The first duty is to sacrifice to the gods and
						pray them to grant you the thoughts, words and deeds likely to render your
						command most pleasing to the gods and to bring yourself, your friends and
						your city the fullest measure of affection and glory and advantage.

Having gained the goodwill of the gods, you have then to recruit a sufficient
						number of mounted men that you may bring the number up to the total required
						by the law, and also may prevent any decrease in the cavalry
						establishment. Unless additional recruits are enrolled in the force, the
						number will constantly dwindle, for some men are bound to retire through old
						age and others to drop off for various reasons.

While the ranks are filling up, you must see
						that the horses get enough food to stand hard work, since horses unfit for
						their work can neither overtake nor escape. You must see that they are
						docile, because disobedient animals assist the enemy more than their own
						side.

And horses that kick when mounted must be got rid of, for such brutes often
						do more mischief than the enemy. You must also look after their feet, so
						that they can be ridden on rough ground, for you know that wherever
						galloping is painful to them, they are useless.

Having made sure that the horses are in good
						condition, the next business is to train the men. First they must learn to
						mount from the spring, since many before now have
						owed their lives to that. Secondly, they must practise riding over all sorts
						of ground, since any kind of country may become the area of war.

As soon as they have acquired a firm seat, your next task is to take steps
						that as many as possible shall be able to throw the javelin when
							mounted and shall
						become efficient in all the details of horsemanship. 
					 After that both horses and men must be armed,
						so that, while they are themselves thoroughly protected against wounds, they
						may have the means of inflicting the greatest loss on the enemy.

Then you must contrive to make the men obedient: otherwise neither good
						horses nor a firm seat nor fine armour are of any use. 
					 For ensuring efficiency in all these matters
						the cavalry commander, as a matter of course, is the principal authority.

But, at the same time, the state thinks it difficult for the cavalry
						commander to carry out all these duties single-handed; therefore, it also
						elects colonels of regiments to assist him; and it has charged the Council
						with the duty of taking a share in the management of the cavalry. I think it
						well, then, that you should encourage the colonels to be as eager as
						yourself for the efficiency of the cavalry, and should have suitable
						spokesmen in the Council, that their speeches may alarm the men—they will do
						better under the influence of fear—and may also appease the wrath of the
						Council, in case it shows indignation at the wrong time.

Here, then, you have brief notes on the
						matters that demand your attention. I will now try to explain how these
						duties may best be carried out in detail. 
					 As for the men, you must obviously raise them
						as required by the law, from among those who are most highly qualified by
						wealth and bodily vigour, either by obtaining an order of the court or by
						the use of persuasion.

The cases that should be brought before the court, I think, are those of men
						who otherwise might be suspected of having bribed you not to apply for a
						judgment. For the smaller men will at once have a ground for escaping,
						unless you first compel the most highly qualified to serve.

I think, too, that, by dwelling on the brilliancy of horsemanship, you might
						fire some of the young men with ambition to serve in the cavalry, and that
						you might overcome the opposition of their guardians by informing them that
						they will be required to keep horses by someone, if not by you, on account
						of their wealth; whereas, if their

boys join up during your command, you will put an end to their extravagance
						in buying expensive horses, and see that they soon make good riders. And you
						must try to suit your actions to your words.

As for the existing cavalry, I think that the
						Council should give notice that in future double the amount of exercise will
						be required, and that any horse unable to keep up will be rejected. This
						warning would put the screw on the men and make them feed their horses
						better and take more care of them.

I think it would be well, too, if notice were given that vicious horses would
						be rejected. Under the stimulus of this threat men would break in such
						animals more thoroughly and would be more careful in buying horses.

Again, it would be well to give notice that horses found kicking at exercise
						will be rejected. For it is impossible even to keep such animals in line; in
						a charge against an enemy they are bound to lag behind, and the consequence
						is, that through the bad behaviour of his horse, the man himself becomes
						useless.

For getting horses’ feet into the best condition, if anyone has an easier and
							cheaper method than mine, by all means adopt it. If not, I hold—and I
							speak from experience—that the right way is to throw down some stones
							from the road, averaging about a pound in weight, and to curry the horse
							on these and to make him stand on them whenever he goes out of the
							stable. For the horse will constantly use his feet on the stones when he
							is cleaned and when he is worried by flies. Try it, and you will find
							your horses’ feet round, and will believe in the rest of my rules.

