ot massed together
but must advance singly and one behind another. It is true, also, that
Captains and commanders of armies are subjected to a greater risk of
being killed now than of old, since they an be reached everywhere by the
enemy's fire; and it is no protection to them to be with those of their
men who are furthest from the enemy, or to be surrounded by the bravest
of their guards. Still, we do not often find either of these two dangers
occasioning extraordinary loss. For towns strongly fortified are not
attacked by escalade, nor will the assailing army advance against them
in weak numbers; but will endeavour, as in ancient times, to reduce them
by regular siege. And even in the case of towns attacked by storm, the
dangers are not so very much greater now than they were formerly; for
in those old days also, the defenders of towns were not without warlike
engines, which if less terrible in their operation, had, so far as
killing goes, much the same effect. And as for the deaths of captains
and leaders of companies, it may be said that during the last
twenty-four years of war in Italy, we have had fewer instances of such
deaths than might be found in a period of ten years of ancient warfare.
For excepting the Count Lodovico della Mirandola, who fell at Ferrara,
when the Venetians a few years ago attacked that city, and the Duke de
Nemours, slain at Cirignuola, we have no instance of any commander being
killed by artillery. For, at Ravenna, M. de Foix died by steel and
not by shot. Wherefore I say that if men no longer perform deeds of
individual prowess, it results not so much from the use of artillery,
as from the faulty discipline and weakness of our armies, which being
collectively without valour cannot display it in particular instances.

As to the third assertion, that armies can no longer be brought to
engage one another, and that war will soon come to be carried on wholly
with artillery, I maintain that this allegation is utterly untrue, and
will always be so held by those who are willing in handling their troops
to follow the usages of ancient valour. For whosoever would have a good
army must train it, either by real or by mimic warfare, to approach the
enemy, to come within sword-thrust, and to grapple with him; and must
rely more on foot soldiers than on horse, for reasons presently to be
explained. But when you trust to your foot-soldiers, and to the methods
already indicated, artillery becomes powerless