directions Doe what you are commanded with silence keepe your places euery man follow your colours And in another place he writeth thus When your Army goeth out to ioyne with the enemy there ought to be a deepe silence For that both preserueth the Army from disorder and also maketh the directions of the Commanders to be heard with more attention And againe thus There ought to be as much silence as may be in the Army and if the bringers vp of any file heare but a whispering of their fellowes in the file they are to pricke the parties with the points of their pikes and so to redresse the fault Alexander when he was returning from the Countrey of the Taulantians into which he had made an inrode found his way beset with enemies and being to cast his Army into a forme of battaile to fight he first commanded an absolute silence and then proceeded to other directions And for the effect of silence our owne story hath a memorable example of the Army of Edward the fourth in Barnet field As for the silence here prescribed by Aelian it extendeth not onely to exercise and fight but oftentimes to the marching of an Army and to the Campe as appeareth by the last example and by Leos precept in his eleuenth Chapter And yet this precept of silence is not inuiolably to be kept in an Army at all times for there is a time when the Souldiers ought to giue a generall shout and cry thorow the whole Army to the end to terrifie the aduerse battaile of the enemy and that time hath alwayes beene chosen and by all Nations obserued when the fight is presently to be vndergone I neede not bring instances thereof euery man knoweth it that is although but meanely acquainted with History It is termed in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine clamor in English a shout of the whole Army the which being performed silence is to be restored in as strict manner a before And thus much of silence Now followeth the words of direction in Aelians last Chapter Of the words of direction CHAP. LIIII THus then are we to command 1 To your armes 2 Carriage away from the battaile 3 Be silent and marke your directions 4 Take vp your armes 5 Seperate your selues 6 Aduance your Pikes 7 File your selues 8 Ranke your selues 9 Looke to your leaders 10 Reare-Commander strengthen your file 11 Keepe your first distances 12 Face to the pike Moue a little further Stand so 13 As you were 14 Face to the Target Moue a little further Stand so 15 As you were 16 Face about to the pike 17 As you were 18 Double your depth 19 To your first posture 20 The Lacedemonian Countermarch 21 To your first posture 22 The Macedonian Countermarch 23 To your first posture 24 The Choraean Countermarch 25 To your first posture The precepts of the art Tacticks haue I deliuered vnto you most inuincible Caesar which I make no doubt will bring to the practice safety and victory ouer his enemies NOTES THese words of direction here set downe are rather to shew the manner of Command then to expresse the iust number of directions vsed in exercise yet doth Leo the Emperour transcribe some of them albeit not all out of Aelian and the last in Leo hath a mixture of two motions in one direction being deliuered in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in Latine translated by Sir Iohn Check Laconicum ad hasta 〈…〉 triuolue and may be thus englished wheele thrice the Lacedemonian Countermarch to the right hand wherein there is both wheeling and the Lace emonian Countermarch commanded at once a thing impossible to be performed For as in wheeling the whole battaile remaineth entire and moueth circlewise about the right ot left corner fileleader as about a Center So in a Countermarch Lacedemonian it is broken and beginneth to moue by seuerall ranks and continueth the motion in a direct line from the front to the reare and not in a circle But for the precepts of Aelian I purpose to explaine onely such as are vsed by the Souldiers and Commanders of our time And after taking of armes I hold this to be the first at lest when we begin to moue 6 Aduance your Pikes Pikes in ordering of a battaile must be first aduanced before any motion can be performed in as much as all other postures of the Pike doe hinder or else are vnfit for transmutations and variety of changes and from aduaneing the rest of pike-postures doe spring Ordering of the Pike was deuised to ease the Souldier standing still shouldering to ease him in matching aduancing to giue facility to the other postures and to finish them because they both begin and end in it 7 8. File and ranke your selues It is needlesse to note that no battaile can be without filing and ranking This we must vnderstand that the Captaine is to see whether the Souldiers be filed and ranked but the action it selfe pertaineth to the Souldiers who knowing their files and rankes are euery man to take their place accordingly for so ought it to be in true discipline of Warre 9 Looke to your Leader The file-leader is the life and giuer of