§8.1τοὺς μέντοι μέλλοντας δυνήσεσθαι ἀσφαλῶς τὸ πολὺ κρεῖττον στράτευμα κακουργεῖν σαφῶς δεῖ τοσοῦτον διαφέρειν ὥστε αὐτοὺς μὲν ἀσκητὰς φαίνεσθαι τῶν πολεμικῶν ἐν ἱππικῇ ἔργων, τοὺς δὲ πολεμίους ἰδιώτας.
However, those who are to be able to damage securely an army that is far stronger must clearly excel to such a degree that they themselves appear to be experts in the works of war on horseback, and the enemy to be amateurs.
§8.2τοῦτο δʼ ἂν εἴη πρῶτον μὲν εἰ οἱ λῄζεσθαι μέλλοντες ἐκπεπονημένοι εἶεν τῇ ἐλάσει, ὥστε δύνασθαι στρατιωτικοὺς πόνους ὑποφέρειν· οἱ γὰρ πρὸς ταῦτα ἀμελῶς ἔχοντες καὶ ἵπποι καὶ ἄνδρες εἰκότως ἂν ὥσπερ γυναῖκες πρὸς ἄνδρας ἀγωνίζοιντο.
And this would be possible, first of all, if those who are to commit raids should be thoroughly trained in riding, so as to be able to endure military labors; for both horses and men who are negligent toward these things would naturally contend like women against men.
§8.3οἱ δέ γε δεδιδαγμένοι τε καὶ εἰθισμένοι τάφρους διαπηδᾶν καὶ τειχία ὑπεραίρειν καὶ ἐπʼ ὄχθους ἀνάλλεσθαι καὶ ἀφʼ ὑψηλῶν ἀσφαλῶς κατιέναι καὶ τὰ κατάντη ταχὺ ἐλαύνεσθαι, οὗτοι δʼ αὖ τοσοῦτον διαφέροιεν ἂν τῶν ἀμελετήτων ταῦτα ὅσονπερ πτηνοὶ πεζῶν· οἱ δέ γε αὖ τοὺς πόδας ἐκπεπονημένοι τῶν ἀτριβῶν πρὸς τραχέα ὅσονπερ ὑγιεῖς χωλῶν· καὶ οἵ γε τῶν τόπων ἔμπειροι πρὸς τοὺς ἀπείρους τοσοῦτον ἐν ταῖς προελάσεσι καὶ ἀποχωρήσεσι διαφέροιεν ἂν ὅσονπερ οἱ ὁρῶντες τῶν τυφλῶν.
On the other hand, those who have been taught and accustomed to leap across ditches, scale walls, spring up onto embankments, descend safely from heights, and ride rapidly down steep slopes, these in turn would excel those untrained in these things as much as winged creatures excel those on foot; and those who have their feet thoroughly hardened would excel the unpracticed on rough ground as much as healthy people excel the lame; and those who are experienced in the terrain would excel the inexperienced in advances and retreats as much as those who see excel the blind.
§8.4καὶ τοῦτο δὲ χρὴ εἰδέναι, ὅτι εὐωχούμενοι μὲν οἱ ἵπποι, ἐκπεπονημένοι δὲ ὥστε μὴ ἀποπνίγεσθαι ἐν τοῖς πόνοις, εὖ παρεσκευασμένοι εἰσί.
And this also must be known, that horses well-fed, and so trained as not to lose wind in labors, are well prepared.
χρὴ δέ, ἐπείπερ χαλινοὶ καὶ ἐφίππια ἐξ ἱμάντων ἠρτημένα ἐστί, μήποτε τὸν ἵππαρχον τούτων ἔρημον εἶναι· μικρᾷ γὰρ δαπάνῃ τοὺς ἀποροῦντας χρησίμους ἂν παρέχοιτο.
And since bits and saddle-cloths are suspended by straps, the cavalry commander must never be destitute of these; for at a small expense he could render those who are in want useful.
§8.5εἰ δέ τις νομίζοι πολλὰ ἔχειν ἂν πράγματα, εἰ οὕτω δεήσει ἀσκεῖν τὴν ἱππικήν, ἐνθυμηθήτω ὅτι οἱ εἰς τοὺς γυμνικοὺς ἀγῶνας ἀσκοῦντες πολὺ πλείω πράγματα καὶ χαλεπώτερα ἔχουσιν ἢ οἱ τὴν ἱππικὴν τὰ μάλιστα μελετῶντες.
And if anyone should think that he would have many troubles if it is necessary to practice horsemanship in this way, let him reflect that those who train for athletic contests have far more and harder troubles than those who practice horsemanship to the utmost.
§8.6καὶ γὰρ τῶν μὲν γυμνικῶν ἀσκημάτων τὰ πολλὰ σὺν ἱδρῶτι ἐκπονοῦνται, τῆς δὲ ἱππικῆς τὰ πλεῖστα μεθʼ ἡδονῆς.
For most of the athletic exercises are labored through with sweat, but most of horsemanship with pleasure.
