The host thus forming a single united body, it is impossible either
for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone.
Chang Yü quotes a saying: 令不進而進與令不退而退厥罪惟均 “Equally
guilty are those who advance against orders and those who retreat
against orders.” Tu Mu tells a story in this connection of 吳起 Wu
Ch‘i, when he was fighting against the Ch‘in State. Before the
battle had begun, one of his soldiers, a man of matchless daring,
sallied forth by himself, captured two heads from the enemy, and
returned to camp. Wu Ch‘i had the man instantly executed,
whereupon an officer ventured to remonstrate, saying: “This man
was a good soldier, and ought not to have been beheaded.” Wu Ch‘i
replied: “I fully believe he was a good soldier, but I had him
beheaded because he acted without orders.”
This is the art of handling large masses of men.