med astonishing feats of valour, nay, sometimes maintained
better discipline and fought with greater spirit after their consuls
were slain than they had before. For example, the army under the Scipios
in Spain, after its two leaders had fallen, was able by its valour not
merely to secure its own safety, but to overcome the enemy and preserve
the province for the Roman Republic. So that to state the case fairly,
we find many instances in which the valour of the soldiers alone
gained the day, as well as many in which success was wholly due to the
excellence of the captain. From which it may be inferred that the one
stands in need of the other.

And here the question suggests itself: which is the more formidable, a
good army badly led, or a good captain commanding an indifferent army;
though, were we to adopt the opinion of Caesar on this head, we ought
lightly to esteem both. For when Caesar went to Spain against Afranius
and Petreius, who were there in command of a strong army, he made little
account of them, saying, "_that he went to fight an army without a
captain_," indicating thereby the weakness of these generals. And,
conversely, when he went to encounter Pompeius in Thessaly, he said, "_I
go against a captain without an army_."[1]

A further question may also be raised, whether it is easier for a good
captain to make a good army, or for a good army to make a good captain.
As to this it might be thought there was barely room for doubt, since it
ought to be far easier for many who are good to find one who is good or
teach him to become so, than for one who is good to find or make
many good. Lucullus when sent against Mithridates was wholly without
experience in war: but his brave army, which was provided with many
excellent officers, speedily taught him to be a good captain. On the
other hand, when the Romans, being badly off for soldiers, armed
a number of slaves and gave them over to be drilled by Sempronius
Gracchus, he in a short time made them into a serviceable army. So too,
as I have already mentioned, Pelopidas and Epaminondas after rescuing
Thebes, their native city, from Spartan thraldom, in a short time made
such valiant soldiers of the Theban peasantry, as to be able with their
aid not only to withstand, but even to defeat the Spartan armies. So
that the question may seem to be equally balanced, excellence on one
side generally finding excellence on the other.

A good army, however, when left without a