Assuming that the horses are in good
						condition, I will explain how to make the men themselves thoroughly
						efficient. 
					 We would persuade the young recruits to learn
						for themselves how to mount from the spring; but if you provide an
						instructor, you will receive well-merited praise. The way to help the older
						men is to accustom them to get a leg-up in the Persian fashion.

To ensure that the men have a firm seat,
						whatever the nature of the ground, it is, perhaps, too much trouble to have
						them out frequently when there is no war going on; but you should call the
						men together, and recommend them to practise turning off the roads and
						galloping over all sorts of ground when they are riding to quarters or any
						other place. For this does as much good as taking them out, and it is less
						tedious.

It is useful to remind them that the state supports an expenditure of nearly forty
								talents a year in order
							that she may not have to look about for cavalry in the event of war, but
							may have it ready for immediate use. For with this thought in their
							minds the men are likely to take more pains with their horsemanship, so
							that when war breaks out they may not have to fight untrained for the
							state, for glory and for life.

It is well also to give notice to the men that you intend to take them out
						yourself some day, and lead them over country of all kinds. And during the
						manoeuvres that precede the sham fight it is proper to take them out to a
						different piece of country at different times: this is better for both men
						and horses.

As for throwing the javelin on horseback, I think that
						the greatest number will practise that if you add a warning to the colonels
						that they will be required to ride to javelin exercise themselves at the
						head of the marksmen of the regiment. Thus, in all probability, everyone of
						them will be eager to turn out as many marksmen as possible for the service
						of the state.

Towards the proper arming of the men, I think
						that the greatest amount of assistance will be obtained from the colonels,
						if they are persuaded that from the point of view of the state the
						brilliance of the regiment is a far more glorious ornament to them than the
						brightness of their own accoutrements only.

It is likely that they will not be hard to persuade in such matters,
						considering that honour and glory were the attractions that the colonelcy
						held out to them, and they can arm the men in accordance with the
						regulations laid down in the law without incurring expense themselves,
						afterwards compelling the men to spend their pay on their arms, as the law
							ordains.

To make the men who are under your command
						obedient, it is important to impress on them by word of mouth the many
						advantages of obedience to authority, and no less important to see that good
						discipline brings gain and insubordination loss in every respect.

The best way of inducing every colonel to take
						pride in commanding a well equipped regiment, I think, is to arm your
						company of couriers as well as you can, to demand of them constant practice
						in the use of the javelin, and to instruct them in it after making yourself
						proficient.

And if you could offer prizes to the regiments for skill in all the feats
						that the public expects the cavalry to perform at the spectacles, I think
						this would appeal strongly to the spirit of emulation in every Athenian. For
						evidence of this I may refer to the choruses, in which many labours and
						heavy expenses are the price paid for trifling rewards. Only you must find
						judges whose suffrage will shed lustre on a victory.

When your men are well trained in all these
						points, they must, of course, understand some plan of formation, that in
						which they will show to greatest advantage in the sacred processions and at
						manoeuvres, fight, if need be, with the greatest courage, and move along
						roads and cross rivers with perfect ease in unbroken order. So I will now
						try to explain the formation that I think will give the best results in
						these various circumstances.

Now the state has divided the cavalry into ten
						separate regiments. I hold that within these you should, to begin with,
						appoint file-leaders after
						consulting each of the colonels, choosing sturdy men, who are bent on
						winning fame by some brilliant deed. These should form the front rank.

Next you should choose an equal number of the oldest and most sensible to
						form the rear rank. To use an illustration, steel has most power to cut
						through steel when its edge is keen and its back reliable.

To fill the ranks between the front and rear,
						the file-leaders should choose the men to form the second line, and these in
						turn the men to form the third, and so on throughout. In this way every man
						will naturally have complete confidence in the man behind him.

You must be very careful to appoint a
						competent man as leader in the rear. For if he is a good man, his cheers will always
						hearten the ranks in front of him in case it becomes necessary to charge;
						or, should the moment come to retreat, his prudent leadership will, in all
						probability, do much for the safety of his regiment.

An even number of file-leaders has this
						advantage over an odd, that it is possible to divide the regiment into a
						larger number of equal parts. 
					 The reasons why I like this formation are
						these. In the first place, all the men in the front rank are officers; and
						the obligation to distinguish themselves appeals more strongly to men when
						they are officers than when they are privates. Secondly, when anything has
						to be done, the word of command is much more effective if it is passed to
						officers rather than to privates.

Let us assume that this formation has been
						adopted: every file-leader must know his position in the line of march by
						word passed along by the colonel, just as every colonel is informed by the
						commander of his proper place in the charge. For when these instructions are
						given there will be much better order than if the men hamper one another
						like a crowd leaving the theatre.

