a battaile and to behold a direct space betwixt files and rankes For that is the grace and beauty as I may terme it of a Phalange ordered for fight This proportion cannot be maintayned without obseruing distance curiously Open order is sixe foot both in ranke and file betwixt man and man euery way If then any souldier in file gather vp to his leader and stand at distance of three foot it is manifest that his ranke is thereby disturbed and made vneuen although the file continue streight Contrariwise if he beare himselfe out of his place three foot toward either of his side-men by this meanes he disordereth his file and maketh it crooked This fault if it were committed by many a generall disorder would follow in the body and therefore Aelian well aduiseth to keepe the first distances especially till you be commanded to the second or third distance which will often fall out in the foure motions Of which Facing is the first and the words of direction in it are these as before in Aelian 12 Face to the Pike That is Face to the tight hand For the pike was alwayes borne in the right hand 14 Face to the Target The Pike-men in the Macedonian army bore targets on their left armes or on the left side so that facing to the target is all one with the word of command Face to the left hand 16 Face about to the pike or target That is face about to the right or left hand But where hee addeth moue a little further he signifieth that the direction is not fully accomplished and he would haue the souldiers continue their motion till their faces were fully come about to the reare and then hee willeth them to stand so because they haue gayned their place These facings here expressed by Aelian are of the whole body Other facings of the parts he hath not set downe which notwithstanding are oftentimes of great vse For say the enemy charge in front and reare your front must continue as it did but the word for the reare is Halfe files face about to the right or left hand If the enemy charge you on both flankes then is the word of command Halfe rankes face to the right halft to the left hand If in front and one flanke the front standeth firme and the word for the flanke that is charged is Halfe rankes of the right or left flanke Face to the hand named If in front and both flankes the front is to stand firme and both the flanks to face to the enemy And this is done in a hollow square or Plesium and the word is Flankes face one to the right the other to the left hand If on all sides or round about it is as before for the flankes but for the reare The reare face about to the right or left hand Now in Countermarch of the reare the ranke of file-leaders is oftentimes commanded to face about to the right or left hand In countermarch of the front the ranke of bringers vp must doe the like as wee shall see in Countermarch Doubling is the second motion vsed in battaile the precept of it in this in Aelian 18 Double your depth The word in our exercise for this motion is Double your files because files measure the depth of the battaile or rankes measure the length This doubling is made many wayes The first is when the euen files that is the 2. 4. 6. 8. 10. file fall into the odde As if the doubling be to the right hand the right hand corner-file standeth firme and is the first after doubling the third is the second file the fifth the third and so the rest of the odde files in order But the manner is that the leaders of the second file fall directly behind the leader of the first file and the second man of the second file behind the second man of the first and so the rest of those two files The same order is for the rest of the euen files when they double the odde files And the word is Double your files to the right or left hand Another manner is when halfe the body of files conueyes it selfe into the spaces oâ— the other halfe of the body be it to the right or left hand according to direction giuen so that the first ranke of the halfe body which is to moue fals into the space next after the first ranke of the halfe body that standeth and so the rest of the rankes of the halfe body that moueth and the word is Halfe the body double your files to the right or left hand Another is when files are doubled by a countermarch As if the second file of the right or left hand as it is appointed countermarch and the leader of that file place himselfe behind the bringer vp of the corner file to that hand to which the doubling is to be made and so the rest of the files of euen number behinde those of odde number as the second behind the first the fourth behind the third the sixt behind the fifth and so the rest The word is Double your files by countermarch to the right or left hand The next word in Aelian is Double your length That is double your rankes or front For as I before noted the rankes make the length of the battaile which likewise is many wayes done The first is when the rankes of euen appellation as the 2. 4. 6. 8. c. fall out into the spaces of the odde namely into the spaces of the 1. 3. 5. 7. c. which stand before them and place themselues euen with them in ranke The word is Double your rankes to the right or left hand Another way is when the bringers-vp their halfe files following them by countermarch aduance vp to the front and place themselues in the spaces betwixt the file-leaders to the hand appointed and the rest of the ranks accordingly namely the ninth ranke in the spaces of the second the eight in the spaces of the third the seuenth in the fourth the sixth in the spaces of the fifth And the word is Bringers vp double your front by countermarch to the right or left hand Another is when the reare-halfe-files one halfe face to the right the other to the left hand and diuiding themselues march out till they bee past the flankes of the standing halfe-files Then facing to the front sleeue vp and front with the standing halfe-files Then the word is Reare halfe-files double your front by diuision to the right and left hand Another way is when the reare-halfe-files vndiuided face to the hand appointed and being beyond the flanke of the rest of the body face to the front and sleeue vp and ioyne in front with the standing halfe-files The word is Reare-halfe-files enter double your front to the right or left hand It is to be obserued that in all these motions of doubling rankes or front the souldiers are to returne after their motion to their first posture which is done by facing about to the right or left hand and
is not wrapped vp in obscurity and which may fully deliuer the minde of the Commander to the souldiers which hee hath in exercise And as the words ought to bee short so ought they to be Without double signification Where they haue a double signification that is may be diuersly vnderstood by them who are vnder direction some of the souldiers as Aelian saith will doe one thing some another which must needs breed a confusion in the body exercised For as vniformity of motion in euery particular souldier preserueth the whole body and euery ioynt or part thereof entire so the dissimilitude of motion in the particulars induceth a disioynting as it were a disorder of the multitude of the whole battaile in generall To auoid then the inconuenience of double vnderstanding in words Aelian thinketh fit that the speciall word should be placed before the generall and in stead of Face to the pike he would haue the Commander to pronounce thus To the pike face that is to the right hand holding the word right hand to be more speciall or streighter in signification then the word Face Let me haue pardon if I differ from Aelian herein For Logicians hold those words more generall that stretch vnto and comprehend vnder them most particulars Now considering there are foure motions of the battaile which cannot be put in vse but by words of direction and in the direction the word right or left hand is of necessity to be applyed to euery of them as for example Countermarch to the right or left hand Face to the right or left hand and so of the rest it is euident that the word right hand or left hand is more generall then any one of the motions because it stretcheth to them all So that albeit we retaine the rule of Aelian namely to set the speciall before the generall yet may we very safely from his example and not onely in facing but also in the three other motions pronounce the direction thus Face to the right or left hand Double to the right or left hand Countermarch to the right or left hand Wheele to the right or left hand because the word right or left hand is more generall then any one of the motions But admit it were more particular yet the necessity of our language would force vs to forsake this rule of Aelian For in euery language there is an idiome or propriety of speech and that not onely in the phrase it self but also in the very ioyning tying together of the words of the sentence So that that which sorteth well with one language will not be receiued in another In Greeke in which tongue Aelian wrote it soundeth well to place the nowne gouerned by a verbe before the verbe it selfe So in Latine Dutch French and other tongues In English