fastenings of the chains so that horsemen might pass. When the only
chain remaining unbroken was that which closed the public square, the
alarm having now been given, the hammerman was so impeded by the crowd
pressing behind him that he could not raise his arm to strike freely.
Whereupon, to get more room for his work, he called aloud to the others
to stand back; and the word back passing from rank to rank those
furthest off began to run, and, presently, the others also, with such
precipitancy, that they fell into utter disorder. In this way, and from
this trifling circumstance, the attempt of the Oddeschi came to nothing.

Here we may note that discipline is needed in an army, not so much to
enable it to fight according to a settled order, as that it may not be
thrown into confusion by every insignificant accident. For a tumultuary
host is useless in war, simply because every word, or cry, or sound, may
throw it into a panic and cause it to fly. Wherefore it behoves a good
captain to provide that certain fixed persons shall receive his orders
and pass them on to the rest, and to accustom his soldiers to look to
these persons, and to them only, to be informed what his orders are. For
whenever this precaution is neglected the gravest mishaps are constantly
seen to ensue.

As regards strange and unexpected sights, every captain should endeavour
while his army is actually engaged with the enemy, to effect some
such feint or diversion as will encourage his own men and dismay his
adversary since this of all things that can happen is the likeliest to
ensure victory. In evidence whereof we may cite the example of Cneius
Sulpitius, the Roman dictator, who, when about to give battle to the
Gauls, after arming his sutlers and camp followers, mounted them on
mules and other beasts of burden, furnished them with spears and banners
to look like cavalry, and placing them behind a hill, ordered them on
a given signal, when the fight was at the hottest, to appear and show
themselves to the enemy. All which being carried out as he had arranged,
threw the Gauls into such alarm, that they lost the battle.

A good captain, therefore, has two things to see to: first, to contrive
how by some sudden surprise he may throw his enemy into confusion; and
next, to be prepared should the enemy use a like stratagem against him
to discover and defeat it; as the stratagem of Semiramis was defeated by
the King of India. For Semiramis seeing that thi