And in the event of a frontal attack, the men in the van are far more willing
						to fight when they know that this is their station; so is the rear-rank in
						the event of a surprise attack in the rear, when the men there understand
						that it is disgraceful to leave their post.

But if no order is kept there is confusion whenever the roads are narrow or
						rivers are being crossed; and when an action is fought no one voluntarily
						takes his post in the fighting line. 
					 All these preliminaries must be thoroughly
						mastered by all the cavalry, if they are to give their leader unflinching
						support.

Now we come to duties that the cavalry
						commander must perform himself. First, he must sacrifice to propitiate the
						gods on behalf of the cavalry; secondly, he must make the processions during
						the festivals worth seeing; further, he must conduct all the other
						obligatory displays before the people with as much splendour as possible,
						that is to say, the reviews in the Academy, in the Lyceum, at Phalerum, and
						in the Hippodrome. 
					 These again are only brief notes; and I will
						now explain exactly how the details of these various functions may be
						carried out with most splendour.

As for the processions, I think they would be
						most acceptable both to the gods and to the spectators if they included a
						gala ride in the market place. The starting point would be the Herms ;
						and the cavalry would ride round saluting the gods at their shrines and
						statues. So at the Great Dionysia the dance of the choruses forms part of
						the homage offered to the Twelve and to other gods. 
					 When the circuit is completed and the
						cavalcade is again near the Herms, the next thing to do, I think, is to
						gallop at top speed by regiments as far as the Eleusinium.

I will add a word on the position in which the lances should be held to prevent crossing.
							Every man should point his lance between his horse’s ears, if the
							weapons are to look fearsome, stand out distinctly, and at the same time
							to convey the impression of numbers.

The gallop finished and the goal reached, the
						right plan is to ride back to the temples by the same route, but at a slow
						pace: thus every effect that can be obtained from a horse with a man on his
							back will be included in the display, to the satisfaction of
						gods and men alike.

I know that our cavalrymen are not accustomed
						to these movements: but I am sure that they are desirable and beautiful, and
						will delight the spectators. I am aware, too, that the cavalry have
						exhibited other novel feats of skill in days when the cavalry commanders had
						sufficient influence to get their wishes carried out.

During the parade at the Lyceum, before the
						javelin-throwing, the right way is to ride in two divisions in line of
						battle, each division consisting of five regiments with its commander at the
						head and the colonels; and the line should be so extended that the whole
						breadth of the course will be covered.

As soon as they reach the highest point looking down on the Theatre opposite, I think it would clearly
							be useful if you displayed your men’s ability to gallop downhill in
							fairly large companies.

To be sure, I know well enough that, if they feel confident of their ability
						to gallop, they will welcome the opportunity of showing off their skill: but
						you must see that they are not short of practice, or the enemy will compel
						them to do it against their will.

The formation that would add most to the
						beauty of the exercises at the inspections has already been explained. Provided his horse is strong
						enough, the leader should ride round with the file that is on the outside
						every time. He will be galloping all the time himself, and the file whose
						turn it is to be on the outside with him will also be galloping. Thus the
						eyes of the Council will always be on the galloping file, and the horses
						will get a breathing space, resting by turns.

When the Hippodrome is the scene of the
						display, the right plan would be that the men should first be drawn up on a
						front broad enough to fill the Hippodrome with horses and drive out the
						people standing there.

In the sham fight when the regiments pursue and fly from one another at the
						gallop in two squadrons of five regiments, each side led by its commander,
						the regiments should ride through one another. How formidable they will look
						when they charge front to front; how imposing when, after sweeping across
						the Hippodrome, they stand facing one another again; how splendid, when the
						trumpet sounds and they charge once more at a quicker pace!

After the halt, the trumpet should sound once more, and they should charge
						yet a third time at top speed; and when they have crossed, they should all
						range themselves in battle line preparatory to being dismissed, and ride up
						to the Council, just as you are accustomed to do.

I think that these manoeuvres would look more like war and would have the
						charm of novelty. It is unworthy of his high rank that a cavalry commander
						should gallop at a slower pace than the colonels, and ride in the same way
						as they do.

When the ride is to take place in the Academy
						on the hard ground, I have the following recommendations to make. To avoid
						being thrown the riders should throw the body back in charging, and collect
						their horses when wheeling, to keep them from falling. In the straight,
						however, they should gallop. The Council will thus watch a safe as well as a
						beautiful performance.