if a man should doe the like vnlesse it were in verse wherein the number of the feet is more respected then the ordering of the words he should be accounted ridiculous or vaine For take the example here set downe to the right hanâ— face to the right hand double or countermach or wheele and let vs vse the same order of words in common speech and a man say to his seruant To the Church goe to the mill corne carry bootes cleane make To the cutler my rapier carry Who would not laugh at his speech or thinke him idle in so pronouncing Wherefore albeit Aelian hold that forme agreeable to the Greeke tongue yet I cannot see how it will be fit that our English according to which I hold it better to pronounce after this manner Face to right hand Countermarch to the right hand and so in the rest then after this To the right hand face to the right hand countermarch the rather because the property of speech auaileth much to the capacity of souldiers who for the most part are vndearned and will hardly vnderstand in case the wonted custome and ordinary vse of ioyning words be inuerted CHAP. LIII BVt aboue all things silence is to be commanded and heed giuen to directions as Homer especially signifieth in his description of the Craecian and Troian fights saying The skilfull Captaines pressed on guiding with carefull eye Their armed troopes who followed their leaders silently You surely would haue deem'd each one of all that mighty throng Had beene bereft of speech so bridled he his heedfull tongue Fearing the dread Commanders checke and dreadfull hests among Thus march'd the Greeks in silence breathing flames of high desire And feruent Zeale to backe their friends on foes to wreake their ire As for the disorder of the Barbarians he resembleth it to Birds saying As sholes of fowle Geese Cranes and Swans with necks far stretched out Which in the slimy fens Caisters winding streames about Sheere here and there the liquid skie sporting on wanton wing Then fall to ground with clanging noyse the fens all ouer ring None otherwise the Troians fill the field with heaped sounds Of broken and confused cries each where tumult abounds And againe The Captaines marshall out their troopes ranged in goodly guise And forth the Troians pace like birds that lade the ayre with cryes Not so the Greekes whose silence breathed flames of high desire Feruent in zeale to backe their friends on foes to wreake their ire NOTES SIlence when a battaile is put in order either for fight or exercise is one of the principall points of obedience which belongeth to a souldier the breach whereof more endangereth the proceeding of warre then a rawe souldier would thinke who onely is wont to offend in that kind I haue before entreated of signes and shewed that in the obseruing of directions consisteth the greatest helpe of victory in neglecting them the chiefest meanes to take an ouerthrow and be defeated For as directions being executed giue life vnto warlike actions to effect that which the Commander desireth so whatsoeuer hindereth the receiuing of directions must needs crosse the designes of the Commander and by consequence frustrate and disanull that which was thought by him most fit to be put in practice either for the good order or for the preseruation of the Army or else for the gayning of victory A man that is not attentiue cannot marke the command deliuered Nor can he be attentiue that whilest it is deliuered busieth his head with other thoughts or else entertaineth his next standers by with talke a meanes to diuert aswell the speaker as the hearer from that heed which ought to be giuen to direction in asmuch as no man hath the ability to heare another mans speech and himselfe take at the same instant or at the same time to discerne two mens seuerall speeches which are deliuered together All generals haue held Silence a principall point of warlike discipline And therefore in Commands they make it the first Leos precept is this When the troopes are drawne together and ordered for exercise let the cryer for euery company had then a cryer giue these
then by mouing and by recouering their first place The word is As you were Countermarch is the third motion vsed in the change of a battaile The vse and necessity thereof appeareth in Aelian before and that there are two kindes one by file the other by ranke The words of command that hee here setteth downe are onely of countermarch by file which may be reduced to two kindes viz. the Countermarch of the front and the Countermarch of the reare That of the front hath likewise two kindes the Lacedemonian and the Chorean That of the reare onely one and it is called the Macedonian Countermarch Now Aelians direction followeth 20 The Lacedemonian Countermarch This is one of the Countermarches by file and of the front The manner is that the file-leaders beginne the Countermarch and paâ—â—e beyond the reare their files following them In our exercise the word is Countermarch the front to the right or to the left hand It is done after another sort also as when the bringers-vp face about to the right or left hand and then the whole body facing about to the same hand passe thorow the spaces of the bringers vp to the same hand and the ninth ranke beginning the rest of the ranks after one anothers place themselues euery paticular man before his follower in the same file till the file-leaders are first The word is Bringers vp face to the right or to the left hand The rest beginning at the ninth ranke passe thorow to the same hand and place euery man himselfe before his follower As you were In Aelian followeth 22 The Macedonian Countermarch We in our exercise tearme this Countermarch of the reare and it is done in two manners First when the bringers vp begin the Countermarch and their files following passe thorow the spaces of the file-leaders till the file-leaders become the last of the file and then the whole body face about and stand The word is Countermarch the reare to the right or left hand Face about to the contrary hand and stand The other when the file-leaders face about to either hand and the rest of the ranks beginning at the second ranke successiuely passe thorow the spaces of the file leaders to the hand appointed placing themselues euery man behind his next leader and facing about as they did The word is File-leaders face about the rest of the rankes passe thorow and place your selues behinde your next leaders The next in Aelian is 24 The Chorean Countermarch This Countermarch is of the front as I said but it keepeth the ground that the body had before the file-leaders their files following them remoued to the places of the bringers vp and the bringers vp to the places that the file-leaders had The word is File-leaders countermarch to the right or left hand and stand viz. when they come to the bringers vp Other Countermarches thereare which are not here set downeby Aelian but are remembred in his Chapter of Countermarches of which the countermarch by ranks of the whole battaile is one the other is the countermarch by ranks in the parts And as in the Countermarch of the front or reare the rankes first began to moue so in Countermarch of the flanke the files entire beginne to moue and as in the Countermarch of the front or reare the ranks followed one another by file so in Countermarch of the flankes the files follow one another by ranke that is the souldiers of euery ranke follow one another If you would countermarch the right flanke so to change one side of the battaile for the other the word is Countermarch the right flanke to the left hand In countermarching the left flanke the word is Countermarch the left flanke to the right hand To countermarch the wings into the middest both the vttermost corner-files are to moue toward the middest their halfe rankes following them and meeting in the middest to stand there and face to the front and the word is Countermarch your wings into the middest of the battaile Obserue that in Countermarch by ranke the three Countermarches Macedonian Lacedaemonian and Choraean may be practised as well as in Countermarch by file If the flanke neerest to the enemy begin the Countermarch this the Macedonian countermarch because it maketh a shew of shifting away If the flanke furthest from the enemy begin it is the Lacedemonian in that it carrieth a semblance of falling on But when one flanke countermarcheth till it come iust vp to the other and no further it is the Choraean because it keepeth the same ground Wheeling is the fourth and last motion and it is vsed in the whole entire battaile or in the parts thereof Aelian giueth words of direction for the whole battaile onely and they are these Wheele the body to the Pike or to the Target When the battaile is to wheele to the pike or right hand the right hand corner file-leader is onely to turne his body by little and little to the right hand facing euen with the ranke of file-leaders till such time as hee haue gained the right hand aspect and the rest are to moue about him making him the centor as it were of their circled motion If to the left hand the left hand corner file leader is to doe the like The same order is of