forme vnto the file He is the life in that he moueth first and draweth the rest vnto the same motion he giueth the forme vnto it because it being nothing else but a right line his standing being the first point directeth the rest to follow lineally one after another In this precept therefore Looke to your Leader two things are commanded one that the rest of the file should obserue to moue and stand still as he doth the other that they should maintaine a straightnesse and rightnesse in length which is the forme of the file 10 Reare-commander order your file In the Greeke Edition of Aelian is read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is file-leader But in a Manuscript which I haue seene is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bringer vp or reare-commander and so is it read in Leos Tacticks and I take it to be the true reading this command rather appertaining to the reare-Commander then to the file-leader for the file-leader being the foremost of the file and bearing his face out of the front how can he see whether the file that is behinde him be in right order or not The bringer-vp hath his face toward the whole file as it standeth out before him and therefore may easily discerne if any man be in disorder and reforme them that are the cause of the disorder In which respect it is euident that he is fitter for the command then the file-leader which is the cause that I haue translated the word of direction as before Reare-commander order your file 11 Keepe your first distances That is stand in your open order For in that distance is the exercise first legunne It is a seemely thing to see an euen proportion obserued in the motion of
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-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 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-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
his vnkle signifying that an Ambassador was arriued from the Indies in which regard said hee the King would haue you to come to him with all speed and I bring you from Cyaxares one of his richest garments For he desireth in regard the Indians are to see you that your presence may bee adorned with as faire and sumptuous apparell as may bee Cyrus receiuing this message commanded the first Taxiarchi to stand in front hauing his Company ordered behind him in one file and himselfe holding the right corner file of the battell and willed him to deliuer that Command to the second Taxiarch and so the word to passe to the rest They quickly obeyed and put the Command in execution and so it came to passe in short space that the Front had in it 300 for so many the Taxiarches were the depth of the battell 100. After they stood in this order hee commanded them to follow as he led and straightway he led them running but because hee perceiued that the way was too streight to march with so many in Front hee willed the first Chiliarchy to follow in the same order in which it then was and the second in the Reare thereof and so the rest and he sent two Sergeants to the turnings of the way to giue direction to such as were not fully instructed in the businesse When they were come to Cyaxares gate hee willed the first Taxiarch to order his Company 12 deepe and the Dodecadarches to stand in Front all along the pallace and hee willed to signifie so much to the next Taxiarch and so the rest one to another through the whole Army They did as they were commanded and he went in to Cyaxares Here haue you first a Company drawne into file and so standing then 299 Companies fashioned into files and laid flanke-wise to the first and so marching as long as the ground would permit The ground afterward being capable of no more then 10 in front the Chiliarchy of the right hand was drawne forth to leade the march which consisted of 10 Companies the Body being 10 in front and 100 in depth The rest of all the Chiliarchies followed the Reare one of another in the same order comming to a place where Alte was to be made the first Taxiarch drew out his Company by 12 placing the first file leader in front with the first 12 of the file and sleeuing vp the Dodecadarch of the same file to Front with the file leader and the hindermost 12 of them that followed him to ranke with the former halfe file the like was done by the 3 other files so that each Taxis had 8 in Front and 12 in depth and there being 30000 men in that Army the whole Army comprehended 300 Taxis the halfe files of 12 a peece amount to the number of 2400 so many men in number also making the Front of the Army And for the leading of the first Chiliarchy in the straight way and the rest following in the like forme it was an induction which notwithstanding differeth from Aelians induction Aelians Chiliarchy in the induction requireth the file leaders in front this dispersed them in the whole body Aelians Chiliarchy would haue had but 16 in depth this had 100. For marching in like manner with the Captains before and