The strategemes, sleyghtes, and policies of warre, gathered togyther, by S. Iulius Frontinus, and translated into Englyshe, by Rycharde Morysine

¶ Of traynes and disceytes. Cap. v.

ROmulus layenge parte of his ar∣my in secrete embushement, appro∣ched vnto the Fideniens, from whom he faynyng hym selfe to flee, brought them hastily pursuyng him, thither where his imbushementes lay, whiche being spar∣pled out of order, they assayled on euery syde, and easily slewe.

Q. Fabius Maximus consul, beynge sente to succour the Sutrines agaynste the Hetrusciens, so ordered the matter,

that the hole power of his ennemies, set agaynste hym: than dissemblynge as he feared them, and as though he fled, got the higher grounde, on whom folowing him out of aray and order, he sharply set, and not onely vanquyshed them, but al∣so gotte their campe.

Sempronius Gracchus ageynste the Celtiberiens fyrste makynge as though he had bene afrayde, kepte in his hoste a certayne space, and afterwarde sent oute the lyght harneised, to prouoke and vere his ennemies, and so to recule agayne. Whan he had thus entysed and brought farther his enemies, and by chasyng in & out, sette them out of order, he sodeynly strake out, assaylynge them so sore, that he toke their campe also.

Q. Metellus consul, kepynge warre in Sicilia ageynste Hasoruball, was the more circumspect, bycause that Hasdru∣ball besydes his great armye, hadde also the helpe of. Cxxx. elephantes, fyrst ther∣fore he shewed to mystrust hym selfe, and as oone discouraged, kepte his armye within the precincte of the citie, Panor∣mus,

castynge a great dyche before hym. than after perceyuynge, that Hasdruball hadde sette his camelles in the foreward of his fielde, he commaunded his speare men, to goo and throwe their dartes on the elephantes, and streight waye to re∣cule backe into their campe, the whiche thyng done, the guyders of the elephan∣tes beinge soore moued so to be mocked, droue their beastes euen into the verye dyche, where at the fyrste being combred and lette, some were slayn, and some dri∣uen backe agayn vpon their owne com∣pany, to the great trouble of the hole ar∣mye. Than Metellus, tarienge for this occasyon, auaunced forwarde with all his host, and settyng on them on the syde, slewe the Penians, & so conquered them, and also their elephantes.

Tamiris quene of the Scythians, fei∣nynge as though she for feare had fied, entysed out Cyrus, capitayn of the Per∣seans, vnto certayne straytes very welle knowen of her souldiours, where soden∣ly she tourned her hoste, and wanne the vyctorie, beynge holpen by the situation

of the place.

The Egiptians pitchynge their fielde in a marishe ground, couerid the ground with reite or wides of the see, and at the fyrst bronte of the battayle, faynynge to flee, they ledde their ennemyes, that fo∣lowed and chased theym into the fenne, and so enclosed them.

Uiriatus, whiche of a robber and ro∣uer, became the capitayne of the Celti∣beriens, fayninge as though for feare he fled, to gyue place to the Romayn hors mē, brought them into a verye foule and depe gogmier, and whan by sure pathes well knowen, he was escaped and gone, he slewe the Romaynes ignorant of the places, and drowned in mudde.

Fuluius chyefe capytayne in the bat∣tayle agaynste the Cymbrians pight his campe very nygh his ennemyes, & com∣maunded his horsemen to chase theym euen vnto their campe, prouokyng them fyrste to fyghte, and than to fayne theym selfe to flye, and to retrace agayn. Thus he accustomed them certayne dayes, vn∣tyll that he perceyued, that the Cymbri∣ans,

chasynge theym very gredily, were wonte to leaue theyr campe without de∣fence: after espieng his time, while part of his armyes kirmyshed with them, as they were wont to do, conueyd hym selfe priuily with the lyght harneysed, on the backe syde of their tentes: and beinge out of order, sodeynly sette vpon theym, and passynge ouer the bulwarke, wanne theyr campe.

Cneus Fuluius, whan the Phalisciens hoste, farre greatter than the Romayns, had pight their tentes in the Romaynes borders, sette on fyre certayne vyllages a good way from the hoste, by his owne souldiors, to the entent the Phalisciens, thynkynge their owne felowes to haue doone it, myghte scatter abrode in hope of pyllage.

Alexander hauyng a company of Epi∣rotes ayenst the Illyriens, sent forth cer∣tayne of his men in the Illyriens appa∣rayle, gyuynge them commaundement, to waste and distroy his owne countreye Epirus: the whiche thynge, whan the Illiriens espied, they nowe carelesse, be∣ganne

to run forth on euery syde to pyl∣lage, supposing those that set the townes a fire, to be spies & scoutwatches of their owne parte, and so they were intised and led into daungerous places, where ma∣ny of them were slayne, and the rest put to flyghte.

