποχωροῦντας ταῖς ὠφελείας οὔτε τοῖς ὅπλοις χρῆσθαι δυναμένους οὔτ’ ἀλλήλοις ἐπικουρῆσαι πολλοὺς διέφθειραν.
[7] The general should be cautious in the matter of foraging expeditions, and not allow troops, when invading a rich hostile country, to search for plunder in an undisciplined manner; for the greatest misfortunes befall men acting in this way, since it has often happened that the enemy, falling on men scattered and without order in their eager search for booty, on account of this lack of order and the fact that they were loaded with their booty have killed many as they were retreating, unable to give aid to their comrades or to use their arms.
[8] εἰ δέ τινες δίχα τοῦ τὸν στρατηγὸν κελεῦσαι προνομεύ�
�ιεν, οὗτοι κολαζέσθων. αὐτός γε μὴν ὅτ’ ἂν ἐπὶ τὴν λείαν ἐκπέμπῃ, τοῖς ψιλοῖς καὶ ἀνόπλοις συνταττέτω μαχίμους ἱππεῖς καὶ πεζούς, οἳ περὶ μὲν τὴν λείαν οὐκ ἀσχολήσονται, μένοντες δὲ ἐν τάξει παραφυλάξουσι τοὺς προνομεύοντας, ἵν’ ᾖ σφισιν ἀσφαλὴς ἡ ἀποχώρησις.
[8] If any men do plundering without the command of the general, they should be punished. When the general himself sends out foraging parties, he should send with the light-armed and unarmed men guards, both horse and foot, who shall have nothing to do with the booty but are to remain in formation and guard the foragers, that the return to camp may be safely accomplished.
γ´. Περὶ κατασκόπων
(3) SPIES
[9] Εἰ δὲ συλλάβοι ποτὲ κατασκόπους, μὴ μιᾷ κεχρήσθω γνώμῃ· ἀλλ’, ἐὰν μὲν ἀσθενέστερα τὰ ἴδια ἤπερ τὰ παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων εἶναι νομίζῃ, κτεινάτω τούτους, ἂν δὲ καὶ ὁπλισμῷ καλῶ κεχρημένος ᾖ καὶ παρασκευαῖς ἐντελέσι καὶ δυνάμει πολλῇ καὶ εὐεξίᾳ σωμάτων καὶ πειθηνίῳ στρατεύματι καὶ ἡγεμόσιν ἀρίστοις καὶ ἐμπειρίᾳ μεμελετημένῃ, παραλαβὼν τοὺς κατασκόπους καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπιδειξάμενος οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι ποτὲ καὶ ἀθώους ἀποπέμψας. τὰ μὲν γὰρ πλεονεκτήματα τῶν ἀντιπολέμων ἀγγελλόμενα φοβεῖσθαι συνηνάγκασεν, τὰ δ’ ἐλαττώματα θαρρεῖν παρεστήσατο.
[9] If the general should at any time capture spies, he should not employ any one single method in dealing with them. If he considers that his own army is weaker than that of the enemy, he should kill them, but if he has complete equipment of arms, thorough preparation for war, a powerful army, vigorous and disciplined, excellent officers, all trained by experience, he will make no mistake if, after making the spies examine his army drawn up in battle array, he occasionally even sends them away unharmed; for reported superiority of the enemy necessarily causes fear, but reported inferiority brings courage.
δ´. Περὶ νυκτοφυλάκων
(4) GUARDS BY NIGHT
[10] Φύλακας δὲ καταταττέτω καὶ πλείους, ἵν’ ἐν μέρει διελόμενοι τὴν τῆς νυκτὸς ὥραν οἱ μὲν ὑπνοῦν οἱ δὲ γρηγορεῖν αἱρῶνται· οὔτε γὰρ ἀναγκαστέον οὔθ’ ὑπισχνουμένοις πιστευτέον ὅλην ἀγρυπνήσειν νύκτα τοὺς αὐτούς· εἰκὸς γάρ ποτε καὶ παρὰ γνώμην ἐνδιδόντων τῶν μελῶν αὐτόματον ὕπνον ἐπελθεῖν.
[10] The general should appoint guards and a rather large number of them, that, by dividing the night into watches, some may sleep and some stand guard. Men must not be compelled to stand guard the entire night, nor even if they volunteer to do so must they be trusted; for it is only reasonable that sometimes, now the body is tired, sleep will come of its own accord, even against one’s will.
[11] ὀρθοὶ δ’ ἑστῶτες φυλαττόντων· αἱ γὰρ καθέδραι καὶ ἀναπτώσεις συνεκλύουσαι τὰ σώματα μαραίνουσιν εἰς ὕπνον, ἡ δ’ ἀνάστασις καὶ ὁ τόνος τῶν σκελῶν ἐγρήγορσιν ἐντίθησι τῇ διανοίᾳ.
[11] The guards must remain standing while on duty; for seats and reclining positions, relaxing the body, are conducive to sleep, but standing erect and keeping the legs stretched makes the mind wakeful.
[12] καιόντων δ’ οἱ φύλακες πυρὰ πορρωτέρω τῆς στρατοπεδείας· οὕτως γὰρ τοὺς μὲν προσιόντας διὰ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκ πολλοῦ συνόψονται, τοῖς δ’ ἐκ τοῦ φωτὸς ἐν σκότῳ τυγχάνοντες οὐκ ἀθρήσονται, μέχρις ἂν εἰς χεῖρας ἔλθωσιν.