the single files of a Company cast into one file after them I finde another example in Xenophon The elder Cyrus being to inuade Assyria by night directeth his Army thus Let vs leaue with the carriage beasts and waggons such as are fittest for that seruice and let Cobrias be their Leader because hee is both skilfull in the waies and otherwise sufficient for any affaire of Command And let vs set forward with the best and most able horse and foot carrying with vs victuall for three daies for the lighter and with the lesse cumber wee shall appoint out selues with so much the more pleasure the after passing daies shall we dine suppe and sleepe Now let the march bee ordered in this manner First you Chrysanthas lead the armed foote with all their Captaines in Front as long as the way is euen and broad and let euery Company bee ordered in depth souldier after souldier file-wise for the closser wee put our selues together the sooner and safer shall wee end our march The cause why I would haue the Armed goe before is in regard they are the heauiest of the Army and when the heauiest goe before the light must â—â—eds follow aâ— ease But when the lightest leade especially in the night it is no maruaile if the Army bee seuered and distracted the light easily slipping away and hastening in the Vaunt Next vnto these let Artabazus lead the Targetiers and Archers of the Persians and Andramias the Median the Median footemen next then let Embas follow with the Armenian foot and Artuchas after him with the Hircanians and next Thambradas with the Sacan foote then Damatas with the Cadusianâ— and let all these march with the Captains in front and on the right flanke of their Plesium the Targetiers or Peltasts the Archers on their left for so shall they better second one another After these let the whole baggage march the Commanders whereof must bee carefull to haue all things ready before they sleepe and early in the morning to bee at the appointed place with their furniture and decently to march forward After the baggage let Madatas the Persian lead the Persian Horse with their Captaines in front and let the Captaines order their Companies in a file as the foot Captaines did Next after these Rambaces the Median in the same sort the Horse which hee commandeth Then you Tygraues your horse Then the other Horse Captaines euery one the Horse with which they serue mee And as the Cadusians came last to my seruice let them close vp the reare of the Army Thus Xenophon The passage is somewhat long but I thought good to recite it because it containeth the order of night marches vsuall of old time First the armed foote march euery Nation after other as long as the ground would giue leaue in a square battell framed of Company laid to Company euery Company drawne out into a file the Targetiers on the one flanke the Archers on the other then the carriage last of all the Horse The reason is added why the slowest haue the Vaunt namely lest in the night when all things saith the same Xenophon are to bee vnderstood and done by direction to the eare and not to the eye the Horsemen or light armed who are nimble quick the Horsemen by reason of the Horse that carry them the light armed because they are troubled with no weight of Armes leading they might happily with their speede out-goe and leaue the heauy armed beehinde who beeing burdened with the heauinesse of their Armes can march but slowly But my principall end was to shew that the file-leaders in an inductionâ— are not alwaies
from whom the Souldiers of the Enomoties haue it This was then the manner of the Grecians How the Romans did deliuer ou◠their word you may finde in the sixt Booke of Polybius But because it pertaineth not to Aelian who intreateth of the Graecian discipline alone I remit the Reader to my marginall quotation The signe was then deliuered from the superior Officers to the inferior and from them to the Souldier the kindes of signes that were deliuered are reckoned vp in this Chapter being in number two for they were presented either to the eare or to the eye to the eare as all sounds whether mans voice or trumpets or other instruments of warre which were presented for direction or motion of the Army To the eye as all mute signes so they are called which haue no sound which were set vp to the view of the Souldier for direction likewise Both of these kinds were either ordinary or extraordinary ordinary which had daily vse in the Army as the Trumpet Ensignes and such like as serued for ordinary direction Extraordinary which were brought in as occasion was offered of new command besides some were deliuered openly as the vocall semiuocall and mute signes which by proclamation sound of instruments or representation were set forth to the whole army at once some priuily as the word and such like which passed secretly from one to another and were receiued priuately in the eare This variety was inuented that in case one kinde failed or would not serue another might