POLY£NUS’S STRATAGEMS OF WAR; TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEK, BY Dr SHEPHERD, F.RS. THE SECOND EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR GEORGE NICOJ, BOOKSELLER TO HIS MAJESTY, PALL*MALL. M.DCC.xevI,TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS FREDERICK, DUKE OF YORK AND ALBANY, FIELD MARSHALL, AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF HIS MAJESTY’S FORCES. STIR, WHEN this volume firft made its appearance in the world, your Royal High- nefs was young in arms. Since that time, an enemy {o very fuperiour in force, as that you havevi DEDICATION, have in the courfe of two long and aétive cam- paigns been appointed to face, hath given ample {cope to the exercife both of your conduct, and your courage ; and in the refult hath eftablifhed both. A NEw edition of the work being called for, I beg leave to place it under the protection of your Royal Highnefs: whofe military ardour led you to the field, and whofe fituation in life calls you to the command of armies. Anp while I leave to the faithful page of hif- tory, to recount the fpirited exertions that have on every occafion diftinguifhed your Royal High-DEDICATION. vil Highne(s’s conduct in the field; permit me to exprefs the warm wifh which every honeft Briton owes, that the military fame of the Britifh arms may long flourifh under your adminiftration, which has been already diftinguifhed by a mark- ed encouragement of merit, and ftrié attention to military difcipline. I nave the Honour to be, with the greateft Refpett, SIR, Your Royal Highnels’s devoted and moft obedient humble Servant, R. SHEPHERD.ADVERTISEMENT. Tue fubfequent pages, were written at a time, when the author’s inclination directed his views to a military life: and the courfe of reading he then adopted had an afpeét to that profeffion. While engaged in thofe purfuits, the colleétion of ftratagems made by Polyznus he read with fo great pleafure both as a claffical and mili- tary production; that he was induced to employ fome Ieifwre hours it habiting the author in an Englith drefs, But, in refpett to his line of life, changing afterwards his defign, with his intended profeffion he laid afide the ftudies that attached to it: and the following tranflation re- mained more than thirty years untouched and unnoticed in his defk. ‘Till by fome means, which he can fcarcely explain, it broke its con- finement, and found its way to the perufal of the Marquis Corn- watts: who recommended the publication of it, asa work, if the tranflator may be permitted to ufe his Lordfhip’s own words, that would prove an acceptable prefent to the Britifh officers. b SINCEx ADVERTISEMENT. Sixce that time the extraordinary conduét of a neighbouring na- tion having provoked almoft all Europe to arms; Great Britain of too much confequence in herfelf and her connections to remain an idle {p2Ztator of exertions calculated to involve the world in feenes of anar- chy and confufion, found it neceffary to take the fied. Her navies famimoned from her ports; her armies to foreign fervice: her are embodied at home; and the country alfumes a more military comp! tion, than it hath for fome time paft been accuftomed to wear. petiod, and in this ftate of things, the author hath been in- duced to hazard on the public the following pages. He is aware that the world has little to do with this detail, nor at all concerned about the motives that induced him either to tranflate or publith: but he conceives it a duty, which he owes to himflf, with the work to obtrude on the public his apology for it. Left he fhould to have mifemployed his time in the profecution of ftudies very erent from thofe, w 4 his profeflion might have been fappofed to fugge. Hus profefion, as well as his difpofition, | js him to wifh the but he yet {es no characters of the time beat cur fvords into ploughfhares, and our ars into pit nding, which on the r 5 word of prophecy he firmly truits will come. But of that period, whichADVERTISEMENT. xi which infinite wifdom hath predetermined, with humble patience we muft wait the approach: and in the mean time, as wife and good citizens, it is our duty to endeavour to fecure ourfelves in the pofleffion of order and peace by every means human prudence can fuggelt. Anp this he knows not by what other means, than the arm of pow- er, is to be effected. For he is not fo wild a poli an, as to fuppofe, thofe defirable objects of fecurity and peace are to be preferved to a’great nation without armies ; and armies he is free to acknowledge imply war. But let it be at the fame time obferved, that the term war docs not ne- ceffarily involve in it defotation, oppreflion, and diftraétion, Let it be called an evil; but, in the name of common fenfe, let it be acknow- “edged a neceflary one. And when it is condudted by men of virtuous difpofitions, and truly great minds ; the objeét of it is to procure the Dleffings of peace. « It is that, ‘ fays an antient writer of the firft emi- nence,’ for which we bear to be expofed to danger and fatigues of every kind."