themselues of the weight of their Targets Where Diodore hath en ortho tò dorati menein to continue their Pikes vpright Polienus hath protinomenous ta dorata ortha holding before them their Pikes vpright But both haue pikes vpright and Diodorus his Continue hath relation to the Posture they were in which Chabrias would not haue them to alter Polienus his hold before to that they were commanded to doe In ordering of Pikes at this day I haue shewed that the Souldiers hold them vpright the but end set on the ground before and somewhat wide of their right foote Aemilius Probus reciting this historie peruerteth the Stratagem Hee saith that Chabrias forbad the Phalange to giue backe and taught his Souldiers to receiue the enemies charge kneeling with one knee the other set against the Target and with the Pike abased Wherein hee quite dissenteth from Diodore and Polien Diodore saith the command was to keepe their array Polienus not to runne forward but quietly to stand still Probus not to giue backe Probus saith they should kneele with one knee and rest against the Target with the other Diodore that they should hold their Targets sunke to their knees Polienus that they should carry their Targets before at their knees Probus that they should abase and charge their Pikes Diodore that they should continue and order them vpright Polien that they should hold their Pikes vpright So that Diodore and Polien agree and expound one another Aemilius Probus bringing in a new historie dissenteth as I said from the other two especially in making that to be a forme of fight prescribed by Chabrias a simple forme to receiue the charge vpon their knees which was a contempt to shew how little especially in that strength of ground he regarded Agesilaus which contempt also made Agesilaus retire not doubting but it proceeded from a great assurance of the enemy Therfore as I said I take these words ep ' orthon apodounai not only to appertaine to the aspect of the Souldier but also and that much rather to the erection and ordering of Pikes Of Countermarches and the diuers kindes thereof with the manner how they are to be made CHAP. XXVIII THere are two sorts of Countermarches one by file the other by ranke each of these againe is diuided into three kindes The first called the Macedonian The second the Lacedemonian The third the Choraean which is also the Persian and the Cretan 1 The Macedonian is that which leauing the ground it first had taketh in liew thereof the ground which was before the front of the Phalange and turneth the aspect of the Souldier backeward where before it was forward 2 The Lacedemonian is that which leauing likewise the ground it first had taketh in steed thereof the ground which was behinde the Reare of the Phalange and turneth also the face of the Souldier the contrary way 3 The Persian is the Cretan and Choraean This keepeth the same ground of the Phalange euery souldier taking another place for that he had the file-Leader the place of Bringer-vp and so the rest in order and turneth also the face of the Souldier the contrary way 4 Countermarches by ranke are made when a man would transferre the winges into the place of the Sections and the Sections into the place of the wings to the end to strengthen the middest of the battaile Likewise the right hand parts into the left hand parts and the left hand parts into the right hand parts They that feare to countermarch the Phalange in grosse the enemy being at hand doe it by Syntagmaes I will now set downe in what manner countermarches ought to be made The Macedonian countermarch by file is said to be when the file-leader turneth about his face and all the rest with the Bringer-vp go against him on the right or left hand and passing on to the ground before the front of the Phalange place themselues in order one after an other according as the file-Leader himselfe hath turned his face Therefore it maketh shew to the enemy appearing in the Reare of running away Or it is when the file-Leader turneth about his face and the rest passing by him on the right or left hand place themselues orderly one behinde another But the Lacedemonian is when the Bringer-vp turneth his face about and all the rest turning also their faces and proceeding forward together with their file-Leader order themselues proportionably in the ground which was behinde the Reare of the Phalange Wherefore to the enemy appearing behinde it makes a semblance of falling on Againe the Lacedemonian is when the file-Leader turning his face about to the Pike or Target transferreth the whole file to another place equall to the first and the rest following stand as before behinde him Or else when the Bringer-vp turneth his face about and hee that stood next before him passing by on the right or left hand is placed againe next before him and the rest following are placed one before another in their former order till the file-Leader be the first The Choraean is when the file-Leader turning about toward the Pike or Target precedeth the file and the rest follow till the file-Leader haue the place of the Bringer-vp and the Bringer-vp the place of the file-Leader And these are the Countermarches by file In the same manner are Countermarches made by ranke in case a man would countermarch by ranke For euery ranke Countermarching either keepeth the same ground or changeth the right hand place or else the left hand place of the battaile one of which must needes fall out and neuer faileth Notes THe two former motions are performed one in close Order the other in all Orders Epistrophe when the battaile is shut so close that as Aelian saith a man can turne his face neither the one way nor the other Clisis in open Order Order and close Order The two ◠following motions Countermarch and Doubling one is done in open Order the other for the most part in open order too and yet sometimes in Order and close order as we shall see in due place This Chapter handleth Countermarches the next Doublings Countermarch is a motion whereby euery souldier marching after other changeth his front for the reare or one flancke for the other For there are two kindes of Countermarches one by file and the other by ranke And each of these is againe diuided into three the first called the Macedonian the second the Lacedemonian the third the Choraean or Cretan A Countermarch by file is when euery souldier followeth his Leader of the same file By ranke when euery souldier followeth his sideman of the same ranke in the Countermarch 1 The Macedonian Countermarch In this Countermarch the purpose of the Commander is to turne the front of his battaile against the enemy that sheweth himselfe in the Reare and withall to take the ground that lyeth before the front of the Phalange It is called the Macedonian Countermarch saith Aelian because