wheelin the battaile about to the right or left hand Aelian as I â—aiâ— giueth here no other words of command then for the wheeling of the whole body yet are the wheelings of the parts of great vse for either the flankes are wheeled into the front or the front into the flankes The front is wheeled into the flankes when we desire to forme the Antistomus Phalange to resist the enemy giuing on both flankes And then the two middlemost bringers vp are to stand and the middle file-leaders to diuinde themselues and to moue halfe the battaile to the right halfe to the left hand making those two bringers vp the center of the motion In this the word is Wheele the front into flanks by diuision If the flanks be to be wheeled into the front the two middle file-leaders are to stand still and the two halfe bodies to moue about them one to the right hand the other to the left till the two flanks be in the front and the front in the middest This kind is practised when we would frame the Diphalange Antistomus The word is Wheele the flanks into the front It is to be remembred that after euery motion a restitution to the first posture is to be commanded in these words As you were In facing you are to returne to the contrary hand as if the command were to face to the right in returning you come to the left In doubling you must doe the like In countermarch likewise whether you countermarch the whole body or the parcels thereof you are to returne by the contrary hand After
certaine mountaines ouer which the Grecians were to passe made alte some 30 furlongs before hee came to the Enemy lest encountring with the enemy hee should fight with his army being led in a wing or Orthiophalange He commanded therefore the Captaines that followed him with their companies euery one after another to sleeue vp their companies by his to the intent to cast the army into a plagiophalange or broad fronted battaile When thereare Commanders were come vp hee called a counsell to aduise of the best course in proceeding Here is the order of the Grecians march expressed to be in a Herse or Orthiophalange which consisted of many companies one following another and likewise the manner of transfiguring the Herse into a broad fronted phalange viz. the Captaines one after another sleeuing vp their companies by Cherisophus his company on the left hand and making an equall front with him And yet this example containeth no more then the sleeuing vp of the Companies vpon one flanke Cherisophus first made a Stand with his companie hauing the vant the following Captaines sleeued vp their companies on his left hand as the files did one after another in the other example Alexander vsed another kinde of sleeuing a little before he fought the battell of Issos For caufing the vant-gard first to stand he commanded the rest of the foot to march vp to the front of the vant-gard on either flanke The words lye thus in Arrian Alexander hauing by midnight gained the Streights of Cilicia setting out a streight watch vpon the rockes rested and refreshed his army till morning b◠day-breake he descended from the streights in the ordinary way and as long as the passage was narrow he led in a wing afterwards the mountaines opening a greater distance he enlarged his wing into a phalange by little and little still sleeuing vp the armed one body after another to the front on the right hand toward the mountaines on the left hand toward the Sea The Horse all this while marched after the foot but comming to ground of larger capacity they were ordered on the wings This manner of working to make a phalange out of Herse was by drawing the following companies vp on both flanks on the right toward the mountaines on the left toward the sea so that it differeth from the other forme wherein the Companies were sleeued but vpon one hand A third way of making a Plagiophalange of a Herse I finde in Polybius Machanidas the Lacedemonian Tyrant saith he being to fight with Philopaemea the Achaean Generall who had fashioned his army into a broad fronted phalange made semblance at first as though he meant in a Herse to charge the right wing of the Enemies battaile but approaching neerer at a conuenient distance he brake off the hinder part of the Herse and facing it to the right hand marched out and led it out in length and ioyned it in equall front with his right wing thereby equalling the left wing of the Achaeans In this manner of transforming the Herse into broad fronted phalange the companies or bodies follow not one another to sleeue vp to the front but halfe the Plagiophalange is broken off at once the reare halfe and facing to the right or left hand is led vp and ioyned in an euen front with the other halfe not vnlike to our vsagein exercise when we command our middle men with their halfe files to face to the right or left hand and marching out to double the front of our battaile Thus much may suffice for the names vse and reduction of one of these two Phalanges to another The third Phalange mentioned in this Chapter followeth 7 The Phalange Loxe There are two kindes of Loxes or vneuen fronted Phalanges The front of the one is figured in a continued right line stretched out bias-wise thus The other hath as it were two fronts formed out of two seuerall parts of the Phalange the one aduancing against the Enemy to begin the fight the other staying behinde and keeping the first ground being ordered without the flanke of the first that vpon occasion it may likewise aduance and ioyne or else retire from the Enemy and giue backe the figure shewes the shape of it the last hath bin vsed by great Generals as a forme of aduantage in fight The first onely to win a passage as I take it ouer a riuer or such like where the broad-fronted Phalange could not passe and to bring the Armie to a ground where it might be ordered in better forme for fight I will giue one Example for I read not many of the first Alexander hauing conueied his armie ouer Hellespont and entred into Phrygia came as farre as the riuer Granicus Three Lieutenants of Darius with 20000. Horse and well nigh as many foot had embattelled themselues on the other side of the riuer to hinder his passage The riuer was full of depths and slallowes somewhat dangerous to enter and the bankes on the further side high rough and steepie besides the Enemy was ready with horse cast into a long or broad-fronted phalange and with seconds of foot to beat him backe that should offer to clymbe the bankes Alexander being resolued to passe ouer first ordered his troopes in a broad-fronted phalange The right wing he commanded himselfe and gaue the command of the left to Parmenio then putting the Scout-horse with the Paeonians into the riuer and after them a Phalangarchy of foot led by Amyntas the sonne of Arrabius and then Ptolomy the sonne of Phillip who commanded the troope of Socrates which troop had the Vaunt of all the horse that day himselfe with the right wing entred the riuer the Trumpets sounding and the Army giuing a shout extending still his battell bias-wise against the Streame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end the Persians might not fall vpon him as he led in a wing but himselfe as much as was possible might come to ioyne with them hauing the front of his phalange extended in length The Persians cast Darts from the high ground against the troopes of Amyntas and of Socrates as they approached to the further banke and some of them where the ground was more euen descended to the brinke of the riuer so there was thrusting and sholdering of Horsemen some to ascend out of the riuer some to hinder the ascent The Persians let flye many a dart the Macedonians fought with speares The first Macedonians that came to hands with the Persians were cut a peeces fighting valiantly saue only those that retired vnto Alexander who was now neere aduanced with the right wing He himself first of all charged the Persians where the principal strength of the whole body of their horse and the Generals of the field stood about him was a strong fight and in the meane time one troope after another passed easily ouer the riuer This passage of the History is long and therefore I forbeare to recite the rest onely