* ‘The objeét of it, even with regard to our enemies, is no more than a conviétion of injuries, an amendment of conduét, and a reparation for wrongs. Refpecting ourfelves, when dire&ted by pru- dent counfels, it is fecurity and peace. No wife man ever attacked his neighbour, for the fake of returning victorious from the field, And * Polybius, Le 4. Core ba whenxii ADVERTISEMENT. when war is undertaken by thofe that are unwife: it is a confidera- tion that conftitutes the reafon, why the wife fhould be in a condition to repel fuch attacks ; it forms an irtefragable argument for being pre- pared by military arrangements, and what the quict {peculatift may in- dignantly call a parade of the pride of war. Taere exifts an inftance in the prefent ftate of Burope, to which allufion has been already made, and which exemplifies many of the above reflections. A great and powerful nation has ftarted forth, and with adegree of boundlefs philanthropy undertaken the Herculean labour of reducing jarring interefts to general acquiefcence, harmony, and union: the one great objeét of her endeavours, to conciliate to the world uni- verfal peace, and fraternize mankind. But fuch is the imbecility of human nature, when they have held out the benevolent hand to Sfraternise; even. that virtuous nation, big with benevolent dcfigns, have fometimes been obferved to draw it back, clinched with the full grafp of oppreffion. Asp philcfophers as <1 y are, they have not been f* unenlightened a5 to imagine the ng of pere could be p.omoted, or fo fanciful as to form a unit, Ye than by force of arms. They havenot been fo ablurd as te :.. had ia the great caufe they sce of reafon, th: de- mands uf juttice, or the plea uf hum... They have in arms traverfed feasADVERTISEMENT, xiii feas and land, to make profelytes to it. In foreign ftates they have thundered with their cannon, and undermined with their emiffaries : but in the great work the progrefs they have made is fmall. And even. at home we obferve among them no fymptoms of the benign bleflings of peace: though indeed they boaft of having laid the foundation ftone of the great work, in having fbivered the feeptres of Princes, and over thrown the altars of God. Bur though there may be fome advantage in acknowledging no power fuperiour to our noble felves, in founding our conduét on pre- fent utility ; and laughing at the narrow prejudices, that manacle the reft of the world: that line of thinking, and fo loofe a rule of acting, may have its inconveniencies too. For fuppofing there fhould be a fu- preme Being, that fuperintends human aétions, that rules this world with uncontroulable power, and governs every moral movement in it with adorable juftice ; I muft not diffemble how far a refle€tion, which one of the following ftratagems hath fuggefted, carries me; and, re+ Speéting that heroic people, how much it hath alarmed me for their fuccefs abroad, or even their fafety at home. It is the laconic harangue of Agefilaus to his little army, on his adverfary having attacked him in direct breach of oath, « Tifaphernes, ‘ faid the brave Spartan,’ I thank for his perjury: by which he has made the gods his enemies, * Dupont’s Speech in the Convention: andxiv ADVERTISEMENT, and our allies, Let us therefore, my lads, march out with becoming confidence, in conjunction with fo great auxiliaries.” And my author proceeds to tell me, that fpirited by this fhort harangue the general Ied them forth, and obtained a compleat victory. On this hi portion of antient hiftory I leave our Gallic neighbours to make their comment. PRELI-tw] PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. THoucH the perfonal circumftances of an author have it mut be acknowledged little concern with his works; yet it is obfervable, that we can not intereft ourfelves much in thefe, with- out withing to know fomewhat of the other. Short however is the account that hath reached us refpecting the author of the following pages: of whom we learn little more, than that he was by birth a Macedonian; and, that the early part of his life was patfed in arms. But, whether influenced by his love of letters, or other motives of pru- dence, he afterwards retired from the aétive fcenes of his profeffion; and exchanged the fword for the gown. Iw this new fituation his integrity and Jearning, his eloquence and abilities, recommended him to the notice of the Emperors Antoninus and Verus; who honoured him with a civil employ of truft and dignity. Jt was then that he found himfelf at liberty to refume his military fundies, and in his clofet to contribute to the improvement of that profeflion; for which, in his addrefs to the emperors prefia x: to the firltxi PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, firft book of firctagems, the reader will difcover in him a ftrong pre- dilection. Partly perhaps to gratify fuch his inclinations, and partly to pay a tribute of gratitude to his patrons, what leifure hours he could fteal from his civil engagements, he devoted to the following collection of military ftratagems. Tue original work has come down to us incompleat:: and what is ftill more to be regretted, in that which has reached us the text is to a very great degree mutilated and corrupted. So that much was to be fupplied, even in the bare attempt at a faithful tranflation. And, added to thefe defects, the brevity, with which the author relates cir cumfta.ces, fometimes renders the detail apparently imperfeét; and fometimes flings a fhade of ob{curity on it. The tranflator has there- fore every where endeavoured to explain the ftratagem, as