CHAP. I. Of Concealing Counsels.
Example. 1.

MArcus Porcius Cato, having a Jealousie that the Cities of Spain which he had conquered would in time rebell, out of a Confidence that they had in the strength of their Walls, writ to each of them that they should overthrow their Fortifi­cations, and threatned them with War, if they did not immediately obey his Orders. The Letters he caused to be delivered to all the Cities in one day; which made every one of them believe, that this Command was given to them alone: for if they could have had all time to know that they were [Page 2]all threatned and commanded the same thing, they would have united together, and resisted the Gene­ral's Orders.

2. When Himilco, the Carthaginian Captain, re­solved to land in Sicily unexpected, he never de­clar'd whither he was sailing, but delivered to all the Masters of his Navy sealed Letters, wherein was written the place which he was designed for; but commanded that no man should read them, unless by the violence of a Storm they were driven from the sight of the Admiral's Ship which carried him.

3. When C. Laelius went as an Ambassadour to King Syphax, he took along with him some of the Collonels and Captains of the Army in the Garb of Slaves and Servants, with an Intention to serve as Spies: amongst whom, when L. Statorius, who had very often been in the same Camp, seem'd to be known by some of the Enemies, he beat him with his Staff, and corrected him as his Servant, only to conceal from them his Condition.

4. Tarquinius Superbus, the Father, resolving to have the chief of the Gabians destroyed, would not intrust this Secret with any Person, and answered nothing to his Son's Messenger that was sent to him, but with his Rod struck off before him the heads of the highest Poppies, as he was then by chance walking in his Garden. The Messenger, at his re­turn without a verbal Answer, told the young Tar­quinius what he observ'd that his Father did. He understood that he was to deal in the same manner with the most noted Persons of his Government.

5. C. Caesar being in Egypt, suspected the Egypti­ans Faith; but to make them believe that he trust­ed them, he visited their chief City and Works, frequented their merry Feasts, seem'd to be much [Page 3]delighted with the conveniency of the Places, and to imitate the Customs and manner of living of the Citizens of Alexandria: but during all this Dissimu­lation, he was providing his Succours and Troops to take possession of the Kingdom of Egypt.

6. When Ventidius, in the Parthian War, march­ed against King Pacorus, and understood that a certain Pharneus of Cyrrhestre in Syria, who was amongst his Auxiliaries, did give Intelligence to the Parthian Army whatsoever was acted and resolved in the Roman Camp, he took occasion to make an advantage of the Traitor's Perfidiousness; for that which he most desired to be done he pretended that he was afraid that it should happen, and that which he feared would come to pass, he seem'd to wish for. Therefore, fearing that the Parthians would pass over the River Euphrates to fight him, before his Legions could come up to him out of Cappado­cia, from the other side of Mount Taurus, he solli­cited the Traytor to a double Treachery, to per­swade the Parthians to carry their Army over that part of Euphrates that bears the Name of Zeugma, where the River, leaving its strait Channel; turns aside; for if they came the nearer way, he assured them that Ventidius would make use of the Hills to defend himself and Army from the Parthian Ar­rows; but, that he was very much afraid if they took the plain and open Fields. This Information oblig'd them to march the under way, and to bring their Army round about. They spent above forty days in siding along the larger Banks, in building of laborious Bridges, and in the carriage of their warlike Instruments. In the mean space, Ventidius had time to call together his Troops; and be­fore the Parthians were in sight they had been with him three days. By this means he over­came [Page 4]the Parthians in Battel, and kill'd their King Pacorus.

7. When Pompey had begun to draw a Trench to compass in Mithridates with his Army, he prepared himself to fly the next day: but better to conceal this Design from the Romans, he caused his men to forage far and near, and to the places adjoyning to the Enemies Camp, and appointed a Conference the next day with several of Pompey's men, and com­manded more fires to be made every where in his Trenches; but in the second Watch of the Night he led out his whole Army along by the Enemies Camp, and escaped.

8. The Emperour Caesar Domitianus Augustus, sirnamed Germanicus, having an intent to surprise the Germans that had took up Arms, and knowing that they would make a greater Preparation if they knew of the coming of so great a Captain, he pre­tended, the Taxation, or the mustering of the Gauls, to be the cause of his Departure. In this manner he overcame them by an unexpected War, tamed the fierceness of barbarous Nations, and provided for the preservation and safety of the Roman Provinces.

9. When Claudius Nero desired to cut in pieces the Army of Asdrubal before he could joyn with his Brother Hannibal, he endeavour'd by hasty March­es to unite with the other Consul Livius Salinator, who was appointed to oppose Asdrubal, because he mistrusted the Forces that were under his Com­mand: yet, would not he suffer Hannibal, whom he was to oppose, to have any Intelligence of his De­parture. For that purpose, he chose ten thousand of the stoutest Souldiers of his Army, and com­manded his Lieutenants, whom he left behind, that they should place the same Sentinels and Watches [Page 5]every where, keep the same Fires burning, and ob­serve the same order in the Camp as when he was present, that Hannibal might not suspect any thing, nor attempt upon the small number that was left behind: for his part, he went by secret ways into Ʋmbria, now called Spoletto, and joyn'd himself to his Partner, but gave Order that the Camp might not be enlarged, that Asdrubal might not know of his coming, nor refuse to fight the Forces of both Consuls. By this means he overcame him and his Army, and with his increased Troops having over­powered him unawares, returned back to wait upon the motions of Hannibal, before he could have any knowledge of the Victory. Thus he dealt with two of the most subtle Generals of the Carthaginians; the one he overcame by concealing his purpose, the other by his Valour he destroyed.

10. Themistocles, the Athenian Captain, advised his Citizens to build up with all speed the Walls which the Spartans had commanded to be pull'd down: and to the Lacedaemonian Ambassadours which were sent to interrupt the Work, he an­swered, That he would go himself to Sparta, to give an account of this proceeding, and satisfie the Citizens. At his Arrival he pretended himself sick, and by that means spun out some time; at last, when he perceived that they suspected, and under­stood his delays, he affirmed to them, that they had heard false Reports, and desired them to send some of their chief men who might give them a true Account of the Fortifications of Athens. And at the same time he writ to his Citizens privately to detain such as should come untill their Works were finished, that he might then declare to the Lacedaemonians that Athens was fortified, and that their Citizens should not be returned back, unless [Page 6]they gave him liberty to be gone; which the Lace­daemonians easily granted, for fear that one mans Death should be punished with the loss of many.

11. L. Furius, having brought his Army into a very inconvenient place, he resolved to conceal the trouble of his Mind, for fear of giving an Apprehen­sion to others; and at the same time gave Orders to his Army to march aside a little, as if he had in­tended only to take a compass about, and fall upon the Enemy. In this manner he brought out his Army, ignorant both of the Danger and of the In­tent of his Orders, into a safer Post.

12. When Metellus Pius was asked in Spain what he would do the next day, he answered, That if his Wastcoat could tell it, he would immediately cast it into the fire.

13. M. Licinius Crassus gave this Answer to one that asked him at what time he would remove his Camp; Art thou afraid that thou shalt not hear the Sound of the Trumpet, or the Signal.

CHAP. II. Of discovering the Counsels of the Enemies.
Example 1.

SCipio Africanus, taking an occasion to send an Embassy to King Syphax with Laelius, he dis­patched some choice Collonels and Captains in the habit of Servants and Attendants, to spy out the strength of the Enemy. And that they might more freely take a view of the Camp, they let loose [Page 7]a Horse for this purpose, which they followed, and by this means went round the greatest part of their Fortifications; of which, when they had given an Account to Scipio, he made an end of that War, by setting Fire to their Camp.

2. Q. Fabius Maximus, in the Hetrurian War, when yet the Roman Captains were not well ac­quainted with the wisest ways of discovering, or­dered his Brother Fabius Caeso, well learned in the Hetrurian Language, to take that Garb, and to go into the Forest of Ciminia, unknown before to the Roman Souldiers; in which Embassy he behaved himself with so much Prudence and Industry, that he drew the Ʋmbri Camertes, a considerable Peo­ple, who were not averse to the Roman Common­wealth, to joyn in Society and League with them.

3. When the Carthaginians saw that Alexander's Power did so wonderfully increase, and that he did threaten Africa also, they appointed a subtle Per­son, one of their Citizens, named Hamilcar, of Rhodes, to go to the King in the disguise of a ba­nish'd Man, and by all means to insinuate himself into his Acquaintance and Friendship; which when he had obtained, he reveal'd to his Citizens all the Designs and Resolutions of this Conquerour.

4. The same Carthaginians sent some of their own Citizens as Ambassadours, to remain a considerable time at Rome, that they might understand the pur­poses of the Romans.

5. When M. Cato was in Spain, and could no other ways come to the knowledge of the Enemies Designs, he ordered three hundred Souldiers to make an Assault upon them in their Post, and to take one of them by force, and carry him into his Camp; who being put to the Torture, revealed all the Se­crets of his own People.

6. C. Marius the Consul, in the Cimbrick and Teu­tonick War, sent Letters to the Gauls and Lygurians to know whether they continued faithful to the Ro­man State: In the beginning he commanded them that they should not unseal nor read what was clos'd up untill a prefixed time. And before that time, he sent to demand the same Letters; which when he sound to be unseal'd, he understood that they intended to joyn with the Enemy. There is also ano­ther way of Discovery, by which Generals, without any outward help, have been able to foresee things of themselves. For Example;

7. Aemilius Paulus, or rather, L. Aemilius Pa­pus, Consul in the Hetrurian War, being at the head of his Army to lead them into a Plane, saw a far off a great number of Birds rise swifter than ordinary out of a Wood; by that he understood that there was some Ambuscade hid, because the Birds were disturb'd, and because many rose up together; he sent out therefore Scouts, who brought him Intelli­gence, That ten thousand of the Helvetians called Boii, were there ready to receive the Romans, which News caused him to march with his Legi­ons another way than was expected to Attack them.

8. Likewise Tisamenes the Son of Orestes, under­standing that the Enemy held the top of a Mountain which was strong by Situation; he sent some to inquire out the Truth, who brought word, that it was no such thing as he imagin'd: but proceeding on in his way, he saw a vast number of Birds to fly together out of that Mountain, that would not pitch; by them he perceived that the Enemies Troops were there hid; he led therefore his Army another way, and escaped the Ambushes that were laid for him.

9. Asdrubal, the Brother of Hannibal, understood too late, that Livie's Army and Nero's were joy­ned together, though they endeavoured to con­ceal it by lodging together in the same Camp, for he saw their Horses look thin with the Journey, and took notice of the Bodies of them bearing the colour of the High-ways through which they had travelled.

CHAP. III. Of setling or chusing the state of War.
Example 1.

ALexander of Macedon, having a lusty Army of stout men to follow him, did always chuse to fight his Enemy in a pitch'd Battel.

2. C. Caesar, in the Civil War, had an Army of old Souldiers, but he knew that his Enemies were but raw and unexperienced; he endeavoured therefore always to give the Battel.

3. Fabius Maximus, being General against Han­nibal, who was grown insolent and proud with the Successes of the former Fights, resolved to avoid the doubtful Hazards of a Battel, and only to defend his Country. He deserved therefore the Name and Renown thereby of a wise General.

4. They of Byzantium shun'd all occasions of fighting with King Philip's Army, and forsook also their Borders to shelter themselves within the Walls of their City; which caus'd the Macedonians, impa­tient of the Delays of a Siege, to depart away.

5. Hasdrubal the Son of Gisgon, commanded an Army in Spain in the second Punick War: when Scipio prest upon him, he disperst his Army, and sent them to the Cities: by this means Scipio was forced to lead away also his Army into their Winter Quarters, that he might not divide his by the Siege of many Towns at once.

6. When Xerxes was entring into Greece with his Army, Themistocles judged that the Athenians were not able to fight him by Land, nor to defend their Borders, nor to maintain their Walls; he advis'd them therefore to transport their Wives and Children to Troezenum and other Cities, to for­sake their Town, betake themselves to their Ships, and resolve to fight by Sea.

7. This was the same Advice that Pericles gave to the same City in War against the Lacedaemo­nians.

8. When Hannibal was in Italy, Scipio sailed over with his Army into Africa, and compell'd the Carthaginians to call back Hannibal: by this means he removed the Seat of War from his own Coun­try into the Enemies Borders.

9. The Lacedaemonians having taken and fortifi­ed a Castle of the Athenians, called Decelea, from whence they did much mischief to them, sent their Navy to land, and spoil the Peloponnesus: by this means they oblig'd the Lacedaemonian Army which was at Decelea to be call'd home, to defend their own Country.

10. The Emperour Caesar Domitianus Augustus, when the Germans, according to their Custom, made sudden Onsets upon the Romans out of their Woods and secret Retreats, returning immediately back in safety, in the bottom of their Copses, he set Guards round at 120000. Paces from one ano­ther, [Page 11]and thus alter'd the manner of War, oblig'd the Enemy to surrender themselves when he had deprived them of their Retreats.

CHAP. IV. Of leading an Army through a Coun­try in the Power of the Enemy.
Example 1.

AEMilius Papus, Consul, leading his Army against the Luceni, in a narrow Passage where the Navy of Tarentum waited in Ambush to discharge upon their Troops a showre of poisoned Arrows from their Engines, he cover­ed them as they marched on the side of the Navy, with their Captives; for whom the Enemies had so great a respect, that they stop'd their Arrows.

2. Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian, returning out of Phrygia loaden with Spoils, was closely pursued by his Enemies, who, taking the advantage of a certain Place, fell upon his Troops, which made him to rank all his Prisoners on both sides of his Army: while the Enemy spared them, the Lacedaemonians had time and space to escape out of the danger.

3. The same General, when the Theban Army had possessed themselves of the Streights through which he was to pass, he turn'd aside, as if he had been to go directly to the City of Thebes; which so affrighted the Thebans, that they forsook their Sta­tions to defend their Town. This caus'd Agesilaus [Page 12]to return back, and to proceed on the way that he had designed, without any Disturbance.

4. Nicostratus, the General of the Aetolians, ma­king War against them of Epirus, finding that the Passages into that Country were very narrow, made shew as if he intended to assault them in one place, where he left some few of his Souldiers to maintain the Appearance of an Army, whilst he with the rest of his Troops enter'd into the Country by ano­ther way where he was least expected.

5. Autophradates the Persian, marching with his Army into Pisidia, found certain straight Passages possessed by the Inhabitants, which made him to dissemble an Unwillingness to pass further, and to resolve to return back: the Pisidians believed that he had been in earnest; but he in the night sent a very strong Party to master that place, and the next day he pass'd through with his whole Army.

6. Philip King of Macedonia, intending to go over into Greece, heard that the Streights called Ther­mopylae were possessed by the Enemy: at the same time the Aetolian Ambassadours, Lords of those Streights, came to him to treat about Conditions of Peace. Philip secur'd them, and with all speed marched with his Army to the Thermopylae, where he found the Guards secure, expecting the return of their Ambassadours. Thus he seis'd upon those Streights, and unexpected past through with his Army.

7. Iphicrates the Athenian General, fighting against Anaxibius the Lacedaemonian Captain, in the Hellespont, about the Town Abydos, was forced to pass with his Army through certain places which were guarded by the Enemy; for in one side of the Passage were high and steep Mountains, in the other the Waves of the Sea. He stopt some small time, till [Page 13]a day happened to be colder than ordinary, and therefore most fit to conceal his purpose. He chose a select number of his strongest Souldiers, whom he warm'd with Wine and Oyl, commanding them to march along the Sea-shore, and to climb over the steepest Places. Thus he surprised the Guards behind unexpected, and mastered them.

8. When Cn. Pompeius could not well pass his Army over a River because of the Enemies Troops, he often brought forth his Army out of their Trenches, and as often led them in again, that he might persuade the Enemy that the Romans could find no way to march forwards. Then upon a sud­den he gave an Onset, and gain'd the Passage.

9. When Porus the Indian King stop'd Alexander the Macedonian, with his Army, from passing the River Hydaspes, he commanded his Greek Troops to run against the Stream: and when by that Pro­ceeding Porus was brought to take most heed and care of the other side of the River, on a sudden he past over with his Army a little higher than was ex­pected. The same Alexander, being hinder'd in the Passage of another River by the Enemy, he com­manded that several Troops of Horse should appear in several places on the sides of the Water, and of­fer to pass over. By that means he kept the Ene­my employed, and expecting his motion there, whilst he got into his Power an Island at a distance, first with a small Guard, after with a greater, and from thence he commanded them to pass over to the other side of the River. When all the Enemies were marching to encounter and destroy this small Party, he had the Ford at liberty to get over with all his Army to joyn with his men on the other side.

10. Xenophon in his March found that the Arme­nians stood on the other side of a River to impede his Passage; he therefore commanded his men to seek out two Fords, and when he was opposed by the Enemy at the lower Ford, he returned to the higher; when likewise he was encountred there by the Enemy, he went back to the lower Ford, com­manding a Party of his Men to remain there. While therefore the Armenians continued to defend the lower Ford, he pass'd over at the higher; but they imagining that all would come down, they were deceived by those that remain'd, for these, when the Ford was at liberty, they got on the other side without hinderance, and became a defence to all the rest of their men whilst they marched thro' the River.

11. P. Claudius, Cons. in the first Punick War, being not able to pass over with his Army from Rhe­gium to Messana in Sicily, whilst the Carthaginians kept the Streights, caused a Report to be spread about, That he could no longer continue in this War, because it was begun without the Consent of the People of Rome, and that he would sail with his Fleet back into Italy when the Carthaginians were departed, who believed that he was really gone; he return'd suddenly, and landed in Si­cily.

12. When the Lacedaemonian Generals intended to sail to Syracuse, and were afraid of the Cartha­ginian Fleet sent to intercept them, they ordered ten Ships of Carthage which they had taken, to sail before, with others drag'd and tied behind and on the sides, as if they had been overcome in Fight; by which Appearance, the Carthaginians that wait­ed for them were deceived, and they arrived safe to their Haven.

13. When King Philip could not pass over the Streights called Cyanea, because of the Athenian Fleet which guarded that convenient place, he writ to Antipater, one of his Generals, that the Province of Thracia, having destroyed the Garrisons that he had left there, was in Rebellion; and therefore that leaving other Business he should follow him: which Letter he caus'd to be intercepted by the Enemy. The Athenians judging that they had un­derstood the Secrets of the Macedonians, sailed away with their Fleet; and Philip, without resistance, freed these Streights from the Enemy. The same King, being hinder'd in his Design upon Cherronesus, which was belonging to the Athenians, because not only the Ships of Byzantium, but also of Rhodes and Chios were in the Passage, endeavoured to gain their Friendship, by restoring to them the Ships that he had taken, offering to make them Judges and Me­diators of the Peace between him and them of By­zantium, who were the causes of the War. In this Negotiation he spun out craftily a long time, al­ways adding something to the Articles, that he pre­tended was wanting; and in the mean while he fitted out his own Fleet, to carry him and his Army on a sudden over the Streights, when the Enemy was unprepared to hinder him.

14. Chabrias the Athenian, not being able to enter into the Haven of Samos, because of the Enemies Ships that oppos'd him and guarded the place, com­manded a few of his Ships to pass by the Haven, imagining that the Enemies would follow them, which accordingly happened: he by that means got into the Haven with the rest of his Fleet.

CHAP. V. Of escaping out of most difficult places.
Example 1.

Q. Sertorius, being pursued by his Enemies to the side of a River which he was to pass, caused a Bulwark to be cast up in the manner of a half Moon on the Bank of the River, and fur­nished it with combustible stuff, which he caused to be set on fire: by that means the Enemy was kept off, and he passed over without any hindrance.

2. In the like manner, Pelopidas the Theban, in the War of Thessaly, obtained a safe Passage over a River; for having shut in a large compass of ground within his Camp, he placed upon the Rampires and Bastions round about, forked Stakes, with much combustible matter; and whilst the Enemy was kept off by the Fire he got over to the other side.

3. Q. Lutatius Catulus, having received a Repulse from the Cimbri, and seeing no hopes of Safety but in the passage of a River whereof the Banks were possessed by the Enemy, marched with his Troops to the next Mountain, as if he had intended there to settle his Camp; but commanded his Men not to lay down their Burdens, nor to loosen their Fardels, and that none should offer to depart from their Ranks or Colours; and that he might better confirm the Enemy in this Persuasion, he ordered some few Tabernacles to be raised in the most conspicuous places, and Fires to be kindled, and that some few of his men should cast up a Ditch, and others should appear to go out to fetch Wood. All which Actions the Cimbri conceiving to be done in earnest, chose also a place to pitch their Tents, and sent out [Page 17]several Parties to provide those things that were needful for their abode: by this means they gave an opportunity to Catulus, not only to pass over his Army, but also to streighten the Enemies Camp.

4. When Craesus could not get over a Ford of the River Halys, and having neither Ships, nor ne­cessaries to build a Bridge, he caused a deep Trench to be drawn in the upper part of the River behind his Camp, and so turn'd the Current of the Water behind him.

5. Cn. Pompeius, designing at Brundusium to de­part out of Italy, and transport the War into Greece, because Caesar was likely to attempt upon his Troops when they should endeavour to get on Ship-board, caused some streets to be stopt up, in others he made Walls to be builded a-cross, in others he caused Trenches to be drawn, and sharp stakes, hardned in the fire, to be fixed in them, covering them over with Hurdles hid under the Earth which was cast on the top. And some ways that led to the Haven he stopt with Beams laid up­on one another very thick. When all this was done, he made shew of a Resolution to defend the Town, by placing some few Archers round the Walls. The rest of his Troops, without noise, he commanded aboard, and when they were all ship­ped, the Archers likewise, by known ways, hastened after him in small Ships that waited for them in the Haven.

6. C. Duillius, Cons. enter'd into the Haven of Syracuse unadvisedly, for he was shut in by a Chain cross the Entrance; he caused therefore all his Soul­diers to weigh down the Stern of his Ships, and when the fore-part was lifted up by the weight be­hind, he caused the Oars to row that part over the Chain violently, which being done, all the Soul­diers [Page 18]returned again to the fore-part to press that down: by this means all the weight of the Ships being got over the Chain, caused them to escape over it.

7. When Lysander the Lacedaemonian was besieged with all his Navy in the Haven of Athens, being oppressed with the number of his Enemies Ships, he ordered his Souldiers to land secretly on that part of the Shore where the Sea hath the streightest Passage to flow in, and his Ships to be placed upon Wheels, and carried over land to the nearest Port named Monoecius, or rather Munychias.

8. Herculeius, the Lieutenant of Sertorius in Spain, enter'd with a small Party to march along a narrow way between two steep Mountains; and under­standing that a great number of his Enemies were at hand, coming against him, he caused speedily a Ditch to be dig'd a cross between the two Hills, and a Rampire made with combustible stuff to be set on Fire. Thus, while the Enemy was kept off with the Fire, he escaped.

9. C. Caesar, in the Civil War, leading his Army against Afranius, and finding that he was not able to retreat with safety, as he had designed, caused the first and second Battalion secretly to withdraw themselves behind his Army, and to apply them­selves to dig a Trench of fifteen foot broad, into which, about Sun-set, he marched with his Army in Battel.

10. Pericles the Athenian, being driven by the In­habitants of the Peloponnesus into a certain place which was so surrounded with steep Hills that there were but two Passages to escape out, caus'd a Ditch to be dig'd of a very great breadth on one side, as if he had purposed to exclude the Enemy that side, on the other he commanded a way to be [Page 19]made as if he had intended there to escape. The Besiegers, never imagining that Pericles's Army would offer to escape over the Ditch that he had drawn, resolved all to oppose him in the broad way. But Pericles, having cast over his Ditch a Bridge with Planks that he had ready, suddenly commanded over his Party that way where there was no resistance.

11. Lysimachus, one of them who succeeded to the Wealth and Command of Alexander, designing to fix his Camp on a high Hill, by the Indiscretion of his Officers was brought into a Valley, where he feared the coming down of his Enemies from the upper Ground; he therefore dig'd three Trenches against them within his Camp, and also round about all the Tents the like number of Ditches: By that means he stop'd the Enemies Passage, and by cast­ing of Bows over the Ditches, covering them over with Turf and Earth, he passed over, gave an As­sault to the Enemy, and got up to the higher Ground.

12. Cn. Fronteius Crassus, going out in Spain to plunder the Country, with three thousand men, was surrounded by Hasdrubal in a dangerous place. He communicated his Resolution and Purpose only to the first Ranks, and in the beginning of the night, at what time it was least expected, he broke through the Enemies Post.

13. L. Furius, having led his Army into a diffi­cult place, he resolved to conceal the trouble of his Mind that the rest might not be afraid, com­manding his Men to march a little aside, as if he had intended to assault the Enemy by taking a great­er compass about: but by turning his Army round; who knew nothing of the matter, he brought them into safety.

14. P. Decius the Tribune, in the Samnetick War, persuaded Cornelius Cossus the Consul, who was sur­prised by the Enemy in a dangerous Place, to com­mand a small Party to seize upon a neighbouring Hill, and offered himself to command that Party; for by this means, the Enemy being resolved to op­pose this motion, suffered the Consul to escape, but surrounded and besieged Decius: but in the Night he also sallied out of those Streights. After some Contest, he arrived in Safety with his Souldiers, and joyned the Consuls Army.

15. The same Course was observed under the Command of Attilius Calatinus, Cons. by him whose Name is variously written; some call him Laberius, some Q. Caeditius, most write that he was named Calpurnius Flamma. This Captain, finding that his Army was led into such a Valley that on every side the Enemy had taken possession of the higher ground, desired and obtained of the Consul three hundred men, whom he encourag'd by their Valour to save the whole Army. With this Party he marched into the midst of the Valley, and immedi­ately all the Enemies ran down upon them to cut them off: so that while he was busied in a very fierce and long Combate, he gave opportunity and leisure to the Consul to draw off his Army.

16. L. Minutius, the Consul, in Liguria, having led his Army into a streight place, and every one did yet remember the sad Destruction of the Ro­mans, called Caudinae Clades, commanded the Nu­midians, his Auxiliary Troops, who were despicable in regard of the Deformity of their Persons and of their Horses, to ride up and down about the narrow Passage that led out of the Streights which was de­fended by the Enemy; first, they fearing to be pro­vok'd to Battel, stood to their Station, and kept [Page 21]their Post, but the Numidians endeavour'd to cause themselves to be despised, by falling purposely from their Horses, and in playing strange Tricks, as in sport. At this unusual sight, the Ligurians began to open their Ranks, and to mind nothing but the seeing of the Play. The Numidians perceiving this, drew nearer and nearer; at last clapping the Spurs to their Horses, they broke through the neglected and open Ranks or Stations of their Enemies, and then falling upon the neighbouring Country, forced the Ligurians to depart, and defend their Dwellings, and to suffer the Romans quietly to march out.