as I haue noted before out of Suidas vpon the ninth Chapter and as Aelian teacheth in this Chapter The ends of signes are two one to order and direct our owne forces the other to distinguish them from the Enemy Because I haue before spoken of the diuersity of vocall and mute signes it shall not be amisse here to shew the vse of them both by examples And this is first to be noted that the Graecians in gouerning their troopes as much as they could retained the vse of the voice In publike directions they vsed the voice of the Cryer I haue before noted it vpon the 9 Chapt. If the command required secrecy the Generall gaue it to his chiefe Commanders secretly by word Of this kinde was the signe deliuered to discerne enemy from his owne souldiers in a battaile to be fought Xenophon writeth that at such time as Cyrus the yonger and Artaxerxes were to ioyne battaile Cyrus sitting on horse-backe a prettie distance from the Grecian troopes heard a murmuring noise running along through their whole battaile and asking Xenophon who was then present with him what noise it might be and what it meant Xenophon told him that the Word was now giuen the second time Hee wondering who had reuealed the Word to the Enemy desired to know what the new word was Xenophon answered it was Iupiter the Sauiour and victory which Cyrus hearing I accept it saith he and let it be so The murmure here mentioned arose out of the deliuering of the signe of the battaile which being deliuered to the inferiour Officers by Clearchus the chiefe Commander of the Grecians and the Officers communicating it to the Souldiers and the Souldiers one to another went thorough the whole body of the phalange with a soft and stil noyse of them that whispered it in the eares of their companions Xenophon hath here set downe that the word was Iupiter the sauiour and victory In another place he hath Iupiter the Sauiour and Hercules the guide for the signe To know who was an enemy who a friend the souldiers meeting one another demanded the signe if they deliuered the word giuen by the Generall they held them for friends if otherwise for enemies Polyen telleth of one Acues an Arcadian Generall who commanded his Souldiers to kill him whosoeuer he were that should aske the word so that he made the voice of the enemy serue for the word to his owne Souldiers This signe was changed in euery battaile lest if still the same signes were vsed the Enemy might happily come to the knowledge of them and so be taken for friend vnder colour whereof much treason might be wrought not much vnlike the signe giuen in a battell to be fought is the watch-word by night which was vsually deliuered to the first Officers of the Army and by them deriued to the rest and so brought downe to the Souldiers and was no lesse obserued in a Citie then in the Campe in both which the same forme of watching was held saue that in a Campe there were Sentinels per due as we terme them at this day the Grecians called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who stood and watched without the trench of the campe whereas the Cities for the most part had Sentinels watching onely vpon the wals or market-place or other pieces of strength giuing to and receiuing the word from the rounders And as the signes of battaile varied vpon occasion as the last example spesified so the watch-words were often changed for feare they might come to the notice of the enemy for the Enemy hauing the Watch-word might nourish spies in our Campe or Citie and haue certaine intelligence of all that passeth there as being taken for friends because they carried the marke and tokens of friends and they were changed not onely at the reliefe of the watch which time is the vsuall moment of varying the word but oftentimes after the same night for feare that a Sentinell might be snatched vp without the Campe by an enemy or else because of treason within in reuealing the word to the enemy oftentimes also they gaue a double word one to the sentinell another to the round and sometimes added a mute signe to the word which kind they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a by-signe and these are all the secret signes by word which I finde in the Grecian practise For the other words as the exhortation of the Generall to the Army and the words of training deliuered by the Cryer to the Souldiers for euery Company had a Cryer because his voice was stronger and lowder then the Captaines they neither are secret and seeme rather to be in the nature of Commands then Signes The single word of battell and watch I find to bee called by no other name then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were a double word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if a mute signe were ioyned to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The voice then of a man was vsed for a signe either when secrecie was required or else where the Crier might bee heard in discharging his duty by proclamation because it was weake and could not extend to the hearing of ths whole Army and many things required for publike and quicke direction Instruments of sound were brought in Vegetius saith very well Because a multitude cannot be gouerned by voice alone in the tumults of fight and because many things are to