Leptenes Syracusanus also warryng vpon the Penians, commaunded to set a fyer his owne fieldes, vyllages, and certayne castelles: the Penians, suppo∣synge their owne felowes hadde doone that enterprise, ranne out to helde them, and soo they were receiued, and slayne of their ennemies.

Maharbal, sent of the Peniās ageinst the Aphriens, that rebelled, perceyuyng that this nation was very gredy and de∣syrous of wyne, myngled a great quan∣titie therof with Mandrage, which hath a vertue to caste men into a deade slepe. this doone, he made a lyghte skyrmyshe with theym, and of purpose gaue place: and after in the nyght fayned to departe thens, leauynge behynde hym, certayne packes in his campe, with the wyne in∣fected.

the barbarous alyens perceiuyng he was fled, came and toke the campe, and for ioye soo gulled in the wyne thus infected, that they laye alonge strayght on the grounde lyke dead men, Mahar∣bal turnyng ageyn, toke and slew them.

Anniball perceyuynge, that bothe his owne hoste, and the Romaynes also lay in suche places, where was but lyttelle wodde, leauyng for the nonce in that ba∣rayne and deserte coste, greate plentie of cattayle in his campe, departed thens, whan the Romaynes came, and founde the cattayle, they slewe and eate verye moche of the flesshe, whyche coulde not be holsome, bycause they wanted wodde to dresse it. Anniball knowynge this full well, returned by nyght, whan they fea∣red nothynge, and were very vnlusty, by reason of the fleshe, that they eate halfe rawe, and vexed them very soore.

Whan Tiberius Gracchus in Spayn hadde knowlege, that his ennemie was verye nedy, and troubled for lacke of vi∣tayles, he forsooke and lefte his campe, plentuously furnished of all maner mea∣tes:

than his enmies takyng the campe, & ingurgyng them selfes immoderately, became all heuy and vnlusty, Gracchus sodeynly retourned with his hooste, and oppressed theym.

They that warred ageynst the Erithri∣ens, takyng a spye of theirs, that lay out in a hygh place, slewe hym, and clothed in his apparayle, one of their owne men, whiche gyuynge the Erithriens a token from the same place, called and broughte them forthe to theyr discomfiture.

The warriers of Arabia, perceyuinge, that theyr custome was knowen, whiche vsed to gyue warnynge with smoke by daye time of theyr ennemes comminge, and with fyre by nyghte, commaunded, that this custome shulde be continuallye kept: but after theyr ennemyes aproched nere them, that custome was laide asyde. theyr ennemyes therfore supposyng, that theyr commynge was not knowen, by∣cause the lyghtes were not sette vp after the olde maner, came in amonge theym hastily, and were discomfited and slayn.

Alexander Macedo, his ennemye pit∣chynge

his tentes in the hygher ground, conducted parte of his hoste asyde, com∣maundyng the rest to kendle vp fyers af∣ter theyr accustomed maner, and setting out a face of the matter, as thoughe the hole host had layne styll, he conueyed his power about by hygher regions, and so draue his enemy from the vpper groūd.

Memnon kynge of Rhodes, hauynge a great power of horsemen, and desyring to bryng his enmy down into the valey, whiche kept hym selfe on the mountayn: sent certaine of his souldiours, vnder the colour of runnagates, to his ennemyes, to tell, that Memnons host was so vex∣ed with perillous sedition, that now one parte of his host fell away, and after an other, and that credence myght be giuen to this theyr sayenge, he caused smal ca∣stels and holdes to be furnished with de fence in the syghte of his ennemyes, as thoughe the seditiouse persones had or∣deined such places of socour one agaynst an other. than came they, that kepte the hylles, downe into the valey, and assaul∣ted the castelles, where they were by the

horsemen enclosed, and discomfited.

Harridas kynge of the Molossiens, be∣inge assaulted of Ardias Illirius, whi∣che had the greater hoste, sente in to the costes of Aetolia, suche as were vnable to fyght, spredyng abrode a rumour, that he wolde gyue vp his cities to the Aeto∣lians, but he him selfe in the meane time, with all that were able to beare weapon, deuysed and layde wayte in the hylles, and holowe wayes, wherby the Illyri∣ens shulde come. they fearynge leste the Aetolians wolde preuent them, and take all that belonged to the Molossiens, as men hastynge to pillage, regardyng not theyr order and aray, made greate haste: and as they came out of order, fearynge noo suche thynge, Harridas sodeynelye brake out of his inbushmentes, and van∣quisshed them.

