DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0480
454
of the military affairs of greece.
ing commanded them to pay a critical and inviolate obedience to the ce-
lestial [iredictions, and to regulate all their proceedings, as well in civil
as military affairs, by the appearance of the heavenly bodies : amongst
the rest they were obliged, by a particular precept, never to march be-
fore the full moon (1) ; for that planet was believed to have a particular
influence upon their affairs, to l-less them with success, when itself was
in the heigh" of its splendour but till it was arrived there, to neglect, or
suffer them to be blasted for want, of power to send assistance. So con-
stant a belief of this they had entertained, that the greatest necessity
could not prevail upon them to alter their measures; for, when the
Athenians were like to fall into the hands of Darius, and sent to implore
their assistance, they agreed indeed to send them a supply of men, but,
rather than march before full moon, forced them to run the hazard of a
decisive battle, and with a very small force to encounter an hundred
thousand Medians (2).
CHAP. VIII.
of their camps, guards, watches, AfiD military course of life.
Of the form of the Grecian camps nothing exact and constant can be
delivered, that being not always the same, but varied, as the custom or
humour of different states, or the conveniences of place and time re-
quired. The Lacedaemonians, indeed, are said to have been prescribed
a constant method of building towns and encamping, by their lawgiver,
who thought a spherical figure the best fitted for defence (3), which was
contrary to the custom of the Romans, whose camps were quadrangular :
but all forms of that sort were rejected by Lycurgus, the angles being
neither fit for service, nor defensible, unless guarded by a river, moun-
tain, wall, or some such fortification. It is farther observable of theLa-
cedsemonians, that they frequently moved their camps, being accustomed
vigorously to prosecute all their enterprises, impatient of delays and te-
dious procrastinations, and utterly averse from passing their time without
action : wherefore the reason of this being demanded of Lycurgus, he
replied,' it was that they might do greater damage to their enemies (4)'.
To which Xenophon adds a second, ' that they might give more early re-
lief to their friends (5).'
Of the rest of the Grecian camps it maybe observed, that the valiant-
est of the soldiers were placed at the extremities, the rest in the middle ;
that the stronger might be a guard to the weaker, and sustain the first on-
sets, if the enemy should endeavour to force their entrenchments.
Thus, we find Achilles and Ajax posted at the ends of the Grecian camp
before Troy, as bulwarks on each side the rest of the princes, who had
their tents in the middle, as we learn from Homer (6).
When they designed to continue long in their encampments, they con-
,1) Lucianus Astrolog. (5) Loco citato.
(2) Herodotus, lib. vi. (6) Iliad. v. 222. Item Sophoclis, Ajax
(3) Xenophon de Repub. Laced. ejusque Scholiasts Triclinus, v. 4.
(4) Plutarch. Apophthesroat. Laconic.
of the military affairs of greece.
ing commanded them to pay a critical and inviolate obedience to the ce-
lestial [iredictions, and to regulate all their proceedings, as well in civil
as military affairs, by the appearance of the heavenly bodies : amongst
the rest they were obliged, by a particular precept, never to march be-
fore the full moon (1) ; for that planet was believed to have a particular
influence upon their affairs, to l-less them with success, when itself was
in the heigh" of its splendour but till it was arrived there, to neglect, or
suffer them to be blasted for want, of power to send assistance. So con-
stant a belief of this they had entertained, that the greatest necessity
could not prevail upon them to alter their measures; for, when the
Athenians were like to fall into the hands of Darius, and sent to implore
their assistance, they agreed indeed to send them a supply of men, but,
rather than march before full moon, forced them to run the hazard of a
decisive battle, and with a very small force to encounter an hundred
thousand Medians (2).
CHAP. VIII.
of their camps, guards, watches, AfiD military course of life.
Of the form of the Grecian camps nothing exact and constant can be
delivered, that being not always the same, but varied, as the custom or
humour of different states, or the conveniences of place and time re-
quired. The Lacedaemonians, indeed, are said to have been prescribed
a constant method of building towns and encamping, by their lawgiver,
who thought a spherical figure the best fitted for defence (3), which was
contrary to the custom of the Romans, whose camps were quadrangular :
but all forms of that sort were rejected by Lycurgus, the angles being
neither fit for service, nor defensible, unless guarded by a river, moun-
tain, wall, or some such fortification. It is farther observable of theLa-
cedsemonians, that they frequently moved their camps, being accustomed
vigorously to prosecute all their enterprises, impatient of delays and te-
dious procrastinations, and utterly averse from passing their time without
action : wherefore the reason of this being demanded of Lycurgus, he
replied,' it was that they might do greater damage to their enemies (4)'.
To which Xenophon adds a second, ' that they might give more early re-
lief to their friends (5).'
Of the rest of the Grecian camps it maybe observed, that the valiant-
est of the soldiers were placed at the extremities, the rest in the middle ;
that the stronger might be a guard to the weaker, and sustain the first on-
sets, if the enemy should endeavour to force their entrenchments.
Thus, we find Achilles and Ajax posted at the ends of the Grecian camp
before Troy, as bulwarks on each side the rest of the princes, who had
their tents in the middle, as we learn from Homer (6).
When they designed to continue long in their encampments, they con-
,1) Lucianus Astrolog. (5) Loco citato.
(2) Herodotus, lib. vi. (6) Iliad. v. 222. Item Sophoclis, Ajax
(3) Xenophon de Repub. Laced. ejusque Scholiasts Triclinus, v. 4.
(4) Plutarch. Apophthesroat. Laconic.