charge the reare But since vpon better consideration I thinke there is a fault in the text and where it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be corrected and written as I take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the flankes of the battaile Iulius Pollux testifieth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The forepart of those that fight is called the front the rankes and the face the outward parts on each side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flanks the wings the right and the left the middest the nauell the depth the parget or wall The like doth Leo in many places and as farre as I can read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number is generally taken for the flankes albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number I deny not to be vsed for the reare sometimes as in Xenophon who describing a fight betwixt the Corcyreians and Lacedemonians hath thus Mnasippus the Lacedemonian Generall embattailing his army put the enemy that was neere the gates to flight and followed the chaâ—â— They being come neere the wals turned againe and threw and cast darts from the mountaines other running out of the other gates in good numbers fell vpon the reare of the Lacedemonians who being ordered but 8 deep and thinking the reare of the Phalange to be but weake endeauoured to retire and fall off The enemy no sooner saw them giue ground but presently fel on more eagerly imagining they fled neither did they turne their faces any more and they who stood next vnto them soughe with all speed to saue themselues by flight Mnasippus could giue no aid to his destressed souldiers by reason hee was hardly laid to by the Corcireans that came to hands with him and his number by little and litle decreased at last the enemy in great numbers pressed them sore that stood about Mnasippus who were now reduced to a very few And the armed foot of the Citty seeing what was done abroad issued out and after they had slaine Mnasippus they followed the chace all of them together Thus Xenophon And thus you may see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number taken for the reare of the Phalange howsouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall signifieth the flanks The Antistomus Phalange therefore differing from the Amphistomus in this only because the last maintaines fight in front and reare the first in both flanks and Aelian in this Chapter describing the battel which maintaines the fight in the flanks it seemeth that the inscription ought to be of the Phalange Antistomus and that the text ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may after a sort appear by Aelian himselfe in the next Chapter where making a difference betwixt these two battailes he saith plainly that the Antistomus fighteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Read then in the text Those in the flanks make head against the enemy in stead of these words Those in front and reare and all the rest will agree to the Phalange Antistomus 3. It is of great vse The vse of this battaile is principally against horse as Aelian giueth to vnderstand because they are quicke and speedy and can suddenly turne diuide themselues and charge where they list And the flanks of the battell being the weakest part for your best men are placed in the front and reare it is needfull to finde out some meanes to defend them which is to instruct your Souldiers how to receiue the charge by turning their faces to the flankes In front you are alwaies ready because faces and weapons are bent that way Effect the like in the flankes and you shall be able to resist any charge of the enemy For foot the danger is not so great because your men shall be able to face euery way as readily as the enemy giue them only exercise and acqaint them with that manner of fight 4. And principally practised against the Barbarians That it was much vsed amongst the Grecians I find not in there history yet is there no doubt but the vse may be great in it as well as in the Amphistomus But I take the reason why it was seldome put in practice to be because the flankes of pikes in the Grecian battell were for the most part garded with horse and light-armed The front and reare hauing no such defence were commonly attached by the enemy seeking all aduantage to distresse them and in case the horse and light-armed bee absent the flankes are the fairest marke of the enemy which can by no other meanes be secured but by facing that way where he giueth on which may be euidently seene by the fight Cyrus the elder had against Craesus which example you shall see set out in my notes vpon the 46. Chap. page 79. 