the cavalry general-第5节
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form squadron in order of battle。〃 If only for the sake of practice；
it is well to go through evolutions of the sort；＇4＇ besides which it
adds pleasure to the march thus to diversify the line of route with
cavalry mavouvres。
＇2＇ See 〃Hell。〃 V。 iv。 40 for a case in point。
＇3＇ Or； 〃advance by column of route。〃 See 〃Hell。〃 VII。 iv。 23。
＇4＇ Or； 〃it is a pleasant method of beguiling the road。〃 Cf。 Plat。
〃Laws；〃 i。 625 B。
Supposing； however； you are off roads altogether and moving fast over
difficult ground； no matter whether you are in hostile or in friendly
territory； it will be useful if the scouts attached to squadrons＇5＇
rode on in advance； their duty being； in case of encountering pathless
clefts or gullies； to work round on to practicable ground； and to
discover at what point the troopers may effect a passage； so that
whole ranks may not go blindly roaming。＇6＇
＇5＇ ｛ton upereton｝ = 〃ground scouts；〃 al。 〃orderlies。〃 Ordonnances；
trabans （Courier）。 See Rustow and Kochly； p。 140。 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 i。
21； II。 iv。 4； V。 iii。 52； VII。 v。 18； and VI。 ii。 13； 〃Anab。〃 I。
ix。 27； II。 i。 9； where 〃adjutants；〃 〃orderlies〃 would seem to be
implied。
＇6＇ Al。 〃to prevent whole divisions losing their way。〃 Cf。 〃Anab。〃
VIII。 iii。 18。
Again； if there is prospect of danger on the march； a prudent general
can hardly show his wisdom better than by sending out advanced patrols
in front of the ordinary exploring parties to reconnoitre every inch
of ground minutely。 So to be apprised of the enemy's position in
advance； and at as great a distance off as possible； cannot fail to be
useful； whether for purposes of attack or defence； just as it is
useful also to enforce a halt at the passage of a river or some other
defile； so that the men in rear may not knock their horses all to bits
in endeavouring to overtake their leader。 These are precepts known； I
admit； to nearly all the world； but it is by no means every one who
will take pains to apply them carefully。＇7＇
＇7＇ See 〃Econ。〃 xx。 6。 foll。
It is the business of the hipparch to take infinite precautions while
it is still peace； to make himself acquainted with the details； not
only of his own； but of the hostile territory；＇8＇ or if； as may well
betide； he personally should lack the knowledge； he should invite the
aid of others＇9＇those best versed in the topography of any district。
Since there is all the difference in the world between a leader
acquainted with his roads and one who is not； and when it comes to
actual designs upon the enemy； the difference between knowing and not
knowing the locality can hardly be exaggerated。
＇8＇ Or； 〃with hostile and friendly territories alike。〃
＇9＇ Lit。 〃he should associate with himself those of the rest〃； i。e。
his colleagues or other members of the force。
So； too； with regard to spies and intelligencers。 Before war commences
your business is to provide yourself with a supply of people friendly
to both states； or maybe merchants （since states are ready to receive
the importer of goods with open arms）； sham deserters may be found
occasionally useful。＇10＇ Not； of course； that the confidence you feel
in your spies must ever cause you to neglect outpost duty； indeed your
state of preparation should at any moment be precisely what it ought
to be； supposing the approach or the imminent arrival of the enemy
were to be announced。 Let a spy be ever so faithful； there is always
the risk he may fail to report his intelligence at the critical
moment； since the obstacles which present themselves in war are not to
be counted on the fingers。
＇10＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VI。 i。 39； where one of the Persians； Araspas；
undertakes to play this role to good effect。
But to proceed to another topic。 The enemy is less likely to get wind
of an advance of cavalry； if the orders for march were passed from
mouth to mouth rather than announced by voice of herald； or public
notice。＇11＇ Accordingly； in addition to＇12＇ this method of ordering
the march by word passed along the line； the appointment of file…