17. L. Sylla, in the War of the Confederates, near the City Esernia in Italy, was surprised in a streight place; therefore he sent to the Enemies Army, commanded by Duillius, for a Parley, and began to treat of the Conditions of Peace without any Success; but perceiving the Enemy to be grown more negligent because of the Truce, de­parted in the night, leaving behind him his Trum­peter, who was to divide the Watches as long as any should remain behind, and at the fourth Watch should follow him. Thus he brought away all his Army, with all their baggage and warlike Instru­ments, into safety.

18. The same Sylla, in the War against Arche­laus, Mithridates's General in Cappadocia, was worst­ed by the multitude of his Enemies in an incom­modious place; he therefore propos'd to them Ar­ticles of Peace, and obtain'd a time of Truce: by this Diversion of the Enemies Intentions he escap'd out of the danger.

19. Hasdrubal, Hannibal's Brother, being not able to get out of a Wood, whereof the Passages were stop'd by Claudius Nero, began to treat with him, and to promise, that if he might be suffered [Page 22]to depart, he would leave Spain. Afterwards he spent some days in finding fault with the Conditi­ons imposed. In the mean while, by certain nar­row Paths which were therefore neglected, he sent away his Souldiers by Parties, and at the last he himself escaped with the rest, that were the com­pleatest part of his Army.

20. Spartacus marched over a little Trench with which M. Crassus had inclosed him in by filling it up in the night with the Bodies of his Captives and of Beasts.

21. The same Person being besieged in Mount Vesuvius, escaped over the steepest and most crag­gy part, which was not therefore guarded, by twisting together some Field Withies, of which he made Chains to slide down; and afterwards he so terrified Claudius on another side, that some of his Troops were put to flight by seventy four Fencers.

22. The same Spartacus being shut up by L. Va­rinus the Proconsul, fixed Stakes at some little di­stance from one another, at which he tied dead Bo­dies, standing upright and clothed, with their Arms, that such as should look at a distance might fancy it to be a Party in Guard, and caused besides Fires to be kindled about his Camp every where. Whilst his Enemy was deceived with this vain Appearance, he led out in the night all his Army peaceably.

23. Brasidas the Lacedaemonian Captain, was sur­prised about Amphipolis by a great Multitude of Athenians, which he was not able to resist; he therefore suffered himself to be shut in by them, that by extenuating their Body in a round Circle, he might break out through some part of their Bo­dy where they were thinnest.

24. Iphicrates, in Thracia, having placed his Camp in a low ground, understood that the Enemy had [Page 23]taken the next Hill, from which a Party was come to cut them off. He commanded his men to make many Fires, and left a few within his Camp in the Night for that purpose. In the mean while he led out his Army, and placed them along the ways on both sides, through which he suffer'd the Enemy to pass, and caught them in the same disadvantageous place in which he was before. Thus he cut off some part of their Rear, and took the rest in the Camp.

25. Darius, to hide from the Scythians his De­parture, left behind him in his Camp the Dogs and the Asses; which while the Enemy heard barking and braying, they thought that Darius was yet there.

26. The Ligurians deceived the Romans with a like Subtilty. In divers places they tied to the Trees wild Bullocks, which being left behind, by their frequent bellowing shewed the appearance of an Army to the Enemy.

27. Hanno, being shut in by the Enemy, set on fire a great deal of light and combustible stuff in that place which was fittest for him to sally out: And when he saw the Enemy gone to defend the other Passages, he led his Souldiers through the Flames, advising them to cover their Faces with their Bucklers, and their Legs with their Cloths.

28. Hannibal, to escape out of an incommodi­ous and barren place, being pursued by Fabius Ma­ximus, in the night tied dry Faggots of Wood to the Horns of Oxen, which he set on Fire, and sent them out; the Flame increasing by the motion of the Beasts, caused them to bellow, and run furiously over the Mountains where they were driven, giving a great Light. The Romans that went out first to examine the business, thought it a Prodigy, and a Wonder; afterwards, when they had given a true [Page 24]Account to Fabius, he kept his Men within the Camp for fear of Ambushes. In the mean while Hannibal with his Army marched out without re­sistance.

CHAP. VI. Of Ambushes laid in the way.
Example 1.

FƲlvius, sirnamed the Nobler, leading his Ar­my out of Samnium against the Lucani, un­derstood by some Run-a-ways, that the Ene­mies would set upon his Rear, which caused him to order his stoutest Legion to march in the Van, and placed in the Rear his Baggage. The Enemies embracing this which was done on purpose, began to plunder the Carriage; but Fulvius had appoint­ed five Companies of the forementioned Legion to be in the right side of the way, and five in the left: so that when the Enemy was wholly intent and busie about the Plunder, he shut them in on both sides with his Souldiers drawn up, and cut them in pieces.

2. The same Fulvius was pursued close by his Enemy in the Rear, whilst he was marching to­wards a River near at hand, which was not so great as to hinder his Passage, though the swiftness of the Stream did stop him. On the higher Banks he left one Legion in a secret place, that the Enemy might be more incourag'd to pursue after by the small number, which they would infallibly despise; [Page 25]which accordingly happen'd; then the Legion which was placed on purpose came out of the Am­buscado, assaulted and destroyed them.

3. When Iphicrates led into Thracia a long Ar­my, because of the narrowness of the way, and News was brought to him that the Enemy would assault the Rear, he commanded some Companies to withdraw on both sides, and there to stand, and the rest to proceed on, and hasten speedily their March; but when they passed by, he kept with him every choice Man; so that when the Enemy was busie and scattered about the Prey, and already weary, he came upon them with his well-ordered and fresh Troops, routed them, and took from them all the Plunder.

4. The Boii, when the Romans were to pass through the Wood called Litana or Latina, had so cut the Trees that they stood upright, supported by such a small part, that at the least violence they would fall, they being hid in the Borders of the Wood: when therefore their Enemies were enter'd in, they flung down the first, and these fulling broke down the next; by this means they cast down a great many upon the Romans, and crush'd a considerable Party to pieces.

CHAP. VII. By what means the things that we stand in need of may seem not to be wanting, or the use otherways sup­plied.
Example 1.

L. Caecilius Metellus, having no Ships to carry his Elephants over the Sea, joyned together some Hogsheads, and cast Boards over them, upon which he placed his Elephants, and sent them into Italy over the Sicilian Streights.

2. When Hannibal could not oblige his Elephants to march through a deep River, and had neither Ships, nor Boards to build any to carry them over, he commanded the fiercest of these Beasts to be wounded under the Ear by one who should imme­diately run away, and swim over the Water: by this means it happened, that the Elephant being stirred up to revenge it self upon the Author of its Pain, past over the River, and gave an example for the rest to follow.

3. The Carthaginian Captains having a Fleet to prepare, and wanting Tow and Hemp, they sha­ved the Women of the Country, and with their Hair made Ropes.

4. Those of Marseilles and Rhodes have done the like.

5. M. Antonius, flying from Mutina, furnished his Souldiers with the Bark of Trees instead of Buck­lers.

6. The Bucklers of Spartacus and his Army were made of Withies covered over with Skins or Hides.

7. It will not be amiss, I conceive, to relate in this place that noble Deed of Alexander the Great, who marching with his Army through the desart place of Africa, they, as well as himself, were grie­vously afflicted with Thirst, and when a Souldier brought him some Water in his Head-piece, he spilt it upon the ground in the presence of them all. This example of Abstinence proved to be more useful than if he could have supplied them with Water.

CHAP. VIII. Of streightning an Enemy.
Example 1.

WHen Cariolanus undertook to revenge the shame of his Banishment by an open War, he forbid the spoiling of the Lands belonging to the Noble-men of Rome, but burnt and destroyed the Lands of the Common People; that by that means he might cause a Discord between the Romans, and a division in their Consents and Re­solutions.

2. Hannibal endeavoured to bring into Jealousie, and asperse with. Infamy, Fabius Maximus, unto whom he was not equal in Courage nor in the arts of War, by destroying all the Country, and leaving his Fields alone untouch'd. But he, to preserve himself in the Reputation of his Citizens, that they might not suspect his Faithfulness, had such a great and noble Soul, as to cause his Possessions to be publickly offer'd to be sold.

3. Q. Fabius Maximus, being Consul the fifth time, when the Armies of the Gauls, the Ʋmbri, the Hetrusci, and the Samnites, joyned together against the People of Rome, against whom he had fortified his Camp beyond the Apennine Hills, writ to Fulvius and Posthumius, who were left to defend the City, to march with their Forces to the Town of Sitium or Clusium. The Hetrusci and the Ʋmbri followed them to defend their Borders, and left the Samnites and the Gauls, whom Fabius, together with his Partner Decius, assaulted and overcame.

4. When M. Curius marched against the Sabins, who, having gathered a numerous Army, left their own Borders, and entred into the Confines of the Romans, he sent by private ways a Party of his Men to spoil the Fields of the Sabins, and to burn their Towns here and there; which oblig'd the Sa­bins to return, to prevent the spoiling of their own Country. By this means Curius had an opportu­nity to waste the Borders of the Enemy, to drive away their Army without fighting, and when they were separated to overcome them.

5. When T. Didius was afraid with the small number of his Men to encounter the Enemy, and delayed the Fight till the coming of the Legions that were expected, and hearing that the Enemy was marching against them, he made a Speech to his Souldiers, and commanded them to prepare for a Fight, and purposely caus'd the Captives to be negligently kept; so that some of them escaped, and carried news to their Party, that the Remans were ready for the Battel; which made them, in expe­ctation of a Fight, to keep their strength together, and not march to meet them for whom they de­signed to lye in Ambush. By this means, the Le­gions arrived safe to Didius, without the loss of one man.

6. In the Carthaginian War, some Cities purpo­sed to forsake the Romans and joyn with the Car­thaginians; but having given Hostages, they desi­red to recover them first into their hands before they fell away: they therefore pretended, that there was a Sedition amongst the Neighbours, which the Roman Ambassadors ought to appease; whom being sent, they kept them in lieu of their Hostages, and would not suffer them to depart till they had their own return'd back.

7. When the Roman Ambassadours were sent to King Antiochus, who had with him Hannibal, after that the Carthaginians were subdued, to make use of his advice against the Romans; by frequent visit­ing and Discourses with Hannibal, they made him to be suspected by the King, who otherwise would have highly favoured him, and to whom he had been very useful because of his subtilty and knowledge in War.

8. Q. Metellus, making War against Jugurtha, pre­vailed with Money upon the King's Ambassadors to betray their Master; and when others were sent, he corrupted them also, and likewise the third; but the business succeeded not so far as to get Jugur­tha into his hands, for he desired to have him de­livered alive; nevertheless, many things happened from thence; for when the Letters which he writ to the Kings Friends were intercepted, he caused them all to be put to Death, whereby he was de­prived of good Counsel, and could not get nor pro­cure to himself any other Friends.

9. When C. Caesar understood by a certain Water­bearer which he had intercepted, that Afranius and Petreius would by night remove and march out of their Camp; that he might without any trouble to his Men hinder the purpose and intent of his [Page 30]Enemies, in the beginning of the night he com­manded his Souldiers to give the signal for the ta­king up and loading of their Baggage, and the Mules to be driven along by the Enemies Camp with noise and hurry. This caused them to keep in their Camp, for they imagined that Caesar was marching away.

10. Scipio Africanus, for the more convenient receiving of Supplies of Men and Provisions, sent Venticius Thermus to Hannibal, to treat with him, while he in the mean space went to help their landing.

11. Dionysius, the King of Syracuse, when a vast number of Africans were to pass over into Sicily to fight him, sortified several Castles in many places, and commanded the Garrisons to deliver them to the Enemy assoon as they should come, and to re­turn secretly to Syracuse. The Africans were forced to keep Guards in the Castles that they had taken; so that when he saw the rest reduced to that small number that he desired, he with equal Forces as­saulted and overcame them; for by this Policy he gathered all his Strength together, and scattered the Enemies.

12. When Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian made War upon Tisaphernes, he pretended to invade the Country of Caria, as the fittest place, being full of Mountains, to encounter with the Persians, who were numerous in Horse. By the divulging of this Design, he caused Tisaphernes to wait for him in Caria while he broke into Lydia, where the chief City of that Government was. Having therefore overcome such as were left there, he got into his Possession the King's Treasury.

CHAP. IX. Of pacifying the Seditions of Soul­diers.
Example 1.

A Manlius, the Consul, understanding that the Souldiers who were in their Winter Quarters in Campania, had plotted together to cut the Throats of their Landlords, and to plun­der their Goods, sent word that another Party should be there in the same Winter Quarters. By this means he spoil'd the Purpose of the Conspira­tors, freed the Country from the danger, and took occasion to punish the Offenders.

2. L. Sylla, when some Legions of the Roman Citizens broke out furiously into a dangerous Sedi­tion, restored them again to a peaceable Temper by this Policy: He caused the News to be quickly spread, that the Enemies Army was at hand, and a noise to be made to run to their Arms, and the Sig­nal of the Battel to be given: by this means the Se­dition ended, and all joyned together to encounter the Enemy.

3. Cn. Pompeius, when his Army had killed the Senate of Milan, that he might not cause any tu­mult by calling to him only such as were guilty, commanded some that had no hand in the Crime to come together with the Murderers, who were the less afraid, because they were not separated from the rest, neither did they seem to be called out be­cause of their Fault. They all appeared; and they [Page 32]who were guiltless were careful to keep the Crimi­nals from an Escape, lest they should be blamed for their Flight.

4. C. Caesar, when some of his Legions were so furiously seditious as to threaten the death of their Leaders, dissembled his fear, and went strait to his Souldiers, who desired to be discharged, which he granted with an angry Countenance. When they were at liberty; he oblig'd them to Repentance, to give satisfaction to him their General, and to be­come more obedient for the future in performing all the Duties and Works of a Souldier.

CHAP. X. How to give a Check to the unseasona­ble impatience and desire of fighting.
Example 1.

Q. Sertorius, having found by experience that he was an unequal Match to the whole Ro­man Army together, that he might make the barbarous and ignorant People of Spain, who unad­visedly desired to fight, sensible thereof, he caused two Horses to be brought, the one strong and lusty, the other very little and weak, and put two Young­men answerable to them, the one strong, and the other slender. To the strong man he commanded to pull off the Tail of the weak Horse at once; to the slender person, to pluck the Hairs off the lusty Horse one by one: when therefore the slender Person [Page 33]had done what he was ordered, and the strong Per­son did strive in vain about the Tail of the weak Horse; now, saith Sertorius to his Souldiers, by this example I have discovered to you the Condi­tion of the Roman Troops: they are not to be over­come if you assault them together, but you may break and destroy them if you come upon them when separated.

2. The same Sertorius, when he took notice that his Souldiers unadvisedly demanded the Signal of the Battel, and judged that they would break out into a Tumult if they did not fight, suffered one Troop of Horse to attack the Enemy; when they were over-powered, he sent more to assist them: thus he received them all safe in their Retreat, and without any loss. He discovered to them what would have been the issue of the Fight which they desired. After this they were much more obedi­ent to his Orders and Command.

3. Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian, having pitched his Camp upon the Banks of a River against the The­bans, and understanding that the Enemy did far exceed him in number, was resolved to keep his Men from the desire of a Battel, by telling them that the Gods had advised him to fight from the Hills; therefore, having left a small Guard upon the sides of the River, he marched up to the Hills. The The­bans judging it to be done out of Fear, passed the River with their Army, and easily beat off the Guard, and hastily followed after Agesilaus, who routed them in a disadvantageous place with a handful of Men.

4. Scorylo, the General of the Daci, understood that the People of Rome were divided, and troubled with Civil Wars, yet he thought not convenient to venture against them, because Citizens may unite [Page 34]together against a foreign Enemy. To make his Countrymen sensible of this, he caused two Dogs to fight very eagerly before them, and at the same time a Wolf to appear. The Dogs immediately left their fighting, and run upon the Wolf. By this Example he kept back those barbarous and ignorant People from attempting any thing against the Ro­mans.

CHAP. XI. How an Army is to be encourag'd to a Fight.
Example 1.

WHen M. Fabius and Cn. Manlius were Con­suls, and Generals against the Hetrusci, the Army, because of the Seditions, were very unwilling to fight of their own accord, pre­tended a delay, until the Souldiers were forced and animated by the Reproaches of the Enemies, to desire the liberty to fight them, and to swear that they would never return without the Victory.

2. Fulvius the Nobler, being necessitated with a small Army to fight with a numerous Army of the Samnites, who were proud of their former Succes­ses, pretended that a Legion of the Enemies had been by him corrupted, and perswaded to revolt; and to confirm them in this Belief, commanded the Collonels and the Captains of his first Ranks, to gather together all the coined Money, the Gold and Silver that they had, and offer it to the Trai­tors, [Page 35]as their Reward: withal, he promised them that should lend their Money, that when the Vi­ctory was obtained he would gratifie and reward them sufficiently: which Persuasion and Belief gave such an Alacrity and Confidence to the Romans, that it obtained for them a famous Victory, and the Conclusion immediately after of the War.

3. C. Caesar, marching with his Army to give Bar­tel to Ariovistus, told, in a Speech, to his Souldiers, who were troubled with Fear, That he would em­ploy that day none but the tenth Legion to fight, that by this Testimony and Declaration of exceed­ing in Carriage, they might be obliged to behave themselves manfully, and the rest for Shame and Grief that others should carry away the Glory and Esteem of Valour, might be forced to fight bravely.

4. Q. Fabius Maximus, who knew very well that the Romans were of such a generous Disposition that they would be provoked by Contempt, and understanding also, that there was nothing of Mo­deration or Justice to be expected from the Cartha­ginians, sent Ambassadours to Carthage to treat about Articles of Peace. They brought back such unjust Conditions, and so insolent, that the Roman Army were thereby incouraged to fight rather than to yield to them.

5. Agesilaus, the General of the Lacedaemonians, having pitched his Camp near the confederate City of the Orthomeni, understood that the most part of his Souldiers were securing their most precious things within the Walls; he therefore commanded the Citizens not to receive any thing which belong­ed to his Army, that his Souldiers might fight more desperately when they knew that they were to fight for the Preservation of all that they had.

6. When Epaminondas, the General of the The­bans, was to give Battel to the Lacedaemonians, that his Souldiers might be encouraged not only by their Strength, but also by their Inclinations, he declared in a publick Speech, That the Lacedaemonians in­tended, if they obtained the Victory, to destroy all the Males, to lead away into Captivity their Wives and Children, and to demolish Thebes. This Discovery so stir'd them up, and made them so re­solved, that at the first Onset the Thebans got the Victory of the Lacedaemonians.

7. Leotychidas, the Lacedaemonian Captain, being to fight the same day in which his Confederates had gained a Victory at Sea, though he was ignorant of what had been done, published abroad, that he had received the News that his Friends had got the day, that his Souldiers who were to fight might be more courageous.

8. A. Posthumius, in the Battel against the La­tins, encouraged his Army with the Appearance of two Young-men on Horseback, whom he declared to be Castor and Pollux come to their Assistance. By this means he obliged them to return to the Fight.

9. Archidamus the Lacedaemonian, making War against the Arcadians, erected an Altar in his Camp, and caused Horses to be led round about it in the Night. The next Morning he shewed their Foot­steps, and told his Men, that Castor and Pollux had rid round about, and would be assisting to them in the Battel.

10. When Pericles, the General of the Atheni­ans, was to give Battel, he took notice that there was a Grove in the view of both Armies, of an ex­traordinary Thickness, and very dark and large, consecrated to Pluto: in this place he put a Man [Page 37]of a large Stature, upon very high and big Slippers, with a purple Robe and long Hair, upon a great Chariot, dragg'd by two white Horses, that when the Signal for the Battel should be given, he might call Pericles by name, and encourage him, and promise him the Assistance of the Gods; which so terrified the Enemies, that before the casting of their Darts they fled.

11. L. Sylla, that his Souldiers might be more ready to fight, pretended, that the Gods did disco­ver to him things to come. And at last, in the sight of his Army, before they entered into the Conflict, he would pray to an Image of a moderate Bigness which he had taken from Delphos, saying to it, that it should make good and hasten the Victory that it had promised to him.

12. C. Marius had a certain Magician Woman out of Syria, to tell him of the Success and Events of Battels.

13. Q. Sertorius, having an Army of barbarous Souldiers, not governed by reason, led about Portu­gal with him a white Hind, very large and beauti­ful, by which he told them that he understood the things that he was to do, and avoid; to the end that those barbarous People might obey his Orders, as commanded from above.

We must not make use of this sort of Stratagems only, when we are to deal with such as we judge un­skilful and ignorant; but much more those things are to be invented which may be of that kind that it may be believed that they have been discovered by these things.

14. When Alexander the Macedonian was to offer Sacrifice, he caused to be written with a Juyce, in that hand of the Diviner, which he was to put up­on the Bowels of the Beast, such Letters as did [Page 38]signifie that Alexander should have the Victory; which Letters appearing upon the hot Liver, was shewn by the King to the Souldiers, to encrease their Courage, as if the Gods did promise to him the Victory.

15. Innides the Soothsayer, did practice the same thing when Eumenes was to fight with the Gauls.

16. Epaminondas the Theban, encountring with the Lacedaemonians, did think to encrease the Con­fidence of his Men with a Trick of Religion. The Arms and Weapons which were hung up to adorn the Temples, he caused to be secretly taken away in the Night, and persuaded his Souldiers that the Gods had done it to follow and assist them in their Fight.

17. Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian, having taken some Persian Captives, whose Garb, when it was worn by them, did strike a terror to his men, was wont to shew them all naked, that they might behold their white Skin and their groundless Fear together.

18. Gelo, King of Syracuse, having proclaimed a War against the Carthaginians, and taken many of them Captives, was wont to produce the weakest of them all naked, chiefly of the Auxiliaries, who were black and swarthy, that his Souldiers might thereby learn to contemn them.

19. Cyrus, the Persian King, that he might stir up the Minds of his Country-men, wearied them a whole day in cutting down a certain Wood, and the next day invited them to a most plentiful Feast, and asked them, which was most pleasing to them; when they answered, that the present things were most grateful, he replied, By this alone you may attain to these things; you can never be free nor happy unless you overcome the Medes. By this [Page 39]perswasion he encouraged them to the desire of fighting.

20. L. Sylla, fighting against Archelaus, a Gene­ral of Mithridates, near Pirea, had in his Army ve­ry lazy Souldiers; but by wearying them in working he forced them to desire from him the Signal to fight.

21. Q. Fabius Maximus, fearing lest his Souldiers should have such a Confidence in their Ships unto which they could fly for shelter, that this might hinder them in fighting, commanded them to be burned before he entered into the Battel.

CHAP. XII. How to expell the Fears which Soul­diers may have conceived from ill Omens, and contrary Accidents.
Example 1.

WHen Scipio transported his Army from Italy over into Africa, he fell down at his landing upon the Ground, and saw that his Souldiers were thereat astonished; but he, by the greatness and constancy of his Courage, turned it to their Encouragement, by saying, you may now go to play, Souldiers, I have already overcome and taken Africa.

2. C. Caesar, falling down by chance as he was landing out of a Ship, cried out, I hold thee fast, [Page 40]O Mother Earth! By which Interpretation, he seemed to return to those Lands from whence he was departed.

3. T. Sempronius Gracchus, Consul, having drawn up his Army against the Picentes, the ancient Inha­bitants of the Marca de Acona, there happened at that instant a trembling of the Earth, or an Earth­quake, which terrified both Armies; but he by a Speech confirmed and encouraged his Men, to at­tack his Enemies while they were frighted with Superstition, and over-came them.

4. Q. Sertorius, when the Bucklers of his Horse­men on the outside and the Breasts of their Horses appeared in a prodigious manner on a sudden to be bloody, he interpreted, that it was a sign of their obtaining the Victory, because those parts used to be sprinkled, with the Enemies Blood in fight­ing.

5. When Epaminondas the Theban saw his Souldi­ers grieved because the Wind had taken off from his Spear an Ornament that hanged down as a Rib­band, and cast it on the Tomb of a certain Lacede­monian; I would not have you, said he, be troubled and affrighted, my Souldiers; this signifies the Death of the Lacedemonians, for their Sepulchres are adorned for their Funerals.

6. The same Epaminondas, when a Flame fell from the Sky in the Night and terrified those that were present, told them, that this Light did disco­ver the Gods.

7. The same General, when he was ready to fight with the Lacedemonians, fell down in the Chair in which he was feated, which Accident was commonly interpreted for an ill Omen; and his Souldiers being thereat troubled, he told them, we are now forbidden to sit any longer.

8. L. Sulpitius Gallus, when an Eclipse of the Moon was at hand, that his Souldiers might not mistake it for a Prodigy, gave them an account of it before, with the Reasons and Causes of the Eclipse.

9. When Agathocles the Syracusan warred against the Carthaginians, there happened a like Eclipse of the Moon the Night before the Battel: and seeing his Souldiers troubled as at a great wonder, he ac­quainted them with the Reasons of the Eclipse, and told them, that whatever should happen did relate to the nature of things, and did not concern their Purpose.

10. When there fell a Thunder-bolt into the Camp of Pericles, which terrified the Souldiers, he gathered them together, and before them all he beat two Stones one against another, and struck Fire, and by that means quieted their Minds, tel­ling them, that in the like manner, by the violent motion of the Clouds the Thunder is produced.

11. It happened to Timotheus the Athenian, when he was to fight against the Inhabitants of Corcyra, that the Master of his Vessel had commanded the Signal to be given to stop the Fleet ready to set fall, because one of the Men at the Oar began to sneeze; Dost thou wonder, said Timotheus, that amongst so many thousand men there is one man that shivers or sneezes for cold.

12. When Chabrias the Athenian was ready to fight at Sea with his Fleet, there fell a Thunder­bolt at the head of his Ship, which affrighted his Souldiers, who looked upon it as a prodigious thing. Now, said he, we ought chiefly to begin to fight when the greatest of the Gods, Jupiter, hath given us a sign to our Fleet, that he will be present, and assist us.