Metabole For Metabole is the conuersion of euery mans face particularly to the place which was behinde his backe And the same that Metabole is in ech seuerall Souldier the same is Perispasmos or wheeling about in the whole battaile There are 4 two kinds of Metabole the one from the enemie the other to the enemie Metabole is defined to be a changing of euery mans face in particular from the front to the reare or contrariwise Turning about from the enemie is when the Souldier turneth his face twice towards the Pike To the enemy when hee turneth twice towards the Target Notes FOure kinde of Motions are set downe by Aelian whereby vpon any occasion the battaile may be somewhat changed Turning of faces countermarch wheeling and doubling whereof the first may be vsed in what order soeuer your battaile standeth the second onely in open order the third â—n close order only the fourth either in close or open order Clisis or turning of faces whereof this Chapter intreateth albeit it may bee brought in also in open Order Yet is it not don for the most part but in close order and then especially when none of the other motions haue place The Graecians alwaies coueted to bring their file Leaders that is their best men to fight In open Order they chose to countermarch In close Order hauing place to wheele their battaile about and so turne the face of it against the enemy If they could doe neither of these they came to the last remedy which was turning of faces of euery particular man in the battaile 1 Clisis or turning of faces This motion is of lesse paines then any other but of no lesse importance or necessitie In the rest the Phalange changeth the place or the forme In this it holdeth both and yet is ready for any attempt of the enemy Onely euery Souldier in particular turneth his countenance to the right or left hand as he is commanded To turne his face to the Pike is to turne to the right hand because that hand bore the pike to turne to the Target is to turne to the left hand because the Macedonians caried their targets on their left shoulder For the vse of this turning of Faces Aelian saith It hath place when the enemie sheweth himselfe in flanke 2 To incompasse our wings Clisis is no more then bearing faces to the right or left hand that is to our wings When then we finde our enemies to incompasse our right wing wee turne our faces and weapons that way to receiue him to the left when he commeth to charge vs on that side If on both sides then turne wee the faces of our Phalange halfe to the right halfe to the left hand which is the Antistomus Phalange whereof Aelian speaketh hereafter Briefely there is almost none of the marching Phalanges which are afterward discribed but it hath neede of this motion Besides if vpon any occasion the Phalange be to moue from any of the flanks you are only to command Turning of faces to that flanke and then to lead on I will giue an example or two Alexander at Arbela hauing imbattailed his armie to fight with Darius had intelligence that Darius had strowed the ground betwixt the two armies with Calthropes He commanded therefore the right wing which himselfe led to turne faces to the right hand and follow him to the end to go round about and auoide the places that were sowed with Calthropes Darius marching against him to the left hand disioyned his troupes of horse and Alexander taking the aduantage and giuing in quickly betwixt the spaces put Darius to flight If Alexander had marched on with the right front he had fallen vpon the Calthropes To auoide them be vsed the benefit of this motion and turning faces to the right hand he led on vntill hee had passed the danger and then turning againe to the first posture went to charge and defeated the enemie An other example is in Polybius who describing the battaile betwixt Machanidas the Lacedemonian Tyrant and Philopoemen the Achaean Generall telleth that Machanidas hauing in the left wing put the Achaean mercenaries to flight followed hard the chase Philopoemen as long as there was hope indeuoured by all meanes to stay his men when he saw them vtterly defeated hee hasted to the right wing and perceiuing the enemie busie in chase and the place voide where the fight had beene commanding the first Merarchies to turne their faces to the right hand hee led them on with high speede not yet breaking the order of their imbattailing And quickly seazing vpon the forsaken ground hee both cut betwixt them that gaue chase and home and withall got the aduantage of the vpper ground against the left wing of the armed Whereby hee obteined the victory If Philopoemen had in this action vsed wheeling of his battaile which onely was the other motion which would haue serued his turne besides the troublesomenesse of the winding about he should haue beene forced to haue vsed two wheelings and so failed of the câ—lerity which was at that time requisite Faces were turned in a trice and he made himselfe Master of the ground hee desired before hee could haue wheeled once his battaile 3 Two turnings of the Souldiers face Clisis or turning faces to the right or left hand consisteth of one turning and moueth no further then the side If the motion be to the reare it hath two turnings and is called Metabole which is defined to bee a changing of euery mans face in particular from the front to the reare or contrariwise And as wheeling of the whole body carieth about the fronts of the battaile to the reare So doth Metabole turne the face of euery particular Souldier and maketh him looke from the front to the reare The word properly signifieth a change which happeneth herein when the souldiers are changed from the front to the reare or contrariwise The vse of Metabole is principally to resist the enemy that giues on vpon the reare So Pyrrhus being entred the Citie Argos with a few and ouerpressed with multitude retired by little and little and defended himselfe often turning his and his souldiers faces against the enemy So the armie of Cyrus the elder retiring from the walles of Babylon often turned about their faces to the left hand and waited their enemie who were reported to be on foote and ready to come and charge them And if the enemy assault both the front and reare it hath beene the manner to continue halfe the souldiers in each file with their faces to the front and command the other halfe to turne their faces to the reare against the enemie behind And this forme is called Phalanx Amphistomos discribed by Aelian cap. 38. And sometimes it is vsed to speed our march and preuent the enemie as was said before of Clisis Agesilaus made an incursion into the Territory of the Thebans and finding a Trench and Ramper cast vp by the Thebanes for
