armie, in the seconde bande: wherefore Scipio for to set againste
thesame like strengthe, gathered the Prencipi and the Triarii together:
So that the distaunces of the Prencipi, beyng occupied of the Triarii,
there was no place to bee able to receive the Astati: and therefore he
made the Astati to devide, and to go in the hornes of the armie, and he
drewe them not betwene the Prencipi. But note, that this waie of openyng
the first bande, for to give place to the seconde, cannot bee used, but
when a man is superiour to his enemie: for that then there is commoditie
to bee able to dooe it, as Scipio was able: but beyng under, and
repulced, it cannot be doen, but with thy manifest ruine: and therefore
it is convenient to have behinde, orders that maie receive thee, but let
us tourne to our reasonyng. The auncient Asiaticans, emongest other
thynges devised of them to hurt the enemies, used carres. The whiche had
on the sides certaine hookes, so that not onely thei served to open with
their violence the bandes, but also to kill with the hookes the
adversaries: against the violence of those, in thre maners thei
provided, either thei sustained theim with the thickenesse of the raies,
or thei received theim betwene the bandes, as the Eliphantes were
received, or els thei made with arte some strong resistence: As Silla a
Romaine made againste Archelaus, whom had many of these cartes, whiche
thei called hooked, who for to sustaine theim, drave many stakes into
the grounde, behinde his first bandes of men, whereby the cartes beyng
stopped, lost their violence. And the newe maner that Silla used against
hym in orderyng the armie, is to bee noted: for that he put the Veliti,
and the horse, behinde, and all the heavie armed afore, leavyng many
distaunces to be able to sende before those behinde, when necessite
required: whereby the fight beyng begun, with the helpe of the horsemen,
to the whiche he gave the waie, he got the victorie. To intende to
trouble in the faight the enemies armie, it is conveniente to make some
thyng to growe, that maie make theim afraied, either with showyng of
newe helpe that commeth, or with showyng thynges, whiche maie represente
a terrour unto theim: after soche sorte, that the enemies begiled of
that sight, maie be afraied, and being made afraied, thei maie easely
bee overcome: the whiche waies Minutio Rufo used, and Accilio Glabrione
Consulls of Rome. Caius Sulpitius also set a greate many of sackes upon
Mules, and other beastes unprofitable for the warre, but in soche wise
ordained, that thei semed men of armes, and he commaunded, that thei
should appere upon a hill, while he were a faightyng with the
Frenchemen, whereby grewe his victorie. The verie same did Marius, when
he foughte against the Duchemen. Then the fained assaultes availyng
moche, whilest the faight continueth, it is conveniente, that the very
assaultes in deede, dooe helpe moche: inespecially if at unwares in the
middest of the faight, the enemie might bee assaulted behinde, or on the
side: the whiche hardely maie be doen, if the countrie helpe thee not:
for that when it is open, parte of thy men cannot bee hid, as is mete to
bee doen in like enterprises: but in woddie or hille places, and for
this apt for ambusshes parte of thy men maie be well hidden, to be able
in a sodain, and contrary to thenemies opinion to assaut him, whiche
thyng alwaies shall be occasion to give thee the victorie. It hath been
sometyme of greate importaunce, whilest the faighte continueth, to sowe
voices, whiche doe pronounce the capitaine of thenemies to be dedde, or
to have overcome on the other side of the armie: the whiche many times
to them that have used it, hath given the victorie. The chivalrie of the
enemies maie bee easely troubled, either with sightes, or with rumours,
not used: as Creso did, whom put Camelles againste the horses of the
adversaries, and Pirrus sette againste the Romaine horsemen Eliphantes,
the sighte of whiche troubled and disordered them. In our time, the
Turke discomfited the Sophi in Persia, and the Soldane in Surria with no
other, then with the noise of Harkabuses, the whiche in soche wise, with
their straunge rumours, disturbed the horses of those, that the Turke
mighte easely overcome them: The Spaniardes to overcome the armie of
Amilcare, put in the firste fronte Cartes full of towe drawen of oxen,
and comming to handes, thei kindeled fire to thesame, wherfore the oxen
to flie from the fire, thrust into the armie of Amilcar, and opened it.