During a march the cavalry commander must always think ahead,
							in order that he may rest the horses’ backs and relieve the men by
							walking, giving moderate spells of alternate riding and marching. You
							can’t misjudge what is a moderate spell, since every man is himself the
								measure that will show you when they are getting
							tired.

But when it is uncertain whether you will
						encounter an enemy on your way to any place, you must give the regiments a
						rest in turn. For it would be a bad job if all the men were dismounted when
						the enemy is close at hand.

If you are riding along narrow roads, the
						order must be given to form column; but when you find yourself on broad
						roads, the order must be given to every regiment to extend front. When you
						reach open ground, all the regiments must be in line of battle. Incidentally
						these changes of order are good for practice, and help the men to get over
						the ground more pleasantly by varying the march with cavalry manoeuvres.

When riding on difficult ground away from
						roads, whether in hostile or friendly country, it is very useful to have
						some of the aides-de-camp in advance of each regiment, that they may find a
						way round into the open in case they come across pathless woodland, and show
						the men what line they should follow, so that whole companies may not go
						astray.

If your route lies in dangerous country, a
						prudent commander will have a second advanced guard ahead of his scouts for
						reconnaissance purposes. For it is useful both for attack and defence to
						discover an enemy as far off as possible. It is useful also to halt at the
						passage of a river, that the rear guard may not wear out their horses in
						chasing their leader. These rules, no doubt, are familiar to nearly
						everybody; but few will take the trouble to observe them.

A cavalry commander should be at pains even in
						time of peace to acquaint himself with hostile and friendly country alike.
						In case he is without personal experience, he should at least consult the
						men in the force who have the best knowledge of various localities. For the
						leader who knows the roads has a great advantage over one who does not. In
						making plans against the enemy, too, a knowledge of the district makes a
						great difference.

You must also have taken steps to enlist the
						services of spies before the outbreak of war. Some of these should be
						citizens of neutral states, and some merchants, since all states invariably
						welcome the importer of merchandise. Sham deserters, too, have their use on
						occasions.

Still, you must never neglect to post guards through reliance on spies; on
						the contrary, your precautions must at all times be as complete as when you
						have information that the enemy is approaching. For even if the spies are
						entirely reliable, it is difficult to report at the critical moment, since
						many things happen in war to hinder them.

The advance of cavalry is less likely to be
						detected by the enemy if orders are not given by a herald or in writing
						beforehand, but passed along. Accordingly, for this purpose, too, that the
						order to advance may be given by word of mouth, it is well to post
						fileleaders, and half file-leaders behind them, so that each may pass the word
						to as few men as possible. Thus, too, the half file-leaders will wheel and
						extend the line without confusion, whenever there is occasion to do so.

When it is necessary to keep a look out, I am
						all in favour of the plan of having hidden outposts and guards. For these
						serve at once as guards to protect your friends and snares to trap the
						enemy.

And the men, being unseen, are more secure themselves and at the same time
						more formidable to the enemy. For the enemy, conscious that there are
						outposts somewhere, but ignorant of their whereabouts and their strength,
						feels nervous and is forced to suspect every possible position; whereas
						visible outposts show them where danger lies and where all is safe.

Besides, if you conceal your outposts, you will have the chance of luring the
						enemy into an ambush by placing a few guards in the open to screen the
						hidden men. Occasionally, too, a cunning trap may be laid by posting a
						second body of exposed guards behind the men in hiding; for this plan may
						prove as deceptive to the enemy as the one just referred to.

A prudent commander will never take risks unnecessarily,
							except when it is clear beforehand that he will have the advantage of
							the enemy. To play into the enemy’s hand may fairly be considered
							treachery to one’s allies rather than courage.

Another sound principle is to go for any position where the enemy is weak,
						even if it is a long way off, since hard work is less dangerous than a
						struggle against superior forces.

But if the enemy places himself somewhere between yourself and fortresses
						friendly to you, then it is proper to attack him, even if he is greatly
						superior, on that side where your presence is unsuspected, or on both flanks
						at once, for when one part of your force is retiring, a charge on the
						opposite flank will flurry the enemy and rescue your friends.

It is an old maxim that, in attempting to
						discover what the enemy is about, it is well to employ spies. But the best
						plan of all, in my opinion, is for the commander himself to watch the enemy
						from some safe coign of vantage, if possible, and take notice of his
						mistakes.

And when anything can be filched by cunning, you should send likely men to
						steal it; and when anything may be seized you should despatch troops to
						seize it. If the enemy is marching on some objective and a part of his force
						weaker than your own separates from the main body or straggles carelessly,
						the chance must not be missed; the hunter, however, must always be stronger
						than the hunted.