CHAP. I. Of the time to be chosen for a Battel.
Example 1.

P. Scipio, when he was in Spain, understood that Hasdrubal, the Carthaginian General, had commanded his Army out to fight without their Breakfast; he therefore kept in his Men till the se­venth hour of the day, and ordered them in the mean while to rest and refresh themselves with food: and when the Enemy, tir'd with Hunger, Thirst, and waiting, were marching again into their Camp, he led out suddenly his Army, gave them Battel, and routed them.

2. When Metellus Pius, General in Spain against Herculeius, saw that he brought forth his Men by break of day, before his Camp, in the hottest Sea­son of the Year, he kept in his Forces within his Camp, till the sixth hour of the day: and when they were tired with the fervency of the Sun, he easily overcame with his fresh men such as were thus wea­ried out.

3. The same Metellus, having joyned his Forces with those commanded by Pompeius against Serto­rius in Spain, often drew up his Army in order of Battel, the Enemy in the mean while not judging himself able to encounter with both Generals. At last, when he saw that the Souldiers of Sertorius de­manded very furiously to fight, lifting up their Shoulders, and stretching out their Launces, he advised to give way for that time to their unusual [Page 45]Fervency, and to retreat into his Camp with his men, and perswaded Pompey to do the like.

4. Posthumius, the Consul in Sicilia, encamped about three Miles from the Carthaginian Army. Their Generals drew up every day their Troops in order before the Fortifications of the Romans; but he entertained them always with small Parties and light Skirmishes before his Works, untill the Ene­my began to despise and grow insolent by this Cu­stom. Then, having provided all things needful in the night, according to his former Custom, he re­sisted the Onsets of his Enemies with a few of his Men, and kept them in Play longer than ordinary. When they were sufficiently tired out after the sixth hour of the day, and they were ready to sound a Retreat being very hungry, with his fresh Men he soon routed them that were overcome before with the forementioned Evils.

5. Iphicrates the Athenian, understanding at what time the Enemies were diligently taking their Food, commanded his Men to dispatch their eating sooner, that he might lead them out to Battel. And having assaulted the Enemy, he so entangled them, that they could neither fight nor escape. At last, towards the Evening, he retreated with his Army, but kept them in Arms. The Enemies be­ing weary with standing upon their Guard, and Hunger, immediately hasted to refresh themselves with Rest and Food. Then did Iphicrates lead out his Army, and assault the disorder'd Enemy in their Camp.

6. The same Person, being General against the Lacedaemonians, pitched his Camp near to the Ene­mies; and when both Parties were accustomed to march out at set times to bring in Wood and For­rage, on a certain day he sent out a Party of Ser­vants [Page 46]and Scullions to perform this Office and kept in his Souldiers; and when the Enemies were scat­tered to provide the same things, he took their Camp; and when they ran back in haste at the noise of the Tumult, with their Burdens, he easily cut them in pieces or took them Prisoners.

7. Veriginius, the Consul amongst the Volsci, when he spied the Enemy running to them from far in disorder, commanded his men to rest with their Javelins fixed in the Ground: then when they were out of Breath, he charged them with the fresh Companies of his Army, and routed them.

8. Q. Fabius Maximus, knowing that the Gauls and the Samnites were used to prevail in the first Onset, and that the Courage of his Men was not to be wearied out, but increas'd the more by the delays of fighting, commanded them to be content in the first Encounter, to defend themselves, that by degrees they might weary the Enemy, which ac­cordingly succeeded: he then came on to assist them with the reserve, and in the first Battalion, with all his Forces, he routed the oppressed Enemy.

9. King Philip, in the Battel of Cheronca, know­ing that his Souldiers were hardned by their long use of Arms, purposely drew in length the Fight that he had with the Athenians, which was fierce indeed, but without experience, and sharp, because of their furious Assault; but when the Athenians be­gan to faint, he advanc'd more speedily with his Colours, and cut them in pieces.

10. The Lacedaemonians, understanding for certain that the Messenians were so enraged that they were come to fight against them with their Wives and Children, delayed the Fight till another time.

11. C. Caesar, in the Civil War, when the Army of Afranius and Petreius was enclosed in by him, and wanted Water, and therefore provok'd to fight, when they had destroyed all their Carriages to en­ter into the Battel, he kept in his men, judging it no fit time to fight when he had provok'd his Enemies to Anger and Despair.

12. Cn. Pompeius, desiring to force Mithridates, who was flying, to fight him, chose to encounter him in the Night, and to stop him in his Retreat: and thus, being well prepared, he drove him suddenly to the Necessity of a Battel, and so drew up his Army, that Mithridates his men had the light of the Moon in their Faces, which shewed to the Romans more plainly their Enemies in the night.

13. It is certain, that Jugurtha, not unmindful of the Romans Skill and Courage in Arms, was al­ways wont to begin a Fight towards the evening; that if his Men were beaten, they might have the advantage of the night to hide themselves.

14. Lucullus, General against Mithridates and Tigranes, in Armenia the greater, near Tigranocerta, finding that he had in his Army only fifteen thou­sand fighting men, and that his Enemies were an innumerable multitude, but unexperienc'd and un­fit for Fight, made use of their Weakness, encoun­ter'd them when they were out of order, and sud­denly routed them, in such a manner, that the two Kings were forced to cast away their Royal Orna­ments, and to fly.

15. Cl. Tiberius Nero, fighting against the Pannoni, when those barbarous People marched out furiously to the Battel by break of day, kept in his Men, and staid till the Enemy was well beaten with Storms and Rain, which happened that day to be frequent. At last, when he saw that they fainted both in Cou­rage [Page 48]and Strength by standing in the Rain, he gave the Signal, charged, and routed them.

16. When C. Caesar was General amongst the Gauls, he understood that Ariovistus, the King of the Germans, had resolved and appointed this as a Law to his Souldiers, not to fight when the Moon was in its Decrecency. He therefore then chiefly, having appointed the Battel when the Enemy was hindred by Superstition, overcame them.

17. D. Augustus Vespasianus assaulted the Jews on their Sabbath-day, when it was unlawful for them to act any thing of Moment, and overcame them.

18. Lysander, the Lacedaemonian General against the Athenians, at the Town of Aegospotamos, re­solved at certain times to break in upon the Atheni­an Navy, and to retreat back again with his Ships; which having performed often, when the Athenians after his Departure were scattered to gather their Forces together, he, according to his former Cu­stom, stretch'd out his Navy in length, and again commanded them together. And when the great­er part of the Enemies, according to custom, were departed, he assaulted the rest, destroyed them, and took the whole Fleet.

CHAP. II. Of the Place to be chosen for a Fight.
Example 1.

WHen M. Curius saw that he could by no means resist the Phalanx, or the Body of ten thousand Pikes of King Pyrrhus, when they were joyned together in an open Field, ordered the matter so, that he was to fight in a streight and narrow place, where being close toge­ther, they might be an hinderance to one another.

2. Cn. Pompeius, in Cappadocia, chose a place for his Camp in the higher Ground, that the proclivi­ty of the Hill might assist the charging of his Soul­diers; so that by their running down he easily over­came Mithridates and his Army.

3. When C. Caesar was to fight against Pharnaces the Son of Mithridates, he drew up his Men in Bat­tel on a Hill, which much facilitated the gaining of the Victory; for the Roman Souldiers, casting their Darts from the higher Ground upon the Ene­my, quickly caused them to turn their Backs.

4. When Lucullus was to encounter with Mithri­dates and Tigranes in the greater Armenia near Ti­granacerta, he got possession in haste of a plain Ground which was on the top of a Hill, with part of his Troops, and then assaulted the Enemy which was under, charged their Horse in the Flanks, and having driven part of them, and pursued them when they ran in and disordered their Foot, he ob­tain'd a most famous Victory.

5. Ventidius, General against the Parthian Ar­my, would not lead out his Souldiers to the Fight till the Enemy was within fifty Paces, and then, by running suddenly upon them, he closed in with them so near, that he frustrated their Arrows which they made use of at a distance: by this proceeding he shewed such an appearance of Confidence and Courage, that he quickly overcame those barbarous People.

6. When Hannibal was to fight against Marcellus at Numistro, he plac'd his Army amongst the Pits and broken ways on one hand, and made use of the nature of the place as a Wall and a Defence. Thus he got the Victory, and overcame a most famous Captain.

7. When the same Hannibal, at the Battel of Cannae, understood that the River Volturnus, beyond the nature of other Rivers, yielded strong Winds in the Morning, which raised up great Clouds of Sand and Dust, he drew up his Army in such a manner, that all the violence of the Wind beat up­on the Backs of his Men, and into the Faces and Eves of the Romans: by these Inconveniencies, which wonderfully incommoded the Roman Army, he got that remarkable Victory.

8. Marius, having appointed a day to fight against the Cimbri and Teutones, placed before his Camp his Souldiers, strengthened with Food, that by the little distance that was between them and their Ene­mies their Army might be first overcome by their labour in gaining it: and besides their weariness in running this space, he gave them another Trouble; he drew up his Men so, that the Army of those barbarous People had the Sun, the Wind, and the Dust in their Faces.

9. Cleomenes, the Lacedaemonian General against Hippias the Athenian, who was the stronger in Horse, caused Trees to be laid along the Plane where they were to fight, and rendered it unpassa­ble to the Horse.

10. The Iberi were received by a vast multitude of the Enemies, and fearing that they should be surrounded, marched to the sides of a River which in that Country had high Banks. Thus being de­fended behind by the River, and excelling the Ene­my in Valour, they assaulted the first Ranks, and destroyed the whole Army of their Enemies.

11. Xanthippus the Lacedaemonian changed the Fortune of the Carthaginian War only by the change of a place; for when the Carthaginians were almost reduced to despair, they hired him to be their General. When he took notice that the Afri­cans, who excelled and exceeded the Romans in Horse and Elephants, drew up on the Hills, and that the Romans, whose Strength consisted in their Foot, held the Valleys, he led the Carthaginians down to them, with his Elephants he disordered their Ranks, and with the Numidian Horse he pur­sued the dispersed Souldiers, and routed their Ar­my, winning the same day a Victory both by Sea and Land.

12. When Epaminondas, the Theban General, was leading his Army against the Lacedaemonians, he caused a Party of Horse to ride up and down be­fore, that they might raise a great Dust before the Enemies eyes: when they expected the Horse to fall upon them, he led about his Foot Souldiers from that side where the Horse were riding against the Enemy, and fell upon them suddenly in the Rear, and overcame them.

13. Three hundred Lacedaemonians held and de­fended the Streights called Thermopylae against an in­numerable multitude of Persians, because those Streights would not suffer a greater number to fight at once near at hand: by this means, they being equal in number to those barbarous People, but ex­celling them in Valour and Courage, cut in pieces a great many of them: neither could they have been overcome if it had not been for a Traitor na­med Epialtes of Trachinia, who led the Persians round about upon their Backs, and overpower'd them.

14. Themistocles, the Athenian General, when he saw that it would be very much for the Advan­tage of Greece to fight with Xerxes his numerous Navy in the Streights of Salamini, and could not perswade his Citizens, by craft he brought to pass that the Grecians were forc'd to comply with this Advantage; for, pretending himself a Traitor, he sent to Xerxes to signifie to him, that his Countrymen were ready to fly away, and that it would be far more difficult for him to assault every City by a Siege. By this means he brought to pass, that the Persian Navy was first disquieted while they were watching all night: afterwards in the Morning he with his fresh men encounter'd with the said Persi­ans, tired with want of Rest, in a streight place as he desired, in which Xerxes could not make use of his numbers, in which he did exceed.

CHAP. III. Of ordering and drawing up an Army in Battel, &c.
Example 1.

CN. Scipio, General in Spain against Hanno at the Town of Indibile, took notice that the Carthaginian Army was so ordered, that the Spaniards were to fight in the right Wing, who were indeed the stoutest Souldiers, but mercenary, and warred not for themselves but for others; and that in the left Wing were the Africans, a weaker sort of Men, but more resolved: he therefore chan­ged the left Wing of his Army for his right, which he had composed of the strongest and ablest Men, and encountered with the Enemies Army a-thwart. At last he routed the Africans, and easily forced the Spaniards, who in the Retreat stood still, as Look­ers on, to surrender themselves.

2. Philip King of Macedo, fighting against the Illyrians, saw that the Front of the Enemies Army was very close together, and composed of the choi­cest men taken out of the whole Army, which cau­sed the sides to be but weak: he therefore placed his best and stoutest Men in his right Wing, and with them assaulted the left of the Enemies Army, routed and disordered them, and got the Vi­ctory.

3. When Permenes, the Theban Captain, took notice of the Persian Army, that their strongest Troops were in their right Wing; he drew up his [Page 54]Men in the same manner, he appointed all his Horse, and the ablest of all his Foot to be in the right Wing, and opposed the weakest of his against the strongest of the Persians, and commanded them that at the first Charge they should save themselves by Flight, and retreat into the Woods and rocky Places. By this means he disappointed the strength of the Enemies Army, and with the best part of his Troops, in the right Wing, he encompassed about the Persians, and overthrew them.

4. When P. Cornelius Scipio, who was afterwards firnamed Africanus, made War against Asdrubal, the Carthaginian General in Spain, he led out his Army for several days so ordered in Battel, that the Body or Battalion in the middle was composed of his strongest Men; but when the Enemy also came forth constantly disposed in the same manner, Sci­pio, that very day that he had appointed to fight, changed the Order of his Battel, and placed his stoutest Souldiers, namely, his Roman Legions, in the Wings, and his Men who were slenderly armed in the middle, but something behind the rest. By this means, he assaulted with his two Wings, that were strongest, and appearing like a half Moon, the weakest part of the Enemies Army, and easily rout­ed them.

5. Metellus, in that Battel wherein he overcame Herculeius in Spain, when he understood that his Enemies Troops that were esteemed the stoutest were placed in the middle, caused his Battalion that was opposite to draw back, that they might not come to fight with the Enemy untill their Wings were routed, and their main Body enclosed in on both sides.

6. Artaxerxes, marching against the Grecians, who were entred into Persia, because he exceeded [Page 55]them in number of Men, he stretched out his Army farther than the Enemies, and placed his Horse in the Van, and such as were lightly armed in the Wings; and thus he marched softly on purpose with his middle Battalion, that he might encompass them: which when he had done, he cut them all in pieces.

7. Hannibal observed a contrary order in the Battel of Cannae; for he caused the middle Battali­on to advance before, and kept back the Wings: by this means he overpower'd their Men at the first Charge. For this same General caused his Souldiers to fight close together, and the Wings to wind about in the manner of a Half-Moon, and to march on at his Command; so that when the Enemy was earnest in the pursuit, he enclosed them into the middle of his Army, fell upon them, and cut them in pie­ces on all sides, for his Souldiers were well acquaint­ed with this manner of fighting, after a long expe­rience. None but such Souldiers as are well skill'd and able to answer to every thing, can possibly per­form and observe this kind of Warfare.

8. Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero, when in the second Punick War Hasdrubal was unwilling to fight, and therefore had drawn up his Army upon a stony Hill behind a Vineyard; led their Forces up on all sides, surrounded him on every hand, and without shelter assaulted and overcame him.

9. When Hannibal had been in many Battels overpower'd by Claudius Marcellus, at last in his Marches he so placed his Camp, that he had the Assistance and Defence either of some Hill or Marsh Ground, or some other convenient place, and did draw up his Army in such a manner, that when the Romans had the Advantage he could retreat with them into his Fortifications with little or no loss; [Page 56]and when they were beaten, it was in his power and choice to pursue them.

10. Xanthippus, the Lacedaemonian General in Africa against M. Attilius Regulus, placed his Men slenderly armed in the Van, and the Strength of his Army next to second them, commanding his Auxiliary Troops, assoon as they had cast their Darts to give Ground to the Enemy, and when they were retreated within their own Ranks, to run im­mediately to the sides, and to charge from both Wings the Enemy that was at handy Blows with the Body of their Army, and to surround them in.

11. Sertorius practiced the same thing in Spain when he was fighting against Pompei.

12. Cleandridas, the Lacedaemonian General against the Lucani, drew up his Men close together that they might appear but a small Body, and more con­temptible to the Enemy; but when the Battel was begun he caused his Men to open, and having en­compassed in the Enemy, he routed them.

13. When Gastron the Lacedemonian went to succour the Aegyptians against the Persians, and un­derstood that his Grecian Troops were stoutest Souldiers and most feared of the Persians, he cau­sed them to change their Arms, and to march in the Van; and when they encountered with the Persians with equal Advantage, he sent a Party of Aegyptians to second them: when the Persians, who were fighting with those Grecians whom they thought to be Aegyptians, perceived the coming in of the Multitude, whom they esteemed to be also Grecians, they run away for fear.

14. Cn. Pompcius, in Albania, because the Enemy was powerful in Horse and numbers of Men, com­manded his Souldiers to cover their Head pieces in a streight place near a Hill, for fear they should [Page 57]be discovered by their shining in the Sun; and he commanded his Horse-men to go down into the Plain and cover the Foot, and at the first Onset of the Enemy, to give back till they were returned to the Foot, and then to place themselves in the Wings; which being accordingly performed, the Roman Army arose, encounter'd with those that were unadvisedly got in so far, who meeting with an unexpected Resistance were cut all in pieces.

15. M. Antonius, General against the Parthians, commanded his Men to stop when an innumerable company of Arrows were discharged upon them, and to cover themselves over with their Targets, upon which when the Arrows fell, did no Injury to the Souldiers, and the Enemy was thereby ex­hausted.

16. When Hannibal encounter'd with Scipio in Africa, because he had an Army composed of Car­thaginians and Auxiliary Troops, some being come from divers Countries, and from Italy also; behind fourscore Elephants, which he caused to march be­fore his Army to disorder the Roman Ranks, he placed the Gauls, the Ligurians, the Baleares, and the Moors, that they might not be able to fly away, the Carthaginians being next behind, that they might in the first encounter with the Enemy di­sturb or weary them; after them he placed his own Men and the macedonians, who might receive the tired Romans afresh: and in the Rear he put the Italians, whose Constancy and Courage he suspect­ed, because he had drawn many of them out of Ita­ly against their Wills. Scipio, against this Order, drew up the strength of the Legions in three Batta­lions in the Front, dividing them into Hastati, Principes, and Triarii; that is, first, Spear-men, next, such as were of a gentile and noble Descent, [Page 58]last, another sort of Souldiers of the Roman Army, who did commonly march and fight in the Rear. Neither were the Companies close together, but he left a space between every one that the Elephants that were driven against them by the Enemy might pass by without disordering the Ranks, and those Intervals he fill'd up with such Souldiers as were lightly armed, and nimble in Onsets and Retreats. This he did that his Army might not appear divided into several Bodies. He commanded these nimble Souldiers, that at the first approach of the Ele­phants they should retreat, and march to the sides of the Battalions. He placed next his Horse, and divided them into two Wings: the right, being Ro­man Horsemen, he assign'd to Lelius; over the left, compos'd of Numidians, he appointed King Massa­nissa: which prudent Order was, no doubt, the Cause of the Victory.

It will not be unpleasing to the Reader, to give here a short Account of the drawing up of Scipio's Army, which procured him one of the most famous Victories of Antiquity, together with the Honour of the Triumph, and to the Romans the Dominion over their false Carthaginian Neighbours. T. Livius describes this Battel, l. 30. c. 33. in the same manner as Frontinus. The Strength and good Successes de­pended upon the good Order and Preservation of the Ranks of their Army, which was made up of several distinct Legions. The Legion in Scipio's time had in it 4200 Souldiers, 1200 Hastati or Spear-men, 1200 Principes, 600 Triarii, 1200 Ve­lites, or lightly arm'd. The Legion was divided in­to ten Cohorts or distinct Companies, in which were 120 Hastati, 120 Principes, 60 Triarii, and 120 Velites.

In every Cohors or Company were three Mani­puli, or small Bands, each under one Captain or Centurion. I find some difference in the Roman Authors in the numbers of their Legions, and in their ordering of an Army. Romulus, their first Founder, as he was but a little Prince, his Army was but small, and his Legion less. With the in­crease of their Empire their Legions and Cohorts did increase in number. The Legion, as in Caesar's time, had 6000 men in it; and so proportionably their Cohorts were more numerous than formerly: but that which gave them a great Advantage over all other Nations, was, their Skill in drawing up of their Armies according to the Place and Enemy with whom they were to fight. Scipio, in this Bat­tel, appointed the Strength of his Legions to be in the Front; whereas other Generals use to place their chiefest Men in the Rear, or to keep them for the Reserve. Take here a Scheme of each Legion of Scipio's Army, according to the Description of Frontinus and Livy.

They had that excellent way, that let the ground be never so unfit for a pitch'd Battel, they would bring them up in that order, that one Company was to second another, and relieve such as were weary or over-power'd, who could easily retreat without damage, and fall in the Rear. And though the difference of Arms now causeth us to differ much from their way, yet the wisest Generals, as Spino­la, Prince Maurice, and others, have profess'd themselves to be indebted to the Romans for some of their skill and cunning in ordering an Army.

17. Archelaus, fighting against Sylla, in the Front of the Battel appointed Carts, armed with Sythes, to break and disorder the Roman Ranks; in the second he placed his Macedonian Phalanx, or 10000 Pikemen; in the third Battalion were, according to the Roman Method, the Auxiliary Troops, min­gled with the Fugitives come out of Italy, in whose Courage and Resolution he had a great Confidence. In the Rear he drew up a Body of Souldiers lightly armed; and in the Wings he placed his Horsemen, of whom he had a great number, and ordered them to enclose in the Enemy. But Sylla, on the contra­ry side, caused a large Ditch to be dig'd on each hand of his Army, and at the end of the Ditches he raised a Bulwark to defend it, to this end, that he might not be shut in with the vast numbers of the Foot, and chiefly of the Enemy's Horse, who were stronger than his. Next, he divided his Foot into three Bodies, leaving Spaces between for the Soul­diers lightly armed: and for his Horse, he drew them up in the Rear, that when time should serve he might send them out to charge the Enemy; and commanded the first Ranks of the second Battel to fix fast in the Ground many sharp Stakes, thick to­gether; so that when the Carts armed with Sythes [Page 62]drew near, he caused the foremost of the Romans to retreat within the Stakes before their Cohors, commanding at that instant the whole Army to give a shout, and the forlorn Hope to cast their Darts. By this means the Enemies Carts were ei­ther stopped with the Stakes, or terrified with the extraordinary Shout and sudden Assault, so that they turned back upon their own Men, and disor­dered the Macedonian Array, which caused them to give ground, whereas Sylla maintain'd his. Arche­laus at that moment charg'd with his Horse; but when the Roman Horsemen encounter'd with them they put them to flight, and compleated the Vi­ctory.

18. C. Caesar prevented in the same manner with Stakes fixed in the Ground the Carts of the Gauls which were armed with Sythes.

19. Alexander, at the Battel of Arbella, fearing the numbers of his Enemies, and knowing the Cou­rage of his own men, drew up his Army so as to receive the Enemy on every side, that in case he was encompassed in they might fight every way.

20. When Aemilius Paulus march'd against Per­ses King of Macedonia, he saw that he had placed a double Phalanx or Body of Pikemen to charge in the middle, surrounded with Souldiers lightly arm­ed, and on both Wings the Macedonian Horse. Against this Order the Roman General divided his Army into three great Bodies, with some small Com­panies drawn up in the form of a Wedge; between them he placed his Souldiers lightly armed: when he perceived that this did not profit him, he resol­ved to give Ground, that by this means he might draw the Enemy into stony and broken places, which he had chosen on purpose. But the Mace­donians mistrusting the Retreat of the Romans to be [Page 63]out of Design, marched forward with their Body of Pikes in good order; then he commanded his Horse to ride undiscover'd out of sight of the Mace­donian Phalanx, and on the left hand of them, and to assault them with full speed, that he might by the Furiousness of the Charge, and the goodness of their Army, break and turn back the Enemies Pikes, which accordingly succeeded so well, that these Weapons were render'd useless to the Macedonians; so that they were forced to turn their Backs and fly.

21. When Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, assisted those of Tarentum near Asculum, according to the Saying of Homer, which teacheth to place the most Souldi­ers in the middle of a Battel, he appointed the Samnites and his own Country-men to be in the right Wing, in the left the Brutii and Lucani, to­gether with the Salentini; but in the middle he drew up the Tarentini, and ordered his Horse and Elephants to stand as a Reserve. But the Roman Consuls, in opposition to him, placed their Horse excellently well in the Wings, the Legions in the Van and Rear; and amongst them they mixed their Auxiliary Troops. In each Army, it is certain, there was forty thousand men: Pyrrhus lost half his Army, and the Romans about five thousand.

22. When Cn. Pompeius encounter'd with C. Cae­sar in the Fields of Pharsalia, he divided his Army into three Bodies, and every Body had ten Ranks in Latitude; the strongest Legions, according to their Valour, he placed in the Wings, and between them, in the open spaces, he fill'd up with the new rais'd Troops; in the right Wing he ordered only six hundred Horse because of the River Enipe­us, that overflowing its Banks had made Holes and Trenches on that side of the Country. The rest of his Horse he drew up in the left Wing with all his [Page 64]Auxiliaries, that he might encompass in on that side Caesar's Army. Against this Array Julius Cae­sar appeared with three Bodies of an Army, having put his Legions in the Front; and that he might not be enclosed in, he had on his left side a marsh Ground: in the right Wing he placed his Horse, mingled with the nimblest of his Foot-men, who were used to fight with the Horse; behind them he drew up some Companies of Foot to second them, and to be employed on sudden Occasions; but the right Wing he caused to turn winding, that he might better receive the Onset of Pompey's Horse: which Order contributed very much to the getting the Victory; for when Pompey's Horse were broken in upon them, they sallied out unexpectedly, turn­ed them aside, and exposed them to the Fury of Caesar's Foot.

23. The Emperour Caesar Germanicus, when the Catti, a People of Germany, fled into their Forests, and assaulted the Romans only with their Horse, commanded his Horsemen, assoon as they were come to the Baggage, to leap from their Horses, and to fight on foot. By this means he brought to pass, that in every place he obtain'd the Victory, not without Wonder.