ὅπερ γὰρ εὔξαιτʼ ἄν τις πτηνὸς γενέσθαι, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅ τι μᾶλλον τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἔργων ἔοικεν αὐτῷ.
Indeed, for that which one would pray to become, namely winged, there is nothing among human activities that resembles it more.
§8.7καὶ μὴν τό γʼ ἐν πολέμῳ νικᾶν πολλῷ ἐνδοξότερον ἢ πυγμῇ· μετέχει μὲν γάρ τι καὶ ἡ πόλις ταύτης τῆς δόξης· ὡς δὲ τὰ πολλὰ ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ πολέμου νίκῃ καὶ εὐδαιμονίᾳ οἱ θεοὶ τὰς πόλεις στεφανοῦσιν, ὥστʼ οὐκ οἶδʼ ἔγωγε τί προσήκει ἄλλʼ ἄττα μᾶλλον ἀσκεῖσθαι ἢ τὰ πολεμικά.
Furthermore, to conquer in war is far more glorious than in boxing; for the city also shares in some of this glory; and as a rule, the gods crown cities for victory and prosperity in war, so that I for my part do not know what other things it is more proper to practice than military matters.
§8.8ἐννοεῖν δὲ χρὴ ὅτι καὶ οἱ κατὰ θάλατταν λῃσταὶ διὰ τὸ πονεῖν ἠσκηκέναι δύνανται ζῆν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πολὺ κρειττόνων.
And one must reflect that even pirates at sea, because they have trained to labor, are able to live even off those who are far stronger.
προσήκει γε μὴν καὶ κατὰ γῆν οὐ τοῖς καρπουμένοις τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἀλλὰ τοῖς στερισκομένοις τῆς τροφῆς λῄζεσθαι· ἢ γὰρ ἐργαστέον ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰργασμένων θρεπτέον· ἄλλως δʼ οὐ ῥᾴδιον οὔτε βιοτεύειν οὔτε εἰρήνης τυχεῖν.
However, on land also, it is proper to raid not for those who enjoy the fruits of their own property, but for those who are deprived of sustenance; for one must either work or be supported from what has been worked upon; otherwise it is not easy either to live or to obtain peace.
§8.9μεμνῆσθαι δὲ κἀκεῖνο χρή, μήποτε ἐπὶ τοὺς κρείττους ἐλαύνειν ὄπισθεν ἵπποις δύσβατα ποιούμενον· οὐ γὰρ ὅμοιον φεύγοντι καὶ διώκοντι σφαλῆναι.
And one must also remember this, never to advance against stronger forces making difficult ground for horses behind oneself; for it is not the same to stumble when fleeing as when pursuing.
§8.10ἔτι δὲ βούλομαι ὑπομνῆσαι καὶ τόδε φυλάττεσθαι.
And further I wish to remind you to guard against this.
εἰσὶ γάρ τινες οἵ, ὅταν μὲν ἴωσιν ἐπὶ τούτους ὧν ἂν οἴωνται κρείττους εἶναι, παντάπασιν ἀσθενεῖ δυνάμει ἔρχονται, ὥστε πολλάκις ἔπαθον ἃ ᾤοντο ποιήσειν· ὅταν δʼ ἐπὶ τούτους ὧν ἂν σαφῶς ἐπίστωνται ἥττους ὄντες, πᾶσαν ὅσην ἂν ἔχωσι δύναμιν ἄγουσιν.
For there are some who, when they go against those whom they think they are superior to, come with an altogether weak force, so that they often suffered what they thought they would inflict; but when they go against those whom they clearly know they are inferior to, they lead all the force they have.
§8.11ἐγὼ δέ φημι χρῆναι τἀναντία τούτων ποιεῖν· ὅταν μὲν κρατήσειν οἰόμενος ἄγῃ, μὴ φείδεσθαι τῆς δυνάμεως ὅσην ἂν ἔχῃ· τὸ γὰρ πολὺ νικᾶν οὐδενὶ πώποτε μεταμέλειαν παρέσχεν·
But I say that one ought to do the contrary of these things; when one leads, thinking to conquer, one must not spare any of the force one has; for conquering by a large margin has never brought regret to anyone.
§8.12ὅταν δὲ τοῖς πολὺ κρείττοσιν ἐπιχειρῇ καὶ προγιγνώσκῃ ὅτι ποιήσαντα ὅ τι ἂν δύνηται φευκτέον ἐστίν, εἰς τὰ τοιαῦτά φημι πολὺ κρεῖττον εἶναι ὀλίγους ἢ πάντας προσάγειν, τοὺς μέντοι ἀπειλεγμένους καὶ ἵππους καὶ ἄνδρας τοὺς κρατίστους.
On the other hand, when one attacks those who are far stronger, and foreknows that after having done what one can one must flee, in such cases I say it is far better to lead a few rather than all, but those selected, both horses and men, the strongest.
τοιοῦτοι γὰρ ὄντες καὶ ποιῆσαι ἄν τι καὶ ἀποχωρῆσαι ἀσφαλέστερον ἂν δύναιντο.
For being such, they would be able both to achieve something and to withdraw more safely.