well as to tranflate it; and rather to give the author's meaning, than a literal verfion of his words; whenever the one did not clearly and fully con- vey the other, or where he has fufpected the text to have been cor- mupted. And, nude and unadorned as the original is, the concifenefs, the author ob above alluded rves in his rela: on of facts, befides the difadvantages ates alfo a famenefs in his mode of introducing the refpedive detail, and an uniformity in his manner of conduéting it; which has in fome inftances induced the tranflator a little to deviate from the form of narration which occurs in the original, in order to avoid as far as might be an apparent poverty of didtion, and to give as fils, 2s matter fo fettered up is capable mech cafe end variety to At th: ie tim he hath not prefumet to flouvifh in defcvi ptiPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xvii defcription, nor to add circumftances to the general narration, which the author did not think neceffary to introduce, What the reader is to expect, the tranflator has thought it thus necellary to apprife him, Tras critic, who looks for fentiment, or defeription, will be difap- pointed : but he mutt recolle& that Polycenus wrote for military men s that fats conftituted all chat was neceffary to be attended to; and that the more concifely they were to be detailed, fo much the more eafily would they be retained in memory, brought together as in a fynopfis, and be as occafion offered ready far pragtice, Indeed in fo vatt a col- lestion of ftratagems had our author been more cixcumftantial in his relation of faéts, and ftudicd variety and expreffion more than was barely neceflary to elucidate them; inftead of occupying his Ieifure hours, the undertaking would have engroffed every hour of his time: and hjs work would have formed a hiftory of wars; and not, as he intended it, a collection of flratagems, Werw regard to the tranflator, if the congifenel, which the author hath been noticed fo uniformly to abferve, has oceafioned him fome little difficulties ; he muft acknowledge his tafk to have been in other refpects light, in not having to contend with fome very great ones, The work exhibits no nice form of expreftion to be ftudioufly preferved, no beauties of defcription to be copied, no turn of fentiment that requires the fupport of correfpondent dition to communicate to it weight and fignificancy. The author's aim was a fimple detail of facts : the endeavour of the tranflator has been to render thofe faéts with fide- Jity; fometimes affuming a finall liberty in the mode of relation, c Respect:PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, Re fille of Polycnus is claffical, and even elegant: though he abound not in fentiment, or defcription, his matter is in tix the original, though the text be much corrupted, the fing, and entertaining ; and his various anecdotes, interfp:rfed throughout the work, are often better calculated for marking out the temper and character of the per~ fon refpectively alluded to, than a regular detail of faéts conducted by the hiftorian to explain whote fcheme and fyftem of his conduét. And it appears to me fomewhat extraordinary, that Polyenus is an author fo little known ; and one of thofe few Greek claffics, who have never mede their appearance in an Englith drefs. For this however fome reafons may perhaps be affigned. Military men generally enter too young into the profeflion, and are too much engaged in active fervice, to have leifure to cultivate the ftudy of fo neglected a language as the Greek. And thofe on the other hand, whofe time is devoted to Titerary purfuits, have feldom much tafte for authors, whofe works re- gard only military operations. Tue whole collection, if entire, would have confifted of nine hun- dred ftratagems ; containing the exploits of the moft celebrated generals, of various nations, fetched’ from ages remote as the page of hiftory will reach, and carried forward to our author's own time: fo wide was the field he traverfed of annals, hiftories, and lives, in the profecution of his defign; « : sryonns vz, a manual, as he terms it, of the fcience of generalfhip, And in fo large a colleétion if fome ftra- tagems occur, that bear a refemblance to each other, fometimes with little variation employed by the fame general, and fometimes on di entPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xix ent occafions copied by others; the reader will be rather furprifed that he finds fo few inftances of this kind, than led to have expeéted none. Some will ftrike him as unimportant, and fome are not properly military ftratagems. Some devices again will appear fo ludicrous and abfurd ; as nothing but the barbarifm of the times, the ignorance and fuperfti- tion that in fome ftates prevailed, will reconcile to credibility. ‘The ftratagems however that rank under thofe claffes are few: the work in general was executed with great judgment; and, as the author him(elf obferves, he had employed upon it no fmall degree of pains. Poryanus was a man of cminence: and, though he might have quitted a@tual fervice in carly life, for military feience equally dif- tinguithed, as in his juridical charaéter. And this colleCtion of ftra- tagems he confidered as a work of fufficient importance, to juttify his pretenfions to the patronage