"
After him Xenophon said: "I am of opinion that if it be necessary to
fight, we ought to make our arrangements so as to fight with the
greatest advantage; but that if we propose to pass the mountains as
easily as possible, we ought to consider how we may incur the fewest
wounds and lose the fewest men. The range of hills, as far as we see,
extends more than sixty stadia in length; but the people nowhere seem to
be watching us except along the line of road; and it is, therefore,
better, I think, to endeavor to try to seize unobserved some part of the
unguarded range, and to get possession of it, if we can, beforehand,
than to attack a strong post and men prepared to resist us, for it is
far less difficult to march up a steep ascent without fighting than
along a level road with enemies on each side; and in the night, if men
are not obliged to fight, they can see better what is before them than
by day if engaged with enemies; while a rough road is easier to the feet
to those who are marching without molestation than a smooth one to those
who are pelted on the head with missiles.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193