To seduce the enemies soldiers from their allegiance and encourage them to surrender is of special service, for an adversary is more hurt by desertion than by slaughter.

No great dependence is to be placed on the eagerness of young soldiers for action...fighting is agreeable to those who are strangers to it.

An army is strengthened by labor and enervated by idleness.

When men find they must inevitably perish, they willingly resolve to die with their comrades and with their arms in their hands.

Valor is superior to number.

Men are seldom born brave but they acquire courage through training and discipline - a handful of men inured to war proceed to certain victory; while on the contrary numerous armies of raw and undisciplined troops are but multitudes of men dragged to the slaughter.

The courage of a soldier is heightened by his knowledge of his profession.