24. C. Duillius, seeing that the heaviness of his Ships suffered the Carthaginian Navy easily to avoid and pass by them, because of their Nimbleness and Lightness, and that the Courage and Valour of his Men profited him nothing, invented the iron Grap­ples, which assoon as it had taken hold of an Ene­mies Ship, there was a Bridge cast over, and the Roman Souldiers encounter'd with them in their own Vessels, and cut them in pieces.

CHAP. IV. Of disordering an Enemies Army.
Example 1.

WHen Papyrius, sirnamed Cursor, the Con­sul's Son, saw that he encounter'd with the obstinate Samnites with equal Ad­vantage, he commanded Spurius Naucius, private­ly and unknown to his own Men, to take with him a few Servants and Mule-drivers riding on their Mules, with Branches of Trees, drawn on the ground, in their hands, and to run down a Hill which was over against them, with great noise; which assoon as he perceived, he cried out to his Men, That his victorious Partner was come to his Assistance, and that now they should prevent him, and get to themselves the Honour of the day. By this means the Romans were filled with Confidence and Reso­lution, and furiously assaulted the Enemy, and put them all to flight.

2. F. Rutilius, sirnamed Maximus, being the fourth time Consul in the Country of the Samnites, having tried all means to break through the Ene­mies Battel, at last he drew off all his Pikemen from the Ranks, and sent them about with his Lieutenant General Scipio, commanding him to take a Hill, from whence they might break in upon the Backs of their Enemies; which being done accordingly, the Romans took Courage, and the Samnites were frighted, and seeking to fly they were cut in pieces.

3. When Minutius Rufus was General against the Scordisci and the Daci, being likely to be over­charged by the numbers of their Men that exceeded his, sent his Brother with a few Horse-men, toge­ther with all his Trumpeters, and commanded them that assoon as the Battel was begun they should sud­denly shew themselves in divers places, with their Trumpets sounding in such places of the Mountains as might return and encrease the Eccho. This Ap­pearance of a vast Multitude put such a Terror into the Enemies, that they turned their Backs and fled.

4. Attilius Glabrio, Consul, marching against the Army of Antiochus, which was coming into Achaia through the Streights of Thermopylae, had been stop'd by the Enemy with confiderable loss, because of the disadvantage of the place of Battel, had he not sent round about M. Porcius Cato, who at that time be­ing made a Collonel by the People of Rome, was in the Army. He sent him with a Party to assault the Aetolians, who held the Top of Mount Callidromus with a Guard: so that on a sudden he appeared be­hind the King's Camp upon a high Hill; which so terrified the Army of Antiochus, that they suffered the Romans to break in upon them on all sides; they fled, and left their Camp to their Enemies Plea­sure.

5. C. Sulpitius Petreius, the Consul, warring against the Gauls, commanded his Mule-keepers to go pri­vately into the next Mountains, and from thence, assoon as the Fight was begun, to shew themselves to the Armies riding as so many Horsemen. This Sight made the Enemy believe that some Assistance was come to the Roman Army, which caus'd them to yield the Victory when they had almost ob­tain'd it.

6. When Marius was to give Battel the next day to the Teutoni, a People of Germany, near the Wa­ters Sextiae, he sent Marcellus with a small Party of Horse and Foot by night, to fall upon the Backs of the Enemy; and better to shew the Appearance of an Army, commanded the Servants and Cooks to go also armed with a great part of the Beasts for Carriage, and Carts covered over with course Co­verleds, the better to shew the likeness of Horse­men. He commanded them, that assoon as they saw the Battel begun, they should come down up­on the Backs of the Enemy. This Appearance struck so great a Terror into the Enemy, that their most valiant men immediately fled.

7. M. Licinius Crassus, in the War against the Fugitives, when he was to lead out his Army near Calamarcum against Castus and Canimocus, Captains of the Gauls, sent twelve Bands or Cohorts com­manded by C. Promptinus and C. Martius Rufus, his Lieutenants, round about a Hill; so that when the Battel was begun, this Party came behind the Enemy with a great Noise, and routed them in such a manner, that instead of fighting they all fled.

8. When Marcellus was afraid that the small number of his Men would be discovered by their hollowing, commanded all the Followers of his Army to encrease the hollowing: by this means he used to fright the Enemy with the Appearance of a great Army.

9. Valerius Levinus, in a Battel against Pyrrhus King of Epirus, having kill'd with his Sword a certain common Souldier, held it up all bloody in the fight of both Armies, telling them, that there­with he had slain Pyrrhus. Therefore the Enemies thinking that they had lost their Leader, and trou­bled [Page 68]with this Lye, retreated in fear into their Camp.

10. Jugurtha fighting in Numidia against C. Ma­rius, having the Knowledge of the Latin Tongue by his long living in the Roman Armies, advanc'd to the first Ranks, and declared with a loud Voice in Latin, That he had kill'd C. Marius; and by that means troubled many of the Roman Army.

11. Mynnides the Athenian, commanding in a doubtful Fight against the Thebans, suddenly ran to his right Wing, and cried out aloud, That the left had already got the Victory: by this policy he en­creas'd the Courage and Chearfulness of his Men, and so terrified the Enemy, that they fled and left him the Victory.

12. When Croesus was to fight against a strong Party of Horse, he caused a great Company of Ca­mels to meet them. The Horse were so troubled at the strangeness of the Sight, that they cast down their Riders, ran upon the Ranks of the Foot, and gave the Victory to the Enemy.

13. When Pyrrhus King of Epyrus was to fight for them of Tarentum against the Romans, he made use of his Elephants in the same manner to disorder the Roman Army.

14. And the Carthaginians also have often pra­ctis'd the same thing in their Fights against the Romans.

15. The Camp of the Volsci being seated near Bushes and Woods, Camillus caused all that would burn to be carried to their Frenches, and there to be set on Fire: by this means he drove the enemy from thence.

16. M. Crassus, in the War of the Confederates, was in the same manner surprised with almost all his Army.

17. The Spaniards, in a Fight against Hamilcar, put before them, in the Front of the Battel, Carts full of combustible matter and Brimstone, drawn by Oxen; and when the Signal of the Fight was given, they set them on fire: then driving the Oxen to the Enemies, they broke through and discom­fited them.

18. The Falisci, and such as were of the Faction of Tarquinius, apparelled many of their men in the Habit of Priests, with Torches and Snakes in their hands, sending them in a furious manner to disturb and disorder the Roman Army.

19. The Vejentes and Fidenates, with lighted Torches, practised the same Policy.

20. When Atheas, King of the Scythians, was to fight against a greater number of the Triballi than he had in his Army; he ordered the Women and Boys, and all such as were unfit to fight, to drive upon the last Battalion of the Enemy all the Oxen and Asses that he had, and to carry up an end Pikes in their hands: by which Appearance, he caused a Rumour to be spread amongst the Ene­mies, That Succours were come from the farthest part of Scythia to his Assistance; which so discou­raged them, that they were overthrown.

CHAP. V. Of Ambushes.
Example 1.

WHen Romulus went against the Town of Fidenae, he left a part of his Forces in Holes and Caves, and by a pretended Flight caused the Enemy to follow unadvisedly so far as his concealed Souldiers, who immediately rose up, assaulted the unwary and dispersed Enemy on all hands, and cut them in pieces.

2. Q. Fabius Maximus, Consul, being sent to aid the Inhabitants of Sutrium against the Hetrusci, ob­lig'd all the Enemies Troops to fall upon him, and afterwards in a seeming Fear retreated to a higher Ground; and when the Enemy pursued in a disor­derly manner to the foot of the Hill, he fell upon them, and not only routed them, but took their Camp.

3. T. Sempronius Gracchus, General against the Celtiberi, a People of Spain, pretended a Fear, and caused his Army to keep within their Fortifications, only he sent out some of his Companies lightly arm­ed to skirmish with the Enemy; but upon a sudden he caused them to retreat in again; which caused the Enemy to follow in pursuit: then did he assault them in good order, and made such a slaughter of them, that he took their Camp.

4. Q. Metellus, Consul, General in Sicily against Hasdrubal, was more wary and careful because of the Enemies vast numbers, and one hundred and thirty Elephants which they had in their Army; he [Page 71]seemed to be therefore diffident of his own Forces, and kept his Army within the Town of Panormus, having drawn a Ditch of a very great breadth be­fore his Army: but after, when he saw in Hasdru­bal's Army that in the Front the Elephants did march, he commanded the Spear-men to assault them with their Weapons, and to retreat immedi­ately back again within their Fortifications. The Rulers of the Beasts being moved by this offer of a Fight, and disappointed, drove the Elephants into the very Ditch; in which they were no sooner stop'd and entangled, but they were either kill'd by the multitude of Darts cast at them, or driven back upon their own Army, which they disordered. Then Metellus, waiting for this Opportunity, sallied out of his Trenches with his whole Army, assaulted the Carthaginians on all sides, routed them, and took their Elephants.

5. Tamiris Queen of Scythia, fighting with Cyrus King of Persia upon an equal Advantage, by a pre­tended Fear led him into certain Streights, with which her Souldiers were well acquainted, and then turned back on a sudden, and by the Assistance of the place overcame him.

6. When the Egyptians were to fight a Battel in Fields in which two Marshes met, they hid them­selves in the Sedge: and when the Battel was be­gun they pretended to fly; but in the Flight brought into their Ambush the Enemy, who run­ning furiously in unknown Ground, stuck fast in the Mire, and by that means were circumvented.

7. Viriatus, who of a Robber turned General of the Celtiberi, a People of Spain, seemingly fled be­fore the Roman Cavalry, untill he had led them in­to a place full of Pits, and craggy, with which he was so well acquainted, that he escaped with his [Page 72]Party through a firm Path: then did he fall upon the Romans when they were fast in the mire, and in a ground which they knew not, and cut them in pieces.

8. Fulvius, General in the Cimbrick War, having his Camp near adjoyning to the Enemies, com­manded his Cavalry to ride up to their Trenches to provoke them to fight, and then to pretend to fly and retreat back: When he had practised this Poli­cy for certain days, the Cimbri followed them furi­ously, so that he took notice that their Camp was not so well mann'd as before; therefore with part of his Army he caused his usual Custom to be ob­served, with another Party of light-harnessed Soul­diers he marched to the other side of the Enemies Camp undiscovered; and when he saw that they were gone out in Pursuit, as their manner was, he suddenly assaulted them, broke through the Trench­es that were forsaken, and took the Camp.

9. Cn. Fulvius, when an Army of the Falisci far greater than the Romans was entered into their Borders, caus'd certain Houses far from his Camp to be set on fire by some of his Souldiers; and the Enemies thinking that they had been done by some of their Men, in hopes of Booty march'd out into several Parties, which weaken'd the main Body.

10. Alexander marching out of Epirus against the Illyrians, placed a small Party in Ambush, and cau­sed some of his own Men, in the Habit of Illyrians, to destroy and burn his own Country of Epirus; which when the Illyrians saw, they began to scatter and to plunder every where; and the more confi­dently, because the Spoilers served them as Scouts, who purposely decoyed them into an uneven ground, and set upon them, and routed them.

11. Leptenes, also General of Syracusa against the Carthaginians, commanded his own Country to be destroyed, and certain Villages and Castles to be set on fire, that the Carthaginians might think that this was done by their own Party, which caused them to march out to help, and to fall into an Am­bush that routed them.

12. Maharbal, being sent General against the Re­bellious Africans, knew that they were greedy of Wine; He therefore caused a Vessel of Wine to be seasoned with Mandrake, that hath a stupifying Ver­tue next to Poison. Afterwards, when he came to skirmish a little with the Enemy, he sounded a Re­treat out of design, and in the dead of the night, having left in his Camp some of his Baggage and all his Wine, poisoned with that Ingredient, he pre­tended to fly. When the barbarous Enemy had ta­ken his Camp, they gave themselves over to rejoy­cing, and to drink freely of the poisoned Wine; which caused them to lye on the Ground stupified as dead. At that Instant Maharbal returned with his Army, took and slew them without resistance.

13. Hannibal, knowing that his own and the Ro­mans Camp was in a place that wanted Wood, lest behind him purposely in a desart place many Heads of Cattel within his Camp; of which, when the Ro­mans had taken possession, in this great want of Wood loaded themselves with raw and unwholsome Meat. Then did Hannibal return in the night with his Army, and finding them secure and distemper­ed with raw Flesh, he made a great slaughter of them.

14. When Tiberius Gracchus was General in Spain, he understood that the Enemy was poor, and wanted Trade; he left therefore his Camp fur­nished with all manner of Dainties for Food; which [Page 74]when the Enemy had taken, and fill'd themselves without measure, he brought back his Army, and suddenly over-power'd them.

15. They who made War against the Erythraeans, took one of their Scouts standing in an Enemies place, and kill'd him, giving his Cloaths to one of their own Souldiers, who made such Signs to the Erythraeans, as that they were brought thereby into an Ambuscado.

16. Whereas the Arabians have a noted Custom amongst them, to signifie the coming of an Enemy, by day with Smoak, by night with Fire: they therefore ordered this to be continually practis'd, but when the Enemy was approaching to forbear the Custom; who, when they saw no Fires, ima­gined that their Coming was not known: they en­tering therefore too hastily into the Borders, were destroyed.

17. Alexander the Macedonian, when the Enemy had fortified their Camp in a high Wood, took a Party of his Men, commanding those who were left behind to kindle Fires as formerly, and to shew the Appearance of the whole Army: in the mean while he led that select Party by unknown ways round about to the higher Ground, from whence he as­saulted and drove away the Enemies.

18. Memnon King of Rhodes, being stronger than the Enemy in Calvary, and they abiding on Hills for shelter, resolved to bring them down with this Policy: He sent some of his Souldiers into their Camp, as Run-a-ways, to inform them that Mem­non's Army was already vexed with a sore Sedition, and that some part of it was already gone: and that he might confirm them in that belief, he ordered some little Forts in every side to be fortified in the Enemies sight, as if they intended to refuge them­selves [Page 75]there who were at variance: when they who were in the Mountains heard of this, they came down upon the plain Ground, and while they were assaulting the Castles and Forts, they were sur­rounded by the Cavalry of Memnon.

19. Harridas, King of the Molossi, being at Wars with Ardies the Illyrian, who had a more numerous Army, sent away all his weak People into the neighbouring Country of Aetolia, to disperse the same that he intended to deliver up his Cities and Wealth into the hands of the Aetolians: in the mean while he placeth all such as could bear Arms in Ambush in the Mountains and rocky Places. The Illyrians, fearing lest the Aetolians should take possession of all that belong'd to the Molossi, hasted to the Plunder without order. Then did Harridas come out of his Ambush, assaulted them unawares, and scattered up and down, routed, and put them to Flight.

20. T. Labienus, while he was Caesar's Lieutenant against the Gauls, before the Arrival of the Germans, whom he knew would come to their Assistance, desired to fight with them, but made shew of being jealous of his own Forces; for that purpose he planted his Camp on the other side of the River, and appointed to march away on the next day. The Gauls thought that he had fled away; they resolved therefore to pass over the River that was between them. But while they were busie in pas­sing over the River, he had brought about his Army upon them, and cut them in pieces.

21. When Hannibal understood that the Camp of Fulvius the Roman General was negligently and ill provided, and that he was apt to attempt many things without Discretion; by break of Day, when the thick Mists caused the Air to be dark, he shew­ed [Page 76]a few Souldiers to the Roman Sentinels, against whom Fulvius immediately marched with his Ar­my: in the mean while Hannibal assaulted and took the Camp of Fulvius on the other side. By that means falling upon the back of the Romans, he cut off eight thousand of their stoutest Souldiers, with their General.

22. The same Hannibal, when the Roman Army was divided between the Dictator Fabius and Mi­nutius the Master of the Horse, and that Fabius waited for a fair Opportunity, but Minutius desired earnestly to fight him, he placed his Camp in a Plain that was between the two Armies, and hid a Party of Foot amongst craggy Rocks, whilst he sent out some Troops to invite forth the Enemy, and take possession of an higher Ground near adjoyn­ing: when Minutius led forth his Army to cut them off, the Ambush which Hannibal had plac'd rose up on a sudden, and had defeated and destroyed Mi­nutius's Army if Fabius had not succour'd them in their need.

23. The same Hannibal, when at the River Tre­beia he had in fight the Camp of the Consul Sem­pronius Longus, a River running between them, pla­ced in Ambush, in the coldest time of Winter, Mago, with a select Company, whilst he had or­dered the Numidian Cavalry to ride about the Ro­man Camp to work upon the Credulity of Sempro­nius, commanding them at the first Assault of the Romans to retreat back through the known Fords to his Army: when the Consul had unadvisedly as­saulted and followed them with his fasting. Army through the River in a most bitter cold Season, which made the Roman Souldiers shake; then did Hanni­bal encounter them with his Men, whom he had prepared with Fire, Oyl, and Food, when the Ene­my [Page 77]was benum'd with Cold, and in want of Neces­saries: and Mago fail'd not to play his part, for he fell upon them behind in good order.

24. The same Hannibal, at the Lake Thrasyme­nus, finding a narrow way that led to the Foot of a Mountain, and into open Fields, pretended to fly, and through the Streights he escaped into the level Ground, where he encamped; but in the night he appointed some Souldiers, and plac'd them about the Hill which was over him, and in the sides of the Streights: the next Morning by break of day, being favour'd by a Mist, he drew up his Army. Flaminius followed him as if he had fled; but when he was in the Streights he foresaw not the Ambush till he found himself encompassed in before, behind, and on all sides, and till his Army was totally de­stroyed.

25. The same Hannibal, fighting against Junius the Dictator, in the middle of the Night commanded six hundred Horsemen, divided into several Troops, in their turns, without ceasing, to shew themselves about the Roman Camp: by that means, when the Romans were tired by watching all night, and stand­ing upon the Rampires in the Rain, which then happened to fall continually, and when Junius be­gan to sound a Retreat, then did Hannibal lead on his Souldiers well refreshed, and assaulted the Ro­man Camp.

26. Epaminondas, the Theban General, when the Lacedaemonians defended at Athmos the Peloponnesus with a Fortification in the same manner, he di­sturbed the Enemy all night by a few light armed Souldiers, and afterwards by break of day he drew up his Men when the Lacedaemonians were retreat­ing, and suddenly with his whole Army, which he kept quiet, he broke thro' their Fortifications naked of Defendants.

27. Hannibal, having drawn up his Army at the Town of Cannae, commanded six hundred Numidi­an Horsemen to fly to the Romans, and for a great­er assurance to them, delivered to them their Swords and Bucklers, falling back into the last Ranks: but when the Battel was first begun, they drew their short Swords, which they had concealed for the purpose, and taking up the Bucklers of the slain, they fell upon the Back of the Roman Army, and destroyed them.

28. Japyges, a People of Calabria, when P. Li­cinius was Proconful, delivered up their Towns, as if they had yielded themselves to the Romans; but being received, and placed in the hindermost Ranks, they fell upon their Backs.

29. Scipio Africanus, having against him two Camps of Enemies, one commanded by Syphax, the other belonging to the Carthaginians, resolved to assault Syphax's Camp in the night, and to set it on fire, for there was there much combustible mat­ter, that he might from his own Camp cut off the Numidians in the Hurly-burly: and because he knew that the Carthaginians would adventure to go out to succour their Companions, he laid an Ambush to receive them. All this fell out according to his Expectation and Desire.

30. Mithridates, having been often overcome by the Valour of Lucullus, assaulted him in an Ambus­cado, when he had corrupted and persuaded a cer­tain man of great Strength, named Adathas, to fly to the Enemy. This Traitor promised and engaged his Faith to the Romans, that he might perform his intended Wickedness, which he stoutly endeavour­ed, but in vain; for being admitted by Lucullus in­to the number of his Horsemen, he was secretly watch'd, because they did not give suddenly credit [Page 79]to a Run-away, neither was it fit to discourage others from coming over to them: afterwards, in many Sallies and Encounters having done good Ser­vice, he got himself into Credit. He chose a time when the Principes were sent away, and they were retired to the innermost Rooms of the General's Quarters, and all was quiet in the Camp. An ac­cident favour'd Lucullus, for he found him at that time departed to his Rest, weary with his evening Cares and Employments, having entertain'd Com­pany very late: when therefore he offered to go in, as if he would reveal some sudden and important Matter, he was resolutely kept out by the Servants, who were mindful of their Lords Health and Re­pose; which caus'd him to doubt that he was sus­pected; he therefore took Horse, which he had ready before the Gate, and returned, without ef­fecting any thing, to Mithridates.

31. When Sertorius, in Spain, near the Town of Lauro, had his Camp adjoyning to the Camp of Pompey, and that there was but two Countries only there able to furnish them with Fodder, one near, the other at a distance; he caused his Souldiers lightly armed frequently to visit that Country that was nearest, but forbad them so much as to enter into that which was at a distance: by this means he made his Enemies believe, that the farthest Coun­try was the safest; which, when the Souldiers of Pompey went to visit, he sent Octavius Graecimus with ten Companies armed in the Roman manner, and ten other Companies of Spaniards lightly armed, with Tarquinius Priscus at the head of two thousand Horse, to lye in Ambush for the Forragers. They punctually and courageously performed their Or­ders; for having well understood the Country, they hid these Forces in a neighbouring Wood in [Page 80]the Night; so that in the Front they placed the Spaniards lightly armed, and fittest for a sudden Surprise and Skirmish; next to them such as carri­ed Bucklers, and in the Rear, the Horsemen: and that the neighing of the Horses might not discover the Design, he commanded them to rest and keep silence untill the third hour of the day. But when Pompey's Souldiers were upon their return loaden with Fodder and secure, and that such as kept the Guards were invited by the Quietness of the Enemy to march out and seek also for Forrage, first the Spaniards sallied out, and fell furiously, as the man­ner of their Nation was, upon such as were wan­dring up and down, wounding and cutting them when they least expected it. And before Pompey could resist and stop them, the Party armed with Bucklers broke out of the Wood, and routed such as were rallying together in some order: as they were flying, the Horsemen were sent out to pursue and slay them all that space that was between them and the Roman Camp; and there was care taken that none should escape, for the other two hundred and fifty Horsemen, being sent galloping before by a nearer way, returned, and met such as were fly­ing first, before they could come to Pompey's Camp. Assoon as Pompey understood it, he sent out a Legi­on, commanded by Laelius, to succour his Men; at whose approach, the Horsemen drew up on the right hand, as if they had given place: afterwards, they fell by this means upon the back of the Le­gion, at the same time when such as pursued after the Forragers met with it: thus was this poor Le­gion destroyed between two Parties of the Enemy: and when Pompey led out his whole Army to assist and relieve it, Sertorius also appeared with his Ar­my on the top of the Hills, ready for the encoun­ter, [Page 81]and hindered Pompey from proceeding farther: so that besides a two-fold loss procured by the same Policy, he stop'd and made him a Spectator of the Defeat and Destruction of his Men. This was the first Fight between Sertorius and Pompey. Ten thou­sand of Pompey's Army were slain, and all their Carriages were lost, saith Livius.

32. Pompey, in Spain, having appointed before such as should rise out of a secret place to give the assault, pretended that he was afraid, and by that means led the pursuing Enemy into difficult places: afterwards, when he saw his time, he set upon them before, and on each side, and cut them all in pieces, and their Captain Perpenna he took Pri­soner.

33. When the same Pompey was General in Ar­menia against Mithridates, who was the strongest in Horse, he hid three thousand lightly armed, with five hundred Horsemen, in the night, in Bushes which were between the two Camps. The next Morning betimes he sent out his Horsemen as far as the Enemies Guards, so drawn up in Battalia, that when he should begin to fight with all the Ene­mies Cavalry, they should in good order give back by degrees, untill such time as they might afford time for the Ambuscado to rise behind, who were there on purpose. All which happening according to his desire, with those Troops that seem'd to re­treat he cut in pieces the middle Battalion of his Enemy which was out of order, and with his Foot­men that enter'd Pell-mell, he kill'd their Horse; so that in that Battel he ruin'd the King's greatest Trust which he repos'd in his Horsemen.

34. M. Crassus, in the War against the Fugi­tives, near the Mountain Cathena, fortified two Camps near that of the Enemies, but in the Night [Page 82]chang'd the Souldiers of the one, and received them into the other, leaving still the General's Tent in the greatest Camp, the better to deceive the ene­my; he himself drew out all his Forces and made a halt at the foot of the said Mountain, and having divided his Cavalry, commanded L. Quintius with one part to face Spartacus, but not to engage in a Fight with him; with the other part of the Caval­ry he encounter'd with the Gauls and Germans, that were of the Faction of Castus and Gannicus, but ordered them to draw them by degrees, by a dis­sembled Fight, to the place where he himself stood ready in Battel; whom, when the barbarous People followed, the Cavalry fell into the Wings, and suddenly the Roman Army open'd, and fell on with a Shout; so that thirty five thousand Souldiers were there destroyed with their Commanders, as Livius writes, five Roman Eagles were recovered, six and twenty Colours, with much Spoils, were taken, and amongst them five bundle of Rods with Axes.

35. C. Cassius, General in Syria against the Parths, put his Cavalry forth in the Van, but hid his Infan­try behind in difficult and steep places: afterwards, when the Cavalry began to retreat, and to save it self by known ways, he drew the Parthian Army in­to the Ambush that was provided for them, and cut them in pieces.

36. When the Parthians and Labienus were be­come proud of their Successes and Victories, Venti­dius the Roman General, by keeping in his Army together in their Camp, drew them upon him: and when he found them in a disadvantageous Post, he fell upon them in a Sally, and so overthrew them, that they forsook Labienus, and departed out of the Roman Territories.

37. The same Ventidius, being General against the Parthians, commanded by Pharnastanes, and ha­ving with him but a small number of Souldiers, per­ceived that the enemies grew more bold because they exceeded them in number; therefore he post­ed at one side of his Camp, in a dark Valley, eigh­teen Companies, and behind the Foot he drew up his Cavalry: then he sent a very few Souldiers to attack the enemy; who pretending to fly, drew the Parthians, who greedily pursued after them be­yond the place where the Ambush lay, which rising at that instant, kill'd the Parthian General Phar­nastanes, and put the Pursuers to flight.

