ipation,[297] or one that is flying away,
or one that is walking (unprepared) along a road, or one engaged in
drinking or eating, or one that is mad, or one that is insane, or one
that has been wounded mortally, or one that has been exceedingly weakened
by his wounds, or one that is staying trustfully, or one that has begun
any task without having been able to complete it,[298] or one that is
skilled in some especial art (as mining, etc.), or one that is in grief,
or one that goes out of the camp for procuring forage or fodder, or men
who set up camps or are camp-followers, or those that wait at the gates
of the king or of his ministers, or those that do menial services (unto
the chiefs of the army), or those that are chiefs of such servants. Those
amongst thy warriors that break the rank of foes, or rally thy retreating
troops, should have their pay doubled and should be honoured by thee with
food, drink, and seats equal to thy own. Those amongst such that are
chiefs of ten soldiers should be made chiefs of a hundred. That heedful
hero again (amongst them) who is the chief of a hundred soldiers should
be made the chief of a thousand. Collecting together the principal
warriors, they should be addressed, thus: 'Let us swear to conquer, and
never to desert one another. Let those that are inspired with fear stay
here. Let those also stay here that would cause their chiefs to be slain
by themselves neglecting to act heroically in the press of battle. Let
such men come as would never break away from battle or cause their own
comrades to be slain. Protecting their own selves as also their comrades,
they are certain to slay the enemy in fight. The consequence of flying
away from battle are loss of wealth, death, infamy, and reproach.'
Disagreeable and cutting speeches have to be heard by that man who flies
away from battle, who loses his lips and teeth,[299] who throws away all
his weapons, or who suffers himself to be taken as a captive by the foe.
Let such evil consequences always overtake the warriors of our foes.
Those that fly away from battle are wretches among men. They simply swell
the tale of human beings on earth. For true manhood, however, they are
neither here nor hereafter. Victorious foes, O sire, proceed cheerfully,
their praises recited the while by bards, in pursuit of the flying
combatants. When enemies, coming to battle tarnish the fame of a person,
the misery the latter feels is more poignant, I think, than th