particularly to the first aspect So that this is vsed after the making of an Anastrophe For alwaies in motions it is requisite that the Souldiers faces moue forward To moue backeward hath many inconueniences of stumblings vpon vneuen ground or stones or pittes or stubbes or such like Which is the cause that in Anastrophe after a Wheeling Aelian willeth that the Souldiers turne their faces the contrarie way first then moue on till they haue recouered their first ground then open rankes and files and lastly to restore to the first aspect And as it differeth from Anastrophe so differeth it likewise from Metabole Metabole only turned faces about this setteth the Souldier in his former posture not onely for his face but for his armes also which are ordered as at first The wordes wherein this motion is expressed by Aelian are Ep orthon apodounai and Eis orthon apocaâ—astesai which is interpreted by Gaza in arrectum reddere to restore vp right by Arcerius rectum reddere to restore right and so the words sound Aelian interpreteth it to set againe the Souldiers sight in the same aspect in which it stood at first as if being placed with his face against the enemy he be commanded to turne his face to the Pike and then againe to restore his face to his first posture he must returne and set his face against the enemy Aelian therefore referreth it to the sight he first had which if it bee the right meaning how can it be vpright or right more in that then in any other posture For the Souldier not onely in front but in flanke and in the reare carrieth himselfe vpright or right I doubt not but that it may be applied to the vpright standing of men as appeareth by sundry places of Pausanias Who reherseth that Mineruas Image set in the Temple Parthenion standeth vpright orthon esti and in an other place that in Corinth in the Temple Pantheon there were two Images of Mercurie standing vpright Ortha and that in the Temple of Fortune the image of Fortune was carued of Parian stone and stood vpright Orthon and that in Neptunes Temple situate in the Corinthian Isthmus the images of Amphitrite and Neptune stand in a Chariot and the boy Palemon vpright vpon a Dolphin Orthos In all which places Orthos designeth the site of men But here as I take it cannot be so applied Because in euery motion not onely in this the men stand vpright How then can they be restored to their standing vpright when they doe it already I take the originall of the appellation to come from another cause and that is from the ordering of the Pike For when the battaile is first set in the field euery Souldier standes with his Pike ordered that is vpright For to order a pike is to set the butt end on the ground before the Souldier somewhat wide of his right foote and to hold it vpright with the right hand borne euen with the shoulder But when you beginne or continue any motion the manner is to aduance or to shoulder the Pike and so to proceede But being commanded to returne to the first posture it must bee ordered againe So that the first posture of an armed man is to stand with his pike vpright And after many motions and windings he at last returneth to the same posture which I take the command of Ep'orthon apodounai to signifie Now that I may not seeme to relie vpon a probable coniecture alone I will bring witnesse for the confirmation of my opinion It is reported by Diodorus Siculus that Agesilaus the Lacedemonian King with an armie of eighteen thousand foote and fifteen hundred horse inuaded Boeotia The Athenians before hearing of Agesilaus comming had sent fiue thousand foote and 200 horse to aide the Thebans who gathering their armie together seized vpon a long narrow hill distant 20 furlongs from the City And making the hard accesse to the place a kinde of fortification against the enemie they there waited his comming fearing to hazard vpon euen ground in regard of the renowne and glory of Agesilaus Agesilaus hauing imbattailed his troupes led them against the Boeotians and approching neere sent his light armed to sound their disposition to fight which being easily repulsed by the Thebans by the aduantage of the higher ground hee aduanced the rest of his forces being imbattailed in such manner as might giue greatest terror Chabrias the Athenian willed his Souldiers to awaite the enemy contemptuously both keeping their first array and their Targets at their knees and continuing their Pikes vpright ordered who when they iointly as vpon a word giuen did as they were commanded Agesilaus both wondering at the good order and at the assured fashion of the enemy thought it not fit to striue with vnequall ground and by forcing them to fight to compell them to be valiant whether they would or no. Hitherto Diodor Sicul. of the Strategem of Chabrias against Agesilaus which consisted in the contempt of Agesilaus and all his forces First in not stirring one foote to meete the enemy then in keeping the array they held before further in sincking their Targets to their knees Lastly in continuing the former order of their Pikes that is not making readyto charge but remaining with their Pikes ordered as they were at first Agesilaus aduancing his armie thought to strike a feare into his enemie Chabrias trusting to the strength of the place scorned the Brouado of Agesilaus conceiuing he would not be so hardy to aduenture the fight vpon so great an inequallity of ground He therfore willeth the Cap 28 The Macedoman Countermache by file The reare The front of the first standing The Countermarche in action The file leaders with their faces about standing firme The bringers vp dismarching The front after Countermarche The ground taken before the front of the Phalange Cap 29 The Lacedemonian Countermarche The Countermarche in action The file-leaders aduancing in Countermarche The bringers vp standing firme w th their faces turned about The front after Countermarche The ground taken beyond the reareof the Phalange Cap 20 The Chorean Countermarche The Front in the first standing The Bringers vp moving The fileleaders dismarching The front after Countermarche Cap. 20. Countermarche by Ranke The Countermarche in action diers not to alter their posture but to continue as they were The words concerning the Pike are En ortho tò dorati menein That is to continue their pikes vpright En ortho Now whether the same be the posture that the Tacticks describe when they speake or restoring Ep ' ortho vpright I referre to the iudgement of the Reader a Poliaenus remembring this Stratagem vseth somewhat different words and yet consenteth in meaning Chabrias saith he commanded his Souldiers not to runne out against the enemy but quietly to stand still holding their pikes before vpright and their Targets before their knees which they were wont to doe when they would a little ease
