Unless you know the mountains and the forests, the defiles and impasses, the lay of the marshes and swamps, you cannot maneuver with an armed force. Unless you use local guides, you cannot get the advantages of the land.

Wait by the river long enough and the body of your enemy will float by you.

Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.

The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds.

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all.

One who has few must prepare against the enemy; one who has many makes the enemy prepare against him.

There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefitted.