cyropaedia-第12章

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you　might　injure　your　friends；　either　then　or　now；　but　that　in　war　you
might　have　the　skill　to　make　the　bodies　of　living　men　your　targets。　So
also　we　taught　you　the　arts　of　deceit　and　craft　and　greed　and
covetousness；　not　among　men　it　is　true；　but　among　beasts；　we　did　not
mean　you　ever　to　turn　these　accomplishments　against　your　friends；　but
in　war　we　wished　you　to　be　something　better　than　raw　recruits。〃

＇30＇　〃But；　father；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃if　to　do　men　good　and　to　do　men
harm　were　both　of　them　things　we　ought　to　learn；　surely　it　would　have
been　better　to　teach　them　in　actual　practice？〃

＇31＇　Then　the　father　said；　〃My　son；　we　are　told　that　in　the　days　of
our　forefathers　there　was　such　a　teacher　once。　This　man　did　actually
teach　his　boys　righteousness　in　the　way　you　suggest；　to　lie　and　not　to
lie；　to　cheat　and　not　to　cheat；　to　calumniate　and　not　to　calumniate；
to　be　grasping　and　not　grasping。　He　drew　the　distinction　between　our
duty　to　friends　and　our　duty　to　enemies；　and　he　went　further　still；　he
taught　men　that　it　was　just　and　right　to　deceive　even　a　friend　for　his
own　good；　or　steal　his　property。　＇32＇　And　with　this　he　must　needs
teach　his　pupils　to　practise　on　one　another　what　he　taught　them；　just
as　the　people　of　Hellas；　we　are　told；　teach　lads　in　the　wrestling…
school　to　fence　and　to　feint；　and　train　them　by　their　practice　with
one　another。　Now　some　of　his　scholars　showed　such　excellent　aptitudes
for　deception　and　overreaching；　and　perhaps　no　lack　of　taste　for
common　money…making；　that　they　did　not　even　spare　their　friends；　but
used　their　arts　on　them。　＇33＇　And　so　an　unwritten　law　was　framed　by
which　we　still　abide；　bidding　us　teach　our　children　as　we　teach　our
servants；　simply　and　solely　not　to　lie；　and　not　to　cheat；　and　not　to
covert；　and　if　they　did　otherwise　to　punish　them；　hoping　to　make　them
humane　and　law…abiding　citizens。　＇34＇　But　when　they　came　to　manhood；
as　you　have　come；　then；　it　seemed；　the　risk　was　over；　and　it　would　be
time　to　teach　them　what　is　lawful　against　our　enemies。　For　at　your　age
we　do　not　believe　you　will　break　out　into　savagery　against　your
fellows　with　whom　you　have　been　knit　together　since　childhood　in　ties
of　friendship　and　respect。　In　the　same　way　we　do　not　talk　to　the　young
about　the　mysteries　of　love；　for　if　lightness　were　added　to　desire；
their　passion　might　sweep　them　beyond　all　bounds。〃

＇35＇　〃Then　in　heaven's　name；　father；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃remember　that　your
son　is　but　a　backward　scholar　and　a　late　learner　in　this　lore　of
selfishness；　and　teach　me　all　you　can　that　may　help　me　to　overreach
the　foe。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　father；　〃you　must　plot　and　you　must　plan；　whatever
the　size　of　his　force　and　your　own；　to　catch　his　men　in　disorder　when
yours　are　all　arrayed；　unarmed　when　yours　are　armed；　asleep　when　yours
are　awake；　or　you　must　wait　till　he　is　visible　to　you　and　you
invisible　to　him；　or　till　he　is　labouring　over　heavy　ground　and　you
are　in　your　fortress　and　can　give　him　welcome　there。〃

＇36＇　〃But　how；〃　asked　Cyrus；　〃can　I　catch　him　in　all　these　blunders？〃

〃Simply　because　both　you　and　he　are　bound　to　be　often　in　some　such
case；　both　of　you　must　take　your　meals　sometime；　both　of　you　must
sleep；　your　men　must　scatter　in　the　morning　to　satisfy　the　needs　of
nature；　and；　for　better　for　worse；　whatever　the　roads　are　like；　you
will　be　forced　to　make　use　of　them。　All　these　necessities　you　must　lay
to　heart；　and　wherever　you　are　weaker；　there　you　must　be　most　on　your
guard；　and　wherever　your　foe　is　most　assailable；　there　you　must　press
the　attack。〃

