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'19' Lit。 〃supposing both divisions to be backed by footmen;〃 etc。
'20' Or; 〃achieve a much more decisive victory。〃 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 III。
iii。 28。
To make these dispositions is not hard; the difficulty is to discover
a body of men who will dash forward'21' and charge an enemy as above
described intelligently and loyally; with an eager spirit and
unfailing courage。 That is a problem for a good cavalry general to
solve。 I mean an officer who must be competent to so assert himself in
speech or action'22' that those under him will no longer hesitate。
They will recognise of themselves that it is a good thing and a right
to obey;'23' to follow their leader; to rush to close quarters with
the foe。 A desire will consume them to achieve some deed of glory and
renown。 A capacity will be given them patiently to abide by the
resolution of their souls。
'21' {parelontas}; in reference to S。 18 above; {parelaunoi}; 〃form
squadron to the front。〃
'22' 〃To be this; he must be able as an orator as well as a man of
action。〃 Cf。 〃Mem。〃 II。 ii。 11。
'23' Cf。 Tennyson's 〃The Charge of the Light Brigade〃:
Their's not to make reply;
Their's not to reason why;
Their's but to do and die。
To turn to another matter; take the case in which you have two armeis
facing one another in battle order; or a pair of fortresses'24'
belonging to rival powers; and in the space between all kinds of
cavalry manouvres are enacted; wheelings and charges and retreats。'25'
Under such circumstances the custom usually is for either party after
wheeling to set off at a slow pace and to gallop full speed only in
the middle of the course。 But now suppose that a commander; after
making feint'26' in this style; presently on wheeling quickens for the
charge and quickens to retirehe will be able to hit the enemy far
harder; and pull through absolutely without scathe himself most
likely; through charging at full speed whilst in proximity to his own
stronghold (or main body); and quickening to a gallop as he retires
from the stronghold (or main body) of the enemy。 If further; he could
secretly contrive to leave behind four or five troopers; the bravest
and best mounted of the squadron; it would give them an immense
advantage in falling upon the enemy whilst wheeling to return to the
charge。'27'
'24' Al。 〃fields and farmsteads between。〃
'25' Or; 〃retirements;〃 see 〃Horsemanship;〃 viii。 12; 〃Cyrop。〃 V。 iv。
8; 〃Hell。〃 IV。 ii。 6; 〃Ages。〃 ii。 3。
'26' Or; 〃having precluded in this fashion。 See Theocr。 xxii。 102:
{ton men anax ataraxen etosia khersi prodeiknus Pantothen};
〃feinting on every side〃 (A。 Lang)。 Al。 〃having given due warning
of his intention。〃 Cf。 Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 ix。 37。
'27' Cf。 Aristoph。 〃Knights;〃 244 (Demosthenes calls to the
hipparchs'?'):
{andres eggus 。 all' amunou; kapanastrephou palin}。
IX
To read these observations over a few times will be sufficient; but
for giving them effect the officer will need perpetually to act as
circumstances require。'1' He must take in the situation at a glance;
and carry out unflinchingly whatever is expedient for the moment。 To
set down in writing everything that he must do; is not a whit more
possible than to know the future as a whole。'2' But of all hints and
suggestions the most important to my mind is this: whatever you
determine to be right; with diligence endeavour to perform。 For be it
tillage of the soil; or trading; or seafaring; or the art of ruling;
without pains applied to bring the matter to perfection; the best
theories in the world; the most correct conclusions; will be
fruitless。
'1' {pros to paratugkhanon}; lit。 〃to meet emergencies。〃 Cf。 Thuc。 i。
122: 〃For war; least of all things; conforms to prescribed rules;
it strikes out a path for itself when the moment comes〃 (Jowett)。
'2' Or; 〃is about as feasible as to foretell each contingency hid in
the womb of futurity。〃
One thing I am prepared to insist on: it is clear to myself that by
Heaven's help our total cavalry force might be much more quickly
raised to the full quota of a thousand troopers;'3' and with far less
friction to the mass of citizens; by the enrolment of two hundred
foreign cavalry。 Their acquisition will be doubly helpful; as
intensifying the loyalty of the entire force and as kindling a mutual
ambition to excel in manly virtue。
'3' See Schneid。 ad loc。; Boeckh; 〃P。 E。 A。〃 pp。 263; 264; Herod。 vi。
112; Thuc。 vi。 31; Aristoph。 〃Knights;〃 223; Aeschin。 〃De F。 L。〃
334…337。 See for this reform; Martin; op。 cit。 343; 368。
I can state on my own knowledge that the Lacedaemonian cavalry only
began to be famous'4' with the introduction of foreign troopers; and
in the other states of Hellas everywhere the foreign brigades stand in
high esteem; as I perceive。 Need; in fact; contributes greatly to
enthusiasm。 Towards the necessary cost of the horses I hold that an
ample fund will be provided;'5' partly out of the pockets of those who
are only too glad to escape cavalry service (in other words; those on
whom the service devolves prefer to pay a sum of money down and be
quit of the duty);'6' and from wealthy men who are physically
incompetent; and I do not see why orphans possessed of large estates
should not contribute。'7' Another belief I hold is that amongst our
resident aliens'8' there are some who will show a laudable ambition if
incorporated with the cavalry。 I argue from the fact; apparent to
myself; that amongst this class persons are to be found most zealously
disposed to carry out the part assigned to them; in every other branch
of honourable service which the citizens may choose to share with
them。 Again; it strikes me that if you seek for an energetic infantry
to support your cavalry; you will find it in a corps composed of
individuals whose hatred to the foe is naturally intense。'9' But the
success of the above suggestions will depend doubtless on the
consenting will of Heaven。'10'
'4' 〃Entered on an era of prestige with the incorporation of;〃 after
Leuctra; 371 B。C。; when the force was at its worst。 See 〃Hell。〃
VI。 iv。 10。
'5' Or; 〃money will be forthcoming for them。〃 Cf。 Lys。 〃Against
Philon;〃 xxxi。 15; Martin; op。 cit。 319。
'6' Cf。 〃Hell。〃 III。 iv。 15; 〃Ages。〃 i。 23。 Courier brackets this
sentence '{oti 。 。 。 ippeuein}' as a gloss; Martin; p。 323;