rehearsing but I haue beene long in the Example of Epaminondas and therefore referre the Reader to the quotation Demetrius framed the like battaile against Ptolomy and Seleucus albeit he were frustrated of his hopes in the euent by the foresight of Ptolomy who opposed his choisest troopes against that wing of Demetrius which was first to vndertake the charge Hitherto of these three formes of Phalanges see the figures in which albeit the two first be portraited without interuals yet you must in the broad-fronted Phalange vnderstand the three interuals vsuall in the Macedonian fourefold Phalange and in the herse the spaces betwixt the reare of the bodies that lead and of the front of those that follow Parembole Protaxis Epitaxis Prostaxis Entaxis and Hypotaxis CHAP. XXXI 1 PArembole or insertion is when Souldiers being placed in a body we take some of the hindmost and order them within the distances of the first drawing them vp in an equall front 2 Protaxis or forefronting is when we place the light-armed before the front of the Armed and make them forestanders as the file-leaders are 3 When we order the light armed behind it is called Epitaxis as it were an after-placing 4 Prostaxis or adioyning is when to both flankes of the battell or to one flanke some of the hindmost are added the front of them which are added lying euen with the front of the battell This addition is called Prostaxis 5 Entaxis or insition is when it seemeth good to set the light Armed within the spaces of the Phalange man to man 6 Hypotaxis or double-winging is when a man bestoweth the light armed on the wings of the phalange so that the whole figure resembleth a threefold gate or doore Cap. 31. Hypotaxis or double-winging Entaxis or insertion Protaxis or forefronting NOTES THis Chapter sheweth the inlarging of a Phalange or battell by diuers placings partly of the armed partly of the light-armed It is not hard to be vnderstood the rather because most of the alterations here mentioned are spoken of heretofore either in Aelian or in my notes Sixe formes are here set downe two by changing the place of some of the Armed the other foure by changing the place of the light-armed the armed are altered by Parembole or Prostaxis the light armed by Protaxis Epitaxis Entaxis and Hypotaxis what the signification of each is shall be shewed in the notes following 1. Parembole This must alwayes be of armed which are taken from the reare of the Armed and inserted betwixt the files of the front of this kinde is the doubling of the front by middle men with their halfe files whereof Aelian hath spoken in the 29 Chapter see the figure there 2. Protaxis or fore-fronting I haue shewed before in the notes vpon the seuenth Chapter that the light-armed were diuersly placed in the front in the reare on the wings within the battell when they are placed before it is called Protaxis see the figure here Ptolomie and Seleucus being to fight against Demetrius who had many Elephants placed the light armed before to the intent to wound the Elephants and turne them away from their Phalange so Alexander so Darius at the battaile of Issos placed darters and slingers before the fronts of their phalange they serue greatly to annoy the Enemy being so placed especially being not charged with horse or pikes if they be charged with either they are to retire into the interuals of their owne battaile of pikes See Onosander cited by me in my notes vpon the 7 Chapter of this Booke 3. Epitaxis Ordering of the light-armed behinde was the vsuall manner of the Macedonian Embattelling from whence they drew them at pleasure to any place of seruice see the 7 Chapter 4. Prostaxis it is when armed are taken from behinde and laid to one or both flankes of the battell fronting euen with the front thereof which is a doubling of rankes as is before shewed done when the hinder halfe files diuide themselues march out and front with the fileleaders or else march out entirely without diuision Entaxis Incision is alwayes of the light armed into the spaces of the armed It is all one with pareutaxis another Greeke word vsed in the same sence 6. Hypotaxis Placing of the light armed on the wings was much vsed in ancient time as the manner is also at this day but Aelian would haue them so placed that the eminency of them should make a hollow front in the battaile Patritius taketh Hypotaxis to be the placing of the light armed in the reare which seemeth to be a mistaking both because the placing of them in the reare is in this Chapter called Epitaxis and also because there being foure manners of ordering the light-armed one in the front another in the reare the third within the body of the Phalange man to man the fourth in the wings if this ordering should be vnderstood to be behinde the Phalange there would be two kinds of placing of the light armed in the reare and none of ordering them in the flankes Besides when Aelian saith they are placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder the wings of the battell he sufficiently expresseth himselfe the flankes of the battaile on both sides being the vttermost parts of the wings The Vse and aduantage of these exercises of Armes CHAP. XXXIV THese precepts of turning about of faces of wheeling and double wheeling of the battaile and of reducing it to the first posture are of great vse in 1 sodaine approaches of the Enemy whether he shew himselfe on the right or left hand or in the reare of our march The like may be said of Countermarches of which the Macedonians are held to be the inuenters of the Macedonian the Lacedemonians of the Lacedemonian from whom the Appellations are accordingly drawne The Histories witnesse that Phillip who much enlarged the Macedonian Kingdome and ouer-came the Grecians in a battaile at Cheronea and made himselfe Generall of Grecia and likewise his Sonne Alexander who in short time conquered all Asia made small account of the Macedonian countermarch vnlesse necessity forced it and that by vse of the Lacedemonian they both became victorious ouer their enemies For the Macedonian countermarch the Enemy falling vpon the reare is cause of great disorder in asmuch as the hindermost marching vp to the front and making shew of running away it more incourageth and emboldeneth the Enemy to fall on for feare and pursuit of the Enemy is ordinarily incident to this Countermarch but the Lacedemoâ—ian countermarch is of contrary effect for when the Enemy shewes himselfe in the reare the file-leaders with their followers brauely aduancing and opposing themselues it striketh no small feare and terror into their mindes NOTES ALL the foure motions of a battaile Facing Countermarching Doubling and Wheeling are before handled In this Chapter Aelian briefly rehearseth the vse of them especially in 1. Sodaine approaches of the
Enemy If the Enemy come sodainely vpon vs he must direct himselfe either against our front or our reare or our flankes If against our front we neede no other motion then that whereby we may strengthen our front which is vsually done by doubling of rankes we march for the most part in a herse in which forme there cannot come many hands to fight and that is the reason why it is accounted the weakest forme to ioyne with the Enemy Doubling of rankes helpeth that defect and bringeth as many hands to fight as the proportion of forces will allow If against the reare and time streight you not and your battell be in open order you haue the vse of countermarch which bringeth the best hands to fight for the File-leaders are esteemed the flower of the Army your battaile being in order or close order you are to wheele it about to your right or left Cap. 32. The action of wheeling Cap. 32. The manner of wheeling The first posture Closing of files Closing of rankes forward The Front Cap 33 Os Cloinges Closing to the middesâ— The front after closing yâ— right action Closing to yâ— left â—and Closing to yâ— right â—and The Front before closing The Front of yâ— battaile before closing hand and so to oppose the front against the Enemy But in both these motions the caution of Aelian is that the Enemy surprize you not whilest you are in the a 〈…〉 ion of countermarch or wheeling lest taking his aduantage hee charge you being in disorder Therefore if he come so neere that you haue no liberty to countermarch or wheele your onely refuge is to face about to the right or left hand for so he shall not be able to giue vpon your backe If the enemy appeare vpon any flanke countermarch of the Front will not auaile much lesse doubling against the flanke of ranks or files but you must either wheele your Front to the flanke or if you haue not time enough so to doe you are to face your battell to that hand The vse of these motions hath been handled in their seuerall Chapters more at large Of the Signes of Direction which are to be giuin to the Army and of their seuerall kindes CHAP. XXXV 1 WE are to acquaint our Forces both Foot and Horse perfectly with the 2 voice and perfectly with 3 visible signes that whatsoeuer is fitting may be executed and done as occasion shall require 4 Some things also are to be denounced by the Trumpet for so all directions will be fully accomplished and sort to a desired effect 5 The signes therefore which are deliuered by voice are most euident and cleere if they haue no impediment 6 But the most certaine and least tumultuous signes are such as are presented to the eye if they be not obscured The voice sometime cannot bee heard by reason of the clashing of â—rmour or trampling or neying of Horses or tumult of carriage or noise and confused sound of the multitude The visible signes also become many waies vncertaine by thicknesse of ayre by dust by raine or snow or sun-shine or else through ground that is vneuen or ful of trees or of turnings And sometimes it will not be easie to find out signes for all vses occasions eftsoones presenting new matter to which a man is not accustomed yet can it not so fall out that either by voice or by signall we should not giue sure and certaine direction NOTES 1 THe ordinary motions in a Phalange are all