CHAP. III.
Stratagems after the Fight.
I Do not think it impertinent to add to this discourse such things as happen after the Fight, especially seeing they are but short, and not to be omitted because they are conformable to the matter which we have in hand. But since one of these two things must happen, either that we gain the Victory, or lose it; I say, that when we gain it, we are to pursue it with the greatest diligence we can, and rather imitate Caesar in this case than Hanibal, who for not following his Victory, and pushing it on after he had defeated the Romans at Cannas, lost the whole Empire of the Romans, which fortune had almost thrust into his hands. Caesar on the other side never rested after a Victory, but followed the enemy with greater fury than he attacked them at first. But when the day is lost, a wise General is to consider the best that he can make of it, especially if there be any thing of his Army remaining.
The advantage that may arise, is from the inadvertency of the enemy, who many times transported with his success, grows negligent and remiss, and gives opportunity to the enemy to revenge himself, as Martius the Roman did upon the Carthaginian Army, who having slain the two Scipio's, and routed their forces, not valuing those which remained, were suddenly assaulted and broken; for it is frequently seen, nothing is perpetrable so easily, as what the enemy fancies you can never attempt; for commonly men suffer most, where they are most secure. A General therefore, when he cannot carry the Victory, is to endeavour with all possible industry that his loss may be as little as may be; and to do this, it is necessary to order things so that the enemy may not easily pursue, or be in a ca∣pacity to retard you.
As to the way of hindering the pursuit of the Conqueror; several Generals, as soon as they found their condition, and that it was not possible to continue the Fight, have order∣ed their inferior Commanders to separate, and fly in several parties, and meet again at a place which he assigned; and the enemy not daring to divide his Army for fear of a de∣sign, has let all, or the greatest part of the conquered escape. Others have thrown the best of their goods in the way, that the enemy following might be delayed by the prize, and suffer them to get off. Titus Dimius used no small art to conceal the loss which he had sustained in the fight; for having endured the burnt of the Battel from morning till night with the loss of many of his men; when night came, he caused most of them to be buried privately: the next morning the enemy finding so many of their own men dead, and so few of the Romans, concluded themselves beaten, and fled. And now I suppose (though confusedly) I have in some measure satisfied your demands.