Thei are wonte (as we have saied) to begile the enemie in the faight,
drawyng him into their ambusshes, where the Countrie is commodious for
the same purpose, but where it were open and large, many have used to
make diches, and after have covered them lightly with bowes and yearth,
and lefte certain spaces whole, to be able betnene those to retire:
after, so sone as the faight hath been begunne, retiryng by those, and
the enemie folowing them, hath fallen in the pittes. If in the faight
there happen thee, any accident that maie feare thy souldiours, it is a
moste prudente thyng, to knowe how to desemble it, and to pervert it to
good, as Tullo Hostilio did, and Lucius Silla: whom seyng while thei
fought, how a parte of his men wer gone to the enemies side, and how
thesame thing had verie moche made afraied his men, he made straighte
waie throughout all the armie to be understoode, how all thing proceded,
accordyng to his order: the whiche not onely did not trouble the armie,
but it increased in them so moche stomack, that he remained victorious.
It happened also to Silla, that havyng sente certaine souldiours to doe
some businesse, and thei beyng slain he saied, to the intent his armie
should not be made afraied thereby, that he had with crafte sent theim
into the handes of the enemies, for that he had found them nothyng
faithfull. Sertorius faightyng a battaile in Spaine, slue one, whom
signified unto hym the death of one of his capitaines, for feare that
tellyng the very same to other, he should make theim afraied. It is a
moste difficult thyng, an armie beyng now moved to flie, to staie it,
and make it to faight. And you have to make this distinccion: either
that it is all moved, and then to be impossible to tourne it, or there
is moved a parte thereof, and then there is some remedie. Many Romain
capitaines, with making afore those whiche fled, have caused them to
staie, making them ashamed of running awaie, as Lucius Silla did, where
alredy parte of his Legions beyng tourned to flight, driven awaie by the
men of Mithridates, he made afore them with a swearde in his hande
criyng: if any aske you, where you left your capitaine, saie, we have
left hym in Boecia, where he faighteth. Attillius a consull set againste
that ran awaie, them that ranne not awaie, and made them to understande,
that if thei would not tourne, thei should be slaine of their frendes,
and of their enemies. Philip of Macedonia understanding how his men
feared the Scithian Souldiours, placed behinde his armie, certaine of
his moste trustie horsemen, and gave commission to theim, that thei
should kill whom so ever fledde: wherfore, his men mindyng rather to die
faightyng, then fliyng, overcame. Many Romaines, not so moche to staie a
flight, as for to give occasion to their men, to make greater force,
have whileste thei have foughte, taken an Ansigne out of their owne
mennes handes, and throwen it emongeste the enemies, and appoincted
rewardes to hym that could get it again. I doe not beleve that it is out
of purpose, to joyne to this reasonyng those thynges, whiche chaunce
after the faight, in especially beyng brief thinges, and not to be left
behinde, and to this reasonyng conformable inough. Therefore I saie, how
the fielde is loste, or els wonne: when it is wonne, the victorie ought
with all celeritie to be folowed, and in this case to imitate Cesar, and
not Aniball, whom staiyng after that he had discomfited the Romaines at
Canne, loste the Empire of Rome: The other never rested after the
victorie, but folowed the enemie beyng broken, with greater violence and
furie, then when he assalted hym whole: but when a capitaine dooeth
loese, he ought to see, if of the losse there maie growe any utilite
unto hym, inespecially if there remain any residue of tharmie. The
commoditie maie growe of the small advertisment of the enemie, whom
moste often times after the victorie, becometh negligent, and giveth
thee occasion to oppresse hym, as Marcius a Romaine oppressed the armie
of the Carthaginers, whom having slain the twoo Scipions, and broken
their armie, not estemyng thesame remnaunt of menne, whiche with Marcius
remained a live, were of hym assaulted and overthrowen: for that it is
seen, that there is no thing so moche to bee brought to passe, as
thesame, whiche the enemie thinketh, that thou canst not attempte:
bicause for the moste parte, men bee hurte moste, where thei doubt