T. Labienus, leuetenaunt to C. Cesar agaynst the frenche men, couetynge to assayle them, before they receyued ayd of the Germaynes, pretended a colour of desperation, and remouynge his hoste to the other syde of the water, spredde a ru∣mour

abrode, that he wolde departe the daye folowynge. The frenche men, be∣leuynge hym to flee, appoynted to passe ouer the ryuer that was betwene them. Labienus perceyuing that, tourned his army, and euen in the water slewe them.

Whan Anniball perceyued, that the campe of Fuluius the Romayne capy∣tayne, was negligently kepte, and that he enterprised many thinges vnaduised∣ly: in the dawnynge of the daye, the mist beinge some what thycke, and the ayer therwith moche obseured, he made a few of his souldiours to shewe theym selfe to those that kepte watche in the Romayns tentes: whyle Fuluius addressed hym so∣deynly thitherwarde with his hoste. An∣niball on the other syde inuadynge hym, toke his campe: and so brake out on the backe of the Romaynes, sleinge theyr ca pitayne with. viii. M. valiaunt menne of armes.

The same Anniball perceyuynge, that the Romayns host was deuided betwene Fabius, whiche was dictatour, and Mi∣nutius, mayster of the horse menne, and

that Fabius wayted nothynge but an occasyon, Minutius beynge inflamed with desyre to fyghte, pytched his tentes in a fielde, that lay betwene his enemis: and after that he hadde layde pryuily in wayte, a certayn of fote men in the rocky and holowe wayes, he sent a company to take the next hyll, & so to call out his ene∣mie. Minutius had no sooner broughte forth his hoste to assaulte them, but they, which Annibal had layd in wayte, arose, & vtterly had destroid Minutius host, if Fabius had not socoured theym in theyr great daunger.

Whan the same Anniball laye at Tre∣bia, where he mighte beholde Sempro∣nius hoste, he sette his vnder capitayne Mago, with chosen men of armes, the wether beinge excedynge colde, at the ri∣uer, that ranne betwene them. than cau∣sed he the horsemen to race out, euen vn∣to Sempronius pale, therby to prouoke hym to folowe them, commandyng, that at the fyrste settynge out of the Romay∣nes, they shuld recule ouer at suche four∣des as they knewe well. The consul vn∣aduysedly

settynge vpon, and folowing after them, caused that his hoste yet fa∣stynge, was clunged and frosen, by reson of the feruente colde, before they coulde passe the ryuer. Anniball forthwith, they being ouercome with colde and hunger, set out agaynste them his armye, whiche he had cherysshed for the same purpose, with fyer, oyles, and meate: Mago also appoynted for the same purpose, fyerse∣ly set on them behinde and slewe them.

The same manne at Trasimenus in a place, where a strayght way leadeth vn∣to the fote of an hyll, and thense in to an open fielde, fayned to flye, and escaped by the strayghtes into a brode fielde, and there pitched his tentes: and by nyght, settynge in araye his menne of armes, brought forthe his hoste in the dawninge of the day, being also holpen with a mist by the hyll that hunge ouer the straygh∣tes on bothe sydes: Flaminius styll pur∣sued hym, vntyll he came into the stray∣tes, where he was iclosed before, behind, and also on bothe sydes, and was slaine, bothe he and all his company.

The same Anniball agaynste Iunius, that was dictatour, commanded at mid∣nyght. vi. C. horsemen, deuided into son∣dry companies, to shewe them selfe con∣tinually by course about theyr ennemies tentes: and after that the Romayns with lyenge out in wayte al nyght in the rayn were sore disquieted, and weried, the ca∣pitayne Iunins, gyuynge them a token to recule, Anniball brought forth his ar∣mye, that had layne all nyght at rest, and inuaded their tentes.

Whan Anniball had pyght his campe at Cannas, he caused. v. C. Numidians to flye frome hym vnto the Romaynes, and that they myghte the better be bele∣ued, they yelded vp their swordes, and their tergats, and soo were receiued into the rerewarde. and as soone as both ho∣stes ioyned togyther, they drewe theyr shorte weapons, whiche they bare about them priuily, and caught vp the tergats of them that were slayne, and soo slewe the Romaynes.

The Iapigiens also gaue vnto P. Li∣cinius proconsul, vnder a pretēce to yeld

them selfes, certayne vyllages and tow∣nes: and whan they were receiued in the rerewarde, they slewe the Romayns.

