第 10 节
作者:溜溜      更新:2021-02-19 00:32      字数:9322
  circumstances   to   bring   a   fraction   only   of   your   whole   force   into   action;
  which      fraction   should     be  the   pick   and    flower    of  the   troops    at  your
  command; both horses and men。 A body  of that size and quality will be
  able to strike a blow and to fall back with greater security。 Whereas; if a
  general brings all his troops into action against a superior force; when he
  wishes   to   retire;   certain   things   must   happen:   those   of   his   men   who   are
  worse      mounted      will    be   captured;     others    through      lack   of   skill   in
  horsemanship   will   be   thrown;   and   a   third   set   be   cut   off   owing   to   mere
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  difficulties   of   ground;   since   it   is   impossible   to   find   any   large   tract   of
  country   exactly   what   you   would   desire。   If   for   no   other   reason;   through
  sheer stress of numbers there will be collisions; and much damage done by
  kicks through mutual entanglement; whereas a pick of horse and men will
  be able to escape offhand;'15' especially if you have invention to create a
  scare in the minds of the pursuers by help of the moiety of troops who are
  out of action。'16' For this purpose false ambuscades will be of use。
  '15'   Or;   〃by   themselves;〃   reading   {ex   auton};   as   L。   Dind。   suggests。
  Cf。 Polyb。 x。 40。 6; or if as vulg。 {ex auton} (sub。 {kheiron};                      Weiske);
  transl。 〃to slip through their fingers。〃
  '16' Zeune and other commentators cf Liv。 v。 38 (Diod。 xiv。 114); but
  the part played by the Roman subsidiarii at the battle of the                        Allia; if
  indeed     〃una    salus   fugientibus;〃     was    scarcely    happy。           Would      not
  〃Hell。〃 VII。 v。 26 be more to the point? The detachment                           of cavalry
  and infantry placed by Epaminondas 〃on certain crests;                          to create an
  apprehension   in   the   minds   of   the Athenians〃   in   that            quarter   of   the
  field    at   Mantinea       was    a   {mekhanema}          of   the    kind             here
  contemplated。
  Another   serviceable   expedient   will   be   to   discover   on   which   side   a
  friendly force may suddenly appear and without risk to itself put a drag on
  the   wheels   of   the   pursuer。   Nay;   it   is   self…evident;   I   think;   that;   as   far   as
  work and speed are concerned; it is the small body which will assert its
  superiority more rapidly over the larger; and not vice versanot of course
  that the mere fact of being a small body will enable them to endure toil or
  give them wings; but simply it is easier to find five men than five hundred;
  who will take the requisite care and pains with their horses; and personally
  practise of their own accord the art of horsemanship。
  But suppose the   chance   should occur   of   entering the   lists   against   an
  equal number of the enemy's cavalry; according to my judgment it were no
  bad plan to split the squadron into divisions;'17' the first of which should
  be commanded by the squadron…leader; and the other by the ablest officer
  to be found。 This second…officer will for the time being follow in rear of
  the   leading   division   with   the   squadron   leader;   and   by   and   by;   when   the
  antagonist is in near proximity; and when the word of command is passed;
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  form squadron to the front and charge the hostile ranks'18'a manouvre
  calculated; as I conceive; to bring the whole mass down upon the enemy
  with paralysing force; and to cause him some trouble to extricate himself。
  Ideally speaking; both divisions'19' will be backed by infantry kept in rear
  of   the   cavalry;   these   will   suddenly   disclose   themselves;   and   rushing   to
  close quarters; in all probability clench the nail of victory。'20' So at any
  rate it strikes me; seeing as I do the effects of what is unexpected how; in
  the case of good things; the soul of man is filled to overflowing with joy;
  and   again;   in   the   case   of   things   terrible;   paralysed   with   amazement。   In
