dy they set eyes on, regarding that as their peculiar
function. You will have to see, however, in retiring that your line of
retreat is not right into the jaws of the enemy's reliefs hastening to
the scene of action.

(13) Or, "having first studied." Cf. "Mem." III. vi. 10.

VIII

It stands to reason, however, that in order to be able to inflict real
damage upon a greatly superior force, the weaker combatant must
possess such a moral superiority over the other as shall enable him to
appear in the position of an expert, trained in all the feats of
cavalry performance in the field, and leave his enemy to play the part
of raw recruits or amateurs. (1)

(1) Cf. "Cyrop." I. v. 11; "Mem." III. vii. 7.

And this end may be secured primarily on this wise: those who are to
form your guerilla bands (2) must be so hardened and inured to the
saddle that they are capable of undergoing all the toils of a
campaign. (3) That a squadron (and I speak of horse and man alike)
should enter these lists in careless, disorderly fashion suggests the
idea of a troop of women stepping into the arena to cope with male
antagonists.

(2) Or, add, "for buccaneers and free-lances you must be."

(3) Lit. "every toil a soldier can encounter."

But reverse the picture. Suppose men and horses to have been taught
and trained to leap trenches and scale dykes, to spring up banks, and
plunge from heights without scathe, to gallop headlong at full speed
adown a steep: they will tower over unpractised opponents as the birds
of the air tower over creatures that crawl and walk. (4) Their feet are
case-hardened by constant training, and, when it comes to tramping
over rough ground, must differ from the uninitiated as the sound man
from the lame. And so again, when it comes to charging and retiring,
the onward-dashing gallop, the well-skilled, timely retreat, expert
knowledge of the ground and scenery will assert superiority over
inexpertness like that of eyesight over blindness.

(4) See "Horse." viii. 6; cf. "Hunting," xii. 2; "Cyrop." I. vi. 28
foll.

Nor should it be forgotten, that in order to be in thorough efficiency
the horses must not only be well fed and in good condition, but at the
same time so seasoned by toil that they will go through their work
without the risk of becoming broken-winded. And lastly, as bits and
saddle-cloths (to be efficient) (5) need to be attached by straps, a
cavalry general should never be without a go