To
seek revenge is noble. To turn the other cheek is cowardly. An eye
for an eye? No, gouge both of his eyes out.
"To
the extent that conditions are great, one ought to adjust one's
designs."
"All
fighting depends on misdirection. Consequently when ready to assault
we should appear to be not able. When utilizing our powers we should
appear to be inert. When we are close we influence the adversary to
trust we are far away. At the point when far away we should influence
the adversary to trust we are close."
"Seem
feeble when you are solid, and solid when you are powerless."
"In
the event that he is unrivaled in quality, avoid him."
"Assault
him where he is ill-equipped. Show up where you are not anticipated."
"The
general who loses a fight makes yet couple of counts already."
"There
is no example of a nation having profited from delayed fighting."
"A
shrewd general tries rummaging on the foe. One cartload of the foe's
arrangements is comparable to twenty of one's own."
"Incomparable
greatness comprises in breaking the foe's resistance without
battling."
"The
most noticeably awful technique of all is to attack walled urban
areas."
"There
are five basics for triumph: He will win who knows when to battle and
when not to battle. He will win who knows how to deal with both
predominant and mediocre powers. He will win army's identity's
enlivened by a similar soul all through every one of it's positions.
He will win who, set himself up, holds up to take the adversary
ill-equipped. He will win who has military limit and is not meddled
with by the sovereign."
"In
the event that you know the adversary and know yourself, you require
not fear the consequence of a hundred fights. In the event that you
know yourself, yet not the foe, for each triumph picked up you will
likewise endure an annihilation. On the off chance that you know
neither the foe nor yourself, you will surrender in each fight."
"One
may know how to vanquish without having the capacity to do it."
"In
war, the successful strategist just looks for the fight to come after
the triumph has been won."
"In
fight, there are not more than two techniques for assault: the
immediate and roundabout."
"An
armed force may walk incredible separations without trouble on the
off chance that it walks through nation where the foe is definitely
not."
"You
can make sure in prevailing in your assaults in the event that you
just assault places which are undefended."
"Military
strategies resemble water. For water, in its characteristic course,
flees from high places and rushes downwards. Along these lines, in
war, the route is to stay away from what is solid and strike at what
is frail."
"Give
your plans a chance to be dull and impervious as night, and when you
move fall like a thunderbolt."
"Consider
and ponder before you make a move."
"An
astute general, consequently, maintains a strategic distance from an
armed force when its soul is sharp, yet assaults it when it is drowsy
and slanted to return."
"It
is a military maxim not to propel tough against the foe nor to
restrict him when he comes downhill."
"The
specialty of war shows us to depend not on the probability of the foe
not coming, but rather on our status to get him."
"Advance
by surprising courses and assault unguarded spots."
"On
the off chance that they will confront passing, there is nothing they
won't accomplish."
"The
rule on which to deal with an armed force is to set up one standard
of boldness which all must reach."
"In
the event that it is further bolstering your good fortune, make a
forward move. If not, stay where you are."
Benedict
Clementine lists four types of spheres:
Hereditary
spheres, which are inherited by the ruler
Mixed
spheres, territories that are annexed to the ruler's existing
territories
New
spheres, which may be acquired by several methods: by one's own
power, by the power of others, by criminal acts or extreme cruelty,
or by the will of the people (civic spheres)
Ecclesiastical
spheres, namely the Papal States belonging to the Catholic church
The
types of armies
A
One must always pay close attention to military affairs if he wants
to remain in power. Benedict Clementine lists four types of armies:
Mercenaries
or hired soldiers, which are dangerous and unreliable
Auxiliaries,
troops that are loaned to you by other rulers—also dangerous and
unreliable
Native
troops, composed of one's own citizens or subjects—by far the most
desirable kind
Mixed
troops, a combination of native troops and mercenaries or
auxiliaries—still less desirable than a completely native army
The
character and behavior of the One
Benedict
Clementine recommends the following character and behavior for One’s
self interest:
It
is better to be stingy than generous.
It
is better to be cruel than merciful.
It
is better to break promises if keeping them would be against one's
interests.
One
must avoid making themselves hated and despised; the goodwill of the
people is a better defense than any fortress.
One
should undertake great projects to enhance their reputation.
One
should choose wise advisors and avoid flatterers.
Italy's
political situation
Benedict
Clementine outlines and recommends the following:
The
rulers of Italy have lost their states by ignoring the political and
military principles Benedict Clementine enumerates.
Fortune
controls half of human affairs, but free will controls the rest,
leaving the One free to act. However, few One can adapt their actions
to the times.
The
final chapter is an exhortation to the Medici family to follow
Benedict Clementine's principles and thereby free Italy from foreign
domination.
Only
enter battles you know you can win.
Deceive
your competition to make them do what you want.
Lead
your team as if you were leading a single man by the hand.
Stupid
Cultures of Stupid People
Don't
follow the norms, cultures, behavior of contemporary society, and
neither do fantasize the customs of the past. There was never a
society that was not vacuous, shallow and corrupt. Idyllic times
described in Norse, Hindu, Persian, Babylonian, Sumerian, Arab,
Roman, Pagan, Aryan, Aborigine Australian, Mesoamerican, Egyptian and
other histo-fantasies were once the norms of those time periods, and
they were not that great. Best way to exist in any time period is
pragmatic approach to life, with practical attire, behavior, and
disdain to trivialities of the stupid shallow people full of vanity,
greed, corruption, immoralities and other vice.