You can see the point of this if you consider.
						Even wild creatures less intelligent than man, such as hawks, will grab
						unguarded plunder and get away into a place of safety before they can be
						caught: wolves, again, prey on anything left unprotected and steal things
						lying in holes and corners; and if a dog does pursue and overtake him,

the wolf, if stronger than the dog, attacks him; or if weaker, snatches away
						the prize and makes off. Moreover, when a pack of wolves feels no fear of a
						convoy, they arrange themselves so that some shall drive off the convoy, and
						others seize the plunder; and thus they get their food.

Well, if wild beasts show such sagacity, surely any man may be expected to
						show more wisdom than creatures that are themselves taken by the skill of
						man.

Every horseman should know at what distance a
						horse can overtake a man on foot, and how much start a slow horse needs to
						escape from a fast one. A cavalry commander should also be able to judge of
						the ground where infantry has an advantage over cavalry and where cavalry
						has an advantage over infantry.

He must also have sufficient ingenuity to make a small company of horse look large, and
							conversely, to make a large one look small; to seem to be absent when
							present, and present when absent; to know how to deceive, not merely how
							to steal the enemy’s possessions, but also how to conceal his own force
							and fall on the enemy unexpectedly.

Another neat ruse is to create a scare among the enemy when your own position
						is precarious, so that he may not attack, and to put him in good heart, when
						it is strong, so that he may make an attempt. Thus you are least likely to
						come to harm yourself and most likely to catch the enemy tripping.

That I may not seem to demand impossibilities,
						I will add a solution of the problems that seem most puzzling. Success in an
						attempt to pursue or retreat depends on experience of horses and their
						powers. But how are you to get this experience? By watching the friendly
						encounters of the sham fights and noticing what condition the horses are in
						after the pursuits and flights.

When your object is to make the number of your cavalry look
							large, first take it for an axiom, if possible, not to attempt the ruse
							when you are near the enemy: for distance gives safety and increases the
							illusion. Secondly you must know that horses look many when crowded,
							owing to the animal’s size, but are easily counted when scattered.

Another way of exaggerating the apparent strength of your force is to arm the
						grooms with lances or even imitation lances, and put them between the
						cavalrymen, whether you display the cavalry at the halt or wheel it into
						line. Thus the bulk of the company is bound to look denser and more massive.

On the other hand, if your object is to make a
						large number look small, then, assuming that your ground affords cover, you
						can obviously conceal your cavalry by having part in the open and part
						hidden. If, however, the whole of the ground is exposed, you must form the
						files into rows and wheel, leaving a gap between each two rows ; and the men in each file who are next
						the enemy must hold their lances upright, while the rest keep theirs low
						down out of sight.

The means to employ for scaring the enemy are false
							ambuscades, false reliefs and false information. An enemy’s confidence
							is greatest when he is told that the other side is in difficulties and
							is preoccupied.

But given these instructions, a man must
						himself invent a ruse to meet every emergency as it occurs. For there is
						really nothing more profitable in war than deception.

Even children are successful deceivers when they play Guess the number ;
						they will hold up a counter or two and make believe that they have got a
						fist-full, and seem to hold up few when they are holding many; so surely men
						can play similar tricks when they are intent on deceiving in earnest.

And on thinking over the successes gained in war you will find that most of
						them, and these the greatest, have been won with the aid of deception. For
						these reasons either you should not essay to command, or you should pray to
						heaven that your equipment may include this qualification, and you should
						contrive on your own part to possess it.

For those near the sea two effective ruses
						are, to strike on land while fitting out ships, and to attack by sea while
						ostensibly planning a land attack.

Another duty of a cavalry commander is to
						demonstrate to the city the weakness of cavalry destitute of infantry as
						compared with cavalry that has infantry attached to it. Further, having got
						his infantry, a cavalry commander should make use of it. A mounted man being
						much higher than a man on foot, infantry may be hidden away not only among
						the cavalry but in the rear as well.

For the practical application of these devices
						and any others you may contrive for the undoing of your foes by force or
						craft, I counsel you to work with God, so that, the gods being propitious,
						fortune too may favour you.

Another ruse that proves highly effective at
						times is to feign excess of caution and reluctance to take risks. For this
						pretence often lures the enemy into making a more fatal blunder through want
						of caution. Or once come to be thought venturesome, and you can give the
						enemy trouble by merely sitting still and pretending that you are on the
						point of doing something.