leaste: therefore a capitain ought when he cannot doe this, to devise at
least with diligence, that the losse bee lesse hurtfull, to dooe this,
it is necessarie for thee to use meanes, that the enemie maie not easely
folowe thee, or to give him occasion to make delaie: in the first case,
some after thei have been sure to lese, have taken order with their
heddes, that in divers partes, and by divers waies thei should flie,
havyng appoincted wher thei should after assemble together: the which
made, that thenemie (fearing to devide the armie) was faine to let go
safe either all, or the greatest part of them. In the seconde case, many
have cast before the enemie, their dearest thinges, to the entent that
he tariyng about the spoile, might give them more laisure to flie. Titus
Dimius used no small policie to hide the losse, whiche he had received
in the faight, for asmoche as havyng fought untill night, with great
losse of his menne, he made in the night to be buried, the greatest part
of them, wherefore in the mornyng, the enemies seyng so many slaine of
theirs, and so fewe of the Romaines, belevyng that thei had the
disavauntage, ran awaie. I trust I have thus confusedly, as I saied,
satisfied in good part your demaunde: in dede about the facions of the
armies, there resteth me to tell you, how some tyme, by some Capitaines,
it hath been used to make theim with the fronte, like unto a wedge,
judgyng to bee able by soche meane, more easely to open the enemies
armie. Against this facion, thei have used to make a facion like unto a
paire of sheres, to be able betwene thesame voide place, to receive that
wedge, and to compasse it about, and to faight with it on every side:
whereupon I will that you take this generall rule, that the greatest
remedie that is used againste a devise of the enemie, is to dooe
willingly thesame, whiche he hath devised that thou shalt dooe perforce:
bicause that doyng it willingly, thou doest it with order, and with thy
advauntage, and his disadvauntage, if thou shouldest doe it beyng
inforced, it should be thy undoyng: For the provyng whereof, I care not
to reherse unto you, certain thynges alredy tolde. The adversary maketh
the wedge to open thy bandes: if thou gowest with them open, thou
disorderest hym, and he disordereth not thee. Aniball set the Elephantes
in the fronte of his armie, to open with theim the armie of Scipio.
Scipio went with it open, and it was the occasion of his victorie, and
of the ruine of hym. Asdruball placed his strongest men in the middest
of the fronte of his armie, to overthrowe Scipios menne: Scipio
commaunded, that by them selves thei should retire and he broke theim:
So that like devises when thei are foreseen, bee the causes of the
victorie of him, against whom thei be prepared. There remaineth me also,
if I remember my self well, to tell you what respectes a Capitaine ought
to have, before he leade his men to faight: upon whiche I have to tell
you firste, how a capitaine ought never to faight a battaile, except he
have advauntage, or be constrained. The vantage groweth of the
situacion, of the order, of havyng more, or better menne: the necessitie
groweth when thou seest how that not faightyng, thou muste in any wise
lose, as should bee for lackyng of money, and for this, thy armie to bee
ready all maner of waies to resolve, where famishemente is ready to
assaulte thee, where the enemie looketh to bee ingrosed with newe men:
in these cases, thou oughtest alwaies to faight, although with thy
disadvauntage: for that it is moche better to attempte fortune, where
she maie favour thee, then not attemptyng, to see thy certaine ruine:
and it is as grevous a faulte in this case, in a capitain not to faight,
as to have had occasion to overcome, and not to have either knowen it
through ignoraunce, or lefte it through vilenesse. The advauntages some
tymes the enemie giveth thee, and some tymes thy prudence: Many in
passyng Rivers have been broken of their enemie, that hath been aware
thereof, whom hath taried, till the one halfe hath been of the one side,
and the other halfe on the other, and then hath assaulted them: as Cesar
did to the Suizzers, where he destroied the fowerth parte of theim,
through beyng halfe over a river. Some tyme thy enemie is founde wearie,
for havyng folowed thee to undescritely, so that findyng thy self freshe
and lustie, thou oughtest not to let passe soche an occasion: besides
this, if the enemie offer unto thee in the mornyng betymes to faight,