of the emperors who honoured the author with their confidence and attention. And in fo high a light was he held as a military writer, and of fo great utility was the work before us eftecmed ; that Frontinus, a Roman knight, fimulated by the re- putation it had obtained the author, publifhed a new performance, of the fame nature, and under the fame title of military ftratagems, Of which authors, fays a very competent judge of literary merit,” who- ever will take the pains to enter into a comparifon; he will find it fivengthen the argument of the great fuperiority of the Grecian to Roman writers. Stxce the introduction of gunpowder it muft be acknowledged that * Is, Cafsubonus, e2 + thexx PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. the art of war has undergone a material alteration. But though the ma of engaging be different; feafons, ground, forage, furprifts, retreats, and all the manceuvres that flow from thefe fubjects of mili- tary operation, are much the fame as they were a thoufand years ago ; and ftill as praéticable. Thofe antient manceuvres, which'this colleftion records, employed in effecting retreats, are fo various, that on appo- fite occafions, it is conceived, many of them might with fome variation under the prefent fyftem of war be practifed with fuccefs. Stratagems alfo in communicating and intercepting intelligence are equally advan tageous at all times; and may in fome inftances be as practicable now as formerly, and muft be as ufeful too. In ambufeades the antient generals feem ever to have placed great confidence: and throughout the following ftratagems it may be obferved, whenever they efcaped detec~ tion, they always decided the victory. A thoufand or two thoufand men after the enemy’s lines are formed, and they are unprepared to receive them, fhewing themfelves at fome critical period of the engagement, were found of greater effect, than three times the number from the be- ginning of the engagement openly marfhalled againft them. Woods, fhrubby ground, and ditches, every one knows how to convert to thofe purpofes. But in the courfe of the following ftratagems we are initruét- ed, that even plain ground will ferve the purpofe: and fometimes more effectually, as being by the enemy lefs fufpedted. A {mall eminence properly occupied has often been found effectually to fhelter an am- bufcade; or the banks of a river; or a piece of ground has in the courfe of a night been fcooped out for the purpofe: from whence a caution isPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xxi is fuggetted, to veconnoitre the ground as near the time of an intended action as poflible. Iphicrates, of whofe ftratagems Polyznus has re- corded more than fixty, remarks that he once neglected to reconnoitre his ground, and then he narrowly efcaped being furprifed by an am- bufcade. How to guard againft mutinies in your own army, or quath them when excited, and how to promote them in that of the enemy ; how to impart confidence, refolution, and fpirit to your own troops, and imprefs the hoftile army with terror, diffidence, and difmay; how to keep your own forces together, and win over thofe of the enemy to defertion and revolts; thofe are arts in which the difference of arms, of ballets and javelins, of mortars and catapults, it is apprehended can effedt no great alteration, And interfperfed throughout the work occur fo great a variety of excellent military precepts, rules, and maxims, that if not practicable in the great fcience of conducting ar~ mies under any fyftem of war, and at any day, they will at leaft be fatisfa€tory in the illuftration they afford of many points in the {cience of war, as it was prattifed two thoufand years ago. They are the re~ falt of the experience of the greatelt generals of the world: amongtt nations where the glory of individuals, and at a period of time when the fafety of ftates, were centred all in military atchievements. And if to be well verfed in a fimilarity of cafes, though perhaps not exactly and in every correfponding circumftance at all times equally practicable, prepare men the better for counfel or aétion on emergencies, that may fuddenly prefent themfelves; fo far a general acquaintance with thofe ftratagemsPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. firatagems may fuggelt hints, which may be found of poflible fervice. Or at leait a knowledge of the various ftratagems that have been practifed, may tend to guard agoinft fimilar devices in the enemy, or modern im- provements on them. IxpEpEN DENT however of that military knowledge, and thol po- litical maxims with which the work before us is replete; it is in other refpects both amufing and inftructive. The lively repartees, and pri- vate anecdotes, which occafionally occur, that fertility of invention in difcovering refources, and promptitude of mind often difplayed in dif- ficulties, and on fudden emergencies, thofe various inftances of unfhaken. refolution under adverfity, of intrepidity in dangers, of contempt of fufferings, with which the work zbounds, intereft the mind, entertain, and improve it. Little incidents in public characters are fometimes noticed; which contribute to illuftrate or explain hiftorical facts, in the page of formal hiftory perhaps doubtfully infinuated, or obfcurely reprefented. The manners of the