第9部分(第1/7 页)

thisskill　lacks　the　essential　which　it　is　desirable　that　a　captain　shouldpossess；　for　it　teaches　him　to　surprise　his　enemy；　to　select　quarters；to　lead　armies；　to　array　the　battle；　to　besiege　towns　to　advantage。Philopoemen；　Prince　of　the　Achaeans；　among　other　praises　which　writershave　bestowed　on　him；　is　mended　because　in　time　of　peace　he　never　hadanything　in　his　mind　but　the　rules　of　war；　and　when　he　was　in　thecountry　with　friends；　he　often　stopped　and　reasoned　with　them：　〃If　theenemy　should　be　upon　that　hill；　and　we　should　find　ourselves　here　withour　army；　with　whom　would　be　the　advantage？　How　should　one　best　advanceto　meet　him；　keeping　the　ranks？　If　we　should　wish　to　retreat；　how　oughtwe　to　set　about　it？　If　they　should　retreat；　how　ought　we　to　pursue？〃　Andhe　would　set　forth　to　them；　as　he　went；　all　the　chances　that　couldbefall　an　army；　he　would　listen　to　their　opinion　and　state　his；confirming　it　with　reasons；　so　that　by　these　continual　discussions　therecould　never　arise；　in　time　of　war；　any　unexpected　circumstances　that　hecould　deal　with。But　to　exercise　the　intellect　the　prince　should　read　histories；　andstudy　there　the　actions　of　illustrious　men；　to　see　how　they　have　borhemselves　in　war；　to　examine　the　causes　of　their　victories　and　defeat；so　as　to　avoid　the　latter　and　imitate　the　former；　and　above　all　do　as　anillustrious　man　did；　who　took　as　an　exemplar　one　who　had　been　praisedand　famous　before　him；　and　whose　achievements　and　deeds　he　always　keptin　his　mind；　as　it　is　said　Alexander　the　Great　imitated　Achilles；　CaesarAlexander；　Scipio　Cyrus。　And　whoever　reads　the　life　of　Cyrus；　written　byXenophon；　will　recognize　afterwards　in　the　life　of　Scipio　how　thatimitation　was　his　glory；　and　how　in　chastity；　affability；　humanity；　andliberality　Scipio　conformed　to　those　things