Kill one, terrify a thousand.

Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.

Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.

If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.

He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.

Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards... Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.