5. Those are broad squares That which I heere translate a broad square is in the Greeke Heteromekes of which forme I haue spoken in notes vpon the 30. Chapter Cap. 39 The Phalange Antistomus Front Wordes of direction for the Phalange Antistomus for that forme is described in this Chapter 1. Halfe rankes face to the right and left hands 2. Charge your Pikes To restore to the first Posture 1. Aduance your Pikes 2. Face as you were 1 Of the Phalange antistomus CHAP. XXXIX 1 THe Phalange Antistomus is like to the Amphistomus the forme being a little altered so that it accustometh the Soldier to resist the seuerall kindes of incursions of horse All that hath beene spoken of the former Phalange both for foot and horse agreeth with this figure also Heerein they differ that the 2 Amphistomus receiueth the charge in front and reare the Antistomus in flanke but as well in the one as the other they fight with long pikes as doe the Alans and Sauromatans and the one halfe of the souldiers in the files haue their faces bent forward the other halfe backward so that they stand backe to back This forme hath two fronts the one before where the-file leaders the other behinde where the bringers vp stand And being also diuided into a 3 Diphalange it maketh the forefront with one the after-front with the other Phalange NOTES 1 AS the title of the former Chapter was mistaken so is the title of this Chapter The other should haue beene of the Antistomus as I haue before shewed this of the Amphistomus That it should be of the Amphistomus the very wordes following in this Chapter will proue which are these The one halfe saith he of the armed souldiers in the files haue their faces bent forward the other halfe backward so that they stand back to backe and the battell hath two frontes one before where the file-leaders the other behind where the bringers vp stand He describeth the two fronts by the file-leaders and bringers vp whose proper places are the front and reare not the flanks and further
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
wheeling there ought to be a facing to the same hand first before you returne and then a returning the contrary way about the same corner file-leader about whom the motion was first made This is to be vnderstood of wheeling the whole body In wheeling the front into the flanks after wheeling performed the body before returning is to face to the Commander then to returne about the same bringers vp till all come to be as they were In wheeling the flanks into the front after the wheeling is made the body is to face likewise to the Commander then facing about to the right or left hand to return to the first posture about the two middle file-leaders as about their center Hic caestus artemque repone FINIS The Contents of the CHAPTERS of this BOOKE THE broad-fronted Phalange the deepe Phalange or Herse and the vn-euen fronted-Phalange Chapter 30 Parembole Protaxis Epitaxis Prostaxis Entaxis and Hypotaxis Chap. 31 The Vse and aduantage of these exercise of Armes chap. 34 Of the signes of direction which are to be giuen to the Army and of their seuerall kinds chap. 35 Of marching and of the diuers kinds of Battailes fit for a march And first of the right Induction of the Caelembolos and of the Triphalange to be opposed against it chap. 36 Of the Paragoge or Deduction chap. 37 Of the Phalange Amphistomus chap. 38 Of the Phalange Antistomus chap. 39 Of the Diphalange Antistomus chap. 40 Of the Peristomus Diphalange chap. 41 Of the Diphalange homoiostomus and of the Plinthium chap. 42 Of the Diphalange Heterostomus chap. 43 Of the Horse Rhombe and of the Foot-halfe-Moone to encounter it chap. 44 Of the Horse-battaile Heteromekes and the Plagiophalange to be opposed against it chap. 45 Of another kinde of Rhombe for Horse-men and of the foot-battaile called Epicampios Emprosthia to encounter it chap. 46 Of the Foot-battaile called Cyrte which is to be set against the Epicampios chap. 47 Of the Tetragonall Horse-battaile and of the Wedge of Foot to be opposed against it chap. 48 Of the Foot-battaile called Plesium and of the Winding or Saw-fronted battaile to encounter it chap. 49 Of the Hyperphalangesis and Hyperkerasis and of Attenuation chap. 50 Of conueighing the carriage of the Army chap. 51 Of the words of Command and certaine obseruations about them chap. 52 Of the words of Direction chap. 54 FINIS a Battaile b Cap. 1â— Arr. l. â— 4. C. â— 9. § 72 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 77. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Phalange Macedonian consisting of 1634. pikeâ—en Phalangarch is the fourth part of a Phalange 4. Pentecosiarchy hath in it 512 men The ordinary depth is 16. a Aelian c. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo c. 9. § 77. Aelian c. 9. a A body of foure files b A body of â— files c A body of 16 files b Diodor. Sic. l. 20. c Arr. l. 1. 3. C. d Xenoph. hist Grac. l. 6. 558. A. e Arr. l. 1. 14. C. f Xenoph. hist Grac. l. 6. 