refpective countries and times arc often ftrongly marked in the ftratagems which refer to them; their habits, genius, ftrength, and population are occafionally introduced: and the policy and connections in particular of the feveral ftates of Greece, their public animofities, and the private pique of individuals, that were the fources of continual wars, in which the fy e developed. The manner vs lived in camps, their fare, their employments and amufcrents, the following mifcellany exhibits; and forms a valuable brought as in review before us: anidPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xxiii and in his actions we {ce his abilities and defects, his habit and temper of mind, more clearly and in ftronger colouring, than in general de- Scriptions of him at the head of armies, and in public feenes of Jife, Some cha ‘aéters even in thofe days of barbarifm prefent themfelves, whofe excefs of virtue we may admire: but more of extreme profligacy, and difavowal of all principle, which we mutt deteft. And it affords matter of agreeable reflection; as war is unavoidable, to compare the civilized manner, in which it is now conduéted, with that in which it was carried on in antient times: when oaths were ufed only to de- ceive, and favage power knew not the nice reftraints of virtue. Let the infidel confider this, and queftion his own breaft; whether chrii tianity, even as far as the interefts of this world go, has done no good: whether human nature be not melioriated by its influence even in that ftate, in which it difplays molt fexocity.* Havine adyerted to certain particular military operations, which it is fappofed might under the prefent fyftem of war admit of ftrata- gems in affimilation to many that occur in the following collection ; it may not be unacceptable to the reader, to fee thrown together fome a faljedt, which Paulus Oraufius hath largely difeufled ; and ifany one fhould that wants evidence, he will there find i itistadtorily proved. He lourithed the sth century, and wrote the hiftory of the world, after the manner of Justin: continuing it down from the firkt records of antiquity to his own time. Whether we con- fider the period in which he lived, when the change of manners introduced into the world by chriftianity might be more particularly confpicuous3 or the courle of ftudies he had pur fued, and from which he muft have been rendered well acquainted with the manners of the heathen worl! I know none, nor can I eafily conceive any, more competent to determine the point on which I refer to him, carly ofavy PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. of thofe generai rules, as well refpecting civil policy, as manceuvres in the field, which Iie difperfed in the following ftratagems, cither particularly inculeated, or plainly inferrible from them, And fuch recapitulation will perhaps ferve as a clue, leading to the ob- feivation of many other articles of inftruction, that will occur to the recder in the courle of the volume: which without being thus fought for might elude his notice, For there is in Polysnus no re~ gular ferics of hiftory; nor in the excellent rules and maxims, he hath fuggefted, hath he obferved any general fyftem of detail. They are interfperfed without order; and refiilt from, the belt of all leffons, experience, Amoyc the antient Greeks, their generals were their ftatefmen: and fome hints might therefore be expected from our author, of civil 43 well as military import, Such is the danger he obferves, and the precaution neceflary, in employing foreign troops, and the little confidence to be placed now, as in more un in them. The danger indeed is not fo great zed times: but the confidence to be placed in them is pretty much, and from the nature of things ever mutt be, the fame, We experience the horror of civil diffentions, and are inftructed how cautious we fhould be to guard againft the fource and caules of them: while we fee painted as it were before our eyes, from how fmall circumftances fuch diffentions have been fometimes produced ; and how eafily in their infancy they might have been ftified, Is feveral inftan es are we Jed to cbferve the difference between treaties,PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xv treaties, to which one party is induced by the then circumftances of the time, and peculiar exigences in their affairs; and thofe, which are founded on mutual difpofition to cultivate them, and equal inde- pendence in the federating powers. We learn from experience, with how fteady an eye ftatefinen fhould look to thofe two points: which wilt inftraét them, where principally to direft their caution; and where more fecurely to place their dependence, Tue ftratagems, which relate to the weakening of a powerful ene- my, to diffolving confederacies, gaining time by treaties, and procuring intelligence, may be confidered as addrefled to ftatefmen, as well as generals; and to pertain to the cabinet, as much as to the camp: they-are not confined to particular periods, are capable of being im- Proved on, and may be accommodated to any times and occafions. First in the train of antient military manceuvres may be noticed the choice of ground: for this camps are fhifted, movements made, and a variety of fubordinate mancenvres praétifed. And in forming this choice the general, we find, confidered, not