represented by Aelian Now commeth hee to speake of Signes which direct and are meanes of effecting all these motions and without which the Army is no Army but remains a body vngouernable and may aptly be resembled to a Shippe that hath no rudder For as a Ship in a tempest is driuen by all windes tossed by waues throwne euery way vpon rockes vpon sands vpon dangerous shoares that is not guided by the Master who standeth and moueth at the helme So an Army not directed by signes and forecast of the General is carried away through ignorance and violence of affection sometimes of anger sometimes offeare sometimes of reuenge and other vnbridled desires and breaketh or else falleth into confusion through disorder working little against the enemy may rather giuing him meanes of a certaine victory The shippe is like the Army the Generall like the Master the words of Direction like the Rudder guiding all and euery motion of the Army For the Army being a body of many heads whereof euery one hath a seuerall sense hangeth together not by the naturall coherence and knitting of one member to another but by artificiall ioyning of man to man file to file body to body whereby it is gathered together into one Masse and figured into many members and ioynts and ruled not by the reason and iudgement of it selfe but by the reason and vnderstanding of the Generall So that no man is to demand why this or that is commanded but is to execute it alone for this Cause because it is commanded The Generall then being to Command and direct the actions of the whole Army ought to finde out meanes to speake and discourse with them all at once in such a language as it were that all may vnderstand at once For the occurrence of warre being oftentimes sudden and once slipt by irrecouerable require sudden meanes of speedy direction that nothing fall out so vnlooked for but the Army may haue notice how to preuent and auoid or else to turne it to their most aduantage the rather because in warre safety and life come in question in losse of which no pardon of negligence can be admitted And seeing there are two principall sences of aduertisement the eare the one the other the eye the eare to heare all manner of sounds the eye to discerne all manner of colours and shapes it hath been the witty inuentions so antient Generals to informe their Armies by the one and by the other by the eye when there was no vse of the eare by the eare when the eye could not be informed The true obseruation and vse of these signes auaile much in warre Vegetius saith that nothing profiteth more to victory then to obey the admonition of signes Former experience hath taught that the neglect or error of signes hath brought in great inconueniences and quite ouerthrowne the enterprises in hand Polybius remembreth it in Aratus the elder a Generall of the Achaeans Cratus saith hee the Generall of the Achaeans seeking to get the Cyâ—ethian City by a plot agreed with those of his party within the Citie vpon a certain time to come by night to the riuer that runneth by Cynethe there refreshing and staying his Army a while and that those within taking their time should send about mid-day out of the gate secretly one of their companions to stand in a cloake by a hill appointed which was not farre from the Citie to giue aduertisement to Aratus to
and after in the 9 Ch. he saith you shall command the Souldiers to stand by knowing exactly the souÌ„d of the Trumpet again to moue by the sound of the trumpet So that although other signes were giuen for marching retreat yet the most coÌ„mon signe was by the Trumpet Now we are to vnderstand that all signes giuen by sound to the eare except by the voyce are called signa semiuocalia because albeit their sound be lowder and stronger for the most part then the voyce is yet they are not articulated as is the sound of the voice Hitherto of signes that were giuen to the eare by the sound Now are we to speake briefly of mute signes or those that were set vp as it were a marke for the eye Mute sign swere of two kindes for either they were simple and vsed by themselues as an obiect of the eye alone or else they were mixed and ioyned to signes of sound and so communicated both to the eye and to the eare Of the second for were those whereof I haue spoken a little before and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely when a mute si ne is added to a vocall as when to the Word in the night is ioyned some speciall gesture of the body as holding downe or nodding of the head lifting vp the hand putting off the hat heauing vp the skirt of the garment c. concerning which see Onosander and Of the first kinde were signes presented to the eye alone which extended very largely and serued where neither voyce not trumpet could be heard by reason of the remorenesse of the place these were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signes properly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise because it was agreed by the parties who gaue and tooke them that they should haue such and such signification The words be different but the meaning and effect is all one for as no signe can be but there must be a giuer and a taker of the signe so â—â— that respect the signes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the communication betwixt the giuer and taker of the signe may aptly also be tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And albeit I noted before that the signe of the battaile and the watchword was called by no other name but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken often for a mute signe also Many occasions were of giuing these signes and they were sometimes shewen by day sometimes by night and in the day time they were sometime proposed in the battaile sometime in other places where they might be perceiued Arrian historieth of Alexander the Great that at his being in the Country of the Taulantians his enemies Clytus and Glaucias had with manâ— horse darters and slingers and not a few armed men taken the Mountaines and high places by which he was to passe in returning The place was streight and wooddy shut vp on the one side with a riuer on the other side with an exceeding high mountaine the sides whereof were very steepe so that the Armie could not march with more then foure armed in front Alexander marshalled his troopes to 120 in depth and ordering 200 horse on each wing he commanded silence and heede to be taken to his directions And first he willed the armed to aduance their pikes then vpon a signe giuen to let them fall and charge then to turne them close knit to the right hand then to the left and sometime he moued the battell quickly forward and sometime he moued it to the one wing sometime to the other And so fashioning it into diuers shapes in short time and at last casting it into a wedge as it were he led it against the Enemy who stood wondering at the speedinesse and good order of the diuers motions and now perceiuing the Armie to be led against them abode not the charge but left the hill which he held and fled Here are mentioned seuen seuerall motions of the phalange which wee haue in practice at this day 1 Aduancing of Pikes 2 charging of them 3 first to the right hand 4 then to the left hand 5 mouing of the battell forward 6 mouing it to the right wing and then 7 to the left And all these motions were directed by a signe what this signe was may be doubted because it is not expressed whether it was by voice trumpet or a mute signe For my part I would not take it to haue beene by voyce for how could the voice be heard in so great an Army as Alexander had which according to Diodorus Siculus consisted of 30000 foot and 3000 horse and was stretched out in depth and had but foure armed in front nor yet would I imagine it to haue beene giuen by trumpet because though perhaps the trumpet might be heard of all the Army by reason of the Eccho rebounding from the Mountaine and riuer yet could it not fitly and cleerely distinguish the sound that should direct these seuen seuerall motions I haue before declared in what case the trumpet was employed Let me with leaue therefore thinke that it was a mute signe presented to the eye as for the purpose a Coate or other garment fastned to the end of a long staffe the colour whereof being eminent and the staffe being lifted aloft might be perceiued by the whole Army The signe then aduanced to the full height might signifie aduancing of Pikes which was the first motion Being abased and held leuell before the front charging to the front which was the second motion held out leuell to the right flanke charging to the right hand to the left flanke charging to the left hand which were the third and fourth motions of Alexander mouing forward in front it might be a signe for the battell to follow which was the fift Mouing to the right hand for the battell to march to the right which was the sixt to the left for the battell to moue to the left which was the seuenth which motion might more easily be performed in case the ensignes of the particular Companies tooke their direction from the maine signe and so framed themselues to the same motions and the Souldiers to the motions of their Ensignes This I say is my coniecture wherein notwithstanding I preiudice no mans opinion but leaue euery man to his owne conceit and sence Xenophon relateth a notable example of Iphicrates the Athenian who being chosen Admirall by the Citie as soone as he began to take the Sea with his Nauie both at once sailed and also prepared all things necessary for Sea-fight for he left at home the greater sailes as one that sailed forth to fight and seldome vsed the greater masts were the winde neuer so faire but hasting forward with the oare he both made the bodies of his men strong and healthy and the Nauie gained a speedier way and oftentimes where he meant to dine there would he draw his whole