thou maiest a good while deferre to issue out of thy lodgyng, and when
he hath stoode long in armour, and that he hath loste that same firste
heate, with the whiche he came, thou maiest then faight with him. This
waie Scipio and Metellus used in Spaine: the one against Asdruball, the
other against Sertorius. If the enemie be deminished of power, either
for havyng devided the armie, as the Scipions in Spain, or for some
other occasion, thou oughteste to prove chaunce. The greateste parte of
prudent capitaines, rather receive the violence of the enemies, then go
with violence to assalte them: for that the furie is easely withstoode
of sure and steddie menne, and the furie beyng sustained, converteth
lightly into vilenesse: Thus Fabius did againste the Sannites, and
against the Galles, and was victorious and his felowe Decius remained
slain. Some fearing the power of their enemies, have begun the faight a
little before night, to the intent that their men chaunsyng to bee
overcome, might then by the helpe of the darkenesse thereof, save theim
selves. Some havyng knowen, how the enemies armie beyng taken of
certaine supersticion, not to faight in soche a tyme, have chosen
thesame tyme to faighte, and overcome: The whiche Cesar observed in
Fraunce, againste Arionistus, and Vespasian in Surrie, againste the
Jewes. The greatest and moste importaunte advertismente, that a
capitaine ought to have, is to have aboute hym faithfull menne, that are
wise and moste expert in the warre, with whom he must continually
consulte and reason of his men, and of those of the enemies, whiche is
the greater nomber, whiche is beste armed, or beste on horsebacke, or
best exercised, whiche be moste apte to suffer necessitie, in whom he
trusteth moste, either in the footemen, or in the horsemen: after thei
ought to consider the place where thei be, and whether it be more to the
purpose for thenemie, then for him: which of theim hath victualles moste
commodious: whether it be good to deferre the battaile, or to faight it:
what good might bee given hym, or taken awaie by tyme: for that many
tymes, souldiours seyng the warre to be delaied, are greved, and beyng
wearie, in the pain and in the tediousnesse therof, wil forsake thee. It
importeth above all thyng, to knowe the capitain of the enemies, and
whom he hath aboute hym, whether he be rashe, or politike, whether he be
fearfull, or hardie: to see how thou maiest truste upon the aidyng
souldiours. And above all thyng thou oughtest to take hede, not to
conducte the armie to faight when it feareth, or when in any wise it
mistrusteth of the victorie: for that the greatest signe to lose, is
thei beleve not to be able to winne: and therfore in this case, thou
oughtest to avoide the faightyng of the fielde, either with doyng as
Fabius Maximus, whom incampyng in strong places, gave no courage to
Aniball, to goe to finde hym, or when thou shouldest thinke, that the
enemie also in strong places, would come to finde thee, to departe out
of the fielde, and to devide the menne into thy tounes to thentent that
tediousnesse of winnyng them, maie wearie hym.
ZANOBI. Cannot the faightyng of the battaile be otherwise avoided, then
in devidyng the armie in sunderie partes and placyng the men in tounes?
[Sidenote: Fabius Maximus.]
FABRICIO. I beleve that ones alreadie, with some of you I have reasoned,
how that he, that is in the field, cannot avoide to faight the battaile,
when he hath an enemie, which will faight with hym in any wise, and he
hath not, but one remedie, and that is, to place him self with his armie
distant fiftie miles at leaste, from his adversarie, to be able betymes
to avoide him, when he should go to finde hym. For Fabius Maximus never
avoided to faight the battaile with Aniball, but he would have it with
his advauntage: and Aniball did not presume to bee able to overcome hym,
goyng to finde hym in the places where he incamped: where if he had
presupposed, to have been able to have overcome, it had been conveniente
for Fabius, to have fought the battaile with hym, or to have avoided.
[Sidenote: Philip king of Macedonia, overcome by the Romaines; How
Cingentorige avoided the faightyng of the fielde with Cesar; The
ignorance of the Venecians; What is to be doen wher soldiours desire to
faight, contrary to their capitaines minde; How to incourage souldiers;
An advertisment to make the soldiour most obstinately to faight.]
