If your enemy is superior, evade him

We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country.

To maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished.

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.

Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former.

When your weapons are dulled and ardour damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, neighboring rulers will take advantage of your distress to act. And even though you have wise counsellors, none will be able to lay good plans for the future. Thus, while we have heard of blundering swiftness in war, we have not yet seen a clever operation that was prolonged.

There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over.