558. A. g Arr. l. 1. 14. F. h Arr. l. 1. 14. C. i Arr. l. 1. 14. B. k Leo c 17. §. 26. l Leo ibid. m Arr. l. 1. 14. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Leo c. 17. §. 26. t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x â—n a Horse a Euclyd l. 1. definit 30. b Aelia c. 18. 38. 46. Aelian hath afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈…〉 l. a. 32. D. â—â—â— â— d Polyen l. â— 549. â— â— Tâ—â— vse of the broad-fronted Phalange and of the Herse e Leo c. 14. §. 10â— f Arr l. 1. 14. g Xenoph Cyrop l. 6. 167. B. h Arr. l. 1. 36. C. d Liu. l. 46. 112. A. e Liu. l. 38. 215. C. f Ael c. 45. g Arr. l. 1. 2. B. h Xenoph hist 〈…〉 6 â—oâ— D. i Polyen l. 5. â—â—3 §. 1. a Xenoph. Cyrop l. â— 71 D b Xenoph. d'exp l. â— 3â—0 D. c Xenoph. d'exp l. â— 324. E. e Arr. l. 4. 95. â— d Xenoph. d'exp l 5. 3â—3 A. f Xenoph. d'expâ—d l. 4. 340. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8000 armed 1800 light-armed a A song or hymne to Apollo vsed by the Grecians when they ioyned with the Enemy Iul Pol. l. â— c. 1. §. 33. But the Scholiastes of Thucydides saith there were two Paeans one to Mars before victory the other to Apollo after victory â— 1. b Xenoph. Cyrop l. â— 55. A. l. 5. 130. D. c Thucyd. l. 2. 155. â— d Polyb. l. 1. 27. â— C. D. e A broad-fronted Battaile f Appian in Lyâ—â—cis 22. g Poly. l. 15. â—â—â— â— h Orâ—â— g Appianin Syracis 97. C. h Herse Transformation of one into another Doubling of files i See Aelian c 7. In my notes vpon the 11 chapt a A body of foure files b Xenoph. Cyrep l. 2. 55. A. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifieth a file in the ascent of Cyrus and in the Greeke History it signifieth a Company of 100 men The File-leader commanded the whole file of 24. The Decadarch the halfe rearefile The two Pempedarchs 5 men a peece one the 5 that followed after the first 6 in front the other the 5 that were next the reaâ—e The bringer vp was the last of all a Xenoph. de exp l. 4. 334. A. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Arr. l. 2. 3â— C. D. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Polyb l. 1â— 632. B. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g Arr. â— 1. 14. â— h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Polyen l. § 16. b Diod. Sic. l. 1â— 486. C. The Lacedemonians had by Lycurgus Law two Kings at once c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e The Baeotianâ— were 50 deepe the Lacedemonians 1â— Xenoph. bist grâ—â— l. 6 596. â— f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g Diod. l. 17 592 E h Diod. l. 19. 686. i Diod Sic. l. 19. 716. b Doubling the front by middle men c Adioyning d Forefronting e Placing after f Placing betweene g Placing on the wings h Diod. Sic. l. 19. 717. â— a Against the front b Doubling of rankes c Against the reare d Countermarch e Wheeling a Facing a Veget. l. 3. c. 5. b Polyb. l. 9. 555. â— a Caesar de bell Gall. l. 7. 156. b Three were 60 Centurions in a Roman Legion a â—lin natural â—ist l. 7. c. â— 7. b Onosander â— 25 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Leo â— 20. §. â—â—6 e Onosand c. 25. Polemarches Lochagi Pentecoâ—â—ers Enomotarchs Xenoph. Cyrop l. 8. 203. â— f Polyb. l. 6. 479 Lipsius ad â—olyb â— 5. dial 9. Veget. l. 3. â— 5.
march on and that the rest about that time should lay hands vpon the Polemarches that vsed to guard the gates while they reposed themselues and slept And that this done the Acheans should with all speed hasten to the gates out of their Ambush These things concluded and the time approaching Aratus came accordingly and hiding himselfe by the riuer awaited the signall About the fifth houre one of the Citie an owner of sheepe that bore extraordinary fine wooll were vsually feeding about the Citie came out of the City gate in a cloake desirous to speake with the shepheard about some priuate businesse of his owne and standing vpon the same hill looked round about for the sheepheard Aratus and his folke imagining this to be the expected signall ran in all hast toward the Citie but because nothing was ready within the gates were quickly shut and not onely Aratus missed of his purpose but the Citizens also that conspired with him fell into great misfortunes being taken with the manner and presently brought forth and put to death This may be an example of error and misprision of the signe Of the neglect and likewise of the like error and misprision there is a notable example in Caesars Comentaries in the siege of Alexia Where Caesar hauing won the Enemies campe lying vpon a hill neere the Towne sounded a retreat to his army that was in fight the Ensignes of the tenth legion made a stand but the Souldiers of the other legions not hearing the sound of the trumpet by reason of a valley beyond which they were were yet held backe by the Tribunes and Legats as Caesar had giuen direction Notwithstanding being puffed vp with the hope of a speedy victory and with the fight of the Enemy and their happy