38. C. Caesar, when his Camp and that of Afra­nius stood in two Plains one against another, and that it concern'd either of them to be Masters of the neighbouring Hills, found it difficult to get them because of the steep Rocks before him; he there­fore began to retreat back, as if he would return to the River Herda. The want of Necessaries persua­ded Afranius that this was his Purpose: but after a little while, he took a small compass about to get the Command of the Hills; which when the Army of Afranius perceiv'd, they were much troubled, as if their Camp had been taken; they therefore in all haste ran towards those Hills. Caesar foreseeing this, partly with his Foot which he sent to meet them, and partly with his Horse which he appointed to fall upon their Backs, he overthrew them.

39. Antonius, at a City of Italy, understanding that the Conful Pansa was come, placed an Am­bush in the Woods near the Aemilian way, assault­ed his Troops, and put them to flight, and gave him such a mortal Wound, that he died a few days after.

40. King Juba, in Africa, in the Civil War, cau­sed Curio the Roman General to rejoyce when he made as if he would return into his own Country. Curio being deceived by that vain Confidence, pur­sued after Sabora the King's Commander so far that he came into open Fields, where he was beset with the Numidian Cavalry, lost his Army, and his Life also.

41. Melanthus, the Athenian Captain, when he was challenged by Xanthus the Boeotian, the Ene­mies King, and came to fight him in a Duel; as­soon as he drew near cried to him, Thou dost base­ly, Xanthus, and against our Agreement, for thou art come followed by a Second to encounter with one single man: when he began to wonder and look back who it was accompanied him, he run him in behind, and kill'd him.

42. Iphicrates, the Athenian General, understand­ing at the Chersonesus of Greece that Anaxibius the Lacedaemonian Commander led an Army by Land, took out of his Ships a very strong Party of Souldi­ers, and laid them in Ambush, but all the Ships he caused to sail away, as if they had been loaden with Souldiers; and when the Lacedaemonians were se­cure, and never dreamed of an Assault in their March, he fell upon them in the Rear, and routed them.

43. When the Liburni, a People of Dalmatia, besieged certain marish and shelvy Places by the Sea, they discovered only their Heads, and made the Enemy believe that it was the wide Sea; by that means they took a Galley that in pursuit of them stuck fast in the quick-sand or Bank.

44. Alcibiades, the Athenian Commander in the Heilespont against Numidarus the Lacedaemonian Ge­neral, having a numerous Army, and many Ships, [Page 85]landed a Party of his Men in the night, and some of his Ships he caused to lye concealed behind a certain Promontory or High-land, whilst he with a few only fit to provoke the Enemies Contempt, fled before them till he had brought them into the Snare: he then forc'd them to fly, and to save themselves on Land; but as they went on Shore, he cut them off by that Party that he had landed on purpose.

45. The same Alcibiades, being ready to fight a Battel at Sea, fixed a certain number of Masts in a High-land that advanc'd into the Water, command­ing those who were there to keep Guard, that as­soon as the Battel was begun they should hang out their Sails. By this means it happen'd that the Enemies imagining that there was another Fleet coming to his Assistance, fled away.

46. Memnon of Rhodes, having in his Fleet two hundred Ships ready for a Sea-fight, and desirous to draw the Enemies to a Battel, commanded that but a few of his Vessels should have their Masts up, and that they should sayl before: When therefore the Enemies saw the number of the Masts, and by them judged of the number of the Ships, they bold­ly came out to fight, but were easily over-power'd by the greater number of Vessels.

47. When Timotheus the Athenian General was to fight at Sea against the Lacedaemonians, and that their Fleet came forward well provided for the en­counter, he sent twenty of his nimblest Ships, which by all means should sail here and there, and weary the Enemy in the pursuit; which assoon as he per­ceived was effected, and that they began to be hea­vy, he then set upon them, and easily overcame such as were out of order, and wearied out.

CHAP. VI. Of giving the Enemy liberty to escape, lest he should out of despair renew the Fight.
Example 1.

WHen the Gauls, after that Battel which was given when Camillus was General, desired Boats and Vessels to pass over the Tiber, the Senate gave order, that they should be furnish'd with Boats and Provisions for their Jour­ney. And when some of the same People fled through the Country Pomptinus, there was a way allowed them which is now called Gallica.

2. L. Martius, the Roman Knight, whom the Army made General, after the two Scipios were killed, surpris'd and overcame the Carthaginians; but, lest they should fight more fiercely out of De­spair, he caused his Ranks to be opened, and gave them liberty to escape; and when they were scat­ter'd and fled, he destroyed them behind without any damage or hazard to his Army.

3. When C. Caesar had shut in the Germans, and that they did fight more stoutly, he gave them li­berty to depart, and in the Flight he fell upon them with more advantage.

4. Hannibal, at the Lake Thrasymenus, inclosed in a Party of Romans, who resisted him most de­sperately; he therefore opened them a way to es­cape; and as they were flying he cut them in pieces without any damage to his Men.

5. Antigonus, King of Macedonia, besieged a Party of Aetolians, and brought them to so great a Famine, that they resolved to sally out, and dye valiantly. He therefore gave them a way and opportunity to fly away; by that means having disappointed their impetuous Resolution, he followed them in the Rear and destroyed them.

6. Agesilaus the Lacedaemonian, fighting in a Bat­tel against the Thebans, and understanding that the Enemy, being shut up by the narrowness of the place, fought out of Despair more furiously, open'd the Ranks of his Army, and gave them liberty to de­part, but after he pursued them, fell in upon their Rear, and routed them.

7. Cn. Manlius, the Consul, returning from the Fight, found that the Roman Camp was taken by the Hetrurians; he ordered therefore all the Gates to be so well guarded, that the Enemies when they were shut in were so furiously exasperated, that they killed him in the heat of the Fight: which when his Lieutenants took notice of, they caused on one side the Guards to be withdrawn, and a Passage for the Hetrurians to escape; but they fell upon them in their Retreat, and by the coming in of the other Consul they cut them in pieces.

8. Themistocles, when Xerxes was overthrown, hindered the Grecians from breaking the Bridge, as they had resolved, because it was more Wisdom to expell and shut him out of Europe, than to force him out of Despair to fight: he therefore sent a Messen­ger to him to advise him in what danger he was in, unless he made more speed to pass over into Asia.

9. Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, having taken a certain City, and finding by the shutting of the Gates that he had reduced such as were within to such De­spair, that they did fight the more desperately, he gave them liberty to depart.

10. The same Pyrrhus, amongst the other Dire­ctions given to a General in his Book, he recom­mends this; That we must nor press nor pursue af­ter an Enemy that is in Flight too unmercifully, first, lest he should be driven, out of necessity, to resist and stop a victorious Course; secondly, that thereby we might oblige an Enemy at another time to yield the Day the sooner, and at an easier rate, when he shall consider that the Conquerours will not pursue too eagerly after the Lives of such as are forced to fly.

CHAP. VII. How to dissemble ill Successes.
Example 1.

TƲllius Hostilius, King of the Romans, being engaged in a Fight against the Vejentes, when the Albani forsook the Roman Army and withdrew to the neighbouring Hills, and that the Romans were much discouraged, he cried out to his Souldiers, that the Albani were departed by his Command, to encompass the Enemies about: which Policy terrified the Vejentes, encouraged the Ro­mans, and when the Victory was almost lost he re­cover'd it by this cunning Lye.

2. When L. Sylla was in the middle of a Battel, and that a chief Commander of his Army withdrew to the Enemy with a considerable Party of Horse, declared to his Souldiers, that what was done was by his Order: in so saying the prevented the Won­der [Page 89]and Trouble of his Men, and fill'd them with hopes of some benefit that would follow that Con­trivance and Policy.

3. The same Sylla, when his Auxiliary Troops which were sent by him were surrounded by the Enemy, and overthrown, fearing that this Loss would terrifie his whole Army, he declared to them, that these Auxiliaries, who had a purpose to forsake him, were by him brought in a difficult place pur­posely to punish them. Thus with a pretence of Revenge he covered and concealed an apparent Loss, and confirmed and satisfied the Courages of his other Souldiers by this Persuasion.

4. Scipio, when the Ambassadours of Syphax came to him with this Message from their King, That he should not, out of Confidence upon his Assistance and Confederacy, pass over from Sicily into Africa; fearing lest his Souldiers should be dis­courag'd by the Denial of this foreign help, sent hastily the Ambassadours away, and spread abroad the Rumour, That Syphax of his own Accord had sent for him over.

5. Q. Sertorius, when he was in the middle of a Fight, kill'd a Souldier with his Sword that came to him with the News that Herculeius his Lieutenant was slain, that he might not give notice of that loss to others, and discourage his Men that were yet fighting.

6. Alcibiades, the Athenian General, when he was beset in a Fight by the Abydeni, and on a sud­den saw a Messenger running to him with sad News, forbad him to deliver his Message openly: after­wards, being privately questioned by Pharnabazus, the Kings Vice-roy, he told him, that his Fleet was in danger to be taken by the Enemy; which con­cealing from both Enemies and his Souldiers, he [Page 90]ended the Battel, and immediately after had his Army to free the Fleet from danger, and relieve his Men in distress.

7. When Hannibal was come into Italy, three thousand of the Carpetani, a People of Spain, for­sook his Army: and that the rest might not follow their bad example, he publish'd immediately abroad, That he had sent them away; and to verifie this Saying, he dispatch'd away a few home to their Houses, who were of no great Use in his Army.

8. L. Lucullus, seeing the Macedonian Cavalry, who were come to his Assistance, on a sudden to run away to the Enemy, commanded the Trumpets to sound a Charge, and sent Troops to follow and second them: they thinking that the Battel was be­gun, let fly their Darts at the cowardly Macedoni­ans; who seeing that they could not be admitted by the Enemy, and that their own Party followed them close at the Heels, were necessitated in good order to turn and encounter with the Enemy.

9. Dutames, the Persian General against Auto­phradates in Cappadocia, finding that some of his Cavalry were ready to depart to the Enemy, com­manded all the rest to accompany him, and follow the Run-aways; whom, when he had overtaken, he praised them highly, because they had gone before him to meet the Enemy so cheerfully; he exhorted them therefore to assault the Enemy with Courage. Shame made the Run-aways to repent, and to alter their purpose, which they conceived was not dis­covered.

10. T. Quintius, sirnamed Capitolinus, the Con­sul, when the Romans were retreating, told them, That in the other Wing the Enemies were fled; by this Lye he confirmed the Courage of his Souldi­ers, and got the Victory.

11. Cn. Manlius, fighting against the Hetrusci, when his Partner Fabius was wounded in the left Wing, which he commanded, and that some of the Army retreated because they thought that the Con­ful had been kill'd, met them with a Party of Horse, and called out to them, that his Partner was yet alive, and that in the other Wing he had beaten the Enemy. By this Constancy he encouraged his Souldiers, and obtained the Victory.

12. When Marius march'd against the Cimbri and Teutoni, and that the Officers of his Army, who were appointed to chuse a place for his Camp, had pitch'd upon such a Place, through Indiscretion, that all their Water was in the Enemies Power, and that his Army wanted and ask'd for Water; he shewed to them the Enemies Army with his finger, and told them, that they must fetch it from the Enemies Camp: by which Intimation, he per­suaded his Men to drive them immediately from thence.

13. T. Labienus, after the Battel of Pharsalia, when Pompey's Party was overcome, and he fled to Dyrrhachium, related the Truth with many Lies. He confess'd the Conclusion of the Battel, but af­firm'd the loss to be equal on both sides, by a de­sperate Wound that Caesar had received. By this Invention he confirmed such as remained of Pom­pey's side, and made them more bold.

14. When M. Cato unadvisedly landed at Ambra­cia in a little Boat, at the same time that the Ships of his Confederates were assaulted by the Aetolians, though he had no Forces with him, yet he began to make sign by his Voice and Gesture, by which he did seem to call and command some of his Ships to follow him. By this Invention he struck a terror into the Enemies, as if they were near at hand, and [Page 92]in sight. The Aetolians therefore forsook the As­fault, that they might not be over-power'd by the coming in of the Roman Fleet.

CHAP. X. Of restoring and renewing a Fight by Constancy and Courage.
Example 1.

WHen Servius Tullius was a Youth, in that Battel in which King Tarquinius encoun­ter'd with the Sabins, perceiving the Ensign-bearers behaved themselves slothfully and cowardly, he snatch'd the Colours and cast it amongst the Enemies; for the Recovery of which they fought so fiercely, that with their Colours they got the Victory.

2. Furius Agrippa, the Consul, when his Wing began to fall back, took the Colours from an En­sign and cast it amongst his Enemies, the Hernici and the Aequi: by this means he restored the Fight again, for the Romans fell on very cheerfully for the Recovery of their Colours.

3. T. Quintius, sirnamed Capitolinus, the Consul, cast a Colours amongst the Enemies, the Falisci, commanding his Souldiers to recover it again.

4. M. Furius Camillus, a Tribune of the Souldi­ers, elected in the place of Consuls, when his Army stood still in the face of the Enemy, catch'd a Co­lours from an Ensign, and march'd against the Ene­mies, [Page 93]the Volsci and the Latins, and made all the rest to follow for shame.

5. Salvius Pelignus practis'd the same thing in the Persian War.

6. Q. Furius, when his Army fled, met them, and protested, that he would receive none of them into his Camp unless they return'd with Victory; he led them therefore back, and overthrew the Enemies.

7. Scipio, at the City Numantia in Spain, when he saw his Army retreating, declared to them, That he would treat them as Enemies whosoever did return back into the Camp.

8. Servilius Priscus, the Dictator, when he com­manded the Colours to advance against the Ene­mies, the Falisci, and that an Ensign delayed to obey him, he commanded him to be kill'd. This example so affrighted his Souldiers, that they as­saulted the Enemy courageously.

9. Cossus Cornelius, Master of the Horse against the Fidenates, shewed the same example.

10. Tarquinius, in the Battel against the Sabins, when the Horsemen were loth to fall on, took from them their Bridles, and commanded them to prick on their Horses, and to break through the enemies.

11. M. Attilius the Consul, in the Samnitick War, when part of his Army fled back to his Camp, marched against them with another Party, telling them, that they must either fight with him and their good Citizens, unless they would return against the enemy. By this means he led them all back into the Fight.

12. L. Sylla, when the Legions began to yield to the Army of Mithridates, led by Archelaus, he drew his Sword, and ran into the first Battalion, [Page 94]and calling to his Souldiers, told them, If any en­quir'd where they had left their General, they might answer, fighting in Boeotia: this made them so much ashamed, that they all followed him.

13. When Julius Caesar saw his Men give back at Munida, he caused his Horse to be led out of his sight, and cast himself on foot into the first Battali­on: The Souldiers being ashamed to forsake their General, returned to the Fight again.

14. King Philip was afraid that his Men would never be able to resist the Fury of the Scythians; he placed therefore behind them his most trusty Horsemen, commanding them that they should not suffer any of their Fellow-Souldiers to return out of the Battel, and that if any were resolved to fly they should kill them: by this threatning he made the most timorous to chuse rather to be kill'd by the enemy than by their own men, and got the Vi­ctory.

CHAP. IX. Of the prosecuting the remaining part of a War if all things succeed.
Example 1.

WHen C. Marius had overcome in a Battel the Teutoni, a People of Germany, he en­compassed about the rest the next Night that followed the Fight, and caus'd a few of his Ar­my to fright them with continual Noise, that they [Page 95]might be kept waking all night: by that means, the next Morning, they being tired with watching, were more easily brought to yield to him.

2. When Claudius Nero had overpower'd the Carthaginian Army, which Hasdrubal led out of Spain into Italy, he cast the Head of Hasdrubal into Hannibal's Camp: by which Action he sorely afflict­ed and discouraged him with the assurance of the loss of his Brother Asdrubal, who was slain, and with the despair of Assistance from the approaching Army.

3. L. Sylla shewed openly, upon Pikes, to them of the City Praeneste, who were there besieged, the Heads of the Captains that were slain in Fight, that he might overcome the stiffness of the obstinate In­habitants.

4. In the like manner Arminius, the Commander of the Germans, caus'd the Heads of them whom he had kill'd in Fight, to be held up and shewed near the enemies Camp.

5. Domitius Corbulo, besieging Tigranocerta, per­ceived that the Armenians were likely to bear the Siege a while; he therefore took a certain Man of Megistae in Lycia, punished him with Death, and shot his Head with a Roman Engine into the Walls of the Town: the Head by chance fell in the midst of their Common-Council, which was then met together; at the sight of which they were so af­frighted, that they immediately surrendred them­selves.

6. Hermocrates of Syracuse, having overcome in Battel the Athenians, was jealous that the great number of Prisoners that he had taken would not be well guarded, because the Success of the Fight was like to oblige the Conquerours to give them­selves over to feasting and security; he therefore [Page 96]spread abroad the Rumour, That the next Night the Enemies Cavalry would come upon them; which Report made the Guards to be kept with more diligence.

7. The same General, having had good success in War, and for that reason, because his Souldiers began to be too secure, and to give themselves over to Sleeping and Wine; he appointed a Run-away to come into his Camp, and to declare, That he was escaped thither by Flight to admonish them that there were Ambushes laid for them in every place, by the Inhabitants of Syracuse: the fear of them brought his Army to a condition of fighting; so that when they came to assault him in his Camp, they were driven into the Ditehes, and were over­powered.

CHAP. X. Of remedying ill Successes when things happen contrary.
Example 1.

TDidius, having had a very fierce Battel in Spain, which ended by the coming in of the Night, and was remarkable for the great number of Souldiers slain on both sides, caus'd ma­ny of the dead Bodies of his Men to be buried in the dark Night; so that the next day, when the Spa­niards, who went to perform the same Office to their dead Souldiers, because they found a greater num­ber [Page 97]of their People slain than of the Romans, con­cluding from thence that they were overcome, and yielded to the Articles of the Roman General.

2. T. Martius, a Roman Knight, who command­ed the rest of the Army of the two Scipio's who were slain, having near him, at a few Miles distance, two Camps of the Carthaginians, encouraged the Soul­diers to assault, in the dead of the Night, the next Camp. He found them out of order, and secure, because of their former Victories; so that falling upon them in that condition, he left none alive to tell their woful Destruction and Slaughter: and the same night, having given a little time to his Souldi­ers to rest, he prevented the report of the Execu­tion, and assaulted the other Camp; so that he had twice the same Success, and the Carthaginians were destroyed every where. By that means he restored to the People of Rome the Countries of Spain which they had lost.

CHAP. XI. Of preserving such as are wavering in their Obedience and Fidelity.
Example 1.

WHen P. Valerius was afraid of the Perfi­diousness of the Inhabitants of Epidau­rus, because he had but small Forces with him, provided, at a distance from the Town, some Gymnick Plays: and when almost all the City [Page 98]went out to see them, he shut the Gates, and would not suffer the Citizens to return in again till they had delivered some of their principal Men as Hostages.

2. Cn. Pompeius, having a Jealousie of the Cati­nienses, and fearing that they would not admit his Guards within their Walls, intreated them in the mean while to receive his sick men, and suffer them to refresh themselves amongst them; which being granted, he sent the stoutest of his Souldiers in the Habit and Garb of sick men, and with them took the City, and kept it for his Use.

3. When Alexander had overcome and conquer­ed Thrasia, and he was to pass over into Asia, be­cause he feared that after his Departure they would take up Arms against him, he took with him, with an honourable Pretence, their Kings, their Gover­nours, and all such as did seem to be concerned for the Recovery of the Liberty that they had lost; he left behind the common People, and appointed them Governours out of the meanest of them. By this means he obliged their Princes by many good Deeds, so that they would not rebell against him; and for the common People, they were not able to do him mischief when they were deprived of the Assistance of their Princes.

4. When Antipater saw the first Army of them of Nestos, which upon the News of the Death of Alexander were gathered together to disturb his Go­vernment, he pretended that he knew not the in­tent of their coming, but gave them Thanks, be­cause he supposed that they designed to assist Ale­xander against the Lacedaemonians; and assured them that he would give the King an Account by Letter of their Readiness to serve him. But because he had then no need of their help, he advis'd them to [Page 99]depart home to their Houses. By this subtle Speech he delivered himself from the danger of a Rebellion that threatned him.

5. Scipio Africanus being in Spain, had a Prisoner amongst the rest, a noble Lady, and a Virgin, of a rare Beauty, brought to him, which ravish'd the Eyes of all that beheld her: he caus'd her to be very well guarded, and to be delivered to her Spouse named Luceius; and besides, he gave the Gold that her Parents brought to him for her Ran­som, to her Beloved, as an Addition to her Dowry. By which several Expressions of his Bounty, the whole Nation was overcome, and yielded to the Roman Empire.

6. It is also reported of Alexander the Great, that he very carefully preserved a Captive, Virgin of a rare Beauty, which had been espoused to a neigh­bouring Prince, and would not so much as see her, but sent her to her Husband: and by this good Deed he got the Favour and the Hearts of the whole Nation.

7. When the Emperour Caesar Augustus, sirnamed Germanicus, in that War in which he overcame the Enemies, and purchased to himself the Name of Germanicus, was in the Borders of them of Collen, and built certain Castles, commanded that the Va­lue and Price of the Fruits of those Places which he inclosed within his Fortifications, should be paid to the right Owners: by the Report of his Equity and just dealing he obliged and confirmed all that Country in their Obedience.

CHAP. XII. What is to be done in a Camp if we have not sufficient Confidence in the present Forces.
Example 1.

T. Quintius the Consul, when the Volsci were ready to assault his Camp, kept only a Com­pany upon the Guard, and sent the rest of the Army to sleep and take their rest; only the Trumpeters he ordered to ride about the Fortifi­cations, and to sound their Trumpets: by which Appearance and Dissimulation, he detained and kept off the Enemy all night, and the next Morn­ing, when they were weary with watching, he suddenly sallied out and easily overcame them.

2. Q. Sertorius, in Spain, being too weak for the Enemies Cavalry, which was wont to ride up to the sides of his Camp, caused in the night Holes to be dig'd in the Ground, and drew up his Army be­fore them: At last, when the Troops of Horse re­turned according to their former Custom, he told his Men that he had found that the Enemies had prepared an Ambush for them; and therefore they should not depart from their Colours, nor forsake their Ranks: which being observ'd according to the Discipline of War, he fell by chance into the true Ambushes; which because he had foretold his Soul­diers, they were the more courageous.

3. Chares, the Athenian General, expected some Recruits, but was afraid that the Enemy, in con­tempt of his slender Forces, would in the mean while assault his Camp: he therefore sent a great many of the Souldiers that he had with him on the other side of his Camp away in the Night, and commanded them that they should return to him again in the most visible manner to his Enemies, and shew the Appearance of Recruits and fresh Suc­cours. By this appearance of Recruits he kept off the Enemy untill he was really relieved according to his expectation.

4. Iphicrates the Athenian, having his Camp in plain Fields, and understanding that the Thracians intended to invade and plunder his Camp, and that they would come down the Hills by one way that led from the top to the bottom; he privately led his Army, and placed them on both sides of the way through which the Thracians were to pass: and when the Enemy came running down to the Camp where many Fires were purposely made by a few to shew the appearance of the Army continu­ing there, he assaulted them on both sides, and overthrew them.

CHAP. XIII. Of Escaping.
Example 1.

WHen the Gauls were to fight with Attalus, they delivered to certain Guards all their Gold and Silver, and ordered them, that if they were put to Flight they should scatter it in the way, that whilst the Enemy was busie in ga­thering it up they might more easily escape them.

2. Triphon King of Syria being overcome in Bat­tel, scattered in all the way where he fled, his Mo­ney: by that means he detained the Horsemen of Antiochus that pursued him, and escaped from them.

3. Q. Sertorius, being overcome by Q. Metellus Pius, and forced to a Retreat; and not judging his Flight to be safe, commanded his Souldiers to scat­ter and depart, and acquainted them with the place where he advis'd and ordered them to meet all again together.

4. Viriatus, General of the Lusitanior Portugals, escaped from the Roman Army, and out of a diffi­cult place, in the same manner as Sertorius by scat­tering his Army, and gathering it again together.

5. Horatius Cocles, when he was pursued by the Army of Porsenna, ordered his Souldiers to return into the City over the Bridge, and to break it down, that the Enemy might not follow: which while it was in doing, he exposed his Life, as the Defender of his City, to keep off such as pursued [Page 103]after him. And when he had heard the noise of the Bridge falling down, he cast himself into the River, and pass'd over it loaden, not with Arms, but with Wounds.

6. When Afranius in Spain, at the City of Iler­da, fled from Caesar who pursued him at the Heels, he pitch'd his Camp; and when Caesar, had done the like, and had sent out a Party of his Men for For­rage, he suddenly gave a Command to his Army to march.

7. When Antonius retreated with his Army, which was followed by the Parthians, because that very Morning when he began to move forward he was sorely vexed with their Arrows, and pursued by them, he delayed the time of his Departure till the fifth Hour, and settled his People in their Fide­lity, Resolution, and Courage, which caused the Parthians to withdraw themselves; so that after­wards he could perform his Journey, and march the rest of the day without any Lett or Hinderance.

8. When Philippus was vanquished in Epirus, that the Romans might not press upon him in his Flight, he desired and obtained a Truce to bury the slain; which made the Roman Guards to be the more negligent, and give him an opportunity to escape.

9. When Publ. Claudius was overcome in a Sea-fight by the Carthaginians, because he could not avoid to pass through or hard by the Enemies Ar­my, he caused the remaining part of his Navy, being twenty Ships, to be trimmed and adorned as if they had been victorious. At this sight the Carthaginians fancied that the Romans had gotten the Advantage of them; therefore for fear they suffered them to escape.

10. When the Carthaginians were overcome by Sea, they endeavoured to put the Roman Navy by, and to Sail from them, they made therefore a shew as if they had run their Ships upon banks of Sand; by this means the Conquerours fearing the same mis­hap, withdrew, and gave them liberty to fly away.

11. Comminius of Arras, being overcome by Ju­lius Caesar, and endeavouring to escape out of France into Britany, arrived safe to the Sea side when the Wind was favourable, but at low Ebb, so that his Ships stuck fast in the Sand, nevertheless he com­manded the Sails to be spread, which when Caesar saw afar off in his pursuit after him, and that the Ships were already under Sail, imagined it was im­possible to recover him. By this Policy Comminius escaped out of his hands.

CHAP. I. Of a sudden Assault.
Example 1.

T. Quintius the Consul, having overcome in Battel the Aequi and the Volsci, People of Italy, he resolved to take the Town of Antium: he therefore made a Speech to his Army, and shewed them how needful and easie it was for them, if they went on without Delay. In that Heat and Courage which he had caused by his Speech, he set upon the Town and took it.