However, no man can mould anything to his mind unless the
							stuff in which he proposes to work lies ready to obey the artist’s will.
							No more can you make anything of men, unless, by God’s help, they are
							ready to regard their commander with friendly feelings and to think him
							wiser than themselves in the conduct of operations against the enemy.

Now the feeling of loyalty will naturally be
						fostered when the commander is kind to his men, and obviously takes care
						that they have victuals, and that they are safe in retreat and well
						protected when at rest.

In the garrisons he must show an interest in fodder, tents, water, firewood, and all other
							supplies: he must show that he thinks ahead and keeps his eyes open for
							the sake of his men. And when he is doing well the chief’s best policy
							is to give them a share in his good things.

To put it shortly, a commander is least likely
						to incur the contempt of his men if he shows himself more capable than they
						of doing whatever he requires of them.

He must therefore practise every detail of horsemanship—mounting and the
						rest,—that they may see their commander able to take a ditch without a
						spill, clear a wall, leap down from a bank and throw a javelin skilfully.
						For all these feats are so many stepping stones to their respect.

If they know him also to be a master of tactics and able to put them in the way of getting
							the better of the enemy; and if besides, they are certain that he will
							never lead them against an enemy recklessly or without the gods’
							approval or in defiance of the sacrifices, all these conditions increase
							the men’s readiness to obey their commander.

Every commander, then, should have
						intelligence. The Athenian cavalry commander, however, should excel greatly
						both in the observance of his duty to the gods and in the qualities of a
						warrior, seeing that he has on his borders rivals in the shape of cavalry as
						numerous as his and large forces of infantry.

And if he attempts to invade the enemy’s country without the other armed forces of the
							state, he will have to take his chance with the cavalry only against
							both arms. Or if the enemy invades Athenian territory, in the first
							place, he will certainly not fail to bring with him other cavalry
							besides his own and infantry in addition, whose numbers he reckons to be
							more than a match for all the Athenians put together.

Now provided that the whole of the city’s levies turn out against such a host in defence of
							their country, the prospects are good. For our cavalrymen, God helping,
							will be the better, if proper care is taken of them, and our heavy
							infantry will not be inferior in numbers, and I may add, they will be in
							as good condition and will show the keener spirit, if only, with God’s
							help, they are trained on the right lines. And, remember, the Athenians
							are quite as proud of their ancestry as the Boeotians.

But if the city falls back on her navy, and is content to keep her walls
						intact, as in the days when the Lacedaemonians invaded us with all the
						Greeks to help them, and if she expects her cavalry to protect all that lies
						outside the walls, and to take its chance unaided against her foes,—why
						then, I suppose, we need first the strong arm of the gods to aid us, and in
						the second place it is essential that our cavalry commander should be
						masterly. For much sagacity is called for in coping with a greatly superior
						force, and abundance of courage when the call comes.

I take it, he must also be able to stand hard
							work. For if he should elect
						to take his chance against the army confronting him—an army that not even
						the whole state is prepared to stand up to—it is evident that he would be
						entirely at the mercy of the stronger and incapable of doing anything.

But should he guard whatever lies outside the walls with a force that will be
						just sufficient to keep an eye on the enemy and to remove into safety from
						as great a distance as possible property that needs saving,—and a large
						force is not necessary for this: a small force can keep a look-out as well
						as a large one, and when it comes to guarding and removing the property of
						friends, men who have no confidence in themselves or their horses will meet
						the case, because Fear, it seems, is a

formidable member of a guard—well, it may perhaps be a sound plan to draw on
						these men for his guards. But if he imagines that the number remaining over
						and above the guard constitutes an army, he will find it too small; for it
						will be utterly inadequate to risk a conflict in the open. Let him use these
						men as raiders, and he will probably have a force quite sufficient for this
						purpose.

His business, it seems to me, is to watch for any blunder on the enemy’s part without
							showing himself, keeping men constantly on the alert and ready to
							strike.

It happens that, the greater is the number of soldiers, the more they are apt
						to blunder. Either they scatter deliberately in search of provisions, or
						they are so careless of order on the march that some get too far ahead,
						while others lag too far behind.

So he must not let such blunders go unpunished, or the whole country will be
						occupied; only he must take good care to retire the moment he has struck,
						without giving time for the main supports to arrive on the scene.

An army on the march often comes to roads where large numbers
							have no advantage over small. In crossing rivers, again, a man with his
							wits about him may dog the enemy’s steps without danger and regulate
							according to his will the number of the enemy that he chooses to attack.