three-fold gate or doore How the motions of wheeling double and treble wheeling of the battaile are to be made CHAP. XXXII IT followeth to shew how a battaile may be turned or wheeled and how after reduced to the first posture or Station Cap. 30. Plagiophalanx or the Brode-Fronted Phalange Orthiophalanx or the Herse Protaxis or forefronting The Front Lâ—â—halanx or the vneven fronted Phalange Cap. 31. Hypotaxis or double-winging Entaxis or insertion Protaxis or forefronting Cap. 32. The manner of wheeling The first posture Closing of files Closing of rankes forward The Front But in case we desire to wheele to the left hand we command the left-hand-file to stand still and all the rest to turne their faces to the left hand and mooue forward close vp to the left hand file Then to turne their faces as they were Then to gather vp the hinder rankes Then to wheele the battaile to the left hand and stand and so is it done that was commanded But if restitution to the first posture be needfull we must doe as we did in returning from the right For euery man must turne about his face to the Pike Then the whole battaile wheeling about the left-hand-corner-file-Leader must returne to the place it had Then all the file-Leaders stand firme and turne about their faces and the rest open their rankes in mouing forward and make Alte Then the left hand file is to stand firme for it hath the place it first had and the rest turning their faces to the right hand to open their files and moue forward till they haue recouered their first distances then to turne their faces as at first and so shall euery man be in his first posture Now if we would wheele the battaile about to the pike we are to make 2 wheelings to the same side so will it come to passe that the file-Leaders shall in the change haue their faces turned to the Reare where before they had them looking out from the front But in restoring to the first posture we command it to wheele about to the right hand That is we giue it two wheelings more the same way So the file-Leaders will haue their faces set as at first Then we command the file-Leaders to stand firme and the rest to open their rankes behind then to turne their faces about Then the right hand file to stand still for it hath the right place and the rest turning their faces to the right hand to march on till the former distances are regained then to make Alte. So is the battaile reduced to the first Station If you would haue the battaile turne about to the Target you are to giue contrarie directions That is in stead of commanding a double wheeling to the Pike to command a double wheeling to the Target Then by making two turnes the contrary way to vse the like changes we spake of before There is likewise a treble wheeling of the battaile when it turneth thrice to the same hand namely to the Pike or Target The double wheeling to the Pike transferreth the Souldiers face from the front to the backe of the battaile The treble wheeling to the Pike bringeth his face to the left flanke The treble wheeling to the Target contrariwise to the right flank Notes BEfore in the 26 Chapter Aelian discoursed of wheeling and the kindes thereof The manner how it is to be done is reserued for this place I neede not therefore remember any thing else besides the words of command The words of command in Epistrophe The vttermost file on the right or left hand stand firme The rest turne faces to the side purposed and march vp to the file standing firme Faces as you were Close your rankes forward Wheele the body to the hand appointed and when you haue your ground stand Returning to the first Posture or Anastrophe Faces to the right or left hand Wheele backe the body to the ground it first had File-Leaders stand firme the other rankes open to their first place Faces about to which hand you will The corner file to which the turning was stand firme the rest open to their first ground Faces as you were and order your Pikes Perispasmos or wheeling about In wheeling about the same wordes to close the files and rankes are to bee vsed which were vsed in Epistrophe there remaineth no more then to say Wheele about your body to the right or left hand Anastrophe or returning to the first Posture Returne to your first Posture The same forme is vsed that was held in the former returning vnto the first posture for opening rankes and files Ecperispasmos or treble wheeling In this motion the same course is held that was in the wheeling But only that you command a treble wheeling And the returning to the first Posture or Anastrophe is all one but for the same difference Of closing the battaile to the right or left hand or to the middest CHAP. XXXIII Cap â—â— Of Changes The front after closing Closing to the right hand in action Closing to the left hand Closing to the middell Closing to the right hand The Front before closing The Front of the 〈◊〉 before closing If the Phalange be to be closed in the middest the Diphalange on the right hand must turne their faces toward the Target and the Diphalange on the left hand their faces toward the Pike Then moue forward toward the middest of the Phalange Then after their true distance gained to set their faces as they were and to gather vp the Rankes behind When we would reduce the Phalange to the first posture wee command to turne faces about then to open the Rankes and all to moue on but the first Ranke then to turne their faces againe and the right Diphalange turning to the Pike and the left Diphalange to the Target to follow their Leaders till they haue recouered their first distances Then to set their faces as they were This rule is to be obserued in all turnings about of faces when they are made out of closings that the Pikes be aduanced least they hinder the Souldier in making his turning The light-armed are to be taught and exercised after the same manner Notes IN the 11 Chapter the distances that ought to bee betwixt souldier and souldier are particularly treated of This Chapter sheweth how they are to be gained that is how we are to proceede out of one distance into another And because the open order is it that is commonly begunne withall it is here taught how from thence to passe to the rest and to returne to it againe The end of closings is spoken of before In regard of place they are said to be of two kindes One to the wing right or left the other to the middest of the Phalange I cannot expresse the manner better then by setting downe the wordes of command or direction which are these in Closing to the right wing The right-wing-corner-file stand firme The rest turne faces to the Pike and moue according to
