The Cavalry General Quotes

“whatever you determine to be right, with diligence endeavour to perform.”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“Now, my maxim would be precisely converse: if you attack with a prospect of superiority, do not grudge employing all the power at your command; excess of victory (14) never yet caused any conqueror one pang of remorse.”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“Here, too, is a maxim to engrave upon the memory: in charging a superior force, never to leave a difficult tract of ground in the rear of your attack, since there is all the difference in the world between a stumble in flight and a stumble in pursuit.”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“But over and beyond all that can be written on the subject—inventiveness is a personal matter, beyond all formulas—the true general must be able to take in, deceive, decoy, delude his adversary at every turn, as the particular occasion demands. In fact, there is no instrument of war more cunning than chicanery;”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“he should have the craft to appear absent when close at hand, and within striking distance when a long way off;”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“your game is to attack on whichever flank you can best conceal your advance, or, still better, on both flanks simultaneously;”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General

“Again, if there is prospect of danger on the march, a prudent general can hardly show his wisdom better than by sending out advanced patrols in front of the ordinary exploring parties to reconnoitre every inch of ground”
― Xenophon, The Cavalry General