Sometimes it is proper to tackle the enemy while his troops are at breakfast
						or supper or when they are turning out of bed. For at all these moments
						soldiers are without arms, infantry for a shorter and cavalry for a longer
						time.

Pickets and outposts, however, should be the mark of incessant plots, these
						being invariably weak in numbers and sometimes remote from their main force.

But when the enemy has learned to take due precautions against such attacks, it is proper,
							with God’s help, to enter his country stealthily after ascertaining his
							strength at various points and the position of his outposts. For no
							booty that you can capture is so fine as a patrol.

Besides, patrols are easily deceived, for they pursue a handful of men at sight, believing
							that to be their special duty. You must see, however, that your line of
							retreat does not lead you straight into the enemy’s supports.

It is clear, however, that no troops will be
						able to inflict loss on a much stronger army with impunity, unless they are
						so superior in the practical application of horsemanship to war that they
						show like experts contending with amateurs.

This superiority can be attained first and foremost if your marauding bands
						are so thoroughly drilled in riding that they can stand the hard work of a
						campaign. For both horses and men that are carelessly trained in this
						respect will naturally be like women struggling with men.

On the contrary, those that are taught and accustomed to jump ditches, leap
						walls, spring up banks, leap down from heights without a spill, and gallop
						down steep places, will be as superior to the men and horses that lack this
						training as birds to beasts. Moreover, those that have their feet well
						hardened will differ on rough ground from the tender-footed as widely as the
						sound from the lame. And those that are familiar with the locality, compared
						with those to whom it is unfamiliar, will differ in the advance and retreat
						as much as men with eyes differ from the blind.

It should also be realised that horses, to be
						well fettled, must be well fed and thoroughly exercised, so as to do their
						work without suffering from heaves. And since bits and saddle-cloths are
						fastened with straps, a cavalry leader must never be short of them, for at a
						trifling expense he will make men in difficulties efficient.

In case anyone feels that his troubles will be
						endless if his duty requires him to practise horsemanship in this way, let
						him reflect that men in training for gymnastic contests face troubles far
						more numerous and exacting than the most strenuous votaries of horsemanship.

For most gymnastic exercises are carried out with sweat and drudgery, but
						nearly all equestrian exercises are pleasant work. For if it is
						true that any man would like to fly, no action of man bears a closer
						resemblance to flying.

And, remember, it is far more glorious to win a victory in war than in a
						boxing match, because, whereas the state as well as the victor has a
						considerable share in this glory, for a victory in
						war the gods generally crown states with happiness as well. For my part,
						therefore, I know not why any art should be more assiduously cultivated than
						the arts of war.

It should be noticed that a long apprenticeship to toil enables sea-pirates to live at the
							expense of much stronger folk. On land, too, pillage, though not for
							those who reap what they have sown, is the natural resource of men who
							are deprived of food. For either men must work or they must eat the
							fruits of other men’s labour: else it is a problem how to live and to
							obtain peace.

If you charge a superior force, you must
						remember never to leave behind you ground difficult for horses. For a fall
						in retreat and a fall in pursuit are very different things.

I want to add a word of warning against
						another error. Some men, when they suppose themselves to be stronger than
						the enemy whom they are going to attack, take an utterly inadequate force
						with them. The consequence is that they are apt to incur the loss
						they expected to inflict. Or, when they know themselves to be weaker than
						the enemy, they use all their available strength in the attack.

The right procedure, in my opinion, is just the opposite: when the commander
						expects to win, he should not hesitate to use the whole of his strength: for
						an overwhelming victory never yet was followed by remorse.

But when he tries conclusions with a much stronger force, knowing beforehand
						that he is bound to retreat when he has done his best, I hold that it is far
						better in such a case to throw a small part of his strength into the attack
						than the whole of it; only horses and men alike should be his very best. For
						such a force will be able to achieve something and to retreat with less
						risk.

But when he has thrown the whole of his strength into an attack on a stronger
						force, and wants to retire, the men on the slowest mounts are bound to be
						taken prisoners; others to be thrown through lack of horsemanship; and
						others to be cut off owing to inequalities in the ground, since it is hard
						to find a wide expanse of country entirely to your liking.

Moreover, owing to their numbers they will collide and hinder and hurt one
						another frequently. But good horses and men will contrive to escape,
						especially if you manage to scare the pursuers by using your reserves.

Sham ambuscades, too, are helpful for this purpose. It is also useful to
						discover on what quarter your friends may suddenly reveal themselves in a
						safe position and make the pursuit slower.