both Greeke and Latine These were the signes vsed in the battell and in the Campe without the Campe were set Sentinels both horse and foot to fore-warne and giue aduerrisement to the Generall of the Enemies approach To these oftentimes the Generall gaue a signe amongst themselues and they by signes signified what was done abroad For the manner of placing these Sentinels see Aeneas The signes themselues were such as might be discerned by the eye and of that kinde and forme whereof I haue made mention already Of Marching and of the diuers kind of battels fit for a march And first of the right induction of the Caelembolos and of the Triphalange to be opposed against it CHAP. XXXVI 1 BEing now to speake of marching I will first giue to vnderstand that some kinde of march is a 2 right-induction othersome a 3 deduction on the right or left hand and that in a single or double or treble or quadruplesided battell In a single when one Enemy is feared in a double when two in a treble when three in a quadruple when the Enemy purposeth to giue on all sides Therefore the March is vndertaken sometimes in a single sometimes in a double or in a threefold or in a fourefold phalange 4 A right induction is when one body of the same kinde followeth another as if a Xenagy lead the rest follow Xenage-wise or if a Tetrarchy lead the rest follow according to that forme It is so called when the march stretcheth it selfe forth into a wing hauing the depth many times exceeding the length Against it is opposed the caelembolos or hollow-wedge which is framed when the Antistomus diphalange disioyneth the leading wings closing the reare in forme of the letter V as the figure after doth teach in which the front is disseuered and the reare ioyned and knit together for the right induction pointing at the midst of the Enemies battell the Caelembolos quickly opening before serueth both to frustrate the charge of the front of the induction and to claspe in and circumuent the flanks thereof Furthermore a Triphalange is to be set against the Caelembolos one Phalange fighting against one wing of the Caelembolos the second against the other and the middle or third phalange forbearing and expecting a time fit to charge NOTES THe Marching of an Army is a principall head of warre Aelian toucheth it no further then to shew the order and shapes of battels fit for a March and were it possible that all grounds were alike open and without impediments as namely without trees ditches hedge-rowes ragged waies valleys hils brooks and such like the best forme of your marching should be to proceede with your whole phalange in a square battell which forme is teady for all attempts of the enemy and is the beginning and sourse of other formes and with no great difficulty wil take be changed into any shape you desire Leo sheweth the inconueniency of the Herse or induction in marching thorow Champaine and large plaines first in that the Enemy with a broad-fronted battaile may enfold and encompasse the front and so easily rout it then because if the Enemy charge the flanke it will quickly be broken as being without depth further if he fall vpon the reare it is in the like danger of encompassing as was the front lastly neither can the front giue succour and assistance to the reare in case it be ouerpressed by the Enemy nor yet the reare to the front they being so farre distance one from another And he concludeth that the forme of a square or broad-fronted battaile is fit for a march in all occasions being easily to be ordered and without danger But seeing it is not possible as Polibius saith or else very hard to finde out places of 20 furlong or more where in none of the impediments aboue recited shall be the formes of marching must necessarily be accommodated to the ground and wayes through which your forces are to passe what formes they be the following Chapters will shew 2. Some kinde of March is a right Induction The expectation of the enemies approach is oftentimes a cause of varying thâ— kindes of march if he alwayes appeared in front there should need no other proceeding then with the file-leaders in front because he seekes his aduantage and in the March sometimes attacheth the reare sometimes one flanke sometimes another the Grecians to prouide for all attempts so ordered their March that wheresoeuer they feared the enemies giuing on there they opposed the file-leaders as the best men of the Armie and most able to receiue the affront yet for the most part the March was vndertaken in a right induction that is without inuerting the ordinary kind of file-leading in front which also is our manner of marching at this day But yet sometimes in a 3. Deduction on the right or left hand There is but one kind of right induction viz. a march that hath the file-leaders in the front Of Deductions there are 2 kinds one to the right the other to the left hand And because the file-leaders march on the right or left hand flanke not in front therefore the one is called a right hand deduction the other a left hand deduction So that not the body which continueth or beginneth the march but the place of the file-leaders in the march makes the difference betwixt Induction and Deduction What the Vse of Deduction is we shall see in the next Chapter 4. A right Induction is Aelian describeth the right Induction by the marching of seuerall bodies of one kind one after another as if a Xenagy lead all the rest of the forces are to bee separated into Xenagies and singly one after another to follow the first leading Xenagy so of other bodies lesser or greater Notwithstanding in a right Induction wee must take this caution withall that the file-leaders proceed in the front for otherwise if they bee placed in the flanke it is now no induction but a deduction howsoeuer the seuerall bodies of a kind follow one another This is that manner of marching which is called marching in a wing of which I haue spoken sufficiently in my notes vpon the 30 Chapter There are other kind of inductiue marches set forth in the Greeke History which are not altogether of the forme which Aelian describeth for where Aelian would haue Xenagies to follow one another with the file-leaders in front his meaning is that the whole 16 files of the Xenagie should bee laid together all the file-leaders being layed in an euen front Now you haue examples where whole Companies march in one file so that all the file-leaders haue not the front but rest included in the inward parts of the file and yet many of these files ioyned together make an induction Xenophon reporteth that when Cyrus the elder was mustering and exercising his Army in the field there came vnto him a messenger from Cyaxares the King of the Medes being Cyrus
to be changed nor any number of Souldiers to be transported to other places then they haue For hereof tumult and confusion will streight arise and the enemy will easily take aduantage of such as are not ready or fallout to be disordered I haue said that the Latines and Grecians differ in the name of this battaile howbeit they agree both about the forme which may here appeare by Aelian who resembleth it to the letter V neither can there a better resemblance be made for as the letter V consisteth of two lines which are open in the top close in the bottome so doth this forme of battaile of two sides which in front are void open and disseuered in the reare ioyned and closed fast together If you will therefore frame this battaile you must first make a square the file-leaders being all in front then must you wheele the wings of your battaile into the middest and so your file-leaders shall be in the middest lastly you are to open the front of your battaile leauing halfe the file-leaders in the inside of one flanke and halfe in the inside of the other keeping the reare close knit together and for the opening it ought to be somewhat more then will receiue into the void space the front of the right induction which being once let in the inward two flanks of the wedge where the file-leaders are ought to face to both hands and to charge the outward flanks of the right induction and so circumuent them 7. Furthermore a Triphalange A Triphalange in this place of Aelian is when a square body or phalange is from front to reare diuided into three parts The figure shewes the manner The Triphalange hath as much aduantage against the Caelembolos as the Caelembolos had against the right