forces to his sonne Aleander that he needed no other Allies to ouerthrow the Soueraâ—gnety of Persia. After his death Alexander â—ooke his langdome and Armie and with it encountring and v inquishing Darius in two great Battailes runne thorough Asia like a flash of 〈◊〉 renâ—ing a pieces aâ— that resâ—ted or stood in his way and laid the foundation of that kingdome which albeit afterward diuided continued long in his Successors Neither was the experience of their invinciblenesse against the barbarous people onely but as much against the Graecians who â—ill Philips time were esteemed the chiefe masters of Armes in Europe This is cleare by the victories the Macedonians obteined against the renowned Cities of Greece both ioyntly and seuerally Philip ouerthrew the Phoceans albeit the Lacedemonians and Athenians ioyned with them The same Philip at Cheronaea defeated the power of the Thebans and Athenians ioyned together Alexander tooke and sacked the Citie of Thebes that about that time was accâ—unted the mighttest Citie of Greece His Lieutenant Antipater foyled the Lacedâ—nians 〈◊〉 battâ—ile â—nd steâ— their King Agis Antigonus Tutor of King Phiâ—p the sonne of Demetrius broke an Armie of the Lacedemonians and Peloponesi◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chased out of Greece Cleomenes the last brave King of Sparta 〈◊〉 they were not beaten in the field by any Nation but onely by the Romans And yet the iudgement of Polybius doth in this also proue it selfe good For where the Romans had these victories against the Macedonians he assigneth this to be the cause that the Phalange at the time of the fight had not the proper place nor meanes to vse it owne power in the encounter so long as the Phalange hath ground enough and can meete the enemy with a right front he holdeth it not possible to be foyled being diuided and in places vneven he is of opinion and experience hath taught it may easily be put in a route Plutarch compareth it for strength so long as it is one bodie and maintaineth the Synaspisme iointly to an invincible beast being disâ—euered he saith it looseth the force in the whole and in euery man particular both in regard of the manner of arming and also because the violence oâ— it consists rather in knitting of all parts together than in particular of any mans valour Three battailes to praetâ—rmit aiuers skirmâ—shes I finde the Romans 〈◊〉 with and thâ—em 〈◊〉 the Macedonians One against King Philip the sonne of Demeâ—us an 〈◊〉 against Antiochus the third against Perâ—eus the soâ—e of King Pâ—lip For I paâ— ouer those wherein they were beaten by Pyâ—hus 〈◊〉 worâ— Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phalange and not vsing the whole together but fighting against the Romans with the right winge onely yet had the better and wâ— too â—ard for that part of the Roman Army that ioyned with him but the other winâ— comming into the field fit rather for a march than a fight and not being able to order themselues Phalaâ—ge-wise were soone defeated and the Roman victorious fell vpon the râ—re oâ— the right winâ— where Philip was and had now gotten the victorie and so 〈◊〉 the field Antiochus vnskilfull in true ordering of a Phalange truste◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 horse than his Phalange and being to fight with L Scipio where hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giuen full scope anâ— extâ—nded the front of the Phalange by making it 16 deepe 〈◊〉 contrary-wise narrowed it 〈◊〉 out the depth into 32 whereby he lost the advantage of matching the â—ront of the Romans and after his horse were beaten gaue facilitie to the enemy of 〈◊〉 on it all sides Perseus ioyning â—attaile with Paulus Aemiâ—us 〈◊〉 long 〈◊〉 the Phalange continued in the right figure slew many of the Romans anâ— forced them to retire but following on too eagerly he came to vneuen and rough ground wherein the Phalange being disseuered left spaces and breaches for the Romans to enter and defeat it So long then as the Macedonian Phalange had fit ground and the right property of embattailing it stood fast against the Romans the greatest souldiers that euer were being in their hands that kâ—ew not how to vse it as a sword in the hands of a childe it yeelded to time and fortune The cause of the strength of the Phalange is assigned to be 2 The manner of embattailing Which consists principally in ordering of Target and pike in closing of the Targets by Synaspisme and in ioint charging of the pikes which lying out thicke from the front besides the horror of the sight giue almost an impossibilitie to enter the Phalange I haue alledged the iudgement of Aemilius concerning the sight presented by a Phalange when the Pikes lie so charged out of the front Polybius thinketh nothing can resist the force thereof Livy albeit many times more than partiall to the Romans yet in the selfe-same fight betweene Perseus and Aemilius giueth his iudgement thus of the Phalange The second Legion saith he inâ—inuated it selfe into the middle empty place and so broke asunder the Phalange Neither was there any more euident cause of victory then the fights in diuers places at once which first troubled the Phalange in turning many waies and afterward plainly disioynted and scattered it whose forces being vnited and rough with charged pikes are intollerable If by giuing on in diuers places you constraine it to bring about the pikes immoueable through length and weight it entangleth it selfe with confused crossings If at one time you charge it both flanke and reare they fall asunder like a ruinous building As then they were compelled many waies to answer the Romans and so to breake their battaile into many parcells And the Romans vpon the first opportunitie of a breach straight waies conveighed in their troupes who if they had met the enemy in front had runne vpon the pikes as in the beginning it hapned to the Pelignans being too forward to come to hand and could not haue resisted the Phalange fast shut and serred vp for the encounter thus Livy concerning the Phalange Who albeit a Roman holdeth the same opinion that Polybius doth And in another place telling of Philips encamping â—e saith he was lodged in a wooddy plot which was vnfit for the Phalange especially of the Macedons which vnlesse it cast the pikes as it were a muniment before the Targets and that cannot be but in open ground is of no great vse So then if Pikes may be charged out before the Targets the Phalange is of great vse But that I may not seeme to rely vpon bare opinion let vs heare by an example or two the experience of the Pike and Target of the Macedonian against the Roman armes When T. Quintus Flaminius the Rom Consull had driuen King Philip and his army from the streights neare Antigonia seeing that the enemy kept himselfe with his strength and absteined from the field he determined to try the Cities of Thessaly and hauing wonne some
