ie by the
men of Mithridates, he made afore them with a swearde in his hande
criyng: if any aske you, where you left your capitaine, saie, we have
left hym in Boecia, where he faighteth. Attillius a consull set againste
that ran awaie, them that ranne not awaie, and made them to understande,
that if thei would not tourne, thei should be slaine of their frendes,
and of their enemies. Philip of Macedonia understanding how his men
feared the Scithian Souldiours, placed behinde his armie, certaine of
his moste trustie horsemen, and gave commission to theim, that thei
should kill whom so ever fledde: wherfore, his men mindyng rather to die
faightyng, then fliyng, overcame. Many Romaines, not so moche to staie a
flight, as for to give occasion to their men, to make greater force,
have whileste thei have foughte, taken an Ansigne out of their owne
mennes handes, and throwen it emongeste the enemies, and appoincted
rewardes to hym that could get it again. I doe not beleve that it is out
of purpose, to joyne to this reasonyng those thynges, whiche chaunce
after the faight, in especially beyng brief thinges, and not to be left
behinde, and to this reasonyng conformable inough. Therefore I saie, how
the fielde is loste, or els wonne: when it is wonne, the victorie ought
with all celeritie to be folowed, and in this case to imitate Cesar, and
not Aniball, whom staiyng after that he had discomfited the Romaines at
Canne, loste the Empire of Rome: The other never rested after the
victorie, but folowed the enemie beyng broken, with greater violence and
furie, then when he assalted hym whole: but when a capitaine dooeth
loese, he ought to see, if of the losse there maie growe any utilite
unto hym, inespecially if there remain any residue of tharmie. The
commoditie maie growe of the small advertisment of the enemie, whom
moste often times after the victorie, becometh negligent, and giveth
thee occasion to oppresse hym, as Marcius a Romaine oppressed the armie
of the Carthaginers, whom having slain the twoo Scipions, and broken
their armie, not estemyng thesame remnaunt of menne, whiche with Marcius
remained a live, were of hym assaulted and overthrowen: for that it is
seen, that there is no thing so moche to bee brought to passe, as
thesame, whiche the enemie thinketh, that thou canst not attempte:
bicause for the moste parte, men bee hurte moste, where thei doubt
leaste: therefore a capitain ought when he cannot doe this, to devise at
l