[12] The guards must build fires at some distance from the camp. Thus because of the light they will see at a distance men advanced toward the camp, but those who come from the light will not perceive the guards, who are in the dark, until they fall into their hands.
ε´. Περὶ λαθραίας ἀναχωρήσεως τοῦ στρατεύματος
(5) SECRET RETREAT OF THE ARMY
[13] Εἰ δὲ βούλοιτό ποτε νύκτωρ ἀναστῆσαι τὸ στράτευμα λανθάνων τοὺς πολεμίους, ἢ τόπους προκαταλαβέσθαι προαιρούμενος ἢ τοὺς ὄντας φεύγων ἢ μηδέπω βουλόμενος εἰς ἀνάγκην ἐλθεῖν τοῦ μάχεσθαι, πυρὰ πολλὰ καύσας ἀναχωρείτω· βλέποντες μὲν γὰρ οἱ πολέμιοι τὰ φῶτα δοκοῦσι κατὰ χώραν αὐτὸν μένειν, ἀφωτίστου δὲ μεταξὺ γενομένης τῆς παρεμβολῆς ὑπόνοιαν ἀναλαβόντες, ὡς φεύγουσιν, ἐνέδρας τε προεκπέμπουσι καὶ διώκουσιν.
[13] If the general desires to withdraw his army by night without the knowledge of the enemy, either to be the first to occupy a certain position or to escape from the position he is in, or to avoid the present necessity of battle, he should retreat leaving many fires burning; for as long as the enemy see the fires they believe that the army is remaining in the same place, but if the camp becomes dark while the retreat is going on, the enemy will suspect their flight, send ahead ambushes, and follow in pursuit.
ϛ´. Περὶ στρατηγῶν κοινολογουμένων τοῖς τῶν ἐναντίων στρατηγοῖς
(6) PARLEYS WITH THE GENERALS OF THE ENEMY
[14] Ἐὰν δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν μένων εἰς ὄψιν ἔρχηταί ποτε τῷ τῶν πολεμίων στρατηγῷ, κοινολογησόμενος, ὡς αὐτὸς εἰπεῖν ἢ ἀκοῦσαί τι βουλόμενος, ἐκλεξάμενος τοὺς κρατίστους καὶ ἀξιοπρεπεστάτους τῶν νέων, εὐρώστους καλοὺς μεγάλους, ὅπλοις διαπρεπέσι κοσμήσας ἔχων περὶ αὑτὸν ἀπαντάτω· πολλάκις γὰρ τοιόνδε τὸ πᾶν ἀπὸ μέρους ὀφθέντος ἠλπίσθη, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ὧν ἥκουσεν ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐπείσθη, τί δεῖ ποιεῖν, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ὧν εἶδεν ἐφοβήθη.
[14] But if, while keeping his army in the same spot, he should come to a conference with the opposing general, either to make or to receive some proposal, he should choose as an escort the strongest and finest-looking of the younger soldiers, stalwart, handsome and tall men, equipped with magnificent armour, and with these about him he should meet the enemy. For often from the view of a part the whole is judged to be like it, and a general does not determine his course of action by what he has heard, but is terrified by what he has seen.
ζ´. Περὶ αὐτομόλων
(7) DESERTERS
[15] Τῶν δὲ αὐτομόλων εἴ τινες ἢ καιρὸν ἀφικνοῦνται μηνύσοντες ἢ ὥραν ἐπιθέσεως, ἢ ὁδὸν ἐπαγγέλλονται καθηγήσασθαι καὶ διὰ σκοπῶν ἀοράτων τοῖς πολεμίοις ἄξειν, δήσας αὐτοὺς ἀγέτω, τοῦτο ποιῶν σφισι φανερόν, ὡς, ἐὰν μὲν ἀληθεύσωσι καὶ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ καὶ νίκῃ πάντα ποιήσωσι τοῦ στρατεύματος, λύσει τέ σφας καὶ δωρεὰς δώσει καταξίους, �
�ὰν δ’ ἐξαπατήσωσι καὶ ψεύσωνται τοῖς σφετέροις ἐγχειρίσαι βουλόμενοι τὸ στράτευμα, παρ’ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ὄντες ἐν δεσμοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν κινδυνευόντων κατασφαγήσονται· πίστις γὰρ αὐτομόλου τι μηνύοντος αὕτη βεβαιοτάτη, τὸ μὴ αὐτὸν εἶναι τῆς αὑτοῦ ψυχῆς κύριον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὁδηγουμένους.
[15] If any deserters arrive in camp to tell of a suitable opportunity or hour for attack, or if they offer to act as guides over a road and assert that they will lead the army along it, unseen by the enemy, the general should lead these deserters with him securely bound, making it plain to them that, if they are truthful and bring safety and victory to the army, he will set them free and present them with fitting rewards, but that if they attempt to deceive him and wish to betray his army into the hands of their own friends, at that same ‘suitable opportunity’ they will be slain in their bonds by the endangered army. Confidence may be most safely placed in the word of a deserter, when he knows that his life is not in his own hands, but in the hands of those whom he leads.
η´. Περὶ τοῦ ὁρᾶν καὶ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων παρεμβολήν