defence of their Countrey and onely two narrow waies betwixt he cast his armie into a hollow Plinthium or square and led it against the left hand passage whither all the Thebans flocked for defence But hee turning about faces from the reare hasted away and gained the other passage where no man was present to resist and entring spoiled the Countrey and returned without impeachment 4 There are two kinde of Metaboles Before were rehearsed two kinde of turnings of faces about one to the pike the other to the target here is added two more one from the enemy and the other against the enemie which are all one indeed and differ onely in name What the true meaning of these turnings should be I am in doubt Aelian expounding them one way Suidas an other Aelian esteemes them by the right and left hand Suidas albeit he haue that signification also esteemeth them by the front and reare Therefore Suidas defines the turning from the enemie to bee a turning about toward the reare that against the enemie a turning about toward the front Aelian would haue the first to containe two turnings toward the right hand the second two turnings toward the left I for my part assent rather to Aelian For touching the turnings of Suidas I cannot yet vnderstand why turning toward the reare should be a turning from the enemie Or toward the front a turning to the enemie Considering that whether soeuer you turne faces the enemie is imagined to be there faces and weapons being to bee opposed alwaies against the enemie which is the onely end of turning Aelians opinion seemeth to haue more probability in it at least if I conceiue the right reason For I take it thus That seeing the Graecians as the Romans likewise were Targetieres and caried their targets on their left side and in fight aduanced that side alwaies neerest the enemie which they sought to couer with their targets that therefore the turning about to the enemy was called turning to the Target as contrarily turning to the right side on which side the Pike was caried and which being naked of such defensiue armes was called the open side and therefore further remoued from the enemy might for the same cause be tearmed turning from the enemy So that I take turning about to the enemy and turning about to the target to be all one as also turning about from the enemy and turning about to the Pike howsoeuer the name differ This is my coniecture which I shall imagine to be true till I finde some man that will bee pleased to giue me a more probable reason I only adde now the words of command in this motion As you were Faces to the right hand Faces to the left hand Faces about to the right or left hand The figure sheweth the manner Of wheeling double and treble-wheeling of the battaile and returning to the first posture CHAP. XXVI 1 EPistrophe or wheeling is when the battaile being so closed that no man can turne or twice turne his face by reason of the neerenesse of man to man it wholy and iointly wheeleth as a ship or some other body caried about the order thereof remaining vndissolued When the wheeling is to the Pike we warne the right-corner-file-leader to stand still as it were the hooke of a doore hinge and the rest of the battaile proceeding forward to turne about the same file-Leader like the doore In the same manner is wheeling to the Target It may be thus defined Epistrophe is when shutting the battaile by gathering close the Followers and Side-men we turne it wholy as the body of a man toward the Pike or Target it being caried about the corner-file-leader as about a Center and changing the place of the front transferre the countenance of the souldier to the right or left hand the followers and sidemen euery one remayning in file and ranke as before How it is to be done I will shew hereafter Anastrophe or returning to the first posture is the restoring of the wheeling to the place where the battaile first stood close before it beganne to wheele Perispasmos or wheeling about is the motion of the battaile in two wheelings so that thereby the front commeth to the place of the reare 2 Ecperispasmos or treble wheeling is the motion of the battaile in three wheelings so as when it turneth to the Pike the front commeth about to the left flanke when to the Target it commeth about to the right flanke Notes THis Chapter hath a diuers kinde of turning from the other mentioned in the last Chapter which for distinction sake is called Epistrophe or wheeling The other turned no more then the souldiers faces euery man yet keeping the same ground be had before This wheeles the whole body and changeth the place of the Phalange either to the right or left hand or to the reare And as there was in the turning of faces a particular motion of euery particular souldier to the right or left hand called Clesis and an other turning about called Metabole so is there in this a generall wheeling of the whole body to the right or left hand called Epistrophe and an other wheeling about to the reare called Perispasmos But let vs heare the description 1 Epistrophe or wheeling is when the Battaile Shortly Epistrophe is no more then the first turning of the battaile to the right or left hand In doing whereof first the files must be closed to the hand you meane to wheele then the rankes Then the corner file-Leader on the same hand is to stand still then all the rest keeping their files and rankes closed to turne to the same hand iointly about the Corner-file-leader circle-wise who is to moue by little and little till he haue turned his face to that side which was intended And when the first ranke is euen with him and the rest wheeled enough to the same hand they are to stand still The words of the definition of Epistrophe or wheeling are plaine enough in Aelian I neede vse no exposition Now because in exercise we relie not vpon one forme of motion alone but acquaint our souldiers with all the kindes It is necessarie to bring the body againe to the first place to the end we may proceede in the rest This reducing to the first Posture is called Anastrophe by which the battaile returneth but by a contrary hand to that to which the Epistrophe was made And but for changing the hand the wheeling backe againe is all one with the wheeling forward Wee shall see hereafter how it is done To bring the battaile to haue the front where the reare was you must vse a double wheeling And that is called Perispasmos Which commeth of two Epistrophes and is made either to the right or left hand Onely it must bee obserued that if the Perispasmos or wheeling about be to the right hand the Anastrophe or reducing to the first posture must be to the left Contrarie it is if the Perispasmos were to