Then again it is obvious that in point of endurance and speed the advantage is much more
							likely to rest with a small than with a large force. I do not mean that
							mere paucity of numbers will increase the men’s powers of endurance and
							add to their speed; but it is easier to find few men than many who will
							take proper care of their horses and will practise the art of
							horsemanship intelligently on their own account.

Should it happen at any time that the cavalry
						forces engaged are about equal, I think it would be a good plan to split
						each regiment into two divisions, putting one under the command of the
						colonel, and the other under the best man available.

The latter would follow in the rear of the colonel’s division for a time; but presently,
							when the adversary is near, he would wheel on receiving the order and
							charge. This plan, I think, would make the blow delivered by the
							regiment more stunning and more difficult to parry.

Both divisions should have an infantry contingent; and if the infantry,
						hidden away behind the cavalry, came out suddenly and went for the enemy, I
						think they would prove an important factor in making the victory more
						decisive; for I have noticed that a surprise cheers men up if it is
						pleasant, but stuns them if it is alarming.

Anyone will recognise the truth of this who reflects that, however great
						their advantage in numbers, men are dazed when they fall into an ambuscade,
						and that two hostile armies confronting each other are scared out of their
						wits for the first few days.

There is no difficulty in adopting these
						tactics; but only a good cavalry commander can find men who will show
						intelligence, reliability and courage in wheeling to charge the enemy.

For the commander must be capable both by his words and action of making the
						men under him realize that it is good to obey, to back up their leader, and
						to charge home; of firing them with a desire to win commendation; and of
						enabling them to carry out their intentions with persistence.

Suppose now that the cavalry are busy in the no-man’s-land
							that separates two battle lines drawn up face to face or two strategic
							positions, wheeling, pursuing and retreating. After such manoeuvres both
							sides usually start off at a slow pace, but gallop at full speed in the
							unoccupied ground.

But if a commander first feints in this manner, and then after wheeling, pursues and
							retreats at the gallop he will be able to inflict the greatest loss on
							the enemy, and will probably come through with the least harm, by
							pursuing at the gallop so long as he is near his own defence, and
							retreating at the gallop from the enemy’s defences.

If, moreover, he can secretly leave behind him four or five of the best
						horses and men in each division, they will be at a great advantage in
						falling on the enemy as he is turning to renew the charge.

To read these suggestions a few times is
						enough; but it is always necessary for the commander to hit on the right
						thing at the right moment, to think of the present situation and to carry
						out what is expedient in view of it. To write out all that he ought to do is
						no more possible than to know everything that is going to happen.

The most important of all my hints, I think, is this: Whatever you decide to be best, see
							that it gets done. Whether you are a farmer, a skipper or
							a commander, sound decisions bear no fruit unless you see to it that,
							with heaven’s help, they
							are duly carried out.

Further, I am of opinion that the full
						complement of a thousand cavalry would be raised much more quickly and in a
						manner much less burdensome to the citizens if they established a force of
						two hundred foreign cavalry. For I believe
						that the presence of these men would improve the discipline of the whole
						force and would foster rivalry in the display of efficiency.

I know that the fame of the Lacedaemonian horse dates from the introduction
						of foreign cavalry: and in the other states everywhere I notice that the
						foreign contingents enjoy a high reputation; for need helps to produce great
						eagerness.

To defray the cost of their horses, I believe
						that money would be forthcoming from those who strongly object to serve in
						the cavalry—since even men actually enrolled are willing to pay in order to get
						out of the service—from rich men who are physically unfit, and also, I
						think, from orphans possessed of large
						estates.

I believe also that some of the resident aliens would be proud to be enrolled
						in the cavalry. For I notice that, whenever the citizens give them a share
						in any other honourable duty, some are willing enough to take pride in doing
						the part assigned to them.

I fancy, too, that infantry attached to the cavalry will be most effective if
						it consists of persons who are very bitter against the enemy. 
					 All these things are feasible provided the
						gods give their consent.

If anyone is surprised at my frequent repetition of the exhortation to work
						with God, I can assure him that his surprise will diminish, if he is often
						in peril, and if he considers that in time of war foemen plot and
						counterplot, but seldom know what will come of their plots.

Therefore there is none other that can give counsel in such a case but the
						gods. They know all things, and warn whomsoever they will in sacrifices, in
						omens, in voices, and in dreams. And we may
						suppose that they are more ready to counsel those who not only ask what they
						ought to do in the hour of need, but also serve the gods in the days of
						their prosperity with all their might.