only, nor always chiefly, the pofition in which he may himéelf ac with moft advan- tage; but that, in which the enemy can act with leat, From obferving in a valt variety of inftances the effeéts of confi- dence, it may be concluded a matter of no fall confequence, ftrongly to imprefs it on the troops. Whatever it is coolly detérmintd to at- tempt ; the object is half effected, in poffeffing your army with an aflurance of being able to effect it. From the prattice of experienced generals is inferred the differ- d encexxvi PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. ence of operations required ; when the army is aéting in a foreign country, and when the feat of war is in our own, In the latter cafe the general lies by, defends, creates obftacles, harrafles, fkirmifhes, and carries on a war of pofts. He with great deliberation weighs every circumftance ; before he engages in a general action, and ventures on fo momentous an enterprife as a decifive battle. On the other hand, if the enemy's country be the feene of aétion, he cautioufly rifks detach- ments ; yet he never fuffers his troops to lie idle : he is conftantly pur- fuing a fucceffion of new enterprifes; by which he encourages the ala~ crity of his own troops, and intimidates the enemy; by the lure of hope engages to himéelf allies, and by the influence of fear detaches them from the interefts of the enemy. Tue penetrating mind of able chiefs in the examples before us calls our attention to a nice inveftigation of the difpofition and charaéter of the adverfe commander : from whence, by way of illuftration reducing the conteft as it were to fingle combat, he learns in what parts he is particularly to guard himfelf, and in what with beft effect to ftrike. Caurtons abound refpecting the impolicy of prefling a vanquifh- ed foe too hard, driving them by unreafonable requifitions to a ftate of defperation, and forcing them to be brave, They inftruct how to conquer, and how to ufe a conqueft; as well as another and no mean part of generalfhip, when to renounce the hopes of victory. Instances there may be in individuals, where eafe and diffipation do not daftardife the mind: but we have no inftances, wheze they do not daftardife an army. Th. belt generals have affured us it is fo: apdPRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xxv and the rules, we find laid dowa by them to guard againft fuch conta- mination, are to provide and promote, as well in camps, as in times of moft profound peace, amufements and employment that may require firength and aétivity. In camps, where military rules and difcipline prevail, we fee the laurel thrive: it loves not the foil, in which the rofe and myrtle delight. For this truth we need but look into thofe of Philip of Macedon, and Scipio. In fuch camps it is, that patience in bearing fatigues, firmnefs in combating dangers, and, in a word, that courage is learned. For courage, experience aflures us, is acqui- fitious ; and for that reafon, raw and undifciplined troops mult ever contend at a great difadvantage with thofe that have lived in habits of military difcipline, and been trained up in the fchool of war. Acts of cruelty to an enemy are always reprehended, as never an- fwering any valuable purpofe. On the other hand a variety of inftances are produced : evincing that clemency is always attended with good effects. ‘Tue firft and principal ingredient, required in the compofition of a great general, the flighteft acquaintance with the military characters that form the fubject of the following colleétion will evince to be cou- rage. Other qualifications are neceffary to compleat the character : but courage is that principle, without which it cannot exift, In the great mals courage, it has been obferved, is acquifitious : but it is not fo in a commander. In the former cafe, the mind is moulded into cou- rage by habit and example: in the latter character the individual ftands alone. In his fituation, he may give example, but can not receive it. da Ifxxviii PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE Ii therefore he be deficient in courage; that defeét will cling to his mind through life. Age may add to, but will not cure, it: a cool and ceutious young man will never atchieve any thing that is great, That coolnefs age will freeze into coldnels ; will manaclé the hand of enter= prifé; and withold it from daring any thing, becaufe in iffue every thing js uncertain. While on the other hand youthful ardour age correéts ; and experience to great exploits matures it, Intrepidity marks not a mind, that can not fee danger ; but which feels refources, that raifé the foul above it. All the admonition therefore, that intrepidity wants; is fummed up in two or three flratagems: the import of which direéts, not to attempt nothing ; but, as far as prudence can fee, and precaution guard, to fecure every thing ; to meet in contemplation every adverit contingency, and above all things to difcard every idea of fecurity ; however great the commander's ftrength, however marked his fuperio- rity, to negle& nothing, which, though apparently unneceffary, had better be done; becaufe, it is a poor excufe, after a neglect has occa- fioned a mifcarriage, to fay “ who could have thought it?” * Bor it is not my intention to write a commentary on Polyznus. My objeét in thofe few premifed reflections, flowing from fome of the following ftratagems, is only to evince that he is an author as inftruét- ive, as he is entertaining: and that, while he amufes one clafs of read= es, he is capable of affording hints that may be purfued with advan- tage by another. * Sce Book III. Ch. CONTENTST A BL E OF CONTENTS. BOOK I. Names, Strat Pages No. of Codrus. - r 17 Names. Swraragems. Page | IYfelanthus _ roy Bacchus - 3 5 | Solon - 2 8 Pan - = - 3 6 | Pifitratus = = gag Hercules - 5 7 | Ariftogeiton =~ ! 