the Macedonians were the inventers of it Which of the Macedonians he telleth not but excludeth Philip and Alexander who both vsed the Lacedemonian Countermarch And before their times I haue not read of any warlike Kings of Macedonia The manner of it is this First all the File-leaders turne their faces about either to the right or left hand then the next ranke passeth thorough by them on the same hand and being come to their distances place themselues directly behind their File-leaders and then turne about their faces the same way And so the third ranke after them and the fourth and all the rest till the Bringers-vp be last and haue taken the reare of the battaile againe and turned about their faces The figure expresseth not well the action For in it the Bringers-vp begin first to countermarch which according to Aelian should moue last Yet may this Countermarch be done as the figure is But I take Aelians way to be easier and readier And it may be also that the Countermarch expressed in the figure is lost in the text For one of the Lacedemonian Countermarches which proceedeth the contrary way beginneth the motion with the File-leaders as this doth with the Bringers-vp as wee shall straight see 2 The Lacedemonian countermarch In this Countermarch the proceeding is contrary to that of the former that tooke the ground before the Phalange this takes the ground after In that the mouing was from the Reare to the front in this from the front to the reare This is the invention of the Lacedemonians Aelian describeth it to be done in two manners One when the Bringers-vp first turne about their faces and the next ranke likewise turning faces beginneth the Countermarch and euery man thereof placeth himselfe directly before his Bringer-vp and the third doe the like and so the rest till the ranke of the File-leaders come to be first The other when the File-leaders begin the Countermarch and euery one in their files follow them orderly The figure expresseth this last Aelian preferreth the Lacedemonian Countermarch before the Macedonian because in it the souldiers seeme to fall on and goe to the charge where in the Macedonian they seeme to flie There are notwithstanding times when it is better to vse the Macedonian As in case you meane to march on and not to fight with the enemy except you be compelled Or else you seeke to gaine some ground of aduantage For the Macedonian continueth still the march and stayeth not the Lacedemonian returneth vpon the enemy and so looseth ground in marching Agesilaus after victorie gotten against the Argives against whom he stood in the right winge hearing that the Thebans had beaten the Orchomenians in the left winge vsed the Lacedemonian Countermarch against them The words of Xenophon sound thus Here the strangers were about to crowne Agesilaus thinking he had got the victory when newes was brought that the Thebans after they had broken the Orchomenians had forced a passage as farre as the baggage Then Agesilaus countermarching his Phalange led against them The Thebans perceiuing their Confederates were fied vp to the mount Helicon closed their troupes together as neare as they could seeking to open a way by force and to get vp vnto them Agesilaus albeit he might by giuing way to the formost haue followed them at heeles and charged the reare yet did he it not but met the Thebans front to front Thus encountring and clashing their Targets together they fought thrust on killed and were killed In fine some of the Thebans broke thorough to Helicon other some as they sought to escape were left dead on the place Agesilaus here followed the chase vpon the Argives toward the mount Helicon The Thebans vpon the Orchomenians the contrary way towards the enemies Campe. The Thebans seing their confederates fled to the mount Helicon returned toward them Agesilaus countermarched to meete them met them and fought with them For the Countermarch he vsed I make account it was the Lacedemonian himselfe being a Lacedemonian And he vsed it to meet the Thebans brauely in front The same Agesilaus after he had by night incamped in a peece of ground behind Mantinaea incompassed about with mountaines perceiuing the next morning that the Mantinaeans gathered together vpon the toppes that lay right ouer the head of his Rearegard determined to lead his Armie out of the place with all speed Now if himselfe should lead he feared the enemy would giue vpon his Reare Therefore standing still and turning his armes against the enemy he commanded the last of the Phalange to march backe againe from the Reare and come vp to him and so at once he brought his Armie out of the streights and made it by little and little stronger When the Phalange was thus doubled he proceeded in that order into the Champeigne there againe reduced the depth of the armed foote to 9 or 10 men in euery file This place of Xenophon if it be not corrupted is very obscure And I cannot tell whether to take it for doubling of the front or the Macedonian countermarch The words make for a doubling For Xenophon saith plainely the Phalange was doubled Besides he addeth it was made by little and little stronger which could not be done with a Countermarch And that a deepe Phalange or Hearse such as this by the euenings march and the straights it entred seemeth to be is made stronger by doubling the front there is no question On the other side the streights thorough which it was to passe perswade me it should be a Macedonian Countermarch For in doubling the front the length still increaseth the manner is not to inlarge but to extenuate the front when an Armie is to be conveighed thorough a narrow place And Xenophon saith expresly that Agesilaus led it thorough the streights into the Champeigne in that order to which it was reduced last that in the Champion the depth of the Armed was lessened and brought to 9 or 10 for there Agesilaus imbattailed his Phalange to receiue the enemy if he would charge And in a march through straight waies the front is commonly narrowed and proportioned to the way but in open ground the Phalange is againe brought to the iust length So that it seemeth the depth was much before it come into the plaine because in the plaine it was brought to 9 or 10 men and therefore no doubling Lastly Agesilaus and the front I doubt not of the Phalange with him turned face to the enemy before the Reare came vp to him which is done in no other motion than the Macedonian countermarch In which all the File-leaders first turne about their faces toward the enemy and then the whole battaile marcheth against the File-leaders and placing themselues orderly behind them turne their faces the same way that they haue done before Now where it is in Xenophon that Agesilaus hauing gained the Champeigne extended his Armie to 9 or 10 Targeteres I suspect a