induction The Caelembolos compelled the right induction to fight with the worst men and auoided the affront of the file-leaders which were the best The Triphalange hauing the file-leaders in front opposeth two seuerall fronts against the two wings of the Caelembolos where there are no file-leaders for they are alwayes disposed for the inside and both auoideth the aduantage the Caelembolos sought and maketh the Caelembolos fight with the worst men in as much as one of the Phalanges chargeth the front of one wing of the Caelembolos the file-leaders whereof are in flanke within the hollownesse the other chargeth the other Now it hath this aduantage besides that it spareth reserues for all occasions by off-holding the third Phalange If the Caelembolos be beaten by the two opposing Phalanges all is lost and no hope left of winning the field no other forces being to second it where notwithstanding the Caelembolos hauing gotten the better may be curbed and the victory arrested by this reserue and by the remnant of the other two Phalanges broken Words of direction in the right induction 1 The right-corner Xenagy march out So is it of all other bodies if they begin the march 2 The rest follow in Xenagies Direction for the Caelembolos 1. Wheele the wings of your battaile into the middest of your body So shall the file-leader be in the middest but we must note that the two midlemost leaders must be centors for the other to wheele about 2. Open your front to the right and left hand keeping your Reare close For the Triphalange 1 The two wings face to the right and left hand the middle remaining as it was 2 Match out to the distance required That is to be able to meet in a right line the two fronts of the wings of the Caelembolos 3 Stand When they come to the place required 4 Face as you were 5 Aduance and charge Of Paragoge or deduction CHAP. XXXVII 1 PArogoge or deduction is when the Phalange proceedeth in 2 a wing not by 3 file but by ranke hauing the commanders or file-leaders either on the right-hand which is called a right hand deduction or on the left hand which is a left-hand deduction For the Phalange marcheth in a 4 double treble or quadruple front according to the place or part it is suspected the enemy will giue on And both the paragogies beginning the fight in flanke doe 5 make the length doubte to the depth This forme of fight was deuised to teach a Souldier to receiue heedfully the charge of the enemy not onely in front but also in flanke NOTES 1 DEduction is when the Phalange Induction is spoken of Deduction followeth which is the second kinde of march For these are no Cap. 37. A foure fronted Phalange against all allemptes of the Enemy The Front of the reare The Front of the right flank The Front of the left flank The Front of the Narch other kinds then Induction and Deduction the one with the file-leaders in front the other with the file-leaders in flanke Neither doth the greatnesse or smalnesse of the body make any difference herein be the body neuer so great as is the Phalange or so small as one Company yet must the file-leaders either lead or else be in flanke of the march The reare in necessity may well be made good by the bringers vp Deduction is the mother of many formes of battailes vsuall in marches from it come the Caelembolos whereof we spake before from it are the Antistomus the Peristomus the Homoiostomus the Heterostomus of which hereafter 2 When the Phalange proceedeth in a wing Suidas hath that Paragoge or deduction is said to be when the phalange marcheth with the file-leaders on the right or left hand if on the left it is said to be a left-hand deduction if on the right a right-hand deduction He maketh no mention of a wing as Aelian doth for it may so fall out that the body may be such as hath the depth and breadth all one as a Xenagy which hath sixteene in breadth and sixteene in depth some bodies also as the Taxies and Tetrarchies haue the depth lesse then the breadth the first holding sixteen in depth no more then eight in breadth the last foure in breadth and sixteene in depth so that they march not in a wing But because marches for the most part are vndertaken in a wing it is the cause why Aelian saith that deductions proceed in a wing the depth whereof manifoldly exceedeth the length and they proceed 3. Not by file but by ranke That is the file-leaders being wheeled to the flanke after they haue setled themselues to march proceed on their iourney as they stand in the flanke onely facing that way the march is intended and returne not to lead in the front of the battaile as they did at first To lead by file is when the file-leaders proceede and haue their files following at their backe To lead by ranke is when that which was the flanke at first becommeth the front and beginneth the march and the rest follow accordingly flanke-wise yet this is to be noted that albeit the front of the battaile be changed in the deduction
his horse into two parts the one he tooke to himselfe and obserued Eumenes the other hee gaue to Python willing him to charge the the Argiraspides and siluer targateers old soldiers of Alexanders depriued of the aide of the horse but they casting themselues into a Plinthium retired safely to the riuer Aelian remembreth nothing concerning the vse of the Plinthium But wee may learne by the examples rehearsed that it was then practised when the enemy was too strong and able to charge euery way and it is one of the foresided battailes that is mentioned in the 36 37 Chap. and vsed principally against horse but sometimes against horse and foot Philip the father of Alexander the Great being to take armes against the Illyrians who vsurped many Cities of his kingdom leuied 10000 foot 600 horse and with them entred the enemies countrey Bardilis the Illirian King met him with as many foot and 500 horse when the armies came together and with shouts ioyned battaile Philip hearing the right wing and the best Macedonian souldiers commanded the horse to fall on and charge the enemy in flanke himselfe giuing vpon the front began a strong fight The Illyrians ordering themselues into a Plinthium valiantly abode the onset and at the first the fight was equall and so continued a good while by reason of the valour shewen on both sides afterward the horse plying hard the reare and flanke and Philip with his choice valiantly laying at the front the multitude of the Illyrians were forced to fly Heere the Plinthium resisted both horse and foot I will ad one example more of repulsing horse the army being cast into a Plinthium Marcus Antonius seeking to subdue Persia and to reuenge the losse which Craesus receiued by the Parthians for in that warre Craesus himselfe was slaine and his army defeated and hauing laid siege to a great City called Phreata and finding not the successe he looked for determined to dis-march and lead his arm out of the Countrey hauing first â—adâ—truce with the King of Persia proceeding on his iourney he was set vpon by the Parthians but being repulsed they retired that day Antonius hereby resolued what to doe and strenthening his reare and flanks with many darters slingers he formed hâ—s army into a Plinthium and willed his horse â—o fall out and repulse the eâ—nmy but not to follow the chase too farre The Parthians the next foure daies began to be more coole and neither charged nor were charged and making winter their pretence were glad to retire â—o their houses By this president wee may see that the Parthians who were mighty in horse were fierce vpon the Romans as long a they held their ordinary kinde of march but after they had ordered themselues into a Plinthium so that the Parthians could not come vp to them without much indangering themselues they thought it best to let them quietly passe and goe whither they would And thus much of the Diphalange Homoiostomus and of the Plinthium Words of direction in the Homoiostomus 1 Wheele your battailes if they stand in euen front to the right or left hand 2 March one battaile after the other To restore to the first Posture 1 Fâ—â—e about to the right or left hand 2 Wheele the battailes to the right or left hand according as the case requireth 3 Face as you were at first Cap. 43. The Diphalange Heterostomus The File-leaders The bringers-vp For the Plinthium If there be 4 battailes standing togethler in an euen Front this I would hold the fittest way to make a Plinthium 1 Let the first battaile stand firme or march on in going forward wheele to the right hand in falling backe vse the Lacedemonian countermarch 2 The 3 countermarch the front with a countermarch then wheel to the left hand then march forward and place it selfe behind the right hand flanke of the first that the Front of it may be in a right line with the said flanke 3 The 4 in going forward countermarch the reare with a Macedon countermarch then wheele your battaile to the right hand face abount then wheele to the left hand then march and apply it selfe to the point of the strst battaile as the third did to the right then face about and stand thus 4 The 2 countermarch to the right or left hand then march on til it be beyond the left point