20 Thefeus : I 9 | Polycrates - 2 23 Demophon - 41 9 | Itieus - 1 22 Crefphontes - 1 10 | Pittacus - qr 22 ypfelus - r 10 | Bias - I 23 Halnes - 1 ar | Gelon - 3 23 Temenus - r a2 | Theron - 2 24 Procles - 1 za | Hieron - 2 26 Acues - a 43 Themiftocles - 7 26 Theflalus - 1 13 | Ariftides - ar) Menelaus - r 14 | Leonidas - 3 30 Cleomenes - 1 14 | Leotychides - I 38 Polydorus “ ry oxg | Cimon - 2 31 Lycurgus - 5 415 | Myronides - 2 32 Tyrteus + 1 16 | Pericles - 2 33 CleonXEN CONTENTS. Names. Cleon - Brafidas - Nicias - Alcibiades - Archidamus - Gylippus - Hermocrates - Eteonicus - Lyfander - Agis - Thrafyllus =~ Conon - Xenophon - BOOK Agefilaus - ‘Clearchus - Epaminondas - Pelopidas Gorgias; Dercyllidas - Alcetas - Archilaidas - Ifidas - Cleandridas - Pharacidas - Deiphantes - Steat. Page. PRD ee PAD An I. 3 To 15 ee 33 34 35 36 40 42 43 my at 46 a7 47 49 st 61 65 7° 71 92 72 B 74 75 76 Names, Eurytion - Ephori - Hippodamas Gaftron - Megaclidas = Harmoftes - Thibron - Demaratus - Erippidas - Ifcholaus - Mnafippidas - Antalcidas - Agefipolis - Sthenippus - Callicratidas - Magas - Cleonymus - Clearchus Tyran. Ariftomenes + Cineas - Hegetorides - Dinias . Nicon - Diatas - Tefamenus - Onomarchus = Stat. Peges 76 77 78 78 79 79 80 80 80 81 82 Re RON NR RR Re eS « BOOKCONTENTS Xxxi BOOK UW. Names. Strat, Page. Eumenes - 5 168 Names, Strat, Pages | Seleucus - 6 170 Demofthenes 2 95 | Perdiccas - 2 172 Paches - 1 - 96 | Caflander - 4 173 Tolmides - 1 97 | Lyfimachus - 3. 175 Phormio - 3 97 | Craterus - 1 176 Clifthenes I 98 | Polyfperchon - r 176 Phrynicus I 99 | Antiochus Seleuc. 1 177 Lachares 3 100 | Antiochus Antioch, 1 177 Archinus 1 zoo | Antiochus Hierax Ir 178 Iphicrates 63 101 | Philippus Demetr. 2 179 Timotheus 17-119 | Ptolemaus I 180 Chabrias 15 125 | Attalus x 180 Phocion, x 329 | Perfeus - 1 181 Chares 3 130 Charidemus = = 1431 Demetrius Phal. 1 131 BOOK V. Philocles - or 132 Phalaris 2 4 183 Dionyfius - 22 185 BOOK Iv. Agathocles - 8 194 Hipparinus - 1 197 Argeus - 1 333 | Theocles - 2 198 Philippus - 22 134 | Hippocrates - 1 199 Alexander ~ 32 139 | Daphneus =~ I 200 Antipater“ = 3153 | Leptines - 2 200 Parmenio - x 154 | Annon - I 201 Antigonus > 20 154 | Imilcon - 5 201 Demetrius - 12 164 | Gefcon - 1 203 . Timoleonxxali CONTENTS, Timolcon - Aritton - Thrafymede - Megacls = - Pammenes - Heraclides - Agathoftratus = - Lycus - Menecrates - Athenodorus - Diotimus - Tynnichus Clitarchus - Timarchus - Eudocimus - Paufiftratus - Theognis - Diocks — - Chilius - Cypzelus - Telefinicus - Pompifcus Cres. - Nicon - Nearchus Cres. - Dorotheus - Sofiftratus - Diognetus - - Archebius - Ariftocrates - Strat. Page. 3 204 2 205 2 2e6 I 207 5 208 2 210 roo ant 1 212 rT 212 E213 4 233 roars I 21g Tr 216 1 216 I 217 2 217 1 218 I 218 t 2I9 2 219 6 220 I 221 I 222 1 223 To 223 1 224 To 224 1 225 Na Arittomachus - Charimenes Calliades - Memnon Philodemus - Democles - Panztius - *Pyrechmes *Satyrus BOOK Jeon Alexander Phereeus Athenocles Philopemen - Aratus Pyrrhus = - Apollodorus + Aigyptus = Leucon, Alexander Phrur. Ariftides Eleates Alexander Lyfimach. Amphiéyones Samnites Campanians - Carthaginians De ee eR Rw Hee Strat, Page, 225 226 226 226 229 229 230 om < ow 232 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 243 243 244 244 245 245 245 Ambra-CONTENTS Xxxili Names. Strat. Page. | Names. Strat, Pages Ambraciota ~- 1 248 | Alexander Theff. 1 255 Phocenfians - 2° 249 | Thrafybulus ~ 1 ass Plateeans - 3 249 | Mentor - r 256 Coreyreans - 1 2gt | Anaxagoras - or 256 geftaans - 1 251 | Pindarus - q 257 Locrians - 252 | Theron - 1 257 Corinthians - 1 252 | Sifyphus - 1 258 Lampfacenians - 1 253 | Agnon - - © 258 Chalcedonians - 1 253 | Amphiretus - 1 260 *£tolians - 1 *Lacedemonians 3 ¥Meffenians - 3 BOOK VIL “Iberians =~ 1 *Heracleote = 1 Diocles —- t 26r *Argives - 1 Alyattes - 2 262 *Chians - 2 Pfammetichus - 1 263 *Ambraciote - = 2 Amafis - 1 263 *Buchetians - 1 Midas - 1 264 *Samians - ot Cyrus - 1o 264 *Eleans ~ I Harpagus > 1 269 *Parians - 1 Crefus = 2 268 *Annibas - 1 Cambyfes - 4 268 *Theffalians 2 1 Ocbares - 1 269 *Mafiniffla - 1 Darius - 8 20 *Amilcar - 4 Zopirus - I 273 *Afarubas - 2 Artaxerxes - ob 27g *Nafamon tot Orontes - 5S 274 *Hiercus = 1 Xerxes = 3 276 Solyfon. 