Philip Kyng of Macedonia, thesame that was father to Perse, commyng to
warre with the Romaines, pitched his campe upon a verie high hill, to
the entent not to faight with theim: but the Romaines wente to find hym
on thesame hill, and discomfaited hym. Cingentorige capitain of the
Frenche menne, for that he would not faight the field with Cesar, whom
contrarie to his opinion, had passed a river, got awaie many miles with
his men. The Venecians in our tyme, if thei would not have come to have
fought with the Frenche kyng, thei ought not to have taried till the
Frenche armie, had passed the River Addus, but to have gotten from them
as Cingentorige, where thei havyng taried knewe not how to take in the
passyng of the men, the occasion to faight the battaile, nor to avoide
it: For that the Frenche men beyng nere unto them, as the Venecians went
out of their Campe, assaulted theim, and discomfited theim: so it is,
that the battaile cannot bee avoided, when the enemie in any wise will
faight, nor let no man alledge Fabius, for that so moche in thesame
case, he did flie the daie of battaile, as Aniball. It happeneth many
tymes, that thy souldiours be willyng to faight, and thou knoweste by
the nomber, and by the situacion, or for some other occasion to have
disadvauntage, and desirest to make them chaunge from this desire: it
happeneth also, that necessitie, or occasion, constraineth thee to
faight, and that thy souldiours are evill to be trusted, and smally
disposed to faight: where it is necessarie in thone case, to make theim
afraied, and in the other to incourage theim: In the firste case, when
perswacions suffiseth not, there is no better waie, then to give in
praie, a part of them unto thenemie, to thintent those that have, and
those that have not fought, maie beleve thee: and it may very wel be
doen with art, thesame which to Fabius Maximus hapned by chaunce.
Tharmie of Fabius (as you knowe) desired to faight with Aniballs armie:
the very same desire had the master of his horses: to Fabius it semed
not good, to attempte the faight: so that through soche contrary
opinions, he was fain to devide the armie: Fabius kept his men in the
campe, the other fought, and commyng into great perill, had been
overthrowen, if Fabius had not rescued him: by the whiche insample the
maister of the horse, together with all the armie, knewe how it was a
wise waie to obeie Fabius. Concernyng to incourage theim to faight, it
should be well doen, to make them to disdain the enemies, shewyng how
thei speake slaunderous woordes of them, to declare to have intelligence
with them, and to have corrupted part of them, to incampe in place,
where thei maie see the enemies, and make some light skirmishe with
them, for that the thyng that is dailie seen, with more facilitie is
despised: to shewe theim to bee unworthie, and with an oracion for the
purpose, to reprehende them of their cowardnesse, and for to make them
ashamed, to tell theim that you will faight alone, when thei will not
beare you companie. And you ought above all thyng to have this
advertismente, mindyng to make the Souldiour obstinate to faight, not to
permitte, that thei maie send home any of their substaunce, or to leave
it in any place, till the warre bee ended, that thei maie understande,
that although fliyng save their life, yet it saveth not theim their
goodes, the love whereof, is wonte no lesse then thesame, to make men
obstinate in defence.
ZANOBI. YOU have tolde, how the souldiours maie be tourned to faight,
with speakyng to theim: doe you meane by this, that all the armie must
bee spoken unto, or to the heddes thereof?
[Sidenote: It is requisite for excellent Capitaines to bee good orators;
Alexander Magnus used openly to perswade his armie; The effecteousnes of
speking; Souldiours ought to be accustomed to heare their Capitaine
speake; How in olde time souldiers were threatened for their faltes;
Enterprises maie the easelier be brought to passe by meanes of religion;
Sertorius; A policie of Silla; A policie of Charles the seventh king of
Fraunce against the Englishmen; How souldiers maiebee made to esteme
little their enemies; The surest wai to make souldiours moste obstinat
to faight; By what meanes obstinatenesse to faighte is increased.]