of the 4 battaile then face to the left hand and march vp to lay the right-hand-point eueÌ„ with the right point of the 1 battaile and face to the right hand to make the reare of the Plinthium thus The seuerall bodies being brought into a Plinthium must front euery way as long as they make Alte. When they march in a Plinthium they are all to face toward the head of their march that is the right and left flanke battailes are to face the one to the left the other to the right hand The reare battaile is to face about to which hand it list and so march on The battailes beside haue euery one their place of dignity the first battaile hauing the front the 2 battaile the reare the 3 battaile the right flanke the 4 the left flanke Of the Diphalange Heterostomus CHAP. XLIII 1 A Diphalange Heterostomus is that which proceedeth by deduction hauing the leaders of the former Phalange in a right-handdeduction and of the following Phalange in a left-hand Deduction so that the battailes march counterchangeably one hauing the leaders in one flanke the other in the other NOTES 1 A Diphalange Heterostomus As the Homoiostomus consisted of two Phalanges both proceeded by deduction so must this forme They differ in this onely that the first had all the file-leaders on one side either on the right or left this the file-leaders of one battaile on the right of the other on the left hand For if the leading Phalange haue the file-leaders on the right-hand the following Phalange shall haue them on the left If the first haue them on the left the other shall haue them on the right See the figure The vse of this form is when the enemy sheweth himselfe on both flanks of our march and of it the double sided battaile whereof Aelian spake in the 36 and 37 Chapters may be made by the sleeuing vp the latter to the former and ioyning reare to reare and if the leading battaile haue the file-leaders in the right-flank it is to make alte when the enemy commeth neer and the following battaile to sleeue vp by the reare of it to make an euen front with the leaders of the first Contrariwise if it haue the file-leaders on the left hand Besides this orme hath further vse and you may frame of it a Diphalange Antistomus by sleeuing vp the following battaile on that side where the file-leaders of the leading battaile march for by such sleeuing the file-leaders of both I halanges shall be in the middest Words of direction in the Heterostomus There
your army into a hollow square wherein the baggage is to be couched and to be desended on all sides For if the ground be open enough to cast your selfe into a square hee holdeth the forme the safest to giue security to your baggage These be his words Place all four carriage seruants and baggage and prouision in the middest of your army And in another place speaking of a retreat to be made after an ouerthrow receiued he writeth thus You shall order your whole power into two Phalanges or battailes or into one square Plinthium in the middest whereof you shall put the carriage beasts and baggage and without them the souldiers in order and without them the archers and so retire and depart in safety Againe he saith In marches the enemy approaching it is necessary to haue your carriage in the middest lest being vnguarded it be spoyled and rifled With Leo doth Xenophon agree His words haue this shew I will not wonder if as fearfull dogges are wont to follow and bite such as passe by if they can and to flye from such as follow them so the enemy hang vpon our reare Therefore we shall perhaps march the safer if making a Plesium of the armed the carriage and vnprofitable multitude be throwne into the middest for more security And if it be now determined who shall command the front of the Plesium and who the two wings and who the reare wee shall not need to consult when the enemy approacheth but execute that which is resolued vpon This is Xenophons counsell for the march in open ground when the enemy aboundeth in number of souldiers which counsell was often put in practice and the Grecians being but 10000 secured themselues against infinite multitudes of Persian horse that charged them on all sides and also preserued and led their carriage sate in dispite of the enemy The like was practised by Xenophon afterward in the last warlike action of the Grecians in their returne out of Persia He setteth downe the history after this manner Now was it time viz. after they had assaulted a fort in vaine the enemy of the country gathering head to thinke vpon a faire retreat and conueâ—ing the oxen and sheep they had taken and likewâ—se the slaues into a Plesium they quickly dismarched not so much esteeming their prey as fearing in case they left it behind their departure might seeme a plaine running away and the enemy gathâ—r heart the Grecian souldiers be discouraged So now they departed fighting as it were about the prey The Souldiers with Xenophon being shrewdl annoyed wiâ—h bowes slings cast themselues into a ring to the end to oppose their targets against the shot of the enemy and with much adoe passed the riuer Caicus the one halfe of them being wounded Agasias also the Stymphalian Captaine was hurt whilest hee maintained fight with the enemy during the whole retreat Yet they all returned safe to the Campe bringing with them about 200 slaues and sheepe enough for Sacrifice Here Xenophons souldiers figured themselues first into a Plesium couching their prey in the middest afterward being ouerlayed with the enemies shot they conuerted their Plesium into a Ring in which forme they tecouered their Came notwithstanding the molestation and often charging of a great multitude of horse and foot that were enemy and followed them Of the forme of Rings I finde not many examples amongst the Grecians the Romans vsed them often when they found themselues encompassed by the enemy as Vegetius hath and may bee seene in Caeâ—ars Commentaries And let thus be said of the foure manners of placing the carriage in a march Of the words of Command and certaine obseruations about them CHAP. LII LAst of all we will briefly repeate the words of direction if we admonish first that they ought to be short then that they ought to be without double signification For the Souldiers that in haste receiue direction had neede to take heede of doubtfull words lest one doe one thing and another the contrary As for the purpose If I say turne your face some it may be that heare me will turne to the right some to the left hand and so no small confusion follow Seeing therefore these words Turne your face import a generall signification and comprehend turning to the right or left hand we ought in stead of saying turne your face to the pike to pronounce it thus To your pike turne your face that is we ought to set the particular before and then inferre the generall for so will all doe alike together Like reason is if you say Turne about your face or countermarch for these are also generall words and therefore wee should doe well to set the particular before As to the pike turne your face about or to the target turne your face about Likewise the Lacedemonian Countermarch not the countermarch Lacedemonian For if you place the word countermarch first some of the Souldiers will happily fall to one kinde other to another kinde of countermarch For which cause words of double sence are to be auoided and the speciall to be set before the generall NOTES IF we admonish first that they ought to be short The ordering and motions of an army ought to be quickly performed the rather because the transmutations of the body and the occasions of them are sudden for the most part And therefore the meanes to worke the transmutations commanded these meanes are the words of direction ought to suite to the nature of the motions themselues and to be applyed to celerity by shortnesse of speach Short speach is better carried away and sooner put in execution then speech that is longer Yet is not such a shortnesse to bee affected as will bring with it obscurity according to the saying of the Poet Breuis esse laboro Obscurus fio I labour to be short and so become obscure And therefore I take the practice of French Commanders when they command Facing in these words A droie a gauche to the right to the left without adding face and likewise of the Netherlanders in imitation of the French Reehes om slinks om and of some English in these words To the right to the left not pronouncing the motion which is to be made to the hand appointed These I say I take to be without the warrant of reason and of all antiquity from which Aelian draweth this rule For the command of right and left alone sheweth that the Commander would haue a motion performed to the named hand but leaueth vncertaine what the motion should be so that albeit some souldiers fall to a countermarch some other to wheeling or to doubling or to facing they are to be reputed blamelesse and to haue performed that which their direction willed them to doe because the command was of mouing to the right or left hand onely not shewing what motion should be made to either hand Shortnesse therefore is required by Aelian but such a Shortnesse as