2 X 254 | Artaxerxes = 2 277xxxiv Nanes. Ochus Tifaphemes Pharnabazus Glos Datames Cofingas Manfolus Borges Dromichates Ariobarzanes ~ Autophradates Arfabes Mithridates Mempfis Cerfobleptes Seuthes Artabazus Aryandes Brennus Mygdonius Parifades Seuthes Cheiles Borzus Surenas Celts. ‘Thracians Scythians Perfians CONTENTS, # woos Bee eee SHH OD DOR Hw mn . Page, 278 279 280 280 281 284 285 286 286 287 287 288 289 291 291 292 292 293 293 294 295 295 296 296 297 298 299 299 300 Nanes, Taurians - Pallenians - Salmatians - Tyrrhenians - Celtic Women, BOOK VII. Amulius - Numitor - Romulus Numa Tullus - Tarquinius - Camillus - Matius - Sylla + Marius - Marcellus - Atilius |e Caius = - Fabius - Scipio ~ - Porcius - Faunus - Titus - Caius - Pinarius : Strat, 1 r I 1 1 HH OR HN DE DH Page. gor jor 302 302 393 305 306 306 307 308 3°09 399 3ir 312, 312 313 314 315 315 317 320 320 321 321 322 SertoriusCONTENTS Nantes. Strat. Sertorius - - Ceefar - Auguftus - Romans + Semiramis - Rhodogune =~ we Me HN Tomyris - Nitetis —- Philotis - Cleelia - Porcia - Telefilla - Chilonis = Pieria - Polycrete —~ Phocwans - Aretaphila ~ Camma - Timoclea Eryxo - Pythopolis - Chryfame + Polyclea - Leana - Themifto - Page. 322 323 332 333 334 335 336 336 337 337 338 339 339 340 340 34t 342 342 343 344. 345 346 347 348 348 Names, Pheretima = Axiothea Archidamis ~ Panariftes Theano . Deidameia Artemifia + Tania Tirgatao - Amage Arfinoe - Cratefipolis Hiereiai - Cynnane Pyfta - Epicharis Milefians . Melians - Phocians . Chians - Thafians - Argives : Acarnanians Cyrenenfians - Laceenians Strat, OM XXXV Page. 349 350 35t 35t 352 353 353 355 355 357 355 358 359 359 360 360 361 361 362 363 363 364. 364, 365 365 EP OF thofe, whofe names have alteritks prefixed to them, the ftratagems are loft,ERRATA, AT the time the preceding fheets.were printing, the author being at a diftance from the pref, the reader's candour is befpoken to the following errors. Page. Line. 1 15 Fer pollibly be of fervice—read, be of poltible ferviee, 23 13. Far imperiatorial—recd, imperstorial. 23 15 Fer-which, aftereread, which after. 26 10 Far portesresd, pott. At 28) Fer eventuallh—rezd, ultimately, St Fer fratagems, read, ftratagems 1, sz 6 Fer Bilander—read, Pifand 38 2 Fer fuperiourity-eread, fuperiorty. 882 Fer whenerecd, but 94 1 Fer Antonius—read, Antoninus. 105 4 Fer Iphicrates, during—read, Iphicrates during. 106 x Fer fuperiourity—read, fuperiority, 1% 8 Ferlet—read, lefts 317 = 28 Fer Poansercad, purser. 334 19. Fer tothebefieged a fag of truce—read, a fag oftruce to the befieged, 337 | 24 Fer however—read, yet, 3186 © 26 Fer asfoon as—read, when, 202 1g Fer in that—read, in the other, 202 29 Far the other—aread, a different. 20311 Fer reftridtion—read, aftridtion. 232 2 Ferhis defign—read, it, 234 20. Fer fite—read, torch, 24314 Fer inferiour—recd, {uperiour. 270 13. Fir Peersweread, Satraps. 30219 Fer auniliares—raaé, auxiliaries. 308 5 Fer rode full {peed up—read, rode up full fpeed. 317-2 (ofthe note) Fer chapters—read, ftratagems, 317 2 (of the note) For Mafaviciuy—read, Maafvicius, HO 6 Fer Pithu-read, Pithus, 341 oat Fer Bebraciansmread, Bebrycians, 3815 Fo form—read, from,POLYANUS’S STRATAGEMS OF WAR. PREFATORY ADDRESS TO THE EMPERORS ANTONINUS and VERUS. Tue expedition, your facred majefties, Antoninus and Verus, have undertaken againft Perfia and the Parthians, the gods, your own virtue, and the Roman bravery, that have ever hitherto crowned your arms with conqueft, will now alfo attend with fuccefs. I, who am by birth a Macedonian, and have therefore as it were a national right to victory over the Perfians, have determined not to be entirely ufelefs to you at the prefent crifis: and were my conftitution robuft and hale as it has been, you fhould not want in me convincing proofs of a Macedonian fpirit, Nor, advanced as I am in years, can I bear to be left behind without fome efforts of fervice. Accept, therefore, illuftrious chiefs, in a collection of ftratagems employed by the moft diftinguithed generals, this brief fubfidiary of military fcience; which, by exhibiting as in a pi€ture the fortitude and experience of former comtnanders, their conduét and operations, and the various fuccefs that attended them, may in fome inftances poflibly be of fervice to A yourfelves,2 PREFATORY ADDRESS, yourfelves, your lieutenants, colonels, captains, or whomfoever you may think proper to invett with military command. Fortirspe conquers by dint of fword; while fuperiour con- duét by art and ftratagem prevails: and the greateft reach of generalfhip is difplayed in thofe victories that are obtained with the leaft danger.* In the heat of conflict to hit upon an expedient that fhall decide the conteft in your favour, without waiting the iflue of a regular battle, is the moft infallible criterion of military capacity: and this I have always conceived to be a favourite fentiment of Homer— for what, elf can he mean by thofe frequent expreffions, “ either by artifice or valour ;” but that we fhould firft employ ftratagems and device againft the enemy ; and if thefe fail, that valour and the ftrongeft arm muft carry it. Tr we admit his authority, Sifyphus, the fon of Lolus, was the firft of the Greeks who employed ftratagems in war. © With happy fill in war's devices bleft, “ Thofe realms Holian Sifyphus poffefs'd.” Tue fecond, famed for thofe devices, according to the fame au- thority, was Autolycus, the fon of Mercury — « Whofe royal brows the victor’s laurels grace, “ The gallant father of a valiant race: “ His ftratagems in war and peace proclaim “ The warrior’s wifdom, and the monarch’s fame.” * Similar is the obfervation of Vegetius: = Able generals,” fays he, «are always attentive to flratagems: becaufe in open aétions the rift is on each fide equal; but the faccefs of a fratagem throws the lols entirely on the enemy.” Vecsr. b. 3, 6.9 Nor