2. M. Cato, in Spain, perceived that he might get into his Hands a certain Town if he did assault the Inhabitants before they were aware; he therefore performed in two days the March of four, through difficult and desart ways and places, and came up­on the Enemies before they feared him, and over­came them: and when his Men had happily suc­ceeded, and asked of him the cause of such an ea­sie Performance, he told them, that then they be­gan to be Conquerours when in two days they per­formed the March of four.

CHAP. II. Of deceiving such as are besieged.
Example 1.

WHen Domitius Calvinus besieged the Town of Luca, belonging to the Ligurians, which was strengthened not only by the Scitua­tion and Fortifications, but also by the Number and Courage of the Defendants, resolved to surround the Walls many times with all his Army, and then to retreat as often into his Camp. By this Custom the Townsmen were perswaded that the Romans did practise this only to exercise themselves: and when they never feared any thing from this constant March, the General turned the Walk into a sudden Assault, in which they took the Walls, and obliged the Inhabitants to surrender themselves and their Town.

2. C. Duillius the Consul likewise by exercising the Souldiers and his Seamen, he brought the Car­thaginians into that Security, because his former Custom had done them no harm, that suddenly he run upon them with his whole Fleet, and took their Fortifications.

3. Hannibal master'd many Towns in Italy by sending before some of his own People in the Garb of Romans, who had got the Latin Tongue by the long continuance of the War.

4. The Arcades, besieging a Castle of the Messini­ans, made certain Arms in the resemblance of their Enemies, and at that time that they found that [Page 110]their Guards were relieved, they furnished some of their own Party in the Habit of those that were expected, and by this Mistake, being received in as Companions, they got Possession of the Place with the Slaughter of their Enemies.

5. Cimon, General of the Athenians, having plac'd an Ambuscado for a certain City in Caria, set on fire in the Night unexpectedly a Temple of Diana, much reverenced by the Inhabitants, with a Grove adjoyning, which was without the Walls: when therefore the Citizens came out to extinguish the fire, he took the Town, being almost empty of its Inhabitants.

6. When Alcibiades, the General of the Atheni­ans, besieged the City of the Agrigentini, which was very well fortified, he desired to parley with them in their Assembly: he discours'd a long time with them about common things in their Theatre, where, according to the Grecians Custom, is the usual place of Deliberation. And while he enter­tained the multitude under a pretence of consulting with them, the Athenians, whom he had provided for that Purpose, took Possession of the City Walls.

7. Epaminondas, the Theban General in Arcadia, when the Women of the Enemies came out of the City on a Festival Day, and wander'd up and down in Companies, joyned to them some of his own Souldiers in the Garb of Women, who being ad­mitted in that Habit within the Gates, towards the Night master'd the Town, and let in their own Men.

8. Aristippus the Lacedaemonian, on the Festival Day of the Tegeatae, when a multitude were gone out of the Walls to celebrate the Services of Mi­nerva, sent Beasts loaden and filled with Sacks of [Page 111]Straw instead of Wheat, into the City, with Soul­diers to drive them, who were under the Appear­ance of Merchants admitted, and they opened the Gates undiscover'd to their own Men.

9. Antiochus, in Cappadocia, took a Beast, which was come out of a Castle called Suenda, to fetch Wheat; and having kill'd the Drivers, he sent with it his own Men in the Garb of those Drivers, as if they had returned with the expected Grain. The Guards being cozen'd with this Deceit, suffer'd them to enter, and they made way for the Souldiers of Antiochus.

10. When the Thebans could by no means get into their Possession the Haven of the Sicyonii, they built a very great Ship, and fill'd it with armed Men, covering them with some Wares, that it might appear a Vessel for Trade; and at the same time caused a small number of Men to appear at a very great distance from the Walls, with whom, some few without Arms were to meet coming out of the Ship, and to pretend and make a shew of quarrel­ing: which when the Sicyonii saw, they went out to cause the Dispute to cease: in the mean while the Ships of the Thebans enter'd into the empty Ha­ven and City, and took them.

11. Thymarchus the Aetolian, having slain Char­mades, the Admiral of King Ptolomy, took on him his Cloak and Head piece, after the Macedonian manner; and by this Deceit he was received into the Haven of the Samnii, and master'd it.

CHAP. III. How to intice and win Traitors.
Example 1.

PApyrius, sirnamed Cursor, at Tarentum, promi­sed to Milo, who defended the City with a Party of Epirots, that he would save him and his Country-men, if by his means he might win the City: which Reward so prevail'd upon him, that he perswaded them of Tarentum to send him as an Ambassadour to the Consul, with whom he fully concluded the Agreement; so that at his Return he made the Citizens secure, and delivered the City unguarded into the Roman General's Power.

2. Marcellus, having won a certain Inhabitant of Syracuse, named Sosistratus, to betray the City, un­derstood by him, that the Guards, the next day being a Festival, would be careless and negligent, and the rather, because Epicides was to give them Plenty of Wine and good Cheer. He took there­fore Advantage of this merry Opportunity, and of the Negligence of the Guards, took the Walls, slew the Watch, and open'd to the Roman Army the Gates of this City, which had been famous for se­veral noble Victories.

3. When Tarquinius Superbus could not oblige the Gabii to yield to him, sent to them his Son Sextus Tarquinius beaten with Rods: He exclaim'd against the Cruelty of his Father, and persuaded the Gabii to make use of his Hatred and Displea­sure against the King. They accordingly having [Page 113]chosen him to be their Leader, betrayed them to his Father.

4. Cyrus, King of Persia, sent on purpose his Companion and Friend Zopyrus, upon whose Fide­lity he could assuredly relve, with his Face disfigu­red and maimed, to the Enemies. He was thought by them to be highly provok'd against Cyrus, be­cause of the Disgrace offered to him; and he did not a little encourage this Persuasion, by adventu­ring himself much, as often as they went out to fight, and aiming at Cyrus with his Darts: at last, when they had made him Governour of Babylon, he deliver'd the City into the King's hands.

5. Philippus, being shut out of a Town of the Sa­mii, won Apollonius their Commander, to betray them, and persuaded him to place a Cart full of square Stones at the very Entrance of the Gate. At the making of a certain Sign, Philip suddenly came upon the Townsmen, who were busie in shutting of their incomber'd Gate, and over-power'd them.

6. Hannibal, when he besieged Tarentum, which was kept by Livius with a Roman Guard, sollicited a certain Man of the City, named Eoneus, to betray it, and to practise this Subtilty; That he should under pretence of Hunting, go out in the Night, because it was not likely that the Enemy would suffer him in the Day. And when he was thus gone out, some did supply him with wild Boars, which he carried to Livius, as if they had been of his own taking. When he had practis'd this often, and therefore was not narrowly observed, on a certain Night Hannibal sent in with him Souldiers of his Army in the Garb of Huntsmen; who being loaden with Venison, which they had in their Hands, they were admitted by the Guards, and suddenly they set upon them and slew them: Then the Gate was [Page 114]broke open, and Hannibal was let in with his Army, that destroyed all the Romans, except such as fled to the Castle.

7. Lysimachus, King of the Macedonians, when he besieged the City of Ephesus, and that the Citi­zens had a certain Arch-pyrate, named Mandrones, come to their Assistance, who did often go thither with his Ships loaden with Spoils and Prey, per­suaded him to be a Traitor, and to take with him the stoutest men of his Army with their Hands bound behind as Captives, to carry them into the City; who when they were enter'd, they took up Arms out of the Castle, and delivered the City to the King.

CHAP. IV. By what means an Enemy may be driven to Necessity.
Example 1.

WHen Fab. Maximus had wasted and spoiled all the Fields of Campania, that they might not have any thing left to encou­rage their Resolution to maintain and defend a Siege, he departed out of the Country in the sowing time, that the rest of their Corn which was left the Inhabitants might employ it in Seed: but at his Return he trod down all that grew up, and by re­ducing them to Famine, he obliged them to yield.

2. Antigonus practised the same Policy against the Athenians.

3. After that Dionysius had taken many Cities, and was resolved to assault them of Rhegium because they had an extraordinary Plenty of Provisions, he pretended a Peace with them, and intreated them to supply his Army with Food; which when they had granted, they emptied for him the Granaries of the City: then did he set upon it when it was in want of Victuals, and took it.

4. The same was done by him, as is reported, when he went against the Himaerei.

5. When Alexander was to take Leucadia, full of all manner of Food, he first took the Castles that were about the Borders, and suffer'd all the Inha­bitants to retire and depart to Leucadia, that the greater number might sooner waste and consume their Victuals.

6. When Phalaris of Agrigentum had a Design upon certain Places of Sicily which were very well fortified, he pretended an Agreement with the In­habitants, and stored up with them all the Wheat that he said he had; but he gave order at the same time, that the Tiling of the Granaries where the Wheat was put, should be so broken that it might let in the Rain. The Inhabitants trusting to this Provision which they had with them, were careless of their own Stores; so that in the beginning of the Summer he assaulted them, and obliged them by Famine to yield.

CHAP. V. How to persuade that a Siege will con­tinue long.
Example 1.

WHen Clearchus the Lacedaemonian had un­derstood that the Thracians had carri­ed all things belonging to Food into the Mountains, and that they were also fed with the Hopes that for want of Necessaries he would be forced to depart; at that time that their Ambassa­dours came to him, he caused one of his Prisoners to be kill'd before them, and to be cut in pieces, with a Pretence that they were to be distributed amongst the Souldiers for their Food. The Thra­cians therefore believing that he would do any thing to continue there who would not scruple to make use of such abominable Food, surrendred them­selves.

2. Tiberius Gracchus, when the Lusitani or Por­tugals declared that they had Food sufficient for ten Years, and therefore were not afraid of a Siege, answered, Then I will take them in the eleventh Year: At this Expression the Lusitani were so much afraid, that though they were well provided with Victuals, yet they yielded to him.

3. When A. Torquatus besieged a Greek City, and that the Inhabitants boasted that their Young­men were well skill'd in the use of Bow and Arrows and Darts; answer'd, I will sell them the dearer when I shall overcome them.

CHAP. VI. How to destroy the Enemies Garisons.
Example 1.

Scipio, when Hannibal was returned into Africa, found that there were many Towns which in reason would be useful to him if taken, de­fended by strong Garisons of the Enemy: he there­fore sent several Parties to block them up; at last he went thither with his Army, as if he had intend­ed to sack the Cities; afterwards he seem'd to be afraid, and departed from them. Hannibal ima­gining that his Fear was real, called together all his Garisons, as if he intended to engage in a Battel. By that means Scipio had what he desired; for by the Assistance of Massinissa, and his Numidians, he took those Cities when their Garisons were gone.

2. P. Cornelius Scipio, understanding how difficult it was to take Delminium, because it was defended by a Concourse of People from all Parts, assaulted first other Towns, which caused every one to de­part and defend his own City: by that means Del­minium was emptied of Souldiers, and forced to yield to him.

3. Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, fighting against the Illyrians, when he earnestly desired to get the chief City of the Nation into his hands, but not judging it feasible, went to assault the other Towns. By that means he brought it to pass, that the Enemies con­ceiving that their chief City was sufficiently fortifi­ed, went to the relief of the rest. Then did he call together all his Forces, and finding the chief City [Page 118]empty of its former Garrisons, he took it by force.

4. Cornelius Rufinus, the Consul, having besieged a little while the City of Frotona to no purpose, be­cause a resolute Party of the Lucani being enter'd into the Garrison, defended it. He pretended to raise the Siege, and with a great Reward persuaded one of his Prisoners to go to the City, as if he had escaped out of Prison, to persuade them that the Romans were gone. The Inhabitants imagining that this was true, sent away their Auxiliary Troops; and when their Garison had lest them, before they were aware he easily overcame and took them.

5. Mago, General of the Carthaginians, having beaten Cn. Piso, and forced him to fly for Refuge to a certain Tower, believed that some Forces would come to relieve him: he therefore sent a certain Traitor to meet the Succours that were coming, and to tell them, that Piso was already taken: by this means he discouraged them, and compleated the Victory.

6. Alcibiades, in Sicilia, desiring to take the City of Syracuse, sent out of Catania, where he was with his Army, to Syracuse, a certain cunning Fellow; who being brought into their Assembly, persuaded them that the Inhabitants of Catania were grie­vously offended with the Athenians; So that if they could be assisted by them of Syracuse, they would quickly over-power the Athenians with their Gene­ral. With this Persuasion they of Syracuse marched with all their Forces towards Catania, and left their City, which Alcibiades assaulted another way, and finding it empty as he expected, he soon ma­ster'd it.

Cleonymus the Athenian, assaulting the Traezenii, who held a Town with a Garrison commanded by [Page 119] Cratenus, sent into the Walls some Arrows, upon which it was written, That he was come to deliver their Commonwealth, and at the same time shew­ed himself kind to his Prisoners, whom he sent into the City to speak ill of Craterus. By this Policy he caused them to fall out amongst themselves; so that with his Army he overcame them, and took the City.

CHAP. VII. Of turning aside of Rivers, and the spoiling of Waters.
Example 1.

P. Servilius, having turned away a River which supplied the Enemy with Water, forced the Town of Isaura to yield for Thirst.

2. C. Caesar, amongst the Gauls, reduced the Ci­ty of the Gadurci to the want of Water, though it was encompassed about with a River and had many fresh Springs in it; for he dried up the Fountains by mining, and drove them away from the River by his Archers.

3. L. Metellus, in the hither Spain, turn'd down a River from the higher Ground upon the Enemies Camp which was seated in the lower: and when they were disturbed with the sudden overflowing of the Water, he cut them in pieces with Parties which he had appointed for that purpose.

4. Alexander, at Babylon, which was divided in­to two parts by the River Euphrates, dig'd a Ditch, and raised a Bank, that the Enemies might imagine that they were made for his own use; but suddenly he turn'd the River out of his Course, and through the old Channel, which then being dried up, yield­ed an Entrance, he march'd into the City.

5. Semiramis is said to have practis'd the same thing, by turning aside the River Euphrates at the same place.

6. Clisthenes, the Sycionian, broke an Aquaduct or Conduit, which conveyed Water into the Town of Crisa; and when the Inhabitants were vexed with Thirst, he caused the Water to run again in the same Conduit, but poson'd it with Hellebore, or the Juyce of Bears-foot; of which they who made use, fell into a Flux and Madness: so that by that means he took them and their Town.

CHAP. VIII. How to terrifie the Besieged.
Example 1.

WHen Philippus could by no means take the Castle of Trinassus, he caus'd the Earth to be cast up before the Walls, and made as if he had been undermining. They that were within thinking that the Castle would be pull'd down upon their Heads, yielded it up to him.

2. Pelopidas the Theban, resolving to besiege two Towns of the Magnetes, which were not far distant from one another, at the same time that he approach'd with his Army to the Walls of one of the Towns, he commanded out of another Camp four Horse­men, purposely to ride with Garlands upon their Heads, with a notable chearfulness, as if they came to give notice of the Victory. And to colour the matter the better, he appointed that a Wood which was between both Towns should be set on fire, and shew the resemblance of a burning City. And be­sides, he ordered certain Captains to be brought in the Garb of the Country. All these appearances so terrified the besieged, that judging themselves part­ly overcome by the loss of the other Town, they yielded themselves.

3. When Cyrus King of Persia had shut up Craesus within the Walls of Sardis, on that part of the Ci­ty where a steep Mountain hindred the entrance into it; he raised close by the Walls certain high Masts of Ships, equalling in height the top of the Mount; on these Masts he put the Images of armed men in the Persian Habit, and in the Night he brought them close to the Hill. The next morn­ing he assaulted the Town on the other side; assoon as the Sun was up, those Images shined as if they had been armed Persians, which made the Towns­men imagine that the City was taken behind them; therefore they fled, and yielded the Victory to Cy­rus's Army,

CHAP. IX. Of making an assault by that side of a Town which is least expected.
Example 1.

SCipio, at the City of Carthage, at the ebbing of the Sea, was wont to approach the Walls with his Army, following, as he pretended, the foot­steps and leading of the God Neptune; but he broke into the Town through another quarter where he was not expected, when the Waters of the Lake were abated.

2. Fabius Maximus, the Cunctator's Son, sent six hundred Souldiers in the dark of the Night, at the City Arpus, held by a Garrison of Hannibal's, when he had confider'd the scituation of the Town, to that part of it which was best fortified, and therefore least guarded, that they might climb up to the Walls, and break open the Gates. They being fa­vour'd by the noise of the falling Water, which made the Garrison insensible of their approach, performed their Orders; whilst he at the same time, at the gi­ving of a sign, assaulted the Town by another side, and took it.

3. C. Marius, in the Wars against Jugurtha, near the River Mulucha, besieged a Castle seated upon a rocky Mountain; unto which there was but one only Path, and that very narrow, that led to it; all other sides being as it were on purpose made steep. It happened that a certain common Souldier, a Li­gurian, [Page 123]of the Auxiliary Troops, who by chance go­ing out to fetch Water, fell a gathering of Snails amongst the Rocks of the Hill, climb'd up so high that he got up to the top. At his return he gave an ac­count of his Adventure to Marius, and that the Castle might be taken on that side; he therefore comman­ded a few Centurions with the nimblest Souldiers, and with them his best Trumpeters, with their na­ked Heads and Feet, but with their Swords and Bucklers tyed to their Backs, that they might see about them amongst the Rocks and climb up the better; this Party followed the Ligurian with Darts and long Nails in their hands to help them up: when they were got up to the back side of the Castle, which was not guarded, they began to Sound their Trumpets, and to make a great noise, as they had been order'd. When Marius heard this, he encou­raged his Men to press hard upon, and assault the Guards more furiously, who being called away by the weaker sort, because they thought the Castle had been taken behind, he followed them so close that he took the Castle.

4. L. Cornelius, the Consul, conquered many Towns of Sardinia, by landing in the Night some of his stoutest Souldiers, and commanding them to lie concealed, and wait the time when he should think convenient to land with his Navy; and when the Enemy should meet him at his Arrival, and be drawn at a distance away by a pretence of Flight in pursuit of him, that then they should rise and assault the forsaken Towns.

5. When Pericles, General of the Athenians, at­tempted upon a Town defended by the unanimous endeavours of the Inhabitants, commanded the Sig­nal to be given, and the Trumpets to sound a Charge­with a great noise by Night on that side of the [Page 124]Walls which was next to the Sea; and the Inha­bitants, imagining that he would enter in at that side, left those Gates unfurnished and unguarded, by which he entred and took the City.

6. Alcibiades, another Athenian General, came suddenly upon the Town of Cyzicum by Night, on purpose to assault it, and on the other side of the Walls caused the Horns to be sounded, which made the Inhabitants run to defend only that part of the Walls where they imagin'd that the Assault was gi­ven, whereas they were able to defend all. By that means Alcibiades enter'd the Town by that side where there was no resistance.

7. Thrasybulus, Captain of the Milesii, endea­voured to take the Haven of the Sicyonii, by making an Attempt by Land, and drawing the Enemy to that part where they were assaulted. Then he sud­denly enter'd the Haven and took it.

8. Philippus, in the Siege of a certain Sea-port-Town, joyn'd together two Ships with Boards, far from the sight of the Inhabitants, and built on them Towers; At the same time he assaulted the Town by Land on other Towers, which drew them all out of their Houses to defend themselves; Then did he suddenly approach the Walls with his high Ships, and took them on that side where there was no op­position.

9. When Pericles was to take a Castle of the Peloponnesus, unto which there were but two Ave­nues, the one he shut in with a deep Trench, and resolved to make his approaches at the other Ave­nue; the Garrison thinking themselves very secure on the other side, minded to defend themselves on that only which they saw most likely to be as­saulted; Then did Pericles fling a Bridge, prepared [Page 125]on purpose, over the Trench, and by that side that was neglected he took the Castle.

10. Antiochus, in his War against the Ephesians, commanded the Ships of Rhodes which were come to his assistance, to enter by Night, and assault the Haven with a great noise, which drew all the Towns­men thither in haste. By that means the rest of the Walls were unfurnished, and he made an attempt on the other side and took the City.

CHAP. X. Of Ambushes to draw out the Besieged.
Example 1.

CAto, in the sight of the Lacetani, whom he be­sieged, kept back the rest of his Army, and sent of the Suessani, some of his Auxiliary Troops, who were the greatest Cowards, to assault the Walls; the Besieged made a Sally, put them to Flight and furiously pursued them, but in the mean while he took the City with those Troops which he had hid.

2. L. Scipio, in Sardinia, left the Assault of a cer­tain City in haste, which he had begun, and in his Retreat shewed the appearance of a Flight. When the Townsmen sallied out to pursue them unadvised­ly, he took the Town with those Souldiers whom he had hid near at hand.

3. Hannibal, when he besieged the City of Hi­mera, suffered his own Camp willingly to be taken, [Page 126]and commanded the Carthaginians to depart, as if the Enemy had prevailed; which Policy deceived the Inhabitants, and caused them for joy to leave their Town, and run to the Enemies Camp; then did Hannibal take the Town empty by those whom he had placed for that purpose in Ambush.

4. The same General, to draw out them of Sa­guntum, marched to the Walls with a thin Battalion, and at the first sally of the Besieged, made as if he had fled, but he caused his whole Army to run in between the Enemy and the City, and having clo­sed them in, cut them all in pieces.

5. Himilco, the Carthaginian General, placed near the Town of Agrigentum part of his Army in Ambush, and commanded them that when the Townsmen were come out they should set some moist Wood on fire; afterwards, he with the rest marched to draw out the Enemy into the Fields, but at their first approach he retreated, and seemed to fly away, to draw by degrees the Townsmen far from their Walls; whilst they who lay in Ambush near the City set fire to the Wood. When they of Agrigentum that were come out beheld the great Smoke, thought their City had been burning, and when in a great fear they returned to defend it, they met with the Party that lay in Ambush near their Walls, so that before and behind they were shut in, and slain by them that followed them.

6. Viriatus, having secretly placed some Souldi­ers, he sent a small Party to drive away the Cattel of the Segobrigenses in Spain; and when they came in great numbers to recover them, and put the dri­vers to Flight, as they pretended, they were brought into an Ambuscado and destroyed.

7. The Cavalry of the Scordisci, when Lucullus was General of two Parties of Heraclea, made as if [Page 127]they had been driving of Cattel, and obliged him to sally out; but they immediately fled, and brought Lucullus into an Ambush, where he was slain with eight hundred Souldiers.

8. Chares, Captain of the Athenians, being to as­sault a Town near the Sea side, left his Fleet behind a certain Cape, and ordered some of the nimblest of his Ships to sail along by the Enemies Guards; which when they saw, they made out of the Harbor with all their Ships that were to defend it, to pursue after them. In the mean while Chares enter'd into the Ha­ven with the rest of his Fleet without resistance, and took the City.

9. Barca, Captain of the Carthaginians, when the Romans besieged Lilybeum in Sicily, by Sea and Land, ordered a part of his Navy to appear at a distance in sight; which caused the Romans to sail speedily to them. In the mean while he took the Haven of Lilybeum with the rest of his Fleet, which he kept out of sight.

CHAP. XI. Of the pretence of departing away from a Siege.
Example 1.

PHormion, the Athenian General, when he had spoiled the Fields of them of Chalcis, and that their Ambassadours came to him to complain of it, answer'd them mildly; and the same Night that [Page 128]he was to send them away, pretended that he had received from his Citizens such Letters as required him to return home; so having led the Ambassa­dors a little way with him, he sent them back; who, when they returned, declared to their Citizens, that all was safe, and that Phormion was departed. They, trusting upon his Humanity, and the return of his Army into their own Country, neglected the guard­ing of their Town: then Phormion suddenly march'd back again, and so overpower'd them, that they were not able to make any resistance.

2. Agesilaus, General of the Lacedemonians, be­sieged the Phocenses, and understood that their auxi­liary Troops were already weary of the War; he therefore departed from them a while, as if he had minded other Business, and gave them liberty to be gone. Some time after he returned with his Army, and overcame the Phocenses, destitute of their Guards.

3. Alcibiades laid an Ambuscado for them of By­zantium, who kept themselves within their Walls; and pretending to depart, return'd suddenly upon them, and overpower'd them.

4. Viriatus, when he had made three days march away from them of Segobriga, return'd back in one day, and overcame them, when they were secure and busie about a solemn Sacrifice.

5. Epaminondas, perceiving that the Lacedemonians were come to the assistance of his Enemies at Manti­nea, imagin'd that he could take the City of Lacede­mon, if he did march thither privately. He command­ed therefore many Fires to be made in the Night, that he might conceal his departure with an appearance of his continuance there; but being betrayed by a Run-away, and pursued by the Lacedemonian Army, he left the Road that led to Sparta, and turn'd his [Page 129]Resolution and Power against them of Mantinea; for having made as many Fires as before, as if he had continued in that place, he deceiv'd the Lacedemo­nians, and return'd forty miles to the City of Manti­nea, which he found naked of defence, and took it.

CHAP. XII. How to stir up the Vigilancy of a Party.
Example 1.

Alcibiades, when his City of Athens was be­sieged by the Lacedaemonians, fearing the negligence and carelesness of the Guards, told such as stood Sentry that they should take no­tice of the Light that he would shew out of the Ca­stle, and when they saw it that they likewise should lift up Lights, and that he that did neglect to perform this, should be punished. Whilst they waited for a Sign from their General, they all marched carefully, and by that means he avoided the danger of the Night that he feared most.

2. Iphicrates, the Athenian General, command­ing in chief the Garrison of Corinth, walked the Rounds a little before the coming of the Enemy, and finding a Souldier who was to stand Sentinel a­sleep, he run him through with his Spear; which deed when some blamed, as savouring of too much Cruelty, he told told them, as I found him so I left him.

3. Epaminondas, the Theban, is reported to have done the same.

CHAP. XIII. Of sending out and receiving Mes­sages.
Example 1.

WHen the Romans were besieged in the Capi­tol, they sent Pontius Cominus to Camillus, who was in his Banishment, to desire his assistance; and that he might pass by and escape from the Guards of the Gauls, was let down the Rocks of Tarpeia; he swimm'd over the River Tiber, and came safe to the City Vejos, and having deliver'd his Mes­sage, he returned by the same way to the Besieged.

2. When they of Campania were besieged by the Romans, who watched and guarded all the Passages, they sent one, whom they persuaded to run away to the Romans, and hid a Letter under his Belt; which, when he found an opportunity, he carried to the Carthaginian Army.