leaders seems desirable； who again are to be supplemented by section…
leaders；＇13＇ so that the number of men to whom each petty officer has
to transmit an order will be very few；＇14＇ while the section…leaders
will deploy and increase the front； whatever the formation； without
confusion； whenever there is occasion for the movement。＇15＇
＇11＇ i。e。 〃given by general word of command； or in writing。〃 As to the
〃word…of…mouth command；〃 see above； S。 3； 〃Hell。〃 VII。 v。 9； and
for the 〃herald；〃 see 〃Anab。〃 III。 iv。 36。
＇12＇ Reading ｛pros to dia p。｝； or if ｛pros to｝ 。 。 。 transl。 〃with a
view to。〃
＇13＇ Lit。 pempadarchs； i。e。 No。 6 in the file。 See 〃Cyrop。〃 II。 i。 22
foll。； iii。 21。
＇14＇ Lit。 〃so that each officer may pass the word to as few as
possible。〃
＇15＇ Cf。 〃Anab。〃 IV。 vi。 6。
When an advanced guard is needed； I say for myself I highly approve of
secret pickets and outposts； if only because in supplying a guard to
protect your friends you are contriving an ambuscade to catch the
enemy。 Also the outposts will be less exposed to a secret attack；
being themselves unseen； and yet a source of great alarm to the enemy；
since the bare knowledge that there are outposts somewhere； though
where precisely no man knows； will prevent the enemy from feeling
confident； and oblige him to mistrust every tenable position。 An
exposed outpost； on the contrary； presents to the broad eye of day its
dangers and also its weaknesses。＇16＇ Besides which； the holder of a
concealed outpost can always place a few exposed vedettes beyond his
hidden pickets； and so endeavour to decoy the enemy into an ambuscade。
Or he may play the part of trapper with effect by placing a second
exposed outpost in rear of the other； a device which may serve to take
in the unwary foeman quite as well as that before named。
＇16＇ Lit。 〃makes plain its grounds of terror as of confidence。〃
Indeed I take it to be the mark of a really prudent general never to
run a risk of his own choosing； except where it is plain to him
beforehand； that he will get the better of his adversary。 To play into
the enemy's hands may more fitly be described as treason to one's
fellow…combatants than true manliness。 So； too； true generalship
consists in attacking where the enemy is weakest； even if the point be
some leagues distant。 Severity of toil weighs nothing in the scale
against the danger of engaging a force superior to your own。＇17＇
Still； if on any occasion the enemy advance in any way to place
himself between fortified points that are friendly to you； let him be
never so superior in force； your game is to attack on whichever flank
you can best conceal your advance； or； still better； on both flanks
simultaneously； since； while one detachment is retiring after
delivering its attack； a charge pressed home from the opposite quarter
cannot fail to throw the enemy into confusion and to give safety to
your friends。
＇17＇ N。B。 Throughout this treatise the author has to meet the case of
a small force of cavalry acting on the defensive。
How excellent a thing it is to endeavour to ascertain an enemy's
position by means of spies and so forth； as in ancient story； yet best
of all； in my opinion； is it for the commander to try to seize some
coign of vantage； from which with his own eyes he may descry the
movements of the enemy and watch for any error on his part。＇18＇
＇18＇ As； e。g。 Epaminondas at Tegea。 See 〃Hell。〃 VII。 v。 9。
Whatever may be snatched by ruse； thief fashion；＇19＇ your business is
to send a competent patrol to seize； or again where capture by coup de
main＇20＇ is practicable； you will despatch a requisite body of troops
to effect a coup de main。 Or take the case： the enemy is on the march
in some direction； and a portion of his force becomes detached from
his main body or through excess of confidence is caught straggling； do
not let the opportunity escape； but make it a rule always to pursue a
weaker with a stronger force。＇21＇ These； indeed； are rules of
procedure； which it only requires a simple effort of the mind to
appreciate。 Creatures far duller of wit than man have this ability：
kites and falcons； when anything is left unguarded； pounce a
