st zeal for assisting one another, may be
the nearest and readiest to do it; and it is matter of great reproach if
husband or wife survive one another, or if a child survives his parents,
and therefore when they come to be engaged in action they continue to
fight to the last man, if their enemies stand before them. And as they
use all prudent methods to avoid the endangering their own men, and if
it is possible let all the action and danger fall upon the troops that
they hire, so if it becomes necessary for themselves to engage, they
then charge with as much courage as they avoided it before with
prudence: nor is it a fierce charge at first, but it increases by
degrees; and as they continue in action, they grow more obstinate and
press harder upon the enemy, insomuch that they will much sooner die
than give ground; for the certainty that their children will be well
looked after when they are dead, frees them from all that anxiety
concerning them which often masters men of great courage; and thus they
are animated by a noble and invincible resolution. Their skill in
military affairs increases their courage; and the wise sentiments which,
according to the laws of their country are instilled into them in their
education, give additional vigour to their minds: for as they do not
undervalue life so as prodigally to throw it away, they are not so
indecently fond of it as to preserve it by base and unbecoming methods.
In the greatest heat of action, the bravest of their youth, who have
devoted themselves to that service, single out the general of their
enemies, set on him either openly or by ambuscade, pursue him
everywhere, and when spent and wearied out, are relieved by others, who
never give over the pursuit; either attacking him with close weapons
when they can get near him, or with those which wound at a distance,
when others get in between them; so that unless he secures himself by
flight, they seldom fail at last to kill or to take him prisoner. When
they have obtained a victory, they kill as few as possible, and are much
more bent on taking many prisoners than on killing those that fly before
them; nor do they ever let their men so loose in the pursuit of their
enemies, as not to retain an entire body still in order; so that if they
have been forced to engage the last of their battalions before they
could gain the day, they will rather let their enemies all escape than
pursue them, when their own army is in disorder; rem