3. Some have sown Letters in the Bodies of Beasts taken in hunting, and other Creatures, which Letters were written in Parchment or thin Skins.

4. Some have driven Beasts on the contrary side, whilst they have been passing the Enemies Guards.

5. Others have written their Letters in the inside of a Sheath.

6. L. Lucullus, when the Cyziceni were besieged by Mithridates, that he might make his arrival known to them, tho the Enemies kept the entrances of the City with strong Guards; He commanded one of his Souldiers, a little skill'd in swimming, and in the Art of Navigation, to lean upon two Skins or Blad­ders filled with Wind, which had Letters stitched in the inside; having in the lower part two strait Sticks fasten'd to them to keep the Bladders at a distance: and in this manner to go over a Streight of seven miles, at that place where but one narrow and small Bridge joyned an Island to the main Land. Which was so dexterously perform'd by this com­mon Souldier, who steer'd his course with his Legs hanging in the Water, that such as saw him at a di­stance, and that were upon the Guard, thought him to be a Sea-Monster.

7. Hircius the Consul sent often Letters to Decius Brutus, who was besieged by Antonius at Mutina, written in Lead, and fasten'd to the Arms of Souldi­ers who swam over the River Scultenna.

8. The same Hircius made use of Pidgeons to con­vey Letters. He shut them up in the dark, and suffer'd them to be very hungry; then did he fasten Letters to their Necks, bound them with a big Hair, and from the nearest place to the Walls of the City he let them fly. They being desirous of Light and Food, mounted on high, to go to the loftiest Houses, where Brutus took them; and by that means he was made acquainted with all Passages: for after that he put Food for the Birds in certain places, and so made the Pidgeons to sly thither.

CHAP. XIV. How to put in Succours into a besieged Place, and supply it with necessary Food.
Example 1.

IN the Civil War, when Ategua, a City in Spain, that held for Pompey, was besieged, Maurus, or Martius, the Viceroy, made as if he had bin a Trumpeter of one of Caesar's Collonels, appointed to visit the Guards; some he rous'd up with his Trum­pet, others he shun'd, and courageously went through the middle of Caesar's Army, and led into the Town a Garison of Pompey.

2. When Hannibal besieged Casilinum, a City of Campania in Italy, the Romans sent down the stream of the River Vulturnus Hogs-Heads full of Meal to relieve the besieged; which when Hanni­bal did stop with a long Chain over the River, they scatter'd and flung Nuts into the Water, which the Current carried to the Town; and by that means they supplied the wants of their Fellows.

3. Hirtius the Consul, when they of Mutina were besieged by Antonius, sent to them some Salt, which they wanted, down the River Saniturnus, put up in Pipes.

4. The same Consul sent down the Stream some Cattel, which relieved the besieged.

CHAP. XV. How to make such things as are most wanting, seem to the Enemy to abound.
Example 1.

THE Romans, when they were besieged in the Capitol by the Gauls, and were in the great­est want of Bread, were wont to fling some to the Enemy. By that means they made them be­lieve that they had plenty of Provisions, so that they patiently endur'd the Siege till Camillus was come to relieve them.

2. The Athenians, besieged by the Lacedemonians, are said to have done the like.

3. They who were besieged at Casilinum by Hanni­bal, were thought to have bin reduc'd to a great Fa­min, because that between his Camp and the City he had spoil'd all the Herbs that could serve for Food, by plowing up the Ground; but they flung Seed into the Earth prepar'd and turn'd up. By that means they seem'd to have enough to keep them alive untill the next Harvest.

4. They who remained alive after the Defeat of Varras and his Army, because the Enemy believed that they wanted Bread, caused the Prisoners to be led round about their Granary all Night; then ha­ving cut off their Hands, they sent them away; who when they came to their own Men that besieged the Romans, they assured them that there was no hopes [Page 134]of a speedy Surrender by the famishing of the Ro­mans, because they had such a great quantity of Food yet remaining.

5. The Thracians, besieged in a steep and high Mountain, unto which the Enemies could not as­cend, gathered from every Man a small quanti­ty of Corn and Cheese, with which they fed their Cattel, which they drove and sent down to the Enemies Guards; when they had killed them, and found some signs of Wheat in their Guts, they ima­gin'd that they had yet a great quantity of Corn re­maining seeing that they fed their Cattel with it: They departed therefore from the Siege.

6. Thrasybulus, Captain of the Milesii, when his Souldiers were wearied with a long Siege by Aliattes, who expected that they would be forced to a Sur­render by Famin, when the Ambassadours of Aliat­tes were comming, he caused all the Corn of the City to be brought into the Market, and about that time appointed Feasting to be in several places of the City, and the Tables to be covered with Meats; by that means he persuaded the Enemy that he had yet plenty of Food to help them to bear a longer Siege.

CHAP. XVI. By what means one may prevent Trai­tors and Run-aways.
Example 1.

L. Marcellus, understanding the Design of Bat­teus of Nola, who endeavoured to persuade his Country-men to fall away to Hannibal, whom he favoured, because by him he had been cu­red of his Wounds received at the Battel of Cannae, and had been sent home from his Captivity; and be­cause he was afraid by his Punishment to stir up them of Nola to Revenge, and dared not to kill him, he sent for him, and told him, that he was a most stout Souldier, which he understood not before, and that he desired that he would continue and abide with him: To his Words he added an Ho­nour, for he bestowed upon him an Horse. By this gracious proceeding he obliged not only him to be true to him but also his Country-men, who were go­verned by him.

2. Hamilcar, General of the Carthaginians, when several of their Gallic Auxiliaries did often run away to the Romans, and that they were wont to be received as their Friends, he persuaded some that were most faithful to him to pretend also to fly to them, who killed some that were sent out to receive and rescue a Party of the Roman Army; which Po­licy did not only help Hamilcar, and caused him to succeed in his present Design, but for the future it made all true Run-aways to be suspected by the Romans as false.

3. Hanno, General of the Carthaginians in Sici­ly, understanding that four thousand of the Mercena­ry Gauls had agreed to run away to the Romans, be­cause they wanted the Pay of some few Months, and because he was afraid to punish them for fear of a Sedition, he promised that he would reward libe­rally the injury of a Delay: Therefore the Gauls having returned him thanks, he delayed the per­formance of his Promise for a while till he could send a most faithful Servant to Otacilius the Consul, to run away to him for other Reasons, who told him, that the next Night four thousand Gauls, who were to be sent out to Plunder, might easily be surprised; Otacilius did not give credit suddenly to the Run-a­way, neither did he think this News was to be neg­lected; he therefore placed a choice Company of his Men in Ambush: By them the Gauls being re­ceived, accomplished Hanno's two Designs, in de­stroying the Romans and themselves, for they were all cut off.

4. Hannibal was revenged of the Deserters of his Army in the same manner, for, knowing that some of his Men would run away the next Night, and that he had in his Camp Intelligencers and Spies of the Enemy; He declared publickly that the Souldi­ers which were sent by him to understand the De­signs of the Enemy, ought to be named most cun­ning Souldiers; what the Spies had heard from him, they delivered to their own Party, which caused the Romans to take the Run-aways, to cut off their Hands, and send them back to Hannibal's Army.

5. Diodorus, commanding the Garrison of Amphi­polis with a Party, had a jealousie of two thousand Thracians who had a mind to Plunder the City, he pretended therefore that some few of the Enemies Ships were come near a neighbouring Shore, and [Page 137]that it was possible to take them; the hopes of this Advantage so incouraged the Thracians, that they march'd out of the City; then did he cause the Gates to be shut, and would entertain them no longer.

CHAP XVII. Of Sallies.
Example 1.

THE Romans, who were in Garrison at Palermo, when Hasdrubal came to besiege that City, caused on purpose very few to appear on the Walls to defend them, the smalness of their num­ber was so contemn'd by the Enemy, that Hasdru­bul assaulted the Walls, where he was slain in a Sally.

2. Aemilius Paulus, when all the Ligurians made an attempt unexpectedly upon his Camp, he seem'd for fear to keep in his Souldiers till the Enemy had sufficiently wearied themselves; then did he sally out of his four Gates, and overthrew and took them Prisoners.

3. When Velius, a Roman Captain, commanded the Castle of Tarentum, he sent Messengers to Has­drubal, that he would suffer him to depart in safety: By this Pretence he made the Enemy so secure, that when he sallied out he defeated them.

4. Cn. Pompeius did not only deliver his Men be­sieged in the City of Dyrrachium, but after a Sally which he made in a very convenient Time and Place, he [Page 138]surrounded Caesar, who furiously broke out of a Castle which was furnished with a double Fortifica­tion, and encompassed him in round, so that be­tween the besieged and Pompey's Army that was without, he was in the middle in no small danger, and received a considerable loss of Men.

5. Flavius Fimbria, fighting in Asia against the Son of Mithridates, near the Town of Rhyndacus, drew a Trench half way on both sides of his Camp, and a Ditch before, keeping his Souldiers quiet on the Rampires until the Enemies Horse were enter'd into the streightest place of his Works; then did he sally out and cut off six thousand of them.

6. C. Caesar, amongst the Gauls, when the Forces under Titurius Sabinus and Cotta his Lieutenants, were defeated by Ambiorix, and that Q. Cicero, who was likewise besieged, sent him this sad News, made haste to him with two Legions, but when the Enemy turn'd to meet him, he seem'd to be afraid, and kept his Souldiers within his Camp which he had pur­posely made streighter than ordinary; the Gauls, as if they had been certain of the Victory, and were come to plunder the Roman Camp, began to fill up the Trenches, and to pull down the Palisadoes, then did Caesar send out his Forces on a sudden, and cut the Gallic Souldiers in pieces.

7. Titurius Sabinus, when a vast Army of the Gauls came against him, kept in his Souldiers within his Fortifications, and made them believe that he was afraid. And that he might strengthen that belief, he sent out a Run-away to tell them, that the Roman Army was in despair, and resolved to fly. The Ene­my being encouraged with the hopes of Victory, loaded themselves with Faggots and Bones to fill up the Trenches, and with full speed ran up to the Ro­mans Camp, which was scituate on a Hill; from [Page 139]whence, when Titurius had sent out his whole Army, he overthrew the Gauls, and took many of them Prisoners.

8. The Inhabitants of Asculum, when Pompey came to besiege the Town, caused a few old and sick Folk to shew themselves from the Walls, which made the Roman Army to be more secure and care­less; so that when the Towns-men sallied out, they put them to flight.

9. They of Numantia, when they were besieged, drew up none of their Forces before the Walls, but kept themselves within, so close and quiet, that Po­pilius Lenas had the Confidence to scale the Walls. And then suspecting a Design, and an Ambush, (for at that instant he met with no resistance) he sound­ed a retreat. Then did the Inhabitants sally out, and assaulted the Romans as they were coming down, and drawing back.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Constancy of the besieged.
Example 1.

THE Romans, when Hannibals Camp was be­fore their Walls, to express their Confidence, sent out by another Gate a supply and a re­cruit to their Army, which was then in Spain.

2. The same Romans, when the Proprietor of the Field where Hannibal had pitch'd his Camp was by chance dead, sold it at a higher rate than it was bought by him before the Wars.

3. The same Romans, being besieg'd by Hannibal, at the same time that their Army besieged Capua, resolved and decreed, that their Army should not come away from thence untill they had taken that City.

CHAP. 1. Of the Discipline of War.
Example 1.

P. Scipio reformed the Roman Army, spoiled by the Slothfulness of their former Generals, by sending away a vast number of their Servants and Slaves, and obliging the Souldiers to perform their daily Exercises and Offices. He commanded them likewise to march very often, and to carry the Food of many days with them; so that by that means the Souldiers were used to endure the Cold and Rain, and to pass on foot through the Fords of Rivers. And the General did blame and exclaim against Timorousness and Sloth, breaking all their useless Vessels that were cumbersome in their Expeditions; which happen'd very remarkably to C. Mevius the Tribune, unto whom Scipio is reported to have said, Thou wilt be an ill man to me for a little while, but to thy self and the Common-wealth always.

2. Q. Metellus, in the War against Jugurtha, re­stored again the Discipline of War, which was like­wise decayed, by imitating the same Severity, and for­bidding the use of any other Flesh to the Souldiers, but what was by himself ordered to be rosted and boiled.

3. Pyrrhus used to say to such as he sent to gather Souldiers, Chuse me the ablest Bodies, and I will make them stout and couragious.

4. When L. Flaccus and C. Varro were Consuls, Livius names them L. Aemilius Paulus, and Teren­tius [Page 144]Varro; then were Souldiers first made by taking an Oath, for before the custom was for a Tribune or a Colonel to ask of them whether they would de­vote themselves for the Service of their Country: Then did they agree together, and promise with a Curse that they would never depart to save them­selves by flight or for fear; and that they would never go out of their Ranks but to take their Wea­pons to strike an Enemy or to save a Citizen.

5. When Scipio Africanus saw a Buckler of a cer­tain Souldier adorned more beautiful than the rest, he told him that he did not wonder at his care and diligence in beautifying it because he depended more upon it for his safety than upon his Sword.

6. When Philip first made up his Army, he for­bad them all the use of Waggons, and would not suffer a Horsemen to have more than one Servant, and to ten foot Souldiers he appointed likewise a Servant, who was to carry for them when they went out into the Field their Meat and their Ropes, com­manding them to bear upon their Backs the Meal needful for thirty days.

7. C. Marius, to shorten the Baggage and Carts of the Army which did most incumber it, fit­ted up the Souldiers Food and Vessels needful in bundels, hanging them behind their Backs upon crooked Staves, which was easie for them to carry and lean upon: from hence is derived the Proverb, Muli Mariani, Marius's Mules.

8. When Theagenes the Athenian led an Army against Megara, he answered to those that asked for their Ranks and Places, that he would appoint them one there. He sent afterwards his Horsemen before secretly, commanding them as Enemies to assault their own Friends; by this means he approved those Souldiers that he had to meet and encounter with [Page 125]the Enemy. And he suffered them to rank themselves as they pleased, so that whereas the most timerous did fall back in the Rear, and the stoutest were found in the Front. As he found every man standing in that manner, he advanced them to the Military Orders and Places.

9. Lysander the Lacedemonian reproving a cer­tain Soldier gone out of his way, had this an­swer from him, that he had not left his Compa­ny to steal; but he replyed, I will not have thee give the least suspicion of Stealth.

10. When Antigonus heard that his Son was gone into a man's House, who had Three Beauti­ful Daughters; I hear, said he, my Son, that thou hast but a narrow Lodging where so many Dames do command the House. Take, I advise thee, a larger Dwelling; and he ordered him to depart out; withall made a Law, that none should, under Fifty years of Age in the Army, lodge in a dwelling House.

11. Q. Metellus the Consul, though he was not hindred by any Law from receiving his Son al­waies in his Tent, yet he appointed him to fight, and to live as the other Soldiers, and to endure the same hardship.

12. P. Rutilius the Consul, though the Laws suffered him to have his Son with him in his Tent, yet he made him a Soldier in one of his Legions.

13. T. Scaurus forbad his Son to come into his presence, because he had given back, and yielded Ground to the Enemy in a Wood near Trent. The young Man oppressed therefore with Grief and Shame kill'd himself. The Romans and other Nations anciently were used to pitch their Camps every where according to their [Page 144] [...] [Page 125] [...] [Page 126]Companies, as so many distinct Villages, for none but Towns had Walls and Fortifications. But Pirrhus King of Epirus was the first that in­trenched in an Army. Afterwards the Romans having beaten him in the Fields of Arusina near the City Beneventum, and taken his Camp, they observed the manner of his pitching, and by degrees are now arrived to that perfection of Encamping which is now in use.

14. P. Nasica being in his winter Quarters, tho he had no need of a Fleet, lest the Soldiers should be spoiled by lazyness, or for want of Employ­ment be tempted to do mischief to their Friends, resolved to build Ships.

15. M. Cato hath left upon Record, that some of his fellow-Soldiers were condemned to lose their Hands for being taken stealing; and when a milder Punishment was imposed, they were let bloud before the Generals Tent.

16. Clearthus the Lacedemonian General, was wont to say to his Army, That a Commander ought to be more fear'd than an Enemy. He meant by those who were afraid to dye in the Battle; but if they run away, a certain Punishment and Execution was to be their reward.

17. The Judgment of Appius Claudius was, that those who had been taken by King Pyrrhus, and were sent home to the Senate, That the Horse­men should be reduced to fight on Foot, the Footmen should be degraded, and that all should abide out of their Trenches untill each of them should kill, and produce the Spoils of two men of their Enemies.

18. Otacilius Crussus the Conful, commanded those who had been forced to pass under the yoak, in sign of submission, to continue out of [Page 127]the Camp and Works, that they having no de­fence, might be used to the Dangers, and be the bolder to encounter with the Enemy.

19. P. Comelius Nasica and Decimus Junius the Consuls, condemned such to be publickly whipped with Rods, and to be sold as Slaves, as had forsaken the Army.

20. Domitius Corbulo in Armenia, caused Two Troops of Horse, and Three Companies of Foot who had given back in assaulting of a Ca­stle, to continue, and lodge out of the Trenches, until by their continual Labour and happy en­counter they had wiped off their disgrace.

21. Aurelius Cotta the Consul, when out of necessity he commanded the Horsemen to labour in the Works, and that some of them refused to obey him, he complained of it to the Censors, and caused them to be punished. And afterwards he obtained of the Senate that they should lose all their pay that was then due to them.

22. The Tribunes of the People likewise con­sulted them in this business, and by a general consent this Discipline was establisht.

23. Q. Metellus. Sirnamed Macedonicus, in Spain commanded five Companies, who had been bea­ten back by the Enemy, to make their Wills, and sent them back to recover the place, threatning them, that he would never receive them again till they had got the Victory.

24. P. Valerius being Consul, the Senate com­manded the Army that had been overcame at Siris, to be led to Firmius, and there to fortifie a Camp, and abide in Tents all the Winter.

25. The Senate decreed when their Soldiers were shamefully put to flight, that no assistance should be sent to them, till they had beaten and [Page 128]taken the Enemy. Aud that those Legions which had refused to fight in the Punick War, should be transported over into Sicily, and there remain seven years, and live upon barley bread.

26. L. Piso condemned Titius the Captain of a Company, to stand every day bare-foot before his Tent when the Watch went the Rounds, with his Gown torn about him, and a loose Cassack, and that he should abstain from bathing and fea­sting, because he had retreated back, and given ground to the Fugitives with whom he encoun­tred.

27. Sylla, when the Enemy broke in upon a Company, and the Commanders were upon the Guard, he ordered them to stand before the Generals Tent without Arms and Belts.

28. Domitius Corbulo General in Armenia, con­demned Aemelius Rufus Leivtenant-General of the Horse, to have his Garments broken and cut by a Sergeant, and in that shatter'd Habit to stand before the Generals Tent amongst the Principes, until they were discharged, because he had given back, and retreated from the Ene­my; and because a party of his Horse was but ill furnished with Arms.

29. Attilius Regubus going out of Samnium into the Country of Nuceria with his Army, met with the Enemy that drove him back. He com­commanded therefore a Party of his Men behind to kill all such as should offer to retreat, and deal with them as with Fugitives.

30. Cotta, Consul in Sicilia, caused Valerius Nobilis a Collonel, descended of the Family Va­leria, to be punished, by whipping him with Rods.

31. The same Cotta condemned P. Aurelius his near Kinsman, whom he had left to command in his absence at the Siege of Lipara, when he was gone to Messina to enquire about the success of the War, to be beaten with Rods, to be listed amongst the Common Soldiers, and to perform all their Duties, because some of the Works be­longing to the Camp had been fired by the Ene­my, and the Camp it self had been taken in his absence.

32. Fulvius Flaccus the Censor, put out of the Senate his own Brother Fulvius, because he had, without the consent of the Consul, dismist and sent away a Legion, over which he was the Collonel.

33. When M. Cato was sailing away with his Fleet from the Enemies shoar, where he had re­mained some few days, having given, and hang'd out before, the Sign of his departure, and that one of his Soldiers being left behind, called out, and made sign to the Ships to be taken in, he turned about with his whole Fleet, took the Sol­dier and put him to death, and made him an Example to the rest, rather than to leave him to be destroyed by the Enemy for his Negli­gence.

34. Appius Claudius was wont to take the Tenth Man of those who did offer to give ground to an Enemy, by lot, and beat them with Clubs.

35. Fabius Rollus the Consul caused the lot to be cast upon two Legions which had retreated from the Enemy, and those upon whom the lot fell, to be beheaded in the presence of the rest of the Soldiers.

36. Aquirius took the third man out of the Companies that had suffered their Guards to be faced by the Enemy, and caused them to lose their Heads with an Ax.

37. M. Antonius, when a Mount that he had raised had been burnt by the Enemy, decimated two Colonies or Companies of Soldiers that were to defend the Works, and punished like­wise a Centurion or Captain of each Cohors; he sent away the Lievtenant Collonel with disgrace, and commanded the surviving part of the Legi­on to feed upon Barly Bread.

38. The Legion which plundred and destroyed the Town of Rhegium without the Generals orders was punished in this manner, Four Thousand of them were imprisoned, and there put to death. Beside, the Senate commanded that none of them should be buryed or mourned for.

39. L. Papyrus Sirnamed Cursor, being Dictator, treated Fabius Rutilius master of his Horse in this manner, because he had encountred with the Enemy against his command, though with success. He required him to be beaten with Rods, with an intention to strike off his Head with an Ax, neither could he be prevailed upon by the Endeavors and Prayers of his Soldiers to remit the Punishment; and when Rutilius fled to Rome, he pursued him, neither would he there forgive him, untill Fabius with his Father fell upon their Knees to him, and the whole Se­nate and People spoke for him.

40. Manlius who afterwards was Sirnamed the Imperious, cut off his Sons Head with an Ax, after that he had been beaten with Rods in the presence of the whole Army, because he had [Page 131]joyned in Battle with the Enemy against his Orders, though he came off with Victory.

41. Manlius the Son, when the Army for his sake were ready to rise up in Sedition and dis­order against his Father, told them that no Man was of that Worth, that for him the Dis­cipline of War ought to be neglected; he there­fore obliged them to suffer him to be punished.

42. Q. Fabius Maximus cut off the Right-Hands of such as had run away from his Army.

43. Q. Curio the Consul, in the Dardanick War, when one of his five Legions about Dirra­chyum rose up in Rebellion, and refused to march against the Enemy, saying, that they would not follow their Foolish General in a dangerous and troublesom Enterprise: He commanded the Four other Legions to march out, and to stand in order, with their Arms ready, as for a Bat­tle. Afterwards he led out the Seditious Legi­on without Arms and Belts, and in the view of the rest, he forced them to but Straws, and the next day he obliged the Soldiers likewise with Girdles to dig a Ditch, and could never be pre­vailed upon by the prayers of the Legion, nor stopt from taking away their Colours, blotting out the name of their Legion, and from distributing the Soldiers, as a supplement, and in Recruits to the other Legions.

44. Q. Fulvius and Appius Claudiuus being Con­suls, the Soldiers who where left after the Battle of Cannae, and had been banished into Sicily, made request to M. Marcellus, that they might be led against the Enemy. When he had informed the Senate with their Petition, the Senate an­swered, that they did not like to leave the De­fence of the Commonwealth to them who had [Page 132]forsaken it. But they appointed Marcellus to do as he judged expedient, upon condition that none of them should be freed from Duty, nor be rewarded with Honour or Gifts, nor be brought back into Italy, while any of the Car­thaginians were there.

45. M Salinator, of the order of Consuls, was condemned by the People, because he had not divided the Prey equally amongst his Sol­diers.

When Q. Pecilius the Consul was kill'd by the Ligures in a Battle, the Senate decreed that the Legion where the Consul was when he fell, should be disbanded, deprived of a years pay, and all remembrances of that Legion should be blotted out.

CHAP. II. Of the good effect of the Discipline of War.
Example 1.

IT is reputed that the Armies of Brutus and Cassius in the Civil Wars, when they marched together through Macedonia, and that Brutus came first to a River, over which they were to make a Bridge; nevertheless Cassius's Army made more speed in building the Bridge, and in hastning to pass over, and got before the Army of Brutus. This was the effect of their Discipline and good Government, which caused the Army comman­ded by Cassius to excel those of Brutus's Army, [Page 133]both in working, and in the encounter with an Enemy.

2. C. Marius having Liberty to chuse his Army, either that which was commanded by Rutilius, or the other under Metellus, which afterwards was govern'd by himself, desired rather to have that which Rutilius kept under Discipline and good order, though the lesser of the Two.

3. When Domitius Corbulo had reformed the Discipline of the Roman Army with Two Legi­ons, and a few Auxiliary Troops, he encountred with the Parthians.

4. Alexander King of Macedon assaulted the whole World with 40000 Men, who had been well trained up by King Philip, and overcame vast numbers of his Enemies.

5. Cyrus in the War against the Persians ma­ster'd many difficulties with Fourteen Thousand armed Men.

6. Epaminondas General of the Thebans, with four Thousand Men, among whom were but Four hundred Horsemen, overcame the Lacede­monian Army of Four and Twenty thousand Foot, and Sixteen hundred Horse.

7. By fourteen Thousand Greeks which were sent to help Cyrus against Artaxerxes; an hun­dred thousand Persians were overcome in Battle.

8. The same Fourteen Thousand having lost in a Fight their Chief Commander, left the Care of their Conduct homewards to one of their Num­ber, Xenophon by name, who was of Athens; and they returned safe through difficult and un­known Regions and Countries.

9. Xerxes was stopt by Three hundred Lace­demonians at the Streights of Thennopyle. And when he could scarce destroy them with all his Army, he confesled that in this he perceived his own error, that in Truth he had many men at his Command; but stout, and Valiant, and care­ful to observe the Discipline of War, he had none.

CHAP. III. Of Continency.
Example 1.

IT is reported of M. Cato, when he was going General into Spain, that he drank of no other Wine but such as was for the Saylors.

2. Fabricius, when Cyneas the King of Epyrus's Embassadour offered him a great Sum of Gold, refused it, with this saying, That he had rather command such as had Mony, than to have it himself.

3. Attilius Regulus, when he was Chief Com­mander, was so poor, that he maintain'd him­self, his Wife and Children with a small Field which was manur'd and manag'd by a Country­man, of whose Death when he had heard, he writ to the Senate to send him a Successor, be­cause his Family would be in want by the Death of his Servant, and that his Presence was need­ful at home.