＇37＇　Then　Cyrus　asked；　〃And　are　these　the　only　cases　where　one　can
apply　the　great　principle　of　greed；　or　are　there　others？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　there　are　many　more；　indeed　in　these　simple　cases　any
general　will　be　sure　to　keep　good　watch；　knowing　how　necessary　it　is。
But　your　true　cheat　and　prince　of　swindlers　is　he　who　can　lure　the
enemy　on　and　throw　him　off　his　guard；　suffer　himself　to　be　pursued　and
get　the　pursuers　into　disorder；　lead　the　foe　into　difficult　ground　and
then　attack　him　there。　＇38＇　Indeed；　as　an　ardent　student；　you　must　not
confine　yourself　to　the　lessons　you　have　learnt；　you　must　show
yourself　a　creator　and　discoverer；　you　must　invent　stratagems　against
the　foe；　just　as　a　real　musician　is　not　content　with　the　mere　elements
of　his　art；　but　sets　himself　to　compose　new　themes。　And　if　in　music　it
is　the　novel　melody；　the　flower…like　freshness；　that　wins　popularity；
still　more　in　military　matters　it　is　the　newest　contrivance　that
stands　the　highest；　for　the　simple　reason　that　such　will　give　you　the
best　chance　of　outwitting　your　opponent。　＇39＇　And　yet；　my　son；　I　must
say　that　if　you　did　no　more　than　apply　against　human　beings　the
devices　you　learnt　to　use　against　the　smallest　game；　you　would　have
made　considerable　progress　in　this　art　of　overreaching。　Do　you　not
think　so　yourself？　Why；　to　snare　birds　you　would　get　up　by　night　in
the　depth　of　winter　and　tramp　off　in　the　cold；　your　nets　were　laid
before　the　creatures　were　astir；　and　your　tracks　completely　covered
and　you　actually　had　birds　of　your　own；　trained　to　serve　you　and　decoy
their　kith　and　kin；　while　you　yourself　lay　in　some　hiding…place；
seeing　yet　unseen；　and　you　had　learnt　by　long　practice　to　jerk　in　the
net　before　the　birds　could　fly　away。　＇40＇　Or　you　might　be　out　after
hares；　and　for　a　hare　you　had　two　breeds　of　dogs；　one　to　track　her　out
by　scent；　because　she　feeds　in　the　dusk　and　takes　to　her　form　by　day；
and　another　to　cut　off　her　escape　and　run　her　down；　because　she　is　so
swift。　And　even　if　she　escaped　these；　she　did　not　escape　you；　you　had
all　her　runs　by　heart　and　knew　all　her　hiding…places；　and　there　you
would　spread　your　nets；　so　that　they　were　scarcely　to　be　seen；　and　the
very　haste　of　her　flight　would　fling　her　into　the　snare。　And　to　make
sure　of　her　you　had　men　placed　on　the　spot　to　keep　a　look…out；　and
pounce　on　her　at　once。　And　there　were　you　at　her　heels；　shouting　and
scaring　her　out　of　her　wits；　so　that　she　was　caught　from　sheer　terror；
and　there　lay　your　men；　as　you　had　taught　them；　silent　and　motionless
in　their　ambuscade。　＇41＇　I　say；　therefore；　that　if　you　chose　to　act
like　this　against　human　beings；　you　would　soon　have　no　enemies　left　to
fight；　or　I　am　much　mistaken。　And　even　if；　as　well　may　be；　the
necessity　should　arise　for　you　to　do　battle　on　equal　terms　in　open
field；　even　so；　my　son；　there　will　still　be　power　in　those　arts　which
you　have　studied　so　long　and　which　teach　you　to　out…villain　villainy。
And　among　them　I　include　all　that　has　served　to　train　the　bodies　and
fire　the　courage　of　your　men；　all　that　has　made　them　adepts　in　every
craft　of　war。　One　thing　you　must　ever　bear　in　mind：　if　you　wish　your
men　to　follow　you；　remember　that　they　expect　you　to　plan　for　them。
＇42＇　Hence　you　must　never　know　a　careless　mood；　if　it　be　night；　you
must　consider　what　your　troops　shall　do　when　it　is　day；　if　day；　how
the　night　had　best　be　spent。　＇43＇　For　the　rest；　you　do　not　need　me　to
tell　you　now　how　you　should　draw　up　your　troops　or　conduct　your　march
by　day　or　night；　along　broad　roads　or　narrow　lanes；　over　hills　or
level　ground；　or　how　you　should　encamp　and　post　your　pickets；　or
advance　into　battle　or　retreat　before　the　foe；　or　march　past　a　hostile
city；　or　attack　a　fortress　or　retire　from　it；　or　cross　a　river　or　pass
through　a　defile；　or　guard　against　a　charge　of　cavalry　or　an　attack
from　lancers　or　archers；　or　what　you　should　do　if　the　enemy　comes　into
sight　when　you　are　marching　in　column　and　how　you　are　to　take　up
position　against　him；　or　how　deploy　into　action　if　you　are　in　line　and
he　takes　you　in　flank　or　rear；　and　how　you　are　to　learn　all　you　can
about　his　movements；　while　keeping　your　own　as　secret　as　may　be；　these
are　matters　on　which　you　need　no　further　word　of　mine；　all　that　I　know
about　them　you　have　heard　a　hundred　times；　and　I　am　sure　you　have　not
neglected　any　other　authority　on　whom　you　thought　you　could　rely。　You
know　all　their　theories；　and　you　must　apply　them　now；　I　take　it；
according　to　circumstances　and　your　need。　＇44＇　But；〃　he　added；　〃there
is　one　lesson　that　I　would　fain　impress　on　you；　and　it　is　the　greatest
of　them　all。　Observe　the　sa