the right hand 2 Ecperispasmos I could neuer hitherto conceiue any vse of a treble wheeling for so Aelian takes the word vnlesse a Perispasmos were first made and the battaile had the front already brought to the reare and so an Epistrophe added from the reare to the same hand Otherwise seeing that one wheeling is sooner made then two and therefore sooner then three I see no neede of three wheelings especially seeing we may doe that wee desire with one For example let vs wheele our battaile thrice to the right hand the front will come to be in the place of the left flanke The same will be performed as well with one wheeling to the left hand Et frustra fit per plura quod potest fieri per pauciora especially in matter of warre where the least moment of time often carieth the whole businesse The like may be said of Ecperispasmos to the left hand The vse of the motions of wheeling and double wheeling is when the battaile being closed and the enemy comming to assault you in any other one place then the front you seeke to bring the best men to fight For if you be to be charged in two places at once or more wheeling helpes little except it be to turne the front to one enemy and in that case your onely shift is to turne faces against them that come to charge on what side soeuer they come Examples of these two motions I meane Epistrophe and Perispasmos meete vs almost in euery Greeke Historie Of which I will represent one or two especially of the latter the rather because practise giueth both light and life to precepts Plutarch recounteth that after King Pyrrhus had in vaine assaulted Sparta he was invited by an Argiuan named Aristaeus to receiue Argos into his protection and that hee marched thitherward with his armie Arieus the king of Lacedemonia laying ambushes for him and taking the principall streights by which he was to passe charged his reare wherein the Galatians and Molossians were When Pyrrhus heard the bruite and noise he sent his sonne Ptolomy with the band of Companions to aide himselfe with all speede marching out of the streights led on his armie The medly being sharpe about Ptolomy and the chosen Lacedemonians commanded by Eualcus standing close to their busines Oroesus a Candiot of Aptera valiant of his hands and swift of foote running crosse against the young Prince gaue him a deadly stroke and ouerthrew him His fall made the rest to flie And the Lacedemonians hauing the victorie and following the chase came into the Champian ground still killing but not remembring they were not followed with armed foot Vpon whom Pyrrhus hauing euen then heard of and being much mooued with the death of his sonne wheeled about the Molossian horsemen And himselfe first aduancing vpon the spurre imbrued himselfe with the slaughter of Lacedemonians He alwaies seemed mighty and terrible in armes but then he exceeded himselfe in daring and valor For turning his Horse vpon Eualcus who shunning him shifted a side and with all strooke at his bridle hand as he passed by and wanted but little of cutting it off But missing the hand he light vpon the raines and carued them quite a sunder Pyrrhus with all strooke him thorough the body with his Launce Then leaping from his horse and fighting a foote hee cut in pieces the chosen Lacedemonians that fought to recouer the body of Eualcus This was the fight that Pyrrhus made by wheeling about his Horsemen against the Lacedemonians that followed vpon his Reare Another example of Wheeling about is reported by Polybius and it is of Amilcar Annibals father this is the history The mercenary souldiers of the Carthaginians reuolted from them and ouerthrew some of their Generalls and shut them vp within the Citie of Carthage possessing both other streights that led into the Countrey and also a bridge laide ouer a riuer called Macar which riuer was not passable but by that Bridge Besides they built a City for defence of that Bridge Amilcar seeking to dislodge the enemie from that Bridge and hauing no way to come at them conueniently obserued that when certaine windes blew the mouth of the riuer toward the sea was commonly filled vp with sand and would giue passage sufficient for his armie Finding then a fit time hee put ouer his army in the night and before day or ere any man knew of it made himselfe Master of the passage and presently led against them that held the bridge Spendius hee was one of the chiefe Rebells hearing thereof aduanced to meete Amilcar in the plaine and both ten thousand from the City at the bridge foote and fifteen thousand more from Vtica came out one to aide another thinking to wrappe in the Carthaginians betweene them who were not aboue ten thousand Souldiers of all sorts and 70 Elephants Amilcar led on his armie Before were the Elephants the horse and light armed followed next the armed foote came last And perceiuing the enemie that followed his Reare pressed hard vpon him he commanded his whole armie to turne about Those that were in the Vangard of the march hee willed to returne to him with speede the other that at first had the reare hee wheeled about and straight opposed against the enemy The Lybians and mercenaries imagining the Carthaginians fled for feare fell vpon them disorderly and boldly came to hands But when they saw the Horsemen being now turned about and come vp neere to the foote and already put in order make a stand they themselues by reason they looked for nothing lesse fell into a feare turning their backes fled presently as before they gaue on vnaduisedly and straglingly And some of them falling vpon their owne people that were comming on wrought both theirs and their owne destructions othersome were trampled vpon and trode to death by the horse and Elephants that followed the chase Thus farre Polybius And thus farre of Wheelings The figure and words of command are reserued for the 32 Chapter where the manner of wheelings and returning to the first posture is set downe Of filing ranking and restoring to the first posture CHAP. XXVII TO file is when euery particular man keeping equall distance from other standeth in his owne file lineally betwixt the file-Leader and bringer-vp To ranke is to be in a right line euen with his sidemen in the length of the battaile 1 To restore to the first posture is to bring the sight of the Souldier to the same aspect he had before the first turning As if his face were at first towardes the enemy being commanded to turne towards the Pike and thence to returne to his first posture hee is againe to returne his face toward the enemy Notes OF filing and ranking enough is spoken before 1 To restore to the first posture This motion differeth from Anastrophe before specified For Anastrophe bringeth backe againe the whole body to the first place after a Wheeling This the Souldiers faces