4. Cn. Scipio, after that he had many successes in Spain, fell into a very great Poverty, and so dyed, that he had not Mony sufficient left for the Marriage of his Daughters, wherefore the Se­nate appointed them Portions out of the Publick Treasury.

5, The Athenians dealt in the same generous manner with the Children of Aristides, who de­ceased very poor, after that he had excellently well behaved himself in his Government.

6. Epaminondas the Theban General was so spa­ring in the Field, that there was nothing found in the Field amongst his moveables, but a Pot to boyl Meat, and one Spit.

7. Hannibal was wont to rise by night, never went to rest before it was dark, at the dawning of the day he used to go to Supper,; and he never had more than two Beds for him and his Domesticks.

8. The same Hannibal, when he was at the Wars under Hasdrubal the General, for the most part slept upon the bare ground with his Armour about him.

9. It is reported that Scipio Aemilianus was wont to eat Bread walking in a Journey with his Friends.

10. The same thing is said of Alexander the Macedonian.

11. And we read of Massinissa, that when he was Ninety years old, he would stand and walk before his Tent, and eat Meat.

12. When M. Curius had overcome the Sabins, and that the Senate, for his good Services ap­pointed for him a Portion of Land, which old Soldiers use to receive, was contented with the share of a common Soldier, and said that he [Page 136]was but an ill Citizen, when that would not suf­fice which was sufficient for others.

13. Remarkable also hath the moderation bin of whole Armies; as that under M. Scaurus. For Scaurus writes that in fixing his Camp, there was an Apple-Tree loaden with Fruit within his Fortifications, which the next day when the Army removed, was not so much as toucht, and had lost no Apples.

14. When the Emperor Caesar Domitianus led his Army in the German War, which Julius Ci­vilis stirr'd up, the most wealthy City of Leige which revolted to Civilius, was afraid, of Caesar's coming, the Soldiers would plunder them. But when they saw contrary to their expectation, that nothing had been taken away by violence, and that they had not lost any thing of their Goods, returned to their obedience, and deliver'd to him seventy Thousand armed Men.

15. L. Mummius, when he had taken Corinth adorned not only all Italy with Statues and Pi­ctures, bat also all the Province; but of all the Spoils he converted so little to his own use, that the Senate gave his Daughter a Portion out of the Publick Treasury.

CHAP. IV. Of Justice.
Example 1.

WHen Camillus besieged the Falisci, in their Town there was a certain School-master that led the Children of some of the Falisci out of the Walls, as if he had intended only to walk with them abroad; but under that pretence he deliver'd them to Camillus, and for the recovery of the Children the City would submit to him. Camillus abhorr'd his perfidiousness, and caused him to have his hands bound behind, and com­manded the Children to whip him back into the the Town again to their Parents. By this just dealing he obtained the Victory, which he desired not to obtain by fraud; for this Equitable Pro­ceeding made the Falisci to yield to him willing­ly.

2. The Physitian of King Pyrrhus went to Fabri­cius, General for the Romans, promising him that he would give his Master Poison, if before-hand he might have the assurance of a considerable Reward. Fabricius thinking that he had no need of such a foul Deed to get the Victory, discove­red the Plot, and the Author to the King. This caused him to seek and desire earnestly the Ro­man's Friendship.

CHAP. V. Of Constancy.
Example 1.

CN. Pompeius when his Soldiers threatned to plunder, and take his Treasure, which was to be carryed in Trumph, and Servilus and Glaucia, two Romans, advised him to divide it amongst them, to prevent a Tumult; he assured them that he would not ride in Triumph, but rather dye than to yield to the Licentiousness of his Soldiers. Having therefore reproved them severely in a Speech, he cast down before them the Bundles of Rods carryed before him, which were crowned with Lawrel, bidding them to begin their Plunder by the spoiling of them. This proceeding made them so ashamed, that they continued in their Obedience.

2. C. Caesar, in the Heat of the Civil War, in a Sedition of his Soldiers, when they were there­fore the bolder, disbanded a whole Legion, and cut off the Heads of their Leaders with his Axes; but a little after, when they who were disbanded petition'd for a Pardon, he received them again, and they proved to him some of his best Sol­diers.

3. Postumius, who had been Consul, encoura­ged his Soldiers to fight, and when they deman­ded what he would order, he cryed out, That they would imitate him, with that he takes the Colours, and marched strait against the Enemy; they likewise followed, and got the Victory.

4. L. Marcellus falling unadvisedly into the hands of the Gauls, rid round about to spy out some way to escape; and when he found that the Enemies had possessed all the Passages, he prayed to the Gods, and broke into the midst of his Enemies, who were affrighted at his unexpected Boldness, and kill'd their Leader; so that when there was scarce any appearance to escape with Life, he overcame the General, and carryed away his Arms.

5. When L. Paulus had lost his Army at the Battle of Cannae, Lentulus offered him a Horse to fly, but he would not survive his ill Success, which had not been occasioned by him, but con­tinued upon that Rock where he had been woun­ded, and against which he leaned, untill the Enemy came, overpowr'd and kill'd him.

6. Varro his Partner shewed a greater Constan­cy after that defeat. The Senate and People re­turned him their Thanks, because he had not des­pair'd of defending the Commonwealth. He shewed sufficiently that he preserved himself not out of a desire of living, so much as out of a Love for his Country, for he let his Beard and Hair grow out to a length, and never after would rest to take his Meat. And when the People offer'd him Honours, he refused them, saying, That the Commonwealth had need of more successful Magistrates.

7. Sempronius Sirnamed Tuditanus, and C. Octa­vius, Tribunes of the Soldiers, when all was lost at the Battle of Cannae, and they were besieged by the Enemy in the lesser Camp, perswaded the Soldiers, with their Swords in their hands, to break through with them, the Enemies Guards; assuring them that this was their Resolution, [Page 140]though none should have the Courage besides themselves. There were but Twelve, partly Horsemen, partly Footmen, of all the rest who had the boldness to keep them company, and with these they came safe to Canusium, a Roman Garrison.

8. C. Fontejus Crassus in Spain, going out to fo­rage with Three Thousand Men, was surrounded in a difficult passage by Hasdrubal. He acquain­ted only the first Ranks of his Soldiers with his Design; and in the beginning of the Night, when he was least expected, he broke through the Enemies Post.

9. P. Dicius the Tribune in the Samnitick War, when Cornelius Cossus the Consul was caught in a difficult place, advised him to send a small Par­ty to possess a neighbouring hill, and offer'd him­self to lead that Party. By this means he drew the Enemy to another place, and opened a way for the Consul to escape; but in that Station they besieged Derius, and surrounded him. He in the Night sallyed out of those Streights, and came safe with his Soldiers to the Consul.

10. The same Policy was practiced under the Command of Attilius Calatinus the Consul, by him whose Name is variously recorded. Some call him Laberius, others Q. Ceditius, many Cal­purnius Flamma. When this Man saw his Army led into such a Valley, where all the Hills round about were possessed by the Enemy, he desired the Consul to give him the heading of Three Hundred Men, which being granted, he exhor­ted them by their Courage to save their Army; with this Party he ran down into the middle of the Valley, and when the Enemies on all sides came to destroy them, he detained them so long [Page 141]in a sharp fight, that the Consul had time to draw, and lead out his Army.

11. C. Caesar marching against the Germans, and their King Ariovistus with his Army, percei­ved that his Soldiers were terrified, he called them together therefore, and told them that he would make use that day of none of his Legions but only of the Tenth Legion. By this saying he encouraged the Soldiers of that Legion to be­have themselves most manfully, and the others were moved with shame to fight, that the others might not carry away all the Honour and Glory of the Field.

12. A certain Noble Man of Lacedemon, when King Philip threatned to punish them with Fines, if they did not deliver up their City, answered, He can never hinder us from dying for our Coun­try.

13. Leonidas the Lacedemonian, when one told him that the Persians with the multitude of their Arrrows would make a Cloud, answered, We shall then fight the better in the shade.

14. When Caelius the City Praeaor was doing Justice in the Seat of Judicature, a Magpy pitcht upon his Head. And the Roman Southsayers told him, that if he did let go the Bird, the Enemies would obtain the Victory over the Romans, but if he kill'd the Bird, the Romans Armies would have the advantage, but Caelius with all his Fa­mily would perish. He therefore destroyed the Bird, and it happened accordingly, the Roman Army got the Victory, but Caelius, with Fourteen of his Family and Name were killed in that same Fight. Some report that it was not Caelius, but Laelius, and that the Family of the Laely, not the Caely were destroyed.

15. P. Decius, first the Father, next the Son, being Magistrates, offer'd themselves to dye for the Commonwealth: for putting spurs to their Horses, they charged the Enemy, and obtained for their Country the Victory.

16. When P. Crussus was engaged in Asia, in the War against Aristonicus, between Aelia and Myrina, he fell in amongst the Enemies Forces, and was taken Prisoner, which caused him to ex­claim against the Roman Consul, because of his Captivity; but with the Rod that he had in his hand to strike his Horse, he put out the Eye of a Thracian, who to revenge himself, run him through, and deliver'd him from his Captivity, as he desired.

17. M. Cato the Censors Son, falling down in a Battle from his Horse, when he look'd about, and perceived that his Sword was fallen out of the Scabbard, he feared the reproach of his own Men; he therefore returned to the Enemy, and recovering his Sword after he had received some Wounds, he returned back to his own Party.

18. When the Petilini were besieged by the Carthaginians, they cast out of their City their Aged Parents and Children, because of the Fa­mine. And they endured a long Siege of eleven Months, by feeding upon the leaves of Trees, upon wet Leather dryed at the Fire, and upon all manner of Beasts.

19. The Spaniards called Arabricenses, suffered the same Misery, and would not deliver up the Town to Herculeius.

20. When the Cassilini were besieged by Hanni­bal, they suffered so much want, that a Mouse was sold for a hundred Pence, as it is left upon Record, and that he that sold it dyed for want, [Page 143]but the Buyer preserved his Life. They continued nevertheless in their Fidelity to the Romans.

21. When Mithridates besieged Cyzicum, he brought forth the Captives of that Town, and shewed them to the Besieged, imagining that out of Pity and Compassion of their own Men, the Towns-People would yield themselves. But they exhorting the Prisoners to suffer Death man­fully, kept their Faith to the Romans.

22. The Segobrigenses, when their Wives and Children were kill'd by Viriatus, chose rather to behold the Torments of their Dear Relations than to fall away from the Romans.

23. They of Numantia, rather than to yield, shut themselves up in their Houses, and were fa­mish'd to Death.

CHAP. VI. Of Affection and Moderation.
Example 1.

WHen Q. Fabius exhorted his Son that he should chuse a convenient place with the loss of a few Men. He answered, wilt thou be of the number of those few?

2. Xenophon being on Horseback, commanded a Party of Foot Soldiers to take the Top of a Hill, but when one of them murmur'd, That he could easily (fitting on his Horse) order such a difficult March. He alighted, and made the Soldier to mount in his stead, and he running on foot, [Page 144]got up to the Top of the Hill. The Soldier be­ing ashamed of what was done, when all his Fel­lows laughed at him, alighted. They all toge­ther could hardly perswade Xenophon to take his Horse again, and to preserve himself for the Of­fices and Duties belonging to a General.

3. Alexander leading his Army in the Winter, when he was sitting by a Fire to take a view of his Forces as they march'd by him, saw a certain Soldier almost dead with Cold; he called him; and made him sit in his place, telling him, That if he had been born among the Persians, to sit in the Kings Seat, would be a Crime worthy of Death, but to a Macedonian born, it was al­lowed.

4. D. Augustus Vespasianus understanding that a certain young man, of Honest Parentage, unable for the War, because of his great Poverty, was brought down to the lowest ranks of Soldiers, he appointed him a Pension, and freed him from the Militia.

CHAP. VII. Of various Counsels, Resolutions and Ad­vises.
Example 1.

Caesar used to say that his Policy was to treat an Enemy as many Physitians do the Distem­pers of Bodies, to overcome them rather by Fa­mine than by Sword.

2. Domitius Corbulo was wont to say that an Enemy was to be overcome with a Mattock, that is by Works and Trenches.

3. L. Paulus was of a Judgment that a General should be Old in Manners, that is, should follow the most moderate Counsels.

4. It is reported of Scipio Africanus, that when one told him that he was no Fighter, an­swered, My Mother made me a General, but no common Soldier.

5. C. Marias, when a German challeng'd him out to fight him; told him, That if he were desirous of Death, he might go and hang him­self. And when one shewed him a Gladiator of a low Staure, but very old, he bid him fight him, and if he did overcome, he would encoun­ter with him who was the Conqueror,

6. Q. Sertorius understanding by experience that he was not able to deal with all the Roman Army together in a Body, that he might better be able to teach his Barbarian People, who desi­red earnestly to fight them, he brought before them Two Horses, the one strong and lusty, the other very weak, and commanded two Young Men answerable to them to take them in hand; to the strong man he appointed the weaker Horse, bidding him to pull of the whole Tail; but the weaker Young Man, he commanded to pull off the Tayl of the strong Horse one Hair after ano­ther. The Weak Person succeeded in his En­terprize, and pulled off all the Tail by degrees; but the strong Young Man strived in vain to pull off the Tail of the weak Horse. By this ex­ample, said Sertorius, my Soldiers, I have disco­vered to you the Nature of the Roman Army, they are not to be overcome if you encounter [Page 146]them all together; but you may destroy them by degrees, if you take them by Parties.

7. Valerius Levinus the Consul, having taken within his Camp a Spy of the Enemy, out of a confidence he had in his Soldiers, commanded him to be led about the Quarters; and to terrifie the Enemy, he assured him, that when they pleased, their Spies should have liberty to take a View of his Forces.

8. Caelius Principilaris, who was chose Captain in Germany over such as remained alive, and were besieged after the Defeat of Varrus, fearing lest the Enemy should fire the Heaps of Wood joyning to the Trenches, and by that means set their Camp in a Flame, pretended the want of Wood; he sent therefore many to steal Wood every where; which, when the Germans saw, they carryed away all the Heaps of great Wood.

9. Cn. Scipio in the Maritime War cast Pitchers full of Tar and Grease into the Enemies Ships, that by their weight they might do mischief, and by breaking and shedding what was therein con­tained, they might afford an encouragement to the Fire.

10. Hannibal shewed to King Antiochus how he should cast Pots full of Vipers into their Enemies Ships, which so affrighted the Soldiers, that they were thereby hindred from resisting, and from the Government of their Ships.

11. Prusias practiced the same Policy, when his Fleet gave back.

12. When M. Parcius in a furious manner broke though the Enemies Fleet, the Carthagini­ans were thereby troubled and out of order. Porcius took an advantage of it, causing his Men to take the Carthaginian Arms, and hang out [Page 147]their Colours; by that means, under the appea­rance of Friends, he deceived, and sunk seve­ral of their Ships.

13. When the Athenians had been assaulted by the Lacedemonians in their Festival days, which were kept in Honour of Minerva, out of the City, they continued the appearance of such as were wont to honour the Goddess, only under their Coats they had hid their Weapons. When they had performed their accusiomed Worship, they returned, not immediately to Athens, but from thence in a speedy manner they hasted to Lacedemon, at that time when they were least ex­pected, and plundered all their Enemies Country at their pleasure: whereas a little before they had been plunder'd by them.

14. Cassius took some Ships of burden, which were scarce useful, and firing them, he sent them before the Wind amongst the Enemies Fleet, and set them all a Fire.

15. M. Lucius having defeated Hasdrubal, some advised him to pursue the Enemy till they had totally destroyed them; pray, said he, let some of them remain alive, who may declare our Vi­ctory to the Enemy.

16. Scipio Africanus was wont to say, That it was good Policy, not only to give the Enemy a way to escape and fly, but also to secure it to them.

17. Pericles the Athenian promised his Enemies that they should be safe, if they would cast down their Weapons, which when they had done, he commanded all that had in their Armour Iron Bucklers to be slain.

18. When Hasdrubal was entred into the Bor­ders of Numidia to subdue them, and that the Inhabitants prepared to resist him; he told them [Page 148]that he was come only to hunt Elephants, which, were plentiful in Numidia, and if they would suffer him, he promised to do them no harm. They believed him, and called back their Forces, then did they assault and subdue them.

19. Alcetas the Lacedemonian, that he might more easily surprize a Convey of Victuals sai­ling to Thebes unexpected, provided some Ships in a secret place, shewing but one Galley, in which by turns, he exercised his Marriners. But in a convenient time, when the Thebans were sai­ling by, he sent out all his Ships against them, and took all their Provisions.

20. Ptolomeus having but a weak Army when he marched against Perdicas, who was the stron­ger in Forces, took all sorts of Beasts, and cau­sed them to draw behind them Carts, and to be driven forward by a few Horsemen. In the mean while he marched before with what Troops he had with him; so that the dust raised by the Cattle gave an appearance of a vast Army that followed behind; which thought so terrified the Enemy, that they were put to flight.

21. Myronides the Athenian going against the Thebans, who were more numerous in Horse, when his Foot came into the plain Fields, he told them, that if they did keep their grouod, they would be safe, but if they yielded, they would be destroyed, by this Speech he confir­med his Soldiers, and got the Victory.

22. L. Pinarons being Governour in Sicily of the Town Ennae, when the Magistrates of the City de­sired him to deliver up the Keys of the Gates, which he had in his Custody, to them; he had a jealousie of them, that they intended to turn to the Carthaginians; he desired therefore one [Page 149]Nights space to consider of it, informing secretly his Soldiers of the treachery of those Greeks; he commanded them to be ready the next day, and expect the Signal. The next morning, in the Presence of his Soldiers, he told the Ma­gistrates that he would deliver up the Keys, if all the Inhabitants desired it, for that purpose all the Citizens being call'd into the Theater, demanded the delivery of the Keys. By this he understood of their purpose to revolt to the Enemy, he immediately therefore gave order to his Soldiers to fall on, and kill all the Inhabi­tants.

23. Iphicrates the Athenian General took the Colours, at the appearance of the Enemies Fleet, and sailed to a Town of which he had a jealousie, and when at his landing he was received with great Expressions of joy, he found out their un­constancy, and plunder'd the Town.

24. Tiberius Gracchus declared publickly that he would give liberty to all the Volunteers who behaved themselves manfully, but that he would crucifie the Cowards. When therefore four thousand of those who had been sloathful in the Fight, for fear of the Threatned Punishment, were gathered together on the Top of a Hill; he sent to tell them, that his whole Army of Volunteers, in his judgment had got the Victory, seeing the Enemy was fled. By this saying he deliver'd them from the fear of Punishment, and kept them in their Obedience.

25. Hannibal, after the Battle at the Lake of Thrasginerus, where the Romans received so great a Loss; when he had got into his Power six thousand of his Enemies, by an agreement he sent away all the Confederates of the Latine [Page 150]Country, and spoke graciously to them, saying, that he was come into Italy to make War, to free the Country from the Roman Slavery; and by their means some of the People surrendred them­selves to him.

26. Magro, when the Locri were besieged by Crispinus, Admiral of the Roman Fleet, caused a Report to be spread abroad in the Roman Camp, that Hannibal had kill'd Marcellus, and was co­ming with his Army to raise the Siege of the Town; having therefore secretly sent out a Par­ty of Horse, he order'd them to shew themselves on the top of the Hills which were in sight; when Crispinus saw them, he imagined that Han­nibal was really coming, he therefore hasted with his Army on Shipboard, and fled.

27. Scipio Aemilianus at the Battle of Numan­tia, placed his Bow-men and Slingers not only between his Cohortes, but also between every Century or Company of Foot.

28. Pelopidas Thebanus being put to flight by the Thessalians, and having sounded the depth of a River, over which he had hastily cast a Bridge; that the Enemy might not make use of it also to pass over, he commanded the Rear of his Ar­my to burn the Bridge.

29. When the Roman Cavalry could by no means encounter with the Horsemen of Campania, Q. Naevius, a Captain in the Army of Fulvius Flaccus the Proconsul, found a way to strengthen them. He caused out of all the Army some of the nimblest Footmen to be chosen, who were of a middle Stature. He furnished them with round and little Bucklers, with Headpieces, Swords, and seven Spears, every one about four Foot long, placing them amongst the Horse, com­manded [Page 151]them to march as far as the Walls of the City. In this order they accompanyed the Ro­man Horse when they encountred with the Ene­my, and did a great deal of Mischief to them, chiefly to their Horses, that were thereby soon disordered, and obliged to leave the Victory to the Romans.

30. P. Scipio in Lydia seeing the Army of Anti­ochus, that had suffered much by the Rains that fell coutinually, during a Night and a Day, and that not only his Men fainted, but also some of their Horses became unserviceable; and their Bow-strings being wet, were become useless: He encouraged his Brother the next day to give them Battle, though it was a Religious day, which advice being followed, he obtained the Vi­ctory.

31. When Cato was plundering of Spain, the Embassadours of the Hergeti, who were confede­rates with the Romans, came to him, to beseech him to send them Help. He being loath, by de­nying assistance, to alienate the minds of his Friends, or by dividing his Army, to weaken his Forces, commanded a third part of his Army to provide themselves with Victuals, and to get a Shipboard; but gave them privately orders to return back again, and pretend that the Wind was contrary. The report of Succours that were a coming encouraged the Hergeti to defend them­selves, and disappointed the designs of their Ene­mies.

32. C. Caesar knowing that Pompey had in his Army a great number of Roman Knights, who by their skill in Arms would overcome his Soldiers, commanded his men to aim with their Swords at their Faces and Eyes; by this Policy he obliged [Page 152]them to turn away their Eyes, and to give back.

33. When the Vaccei were fighting against Sempronius Gracchus, and sorely handled by his Army, they enclosed themselves round with their Waggons full of their stoutest Men in Wo­mens Apparel, which made Sempronius more bold to assault them, thinking them to be but Women; but they charged his men so stoutly, that they put them to flight.

34. Eumenes Cardianus, one of the Successors of Alexander, being shut up in a Castle so close, that he could not exercise his Horse, caused their Legs to be tyed up every day at certain Hours, that standing upon their Hinder Legs, and their fore Feet lifted up on high; their desire and en­deavour to stand on their fore Feet made them yield a Sweat all about their joynts.

35. M. Cato, when the Country People promi­sed him Guides to lead him, and convey him, if he would give them a considerable sum of Mony; he freely offered it to them; for he hoped when he should obtain the Victory, to pay them with the Plunder of their Enemies: or if it happened that they were killed, he expected then to be free from his promise.

36. Q. Maximus, when Statilius a Noble Knight of excellent Abilities was resolved to run away to the Enemy, sent for him, and desired to be excused, because, through the envy of his fel­low Soldiers, he was not well acquainted with his rare Virtues. He therefore gave him a Horse and Mony, and sent him away, who come to him afraid to be punish'd, joyful of his Rewards, and made him doubtless for the future a Faithful, as well as a Stout Soldier.

37 When King Philip understood that a cer­tain good Warriour, named Pythia hated him, because having three Daughters to maintain, he was Poor, and could not well provide for them, and the King gave him no assistance: beside, some warned him to take heed of him, he answered, What if I should have some part of my Body di­seased, would I not rather heal it, than cut it off? He sent therefore for this Pythia secretly, enqui­red of his Estate and Condition, and furnished him with Money. By this means he obliged him to be both a better and more Faithful Friend and Servant than before.

38. T. Runitius Crispinus, after the unhappy encounter with Hannibal, in which he lost his Partner Marcellus, and understanding that the Conqueror had got the Seal of the slain Consul, sent Letters all over Italy not to give credit to the Letters that were sealed with the Signet of Marcellus. By this seasonable advice he prevented the cunning of Hannibal, who endeavour'd in vain to get into his hands the Town of Salapia, and other places of Italy.

39. After the defeat of Cannae, the Roman Courages were so abated, that some Authentick Authors have left upon Record, that a great ma­ny that remain'd alive put it in deliberation, whether they should forsake Italy. Then did P. Scipio, a very young man offer Violence to him who propos'd such a thing in an Assembly, and pub­lickly declar'd that he would kill him with his own hand, unless he did swear that he had a reso­lution never to forsake the Commonwealth: when this man had first bound himself by an Oath, he drew his Sword, and threatned Death to a near Kinsman, unless he did also take the [Page 154]same Oath. He forced him for fear, and all the rest were led by the same example to swear the same thing.

40. When the Camp of the Volosci were near to a Wood, and a place full of Briars and Thorns; Camillus carryed all that would take fire as far as their Works: and set them in a Flame, and drove them from their Camp.

41. P. Crassus in the War of the Confederates, in the same manner was surprised and undone with almost all his Forces.

42. When Q. Metellus was to remove his Camp in Spain, and that the Soldiers, who were to march, kept themselves still in their Camp, Hennocrates hath related, that they were ordered to abide till the next day; and by that short rest, became more fit for the Fight than his People: so that by this means Metellus made an end of the War.

43. Miltiades, when he had put to flight a vast number of Persians at the Battle of Marathon, obliged the Athenians, who were willing to con­tinue there some time, to rejoice at the Victory, to depart and speedily relieve their City, against which the Persian Fleet was sailing. He prevented them, and filled the Walls with Armed men. When the Persians came, they imagined the Athenians to be very numerous, and that they had yet an Army at Marathon as well as at Athens, therefore they suddenly turned about, and sailed back into Asia.

44. Pisistratus the Athenian, when he had taken the Fleet of Megara (brought by Night Eleusis, to catch the Athenian Dames, who used to do Ho­nour to the Goddess Ceres) and made a great slaughter of the Enemy; took their Ships, and [Page 155]filled them with Athenian Soldiers, placing upon the Decks some of the Women in the Garb of Pri­soners; with which appearance they of Megara being deceived, and imagining that their Men were returned with success, came thronging out of the City to meet and welcome them. Then did Pisistratus fall upon them unarmed, and again made a great destruction of them.

45. Cinion the Athenian General, when he had overcome the Persian Fleet at the Isle of Cyprus, caused his Men to take the Arms of the Persians, and in their Ships to sail into Pamphilia towards the Enemy, into the River Eurymedon. The Persians, who were there, knowing the Ships, and thinking the Men upon the Decks to be their own, never suspected any thing, till they were assaulted, and suddenly overpowred; and the same day they were overcome both by Sea and Land.