FABRICIO. TO perswade, or to diswade a thyng unto fewe, is verie easie,
for that if woordes suffise not, you maie then use aucthoritie and
force: but the difficultie is, to remove from a multitude an evill
opinion, and that whiche is contrary either to the common profite, or to
thy opinion, where cannot be used but woordes, the whiche is meete that
thei be heard of every man, mindyng to perswade them all. Wherfore, it
was requisite that the excellente Capitaines were oratours: for that
without knowyng how to speake to al the army, with difficultie maie be
wrought any good thing: the whiche altogether in this our tyme is laied
aside. Rede the life of Alexander Magnus, and you shall see how many
tymes it was necessarie for hym to perswade, and to speake publikly to
his armie: otherwise he should never have brought theim, beyng become
riche, and full of spoile, through the desertes of Arabia, and into
India with so moche his disease, and trouble: for that infinite tymes
there growe thynges, wherby an armie ruinateth, when the capitain either
knoweth not, or useth not to speake unto thesame, for that this speakyng
taketh awaie feare, in courageth the mindes, increaseth the obstinatenes
to faight, discovereth the deceiptes, promiseth rewardes, sheweth the
perilles, and the waie to avoide theim, reprehendeth, praieth,
threatened, filleth full of hope, praise, shame, and doeth a11 those
thynges, by the whiche the humaine passions are extincte or kendled:
wherefore, that prince, or common weale, whiche should appoincte to make
a newe power, and cause reputacion to their armie, ought to accustome
the Souldiours thereof, to heare the capitain to speake, and the
capitain to know how to speake unto them. In kepyng desposed the
souldiours in old tyme, to faight for their countrie, the religion
availed moche, and the othes whiche thei gave them, when thei led theim
to warfare: for as moche as in al their faultes, thei threatned them not
onely with those punishementes, whiche might be feared of men but with
those whiche of God might be looked for: the whiche thyng mingled with
the other Religious maners, made many tymes easie to the auncient
capitaines all enterprises, and will doe alwaies, where religion shall
be feared, and observed. Sertorius prevailed, by declaryng that he spake
with a Stagge, the whiche in Goddes parte, promised hym the victorie.
Silla saied, he spoke with an Image, whiche he had taken out of the
Temple of Apollo. Many have tolde how God hath appered unto them in
their slepe, whom hath admonished them to faight. In our fathers time,
Charles the seventh kyng of Fraunce, in the warre whiche he made
againste the Englishemen, saied, he counsailed with a maide, sent from
God, who was called every where the Damosell of Fraunce, the which was
occacion of his victorie. There maie be also used meanes, that maie make
thy men to esteme little the enemie, as Agesilao a Spartaine used, whom
shewed to his souldiours, certain Persians naked, to the intent that
seyng their delicate members, thei should not have cause to feare them.
Some have constrained their men to faight through necessitie, takyng
awaie from them all hope of savyng theim selves, savyng in overcommyng.
The whiche is the strongest, and the beste provision that is made, to
purpose to make the souldiour obstinate to faight: whiche obstinatenesse
is increased by the confidence, and love of the Capitaine, or of the
countrie. Confidence is caused through the armour, the order the late
victorie, and the opinion of the Capitaine. The love of the countrie, is
caused of nature: that of the Capitain, through vertue, more then by any
other benefite: the necessities maie be many, but that is strongest,
whiche constraineth thee; either to overcome, or to dye.
THE FIVETH BOOKE
[Sidenote: How the Romaines marched with their armies; How the Romaines
ordered their armie when it happened to be assaulted on the waie; How
the main battailes ought to marche; The orderyng of an armie after soche
sorte, that it maie marche safelie through the enemies countrie and be
alwaies in a redines to faight; The place in the armie wher the bowmen
and Harkabutters are appoincted; The place in the armie wher
thextraordinarie Pikes are appoincted. The place in the armie wherthe
generall capitain must be; Where the artillerie must be placed. The
light horsmenne must be sente before to discover the countrie and the
menne of armes to come behind tharmy; A generall rule concernyng horse;
Wher the carriages and the unarmed are placed; The waie must be made
plaine wher the armie shall marche in order; How many miles a day an
armie maie marche in battaile raie, to bee able to incampe before sunne
set; The orderyng of the armie, when it is assaulted on the vawarde; The
orderyng of tharmie when thenemie commes to assaulte it behinde; How the
armie is ordered when it is assaulted of any of the sides; doen when the
army is assaulted on twoo sides.]