Isomachus on Military, from Xenophon’s Estate Management, quoting the most virtuous man of Athens with the younger Socrates. Xenophon’s manuals on horsemanship and generalship, as well as his account of the rearguard action out of the Persian Empire by his 10,000 hired fellows were keenly studied by Alexander, who was using lessons from the old Athenian soldier before he invaded Asia. The advice attributed to Isomachus, concerning estate management by way of military analogies, will be regarded as sound, standard martial wisdom.

VIII

[Isomachus]

“…an army destitute of order is confusion worse confounded: to enemies an easy prey, courting attack; to friends a bitter spectacle of wasted power; a mingled mob of asses, heavy infantry, and baggage-bearers, light infantry, cavalry, and waggons. Now, suppose they are on the march; how are they to get along?

'slow march' side by side with 'double quick,' 'quick march' at cross purposes with 'stand at ease…'

“…here heavy infantry and cavalry, and there again light infantry, there archers and there slingers, following each their leaders, with orderly precision. As they tramp onwards thus in order, though they number many myriads, yet even so they move on and on in quiet progress, stepping like one man, and the place just vacated in front is filled up on the instant from the rear.”

“I went as a sightseer on board the great Phoenician merchantman, and beheld an endless quantity of goods and gear of all sorts, all separately packed and stowed away within the smallest compass. I need scarce remind you (he said, continuing his narrative) what a vast amount of wooden spars and cables a ship depends on in order to get to moorings; or again, in putting out to sea; it, she requires for sailing; the quantity of engines and machinery of all sorts she is armed with in case she should encounter any hostile craft; the infinitude of arms she carries, with her crew of fighting men aboard. Then all the vessels and utensils, such as people use at home on land, required for the different messes, form a portion of the freight; and besides all this, the hold is heavy laden with a mass of merchandise, the cargo proper, which the master carries with him for the sake of traffic. Well, all these different things that I have named lay packed there in a space but little larger than a fair-sized dining-room. The several sorts, moreover, as I noticed, lay so well arranged, there could be no entanglement of one with other, nor were searchers needed; and if all were snugly stowed, all were alike get-at-able, much to the avoidance of delay if anything were wanted on the instant.

Then the pilot's mate—“the look-out man at the prow," to give him his proper title—was, I found, so well acquainted with the place for everything that, even off the ship, he could tell you where each set of things was laid and how many there were of each, just as well as any one who knows his alphabet could tell you how many letters there are in Socrates and the order in which they stand. I saw this same man examining at leisure everything which could possibly be needful for the service of the ship. His inspection caused me such surprise, I asked him what he was doing, whereupon he answered, "I am inspecting, stranger," "just considering," says he, "the way the things are lying aboard the ship; in case of accidents, you know, to see if anything is missing, or not lying snug and shipshape. There is no time left, you know," he added, "when God makes a tempest in the great deep, to set about searching for what you want, or to be giving out anything which is not snug and shipshape in its place. God threatens and chastises sluggards. If only He destroy not innocent with guilty, a man may be content; or if He turn and save all hands aboard that render right good service, thanks be to Heaven."

So spoke the pilot's mate; and I, with this carefulness of stowage still before my eyes… boots and shoes and sandals…

“Again, as all the world knows, it is better to place day and night pickets in front of an encampment. Yet even that is a procedure which, carefully observed at times, is at times as carelessly neglected. Once more: not one man in ten thousand, I suppose, but knows that when a force is marching through a narrow defile, the safer method is to occupy beforehand certain points of vantage. Yet this precaution also has been known to be neglected.

“On a ship of war, for instance, the ship is on the high seas, and the crew must row whole days together to reach moorings. Now note the difference. Here you may find a captain able by dint of speech and conduct to whet the souls of those he leads, and sharpen them to voluntary toils; and there another so dull of wit and destitute of feeling that it will take his crew just twice the time to finish the same voyage. See them step on shore. The first ship's company are drenched in sweat; but listen, they are loud in praise of one another, the captain and his merry men alike. And the others? They are come at last; they have not turned a hair, the lazy fellows, but for all that they hate their officer and by him are hated.”

…

Hoofstock, an Email from a Patreon Supporter

The following message recalls, and continues, this writers great boon in readers, with many offers of expert advice and source curation coming from the shadowy seats holding a kindly view of these writings in progress.

“Thank you James! I've been a substack supporter as well and hope you continue using that service as I like to have an easy way to send you direct support since I know Amazon probably doesn't give you much of a cut from buying your books. I've read some of your Plantation America excerpts and would love to read the entire collection. You're doing very valuable work giving all those indentured "servants" a voice by documenting what happened.

“I'm not sure if it would ever be helpful to you but I've been a zookeeper for over a decade working with elephants and large hoofstock so if you ever want to bounce ideas or questions about said animals in warfare I'd love to help in whatever way I can. If you ever find yourself in San Diego let me know and I can show you around the zoo. Take it easy and safe travels,

-Mike

Wow, Mike, thank you. Your offer would be very helpful for my Alexander project. I will be in the LA area in February. I will let you know by December 1 the time frame and hope to be able to meet. Here is a title.

Peace

-James