battailes of former times thinking nothing so hard that it might not be atchieued by their valour they made no end of their chace till they came neere to the Wall and Gates of the Towne and some of them entring at a gate othersome clymbing vp the wall imagined they had gotten possession of the towne In the meane time the Enemies forces who were busie in fortifying without on the other side of the towne being acquainted herewith by message sent their horse before and followed after themselues and in great numbers charged the Romans The fight was hard the enemy trusting to the aduantage of the place and to their number the Romans to their valour when on the sudden were seene on the open side of the Romans the Heduan Horse who serued in Caesars Armie and were by him sent on the right hand to get vp the hill another way they by likenesse of their armour put Caesars souldiers in a great feare And although it might easily â—e discerned that their left shoulder was vnarmed which was the signe of such as were friends yet the Romans conceiued them to be enemies and to vse that deuice onely to ouer-reach and entrap them Being oppressed on all hands and 46 Centurions slaine they were beaten from their ground with the losse of few lesse then 700 men Caesars Souldiers here offended in both kindes in the neglect of their Generals Command which he gaue by signe and in mistaking the signe which was vsuall for the Heduans to be knowne by Caesars iudgement of these two faults appeareth in his speech which he made to his Army presently vpon the losse in which he reprehended their rashnesse in that they would needs take vpon them to iudge how farre they were to proceede and neither be held in with the signe of retreat that was giuen â—or yet be commanded by the Tribunes and Legates He shewed of what force the disaduantage of ground was and what his opinion was before this time at Auaricum where surprising the Enemy without a Generall and Horse he let an assured victory slip out of his hand because he would not hazard no not a small losse in fight vpon inequality of ground As much as he admired their braue mindes and resolution whom neither the fortifications of the Enemies Campe nor the height of the Mountaine nor the wall of the Towne could hold backe so much hee reprehended their presumption and arrogancy in that about the victory and issue of things they preferred their owne conceits before the opinion of their Generall For his part he required aswell modesty and continencie in a Souldier as valour and magnanimity So Caesar insinuating that obedience and heedfulnesse were two principall vertues in a Souldier by the one to be ready at all commands by the other to execute with discretion what was commanded by want of heedfulnesse they perceiued not the signe of retreat which was proposed vnto them and mistooke the marke of the Heduans whom they esteemed for their foes by want of obedience to their Officers they incurred the danger and losse which they sustained diligent care therefore is to be had of signes by which the minde of the Generall in all directions is declared and as it were set before the eyes of the whole Army The Inuentors of the Signes of Warre were many The Ensigne was inuented by the Egyptians as I haue shewed in my notes vpon the 9 chap. of this Booke where also the reason of the inuention is giuen The order of an Army the giuing of the signe the watch the watchword was inuented by Palamedes the trumpet by Tirrhenus the Sonne of Hercules To giue signes to an Armie pertaineth as I haue shewed to him that is the Gouernour thereof that is to the Generall The manner how signes were by him giuen appeareth in Onosander I will recite his words Let all signes quoth he he meaning by voyce and by-signes be deliuered to the Officers of the Armie in asmuch as for a Generall to goe vp and downe and proclaime the signe to all is the part of an vnwise and vnexperienced Man and both time is lost in denounâ—ing it and it is often a cause of tumult whilest euery man asketh what the signe is Besides one addeth something to the Generals words another diminishâ—th them through ignorance Leo hath almost the same wordes at least the same sence and as I take it hee borroweth them from Onosander Onosander addeth It behoueth him to giue the word to his highest Commanders who are to deliuer it ouer to the next to themselues and they to their next inferiour Officers till it come to the last for so shall euery one speedily decently and quietly know what is commanded And this was the manner of the Grecians as may appeare by Thucydides who describing the vsage of the Lacedemonians in giuing the word and signes of direction hath thus And presently the Lacedemonians ordered themselues in battaile Agis the King commanding as their law is for when the King leadeth all things are vnder his command and hee giueth direction to the Polemarches they to the Lochagij who deliuer it to the Pentecosters and they to the Enomotarches