Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a regiment, a company, or a squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the supreme of excellence. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence.

An army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness.

It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care for them. Thus doubled agents are recruited and used.

When he pretends to flee, do not pursue.

There are not more than five primary colours, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.