Whan both the army of Syphax, and also the Penians hoste, lay against Sci∣pio Aphricanus, he appoynted by nyght to sette vpon Syphax armye with fyre, bycause there was of wodde, and other thynges apte to bourne great plenty: to the entent he myght bothe slee the Nu∣midians, for feare runnynge out of their tentes, & also receyue the Penians, whi∣che no doubte wolde come forth to helpe their felowes, and both came to passe af∣ter his owne mynde and sentence.

¶ Pompeius kepynge warre in Arme∣nia agaynste Mithridates, whyche had the greatter power of horsemen, dispo∣sed by nyghte. iii. thousande souldiours in lyght harneys, and. v. hundred horse men in a valey amonge the shrubs, be∣twene the two hoostes, and in the mor∣ninge at the breake of the daye, he sente forthe agaynst his ennemies, horsemen so addressed, that whan the hole hoste of their enemies, shulde enter battayle with

them, they myghte kepe theyr araye, and gyue backe a lyttell and lyttelle, vntylle they had gyuen space vnto them that lay in wayte for the same purpose, to ryse be∣hynde on the backe of theyr ennemies: and whan they had so done, they turned agayn, that semed to haue fled, and slew their enmies, tremblynge for drede, whi∣che they had gotte betwene theym. also the fote men approchynge nere, gored in the horses: wherby they quite abated the courage and great affiance, that the king had in the multitude of his horsemen.

Mithridates, whom Lucullus ofte ty∣mes ouercame by very power of chiual∣rie, sette vpon hym agayne by craft, sub∣ornatynge and priuily hyrynge a certain excellente man of strengthe, callyd Ada∣thantes to runne away vnto Lucullus, and fyrst by all meanes to wynne his fa∣uour, and than to slee hym, whych thyng he manfully attempted, all thoughe he myste his purpose. for not withstandyng that Lucullus reteyned hym as oone of his knyghtes, yet he layde priuie wayte on hym, supposynge, that it was neyther

mete, rashly to trust a fugitiue, runnyng frō his capitayn, nor yet to forbyd other to do the same. Thā after he had shewed his diligent seruice & labour in many ba tayles, and was put in greatte truste, he chose the tyme for his purpose, whan all was at rest and quiete in the pretors pa∣uilyon: but fortune fauored Lucullus. for this felawe, that mighte at all tymes whan he wolde, come vnto the capitayn, if he were waking, cam nowe by chance, whan he was a sleepe. therfore whan he wolde haue gone in, to the capytayne, as though he hadde brought worde of some sodeyne chaunce, or other thyng nedeful, and beinge obstinately kepte oute by the seruantes, that had greatte regarde vn∣to theyr maysters helthe, fearyd leste he had ben suspected, and so fledde agayne vnto Mithridates, disapoynted of his pourpose.

¶ Melanthus capitayne of the Atheni∣ans, whome Xanthus kynge of Boetia prouoked vnto battayle, was no sooner come within his reache, but he sayde, O Xanthus, thou doeste vnlaufullye, and

contrary to thy couenant, to come forthe agaynst me alone man, with an other fo∣lowyng the. whan Xanthus maruayled, who that shoulde be, that accompanyed hym, and loked backeward, Melanthus stept in, and slewe hym at one stroke.

¶ Whan Iphicrates of Athens, at Che∣ronessum, vnderstode, that Anaxibius, capitayne of the Lacedemonians, ledde his hoste by lande, he conueyed the moste valyaunt warriours out of the shyppes into a secrete place, commaundynge the shyppes neuerthelesse, as thoughe they had ben styll manned with souldiours, to passe ouer the sees openly, and so by land he brake in behinde the Lacedemoniens, fearing no suche thynge, & oppressed and discomfited them.

¶ For as moche as Alcibyades, capy∣tayne of Athens, agaynste the capytayne of the Numidians, and the Lacedemoni∣ans, had vpon the narow see called Hel∣lespontus, a great host, and many shyp∣pes, he landed part of his souldiours by nighte, and hydde parte of his nauy be∣hynde certayne promontories, saylynge

forthe hym selfe with a small nombre, to prouoke his ennemies: whom makynge towarde hym, he styll fled, vntyll he had brought them, where his shyppes laye. Then they fleinge and landynge, were slayne by those, that he before had landed for the same purpose.

Whan the same Alcibiades shuld fight in battayle on the see, he caused to set vp mastes in a certayne promontorye, com∣maundyng his men, that as sone as they perceyued the battayle begyn, they shuld hoyse vp the sayles. Whiche feate caused his enemies, y^t supposed, whan they sawe the mastes, that an other nauye came to ayde him, to turne away and flee.