  proof of what I say; let any one reflect on the stupor into which a body of
  men   with   all   the   weight   of   numerical   advantage   on   their   side   will   be
  betrayed by falling into an ambuscade; or again; on the exaggerated terror
  mutually   inspired       in   belligerents   during     the   first   few   days;   of  finding
  themselves posted in face of one another。
  '17' Or; 〃troops。〃
  '18'     Possibly    on    flank。   See    Courier;    p。   35;   on   Spanish      cavalry
  tactics。
  '19' Lit。 〃supposing both divisions to be backed by footmen;〃 etc。
  '20'   Or;   〃achieve   a   much   more   decisive   victory。〃   Cf。   〃Cyrop。〃   III。
  iii。 28。
  To make these dispositions is not hard; the difficulty is to discover a
  body  of   men   who   will dash   forward'21'  and   charge   an   enemy  as   above
  described      intelligently     and   loyally;   with    an   eager   spirit   and   unfailing
  courage。 That is a problem for a good cavalry general to solve。 I mean an
  officer who must be competent to so assert himself in speech or action'22'
  that    those   under    him    will   no   longer    hesitate。   They    will   recognise     of
  themselves that it is a good thing and a right to obey;'23' to follow their
  leader; to rush to close quarters with the foe。 A desire will consume them
  to achieve some deed of glory and renown。 A capacity will be given them
  patiently to abide by the resolution of their souls。
  '21'   {parelontas};   in   reference   to   S。   18   above;   {parelaunoi};   〃form
  squadron to the front。〃
  '22'   〃To   be   this;   he   must   be   able   as   an   orator   as   well   as   a   man   of
  action。〃 Cf。 〃Mem。〃 II。 ii。 11。
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  '23' Cf。 Tennyson's 〃The Charge of the Light Brigade〃:
  Their's not to make reply; Their's not to reason why; Their's but to do
  and die。
  To turn to another matter; take the case in which you have two armeis
  facing one another in battle order; or a pair of fortresses'24' belonging to
  rival powers; and in the space between all kinds of cavalry manouvres are
  enacted;      wheelings       and     charges     and     retreats。'25'    Under      such
  circumstances the custom usually is for either party after wheeling to set
  off at a slow pace and to gallop full speed only in the middle of the course。
  But now suppose that a commander; after making feint'26' in this style;
  presently on wheeling quickens for the charge and quickens to retirehe
  will   be   able   to  hit   the  enemy   far   harder;   and   pull   through  absolutely
  without scathe himself most likely; through charging at full speed whilst
  in proximity to his   own stronghold (or main   body); and quickening to   a
  gallop as he retires from the stronghold (or main body) of the enemy。 If
  further; he could secretly contrive to leave behind four or five troopers; the
  bravest and best mounted of the squadron; it would give them an immense
  advantage   in   falling   upon   the   enemy   whilst   wheeling   to   return   to   the
  charge。'27'
  '24' Al。 〃fields and farmsteads between。〃
  '25'   Or;   〃retirements;〃   see   〃Horsemanship;〃   viii。   12;   〃Cyrop。〃   V。   iv。
  8; 〃Hell。〃 IV。 ii。 6; 〃Ages。〃 ii。 3。
  '26' Or; 〃having precluded in this fashion。 See Theocr。 xxii。 102:
  {ton men anax ataraxen etosia khersi prodeiknus Pantothen};
  〃feinting on every side〃 (A。 Lang)。 Al。 〃having given due warning
  of his intention。〃 Cf。 Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 ix。 37。
  '27'    Cf。    Aristoph。    〃Knights;〃      244    (Demosthenes       calls   to   the
  hipparchs'?'):
  {andres eggus 。 all' amunou; kapanastrephou palin}。
  IX
  To read these observations over a few times will be sufficient; but for
  giving them effect the officer will need perpetually to act as circumstances
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  require。'1'      He   must    take   in   the  situation    at  a   glance;    and   carry    out
  unflinchingly       whatever      is  expedient     for  the   moment。      To   set  down     in
  writing   everything   that   he   must   do;   is   not   a   whit   more   possible   than   to
  know the future